Sunflowers and Sunsets in New Mexico - Jenny & Taylor, Taos, NM Wedding Photography

Taos, New Mexico Wedding Photography —

Jenny and Taylor are the kind of couple you just want to be! They are high school sweethearts, they own and operate a successful wood working business together (@modtribedesign) and they are so filled with love for one another, their friends and the world that it just emanates from their very being. These two love birds got married on an autumn day at Taos Goji Berry Farm surrounded by friends and family in Northern New Mexico. They had a large, spirited wedding party who stood beside them at the alter. Their friends and family traveled from all over the U.S. and Germany to attend their wonderful celebration. After the lovely ceremony shadowed by the Sangre De Cristo mountains, the reception party lasted until the wee hours of the morning.

Vendors are listed at the bottom of this post. If you would like to purchase photos, click here.

Venue - Taos Goji Ecolodge

Florals - Jeanna, Opuntia Cafe

Music - Ipod and the eclectic Joe on the mic

Food - Brigita Lacovara

Hair and Makeup - Bridesmaids

Photographer - 1, Esmé Cadiente

Brides in the mountains - Blue Lake Ranch, Durango, CO Wedding Photography

Durango, CO Wedding Photography

These two lovely brides got married in a San Francisco courthouse a few months before they called me, but they wanted a wedding in the mountains with close family and friends. I was so happy to be a part of their special celebration! The wedding was simply gorgeous at Ridgeview Events Center with La Plata mountains as a spectacular backdrop. There was amazing food from Yellow Carrot, a lovely violinist playing at the ceremony, and many friends and family who had traveled from all over the country to share in this joyous day! Scroll below to see the photos and the vendor list at the bottom.

Wedding Planner - Elsa Jagniecki, Heirlooms

Caterer - Yellow Carrot

Hair & Makeup - Tegan Corralis, Hair Fusion

Rentals - Durango Party Rental

Music - DJ Codestar

Venue - Ridgewood Events Center at Blue Lake Ranch

Officient - Lisa Smith, Har Shalom Durango

Photography - Esmé Cadiente Photography

Romance on the Vineyard - Melissa & Kalon, Templeton, California Wedding Photography

California Wedding Photography

Melissa and Kalon contacted me to shoot their wedding when they were on the Canary Islands doing some humanitarian work. I immediately said an emphatic yes and the date was set. Kalon has been a childhood friend of my husband's since they were four years old growing up in Alaska. I couldn't think more highly of someone, he is the most kind-hearted individual. Melissa, I met over delicious indian food a few years ago and since I've gotten to know her, it is apparent that she and Kalon are absolutely perfect for each other. Melissa shares Kalon's gentle kindness and adds a bubbly exuberance that is impossible not to love.

Their wedding, held at a beautiful vineyard in wine country, California in June was magical. There was enough room for both families and all of their friends to stay on the vineyard which made for days of celebrations, from the night everyone arrived for the welcome dinner until well after the wedding. It was the perfect homemade wedding with friends and family lending expertise and help where they could. 

The morning of the wedding was foggy and cool, perfect for getting ready without breaking a sweat. Later in the day, the sweet mist burned off the valley to reveal a blue sky. The rolling California hills covered in mustard flowers and the leafy trees laden with old-mans-beard provided the perfect backdrop for a lovely summer wedding. Their ceremony was held under a flower-laden gazebo and the reception was in the vineyard barn. Dinner was an extravagant homemade paella loaded with surf and turf goodies and sprinkled with mounds of mouth-watering saffron. 

Golden hour provided an irresistible luminescence for couples portraits against the dipping California sun. All in all, you couldn't dream up a more magical wedding!  

To order prints, visit their gallery here. Gallery expires 9/9/18

A Gorge-ous Wedding - Charlotte and Ben, Taos, NM Wedding Photography

New Mexico Wedding Photography

Yes, a pun in the title, I couldn't help it! Charlotte and Ben got married at the Taos Gorge on the beautiful wind swept Taos Mesa overlooking the box canyon. Their ceremony was followed by a lovely reception at Sabroso Restaurant in Arroyo Seco, NM a few miles outside of Taos heading into the mountains. Charlotte wore a beautiful black and red gown adorned with a turquoise jewel piece in her hair and turquoise heels.

Friends and family from around the nation attended to celebrate with them. Dinner was a delicious spread of New Mexican specialties including red and green chilé. The toasts brought everyone to tears and the dancing to joy. It was a perfect evening for these two lovers. 

Order prints from the full gallery here (expires 7/27/18)

Hair & makeup - Madeline McCue Makeup

Reception & dinner - Sabroso

Officiant - Dan Jones

A Caring Couple, Gina & Max, Santa Fe, NM Wedding Photography

My first meeting with Gina and Max felt like catching with old friends even though we had just met. These two were just that friendly! We talked about the details of their upcoming wedding, but we also talked about their love for running, and dogs, and each other! 

Their wedding day was similarly pleasant. The guests began arriving to Hyde Memorial State Park and Gina and her girl friends unhurriedly migrated to the dressing room to sip cold tequila, chat, take a few photos and put on Gina's amazing wedding dress. The guests were able to get drinks and walk around the gorgeous mountain venue set high in the pines above Santa Fe, NM. When it was time for the ceremony, people gathered around Gina and Max while they read each other their promises instead of vows. These two made some really sweet promises to each other surrounded by loving family and friends. Afterwards, the couple made a margarita for each guest as a way of greeting and thanking them for attending.

A beautiful New Mexican dinner spread from Ana Luisa in Santa Fe was served and accompanied by speeches from two close friends. Dancing was kicked off with a classic line dance called la marcha. Gina and Max chose to have guests donate to the Española Animal Shelter instead of giving them gifts. 

To see the love and care these two bring, not only to each other, but to the world, was a special thing for me to be a part of on their wedding day.

Scroll below to see photos of their special day and click on the link here if you would like to purchase a photo (ability to purchase expires 7/28/18).

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Venue ~

Hair ~

Catering and event rentals ~

Floral design ~

Hyde Memorial State Park

Wild Hare

Ana Luisa

Kidiam

Married Under the Pink Sandias, Shanna & Carlos, Corrales, NM, Albuquerque Wedding Photography

Shanna and Carlos said their vows under the glowing pink Sandia Mountains as the sun settled into the horizon for the night. It was a lovely late-October evening. The air was filled with the smell of cottonwoods yellowing and the brisk smell of winter just around the corner. Their wedding was at Chocolate Turtle Bed and Breakfast in Corrales, NM. The location was perfect, nestled into the Rio Grande Bosque with views of the Sandias.

Shanna and Carlos's two sons, Isaiah and Carlitos, happily ran around the wedding venue, excited for their parents' union. Carlitos entertained guests with his mischievous not-quite-a-toddler-anymore smile and Isaiah would formally pose for me, never forgetting his manners. 

One of the most touching parts of the evening was when Carlos's sister made a speech about their late father and thanked her older brother for holding up the family through difficult times. Another was when Shanna presented her grandparents her bouquet, instead of tossing it, to show her appreciation for the older couples' enduring love. Shanna and Carlos will make such an amazing husband-wife duo, I am so happy for the two of them and their sweet family. 

View their wedding photos below or click here for their full wedding gallery where you can order prints (expires on 1/13/18).

shanna

Love at the Loretto - Annabelle & Tony, Santa Fe, NM Wedding Photography

Annabelle and Tony got married on a beautiful September day at the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, NM. We took couples photos the day before the wedding at various locations around Santa Fe, including the Cross of the Martyrs and Upper Canyon Road. The bride got ready in an apartment above The Pink Adobe with great views of The San Miguel Mission, the oldest church in the United States. The ceremony was in the gorgeous Loretto Chapel, which was filled with lights, while rain poured down outside. As soon as the ceremony was over, the rain stopped and the getaway car pulled up, a 1976 Scout International filled with yellow roses. The driver, the couple's son-in-law, took a loop through downtown Santa Fe where the people on the plaza poured into the street to cheer for the newlyweds. He  drove past the St, Francis De Assisi Basilica and up Cerro Gordo to an old stone chapel above Santa Fe where we took couples portraits. Afterwards, we arrived at the Reception venue where the back patio was filled with hundreds of lights and smiling guests. Guests greeted the couple just as the rain started again. A guitarist played melodies while pizza and beer was served. Guests crammed into the cozy adobe building to celebrate Annabelle and Tony's union. The rest of the evening was filled with laughter, singing and many pints of craft beer. Cheers to Annabelle and Tony!

You can view their full wedding gallery and order prints here. The wedding gallery will expire on Dec. 26th, 2017.

ceremony venue | Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, NM
reception venue | Upper Crust Pizza, Santa Fe, NM
bride's attire | Sundance catalogue
bride's hair  | The Hair House, Santa Fe, NM
desserts | Whole Foods, Santa Fe, NM
digital-film hybrid editing | the FIND lab

'It's all about Evie' - Casey and Adam, Santa Fe, NM Wedding Photography

"It's all about Evie". That's what Casey and Adam told me over the phone when we had their wedding photography consultation. Their gorgeous baby Evie made this an easy job for me. She was smiles the whole night, almost like she knew this was an extraordinarily special day. Casey and Adam have been wanting to get married for a long time. They decided it was finally time to just do it, and with the help of family and friends, they pulled together a lovely summer wedding at a private residence just outside of Santa Fe, NM in no time at all. They picked 7/7/17 as their wedding date. The Santa Fe Community College culinary school food truck catered the wedding with delicious tacos made from local ingredients. Family flew in from all over the country to gather for this joyous occasion on a perfect summer night. Thunder clouds rolled around in the background and wind made a brief debut, but the stormy weather only made the scenery even more beautiful. It was a perfect wedding for this sweet couple, and of course, for baby Evie who had the wonderful opportunity to participate in her parents wedding. To access their complete wedding gallery, click the link below. You can view and order prints from their complete wedding gallery.