Orange Coast Weddings Magazine Party - Jasmine Star

Last night JD and I headed to The Montage Hotel Laguna Beach for the Orange Coast Weddings Magazine Party. I always enjoy going to industry parties because I see old friends, make new ones, and eat really good food! ;)

The party was so beautiful and opulent…and made me want to plan my own wedding all over again! Okay, not really, but it got me really, really close! The details was splendid, the food was delicious, and the entertainment superb…everything a wedding industry party should be!

The magazine just launched and I know it’s going to be an awesome resource for Orange County brides!

Here are a few pictures I snapped last night…


Holllla! This ice luge was a total winner! The bar tenders servers Passion Orange Martinis...this would be perfect for a large wedding reception! :)

Sweeeeeet! The Montage Hotel hosted a wedding cake taster bar and I could've spent the entire evening in a sugar bliss!


The floral decor was done by Square Root Designs...and everything looks truly stunning. I LOVE their work!


Jaime Snyder of Montage Hotel in Laguna Beach planned the entire event and not a single detail was overlooked. She and her crew worked tirelessly on this party and it was a complete success! Please note she was rockin' the cutest shoes...how she walked in them for hours is beyond me, but ya gotta give that girl serious props! ;)

Leila of Be Inspired Events, Jaime, me, and Carissa of JL Designs...


I'm still a kid...whenever I see a photobooth, I drag JD into it for some good old fashion fun! Red Cheese Photo Booth Rentals were on hand to document the night, so here we are livin' it up Orange Coast Style! :) By the way, if of my brides get a photobooth for their wedding reception, please note I'll take a few spins in it!

Some great advice from another pro in the industry...-Amelia Lyon

This week the J'adore ladies were all featured on a blog. Christina, a wonderful wedding consultant from Simply Modern Weddings, did us the honors by showing off some of our work from engagement sessions. Christina suggests that now is a great time to book engagement sessions with your wedding photographers since this generally is our down time before wedding season hits,  its also a great way to warm up to the camera and photographer before the big day arrives. She knows what she's talking about! 

Christina writes, "Tis the season for engagement sessions! If there is one thing I recommend, it’s to schedule an engagement session with your wedding photographer. Not only is it a great time for you and your fiance to get to know your photographer, but also a chance for you both to let loose and get comfortable in front of the camera...." She also goes on to suggest some other good reasons for booking an engagement session with your wedding photographer and what to do with your engagement photos. To read more advice from Christina and from her most recent post visit her blog by clicking here.

Here's a sneak peek image from an engagement session I shot this last weekend in China Town. I had an awesome time photographing this couple, all the while getting to know them personally, which will in turn help us both feel more comfortable with each other on the wedding day.  I will also be designing a custom sign in album with their favorite engagement images. Thanks to Gretta and Rob for a great session!

Shelley and Brett : Wedding - Jasmine Star

She peered out of the passenger side window before exiting the car. Shelley carried a small box of bridal belongings as she stepped from the car and clutched it close to her chest, looking to the grey sky. Immediately, her bridesmaids positively chirped of a rainless day. What do clouds mean, anyway? At least it’s not hot. And if it does rain, it’s supposed to be good luck!

Shelley looked at the sky again and smiled. The day, regardless of the weather, was going to be beautiful. Afterall, she was marrying the man of her childhood daydreams.

A few years ago, Brett told his older brother he was done dating. Over it. The next girl he dated was going to be his wife. Little did Brett realize he was to find her at a friend’s wedding. He was finishing his residency in Oklahoma, but when he saw Shelley, he knew a part of his heart would remain in Orange County.

Last Saturday, Shelley and Brett promised their lives to each other where it all began: At a wedding. Their day was beautiful and the scattered showers didn’t drench the spirit of the day because it wasn’t about details of the wedding, it was about two amazing people committing their hearts to one another.

Shelley and Brett…I struggle to find the right words to tell you. From the moment we met, I knew we’d be friends. Your passion and sincerity for life and each other is contagious and I was extraordinarily honored to be a part of your wedding day. I wish you nothing but happiness, joy, and contentment for eternity! Have fun on your honeymoon and I can’t wait to hear about everything when you return! Much Love and Appreciation…J*

A special thanks to the lovely Courtney Toney of Joyful Weddings and Events and Kristin of The Treasured Petal for their amazing work!! I also want to express how much I loved the cupcakes from Vanilla Bake Shop...Amy always does an impeccable job and her cupcakes are divine! :)

To see more of the wedding, be sure to check out my blog by CLICKING HERE~



Shelley and Brett's wedding was held at one of my FAVORITE wedding venues: Rancho Las Lomas

Nothing screams ooh la la more than a Monique Lhuillier wedding gown...

What a Difference Professional Hair and Makeup Makes!!! - DrewB

To tie in with Trista's recent post about what a difference an awesome bouquet makes in your pictures, I wanted to discuss how important professional hair and makeup are. Some of you are lucky and are naturally talented when it comes to doing your own hair and makeup. But, for those of you who are like me and don't know the first thing about applying eye liner, a professional makeup artist is a must for your photo shoot! They know how to make your assets pop and any little flaws you may have disappear.

Your engagement shoot is the perfect time to test your makeup for your wedding day. Most makeup artists will offer a free or discounted trial so take advantage of it for your engagement pictures!

For any photo shoot that I do, I always get my hair and makeup done. It makes me feel more confident when I'm in front of the camera (because I would much rather be behind it!) and what girl wouldn't pass up getting pampered for a couple of hours? This past weekend Jessica Claire took our family pictures with our brand new baby boy. The amazing Vivian Tran with All Made Up was kind enough to fit me in at the last minute and did an awesome job on my hair and makeup. She also did Trista's hair for her anniversary shoot (see post below). Not only is she very talented, but she's also one of the nicest people I've ever met. She's in very high demand for weddings so if you're interested book her early! Thanks Vivian!







This picture has nothing to do with hair or makeup. But, isn't Brayden cute???

What a difference an AWESOME bouquet makes!! - Trista Lerit

To celebrate our 5 Years of being together, my hubby and I wanted to do something really special. I came up with an idea to do a super hot, sexy, and romantic photoshoot of just him and I. I wanted to it to be really special so I knew that he would be wearing a suit, I would be wearing a gown..but I also needed some accessories to pull everything together. One accessory I knew I was going to need would be a black birdcage veil because they are just so fashionable and so chic. But I need something else...something that would bring in some color.

That's were my ever so fabulous bouquet comes in!! I contacted one of my favorite florists, Kristin Brancaleone from The Treasured Petal, to create a haute couture bouquet to bring everything together. I sent her a couple of pictures of what I had in mind and she worked her little magic and designed the hottest bouquet ever! The beautiful hues of purple, black feathers, and twigs really added to the high-fashion look I was going for.

Looking at the pictures now, I realize just HOW IMPORTANT the little details are! Imagine if I didn't have my chic little veil or my sexy sexy bouquet...the horror!! So, when you're planning your engagement party and wedding...remember...it's all about the details! :-)

Here are a few highlights from the shoot. To read more about our anniversary shoot, click here: Best Anniversary Gift Ever!

To check out the rest of the super sexy pictures (in my oh-so-humble opinion) taken by the fabulous Jessica Claire, click here: Jessica Claire