Sarah & Alex // Maravilla Gardens Wedding
Alex and Sarah are college sweethearts, parents to a magnificent golden retriever named Kobe, and the most easy-going soulmates I ever did meet.
Because they didn’t have an engagement shoot with me, the first time I met these two was the morning of their wedding! Sarah greeted me with open arms, and later, Alex met me with a nervous kindness that reflected his excitement and anticipation for the day to come. In absolutely zero time, I felt so comfortable in the presence of these two people who were so clearly stoked to marry one another.
After their tearful and sweet first look—an event that takes a little bit of logistical juggling to make sure the couple stays separate before the big moment—the rest of their day was mind-bogglingly seamless and easy. Nothing was ever out of place, no one was ever late, no element of our timeline was ever delayed, and no moment was without joy. I asked the videographer, a friend of mine, no fewer than fourteen times if he agreed that things felt too good to be true, and if I was dreaming. Later, during their sunset portraits, I confessed to the couple that their wedding day was the most obstacle-free and smooth wedding I’d ever been a part of. I explained how it’s SO rare that with 200 people and so many moving pieces, everything unfolds as planned. But this day was just magic. Sarah & Alex brought boundless positivity and love to their wedding day, and their wedding day gave it right back ten-fold.
A highlight of the day was working with this couple’s big & boisterous & beautiful wedding party. Both the bride and the groom had almost a dozen pals that they chose to stand up with them as they became husband and wife, and each and every person in their party brought character and uniqueness to their celebration. Complete with siblings, high school friends, and college pals, the group of ~20 had the best energy and helped make the Young wedding one giant party.
The sun sat brightly in a cloudless sky on this perfect 75º fall afternoon. Their sweet families and cherished guests watched on as Alex and Sarah were married… and then practically sprinted back up the aisle as Mr. & Mrs. Young! After pulling off some biiiggg family combo photos, we took a few more portraits as the light shifted from a bright white to a golden glow. Then, Sarah & Alex were able to attend a bit of their cocktail hour (we love a timeline success story) while I captured the stunning details of their reception space. Looking around, I was so impressed that Sarah’s MOM did all of the florals for her day! I would never have known from looking at the bouquets, center pieces, and ceremony decor that the flowers were a DIY labor of love—they were perfectly curated and looked 200% professional!
At their reception, the newlyweds entered the festivities hand in hand and were welcomed with rowdy applause and raucous cheering! When the commotion finally settled from all their biggest fans, they shared a cutie first dance to a romantic Vance Joy song. Guests enjoyed their drinks with custom Kobe cocktail stirrers and napkins, and dug into a delicious dinner as the sun set. As dinner unfolded, Sarah & Alex snuck out for some final sunset portraits with me, and then the party began!
From the first beat drop to the last song, the dance floor was never empty! The couple’s nieces and nephews stayed up far past their bedtimes—to eat a lot of cookies and do a lot of cartwheels—and because I often photograph child-free weddings, watching them romp around was such a joy! Guests drank, mingled, ate unbelievably tasty desserts (shout-out to Sarah’s family member who made the best cookies I’ve ever eaten) and had the time of their lives in celebration of the newly minted Youngs. At the end of the night, the couple skipped through a tunnel of all their loved ones holding sparklers, and then drove off into the night and into the beginning of their lives as husband and wife! A picture-perfect conclusion to a ridiculously picture-perfect day.
Congratulations, Youngs. Thanks for having me as a part of your suspiciously flawless (and incredibly deserved) wedding day. ;)
