As may be expected of a photographer....I am fascinated by photographs!  Especially old ones that tell a story of far away times that only exist in memory and history books. As well as photographs of distant lands that allow me a window to see cultures and people that I may only ever experience through photographs or my imagination.

Coming from a family that didn't have much of an opportunity to capture family moments on film,  I love the idea of preserving experiences in photographs for your family that will live on to remind you of sweet, exciting, emotional, joyous moments in your life to be relived and shared with your children and their children.

However, over the years my love for photographing people at their happiest moments in life has blossomed (ha no bun intended...well maybe a little) into so much more.  I've come to realize that although I see myself outside of what is happening there is no way around it... in the process I become part of the story and as a result my approach or decision on how I choose to capture the moment isn't something I make that day. It starts the day I meet you.  So you may be asking where I'm I going with this....well, the long and short of it, I need to get you and I must love you and my hope is that you trust me,  fall in love with what I do as an artist and fall in love with me as a person ... enough to invite me to your wedding not as an outsider but as part of your story.

Therefore the responsibility of capturing the moment so that its never lost is a role I do not take lightly (I won't even tell you have nervous or how little sleep I get the night before a wedding and the endless preparation that happens to make sure I've got you covered).  Why would anyone do this to themselves on purpose over and over again....well I do it because this is what I would want someone to do for me on my wedding day, on the day my baby is born or the day we spend time with my 80 year old grandma who we may have limited time with....those are the moments I never want to forget.  I apologize I'm babbling now....what I'm trying to say (and not very well) is that I love Lauren and Jose.  I knew after their engagement session that I wanted to be there the day they became one...as husband and wife.  So having declared my love for this couple...let me count the ways:

1) I love that they love each other (a no brainer right?!) one would think if someone is getting married they love each other.  I won't question love but one thing I know is that not all love is created equal.  But let me just say Love with passion, respect, friendship, patience and faith does not come by every day.

2) They don't sweat the small stuff....I mean come on what bride goes trampling through the mud gets mud all over her dress and shoes pre-ceremony and says "its all part of the day". I tell you who...Lauren, and what I've come to realize about the couples I love and hold dear in my heart is that they don't sweat the small stuff either.  They know that what is most important is each other....and for me this isn't about getting a picture taken in the mud, its about life.  If they can handle a little mud then most likely they will handle a little baby spit up or God forbid an illness or family tragedy.

3) They don't overlook the details--now you may say but you said don't sweat the small stuff.  Yes, small stuff but details are a whole other story....and I'm not saying drive yourself crazy or your _________ (insert pet name) crazy with trying to find the perfect match to your wedding colors.  What I'm saying is look in each others eyes, and ask yourself what really matters.  What has sentimental value and what is just fluff.

Lauren and Jose did a very nice job of incorporating details into their day that were reflective of who they are and honored their family and friends.  A few of the details that come to mind from their wedding: the embroidered handkerchief Lauren gave her mom, the music reflective of Jose's roots, the ceremony was a blend of tradition and faith, the couples choice to have first looks was so that they would have time to enjoy their day together AND enjoy taking photographs both as a couple and with family AND have the time to be with family during cocktail hour.   Lauren choose to save the vintage veil for when she walked down the isle as a surprise for Jose.  I'm telling you the details go on and on...and although they were all beautiful, I can assure you there was nothing in excess or for the sake of fluff.

4) Valued time and resources: One thing I always say to couples planning a wedding (regardless of budget) is that the three must haves for a great wedding are: A great couple, a great timeline AND great vendors.  Lauren and Jose were such ROCK STARS when it came to understanding the importance of these and especially having a healthy and realistic timeline.  Their priorities were excellent, their investments were wise, they placed value on time, had great priorities and worked with an incredible team of professionals to make this happen.  Come day of...they were present and enjoyed each other, family and the moment without ever feeling rushed.

From a photographers perspective I always look back on every wedding and say "What would I have done different to make the day better?"....honestly this wedding was PERFECT!  I wouldn't change a thing.  I seriously had the hardest time making image selections for this blog it was ridiculous! Had I been a bit more selfish I would have kidnapped them on their wedding day and just spent the entire day photographing them.  Which is no wonder we had the largest coverage team for their wedding day...we were all like "ooh ahhh" :)  Combine that with a great family and its magic baby...pure magic!

5) ok so this list can go on and on but I will end it with...Lauren and Jose are the real deal.  They are personable, genuine, caring, thoughtful, generous, and truly remarkable people.  I never once felt like I was just the hired help.  They really knew how to take care of each other, their family and everyone that took part in their day....yes, including the vendors.   Lauren and Jose, thank you for inviting me to your wedding and for sharing your life with the entire Blossom Blue team.  Hugs, M.

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From Lauren:

Jose is my rock. When he looks at me I know that he sees the really me. Our courtship was based on a foundation of God, family, honesty, trust, respect, laughter & love. We have worked hard to keep that foundation these past four years and continue to keep them for the rest of our lives together.

Our wedding day was a beautiful step into our new journey in life as man & wife. We were blessed to be surrounded by our family & friends in the presence of God as we exchanged our vows.

We wanted to have a romantic Southern chic wedding with a touch of Mexico. We found Strawberry Farms online & fell in love with it's charm the first time we visited. We loved the open beams & the twinkling lights.

We chose flowers that captured all the deep rich colors of fall and Pamela at French Bouquet made my dream come true. I remember crying tears of joy the first time I saw my flowers & our center pieces. They were perfect & hand made with love.

We chose unique treats for dessert. Handmade apple pies, pecan bars and pig cookies. Our wedding cake was a large slice of 'pie'. It was a moist banana cake with a ribbon of chocolate & a ribbon of peanut-butter butter cream. Special thanks to Danielle at Bittersweet Treats in Pasadena.

My dress was a soft lace with a sweetheart neckline and keyhole back. I knew that I wanted a dress I could move in & not weigh me down. My rule was “If I need someone to help me pee, it's not the dress for me”. The dress I chose was the first dress I tried on & I knew it was the one. It was sweet & sexy and was just what I had always dreamed of. I knew that Jose would love how it fit my curves & would be surprised by its elegant back design.

My hair & makeup were perfect. I don't normally wear a lot of make up so I was very pleased that Rosie kept my look natural but sophisticated. I wanted my hair up so that my beautiful dress could be seen. Dana worked her magic and got all my long curly hair into a intricate up due that was off to the left. Tons of soft curls  & twists.

Our talented DJ Mikey with Ovation Entertainment played such a huge part in the success of our day by making sure everything moved along seamlessly which kept people happy and dancing. He brought along glow rings, streamers, maracas and before you knew it everyone was singing & dancing on the dance floor. He is a rock star & we love him.