Marvimon House :: LA Wedding Photography

A few weeks ago my dear friend Em asked if I could help her out with a wedding. I gladly obliged knowing that second shooting for Emily would likely be less work than play. But when she told me the couple would be getting married at the Marvimon House in Los Angeles, I made it very clear that Emily was not allowed to find anyone else to shoot with. I've known about the Marvimon for quite awhile and it's always been one of those venues I would give my right arm to shoot at. It's quaint and lovely and beautiful and truly everything a wedding venue should be. I couldn't have been any more thrilled to photograph my first Californian wedding at the house. And shooting the day with such a close friend was simply the butter cream frosting on my cake. We began the afternoon at the Standard Hotel before moving to the L.A. public library for a first look.

The thing about second shooting is that it teaches one to see weddings in a new light. When I'm shooting my own weddings I have a structure and routine that I follow. It includes both a methodical way of going through the day as well as a few evil glares at Colton telling him to Get.Out.Of.My.Picture.NOW! When I second shoot for other people I'm forced to see the day unfolding from different angles and perspectives. Oftentimes I like the the pictures I take assisting more just because they're unique and new to my portfolio. Second shooting also reminds me to be nicer to my husband...

And while I would normally be bummed to miss out on quality portrait time, the Marvimon House made me extra glad to be assisting. While Emily was off with the happy couple, I had the pleasure of staying behind to capture all the stunning details of the venue (which included breathtaking florals by Dandelion Ranch) . I'm currently in search of any reason to throw a dinner party at Marvimon. Please, someone, have a baby or something.

As if there weren't already a million things to love about this day, the couple chose the most amazing caterer to feed their guests. Heirloom LA created an incredible menu and went above and beyond in their presentation. One of my favorite things about the venue is that the kitchen is open to the reception area. Guests are able to sit and mingle while watching their food be prepared. If you enjoy food as much as I do, it's pure decadence.

Andrea + Kathy, thank you for being such warm and welcoming (and ridiculously fun!) people. Your wedding was such a beautifully delightful day to be part of. And Emily, it's settled then. I'm requesting first dibs on every wedding you need an extra hand for. Really, I'm your girl.

Happy Weekend! Michelle

The New News :: Vol. III

Hi friends! It's that time again. The time of the month where I take a few minutes to update you on the newsiest of news. The latest, the greatest, and the even the moderately lame events of everyday life around here. Without further ado...

** I wrote our June rent check for one dollar less than our rent amount. First off, what was I thinking? Secondly, the matter was made worse when a flaming orange deficient funds notice was taped to the outside of our front door. Thirdly, I dropped off a dollar, in an envelope with an apology letter, into the after hours rent deposit box only to get a call this morning saying the leasing office cannot accept cash. So today, for the first time ever, I wrote a check for one dollar. The leasing agent and I exchanged a few awkward laughs when I turned in the check but I soon left for home happy the uncomfortable situation was over. False. Twenty minutes later I received another call from the leasing office asking me to return for my one dollar in cash. You remember, the dollar bill they couldn't accept. Oh my gawd. You can see why this is newsworthy. And embarrassing.

** Conway is taking up the majority of our lives and we're more than happy allowing it to happen. I cannot fully back the science behind this theory but I'm fairly certain I experienced a shift in hormones after bringing Connie home. I'm strangely emotional, extra needy, and I use puppy talk when speaking with strangers. Case in point, yesterday I cooed at the neighbor.

** I can't stop eating Greek yogurt. It's high in protein, low in sugar, and free of fat. It's a godsend for my constant feelings of Ineedsomethingfatteninganddeliciousrightnow. If anyone tells me anything bad about my guiltless indulgence, I will personally hunt you down. Please, let me have this one thing.

** We just discovered Trader Joe's mini hamburger buns. I have a small, minor, extra slight (read enormous) love for all things miniature. Mini m&m's, bite sized cupcakes, teaspoon sized serving bowls, 8oz coffee drinks. If it's significantly smaller than the original version you can bet I'm a fan. Anyway, mini hamburger buns. They're the reason we ate pulled pork sliders three times this week. So.Much.Fun.

** Colton and I are in the middle of trying to find a church here in Orange County and, ugh, the thought alone is nauseating. I thought we were pretty flexible as far as what we were looking for but as it turns out church shopping is not for the faint of heart. The first service we tried was too churchy, the second was a previously recorded sermon shown on a video feed (whaa?!), the third was, uh, le boring, and the fourth? Surprisingly we both thought the fourth was pretty solid. That is until we were railroaded upon leaving and asked to take a giant green gift bag with bows on it. They mineaswell have given us a flashing neon sign reading PLEASE! STARE AT US AWKWARDLY AS WE LEAVE BECAUSE WE? WE'RE NEW HERE. Jesus, I'm begging you. Help us.

And on that note, the last four weeks of my life are pretty well summed up. Aside from that part I left out about accidentally breaking the kitchen plumping after dumping an entire pot of cooked rice down the disposal. That's the type of thing I find relatively unimportant.

Happy Wednesday,

Michelle

A Wedding in Film

I know I just wrote about my latest venture into the world of film. But yesterday I received an order back from Richard Photo Lab and I feel like I really just have to share a few. If you missed David and Allison's wedding on the blog last week, you might want to check it out. Theirs was the first wedding I've ever shot film at (though I only shot a few rolls during portraits and the reception) and I will admit I'm giddy with the result. To be completely honest, I am still very much in the exploration phase with the medium. At the risk of sounding slightly ridiculous, I'm still employing the shoot and pray method. I shoot much the same way I do digitally and then I, well, hope for the best. Every time I send an order off for development I hold my breath. And if I don't get call saying I loaded every single roll of film incorrectly, I squeal with excitement. And now that you know hard, ugly truth about my skills behind the camera, here are a few more pictures from David + Allison's gorgeous wedding.

Happy Thursday,

Michelle