Los Angeles, Orange County, and Santa Barbara wedding photographer

Santa Barbara Same Sex Wedding at Sunstone Villa

Jordan and Bryan are Los Angeles locals. Last year they decided to have their destination same sex wedding in Santa Barbara at the Sunstone Villa.
They met with us at our Los Angeles studio and after viewing our work hired us as their Santa Barbara wedding photographer.

Santa Barbara Same Sex Wedding at Sunstone Villa - www.lindaarredondo.com

I’m very excited to share with you a wedding from the end of 2013 that has a very special place in my heart.
To my delight, it’s featured in the most recent issue of California Wedding Day Magazine!
Santa Barbara Same Sex Wedding at Sunstone Villa - www.lindaarredondo.com On their first anniversary, Jordan took Bryan to the Standard Downtown in Los Angeles for a surprise dinner. Little did he know that Bryan also had a surprise: a diamond ring.
Desiring a legal marriage, they were engaged for nearly a decade until the Defense of Marriage Act was overturned. Overjoyed, they proposed again!Bryan and Jordan said their “I Dos” at a Gatsby Goes to Hawaii” themed same sex wedding.
Percy Sales Events mixed an elegant 1930’s social scene with an upscale island-inspired five course meal.Subtle blues, golds and whites balanced the floral arrangements with hints of Hawaiiana at this beautiful same sex wedding……while French furniture and Moroccan tents created a lounge area complete with a nine-piece orchestra.
After a lei ceremony, the newlyweds sat down among hundreds of lit candles and loved ones to dine and watch Hawaiian dancers herald their new union. I want to thank you Jordan & Bryan, not only for trusting me to capture your day and magnificent vision, but for taking me on a journey into your hearts…
From the first day I met you both, it was love at first sight. I will surely never forget this gorgeous, moving and heartfelt day. I hope this is
only the beginning of a beautiful journey where I have the honor to continue to capture your, love, lives and family as it grows.

Sincerely,
LA_sign

Event Design: Percy Sales Events, Florist: Keith J. Laverty, Videography: Custom Made Productions, Band: Big Lucky, Catering: Savvy Wine Food,
Entertainment: Halau Hula a Kawika Laua ‘o Leinani, Invitations: Calligraphy Katrina, Maison du Papier, Rentals: The Tent Merchant,
Lighting: LBPS Events, Cappuccino Bar: Cappuccino Connection, Desserts: Santa Barbara Shave Ice, Guestbook: Paint Jam USA, Suits & Bow Ties: Dolce & Gabbana

May I make a special mention of the Videographers for this wedding: It was truly a pleasure working with you and your team Ari (Custom Made Productions)…
Your work is an inspiration to anyone photographing the life and emotion of a wedding.

Santa Ynez Wedding – Firestone Vineyards

Santa Ynez Wedding – Firestone Vineyards / LOS OLIVOS, CALIFORNIA

I met Greta and John in Santa Monica as they were planning their Santa Ynez Wedding at Firestone Vineyards.
With the beautiful work by talented vendors, including Percy Sales Events, their plans came to life in a wedding of classic elegance
with touches of vintage charm. One of the selling points for Firestone Vineyards, other than the stunning sweeping vistas which
Santa Ynez is renown for, was the dinner space: the winery’s Barrel Room. As a Wedding Photographer who loves Santa Barbara
and Santa Ynez Weddings, I absolutely fell in love with this venue, all of the elegant touches Greta selected, and with Greta herself!
It’s no surprise that their wedding was chosen to be featured by Ruffled blog – very excited about that!

From the Bride:

From the very minute John got down on one knee and asked for my hand in marriage, I knew I wanted to create a day that represented the love we have for each other and for our friends and family.
We wanted our wedding to truly embody and represent the commitment, love, and passion we had for our lives together. Adjectives like amorous, timeless, and sentimental with a touch of
vintage charm took hold in our hearts, and from the looks of our wedding, those ideas never left. I was inspired by the antique cameo pin that was my great grandmother’s and adorned my bouquet.

Growing up in Santa Barbara, I had seen my fair share of drop dead gorgeous weddings. I knew that if the dream wedding I had started to formulate in my mind were to ever come to life I had to enlist
the services of Percy Sales at Percy Sales Events, a family friend and exceptional wedding planner. After only a few site visits, John and I were sold on Firestone Vineyards in Los Olivos, CA to serve as
our venue. The sweeping vistas, incredible vineyard views, and breathtaking surroundings captured our interest but hearing Percy’s vision of hosting our dinner in the winery’s Barrel Room sealed the deal.

Over the next ten months, I became completely entranced by the entire wedding planning process. Every spare moment was spent selecting and perfecting the details. Designing and printing our
paper goods, scouring Etsy for the perfect ring bearer pillow and the vintage sterling silver flower girl basket, begging my friend to gift me her calligraphy skills for our wedding invitations,
fawning over beautiful blooms that I hoped would be in season in August and crossing my fingers that the Bordeaux canopy love seat I fawned over for months from The Tent Merchant was available.
Family and friends collected over 150 empty wine bottles that my mother hand painted metallic gold to serve as candle holders for our feasting table. Just as the old saying goes,
“it takes a village to raise a child,” same holds true for weddings!

When reflecting back on our wedding day, the only words that comes to mind to describe the experience is exquisite, eloquent, and awe inspiring. Everything from the calming of the breeze
as I made my way down the aisle, the delicious meal served to our guests at the feasting table, to the perfectly placed floral arrangements, the metallic gold 3-layer cake, and the dance floor
that was jam-packed all night, it all fell perfectly into place coming together flawlessly. It was without a doubt, the most beautiful, memorable, and amazing day of our lives!

Thank you to all the wedding vendors who contributed to the beauty of this day.

Sincerely,

LA_sign

Wedding Planner: Percy Sales Events / Photography: Linda Arredondo Photography / Venue: Firestone Vineyards, Los Olivos, CA /Florist: Your Image Floral Design /

Rentals, Linens, and Furniture: The Tent Merchant / Caterer: Georgia’s Smokehouse / Cake and Desserts: Decadence Fine Cakes and Confections /

Associate Photographer : Joe Goger / Officiant: Reverend Ken Collier / Guest Transportation: Jump on the School Bus / Bride & Groom Transportation: Classic Motoring Car Rentals /

Reception DJ: David Fletes, Supastarr DJs / Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Musician: Rebekah Scogin, Harpist / Hair & Make-up: Absolutely Fabulous Glamour Studio

Bride’s Dress: Marisa Bridals, Style #953, Panache Bridals – Santa Barbara / Bride’s Veil: Malis-Henderson, Panache Bridals – Santa Barbara /

Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale, Panache Bridals – Santa Barbara / Invitations: Etsy Shop: Champagne Press / Hotel: Hotel Corque

Tuscany Wedding Editorial – Part I

Villa di Geggiano – located on the Tuscan hills of Siena – was given to the Bianchi Bandinelli family as the dowry of Girolama Santi
when she married Girolamo Bandinelli in 1527. Its majestic appearance, including original 18th century furniture and decorations, is layered
with an elegant and rich history, as generations have each decorated and restored the estate over the centuries.

The famous archeologist and art historian Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli, made the Villa his main residence from 1930 and wrote about his
‘love for this special place’ with its original furniture in ‘veneziano rustico’ style and its original French wallpaper and fabrics.
The journals above – artistically handwritten in calligraphy – are original school “notebooks” of one of the family’s young ascendants.

Amongst the ancestry of the Bianchi Bandinelli family are Pope Alexander III – depicted on the crest in the master bedroom’s bed (above).

Many of the rooms remain intact from the 18th century, along with photographs and relics from the family’s history. Both the Villa and the
surrounding grounds make for an amazingly romantic and rustic setting for a wedding. I was invited to stay for a few days
to capture what a bride’s stroll through this magical place might look and feel like.

These images were mainly taken in the “Sala Azzurra” (blue room). With so many gorgeous places to shoot, I will continue this series in another blog post!
Meanwhile, check out Villa Di Geggiano on Facebook for the latest happenings, or directly on their website for information on planning an event.
wedding photography in Italy

Maravilla Gardens Elegant Wedding Outside Los Angeles

Photographing this elegant wedding at Maravilla Gardens outside of Los Angeles was an amazing experience. Laura had discovered my work on Style Me Pretty and decided that I would be the best wedding photographer for their wedding day because she wanted a natural candid style of wedding photography.

Laura & Ryan’s wedding at Maravilla Gardens was a beautiful and elegant affair, a mix of sophistication and relaxed fun.
I loved photographing the soft colors of the wedding, white and blush tones with a little bit of lavender; peonies, hydrangeas and pale pink roses;
an overall shabby chic theme, definitely more on the chic side.
I had a wonderful time with this couple, starting with their wedding engagement session in Santa Ynez (which I have yet to post…)!
One of my favorite details from the reception was their idea for guest favors. As shown below, instead of opting for traditional party favors,
they decided to make donations to charities that were meaningful to them in the name of their guests. Loved it!

Thank you to Laura & Ryan for sharing this magical day with me, and to all of the vendors who made this a gorgeous wedding to capture! Click here to view the extended post with additional photographs from this wedding.

LA_sign

Venue Maravilla Gardens Hair and Make Up LunaBella Makeup & Hair
Wedding Dress Martina Liana, Shoes Vera Wang Lavender,
Florist Belle Of The Ball Designs, Assistant Photographer Matt Dames,
Catering Command Performance Catering, Cake Skiff’s Cakes,
Live Band De Bois Entertainment, On-Site Coordinator Jennifer Loller
Officiant Chayim Frenkel

Tuscany Wedding Editorial – Part II

And so, the second and final series from the shoot I did at Villa Di Geggiano. Just six kilometres north-east of Siena,
its façade looks out onto the enchanting hills of Chianti Classico, a region of Italy world famous for its wines, natural beauty and rich history.This elongated room, facing the landscaped gardens, was designed as a room for the ladies to gather and “gossip” on the elongated bench
that lines the entire wall. It now makes for a stunning room to photograph in, with beautiful light softened by the sheer curtains.
To each side of the open-air theatre, Teatro di Verzura, are niches containing statues of Tragedy and Comedy, by the Maltese sculptor Bosio.
It was here that Vittorio Alfieri, during one of his many stays at the Villa di Geggiano, performed one of his tragedies in the late 18th century.
It is now used for open air concerts in the summer, and of course makes a beautiful outdoor setting for weddings.
At the main entrance of the Villa, a stunning hallways is covered by original frescoes depicting scenery from Tuscan rural life.
Through one of the gates (below, right) you’ll find the Pomario, a mixture of flowerbeds and vegetables, which contains a topiary and
a terrace fish pond and has a magnificent view over nearby Siena.

As you can see, the Villa Di Geggiano offers one of the most romantic, idyllic settings for a imaginable for a wedding photographer.
There were not enough hours in the three days of my stay to capture all of the beauty and mystique of this national heritage site.
In addition to the beautiful scenery and interiors seen in this series as well as the first series (see below, or click here), the villa also has
it’s own eighteenth-century chapel, built for the marriage of Anton Domenico Bianchi Bandinelli and Cecilia Chigi Zondadari in 1768.
Villa Di Geggiano works with recognized Italian and foreign wedding planners, and with their extensive experience in wedding
and event planning, it will be a dream wedding venue for those seeking to get married under the tuscan sun.

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