Mary Jane | Santa Barbara Photography | Blog

Brittany .and. Michael Wedding

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:10:39 -0600

Brittany and Michael said I DO! at a very sweet ceremony at the Unitarian Church in Santa Barbara. I loved this wedding because it all came together with the love and help of some very talented friends. A friend from Utah (and bridesmaid) did all of the flowers, which were gorgeous and another talented friend spinned the tunes for the reception. Maria Marques with Bellula Events did a fabulous job making it all come together. A wondeful time was had by ALL!

Brittany and Michael are the type of people you just want to know - the type of people you want to have on your speed dial - the type of people that remind you of how joyous life is - the type of people that make you laugh without trying too hard - the type of people that make you feel good, just by being in their presence. Brittany and Michael are the perfect match. It's undeniable. They are just perfect together. I know they'll be together forever. It's just the way it has to be... Much love to you both!

CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THE DAY!

Brittney .and. Jeff Wedding

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:46:14 -0600

I was in love with these festive, fall colors! Hearts Bloom truly outdid herself - AGAIN! They were so vibrant and went so well with all the lush greenery of the Four Seasons Biltmore. Brittney was just a stunning bride - so relaxed and radiantly happy (that alone makes any photograph beautiful). But, then add in handsome Jeff and their love for each other and you have one happy photographer. It was such a fun event - loving families, a lively bridal party and the happiest couple!

Thank you to my sweet friend and amazing photogher Emily for second shooting with me!

And a HUGE, BIG thank you goes out to all of the incredible people that truly made this day perfect...

CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THE DAY

Carlie .and. Tim

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 09:13:14 -0600

When Carlie told me they found a great barn for their engagement session - I was beaming with excitement. I LOVE barns, there is just nothing better for a shoot. But, little did I know just how perfect it was... This was not just any barn - it was actually clean and adorned with perfect colorful accents... It truly was the most perfect spot, it had a tire swing, lavender field and vines all within yards of each other. I couldn't have picked a better spot myself. And I couldn't have picked a better couple either... These highschool sweethearts couldn't keep their eyes off of each other - they were so head over heels in love that I found myself with a full grin the entire time behind the camera. I really do love what I do! I feel so lucky that I get to meet sweet couples who constantly remind me of how amazing love really is...

I can't wait for their wedding next year!

CLICK HERE FOA SLIDESHOW OF THE SESSION!

Michelle .and. Thatcher

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:48:13 -0600

This wedding was so full of personality, I laughed and smiled all the way through it! Michelle and Thatcher are an absoulte blast to be around - their energy and laugh is so infectious - it touched everyone at the wedding and it created a really fun, lively atmosphere. They had a cariacature drawn of each guest as their gift to them - it was hilarous watching people find themselves in a sea of cariacatures. To add to the fun of the night - they had a funny video of them learning their dance that everyone loved, a ping pong table and very, very sweet candy table. It was the perfect celebration for an adorable, fun-loving couple! I know Michelle and Thatcher are going to have a life filled with laughter, dancing, ping pong and lots and lots of love. I wish you two all of the best in your journey together!

Thank you to the Four Seasons Biltmore for supplying your amazing backdrop and impeccable service. Also, a huge thank you to coordinator Mary Litzinger with VP Events for running a smooth and beautiful event. See all of the other amazing contributors below...

Flowers, Belle of the Ball Designs

Lighting, Bella Vista

Central Coast Shutter Booth

TEAM Hair and Makeup

West Coast Music

DeBois Entertainment

Video, BGS Productions

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL SLIDESHOW OF THE DAY!

Cally .and. Dan

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:42:46 -0600

It was such a pleasure photographing this Montecito estate wedding for Cally and Dan. It was the perfect Santa Barbara day and views of the Pacific were just amazing! The day went so smoothly with the help and guidance of wedding coordinator Robin Sonner. She was on top of everything and I know that everyone had a fabulous time. The decor was gorgeous, the food was plentiful, the music made you want to dance ... not to mention, Cally and Dan are a couple madly in love, so what else could you want from a wedding? It sounds perfect to me. And it truly was.

I have to give a shout out to the amazing people that made this all happen...

The best second shooter in the whole wide world - Emily Crawford with e3 Photography

Planner - Robin Sonner

Food - Rincon Catering

Florist - Susan Evans

Cake - Cheryl Miller

Band - Area 51

Lighting - Ambient

CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THE DAY!

Brittney .and. Jeff Engagement

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:19:59 -0600

It just so happens that this sweet couple is up for anything (thank goodness)! I look them on a little adventure through the Ellwood Preserve - which was so fun! I am pretty sure I said more than once, "I think this is the way...!" (Ohhhh....great...they were probably thinking...) But through all of the of the walking, hiking, high tides, dirt, gnats, etc. - you name it- we came out o.k. on the other end. I had so much fun documenting their love - it is so evident, real and oozing from both of them! I'm so excited to photograph their wedding this August at the Four Seasons Biltmore with Maren Parsons.

For a full slideshow of the session - CLICK HERE!

Danielle .and. Erik

Mon, 30 May 2011 17:34:35 -0600

I am just not sure where to begin with this amazing wedding! First of all, the couple is just as in love as any young couple could ever be. The way Erik looked at Danielle as she came down the aisle was so endearing and sweet (not to mention, there were a few tears). They are high school sweethearts and you can tell that their love is so deep. I loved seeing their high school prom picture still up and framed in her mom's house. I took a picture of it just for fun! What a journey they have been on, but they are obvisouly ready for an even bigger journey, together... FOREVER. :)

The team that worked on this wedding was just the best of the best. Joy De Vivre was the head of it all and she navigated everything perfectly. The details were lush and the florals were to-die-for! All in all, it was a gorgeous wedding, but also a ton of fun! I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful, perfect day for Danielle and Erik.

And a big thank you goes to my friend and second photographer Andrejka - she stuck with me through the fun-filled 14 hour day, she made me laugh and kept me awake on the drive home. I couldn't have done it without her.

Coordinator - Joy De Vivre

Caterer - Duo Catering

DJ - Gavin Roy

Ceremony Music - Anthony Ybarra

Florist - Cody Floral

Reception Venue - Tre Hermanas

Cake - Decadence

Videography - Rising Moon Productions

Hair and Makeup - TEAM Hair and Makeup

Liners - La Tavola Linen

Lighting - Bella Vista Designs

Paper Products and Caligraphy - Zenadia Designs

CLICK HERE for a slideshow of HIGHLIGHTS

CLICK HERE for a FULL VERSION of the slideshow

Kyndra .and. Jerry

Mon, 23 May 2011 16:47:39 -0600

I am so excited to shoot their wedding in August! Mark, Piper and I will be taking a fun trip down south to sunny San Diego for Kyndra and Jerry's wedding. After the engagement shoot, I fell in love with these two... They were full of life, laughter and truly just up for anything...! Of course being a photographer, I am of the mentality, "Well...ANYTHING for a photo!" But, not all people feel the same way. Well, thankfully, Kyndra and Jerry do! We had so much fun, even if we were the ONLY people on the beach on this particulary cold, windy day. It was SO worth it! And yes, that water was CHILLY! But, after a few minutes, we couldn't even feel our feet, so it didn't bother us much. So excited for August and to get to know this sweet, beautiful couple even better.

CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THEIR SESSION!

Mary .and. Mark

Wed, 11 May 2011 09:59:18 -0600

This was the perfect wedding to start out an amazing 2011 season. Mary's colors were absolutely fabulous - I was just a little bit in love with the green Vera Wang bridesmaids dresses...AH-MAZING! It was the perfect Santa Barbara spring day at the Four Seasons Biltmore. Mary was stunning and Mark was beaming ear to ear...my camera, quite frankly, couldn't get enough of them. Sonia, with XOXO Bride, coordinated every detail and the day flowed so effortlessly. Camille, with Modern Day Designs, worked her flower magic and DJ Gavin Roy provided amazing tunes. Overall - it was a wonderful celebration for two very sweet people!

CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THEIR DAY!!!

Michele .and. Aaron

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:20:49 -0600

I am SOOO excited to shoot their wedding this Fall at the beautiful Courthose Sunken Gardens and El Paseo Restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara. It will be the perfect celebration for two very sweet people. They met at University of Wisconsin and I knew they were my kind of peeps when they wanted to break out their Wisconsin t-shirts at the end of the shoot. I love making shoots personal and about them! They live in Santa Barbara, but their hearts and roots are in the MidWest. Plus, I knew my husband would be beaming from ear to ear when I told him. He's just a little bit of Wisconsin fan...just a little bit.

From the moment we started the shoot, they were just so fun to be around...and so obviously in love. I know their wedding day will be a wonderful celebration!

CLICK HERE A SLIDESHOW OF THE SESSION!

piper jane...10 months

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:16:13 -0700

The Pankey Family

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 08:11:11 -0700

Yes, I know, a post has been a long time coming! But, I'm still here, I promise. I'm still working, still shooting... :) I have so much to catch up on this blog - but I thought I'd start with this sweet family shoot that I did over Christmas in Colorado. This was a very special shoot for me. I shot Sarah and Kevin's wedding what seems like eons ago...well, not really. But, it was truly one of my very, very first weddings that I actually got paid for...! It was a beautiful wedding that took place on their family ranch in the town I grew up in. I'm pretty sure my mom was my assistant and get this - I shot FILM! Crazy, right? Well, a lot has changed for them since then, and a lot has changed for me. They have two adorable, rough and tumble boys - and I think I can say that my photography has evolved a lot since I photographed them last. I loved revisiting the same family ranch, and remembering what it was like years ago - and then seeing how much unconditional love had blossomed since then. Love you guys!

CLICK HERE FOR THE SLIDESHOW!!!

Susannah .and. Marc

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:28:42 -0700

It was the perfect day for a wedding... Susannah looked absolutely stunning, her groom was grinning ear to ear, Santa Barbara did it's thing and provided the most incredible day, and the Biltmore held up it's end of the deal as well. It truly was the most blessed day. Susannah and Marc said "I DO" in a lush garden setting, surrounded by loving family and friends. They laughed and danced the night away...just the way all happy, married people should.

The day couldn't have happened without the careful planning and attention of wedding coordinator Maren Parsons. She's just the best of best. Thank you Maren for doing what you do and doing it so well! And of course, Kellie at the Biltmore, always runs the best events!

Susannah and Marc - it was such a pleasure documenting your love. Thanks for making my job so easy and for grinning ear to ear! You are two fabulous souls and I'm so grateful that our paths have crossed. I wish you all the best in marriage and life!

CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THE DAY!!!

Nina .and. Matt

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:33:45 -0700

When they say good things come in small packages - it rings true for weddings too! While it was a quaint gathering of only family and close friends, the amount of love and laughter could have filled an entire ballroom...and then some. It was the perfect celebration for the sweetest, most down-to-earth couple. For the wedding dinner they all sat at a single long table (that was over-flowing with the most gorgeous flowers from SR Hogue). It was very festive and beautiful and each person felt like such an important part of the night. They ate, laughed, toasted and truly enjoyed each others company - it was so fun to sit back and watch it all unfold.

The weekend started with a fun pre-wedding day cruise on The Channel Cat followed by a very special rehearsal dinner at the San Ysidro Ranch.

Despite a dooming weather forecast - we had the most beautiful Santa Barbara day for the cruise...

The rehearsal dinner at the Ranch...

CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THE DAY!!!

Rebecca .and. Jon

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 12:27:04 -0700

It doesn't rain very often in Santa Barbara. If anything we are more likely to be on fire than flooding. But, this one peculiar weekend in October the forecast looked particularly dim. As Jon put it, "I looked on my iPhone and there is a lighting bolt next to our wedding date!" Oh. No. So being the resourceful, spontaneous people that we are...we decided to out smart the weather...

Rebecca and Jon and I met the day before their wedding (ah-ha) and got some really special shots of the two of them. I seriously couldn't take a bad photo and it was all them...and maybe a little bit of my skill...but mostly them. They are just so in love it's ridiculous! And even though the sun didn't come out the lighting was peeerfect! I got some really yummy skin tones with vibrant deep color - I mean look at that green grass!

Rebecca and I met through my blog a few years ago and became instant cyber space"kindred" spirits. We are both seekers of adventure, large and small - we love being girlie girls, but can't seem to hide our tomboy, horse-loving side either. When Rebecca and Jon's wedding was canceled a few years ago because of this darn economy - I knew it wasn't the last I would hear from her. And I'm so glad...

And it turns out, this was year it was all going to happen - rain or shine! They had a lovely Courthouse wedding in the Sunken Gardens with a spectacular celebration following at the Canary Hotel. The rain held off and if even it did sprinkle a little bit, nobody noticed - they were having WAY too much fun!

The ever fabulous LunaBella Makeup Art perfected Rebecca's stunning look and one of my favorite florists Nico with Nico Designs was on scene as well. It was a touching celebration of an enduring love, that was not defined even remotely by the economy or the weather. Love you guys!

CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THEIR DAY!!!

Bernadette .and. Joseph

Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:45:42 -0700

I don't travel south that often (it's really hard to get me to leave Santa Barbara) ... BUT for a wedding like this - I'd do it in a heartbeat! Plus, I couldn't turn down photographing one of the sweetest, most gorgeous couples around. Seriously - they make my job so easy!

The wedding was held at the St.Regis Monarch Beach which was a spectacular venue. However, the place was so grand and enormous that my biggest fear was getting lost, but I did feel at ease knowing I had GPS on my iPhone. And I had a wonderful second shooter Brian Khang with me to fill in if I happened to take a wrong turn.

The event went absolutely flawlessly thanks to the fabulous Brooke Keegan and her team. They were so on top of it - and Laura even helped me round up people for family formals and for that she will always hold a dear place in my heart. Thanks Laura!

The hot pink florals by Flowers, Etc. were the perfect accent to such a happy and joyfilled day. Looking back over emails, I realized that I completely (and very accidentally) broke the dress code at the St. Regis as I was dressed in hot pink (and not the required black) and could have very well been mistaken for a centerpiece. Oops! I blame it Piper and the lack of sleep.

Bernadette and Joe - I am so honored to have been your wedding photographer. It was an amazing day and I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful couple (inside and out). I know your love for each other will take you far into forever and I wish you all the happiness that the world can bring!

Also a special thanks to Melody with My Sweet and Saucy for something sweet (and saucy!)...and Honored Occasions for the rockin' music and lighting.

Loved these babies (so wish I could walk in shoes like this!) - Christian Louboutin

CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THE DAY!