Linh and Tao

Linh and Tao were the picture of grace. Several hundred pictures, actually, as they were required to pose for the requisite family portraits that comes with doing a traditional tea ceremony and banquet complete with greeting guests at the door and wardrobe changes. I look back at their wedding with fondness at the ease of which they navigated the day. Smiles, easygoing, with the confidence and contributions from both families.

My second shooter was Marc Campos who did a fabulous job. I was also VERY impressed by their MC, who was DJ Wasabi from AM1430. She’s flawless and charismatic in three languages and if you’re looking for cantonese, english and mandarin at your wedding, look no further.

^photo by Marc Campos

^photo by Marc Campos

^photo by Marc Campos

^photo by Marc Campos

^photo by Marc Campos

^photo by Marc Campos

^photo by Marc Campos

Linh and Tao surprising their guests with a choreographed, fantastic tango.

^photo by Marc Campos

Pows go Boom!

Brides are often described as “radiant,” but at Anna and Sam’s wedding last week, it was obvious to many that the groom, Sam was the happiest they’d ever seen him. The couple exuded pure joy and the audience became collectively misty-eyed while witnessing their ceremony. Their festivities were organized in just a short amount of time with the help of some close friends. Anna’s father passed away earlier during the year and the wedding was initially postponed, but seven weeks before their original date, Anna knew that the loss of her parent would forever be with her and not bettered by a wait, and that she really did want to marry Sam, and celebrate their love, now!

The Pow’s wedding day was just a shiny, shiny day and I’m sure, remembered fondly by her family and friends. Anna and Sam met at the Burning Man Festival and kept it as a theme in their wedding, with their invitations, tables and cake topper designed to match.

Planning and day-of coordinating: Sophia LoRenagade
Music: Nutty Jazz*
Venue: Topanga Community Center
Food: Moksha Restaurant
Florals: Mia More

*highly recommended!

Maral + Kyle

I have known Maral since before she met this boy that became the man of her dreams, so it was with great joy that I was able to be there with the family on her wedding day. Behold, my big sister’s wedding:

The slideshow is HERE!

The wedding was held at the Pierpont Inn, co-ordinator was Pam (on-site @ Pierpont), make-up by Maxine Christians, florals by Maral’s mother, Giti. Everything was beautiful and smelled heavenly.

Angela + Eugene Tea Ceremony

One of the things I enjoy about shooting lately is the number of different mixtures and backgrounds and amazing various people that combine in unions. A Baha’i wedding with a Persian groom and a Hmong bride, or a Jewish wedding with an Indian bride just to name a few of the inspiring and unique celebrations I was honored to be at. Here’s a traditional tea ceremony from two different cultures, and this ceremony which honors the family is always sentimental for me to see.

legs for days

Maral and Kyle will be getting married on July 9!

Miriam + Jeff Preview

I always luck out with the best people. The kind, bright, and radiant Miriam and Jeff were married Sunday, April 10 in Costa Mesa. When I met Miriam a few months ago, it didn’t take long to realize we had things in common in the art world. And I couldn’t help but gush at her choices on Beholden and etsy, and promptly went home to peruse 100 layer cake. She was a joy to photograph and Jeff is her perfect match and couldn’t have been nicer. Their band was lively, the speeches heartfelt, and the college friends raucous in a laughter-filled evening.

Mike Goulding and I shot this wedding together, and with Mike on my team, I knew that we were golden. Check it out!

^ photo by Michael Goulding

^ photo by Michael Goulding

^ photo by Michael Goulding

Venue: Center Club, Costa Mesa
Make-up: Cara @ Flawless Faces, Costa Mesa*
Hair: Michelle @ Flawless Faces. Costa Mesa
Floral: Designs by Tricia
Music: Richard Bernard Band
Co-ordinator, day-of: Kathleen, to love and to cherish inc.

Kammi + Erin

These two lovely ladies kicked off summer wedding season tenderly for me. It was hot-hot-hot scorcher of a day in the middle of spring, that gave way to a cool garden evening lit by paper luminaries. And oh my gosh, as we sweated to prepare, I discovered something that had been previously missing in my life, called a frozen chi-chi which has something to do with liquor and icy creamy coconut and pineapple, thanks to their friend KC bomber.

Kammi and Erin had their ceremony in a private home called Casa Bella, in the Hollywood Hills surrounded by the fragrance of blooming citrus trees, jasmine, callah lillies, sangria, geranium pink Mrs. Meyer’s hand soap in the bathroom, delightful desserts and 50 amazing-smelling people that loved them. I don’t have to say it was beautiful, because if you look at the pictures, it’s obvious.

Erin and Kammi, I want to squeeze you in a big hug. Weeeeee!

they danced to a love song by an 80s rock band from Germany

Rick and Tanya’s slideshow.

sweet november. new house. puppy.

Lest I be labeled un-festive, I will now share with you my seasonal activities. I received a sweet dumpling squash in my CSA box this week. Not knowing what to do with it, I had to ask google and found this very simple recipe:

Cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds. Put a nice pat of butter in the hollow along with a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or so. And you get this delicious sweet thing!

This month, I also moved into a new house that I love. This blue house is not my house, but rather, the view from my balcony. Those of you who are waiting on photos from me might have noticed a delay in my production as a result of the move and for that, I offer my most sincere apologies for your inconveniences.

Daisy the puppy, who came to visit during Thanksgiving because her dad left town.

It’s a New Slideshow!

Ladies and gentlemen, here is the The Great Zanni Van! <——(slideshow)