My Mother's Hands

When I was 5 years old my family moved to Simi Valley from Los Angeles. That year, my Mother, who has the greenest of thumbs, planted a lime tree and it wasn't until last Christmas that it bore organic limes. I mean who waits two decades for a plant to bear fruit?! You should have seen the delight on her face when she cut the limes open for a little garnish on her famous mango salsa! My mother could bring even the dreariest plants back to life, resuscitating them with love and care. The women makes her own compost for crying out loud! She's a serious and committed gardener! All of my renaissance like habits were inherited from her; she is simply an amazing woman who brings everything around her a new reason to live. Mom's garden speaks for itself as it boasts succulents, orchids, fruits and veggies and several species of flowers. I'm so inspired by how my mother's hands bring life to everything around her and I can only hope to be as influential as her when I become a mother. 

*** All images shot in natural light with my Canon 5D Mark II with an 24 - 105 lens.***

We Tied the Knot!

Today is a double post day! Why not? It's Friday! I do hold some things sacred (believe it or not), so most of the images are of the details (since those were VERY important to me) and few are of us. ENJOY!

Love is imperfect. Love is kind. Love should always be celebrated with A+  libations and gatstronomy! After six long years together, my beloved Jorge and I finally tied the knot at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, California. I spent much of my adolescence in SoCal driving through Kanan Road to get to the Zuma Beach, so it goes without saying that I felt very connected to this area and fell in love with the venue (but not the price!). Ultimately, I was inspired by the enchanting, bohemian energy at Calamigos and decided that the compromise in choosing a pricier venue would be assuming the role of premiere party planner and commissioning talented friends to contribute their time and energy to our wedding. Of course this was no easy feat since we live in NYC but DIY projects are right up my ally as a visual artist. I got started immediately with the hair accessories and vision: Old Hollywood Glamour meets Vintage Avant Garde. If you’ve visited my Etsy site, you’ve noted that my pieces are inspired by feathers which were used as accents in the center pieces and in accessories for all the beautiful women who brought our wedding day together. I knew I wanted to use peacock feathers but the traditional colors were just too bold for a spring fete, so with a little research I found some bleached feathers online at Lamplighter Feather. Combined with ivory ostrich feathers, I not only had a beautiful, one of a kind hair piece but the most divalicious bouquet this side of the Atlantic! My cousin and I hit up the LA Flower Mart a couple of days before the wedding and having scoured the LA area for vintage vases, tea cups and jars, we made all the decor ourselves. The best part of all was buying a NEW dress and having THE Kleinfelds experience just 4 weeks before my wedding (that’s a whole other blog entry). Though I would have loved to have had a planner who did all the nitty gritty for me and who used more traditional bridal etiquettes and traditions, the night proved magical from start to finish. Great music, unparalleled company and a vibrant love permeating throughout the Calamigos estate were just a few of the highlights. Like most recent brides, now that the wedding is over, I am suffering from a little withdrawal. Never underestimate my creative abilities, however! My newest project is researching a Vintage Latin (think old Cuba/ Spain) one year anniversary shoot in 2011. Let’s hope my viejo doesn’t resist me like he did with the engagement photos. Until then...

Dress: Carolina Herrera for Kleinfeld NY

Flowers: Los Angeles Flower District, various second hand shops in the LA area

Hair: Tracey HIcks

Hair Accesories: Uptown Bohemian by Yours Truly

Desserts: Staci Hyman

Venue: Calamigos Ranch Malibu

Videographer: Shamrock Video

Photographer: Duke Photography

DJ: RDub

Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Musicians: Chuck Wansley Musicians

Officiant: Robert Ringler of Bel Air Weddings

Invitations: Naomi Taitz

Programs: Bela Morris

ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT OF DUKE PHOTOGRAPHY INC