The day before the wedding, I got a text from the wedding coordinator, Alexa (who actually helped plan my wedding as well! She is amazing!). She asked if I thought we should switch up the photo location that we had planned to stop at in between the ceremony and reception. For those who have every been to Balboa Park in San Diego on a Saturday, you know that it can get pretty crowded! I’ve had to fight off crowds & photo bombers just to get a great shot of wedding bridal parties there. And when I say fight off, I mean..let’s keep it real. I’m usually looking pretty silly while getting in my crouching tiger, hidden dragon photography poses to get angles so I can’t see people in the background and if they’re still there…I’ll hint or ask super nicely so the bride & groom remain happy and pleasant on their wedding day. ;) All joking aside though, I do believe that kindness always wins and being rude to other people (even if they’re in your shot) usually won’t do much good.

It was a hot weekend in San Diego and we decided to check with the bride if we could skip the crowds and head to Presidio Park for the portrait photos instead. I’m so glad we did! We were the only ones there and we had so much space for lots of fun bridal party shots and of course, my favorite…sunset bride & groom images! [insert ALL the heart eyes]. Melissa & Bryan were so much fun to work with. As we usually do, I got to spend the morning with Melissa, her beautiful bridesmaids & her mother (who I actually work with)! I love her dearly and this is one of the reasons why this wedding was so special to me. The bridesmaids all looked beautiful with their hair & makeup done to perfection and all in their adorable matching robes. Pat spent the morning with the handsome groom & his guys. The entire bridal party was so much fun, and Melissa’s brother (who was a groomsman as well) kept checking in with Pat & I to make sure we were ok and to see if he could help with anything. SO sweet. It’s people like that who just make me so grateful to be able to work with our awesome couples who have amazing families as well.

The entire day went so smoothly. Melissa & Bryan have a beautiful & unique love story and I was incredibly honored to have been able to document such a special day for them. One of the most emotional and touching moments on their wedding day was when they shared their first dance together at the reception. Melissa & Bryan have two adorable daughters and half way into the song, they joined them in the dance. The older daughter, Mel was dancing with her daddy and she couldn’t hold back her tears. I have such a special relationship with my dad and LOVE seeing priceless moments like this. You could tell their bond was so special. Later, Bryan shared that when they were dancing, he asked his daughter why she was crying. Her response was because she was just so happy. When he shared how special that moment was to him, it made me even more grateful to have been there and have their trust to capture these memories they will cherish forever.

Enjoy some of my favorites from this beautiful Marina Village Wedding!

Thank you to the wonderful team of vendors!

Ceremony Venue | St. Joseph’s Cathedral

Reception Venue | Marina Village, Seaside Room

Coordinator | Alexa Withrow

Hair  | Lillian Cruz

Makeup  | Michelle Garcia/Sophia Pietrogiovanna

Gown Designer  | Alfred Angelo

Bridesmaids Attire | David’s Bridal

Groomsmen Attire  | Friars Tuxedo

Florist  | Ranch Events

DJ/MC | Jeremy Tito

Band  | 3 Day Weekend SD

Caterer  | Ranch Events

Invitations  | Sarah Vile

Videographer | Blue Trinity Films

Photobooth | Keepsake Memory Booth

Photography | Charissa Magno Photography