Kate and Matt's Engagement Session

Kate and Matt are getting married next month and I'm so excited! They are a couple who have plans to make their wedding uniquely theirs and I love that. I don't want to spoil the surprise but I'll give you a sneak peak into just how cute they are together from photos from their engagement session.

Being a wedding photographer, I love it when my clients have ideas that are soooo them! (And I have to admit, most of my brides are and that's why I love them!) Kate and Matt do a lot of hiking, especially in Edgewood Park. It is a beautiful park with some very nice trails so if you get the chance to go...do.



Kate and Matt were major troopers...climbing up on this fallen tree and being great sports!




There are so many beautiful spots, trees, flowers, and trails to see and explore in Edgewood Park. I particularly love this one!!!

Minx Nails

I have always loved getting my nails done. And especially doing outrageous colors on my toenails. And now that Summer is here and we have been stuck inside all winter my toenails are as crazy as ever.

I heard about this new application called Minx Nails. It's basically plastic with cool patterns on it that they wrap around your nail. It stays on for at least two months and it is durable. I've done photography sessions at the beach with no shoes on and they have completely held up. Regular nail polish doesn't even do that!

Check out all the cool patterns they have at Minx Nails. And if you're in the Bay Area, Valentino's in Burlingame has trained manicurist to apply them.

Playing in the Sand

As some of you may know, my husband loves to play golf. And I have even started to play around with learning it too. So when Mick, my golf instructor, asked if I could take some photos of him giving a group lesson I was all for it.

The lesson was in the sand and due to the this being a photography session instead of a "real lesson" I recruited my husband and a couple of friends to stand in as students.


Now Mick is a great golf instructor. I told him to start as if this was a real lesson and ignore me. He began teaching the group about the technique needed to get a golf ball out of the sand and then demonstrated it before working with each student individually.

Each student got personalized instructions based on how they swing their club and their skill level.


And in the end...it turned out to be a real lesson for the three of them. And my husband Robert, has even been able to get out of the sand traps since them. Complete success!

Mick truly is a great golf instructor. If you want to learn call to make an appointment with him at Mariners Point Golf Course.

James and Sophia Engagment Photos

When I spoke with James and Sophia about where they wanted their engagement photography session, they knew immediately. They wanted anywhere on the coast. And who could blame them? The coast of Northern California is beautiful, breathtaking, and sometimes a little cold. After having amazing weather on Saturday, the coast decided to be not so gracious on Sunday during our engagement photography session.

But James and Sophia were great troopers and decided to brave the cold weather anyway. Sophia even started out in this adorable dress and you would never know that it was absolutely bone chilling! She's a natural model!!!



After a wardrobe change...we continued photographing them. They are so cute and so in love, you can't help but be giddy around them.


Thankfully that wave did not get them wet...it barely missed! One of the things that I love doing with my brides is to collaborate on ideas. Sophia had this great one and it's how we ended the day!

Best Wishes James and Sophia!

Cooking Party at the Mountain Winery

I received a phone call from a caterer I had met asking..."Are you free to photograph a cooking party?" Now being a total Food Network Junkie, I was intrigued and happy that I was free on the date of the party.

I had never been to a cooking party before and was definitely wondering what would happen....and would I get some of the food? The party was at the Mountain Winery and was being catered by Cuisine Style by Pamela Keith.



The clients from Barracuda Networks arrives with excitement and a little apprehension about the cooking party. The clients were broken into teams and told that their secret ingredient was Pizza Dough! Everyone was going to grill their own pizzas and be judged just like on Iron Chef. Each team would get to choose their own toppings from a huge selection of fresh ingredients.




Then each team would roll out their dough and grill one side before topping it and finish cooking it on the grill.







Teams then showed off their final pizzas for the judging.




And posed for photos with their creations.



And the winning team is.....




And if winning wasn't enough, each person got a bag of cookies to take home compliments of Cuisine Style by Pamela Keith.


If you get a chance to have anything from Cuisine Style by Pamela Keith, jump right in and don't hold back. I was lucky enough to get a pizza for myself and I have to say it was one of the best pizzas I have ever had!

Kickin' it with the kids

With Mother's Day right around the corner...tomorrow in case some of you forgot...I thought I would highlight a great gift that was given to a Mom (and Grandma)!

As a present to their Mom, her two sons got their families together for pictures with Grandma. It was a great session and tons of fun.



The twins were just adorable...


...but their brother made sure that we all were having a great laugh too!


Don't worry...we got the "behaving" picture too.


And not to be out done by their cousins...the girls were perfect angels.


Mostly....

But being outside at such as great location as Gamble Garden Center in Palo Alto kept the smiles coming.


So if you get a chance, head over to the park and enjoy the scenery...and the people watching.