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Tan and Rachel, who you may remember from their amazing Joshua Tree engagement session, recently tied the knot at their Mt Woodson Castle wedding. Clearly, these two have an adventurous side to them, which I believe comes from their exuberant love for life and each other. Mt Woodson Castle almost feels out of place in San Diego – in a good way. It’s tucked away in a location you’d find only if you knew where you were going and feels like a romantic woodsy paradise.
I arrived to Rachel’s hotel to find that she and her three gorgeous bridesmaids were totally done with their hair and makeup and were relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. I do love a smaller bridal party, as it makes for a very quiet room rather than a chaotic atmosphere. As I worked on shooting Rachel’s details, the ladies watched me style the rings, shoes, and invitation, all of which looked beautifully cohesive and chic.
Meanwhile, Tan got ready with his closest of friends, donning a modern suit with the coolest texture. I do love a fantastic groom’s suit, especially when paired with a personable groom like Tan.
After getting ready, everyone departed for Mt Woodson Castle, where the first look was scheduled. Rachel and Tan’s emotions during the first look very beautifully show their personalities. As a wedding photographer, it is so important to me to let my couple’s personalities shine in the images. The result is a very genuine gallery that doesn’t feel like a different version of every other wedding I’ve photographed. These images are Tan and Rachel.
With a small bridal party, the future newlyweds were surrounded by the closest of closest of friends for their Mt Woodson Castle wedding celebration. What I love about smaller bridal parties is that the size makes it easy to spend quality time with each bridesmaid and groomsman. Often, members of the group don’t get to see the bride and groom very often, so it’s wonderful to be able to enjoy the day as an intimate group.
During their ceremony, people laughed and cried as Tan and Rachel read their personalized vows to each other.
Having wrapped up family portraits, I took a walk around the back of the property and spotted the most glorious light in the most amazing location at Mt Woodson Castle. I instantly knew we had to do bride and groom portraits on this platform. It was insanely good.
Just before dinner, Tan and Rachel made their grand entrance into the reception with the most adorable dance, followed by a few sunset portraits on digital and film.
Toasted by friends and family, the couple looked totally smitten with each other and absolutely thrilled to hear the hilarious and touching words everyone had to say about them.
Tan and Rachel, it has been amazing getting to know the two of you. I hope there are many more nights of secret tiki cocktail bar visits in our future. Congratulations and enjoy married life!
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