Erin & Trevor {Coronado Island wedding photography}

I’ve been such a terrible blogger…will you ever forgive me?

Maybe these images of a gorgeous destination wedding on Coronado Island will help me to redeem myself…

Congratulations to Erin and Trevor, who tied the knot on the beach a few weeks ago. It was indeed a perfect day.

The bride got ready at the El Cordova Hotel on Coronado Island, which was also the reception location. There were so many unbelievable spots for photos at the El Cordova.

I see you Erin…

Q: What is the coolest thing that you’ve ever heard a bride say on her wedding day?

A: “I’m starting to feel nervous, can someone put on some Led Zeppelin?”

Erin, the fact that you uttered these words on any day, let alone on your wedding day makes you the epitome of cool. I mean that.

From the florals to every last gorgeous detail, super-talented wedding coordinator Kelly Nicoletto (559)940-2733 did an outstanding job!

The invitations and save-the-date cards were luscious. Seriously, the colors, simple graphics, and gorgeous papers were out of this world. They were designed by the lovely and talented Sheila George, who also happened to be a bridesmaid. Sheila has recently started her business and her work is incredible! sdgeorge@gmail.com

Pat grabbed this great shot of the guys before the ceremony.

And I got to hang out with the girls. These women were amazing…

Speaking of amazing, check out some of the ceremony details.

The next two images were captured by Pat. I am not jealous…really, I’m not.

OK, maybe I am, but just a little…

Erin, you are so beautiful.

One of my favorites from the day.

I love Pat’s take on the Wedding Party portraits.

I asked the guys to channel Mary Poppins and they pretty much nailed it…

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Hello Beautiful Couple…

While waiting to be formally introduced at the reception, Erin and Trevor stood outside on the busy sidewalk and practiced their first dance. These completely unscripted moments are what I love most about weddings. There is no way to prepare for a snippet of time like this, it is just being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, I guess. That and great light.

Here’s the same image in sepia. Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself.

A few reception details:

The table names are from my second favorite island on earth. The first person to correctly guess my very favorite island gets a prize…leave a comment with your guess.

Guests dined on delicious Mexican fare at Miguelito’s Restaurant in the El Cordova. I loved the cozy ambiance in the courtyard.

Erin and Trevor, thank you for sharing your day and your love with all of us. It was truly an honor for us to chronicle the first day of your marriage. We wish you much laughter, many more late nights of dancing, countless strolls on the beaches of Kauai’, and of course…many, many years of rockin’ out together to Led Zeppelin.

With all our Love,

Jo & Pat

 

Featured on Snippet & Ink Wedding Blog!

How lucky am I? One of my weddings has been featured on Snippet & Ink, one of the most fabulous wedding blogs around! Kathryn of Snippet & Ink has impeccable taste and has created such an amazing and inspiring resource, you must check it out. Kathryn regularly features images by some of the most talented photographers in the industry. Just being included in the same blog as these women and men is an honor to say the least. Thanks, Kathryn!

Although I’d love to take most of the credit, it really belongs to my amazing friends and clients Annie and Jonathan for creating such a stunning event and for being the perfect subjects. Annie and Jonathan’s wedding so perfectly reflected both of their personalities and their very sweet love for each other. Annie & Jonathan, I love you guys! I’m also grateful to my wonderful brother-in-law and talented photographer Kevin for second-shooting for me. Some of his work is featured in the post as well.

Oh, and how could I forget my dear Amy, for introducing me to Kathryn’s gorgeous blog and encouraging me to submit my work. As someone who struggles with the whole confidence thing, I am indebted to her for her inspiration and gentle push toward pursuing my dreams!

CLICK HERE to check out the post.

xxoo,

Jo

 

Mary Beth & Shane: Part 2 {Lake Tahoe Wedding Photography}

I’ve been having trouble deciding which images to post since there are so many good ones (these two are unbelievably photogenic). Here are a couple more images from after the ceremony. I love candid shots so much that I just had to share.

Next we headed back to their hotel, The Lake Tahoe Hyatt Regency for some more casual shots. I love capturing relaxed shots of couples, and the location couldn’t have been more perfect.

Mary Beth , you are gorgeous.

Shane, you’re not so bad yourself!

The beach at the Hyatt was so beautiful.

Some weather started to roll in, but these two didn’t care a bit…they were all smiles.

I like the next two a lot.

They boarded this boat at 5 AM the next morning for a fishing expedition…I was seriously impressed. And I received word that Shane caught quite a few.

Photogenic much?

I love how content they both look.

And lastly, two of my favorites from the day:

Mary Beth and Shane, you guys are amazing! May your life together be as sweet as your wedding day.

Love,

Jo

PS- Thanks for the fabulous bottle of wine…we enjoyed every drop and toasted you two! xxoo

 

Mary Beth & Shane:Part 1 {Lake Tahoe Wedding Photography}

Here I am at Syd’s internet cafe in Tahoe City because wireless at Grandma and Grandpa’s hasn’t been cooperating. Not that I’m complaining though, the Mochas are great here!

Mary Beth and Shane tied the knot in Tahoe last week and I was so honored to be asked to document it. This wedding was really unique for a few different reasons…

1) Mary Beth is a childhood friend whom I’ve known for the better part of 25 years. She is quite gorgeous as you can see, but even more importantly, she is a truly amazing person and radiates joy…honestly, she is smiling in every single image-the real kind of smile,not the fake kind. Of course, I adore this.

2) I was asked to photograph this wedding largely due to Facebook, which is where Mary Beth and I have reconnected within the last year. I used to think that things like Facebook were strange. Well, OK, maybe they are strange, but in a really, really good way! I’m grateful for this and have reconnected with so many friends from childhood as well as relatives near and far…even as far as Greece…LOVE that! I also want to mention that this is the second childhood friend’s wedding that I’ve had the honor of documenting. So, who’s next? I won’t lie, I’ve got my eye on a few of you!

3) Mary Beth and Shane got hitched in beautiful Lake Tahoe, one of my favorite places on earth. I’ve never photographed a wedding here and was over-the-moon about the opportunity to do so.

4) I had never met Shane the handsome Groom…he is wonderful and a perfect partner for Mary Beth. It is so nice to see two people so content and comfortable together, I actually felt comforted just being around them.

Here are a few shots of the ceremony and the moments after they said “I do”. Part 2 of this stunning wedding is coming soon!

The Gorgeous Bride.

The infamous pine cone! I love the simple and elegant details of Mary Beth’s dress.

The weather was overcast for most of the day, but the sun peeked out over the mountains just in time for the ceremony. It was awesome.

I love me a little veil action. I also love the look on Shane’s face.

And then a few small clouds blew by and the light got all buttery, yum.

They did it!!!

How amazing is this place?

Off to the rest of our lives…

Mary Beth and Shane…what can I say? I am beyond honored to be able to share these images. You are both so fabulous. Thanks again for including me in this unbelievable day.

Love,

Jo

 

Wedding Bells…

My 2008 wedding season has officially ended! I shot my last wedding of the year a few weeks ago and am feeling like I’m just now catching my breath. This has been such an awesome year for me, the best one yet. I shot some amazing weddings, met so many great people, and even photographed a destination wedding in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania! I don’t know how, but I luck out time and time again with the most fabulous clients. I am truly blessed.

I’m currently booking weddings for 2009 and am beyond excited for what is shaping up to look like another great season. My big goal for 2009 is to book more destination weddings. I absolutely love traveling and shooting in new places and would love to see more of the country or world this year. If you know anyone who is planning on tying the knot in ‘09, whether it is local or far flung, feel free to pass on this blog or my website. Who knows? We just may be a perfect match!

Speaking of my website, I’ve updated my homepage with some fun new shots from the last few months. Check it out HERE and let me know what you think!

 

And the winners are…

We finally picked the $25 iTunes gift card winners!

I actually included both the wedding post and the contest post comments in the drawing since I reread the contest details and realized that I wasn’t completely clear as to where comments should be left. I printed all of the entries, cut them, and placed them in a hat. My little guy insisted on doing the honors which was a relief since some family members and close friends had left comments and I felt funny about being the one to draw names. I can assure you, however, that he didn’t cheat..he’s only four and he can’t read yet!

Winner #1 is:

Jenn (mom to Aiden and Oliver) I’m so honored that Jenn is a a faithful blog reader, so this is incredibly well-deserved!

And Winner #2 is:

My dear friend, the one and only Lisa Gopman! What can I say about Lisa? She makes me laugh harder than anyone else on this earth and I’m thrilled that she is a winner. If you want to chuckle with Lisa, CLICK HERE.

Congrats, you two! I can’t think of two more deserving winners. Your cards will arrive via e-mail shortly.

I’m looking forward to doing more fun contests in the future.

And, because I’m incapable of posting without photos, here are a few fun ones…

My four year-old’s birthday cake. What can I say? He wanted a dump truck cake. I stayed up until the wee hours piecing it all together and later added orange cones as well. I was feeling so grateful that I had a reason to make something so ridiculous. (I know, this photo completely sucks. Don’t judge though, I grabbed it with someone else’s point and shoot at the last second. Promise.)

Speaking of other cameras, sometimes I leave my digital camera and fancy lenses behind and grab my Holga instead. I love Holgas, they are splendidly imperfect and the images always make me smile.

Here is my husband in SF showing off what could possibly be the ugliest shoe ever made.

And my baby. He humors me when I have a camera in my hand.

Thanks as always for checking in. More portrait sessions on the way…

 

Annie & Jonathan’s Country Wedding, the Wedding Day Post!

Here is the post y’all have been waiting so patiently for…

Before I show you the images, however, I’d like to share the list of amazing vendors who made this wedding day so brilliant:

Flawless Wedding Coordination: Robin & Matt of Oak Lodge; Bride’s Gown: Michelle Roth; Bridesmaids’ dresses: J Crew; Venue: Oak Lodge; Catering, Bar, and Rentals: Elegant Catering; Brewery: Harpoon Lager; Cake: Burd’s Bakery; Flowers: T. Cumberledge Floral; Hair: From Head to Toe Spa; Invitations: Heather Toupin; Calligraphy: Jill Velez; Cocktail Hour Music: Pitt Jazz Ensemble; Reception Music: Groove Doctors.

The wedding day started out with a Yoga class instructed by the groom. He was amazing.

The amount of thought that went into this entire weekend was truly unbelievable, there were even pony rides for the kids!

And a John Deere Gator Parade through some of the trails on the property.

One of my favorite people at the wedding was Oak Lodge employee, Donut John! He lead the Gator parades and even offered guests an impromptu history lecture. He was fantastic! D.J. was a baker for 20 years before he came to work at the Lodge, and because the property manager’s name is also John, he was given this nickname, which stuck!

While I was shooting details on the main property, Kevin went to the Lake Party and got some amazing shots.

The Gators arriving at Lake Phyllis.

My absolute favorite, hands down:

I love a bride who jumps in a lake just a few hours before saying “I do”!

On my way down to meet the bride, I ran into the bridesmaids and Wade decorating the getaway car…

…and I couldn’t resist this self portrait.

Let me guess…a college friend’s hybrid?

And then I found Annie! Angela of From Head To Toe Spa was so amazing! Everyone’s hair looked gorgeous.

The Bridesmaids were all such wonderful women, I simply adored them.

I like grabbing some creative portraits of Bridesmaids at they prepare:

When I shoot weddings, I have this thing about something old, new, borrowed, and blue. Particularly the blue part. I’d love to someday make a book of all of my “something blue” images. This is one of the most original ones yet, a blue pom pom for the rear view mirror!

Annie’s Michelle Roth Wedding Gown blew my mind.

I just love the look on her face here.

I’m just going to play this one off as if it’s a normal wedding day image.

A sucker for detail shots…

I was inspired by the 1950’s feel of Annie’s gown and decided to create a little series with a vintage feel.

I was so impressed by the way that Annie seamlessly combined whimsy and sophistication into her wedding day. This inspired me to get creative and try something new. I photographed a detail of Annie’s fabulous gown, toned it, and then layered it onto a few portraits, creating a textured effect.

Meanwhile, Kevin was with Jonathan and the guys. I love the next three images that he captured:

The Wedding Officiant was the mayor of Ligonier, which I thought was perfect.

I love this image that Kevin captured of Annie. I think that she looks so beautiful.

I just loved the nostalgic look and feel of this entire day.

When I photograph a couple fresh from their wedding ceremony, I make a conscious effort to hang back for the first few minutes and let them have some time together, to relish their first moments as husband and wife. I often get the best images during this time as they are always honest and spontaneous.

(note the blue pom pom!)

Annie and Jonathan, thank you! It has been my honor to share your wedding with you both. Your love for one another is as charming as the town of Ligonier, as vast and beautiful as the view from the Red Barn, and as powerful as, well, a John Deere Gator! May you always continue smiling at one another.

With Love,

Jo

 

Confessions of a Karaoke Convert

OK, so today I want to talk about Karaoke.

Not a typical blog post, I know. Nevertheless, this has been on my mind quite a bit lately and I just have to get it off my chest…

So, my friends Annie and Jonathan, who were married on August 9th, had this amazing wedding weekend with three days of festivities. After the rehearsal dinner on Friday night there was a Karaoke party planned. I’ll be honest, up until last Friday night, I hated karaoke. I assumed that it was something that sad, lonely people did after having a few too many cheap domestic beers at really lame bars. Admittedly, when I got the wedding schedule I cringed when I saw Karaoke as a late-night festivity and prayed to the Gods of sanity that this was simply a misprint and that I wouldn’t have to endure this type of torture the night before a big shoot. Usually on the night before a wedding, I like to spend a quiet evening relaxing, cleaning my lenses, and ironing my clothes for the next day. I wasn’t sure what a late night Karaoke party would do for my emotional well-being on a wedding day.

I’m not sure how it happened, exactly…but my ice-cold aversion to this odd activity melted first into understanding, then to respect, then to…well…love. I don’t have the correct words for the change that transpired inside of me on 8/8/08, but I do have a few photos. Enjoy.

I showed up to the bride-to-be belting out a duet with her friend Dave and was mildly disturbed amused.

Apparently there is this book that lists song choices. It was circulating all evening and receiving a fair bit of chuckles.

Karaoke can be quite macho. I noticed some big talk amongst the crowd.

But then I observed the smiles on people’s faces and thought…”Maybe karaoke isn’t so sad and lonely after all…”

I love this shot:

Ok, now down to business:

The talent was pretty tight. I mean, this has got to be the best rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody that two high school biology teachers have ever performed. Ever.

I won’t lie, things did get a little intense there for a moment…

So I headed outside to the campfire, had a s’more, and took a breather. The s’more lady was adorable, don’t you think?

Thankfully, when I returned, things had simmered down a bit. My love for karaoke was pretty much solidified here.

And here.

And here, of course.

The look of a performer after smoking the competition.

And the look of a satisfied customer. I’d definitely say that Friday night’s kareoke show was well worth the price of admission!

The die hards. Notice Kevin, my second shooter in the background. What a slacker!

Biology, bowling, and belting it out!

Was karaoke an elective at Pomona or something?

Make no mistake, though…Annie was the star of the show!

More on this awesome weekend to come!

**EDITED TO ADD: My apologies to anyone who saw the early version of this post, where I repeatedly misspelled the word Karaoke. I didn’t even think to spell check this as I had never even considered it a real word! My Bad.

 

Annie & Jonathan’s Country Wedding Pt. 1

My dear friends Annie and Jonathan were married last weekend at Oak Lodge in beautiful Stahlstown, Pennsylvania. Stahlstown is nestled in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania and has a country charm that is uniquely it’s own. We arrived late on Thursday evening and woke up to a glorious morning. I arrived on the property and instantly began snapping away at a few signs that caught my eye (for those of you who may not know, I have quite an affinity for signs of all types)…

I was lucky enough to be included in the bridesmaid’s lunch, which was held at the fabulous Ivy Cafe in nearby Ligonier. The food was to die for!

The beautiful bride taking care of a few last-minute details…

I absolutely love Annie’s new mother-in-law, she is lovely.

It just so happened that T. Cumberledge Floral, the wedding florist’s shop was across the street from Ivy Cafe. I couldn’t resist popping in and checking out the flowers. I loved the way that they looked in the buckets, just waiting for Karen’s magic touch…

And then it was off to the rehearsal dinner. The happy couple received a warm welcome.

Some new friends…

And a few details…

I love this touch of Pennsylvania charm, designed by none other than the amazing “Donut John” (more on D.J. later), who did all of the rehearsal dinner centerpieces.

The rehearsal dinner guests were entertained by The Boilermakers. They were unbelievable! here are a few candid shots of them performing.

What would I have done without my brother-in-law, Kevin?? He flew in all the way from Lake Tahoe to be my second shooter for the weekend. Although he looks pretty bitter in this image, he’s actually one of the kindest individuals you’ll ever meet, and although it may not appear like it, we get along quite well. More on Kevin and his work soon (send me those shots, Kev!).

Please check back over the weekend for Annie and Jonathan’s Country Wedding Part 2. This was such a fun-filled weekend that I’ve decided to post many images over the course of a few days. Oh, and I almost forgot one last image…

I do love this candid moment between Annie and Jonathan during the toasts on Friday night. Congratulations, you two!

Happy Friday, everyone!

 

A sneak peek…

This weekend’s wedding was amazing. I just returned home last night, and after 16 hours of sleep, I am finally feeling recovered! I will be posting a few favorites from the weekend in the next few days, but until then, a tiny little sneak peek…

Check back tomorrow for Annie & Jonathan’s Country Wedding Part 1!