jameslesterphotography

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Santa Margarita Ranch Wedding ~ Juliana & Chase

Juliana and Chase’s wedding at the Santa Margarita Ranch was lots of fun but also had a hip vibe to it! The Santa Margarita Ranch is a historic venue with rustic country vibes. The property is full of trains that are on “display” throughout the grounds. There are also stretches of wide open space with rolling green hills in the backdrop and towering ancient Oak trees all around.

The bride and groom have an incredible amount of support from their family and friends. In fact, several family members even visited from abroad to come help out with coordinating their wedding day. How amazing is that? I especially loved how their planning and coordination played into the vibe of the ranch! Wood barrels lined the aisle to their ceremony and Juliana wore a pair of white leather cowboy boots with her wedding gown. A vintage flatbed wagon was used to display the seating chart and was set up outside the double doors of the barn. This was such a fun element that allowed guests to stop by and find their tables before entering the high-ceiling barn where the reception was held!

SEARCHING FOR A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER IN SAN LUIS OBISPO & BEYOND? CLICK HERE TO CONTACT ME, OR VIEW MY WEDDING PACKAGES HERE. YOU CAN ALSO FIND ME ON INSTAGRAM @JAMESLESTERPHOTO!

While Chase and his groomsmen played cards and had drinks in one of the train cars, Juliana got ready for the day in the ranch house. With her boots pulled up and her veil on, Juliana headed outside to have a first look with her bridesmaids. Their reaction to seeing her was so full of joy! But, it was her first look with Chase that created a beautifully intimate moment. One that I was honored to capture.

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San Luis Obispo Wedding at the Madonna Inn

Lauren & Jonny’s San Luis Obispo wedding at the Madonna Inn was eclectic meets artsy. But, above all, truly original! Like so many of my other couples, Lauren & Jonny are the friends of my past clients Tori & Jeff. Coincidentally, the same couple who are connected to Steph & Frank, who you might remember from this post. Truly, such a small world!

The Madonna Inn has been a west coast staple since it first opened in 1958. It has a fun vintage vibe with an almost cottage-style exterior.  The hotel has become famous for its unique decor and themed rooms. But above all its ability to blend kitschy details with just the right amount of pink. It’s also known for its pink champagne cake and undoubtedly, its beautiful mountain views!

My bride and groom, Lauren & Jonny really knew how to make their wedding day at this venue a fun experience. They both work in the arts, so it was only natural some of that artistic viewpoint spilled over into their wedding day. Curious to know what that looked like? Jonny decorated their reception space at the Madonna Inn with vintage tech. We're talking handheld camcorders, with extra batteries, of course! This allowed their guests to live stream their wedding directly to various vintage televisions that were set up throughout the reception space. Isn’t that so unique? It was an interactive way for their guests to get involved in their wedding day. But it also played a part in the overall decor of their day. Serious fun!

What I loved most about capturing Lauren & Jonny’s wedding day is that they weren’t afraid to just go with the flow. This was especially important when we stepped outside the venue to capture their wedding portraits. It was a windy day, which can usually quickly sour the mood of any couple on their wedding day. But they just went along with my ideas and had fun in the process. Resulting in authentic moments that captured the essence of their story. Scroll through the blog to see!

Are you searching for a San Luis Obispo Wedding Photographer to capture your day at the Madonna Inn or another local venue? Click here to get in touch with me! Or, to view even more of my work, you can find me on Instagram @jameslesterphoto!

[jameslesterphotography]

Santa Margarita Ranch Wedding ~ Juliana & Chase

Juliana and Chase’s wedding at the Santa Margarita Ranch was lots of fun but also had a hip vibe to it! The Santa Margarita Ranch is a historic venue with rustic country vibes. The property is full of trains that are on “display” throughout the grounds. There are also stretches of wide open space with rolling green hills in the backdrop and towering ancient Oak trees all around.

The bride and groom have an incredible amount of support from their family and friends. In fact, several family members even visited from abroad to come help out with coordinating their wedding day. How amazing is that? I especially loved how their planning and coordination played into the vibe of the ranch! Wood barrels lined the aisle to their ceremony and Juliana wore a pair of white leather cowboy boots with her wedding gown. A vintage flatbed wagon was used to display the seating chart and was set up outside the double doors of the barn. This was such a fun element that allowed guests to stop by and find their tables before entering the high-ceiling barn where the reception was held!

SEARCHING FOR A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER IN SAN LUIS OBISPO & BEYOND? CLICK HERE TO CONTACT ME, OR VIEW MY WEDDING PACKAGES HERE. YOU CAN ALSO FIND ME ON INSTAGRAM @JAMESLESTERPHOTO!

While Chase and his groomsmen played cards and had drinks in one of the train cars, Juliana got ready for the day in the ranch house. With her boots pulled up and her veil on, Juliana headed outside to have a first look with her bridesmaids. Their reaction to seeing her was so full of joy! But, it was her first look with Chase that created a beautifully intimate moment. One that I was honored to capture.

I cannot express how much fun we had on their wedding day! Believe it or not, some of the guests even commented asking if I was the hype man or the wedding photographer! I definitely shared in their excitement while we were shooting their photos. One of my favorite moments is when I got to photograph the groomsmen “chasing” the groom on a runaway train. You’ll get to see the photo below!

[jameslesterphotography]

Wedding Photographer - James Lester Photography

Searching for a wedding photographer shouldn’t leave you feeling unwanted. Since my business’s beginnings, inclusive open-hearted service has remained priority number one - to document the love shared between people of all backgrounds, identities, you name it. It’s not only my mission to simply capture love, but to spread love too! As such, I work diligently to create a safe space for authentic expression with a whole lot of fun mixed in. I do this by simply being open to everyone I serve on a human level. If this resonates with you, you've come to the right place and I can't wait to connect with you! https://jameslesterphoto.com/