I was fortunate enough to go back to Rancho La Puerta for a second time to photograph their marketing materials. The last time I was there I photographed the resort’s fitness program and cooking school. This time my assignment was the spa. I’ve sprinkled some from the last shoot in here as well so you can get an overall feel. This place is truly special. Everyone who goes — and some people have been going every year for thirty years! — describes it as “summer camp for adults.” I do think that’s the best description. It’s active, it’s relaxing, it’s social and healthy. It as everything I would look for if I was going to a spa — and many people agree with me, as it was recently voted “best destination health spa” by Travel and Leisure readers for the second year in a row. My days, when I’m not shooting, start with an early morning hike, healthy breakfast, 9:00 a.m. stretch class, 10:00 a.m. tennis clinic or yoga, 11:00 a.m. swim class, noon lunch and then afternoon of pool time or spa time. Healthy dinner with fun friends met at classes or at community dining tables, and then early to bed unless going to a special presentation — this time, they had some wonderful musicians who did almost nightly performances.
The spa treatments I got this time, much needed at the end of the wedding season, were unbelievable. The most amazing experience was a Watsu massage, which is a water massage in the pool. The visiting practitioner is one of the best in the world. I ran into one of my former brides the last time I was there (she was there with her mother and sister), and she told me about the “four hands” massage. Truly one of the most decadent things you can ever do, but absolutely the BEST. Mike and Jesus worked in absolute unison on BOTH SIDES of my body! They were like synchronized swimmers! Chiropractic, deep tissue, cranial sacral therapy. All of that combined with healthy eating and loads of exercise, gosh, was my body feeling good when I came home. I would highly recommend a visit to this truly special place! Enjoy the photos!
Posted on 12/09/11 in Thoughts, Unusual Locations | No Comments
I’ve been so fortunate this was the third time this year I shot at Auberge Du Soleil. This exclusive, understated Napa Silverado Trail resort was the choice for this New York couple who wanted to wow their destination wedding guests with the view of Napa Valley. The food at Auberge Du Soleil is also truly wonderful. Michele continued attention to detail with their family crest, even showing up in frosting on their lovely cake by Cake Coquette. Loved the little thank you gift pouches and gorgeous invitations! Michele looked pretty stunning, too, and I enjoyed shooting in the light filtering through the olive grove in the sculpture garden. Gorgeous! Congratulations Michele and Ron. You are truly such sweet people!
Vendors involved in Michele and Ron’s wedding included:
Day of Wedding Coordination – Gloria Atherstone and Stacey Cataylo
Location: Auberge Du Soleil
Florist – Poly of Valley Flora
Music – Lee Waterman of Silver Moon Big Band
Cake – Gabrielle Feuersinger of Cake Coquette
Video – Jennifer O’Grady of Jennifer Anne Film & Video
Photo Booth – Alex of Magnolia Photo Booth Co.
Posted on 9/28/11 in Destination Weddings, Outdoor Weddings, Unusual Locations, Wedding, Wine Country Weddings | 1 Comment
Here are some teaser images from Sara and Max’s GORGEOUS wedding at Campovida in Hopland, CA. LOVED this new location and the event design by Kelsey of Alison Events was perfect for this truly special venue. The very talented Sabine Scherer helped me shoot this wedding because I was still shooting on my broken foot and she deserves equal credit for the lovely photos. Can’t post too many venue/detail shots here because we are working on a very special outlet for publication! Congratulations to Sara and Max!
Vendors involved in Sara and Max’s wedding included:
Location: Campovida
Event Design: Alison Events
Posted on 9/20/11 in Outdoor Weddings, Unusual Locations, Wedding | No Comments
Shabby chic and spectacular! Asiel Design and Lauren of Downey Street Events teamed up to put together this lovely shabby chic wedding with a formal twist. I always love shooting at Kohl Mansion in Burlingame because I love working with architecture in my photos and all of the vendors on this shoot truly made a great team. Thomas John Events always puts together wonderful food that is both delicious and pretty, too. Emily and Will were truly a one-of-a-kind couple and I just loved them! The light saber fight that replaced the first dance and the delivery of In-n-Out burgers as a late-night snack let their casual personalities shine!
Vendors involved in Emily and Will’s wedding included:
Florist: Asiel Design
Event Designer: Downey Street Events
Location: Kohl Mansion
Caterer: Thomas John Events
Posted on 9/19/11 in Press, Unusual Locations, Wedding | No Comments
I just loved Kelly and Eddie’s creative, green wedding at the Headlands Center for the Arts — and I’m delighted that I Do Venues has featured photos from their event!
Check out the I Do Venues feature, or for more photos from this gorgeous wedding, look at my blog post.
Posted on 7/22/11 in Green Weddings, Press, Unusual Locations, Wedding | No Comments
Birgitt and Stephen’s wedding at the Headlands Center for the Arts was filled with delightful details, including an impromptu puppet performance mid-ceremony. The bride and groom focused on fine food and wine, catered by Katie Powers, and creating what they called a “rustic, Californian aesthetic” through beautiful blooms and décor by IXIA Flowers. What a beautiful celebration!
Vendors included:
Location: Headlands Center for the Arts
Caterer: Katie Powers Catering
Florist: IXIA Flowers
Bridal dress: COAN Couture
Bridal Shoes: Alfani from Macy’s
Posted on 7/01/11 in DIY Weddings, Green Weddings, Thoughts, Unusual Locations, Wedding | No Comments
Another pre-vacation post! A few of my faves from Birgitt and Stephen’s Headlands Center for The Arts wedding! More to come when my lovely PR Rep is back from her honeymoon and I’m back from vacation! Busy times!
Posted on 6/17/11 in Unusual Locations, Wedding | No Comments
Trish and Bronson’s beautiful wine country wedding — filled with incredible, colorful details like tabletop trees and men donning pink pants — has been featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs! This couple and their talented vendors poured tender love and care into every inch of this wedding, and it really shows.
Please enjoy Elizabeth Anne Design’s feature, or to see more images from Trish and Bronson’s wedding, check out my blog post!
Vendors involved in Trish and Bronson’s wedding included:
Wedding Coordinator: Stephanie Beer of Covenant Coordinating
Catering: Grapevine Catering
Cake: Fleur de Lisa
Florist: Kate Stanley Design
Posted on 6/01/11 in Outdoor Weddings, Press, Unusual Locations, Vendors, Wedding, Wine Country Weddings | No Comments
I’ve been back almost a week from my shoot at Rancho La Puerta and have missed it so. My friend Laurel and I have already heard from a few of our ranch friends, all just as nostalgic as we are. There’s a saying at the ranch, which is “take the ranch home with you,” and I’ve been trying! I’m still going to bed pretty early (they even have a lecture on sleep!) and getting up early to do stretches before starting my day, and every day has had some form of exercise but one!
Because most of the tables in the dining room are community tables, we got to meet so many fascinating people. More than one described the ranch as “summer camp for adults” and I would agree. That’s a great description. The guests are limited to 100 a week and many guests sign on immediately for the same week the next year so they can see their ranch pals.
Cooking school, organic garden tours, swimming pools for relaxing AND water classes, a world class spa, 3,000 mountainous acres for hiking, and healthy, organic, mostly vegetarian eating. I would say it’s perfect. Travel and Leisure magazine apparently agrees because it named the ranch the “Best Destination Spa in the World.” Brides, if you can go to the ranch with your besties for your bachelorette party or just with your mom and sisters for a little R&R before the wedding (I ran into one of my former brides and her mom and sister in a swimming class!), I would HIGHLY recommend it!
Enjoy the photos!
Posted on 4/15/11 in Architecture, Destination Weddings, Green Weddings, Thoughts, Unusual Locations | No Comments
The incredible people behind Rancho La Puerto—a Mexican fitness resort and spa just an hour south of San Diego—invited me this week to photograph the resort’s fitness department and its new cooking school and chef for marketing materials. I love, love, love Rancho La Puerto. I love its unique atmosphere, its classes that promote a lifetime of health, its place beneath the mountains.
Because my assignment was the resort’s fitness and cooking departments, I didn’t get to photograph its lovely spas, grounds and pool—maybe on my next visit. This place is truly transforming. I think it may be perfect. Most of the vegetables and eggs used in dishes prepared here come from the resort’s onsite organic garden. Its spa treatments are to die for, as are the resort’s serious classes and workshops. I even went on a seven mile mountain hike this morning!
I’ll be sure to post more when I return.
Posted on 4/08/11 in Architecture, Destination Weddings, Thoughts, Unusual Locations | 3 Comments
