Balboa Island Engagement Photography | Erica and Michael

August 16, 2011

Erica and Michael are living the “LDR” lifestyle right now (Long Distance Relationship) … He lives in New York and she works out of Seattle. I think we all felt pretty lucky when the schedule Gods smiled on us with a day we could all make it to the OC for this shoot last month. The planets aligned in the weather department too  – nothing but warm California sunshine smiling on us here (= With record rains here in NYC the last couple weeks…I have to admit, I’m just a smidge excited about getting home to what California does best… But I’ll be ready to return next month to shoot this couple’s wedding, Upstate. Can’t WAIT you guys!!!!


 

Celia: LOVE the pics you guys!! Cannot wait for the big day to celebrate with the COHEN'S!!!! xoxoxoxo

Heather: I can not wait to see this wedding!! Beautiful couple!

Mom: I love these pics, especially the top one and the one of Erica alone, Simply beautiful!

Liz: Good looking couple! Great pics. Congrats!!

carlq: love the pics.

Elaine: The pics are wonderful and fun. Erica, you are truly stunning, I loved them all.

miryha: great pics

Alex: Love the pics. The "Mr. and Mrs. Cohen" tees are special. Looking forward to the wedding.

tara: Gorgeous!!!! you guys look amazing!

Laura & Jay: The pics look great! Love the Mr and Mrs Cohen one !

Lee: Dynamic duo! Lovely indeed...

Eric: Great Pics! It makes little people look like real life sized people. You guys look great

Karen: the pictures are GORGEOUS!! i can't wait for the big day! xoxo

Sheila: What an adorable couple you are! The pictures are absolutely beautiful - you both look Ma-a-avelous! Can't wait to see the wedding pics - hope you will share them. Best wishes!

Mom (Marci): Each picture is so special, I can't decide which is my favorite. You both look so in love!!! What a treasure of a special moment in time.

Peter Bogomol: Breathtaking photos, beautiful couple.. couldn't be more happy for you two..love always, P.

Isidro: Great Pics guys! Erica, you should've pushed Michael over the dock....that would've been a great picture!

Kelly: Great pictures!!!!

Pam: These photos are absolutely beautiful - Erica and Michael, you are an adorable couple!

Taryn: Such amazing pictures!! xoxo

William: LOVE THE NOSE!!!!

Victor: Erica, as always, you look great. Mike....well....photoshop is an amazing product!

Kathi: Wow! absolutely gorgeous pics, you both are so photogenic. Can't wait to see the wedding pics!

Amy: You two were made for each other! Fabulous photos of a beautiful couple! All the very best!

Jared: So many bare feet!

Jared: You guys look great! Looking forward to the wedding...

eleanor: You are beautiful. good luck.

Straw: wow! i love these. my daughter and soon to son-in-law look so beautiful and happy together. for the record, they stole the mr. and mrs. t-shirts from me and debbie 37 yrs. ago.

Adam: Wow. When they said you guys were a cute couple, they were right!

Amy A.: These are great photos! The top one is my favorite - very beautiful. Cheers!

Russell: Great Pics guys. I especially like the shot of Mikey's feet.

Michael: Who would have thought a hobbit from the Shiar, would marry such a beautiful woman in these photos. Hit the jackpot ladies and gentlemen!!!

Russell: Great Pics guys. I especially like that Mikey's feet were incorporated.

Danny: Lovely pics

Jennifer: These pictures are amazing. You guys look so great. Can't wait to see the wedding pics in just a little over a month.

Cori: Such amazing pictures! I miss borrowing the Mrs. Cohen shirt :)

Carl & Paula: We loved the photos. If this photo shoot is a harbinger of things to come, it will be one great marriage!

grace: awww, i love these! they are absolutely stunning - you both look great and the photos came out so well.

Brett Cohen: These pictures are incredible and belong in a magazine. You both look wonderful. Getting very excited for the big day!

Matt: Gorgeous pics of a gorgeous couple! Breathtaking!!!

erica: I love my pictures. I can't wait to see the wedding album!

Kerry: Erica, you left this man alone in NY... you are a brave woman... just kidding but the pictures are amazing I can't wait to see the wedding photos.

Saddlerock Ranch Wedding, Malibu | Chateau Le Dome | Margaret and John

August 12, 2011

Margaret and John are my ultimate. Period. Number One. For starters, they’re both REALLY FUNNY. They both work for the Sims Franchise. John’s job is to come up with “cool new ways for people to play” and Margaret works on pairing the video game with people who appreciate creativity and freedom of expression. Um, hello – it’s just SLIGHTLY interesting stuff…kind of makes me want to see what’s up with the Sims. I could talk for hours about how cool this couple is, or how they write me hykus, or the 50 kinds of awesome that is the location Chateau Le Dome, or how this couple’s wicked DRY sense of humor was such a good fit with Tony and I as their photographers. But I think they could really say it best themselves…

After the wedding, all of my couples are asked to fill out a Wedding Editorial Questionnaire – it’s the sheet that I provide to magazine (and blog) editors when I’m submitting a wedding to be published. Here are a few of my favorite answers from John and Margaret …I hope it inspires you to look to what’s REAL on your wedding day … (hint: it’s about your PEOPLE). I just LOVE what they had to say. Also, I just have to add that if I had it all to do over again, I would have a wedding JUST LIKE THIS….

Q. How did the two of you meet?

A. We met in the marketing group at Mattel. John had just finished business school at USC’s Marshall School of Business. On his first day at Mattel, he was assigned to shadow Margaret on the Hot Wheels monster truck business, Monster Jam. We’re one of the few couples you’ll meet who have experience behind the wheel of an alcohol-fueled 7000 horsepower monster truck. Together, we crushed cars, and that turned into a crush.

Q. What was the most important factor that you considered while planning your wedding?

A. Keeping it small and intimate, having it match our character and sense of humor, and navigating away from bullshit and inauthenticity at every opportunity.

Q. Where did you find your inspiration for the theme of the wedding day?

A. Our shared sense of humor, and the people we care about. We like to laugh, and we wanted to have fun. And we wanted to create fun for the people we care about and share ourselves without any reservations.

Q. What was unique about your wedding?

A. For starters, our food didn’t suck. We somehow managed to escape inviting half the free world. We had a chance to have a full conversation with every one of our guests. And we weren’t afraid to be ourselves and be the kids that we still are. Our introduction was to the Muppet Show theme song. Why? Because we both like it and it makes us smile.

Q. What was the most memorable moment of your wedding day?

A. John: I remember standing at the ceremony arch, tuning out our officiant, and just looking at Margaret and feeling how much I loved her and being overwhelmed by her beauty and the serenity of our setting and I just knew it was one of those defining memorable moments … {in life}

Venue: Chateau Le Dome at Saddlerock Ranch
Coordinator: Hustle & Bustle
Floral Design: The Flower Lab
Cake Design: Vanilla Bakeshop
Hair and Make-up: Chiali Meng



kristin: I now have the theme song from the Muppets stuck in my head!

Kathy O: Another amazing adventure captured by Jill

Heather: What a good looking couple, and damn has she got some GREAT Hair! Love the photo of them in the square!!!

Lanny and Millie: Reminded us of the vineyards at Murphys - the wedding of Jill and Tony - the amazing attention to detail. You have done it again - captured the emotion/passion of the stunning couple.

Carelie: Stunning!! Takes me back to the wedding of Jill and Tony...right down to the parasols and the bride's hair fascinator. It encompasses all of the details for a perfect day. You captured it once again. Another job well done by Jill and Tony.

Chiali Meng: Oh WOW!!!! Amazing wedding and amazing photos!! Those details are incredible – and the everything!!!! Lovely lovely job, I love my work - her hair looks so good! It was my pleasure working with you and the fabulous vendors behind this fabulous wedding. I think you should submit your work on " style me pretty"

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Meels on Wheels | Los Angeles

July 29, 2011

My whole life, I’ve always been drawn to the elderly. As a kid I would have my mom drop me off at the nursing home … for hours at a time, just so I could talk to the old people. I loved listening to their stories about what it was like to live in the “old days” or how much pride they had in showing me pictures of their families. To me, visiting with the elderly was just as fun as going to the mall or to the movies. I look back on this now and think, gosh, what a strange kid I was. Didn’t anyone think this was odd behavior for a 5th grader? It has only just now occurred to me that, wow – this is a gift that I’ve been given.

A few years back I witnessed the nursing home from a whole different perspective. My dad had fallen ill with Parkenson’s Disease, his health had gotten so bad that it became unsafe for us to keep him at home any longer. My mom and I were unable to give him the kind of medical attention that he needed. Reluctantly, we had to check him in to a nursing home. We just didn’t have a choice. This was the most heart wrenching and difficult time that I’ve experienced in my life to date. Even as I write about it now, it brings uncontrollable tears to my eyes. Deep pain and sorrow is what I feel when I think about visiting my dad in the nursing home. I remember visiting him one time and he had a moment of clarity, just a brief moment when that Parkinson’s veil was lifted and he was able to comprehend just exactly where he was and the state of his well-being. He looked up at me and said, get me out of here. We sat together in the public area of the nursing home that day and just wept. I hugged my dad and we both just cried. I wouldn’t wish that moment on anybody. Having to check a loved one into a nursing home is a depressing experience. Unfortunately, due to my dad’s medical condition, a nursing home was our only option. Thankfully we were able to provide him with the finest care of Doctors and nurses who were especially attentive and pleasant to be around. But for some people, there may be other options….

Enter Meals on Wheels! Meals on Wheels is an organization that provides home-delivered meals to people in need.  My grandmother received a hot meal everyday from Meals on Wheels for years and years. Because of this amazing service, she never had to be checked into a Nursing Home. She passed away in her own home…a familiar surrounding – the place that made her happy. Not only did she receive a daily meal, but the folks who delivered it became her friends. They would come in and visit with her – ask her how her day was … sit with her while she enjoyed a cigarette. They brought her a smile, and she gave them one in return.

I’ve had  a tugging in my heart for a long time to finally give back to this brilliant organization. For so many years it was hard for me to be around the sick or elderly, because I hadn’t healed from the pain of losing my dad. But it’s been several years now, so I finally made the call and started delivering a meal and a smile to people in need. Opening your heart to the elderly is something that just feels good.  If you’re looking for a philanthropic experience that doesn’t take too much time out of your schedule, then this is your ticket. Delivering meals takes less than an hour at lunchtime. You’re out the door and back to work before anyone has a chance to miss you. In fact it’s so convenient that I try to go a couple times a week if I’m going to be in town. What a great thing to do with your kids during the summer … if they’re anything like I was, they’ll really love it! haha. There is a Meals on Wheels in almost every neighborhood, so please visit their website for more information on how you can help. Just think, you might be the only face they see that day.

Sharon: This is a beautiful and inspiring story, thank you for sharing and for your selfless work :-)

rivkah: Jill honey, you're a real mench. and these photos are amazing.

Lanny and Millie: We totally agree. We have been involved in this organization for many years - delivering meals when our children were small - then cooking and packing the meals. Your story is spot on and well written. We are proud of you Jill. Thank you - the photos are a bonus!

Brian: Great Pics! Lanny and Millie totally agree.