Heidi Ryder Photography: The Blog » Southern California and Destination Wedding Photography

Martha and John’s engagement session took place at two locations: The Silent Movie Theater (known these days as Cinefamily) and The Urban Light installation outside of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). I was super excited for this session because the fine folks at Cinefamily were kind enough to allow us to shoot there (a note to future clients and fellow photogs: the space is available for shoots and weddings and is AWESOME!) and Chris and I have been attending showings at Cinefamily for the past few years now. We were even considering it as the venue for our own wedding at one point! If only our guest list wasn’t so huge.

Martha and John thought it would be fun if their engagement photos had a bit of a Hollywood feel to them because they are both huge movie fans. At first they mentioned Hollywood Blvd but since they could only shoot on a weekend, I knew that idea just wouldn’t work. Too crowded! The idea of shooting at Cinefamily popped into my head instantly and they loved the idea. I was so thankful it all worked out. The Urban Light installation was just icing on the cake! Special to Annie and Robin for referring this lovely couple to me—it makes me so incredibly happy when my clients tell all their friends about me!

This shoot was the first time I got to meet Martha and John in person. I knew from our emails that neither of them were thrilled about being in front of the camera, but I’m so glad they were game for this engagement session, if only because I had an awesome time hanging out with them! I always love hiding behind the camera and watching a couple interact with each other. Martha and John spent a lot of time laughing. For me, the best quality in a partner is someone you can laugh with. A lot. Needless to say, this engagaement session was a lot of fun and I am so honored to be photographing their wedding day in July.

And now for a few of my favorites…

This next one may be my favorite. Feels like a scene from an old movie…

See what I mean with the laughter? They’re so cute together!

We waited for nightfall and met back up again at LACMA for some fun shots with lampposts…

Martha has amazing hair. If I had hair half as amazing I might have a good hair day once in a while. Oh, John, your hair is pretty good, too.

Thanks, Martha and John—you guys are so great! See you around the neighborhood now that we’ll be neighbors soon!

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Yustine and Chris’ San Juan Capistrano engagement session was pretty ideal in every way. We had several great locations to work with, a beautiful day with beautiful light, perfect weather, and Yustine and Chris couldn’t be any cuter together! When I first met these two last year during their consultation, Yustine and I bonded over our love for boba, and I was smitten with the two of them instantly. They were both so easy-going and friendly, it was impossible not to be! I was so happy when they wrote me afterwards to tell me they wanted me to photograph their wedding.

Because of that first meeting and subsequent exchange of emails, I knew the three of us were going to have a fun day during their engagement session, and I was not disappointed. We started at Mission San Juan Capistrano, which was a first time visit for all of us. The mission is incredibly gorgeous and a perfect backdrop for photos because there is so much variation. I truly felt like I could shoot there for the rest of my life and never get bored!

It was really hard for me to edit this session down – there were so many great ones to choose from! Here are some of my faves…

Now, I don’t use the word fabulous a lot, but there is just no other word to describe these two. Wouldn’t you agree?

After finishing up at the mission, we headed to the Los Rios Historic District of San Juan Capistrano and took advantage of the adorable houses and storefronts found along the tree-lined streets.

During our shoot, Yustine told me she made Chris practice poses with her for their shoot. I thought that was adorable and so funny to hear! Chris showed me his favorite “pose” – check out his form! Good work, Chris.

Finally, I followed Chris and Yustine to Crystal Cove, which is where Chris proposed. I always love getting the opportunity to go back to the place where it all began with my clients. That’s a very special part of their lives that they’re letting me revisit with them and I consider it a great privilege. So, I was happy to head to the beach with these two, but I was absolutely floored when I discovered how amazingly gorgeous Crystal Cove is. SO. GOOD.

Yustine and Chris, you guys are so fun!! Thank you so much for being all-around great! I am so looking forward to your wedding day AND our boba/dinner double date!

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When Robin and I were discussing ideas for her and Alejandro’s engagement session, Southern California was in the midst of a week-long rain storm. I can’t even remember the last time it rained so much in So Cal. Robin and I both love rainy, gloomy weather and thought it would be awesome if it rained a little bit on the day of their shoot. Umbrellas! Galoshes! Hats! Coats! We were excited at the thought.

But, alas, there was no rain to speak of on the day of the shoot. But it wasn’t exactly a sunny day either. Don’t tell Mother Nature, but I ended up being thankful for the lack of rain because we wouldn’t have been able to utilize at least two of our great locations, and since it wasn’t very bright out we still got to pull off the cold weather look in the end. Best of both worlds!

Robin and Alejandro made my job easy. They are so warm and kind to each other that there’s just this sort of peacefulness that happens when you’re in their presence. I didn’t have to direct them much, they were just happy to hug and stare into each other’s eyes for–well, forever, I’m guessing. And that’s why I love my job. You try being unhappy when you’re in the presence of love. I was actually super tired before this shoot and by the end of it, I was completely rejuvenated. As a gentleman by the name of Huey Lewis would say, that’s the Power of Love.

Robin and Alejandro, thanks so much for the fun time! You guys make me happy.

We started off underneath this beautiful flowering tree.Robin is a writer and an avid reader and Alejandro is a musician so we incorporated some props. Robin brought several gorgeous books and Alejandro brought some of his drums.

She read to him and he played a drum, called a djembe, for her. Alejandro joked that these photos would be missing sound so people wouldn’t get the full experience. So, please imagine the gorgeous sound of the djembe while viewing these.

The next one makes me laugh. Alejandro placed an orange on Robin’s head, and then he preceded to chomp at it. CHOMP!

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I had been looking forward to Alexandra and Michael’s engagement session at Disneyland since the day I first met them and they mentioned they might like to have their engagement photos taken at the Happiest Place on Earth. I, of course, was thrilled at this idea and was so excited when it all worked out! The three of us met at the front entrance to the park bright and early on a Sunday morning in an effort to beat the crowds. If you’ve never been to Disneyland that early before, it’s a bit of a ghost town, at least for a few minutes, before the crowds start to really filter in. It was surreal, but fun!

It was especially fun to explore the park with these two. They both love Disneyland, Michael especially. He knew all kinds of cool facts about the park and it was awesome to see it through his eyes for a little bit. Disneyland was the perfect location for this shoot and I’m so happy I was able to be a part of it. Alexandra and Michael, thanks so much for exploring Disney in the early hours with me—I cannot wait for your wedding in August!

Here are a few of my favorites of the day…

Obviously we had to hit up the tea cups. This was the first time I had been on that ride in probably 20 years and we went on it twice in a row! I only got slightly dizzy…

We found a love tester and it told Alexandra and Michael that their love was uncontrollable. Obviously!

This next shot was requested by Michael who wore his ears proudly alongside his very accommodating fiancée–she wouldn’t have donned mouse ears for anyone but him. That’s true love. 

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It is always an incredible honor when my work gets picked up on other sites. Especially when those sites are some of my favorite reads. This is the second time my work has been featured on Green Wedding Shoes and I couldn’t be more pleased! Jen decided to feature Jackqueline and Jeremy’s Griffith Observatory engagement session with the adorable handmade pinwheels. Mucho thanks to Jen! Click the screen shot below to see the whole feature!

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Jen and Will’s Santa Monica engagement session had to be split up into two days because the first shoot was rudely interrupted by very strong, cold winds. And when I say winds I mean, like, we may or may not have been in a tornado. Okay, maybe it wasn’t quite that dramatic, but Jen and I both agreed it was impossible for a girl’s hair to look it’s best for photos when it’s uncontrollably being whipped this way and that. So, we stopped mid-shoot and rescheduled for a later date. And, because we’ve been kind to the planet and are owed lots of good karma from Mother Nature, we were blessed with an absolutely gorgeous second shoot day!

Jen and Will found me through Will’s co-worker Oliver, whose Rec Center Studios wedding in Echo Park is still one of my favorites because of how genuine, personal and touching the ceremony was. Though Jen and Will were both at Amanda and Oliver’s wedding, we didn’t have the pleasure of meeting until we scheduled a dinner together to talk about their own wedding. I liked them both instantly and felt like I was having dinner with old friends, and I was so excited when they chose me as their wedding photographer. Their engagement session was, again, just like hanging out with my friends – my adorably in love friends. Those are the best kind, really.

Jen and Will, thanks so much for hanging out with me and showing me around your ‘hood! I can’t wait for your wedding next month!

So I know I’ve said this before, but I just love it when my couples bring along props for their shoots! Will and Jen’s wedding is going to have a bit of an apple theme, so Will picked out these tiny, perfect little apples especially for their engagement session. Will’s last name (soon to be Jen’s!) starts with a ‘P’, so the pewter ‘P’ was another great personal touch. So cute!

When we were brainstorming ways to incorporate the apples, Will asked me if I wanted him to juggle them. Jen was surprised because she had no idea he knew how to juggle! So, obviously I had to document Jen’s first time seeing her future husband’s juggling skills. Not bad, Will, not bad at all…

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I was so happy to hang out with Annie and Gero for a little bit before I left for WPPI in Vegas. I met up with them at Annie’s parent’s home in Santa Monica, which is the very same house she grew up in. If that’s not a personal location, I don’t know what is! This session was rescheduled from the previous weekend when we were rained out. It also rained on this day, but it was the only day that worked for all of us, so we had to keep the date, rain or shine. And wouldn’t you know it, it rained while I was driving over there and it rained the second I left to head home after the shoot, but it stayed perfectly dry the entire time were outside shooting. Couldn’t have planned it any better, even if I tried!

Even in the short time I spent with them,  it was clear to me that Annie and Gero are perfect for one another. They’re both kind and warm, aren’t really fans of being in front of the camera, and they both adore their sweet dog, Marty, who was a bundle of energy during our shoot since she had been cooped up inside most of the day due to rain. Photographing this session really felt just like hanging out with old friends and I’m so excited I get to photograph their wedding in May!

Even though they weren’t excited about being photographed, I like to think I made it at least a little bit enjoyable for them and I love the simple and sweet images we made that day. Annie and Gero, thanks for being good sports! Enjoy…

When Annie was growing up, her mom would take a picture of her on the front porch on the first day of school every year. I thought it was pretty neat that another one of Annie’s milestone was being documented on the same porch.

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One of the biggest perks of my job is I get to hear real life love stories all the time. Not only that, but often I get to re-imagine things like a couple’s first date or marriage proposal, simply by photographing them at the location where it all happened. Jackqueline and Jeremy’s first date happened at the Griffith Observatory, so it was a natural choice for their engagement session. When Jackie and I were brainstorming ideas for their shoot, one things she was very clear about was she wanted to incorporate childhood elements. We debated using balloons, and even tried to think of a park with a great swing set, but it wasn’t until she brought up pinwheels that a light bulb went off and we both knew we had a winner!

The day before the shoot Jackqueline handmade adorable pinwheels and Jeremy constructed a matching kite. I just love when couples take the time to think about props to incorporate into their engagement sessions – it makes the entire shoot unique and personal! We rocked it out pinwheel-style and I am so in love with these photos!

Jackqueline and Jeremy, thanks so much for choosing me as your photographer – I am so excited for your wedding on a boat in May!

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Last week’s Wedding Inspiration Wednesday post was so much fun and got great feedback! Amanda over at Ruffled Blog saw my post and told me she’d been collecting birdcage photos all the while for a similar post. Check out her post on bird cage wedding décor – so many gorgeous finds!

I had a lot of fun putting together today’s inspiration post, too. I don’t know why the thought occurred to me, but I quickly decided that my second inspiration post had to be all about a Spanish fiesta! Maybe it’s because I’m such a big fan of bright, bold colors – or maybe it’s just my Latin heritage (25%!) trying to be heard. Either way, I am loving all of the fiesta-inspired wedding finds that are out there. What a great way to infuse color and personality into a wedding. The only thing missing is a piñata!

1. Papelitos Picados Banners by Aymujer on Etsy
2. Single stem flowers in old glass bottles via Country Living
3.  Fiesta Petal Holders by Francis-Dee Bespoke Wedding Stationery
4. Tissue-wrapped cactus ‘Besos’ favors via Better Homes and Gardens
5. Fiesta Inspired Hand Built Porcelain Tray Duo by Clayswan on Etsy
6. Talavera Mexican Tile Pressed Wedding Invitation by Letterpress Light on Etsy
7. Mexican Wedding Cookies via Epicurean Escapism

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You probably remember Emily and Free from their Griffith Park Observatory engagement session. Well, now this cute couple is Mr. and Mrs.! They were married this weekend at the LDS Temple in Westwood with a reception at the Pasadena Masonic Temple. Their wedding day was casual, cool and fun – just like them. It was such a pleasure being there with their closest friends and family on such a special day. My lovely friend Heather was along for the ride that day and I couldn’t have done it without her!

We started the day off at the temple, waiting patiently for Emily and Free to exit as husband and wife. The smiles on their faces made it worth the wait!

During the week leading up the wedding there was a forecast for rain all day. I know Emily hoped we would have sunshine instead and when the forecast started turning around as the day got closer, I was so excited for them! We couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous day. Would you look at that blue sky?!

Emily and Free’s wedding party was the funnest. They made a good looking bunch, I must say. Oh, and aren’t the bridesmaid’s dresses lovely? Emily’s grandma made them, and I was in awe. And Emily’s beautiful dress was custom made, too, and inspired by a dress Emily saw on Project Runway. Love it!

This next one is probably my favorite from the day…

We had some time before the reception to wander around Old Town Pasadena and take some lovely portraits. I love that time of the day when it’s just me and the couple – they get to relax and enjoy each other and I get to capture it. The best.

I call this next shot Free’s Real Estate Mogul Portrait. I made him promise that if he ever got into real estate, he needed to use this shot on the side of a bus bench.

From the very first meeting I had with Emily and Free they told me they definitely wanted their reception to be a bit of a dance party. It’s a good thing, too, because they had some friends with some moves. I threatened one in particular (hi, Kate!) with a blog post dedicated solely to photos of her on the dance floor, but I’ll refrain and post this fun collage instead.

Emily and Free, I hope you are having an amazing honeymoon in Hawaii! Thank you so much for letting me a part of your wedding day. I wish you both all the happiness in the world.

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