As I rap up my 5th year as a wedding photographer I'd like to thank all of my past, present and future brides for allowing me to tell their wedding stories. Shooting weddings is a lot of fun and I'd like to share my favorite aspects of weddings.

My favorite thing about small weddings - intimacy

My favorite thing about big weddings - lots of friends

My favorite thing about Christmas time weddings - the smell of Christmas trees

My favorite thing about weddings on New Years Eve - the midnight kiss

My favorite thing about Catholic weddings - Ave Maria

My favorite thing about Jewish weddings - the hora

My favorite thing about Indian weddings - the colors

My favorite thing about British weddings - the hats

My favorite thing about beach weddings - the view

My favorite thing about weddings at home - no rules, no limits

My favorite thing about weddings at hotels - the staff is always amazing

My favorite thing about day time weddings - the lighting

My favorite thing about night time weddings - the romance

My favorite thing about destination weddings - the adventure

My favorite thing about bridezilla- she knows what she wants

My favorite thing about sweet brides - they are fun to work with

My favorite thing about weddings in February - the red roses

My favorite thing about Santa Barbara weddings - the Spanish architecture

My favorite thing about Napa and Temecula weddings - the vineyards

My favorite part of the wedding - bride seeing herself in the dress for the 1st time

My favorite wedding song that is played often - Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

My favorite wedding song that is not played enough - I Melt With You - Nouvelle Vague

My favorite thing about big budget weddings - the up lighting

My favorite thing about budget weddings - the moments that make a wedding special are free

Having spent years working as an editorial photographer and shooting for magazines like Elle, Cosmopolitan and Angelino, I developed a unique style. In addition to my standard engagement sessions which generally last about an hour I offer extended Luxe sessions.

During a Luxe sitting the couple usually rents a room at a hotel and we spend several hours on the photoshoot. I bring in professional lighting and do wardrobe consultation with the couple prior to the shoot. On a Luxe session we can set up complex lighting to add drama to the images. This lighting set up is far different from what wedding photographers use on the day of the wedding.

These sessions are amazingly fun and unique. I enlist the same set of skills and lighting set ups that are seen in magazines. The Luxe session is not for everyone. If you are less comfortable in front of the camera and are not a huge fan of having your picture taken then a standard session is the way to go. However, if you have always dreamed of having your own personal fashion shoot that the Luxe session is for you!

I refer to these portraits as a couples boudoir session as they are far more intimate that the standard session. The couple generally does several wardrobe changes and the outfits tend to be more edgy and seductive.

The first couple was shot at the W hotel in Westwood, CA . This sexy couple opted to do many of their images nude or partially nude. Don't let the nudity scare you off, I can still create visually stunning images even if you are not comfortable in the buff! ;-)

The second session was shot at the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood, CA . The couple got an amazing suite and were a joy to work with. The hotel is predominantly white with a touch black, both modern and retro at the same time. The groom to be was looking for a roughed James Bond look so we went with the roughed up tuxedo shirt and cigar.

Book any wedding photography package with Tiffany Photography before January 15th and receive a free standard engagement session or 50% off a Luxe session.

Magazine vs. Traditional style wedding albums

Magazine style wedding albums - aka digital wedding albums and montage coffee table style photo books allow your wedding images to be presented in a photomontage or collage format. The whole page is made of photographic paper and the images cover the entire page with no boarder or frame. This style has become very popular among brides and grooms because it allows images to be placed in the background and is very versatile.

Traditional style wedding albums allow one or more images to be framed and placed on a matted album. While this style is less popular it has a very classic and classy look and feel. One can still portray and convey a photojournalistic style and story in the traditional style format.

Quality control - In large photography chains, the decisions on the quality of the images taken comes from the top and many require the photographer to shoot in .jpg (resulting in lower quality files that are easer for the large company to store) At Tiffany Photography we always shoot in RAW format leaving you with the best possibly quality wedding images.

Continuity - At a smaller studio you get to know the photographer personally and have a relationship with one person from start to end. In a larger studio, you may fall in love with the sales person and end up with a photographer you can't relate to.

Get to know your vision- Photography is an art and to delivering images that please, you must know your audience. When you interact with one photographer, they get to know your personality and are better able to take images that reflect your vision. From our consultation and subsequent contact prior to the wedding I will be able to determine if a couple is shy, outgoing, funny, conservative or edgy. Delivering edgy images to a conservative person would be as disastrous as delivering conservative images to a couple looking for edgy creative images.

Creative control -A huge part of photography is the post production. At Tiffany Photography I create custom effects for each couple based on the style of their wedding and their personality. I go through every single wedding image and correct for color, brightness, contrast, cropping and determine if there is any additional work that needs to be done on the image. In a larger studio the images are sent off to a central location and the editor has no contact or direction from you or the photographer.

Album design - By the time we get to the album design, I know my couples very well and designing a stunning album is made very easy.

Package/Pricing - Many people have the misconception that booking with a big studio will result in a more reasonable price. This is not always the case. At Tiffany Photography every package is costum created to insure you get exactly what you do want without paying for extras you don't need. At a large corporation, the sales person has little or not control over the packages offered. At Tiffany Photography the pricing always includes the original digital files on DVD so you won't be stuck paying a premium for prints. While we are happy to make prints of images for you, you are free to use any professional photography lab. (By professional lab we do not mean Wal-Mart or 1 - hour photo. The files are very large and may require professional attention)

Call now to set up a consultation! 310.877.7054

• Focus on the couple - While you may have a relationship with the bride or groom that spans 20 or 30 years, the crowd is interested in the couples relationship, not yours. It is okay to do a brief account of how you know the bride or groom but the speech should focus on the couple.
• Keep it short and sweet - You don't want to rush however, a short speech is always appreciated, no longer than 2 or 3 minutes at most
• Avoid raunchy stories - the bride and grooms grandparents should be spared from crude or extremely embarrassing situations
• Better to limit the number of drinks one has before the speech - Trust me, the crowd can tell if you have had one too many drinks.
• Have fun and smile!
• Don't forget to thank the last speaker and do a toast at the end of the speech.
• Make eye contact with the couple and look around the room while speaking.

Sarah and Daniel opted to see each other before the wedding so they could take care of the wedding photography before the ceremony. Seeing each other before the wedding is highly recommended for several reasons.

1. It cuts down on the time your guest have to wait and extends the time you get to celebrate at your wedding ceremony

2. It allows for an amazing photo op we call the 1st look. The 1st look is when the bride and groom see each other for the first time. The first look is extremely romantic because the bride and groom really get to enjoy the moment. Seeing each other when you walk down the aisle is also romantic but you don't get to revel in the moment quite the same way as when the 1st look is done.

3. Most couples really enjoy taking pictures before the wedding. However, after the ceremony, most couples are not as relaxed because they are anxious to get to the reception making it more difficult to get artistic shots.

Several of Daniel's friend and family flew in from Johannesburg South Africa to join in the wedding festivities. The tish and hora at this wedding were amazing!

You will notice how the reception room is professionally lit. Nothing sets the ambiance of a wedding reception like professional up lighting. Sarah's wedding cake was adorned with orchids and her wedding flower centerpieces were made from orchids as well.

Tips for creating your wedding signature drinks.

Garnish - A great garnish looks pretty and adds flavor to the drink. Sugar flavored rims on margarita glasses work well with fruity drinks. Flowers and fruit also make a great addition to the summer time cocktail.

Keep it simple - Make your drinks with a ready-made mix so your bartenders can server your guest fast.

Theme- Your drink can match the theme of your wedding, color scheme or honeymoon destination. Start by choosing the color of the drink then deiced on the liquor base and a cocktail type.

Name - Pick a name for your drink and have the name and recipe for your drink printed on cocktail napkins.

Alcohol free version - Remember to include an alcohol free version for your guest who don't drink or are under age.

My favorite wedding hair style web pages www.haircomesthebride.com. One can find all kinds of great alternatives to veils. My personal favorite alternative is the wedding feather hair accessories. Other great wedding hair accessories include flowers, silk flowers, crystal wedding combs, bridal tiaras, wedding headpieces, rhinestone hair pins and combs jewelry made with cultured pearl.

If you are not quite ready to ditch the veil but want a hip vintage wedding hair style, try the blusher or birdcage veil. The blusher is the short part of the veil that covers the bride's face during the ceremony. Many brides wear a blusher over the face in deference to their cultural heritage. During the ceremony, the blusher is lifted back over the head to reveal the bride.

In a Jewish wedding ceremony the veil is vital and is used for the Badeken. One should check with your officiant about any religious head-covering requirements before making the final decision.

I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of actress/song writer Susan Brittian and football player Willie Gault at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills! I love working at this hotel and the on site wedding coordinator, Jamie Friedman, is extremely helpful and lovely to work with.

Susan's gorgeous group of friends did a wonderful job helping her prepare for the wedding day.
Check out the design work on Susan's amazing emerald cut engagement ring. The wedding florist Anna Yepremyan worked magic by creating a unique criss cross wedding aisle made of white rose petals and creating flower arrangements with a vibrant color scheme including blue, orange and pink hues.

The wedding took place in the evening and Hannah and Brad's wedding photography took place before the ceremony.

The bride's dress is by Maggie Sottero and is called Reese. The bridesmaids were in elegant navy blue evening gowns while the groomsmen sported Adidas tennis shoes.

Hannah and Brad's story

'We met at a work conference in Sacramento. We were both 18 years old. I saw him walk down the seating isle and whispered to my friend, "WHO is that!" I had to meet him. I met one of his friends and was invited to a party they were hosting. I was in love. We dated long distance for 3 months and as a lot of young romances go, it ended. We remained friends for years until I came to visit in September of 2007. It was all over after that. Numerous frequent miles later we are getting married and I could not have asked for a better partner and friend in life. I am so happy all of you can share this special moment with us.'

How he proposed

'Brad took me to Geoffery's in Malibu for our 1 year anniversary. I knew he wanted to propose, but I had no idea when. We had a super romantic dinner at one of the best tables at the restaurant and then went down to the beach to relish the moment a little longer. He got down on one knee and said "Hannah, will you marry me?" He had the ring out and looked so cute and nervous! Of course I said YES!!!! We danced around... took pictures of ourselves...and went home to call people and celebrate.'

Wedding Coordinator Joy de Vivre 805-637-5253
Caterer by Rincon Catering
Wedding Dress by Maggie Sottero
Flowers by Nico Designs
Denae Farley by makeup 805-886-4420