If you’ve kept an eye on my blog you may have noticed I photographed the engagement session of Setareh & Jerry.  They recently celebrated their nuptials with a traditional Persian wedding at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines.  

Persian weddings are always unique and beautiful… from the sugar over the bride and groom’s heads, to sharing honey, to the bride being asked three times before consenting to marriage… while the man must answer the first time.  It is the beauty of these elements that really catches my eye and I know it takes a tremendous amount of planning for the ceremony to go smoothly.  Bridal consultant, Laura Rizzo from Weddings by Design, helped them pull it all together without a hitch. 

I have had the fortune of photographing a number of Persian weddings in my career.  This experience definitely helps me stay one step ahead and capture those special rituals. If you plan to include traditions, such as this, in your wedding be sure to share the details ahead of time with your photographer.  The more informed they are the better opportunity they will have to capture those distinctive moments that carry so much significance and define your individual wedding day. 

I received a very nice note from Courtney & Jason (09/07/08 wedding) that I thought would be great to share. I have just started working on their images and I’m anxious to post a few of them…

Brant, 

We wanted to genuinely thank you for your amazing work yesterday. We could not be happier. For two people who are not at all used to having their pictures taken, you somehow managed to instantly make us comfortable. Your amazing work and genuine personality are an invaluable combination. It was an amazing day, and you were such a very important contributor to that. We look forward to seeing the results of your hard work, and can not wait to treasure them for life.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

All the best,

Courtney and Jason

When I sat down to think about what to write about this wedding, the very first word that came to mind was FUN.  For me, photographing weddings is about that.  When the bride and groom are having fun… I certainly am .  I have to say this group took it to another level.  Not only did Melissa and Nick have a great time, but their bridal party was really outgoing too.  The entire day went really well and The Bahia Resort Hotel, as usual, did a fantastic job hosting them. My favorite part of the day:  when Melissa and Nick busted out the choreographed first dance, complete with all the moves!   

Photographing weddings for friends is always so much fun.  I have known the bride, Melissa, and her family for some time. When I had the chance to meet Aaron, during their engagement session, I knew they were a perfect fit!

Being there to capture their first meeting was magical.  The first meeting between the bride and groom is one of my favorite times of the day because I like to make that a private moment between the couple while I back way off and use longer lenses.  

What struck me most on their wedding day was the abundance of color.  The wedding took place at Paradise Point Resort & Spa and the grounds were spilling over with colorful flowers and plants.  Melissa and Aaron’s choice in stunning and vibrant floral arrangements by FloralWorks complimented the setting and pulled everything together beautifully.

Over the years I have found that most of my weddings are outside.  I know, I know… we live in sunny San Diego, but I think it is easy to forget that there are many beautiful churches here as well.  Dianna & Josh chose one of these churches, the Calvary Lutheran Church overlooking the coastal valley to the Del Mar Racetrack. 

I’m often asked if I have been to a particular location during the consultation.  In this case I had never been. (With so many great wedding spots in town it’s hard to get everywhere - even in my almost 10 years of doing weddings.) However, I am always excited to experience a new place and find inspiration in the setting.  That means showing up a little early before my scheduled start time and scouting out the hidden spots that offer beautiful images. 

The Calvary Lutheran Church inspired and impressed me.  From its stunning views of the racetrack (we could actually hear Trevor Denman call the race and see a little bit of it too!) to it’s beautiful interior and notably this gorgeous front door to the old Sanctuary, which was in perfect light for photographs. Of course, having great clients like Dianna & Josh made it that much easier . 

Although I am proud of the work I do, the true value of my photography lies in the impressions of my clients. I have had the fortune of working with brides and grooms who have taken time to share their personal impressons with me.  I am going to start posting these comments in a new blog section titled, “Client Impressions”.  

For those of you considering me for your upcoming wedding I think you will find these observations helpful in understanding my work style and personality.  (And a big thank you to all of my clients who have taken the time to let me know how much they have enjoyed working with me! )  

My first entry is a note from a recent engagement session.  (Refer to my September 4th entry)

Brant,

That is not that accurate. If I recall you are being a little modest. We said a lot more than just that. I understand it is a blog and all but we need to elaborate a little more on your capabilities as a photographer. You did a wonderful job and we have heard nothing but compliments about your photos. We actually had someone come to us talking about how another engaged couple had over 300 pictures taken with five different backgrounds and did not even compare to your photography. The more we told people how these pictures were taken of “us” and not of someone you made pose in different positions the more people complimented and told us “Now that is a photographer that knows what he is doing.” We could not agree more. You knew where the shots were and how to capture the different lighting and even to let us be us and not some models. We could not ask for a better, more outgoing, more humorous and genuine photographer than you. That day began with a nightmare of a bad day at work and bad news about some wedding planning to a day where we, honest to God, had forgotten what a miserable day it was. That day became fun. Stacey and I went from being completely frustrated and short tempered to the couple that you see in the pictures. Besides the photos, we wanted to thank you because of what you did for us that day. You have really made our experience something to remember and that is still the best part of this experience so far. We, and everyone that has seen our engagement photos, look forward to having you at our wedding and hopefully future events. Once again, thank you for everything and until then you better take care of yourself because we would / will not have anyone else but you taking our photo’s.

Stacey and Nick

I must admit, I always look forward to working with Mr. Brant Bender at an event.  So when he asked me to write a blog entry for the Manchester Wedding, I was beyond thrilled!  Brant is not only a fantastically talented photographer, but he brings a certain calm to an event, which is such a blessing!  Brant is always there to greet you with a smile and a positive word, making each and every client feel incredibly grateful to have him accompanying them, documenting their day with such care. 

Brant and I had the honor of working together on August 9, 2008 with an absolutely fabulous bride and groom, Brittany and Mark Roennigke.  Brittany and Mark are an adorable, sweet, fun loving couple.  You can see and feel the love they share, witnessed as their faces lit up when they saw each other for the first time on their wedding day. Magic!!! Both of their families were fantastic to work with as well.  I must admit, I truly miss our daily conversations!

Brant’s pictures speak volumes… Brittany and Mark invested a great deal of time, energy and heart into each and every detail, from the wedding ceremony to the reception.  The ceremony took place at Centennial Park, Coronado, set against the Downtown San Diego skyline.  The bride and groom recited their vows under a beautiful bamboo arch, adorned in all white flowers. The ceremony flowers, designed by Lois Mathews Design, were elegant, simple and chic, just as the bride had envisioned.   Guests arrived in the late afternoon, serenaded by the sounds of ukulele melodies from The Beatles.  Guests found custom programs, paired with a parasol at each of their seats.  “Somewhere over the Rainbow” played as the bride made her way down the aisle.  The ceremony was simple and romantic. 

The wedding party and guests were escorted to The W Hotel San Diego to continue their celebration.  Brittany and Mark’s guests were greeted with a fun and casual cocktail hour, held on The W’s rooftop bar, Beach.  A quick Polaroid snapshot was taken of the guests’ happy face upon arrival, followed by a refreshing specialty drink, “The Roennigke”.   Guests were encouraged to relax, slip off their shoes and sink their toes in the sand.

As the sun set, the guests were escorted by the W’s staff to the Great Room for an evening of dinner and dancing.  Personalized place cards sat atop a bed of wheat grass and orchids, directing guests to their tables.  Brittany and Mark’s personal touch was to name each of the guest tables after meaningful San Francisco streets; the city they now call home.  Lois Mathews Design created striking centerpieces for the reception; each design contained multiple vases, varying in size and shape… providing a touch of depth and drama to each table.  The flower selection consisted of white roses, orchids & hydrangeas, accented with red dog wood and other rich foliage.  After feasting on the W’s fabulous cuisine, the guests hit the dance floor, greeted by the soulful sounds of an incredible band… Smokestaxx!  Smokestaxx is a wonderfully talented 8 piece, classic soul and rock & roll band.  I cannot say enough about the band!!!  They truly understand how to put on a great show and entertain a crowd!  Even the bride’s 80 year old grandmother couldn’t resist putting on her dancing shoes.  On several occasions throughout the night witnesses spotted her boogying away on the dance floor!

The bride and groom decided to avoid some of the traditional wedding festivities.  They chose to focus on spending more time enjoying the evening by visiting with their guests and stealing as many special moments with them as possible.  They opted to replace the traditional wedding cake by offering their guests a generous sampling of cupcakes, displayed for their guests’ enjoyment.  The scrumptious cupcakes were provided by Sweet Cheeks Baking Company.  Milk and cookies accompanied the cupcakes, along with “to-go” bags, which guests were encouraged to fill with an assortment of candies, including custom M&M’s, Hershey’s kisses, milk/white chocolate covered gummy bears and more.

This well orchestrated event came together nicely. The vendors were all spectacular, critical to a successful event.  Vendors must work well together as a team, providing the highest level of service for their clients. The W Hotel San Diego embodies this standard and made certain that it all came together for Brittany and Mark on their wedding day.  Their level of service is outstanding!  Rose Miller, Catering Sales Manager, was more than accommodating with our requests and maintained a positive attitude throughout the planning process, making our many “special requests” possible.  Her staff was attentive and quick to respond to guests (and vendors alike) throughout the night.  All of the key players assisted in resolving any issues just as quickly as they arose, making them undetected.  This wedding is testament to the fact that an incredible team of vendors, working well together make for a great event!!!!  Thank you all!!!!  Until the next time…..

Laura

… the very talented Laura Harrison, from Unforgettable Event.  No too long ago, Joanna (also from Unforgettable Event) was featured on this blog and after Laura and I did a wedding together recently, she wanted her shot at it .  I do have to admit, I know what is in store this time - simply because she will be discussing the sophisticated wedding of Brittany & Mark (and I’ll show off the pictures I took).  Be sure to check out this entry!

08/08/08 is a one of a kind wedding date and I could not have been more excited to photograph this wedding.  Karen and Brian picked two really great spots.  Their ceremony was at a beautiful Catholic Church in Scripps Ranch called St. Gregory the Great and they had their reception at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.  I have had the fortune to work at the RB Inn a lot, so I know the grounds really well and we took advantage of some neat spots on the property.  I hadn’t been to St. Gregory the Great for a while and it was nice to be back.  The skylight in the sanctuary cast an amazing ethereal light on their ceremony.  The architecture of the church is so unique and grand - ceremonies there are always extra nice.

Recently I had the pleasure of photographing an engagement session for Stacey & Nick.  We decided on La Jolla Cove for the shoot and ended up with a perfect evening for pictures.  

Often clients find it difficult in the beginning of a shoot to relax in front of the camera.  It didn’t take long for Stacey and Nick to get a feel for my easygoing personality.  They were pros.  In fact, during our session they mentioned how much fun they were having and how much they appreciated that I encouraged them to be themselves.  I think their ease in front of the camera shows in the great pictures we got.  

Knowing a client had a good time means a lot to me.  It’s a huge compliment!