Jessica and Michael's photo on AOL News

Wow - Jessica is an author, and she wrote this beautiful piece for AOL News for this Thanksgiving week. I'm so happy that my images were able to help her remember what she is grateful for, and I'm so grateful that I (and the rest of the world) get to read her lovely words!

Check out the article here.

"The shot was one of the ceremony, the light a dappled yellow, the green of our garden all around. I am standing in front of the congregated group with my matron of honor, but only the two of us are in the photo. The photographer caught us both in mid-laugh. I'm bent over from laughing, my smile wide, my face full of joy. "

Sherry and Jeremy on Style Me Pretty

Sherry and Jeremy's beautiful wedding is featured on Style Me Pretty this week! I'll be posting more favorites from the wedding soon.

BIG thanks to Paige Green for second shooting this one with me! Some of my favorite images are hers.

I have to share what Abby wrote about me: "We’ve had a long term love affair with Jessamyn Harris on SMP with some of our most favorite weddings coming from behind her lens. Well, when the Jessamyn’s crazy skills get paired with a bride’s super stylish approach, we always get super excited to share it with you. And this one had us the moment we saw the insanely beautiful plum color palette and the glow behind each and every image."

Coming up soon: favorites from Austin and Emily's wedding; Jessica and Michael's wedding; and of course Sherry and Jeremy's wedding. Lots and lots more soon, too!

Sarah and Rick part 2, private estate, Glen Ellen

(Click on the image above for the slideshow!)

More photos from Sarah and Rick's beautiful wedding day:







Sometimes I have to give couples a little encouragement and space so that they allow themselves the freedom to relax into their newlywed love for photos - Sarah and Rick, however, just jumped right into being the cutest duo ever, sort of posing but mostly just grooving on being married. I shot for 15 or 20 minutes with barely any direction at all!





One of my favorites of the year:





The setting was amazing, and it was such a treat for me to be able to show my friends from all over the country some of the highlights of living in Sonoma County: beautiful light and sunshine, lizards laying on rocks, oak and olive trees, golden hillsides, fragrant lavender:





Not every bride kicks off the cocktail hour by jumping in to join the band on fiddle! That's my girl :)







The table settings were gorgeous. Family style, colorful, and right at sunset.



















Dinner was delicious, and I got to sit with Devon and cuddle (alternately jumping up to take photos) while many, many guests toasted the couple for probably over an hour! The celebrations went on and on...









And, amazingly, no one fell in the pool.



Sarah, thanks so much for having me be your photographer! I have memories of you playing me beautiful jazz pieces on the violin, as well as you rapping straight through "the Humpty Dance" without stopping. It was wonderful to be there as you wed "the Raven King" (sorry, Ricker) on your wedding day! Sorry I didn't stay late enough to skinnydip, as promised ;)

Here's what my homegirl says:

"Jessamyn, you truly made us look like rock stars on our wedding day. All the years of our friendship, I've been inspired by your sensitivity, your warmth, your keen observational sense and your sense of fun. It's just so amazing to actually SEE those qualities, in action, in MY wedding pictures! I never could have been so comfortable around anybody else, and I know you made the day look even more beautiful than it was. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Anyone who hires another photographer is insane."

AND I definitely want to give a big, big shout out to the awesome vendors from the day! The location was a private estate belonging to friends of Sarah and her family, that they have been visiting for her whole life, and it seriously was one of the biggest scores for a wedding venue I've ever seen. So that is off limits for the general public, unfortunately, but here are vendors you can hire:

(From Sarah)
"Bands: Brass Menazeri Balkan Brass Band (Balkan brass band music has been really important in our lives, in fact we have gone twice to the Golden Brass Festival in Serbia, so we knew that we had to have a balkan brass band at our wedding! It was the first thing we decided on.)

The Haupert Boys (my cousins' bluegrass band)
my father's band, Django Marx. As you know my dad passed away when I was seventeen, and one of my keenest regrets is that he couldn't walk me down the aisle. So instead my dad's band played the processional. It was really special since they basically hadn't played together since my dad passed away. They even had my father's guitar on a stand, symbolizing him, with them while they played.

Florist: Rhonda Stoffel (fabulous fabulous flowers!)

Cupcakes: Love at First Bite Bakery

Our friends Neal and Jessica catered the whole event with wonderful local organic food, from local artisinal cheeses to heirloom tomatoes to pesto crusted chicken.

Of course we planned the whole shebang ourselves. And as you're noting, the music, the invitations, the dress, the chuppah, the food, and the location were all provided by friends!"

Can we make this an annual event? Where's my invite to that Leo party!
xoxoxoxoxo

Elizabeth and Darren, Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Saint Helena

(Click on the image above for the slideshow!)

Things have been crazy busy here in wedding season land, so unfortunately blog land has had to be a little more concise than usual. But I have this beautiful wedding from July to make up for it! Elizabeth and Darren came all the way to Napa from the D.C. area to celebrate their wedding with 40 of their closest loved ones, all from out of town. Elizabeth really planned beautiful, thoughtful details for their guests, inspired by their meeting place (Paris). They originally planned to marry in France, but then decided Napa would just have to do ;), with lots of chic and delicious touches for the perfect combination of French and Californian. I know that I'm gushing, but with good reason! Everything was simply, elegantly beautiful.



One of Elizabeth's best friends, Kelly, happens to be a very talented graphic designer - so she put together some of the best invitation, RSVP, and other paper good collections I've seen yet.









I liked this lovely gift Elizabeth got for Darren - little fox cufflinks, to honor his mother's maiden name, Fox!



The wedding took place at the Holy Family Mission Church in Rutherford - a very cool little church with a Spanish colonial feel.





Here's the bride sharing a beautiful moment with her father - who donated a kidney to Elizabeth to save her life in 2005. I'm getting teary just thinking about it! Liz says, "He is my hero, and having him walk me down the aisle was an honor and a memory we will both cherish forever." Even if there hadn't been so many cool things to photograph, this might be one of my favorite weddings for that beautiful reason alone!





Elizabeth and Darren's ceremony was officiated by Deacon Bob Little, who unfortunately recently died unexpectedly after a motorcycle accident. He was a thoughtful, caring officiant, and I could tell the couple had a special bond with him. I'm so glad I got to meet and hear him before he passed away, and my heart goes out to his family and congregation.





Elizabeth's nephew, Noah, is so sweet (and properly doted on by his aunt!).





After the ceremony and some family photos, we did lots of couple shots in and around the church. It was probably in the low 70s inside, the high 90s outside, but I had fun playing with the variable light for some different looks:



Darren might not like that I'm posting this - but it is just too cute not to share!











And some more at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America), where the reception was held:







Such pretty bridesmaids!



I LOOOOVE this venue. Some people think it's hard to shoot in (since the barrel room is almost completely dark), but I find it moody and romantic and fun. Plus, it stays cool, it looks like a castle from the outside (!), and the lighting and decorations can really vary from wedding to wedding. If those reasons weren't enough, the FOOD. Oh, my. They can customize all kinds of menus, but I've been lucky enough to have sampled their divine, rich yet fresh French and Californian cuisine, since they serve their vendors exactly what the guests receive. My assistant and I ate until we couldn't fit in another bite... and I wish I could eat that meal all over again right now. Heavenly!







These, I believe, are profiteroles, with sugar strands forming a little flag. There was also cream of corn soup (with a mind blowing corn fritter), some kind of filet mignon in a burgundy-mushroom sauce (if memory serves) with mini sautéed seasonal vegetables and an individual soufflé - and, of course, wedding cake, and the best macarons in Napa for favors. I'm surprised I could stand after dinner!



Bustling is an art:







Other touches included a sparkler send off, a beautiful wedding cake made in house, and a kids' activity table (complete with Etch-A-Sketches, gumballs, jacks, coloring supplies, and much more).



And some kind words from Elizabeth:

"Just gorgeous! You did such a FABULOUS job! I can't get over how beautiful these shots are. :) Can't wait to see the rest and to share these with our friends and family. Thank you, thank you, thank you!... I really can't thank you enough. I will say it until I'm blue in the face - you are an amazing photographer! Everyone that sees the photos RAVES about how gorgeous they are."

I am so lucky to have the best, kindest, and most creative clients. Thank YOU!

Here are some of the fabulous vendors from this wedding:

Ceremony location - Holy Family Mission Church in Rutherford
Accomodations - Napa Marriott in Napa
Reception venue - Culinary Institute of America in Saint Helena
Macaron favors - Bouchon Bakery in Yountville
Invitations, menus, signs, and all paper goods - Goodies Designs
Hair and Makeup - It's a Date at the Powder Room
Cake - Chef Laura at the CIA