A green wedding

This is proving to be a GREAT weekend. Ashly and James' wedding is tomorrow (which I've been very excited about), but today I spent the day with Jen and Ryan. The minute I met this couple I felt an instant connection. Jen and I have VERY similar personalities and senses of humor-yes, that's a good thing :) We opted to do all the photos prior to the ceremony and we were all so happy we did. The weather was beautiful, the wedding party (all of whom was family) was incredible to work with and the church was one of the most beautiful ones I've seen in a long time. I haven't had too many church weddings this year (the majority of my weddings have been outside), so it was a real treat to be able to explore a new setting. Carmichael Presbyterian reminded me of one of the California missions. I LOVED the architecture! Jen and Ryan are a WONDERFUL couple. The two of them laugh together constantly and aren't afraid to show their love for one another. Each of their families should feel very blessed that this couple found one another. I can see how Jen brings out the best in Ryan and Ryan makes Jen so happy!
Something that I really enjoyed about this wedding were all the "green" touches (in addition to the fact that the wedding colors were green). Jen and Ryan brought a lot of nature into their day and used things that were very environmentally friendly. A lot of the serving "trays" were actually flagstone. One of my favorite things was the pillars that separated the levels of the cupcake stand. Jen's mom created bark dividers that were absolutely gorgeous. Even the plates were "green". I had never heard of bamboo disposable plates, but there were really awesome. They are meant to be disposable and biodegrade in 4-6 months.
At the end of the day I asked them if they would indulge me for about fifteen minutes. Just a few miles from the church was "The Great Wall of Carmichael" As you can see from the photographs it is definitely a landmark in this city. I've only driven past it a couple of times, but when I do I always think to myself how great it would be to get a bride and groom out there for some portraits. When I drove past it today, it reminded me of Jen and Ryan. Their personalities are just like this wall; unique, fun, vibrant, whimsical and beautiful! Judging by the photos, I had a lot of fun capturing some great moments with them-at the wall, and all throughout the day!