Sneak peek of this adorable wedding!  

Deanna + Edgar waited.  They waited to have the wedding they dreamed of.  Of Deanna in her white dress and Edgar in a tux.  And for their son Adrian to be old enough to watch  his parents give themselves to each other.  In front of family and friends.

Deanna wanted everything to be perfect.  She made sure every detail was like it was in her dreams.  And she had her dream wedding.  She married the man who stole her heart. That is something to definitely celebrate!

It was such a beautiful day in September at such a beautiful venue.  Everything about it made their day lovely, calm, and memorable.  She was nervous to see him and he was ready to see her.  During their first look they laughed and shared quiet kisses.  It was a perfect day, in every way.

Thank you Deanna + Edgar for allowing me to be there on your special day.  It was so incredible to see you promise forever and to be there to make your special day last a lifetime.  You have no idea how much I feel honored to have been there.  Thank you so much!

With Love + Happy Valentines Day!

Jackie 

______________

First Looks just make me smile!  Doesn't take away from the bride walking down the aisle at all.  Just look at that grin!

And I leave you with their first dance.

I don't believe that there is anything more important than the photography on your wedding day.  With one exception:  Albums.  An album, coupled with the photos from your wedding photographer has to be the most important product you invest in.  Please, please, please invest in an album.

I can't stress how beautiful these flush mount albums are.  How after seeing the album, holding it in their hands, and smiling over the photos, my clients relive their wonderful day.  Their beautiful day.  The day when they promised to love and cherish each other.   

It is the one product that begins the legacy of your new family.  Read that sentence over again.  It is the one product that begins the legacy of your new family.  It is your first album as husband and wife.  The first album you will share with your families, friends, and people you will meet along your journey.  It is the one you will show to your children.  And your children's children.  

It is the perfect addition to your new legacy as a family.  It is what tells your love story the way you remember it.  Over and over again.  Like you're favorite movie.  It never gets old.  And it always gets better over time.  

These are the albums I offer my clients.  Leather cover, thick pages, and a flush mount design with photos that go across both pages.  Timeless and clean.  

This post is long over due.  Moving took a toll on me for the last four months and finally, I am finding some stability.  I was going back and forth between Mexico and California and California and Mexico.  A lot happened in a little bit of time and now I can get around to posting that which deserves to be posted.  

Laura and Eddie were referred to me by another client of mine (thanks

Anastasia

!) and during our first two hour long conversation, we knew that it was a match made in bride-photographer heaven.  She was sweet and excited.  He was quiet yet inquisitive.  I wanted them to hire me so badly.  I wanted to be a part of their special day.   Laura opened up her wedding binder to show me all that she had so far.  She put my collection pricing in one of the pockets as we sipped on a coffee.  

On the day of her wedding she radiated with happiness.  Couldn't wait to see her man during the First Look.  Trying to find some alone time while getting ready.  Eddie was ready to marry this beautiful gal that meant so much to him.  His quiet disposition rapidly opened up when he saw her.  It was a sweet sight of two beautiful people enjoying a quiet moment before they became one.  

I cried... After getting to know a couple for months and months, meeting after meeting, coffees, and dress previews, you feel so honored to be a part of something so special.  Something that unfolds right before your eyes and it is your job to make sure you photograph justly.  I only hope that I did that for Laura + Eddie.  

It was truly, truly an honor to get to know you two!  I wish you only the best because both of you are a match made in heaven.  And when I go visit, we're definitely grabbing some coffee and catching up! 

With love!

Jackie 

P.S. Thank you to Veronica for being my awesome assistant and driving down 2 hours to help! :)

_______

It all started at Dapper Jay's in San Diego.  A little shave and hair cut and some beer to get the day started for the boys.

Oh Laura... rawr!

Hello Eddie!

Why I love the First Look:

I met with Linh + Manny over a year ago.  At a little boba cafe tucked in a corner of Riverside.  I knew of Linh from high school.  I also knew Lihn's cousin,

Thi

, who I photographed when I was first starting.  Thi referred me and Lihn and I understood each other.  Our no bs, honest, and upfront styles meshed well and we hit it off.  Manny was quiet but knew exactly what he wanted.  As a graphic designer, he definitely knew what he wanted and that was a God-send because I like a couple that knows what they want from me and can articulate it well!  Makes my job more interesting to create what they want and still hold onto my style of doing things.  It's a great mixture!

I will stop here because I intend on blogging more of this wedding with it's beautiful details, wonderful couple, fun bridal party, and an awesome party!  So stay tuned...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am already eating some stuffing and later going to have a nice dinner with family.  There is always so much to be thankful for and for me, one of the most important is you. To all of my clients: Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives.  Inviting me into your most important moments in your life.  I am truly honored and thankful for you. It is because of you, I am able to contribute to your life's story.  

And here is Laura + Eddie's sneak preview of their new life together.  More to come soon!  

Have a great weekend everyone!

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This year has been full of great surprises and I can't believe that I've been published again!  Earlier this year, in July, I photographed my cousin's destination wedding in Cancun.  Aside from the fact that this particular wedding was close to my heart, seeing it published makes it all that more special!  I am a mixture of emotions but mostly I want to jump up and down holding the magazine in my hands and play it back in slow motion. 

This day was such a beautiful and happy day... I will show you the rest soon! Until then, I leave you with this one :)

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At the beginning of this year, I wrote down my goals for 2012.  Both my personal and business.  Among them, I wrote down "Get Published".  It was more of a dream than an actual goal.  Until my client, Jessica, submitted a photo into a contest that was being held by a local paper.  The grand prize: Front cover of the Bridal Guide at the biggest bridal show in her town.  Voting commenced and I voted every day, as did her family and friends.  I saw the numbers climb and sure enough, she won!  

I couldn't believe my eyes when I read her email letting her family and friends know that she had won with their support.  

"Shut. Up.  I'm going to be published?!"  That was my initial reaction, of course.  She later mailed me a copy of the bridal guide and I was in awe of it.  I still couldn't believe it, even though it was in my hands.

I can't thank her enough for submitting the photo and her family and friends for voting as much as they did.  It was incredible to be able to that dream off my goals list.   2012 is proving to be a remarkable year, thank you God! 

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I was going through the archives today while looking for images to add to the website. When I originally worked on my website, I simply added photos that I liked rather than choosing photos that would attract the kind of clients that I am looking for.  Which is you, by the way ;).  

While looking,  I came across these two.  This is from a wedding I had the opportunity to second shoot for

Brent Stanely

out in Yucaipa last year.  These were taken right before twilight.  When the sun is teasing you with setting.  When the light is buttery and fleeting.  Love this kind of light.  I never published the images.  

Here is their official debut...