Maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but sometimes weddings are not worth it… the stress, the money, all the moving parts can combine and create an exhausting whirlwind where the couple doesn’t even remember what the day is for. As someone who is lucky enough to capture wedding days, I witness the good, the bad and the ugly, but sometimes I film a wedding and I am overwhelmed by the love between the couple, the joy of the guests, and the beauty of the day.

Leslie and Shawn’s wedding was one of these.

It was impossible to not instantly like Leslie and Shawn. They had fun the ENTIRE day and never once did I see the stress of having a wedding far from home interfere with the real reason of the day. Their love was obvious, funny, affectionate, and contagious. They stayed at Glen Oaks in Big Sur and held their wedding at Loma Vista Gardens. Classic Big Sur. Redwoods, the river, views of the mountains and an outdoor wedding and reception all came together for a gorgeous day.

Also, I finally got to work with my husband Ryan of Ryan Chard Smith Photography! We usually keep our work lives separate, and I was a little nervous about combining forces, but it was so easy and fun. His photos are magical and I am so lucky we got to capture these two together.