I love the wine country, it is one of the most scenic and romantic areas of the Inland Empire. I’m not sure how many wineries are here, but there are quite a few in the Temecula/Fallbrook area. There are wine tasting tours for those wanting to sample the local vintages and the Temecula Valley hot air balloon and wine festival in June is always a big draw. I must confess that I don’t know too much about wine but I do enjoy a good glass of cabernet with dinner:) My last visit to the wine country was a business trip, I was second shooting for my friend April who invited me to the gorgeous wedding of Heather and Jason at the Faulkner Winery.  It sits atop a hill so the view is extraordinary. The food was excellent and the staff very professional, I would recommend it highly.  Thank you Heather and Jason for the honor of sharing your day awesome day with you!

Weddings are always special events, it is not possible to be around people in love and not feel a little romantic yourself! One of my favorite places to shoot a wedding is the Mission Inn, located in downtown Riverside, CA., where I was lucky enough to have been asked to join my friend April Smith to photograph Noelle and Jefferey’s wedding. They are not only beautiful on the outside, they were truly amazing people to be with, and I wish them both the very best. Here are some of my favorite images from the day, I hope you like them!

This is the lovely Noelle. She is laughing because behind her is her husband desperately attempting to bustle her train!

The details of this wedding were extraordinary. See if you agree.

Just in case you were wondering what our handsome groom looks like, here he is in the arms of his beloved (sigh).

This is the famous Amistad Room. It is gorgeous!

The grooms little sister couldn’t wait to show off her teeth!

I played in Photoshop a little to get this effect. I liked it!

Thank you April! You look mahvelous:)

I am so behind…so much has been happening these last couple of weeks so I best get cracking on the latest and greatest:)

Been to Long Beach lately? I have and boy was I in for a surprise! I recently attended a reception at the Long Beach Museum of Latin America, an awesome event sponsored by Brides.com. The museum patio is a gorgeous venue and is definitely worth checking out as a possibility for a wedding/reception. It was spacious, the lighting was terrific, the garden is sleek and beautiful. The last time I was in Long Beach was when I got lost on the way to the airport last Chrismas, but that doesn’t really count because I stayed mostly on the freeway. I need a GPS to save me from myself, but I really don’t like to be told what to do…..help!

The last time I was technically in Long Beach was in 1985. You do the math! This most recent venture was for a bridal vendors event. I met lots of people, drank and ate more than I should have, but best of all, had time to tour the marina before the event started. In case you haven’t heard, I have an affinity for the ocean and will seek to be near it at any given opportunity. I am convinced I was a mermaid in another life (probably a sea urchin) but I really, really LOVE the smell of the salty air and the sound of crashing waves. And, much to my surprise, Long Beach is really quite nice. They have done a bit of work these last twenty years…I think I will go back and visit on a slow Sunday. So here are some pics, I hope you enjoy them.

These gams belong to the lovely Rowena Curtis.

These boats are waiting for someone to take them out for a ride….I will see what I can do to set them free! Either that or beg the owner for a sail around the marina. They are sooh beautiful!

The Long Beach Museum of Latin America. Very nice!

Me, Tammie, MaryAnn, Sandra, and Marissa . Just a couple of the gorgeous and talented women who also happen to be awesome photographers! I’m the short, regular looking one on the left…I really have to find some ugly friends!