Jenny and Matt met Mandi for an early morning engagement session at Balboa Park!  I was shocked to see (in the photos) how little people are there in the mornings!  These lovebirds are getting married this November!

Mandi Contreras is an associate photographer for Melissa McClure Photography.  To contact her directly, email mandi@melissamcclure.com

It’s rare that I have a wedding where I have never met the couple.  But since Erina and Aaron live in DC, I didn’t get the pleasure to meet them until the night before at their rehearsal dinner.  They both just and sweet and kind as I could have hoped for!  Their friends loved to dance and they had an incredible dessert bar too!  This post is extremely portrait-heavy, so enjoy!

Oh, and I want to give a little shout out to Lindsy Hines of Weddings by Lindsy.  It was our first time working together and is was a total joy!

Ceremony and Reception Location: Japanese Friendship Garden, Balboa Park
Photography: Melissa McClure Photography
Assistant Photographer: Mandi Contreras
Coordinator: Lindsy Hines – Weddings by Lindsy
Florist: Brides Mother
Getting Ready Location: The US Grant
Hair: Mish Mucho
Makeup: Ashley Lowe – AC Makeup
Officiant: Peter Reck

Love you two!!

xo, M

This stunning bouquet was done by Sally with Exquisite Blooms!

The handsome groom

The gorgeous bride! You know I’m partial to birdcage veils

(Photo on the right by Mandi)

The ceremony was held inside Alcazar Garden’s at Balboa Park

Love this shot of Leslie and her son D’Anthony

Meow!

They had the most awesome 1927′s vintage car by Haynes Chauffeuring

They have this adorable inside joke having to do with monkeys, so they were portrayed throughout the day Yummy cupcakes by Sweet Cheeks Bakery!

Leslie and Ben were very tidy with their cupcakes while feeding each other…D’Anthony decided to have a little more fun with his!

Shout out to Brenda with Swann Soirees for making the day run so smoothly as usual!

Leslie and Ben, thank you so much for including us in your day!  You were so awesome to work with, I wish you a lifetime of happiness!

xo, M

Luck or good timing?    Fav! <3

Thank you two for your service!  And best wishes to a safe tour, Jaime!

xoxo, M

I got to meet JT for the first time at their engagement session in Las Vegas, where they both grew up.

When Beki and I arrived, Ashley from AC Makeup was putting the finishing touches on Crystal. Hana of Sunshine Hair Design had already finished her gorgeous hair.

Her amazing Amy Michelson dress!  I loved the back of it!

They opted to do their first look at Balboa Park, where Crystal’s parents were married many years ago.  It was a very sweet moment, intimate and special, while the family was still able to watch from afar.

Back a the villas…the men are ready!

And we snuck away for a few more photos on the cliffs

Thank you Mr Seagull.

The back of the escort cards had photos of the couple!

A guest owns his own button and magnet company, so these made great party favors! I love Crystal’s unconventional ring!

Enjoying the last bit of sunset together

I promise, it got messy!

It was such a joy hanging with you two for the day!  You made me laugh and smile through the whole wedding, and I know you will continue to do that for each other the rest of your lives!

xo, M

Enjoy your slideshow!

]]> http://melissamcclure.net/2010/05/16/jt-and-crystal-ocean-view-villas-wedding-san-diego-photography/feed/ 6 http://melissamcclure.net/2009/09/25/lisa-and-niels-trash-the-dress-balboa-park-and-sunset-cliffs/ http://melissamcclure.net/2009/09/25/lisa-and-niels-trash-the-dress-balboa-park-and-sunset-cliffs/#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:25:01 +0000 Melissa McClure http://melissamcclure.net/?p=2930 Lisa and Niels again!  The following Monday after their wedding, before they hopped a plane back to North Dakota we got together for a trash the dress session!

First stop, Balboa Park.  Love coming here on Monday…there was no one around!

And then a bit later, headed to Sunset Cliffs for a total trashing of the dress!  (ok not really, water doesn’t actually trash it!)

The waves were strong!  I had them lay down…

and they didn’t even know what hit them!  Too funny!

Thanks you two for trusting me and being such willing clients!  I adore you two!  It was so worth getting wet!

xoxo, M

]]> http://melissamcclure.net/2009/09/25/lisa-and-niels-trash-the-dress-balboa-park-and-sunset-cliffs/feed/ 15 http://melissamcclure.net/2009/09/02/verdette-and-brad-balboa-park-engagement/ http://melissamcclure.net/2009/09/02/verdette-and-brad-balboa-park-engagement/#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:01:50 +0000 Melissa McClure http://melissamcclure.net/?p=2564 From the moment I got my first email from Verdette, I knew she was a kind soul.  Plus any who admits they cried during someone else’s wedding slideshow is a person who gets what I am doing in this profession.  Brad is the perfect balance to Verdette.  He keeps her grounded and she makes him smile so much his face hurts!  They are two peas in a pod!

I am so looking forward to their November wedding!  Big thanks to my favorite limo guy, Jon Brattland for the referral!

Verdette has a great laugh and she isn’t afraid to use it!

 

 

 

 

You can’t tell in a photo, but Brad is about to burst out in “I Had the Time of my Life” right now.  He has a special love for anything 80′s.

One of my favs <3

It was strangely quiet at Balboa Park that day…must have been all the rain!

 

 

You are beautiful Verdette. Period.

 

Not sure what I said to make them laugh, but it sure did work! 

They wanted another type of background so we got up the street for some more urban shots

 

Pushing my 5D and 50mm 1.2 to its limits

Thanks for being so fun to hang out with!

XOXO, M

]]> http://melissamcclure.net/2009/09/02/verdette-and-brad-balboa-park-engagement/feed/ 10 http://melissamcclure.net/2008/12/02/kyle-and-ann-the-prado-at-balboa-park/ http://melissamcclure.net/2008/12/02/kyle-and-ann-the-prado-at-balboa-park/#comments Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:11:37 +0000 Melissa McClure http://melissamcclure.net/?p=636   

Ann knew me in my awkward stage.  If I had a photo of me during those years, I would post it, but I have good reason to believe they have all been burned.

Well, not all of them.  Ann kept the copies and proudly displayed them (along with others from her life) at her wedding.  When I showed Nic the photo of Ann and myself at 14 years old he asked “Who is that”?  Yeah, you can say we’ve changed a lot.

I admit this wedding was an extra special one for me.  With Ann being one of my oldest friends and Kyle being her PERFECT match, I got extra emotional at the ceremony.  I’m just glad that I wasn’t facing Ann, I would have really lost it!

We started out at the US Grant Hotel downtown

Both Ann and Kyle have quite a few nieces and nephews. Maddie and Ashley are two of the many! 

 

Because it gets dark so early in the Winter, Ann and Kyle decided to see each other beforehand to take all their photos.  Ann’s nerves calmed as soon as she was headed to see her love!

Wowzers!

 

The ceremony site at the Prado was just beautiful! Lauren-Michele Seals presided over the vows. 

Can you believe this fabulous cake??

Seeing her black and pink theme made me re-think my own wedding colors! (Don’t worry Mom, no major changes this late in the game!)

Mmmm who can resist white chocolate chips??

Ann and Kyle, I love you two very much and am so glad you are part of my life.  I feel priveledged that you wanted me as part of your big day!  You two totally deserve each other, I look up to both of you for the amazing relationship and bond you have together. 

XOXO,

M

BIG thank you to my wonderful assistants from last Saturday, Vanessa and Nic!  You two rock, its always a pleasure hanging out…I mean working with you!  

Enjoy the slideshow!!

 

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