Stacy & Steve Get Married – Del Mar Bluffs | A.R. Valentine
I was recently honored to photograph a wedding between Stacy and her new husband, Steve. Being that this truly is a wedding photographers blog, I realized that I would love to start featuring some of the weddings I photograph in this space – all fully with the permission of the couples involved, of course. And Because Stacy and Steve had such a beautiful event; I can’t wait to start with them!
These two met at a coffee cart that Steve ran. Stacy jokes she wasn’t even a coffee drinker – so it is just kismet that brought them together! She simply had morning meetings at the business park where his cart was located, and passed by him every week without ever saying a word – completely focused on simply making her meetings on time. It was almost a year before she found herself strolling by his car with plenty of time to spare, so she said “hello” as she passed by. The very next week, he asked her out. And as she tells it – the rest is history!
When Steve got down on one knee, it was during a weekend getaway meant to celebrate his birthday. A meteor shower was taking place one night and as they were stargazing, Steve knelt down asked Stacy to marry him. She, obviously, said yes! It was so dark that she laughed she couldn’t see the ring, but she didn’t care – the answer was still yes, no matter what the ring looked like. Of course, as soon as she thought to use her phone to shine a light on the ring, she realized it was absolutely gorgeous – clearly picked with her tastes in mind. She loved it!
For their wedding, they wanted to get married by the ocean. They wound up choosing a spot at the Bluffs over Del Mar as the perfect location to say their, “I do’s”; the ideal spot for a small, intimate ceremony that they could share with their families.
For Stacy, the highlights of the day included the excitement and anticipation that built up as they prepared for the ceremony and were looking forward to seeing each other in wedding attire. She said that seeing each other for the first time before walking along the bluffs together just reminded her how much she loved this man, and that it was equally exciting to approach the ceremony site where their families were waiting for them. One of the things that I found especially beautiful about their ceremony was the exchanging of vows and love letters that they had written for each other. It really can be such a beautiful touch when couples are able to make those moments so personalized!
Because Stacy was pregnant for their wedding, this adorable couple jetted off to Japan not only for a honeymoon, but also for a baby-moon. One of the things they share is their love of travel, and visiting Tokyo and Kyoto was simply the next destination on their list of places to see as a couple. They immersed themselves into the culture and had an incredible time, just being in love and in this place they had never been together.
Stacy told me that photography was a high priority when it came to planning their wedding, as they wanted to be sure to capture the important moments from their special day. They are planning on putting together a wedding album for themselves and to also create keepsakes that they can provide to their families.
As the photographer committed to providing them with those timeless images, I was personally in love with the fog that rolled in right before their ceremony. Sure, most brides dream of that beautiful view and lots of sun on their big day, but that fog made everything feel so much more dramatic. And the added touch of Steve’s deceased father’s red truck in the background, symbolic of the man who couldn’t be there on this day, added so much meaning.
It truly was a gorgeous wedding that I was blessed to be a part of!