THE COUPLE
After our first consultation, we knew Léa and Kevin were going to be a fun couple to get to know! Their intentionality and their kindness towards others was such a beautiful thing to witness. They showed so much love for their people - even the vendors! - as well as honoring the Lord throughout their wedding.
Their love story began at their church where they both served on a Sunday morning and they eventually became closer after a setup by their mutual friend.
When we photographed their engagement session, they were so chill even after having to change the date and location due to crazy, stormy weather!
We laughed pretty much the entire time because they are such a joy to be around! They truly are delightful people to get to know and we were honored to be a part of their special day.
THE PROPOSAL
"We were in SoCal for the weekend for a church event and visiting family and friends. I (Kevin) knew that this was going to be a weekend full of discussions about the future - so I wanted to pop the question at the end of the trip. Out of symbolism, I wanted to show Léa that despite the many discussions and uncertainties of the future, I would be right by her side in all of it. So, on our way back to the Bay Area (along the scenic coast of Highway 1), we stopped by San Simeon for what she thought was a quick lunch picnic by the beach. I initially wanted to propose while we were having the picnic, but there were too many older shirtless men at the beach (just wasn't the vibe I was going for LOL) so I had to re-strategize. I, then, decided to ask her to walk along the nearby pier - which then led to an inner fear that I would drop the ring and it would fall through cracks of the pier slats and into the sea. I still did my best to maintain my composure externally. When I found a good spot, I decided to read the 12-stanza poem I wrote for her. The poem talks about how life is a story written by God and how our love story is, also, written by Him. The last line of the poem ended with "Léa Castagna, will you marry me?" As I read the last line, I got down on one knee - and successfully put the ring on her finger (without falling into the depths of the sea). She said yes, and I later surprised her with her family waiting at their house to celebrate us." (Check out our blog from their engagement photoshoot!)
THE WEDDING
GETTING READY
When planning their wedding, Léa and Kevin wanted to be intentional incorporating their French and Filipino heritage.
We started the day by getting Kevin's getting-ready photos with his guys. He had gifts for them (check out the bags inspired by The Office: "This is your present") and they were so sweet. He had glasses made with a map of a destination that had significant meaning between him and each groomsmen. They then broke out the Filipino rum and made a toast before he said "I DO!"
We then headed over to Léa's parent's house where she was getting ready. She was so chill and peaceful, you wouldn't think she was the bride because she wasn't nervous! Léa is so graceful and genuine and was so easy to photograph.
Both sides of the bridal party were hilarious and good people for them both to have during the big day. They supported them the whole day and really showed up for all of the important moments.
FIRST LOOK
Their First Look was so sweet and they took a private moment to pray together. These are some of our favorite moments during the wedding day, when the couple come together amidst all of the craziness, and are able to just take a breath and come before the Lord and let Him fill them with peace. Because they had a First Look, we were able to get a lot of their portraits prior to their wedding (which saves them 3hrs of the reception time!) and we found some GORGEOUS areas amidst the towering trees and springs for some breathtaking and romantic shots.
CEREMONY
The Ceremony had so many beautiful moments in it. They had a time of worship, they tied a 3 stranded cord (referenced in Ecclesiastes 4:12), and they had a time of prayer where they invited everyone to lay their hands out and join in prayer.
COUPLE PORTRAITS
Couple photos is some of our favorite moments and we were able to enjoy some carved-out time with the "just married" bride and groom. There was another wedding going on at the same site but that didn't deter us from trying out some areas. The main area was closed due to construction but we snuck in for the famous bridge photo - even though there were tractors and orange tape nearby. (Don't worry, we knew how to work around it!)
THE RECEPTION
The Grand Entrance was a celebration as their bridal party entered altogether. The Bride and Groom entered directly into their First Dance (which we highly recommend) and enjoyed the sweet moment they had together.
Saratoga Springs had amazing staff with delicious catered food and a great DJ (those are hard to find!) who had a smoke bubble machine which made the reception so enjoyable! The night ended with a dessert feeding of Croqueembouche (a french tower of cream puffs) and Filipino cookies as well as some awesome dance moves by some talented guests!
