picture it

Shannon & Phil Celebrate at the Anthenaeum

katie23 — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:15:27 +0000

Shannon and Phil celebrated their wedding day with family and friends at the beautiful Anthenaeum at CalTech. The romantic setting was the perfect fit for Shannon and Phil’s festivities. The campus is filled with gorgeous carved archways and rich foliage; which makes you feel like you have been transported to a far off European villa. Each alcove and walkway created the perfect backdrop for our photos. Guests gathered in the Anthenaeum’s courtyard for dinner and dancing under the stars. The evening was truly magnificent. Congratulations Shannon and Phil!

Lauren & Kent at the OC Fair

katie23 — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:59:23 +0000

I always tell my clients that an engagement session should be like an amazing date that you just happen to have photos of, and what makes a better summer date then the county fair? Because we share a love and appreciation for all things Americana; Lauren, Kent, and I were able to collaborate on some amazing shots during our afternoon at the fair. The colors, lights, sounds and smells enveloped us. We all agreed that when you are at the fair it feels like you have stepped back into a simpler time. Lauren and Kent were such good sports. It was an absolute pleasure to capture the moments between the two of them as the spirit of the fair moved them to laugh, play and indulge in a few deep fried treats. Congratulations Lauren and Kent!

Shannon & Phil’s Love Tour

katie23 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:27:36 +0000

I love engagement sessions because it’s my chance to get to know the couple and hear all about their love story. Last week I was treated to an unique experience as part of my engagement photo session with Shannon and Phil - a love tour! We began at the site of of their first date, a hip wine bar in the heart of downtown Claremont. As we sipped our vino I caught a glimpse of the sparks between Shannon and Phil. I had so much fun capturing moments of laughter and loving looks as they shared their favorite memories.

After we finished up at the wine bar we headed to the charming Claremont train station (another Shannon and Phl fave) and took advantage of the unique architecture and picturesque location. These two were so playful and willing to try it all which makes me a happy photographer. Finally, we ended our tour at the location of their first meeting, Phil’s tax office. You see, Shannon and Phil loves story began as all great love stories do, with taxes. It’s a classic case of girl has needs tax help/meets boy with killer number crunching skills/and they fall in love and live happily ever after.

This was by far one of my favorite engagement sessions ever. I can’t wait for the big day. Congrats to Shannon and Phil!

Gigi & Nate, In Love & Then Dim Sum

katie23 — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 02:05:31 +0000

Recently, I met my clients Gigi and Nate in Chinatown to chat about all things wedding over some delicious dim sum. We used the get together as an opportunity to grab some fun engagement photos. We wanted to to pick a place close to their hearts (& stomachs) and that was totally different from their wedding location, Big Sur. Lucky for me these two know their way around a menu and by the end of the afternoon I was totally stuffed and completely excited about the great shots we got. Can’t wait for the big day up north!

Check out my date with Gig and Nate below…

Welcome Will

katie23 — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 01:30:33 +0000

It seems like just yesterday I was photographing Mike and Kate’s wedding in Indianapolis. In fact, it was 4 years ago and much has happened to the happy couple since their big day. Best of all is the arrival of their first child, William Michael. I might be biased, but Will is probably the cutest little guy I’ve ever seen. Check out his beautiful big blue eyes and wonderful moments caught during my recent trip to Chicago.

Will and Dad share a moment of father & son bonding.

One of Will’s first smiles! Already a ham.

Mama’s little man.

I couldn’t help myself with this photo. So adorable!

Jenn & Ryan say “I Do” at Lake Winnipesaukee

katie23 — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:03:45 +0000

Fall is in the air and what better place to be than New Hampshire and for what better reason than a wedding. Jenn and Ryan gathered their friends and family at Lake Winnipesauke for a glorious fall weekend filled with love and celebration. Lake Winnipesauke is one of those magical places that takes you back to the sweet days of summertime when you were a kid and life was filled with taffy, arcade games and hours and hours on the lake. Ryan’s family has enjoyed the lake for generations and the first time he brought his new love to his family’s lakeside home she knew it would be the perfect setting for their “I Dos.” Jenn works for the goddess of weddings Martha Stewart and when a bride’s business is weddings you know that her own wedding is going to be FABULOUS…and it was. Jenn and Ryan were able to capture all the charm of the lakeside village and mix it with their own style to make one truly unique day. I loved using the boardwalk and arcade as a backdrop for their post ceremony photo shoot. Jenn and Ryan channeled the character of the boardwalk into the details for their reception. A personalized movie ticket was your entrance to an elegant reception at the The Bald Peak Country Club. Guests were seated at tables featuring Ryan and Jenn’s favorite romantic movies and were later treated to a candy bar, popcorn and fresh donuts from a local bakery while they danced the night away surrounded by the changing leaves of fall. Such a beautiful weekend. Truly one right out of the pages of Martha Stewart Weddings.

Congratulations to Jenn and Ryan!

Martha would be so proud of Jenn’s details…

That’s Amor…Senor & Jonona’s Fantasy Island Wedding

katie23 — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:03:43 +0000

I absolutely love sharing in people’s wedding celebrations, especially when they are my friends and two of the most creative and people I know. DJ Senor Amor and his lady Jonona tied the knot in amazing style at the Enchanter Manor in Los Angeles. While some may choose colors like blush and bashful to set the theme for their wedding, Senor and Jonona went all out and dreamed up their own Fantasy Island wedding! With a little help from their their artist friends, S & J created a tropical paradise complete with Tiki statues, volcano centerpieces and bikini-clad Fantasy Island girls. All this mixed with rum punch made for one amazing party. Jonona collaborated with friend and designer Austin Scarlett to come up with the perfect dress for an island girl’s wedding. Senor was absolutely dashing in his Bob Mackie tux. So many details, so much fun and I haven’t even mentioned the ceremony. S & J’s bridal party posse donned costumes representing different world countries and danced down the aisle to different renditions of songs from Senor’s favorite musical, “Hair.” Hearing “Age of Aquarius” sung in Japanese while a sumo wrestler and Geisha dance poolside was something to behold. Friend and performer Jackie Beat officiated the hearfelt ceremony while friends and family were treated to song and laughs as the couple exchanged personalized vows. There wasn’t a dry eye on this island. The theatrical ceremony was just the beginning of a night filled with merriment as people stripped down to their vintage suits and twisted the night away to funk and surf rock tunes.

I had so much fun photographing such an unique and beautiful celebration. Congratulations to the newlyweds. May each new day be a fantasy come true!

Check out my favorite moments from Senor and Jonona’s wedding celebration bonanza below…

Senor in Bob Mackie with the “Fantasy Island Girls.” Eat your heart out Men’s Warehouse.

What would a Fantasy Island wedding be without your very own Mr. Roarke and Tattoo to MC?

The ceremony was filled with…

Laughter

Song

and of course Amor

Gotta love a wedding party in costume.

Jonona with her friend and dress designer Austin Scarlett.

Watch out Frankie and Annette there is a new party in town.

Kath & Brendan Wed on the 4th of July

katie23 — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:47:26 +0000

I had the wonderful opportunity to spend 4th of July with two great friends Kath and Brendan at their fabulous wedding at Glen Echo Park in Maryland. I absolutely loved their red, white and blue wedding. Kath looked amazing in her custom designed gown and her sisters rocked their bridesmaid style in sweet blue dresses with hot red heels. Every detail of the day was absolutely perfect. Kath’s parents handmade pinwheels that accented the carnival flavor of the park. Guests rode the carousel while we took photos and later danced the night away in the old bumper car pavilion. Such a perfect wedding for the 4th of July. Thanks K & B for a wonderful wedding!
Here are some of my favs from the day….

Check out all the fun deets…..

Ah Venice, The City of Love

katie23 — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:21:15 +0000

How great is it to spend the day photographing a couple in love in one of your favorite cities? I’ll show you. I met up with Katherine and Brendan for a pre wedding engagement session in Venice before their July 4th wedding in Maryland. Brendan is a web designer (he is the mastermind behind my lovely site) and Katherine is a fellow photographer. I love collaborating with fellow artists to get unique shots that reflect one’s style in an off beat way. Check out all the fun we had during our day in Venice below…

This bright red wall fit right into Katherine and Brendan’s 4th of July themed wedding.

Brendan showed off his moves.

Merry Christmas from the Hunt Family

katie23 — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 03:05:04 +0000

I love love love doing family portraits, especially when we can all collaborate and come up with a unique way of capturing the real essence of the family. Shannon, Chuck and Rhyen wanted photos for their Christmas card that would show their joy and love and I think we did a pretty good job of capturing the Hunts in all their glory.