All weddings are special for me. I don’t play favorites. I truly am in love with each wedding I photograph. It’s a really beautiful feeling to get to know your couple and share in their joy, after all.

With that said, there are moments hit differently. Like when I have the opportunity to photograph milestones for friends and family. A perfect example was photographing Heather and Veronica’s wedding. Heather is a dear friend of mine who I’ve known for 24 years!

I love it when couples integrate their favorite things into their wedding day. Heather and Veronica were no exception. They wanted a wedding all their own. From the handfasting ceremony to Claddagh rings, from jiu-jitsu photos to a cat cake-topper—their wedding reflected all their closely held values and hobbies.

A Beautiful Garden Wedding

Started the day out getting ready at the Lavender Inn in Ojai, California. Their friends and family had come together the night before for a rehearsal dinner and stayed at the venue together. After getting ready together, Heather surprised Veronica with a gift. A lovely picture book of their time together, from meeting to getting engaged and everything in between.

After a private moment together in the garden, it was time for the ceremony. Leaning into non-traditional aspects, they walked themselves down the aisle to their favorite song with their best person.

Our very own officiant, Isiah, performed the wedding ceremony. True to form, Heather and Veronica wanted a wedding ceremony that aligned with their values, so they had a handfasting ceremony with a beautiful, vibrant red cord. Handfasting is a wedding tradition representing that commitment is dynamic. We all understand that life can throw us for a loop, situations can change, and times can get difficult. But as long as our couple keeps the ties that bind them strong, they can overcome anything. Handfasting is most commonly associated with Celtic, Pagan, or Wicca wedding ceremonies. But it has grown in popularity for secular couples too.

The handfasting consists of a series of vows between partners, while the officiant wraps the cord around the couple's hands. As the vows continue, the bond becomes tighter—just as we hope that our love binds us together throughout their marriage.

I’m all about doing exactly what you want on your wedding day. So you better believe I was stoked when Heather and Veronica told me they wanted to take Jiu-Jitsu photos in their wedding attire right after the ceremony!

Fun fact: Heather (in purple) and I trained together for years growing up. She throws a mean punch—and rattled my brains a bit when we trained Muay Thai together.