Yearly Archives: 2013

We met Kris and Ted one lovely afternoon for Coronado Ferry Landing Portraits.  The landing itself  is a nice wooden dock snuggled up to a cute little beach on one side and a grass park on the other.  The adjacent shopping area is frequently bustling with people enjoying ice cream  and browsing fine trinkets.   A few of the things we love about shooting at the coronado ferry landing are some of the wall textures,  the rows of tall palm trees and the excellent view of the San Diego sky line.

Kris and Ted are ridiculously cute and fun loving couple.  We had a wonderful time capturing so many happy and romantic moments of these two during their portrait session.  Enjoy!

coronado ferry landing in san diego - siegel thurston photographycoronado ferry landing portraitscouple walking hand in handsan diego sky line at the coronado ferry landingromantic portraits by local san diego photographers Siegel Thurston Photographyfun couples portraits san diegosan diego sky line at the coronado ferry landingsan diego sky line at the coronado ferry landingwooden docks are a great place for a portrait sessionsan diego sky line at the coronado ferry landingsan diego sky line at the coronado ferry landingindie couples portraitsindie couples portrait session san diegosweet couples portraits san diegoindie couples portrait session san diegoartistic portrait session by local san diego photographersartistic portrait session by local san diego photographersartistic portrait session by local san diego photographersfun couple portrait session san diegofun couple portrait session san diegothis was an awesome portrait session with a fun san diego couplecoronado ferry landing portraitsthis was an awesome portrait session with a fun san diego couplecoronado ferry landing portraitsartistic professional portrait session san diego photographerscoronado ferry landing portraitsartistic professional portrait session san diego photographerscoronado ferry landing portraitsromantic portrait session by siegel thurston photographysuper cute couple having fun during their photo session in coronadocoronado ferry landing portraitsartistic professional portrait session san diego photographerssuper cute couple having fun during their photo session in coronadosuper cute couple having fun during their photo session in coronado

Tresa and Nate did an incredible job putting together their elegant Condor’s Nest Ranch Wedding.   It can be hard to find a rustic barn wedding venue in San Diego, but the Condor’s Nest Ranch has it all.  They have a beautiful little red barn, a menagerie of friendly animals, a vintage trailer, old work trucks and a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  The property is like a photographers play ground.

One of the great things about the Condor’s Nest Ranch is that each bride and groom gets use of the grounds for the entire weekend of their wedding.  The house has several bedrooms and can accommodate an entire wedding party. The morning of Tresa and Nate’s wedding Poppytree Floral arrived with arm loads of beautiful yellow and white flowers to decorate the round and long wedding tables.  Tresa and her bridesmaids took over the house to get ready and have their make up done while Nate and the groomsmen hung out in the ranch house.  When it came time Tresa and Nate chose the little red barn for their first look. Nate stood at one end facing away while Tresa walked down the white barn stalls.

It was the perfect warm afternoon for an outdoor ceremony.  The Condor’s Nest Ranch has a beautiful old tree off the side of the house that Tresa and Nate stood under for their ceremony.  It provided them with shade and a gentle rustling of it’s leaves.  The guests grabbed white parasols as they sat down and blue bubbles at the bride and groom when the ceremony was over.

Their reception was a blast everyone ate delicious barbecue and there was even a corn roaster.  The children played round after round of bocce and everyone danced the night away.

Wedding rings on a news paper from the day Tresa and Nate got marriedThe brideinerior of Frank Lloyd House in San Diegocloset full of western cowboy bootsbride hand writing out her vows in the studylace wedding dressTeal and gold velvet high heel wedding shoes We were super excited when we found this vintage schwinn bike hidden in one of the gardens.  It seemed like a perfect place for some teal and gold shoes.
yellow rose wedding bouquetyellow and white wedding bouquetbride looking back at the camera in a vintage hand mirrorbridesmaids getting ready in the mirrorbride and her bridesmaids jumping on the bed before the weddingbridesmaids getting their make up donebuttoning the bride into her beautiful lace wedding dresslace wedding dress and beaded silver beltthe brideTresa’s daughter was so cute helping her mom button the back of her wedding dress.elegant bridal portraits at a Frank Lloyd Wright house in san diegomonster socks for the ring bearersARGgggg monster socks! the guys getting ready in the ranch housethe groomsmen getting ready in the ranch houseeverybody loves a groomsmen walking shotThe boys always like having their Reservoir Dogs momentCondorfun groomsman photos on an old vintage fire truckbride and grooms first look in a cute little barn in san diegoSetting up for Tresa and Nate’s first look in the barn.Tresa and Nate used the red barn for their first lookbarn wedding venue in san diegoSeriously we just can’t get enough of the Condor’s Nest red barn.CondorCondorthe groom matched his argyle socks with the brideromantic wedding photos in san diegoCondorartistic wedding photosyellow rose wedding bouquetbeautiful bridea cute mailbox was used for guests to put wedding cards intothumbprint tree wedding guest bookan old make up case held the wedding programs and jars of bubbleswhite parasols were given to the guests to keep the sun off them during the wedding ceremonygrooms first glimpse of his bride as she walks down the aislebride wearing a cathedral lenght veil walking down the aisle with her fathersummer time wedding in californiafather giving away his daughter at her weddingsentimental photo of the groom hugging his father in law during the wedding ceremonyCondorcute mint and white bridesmaids dressesbride in a lace dress and cathedral length veilexchanging of the ringssummer time wedding in southern californiabeautiful wedding ceremony kisswind blowing the bridebubbles at the end of a wedding ceremonycalifornia rustic style weddingCondorfun bridesmaids posesflower girl in a lace and mint dressring bearers in cute gray suitsthe ring bearers playing on a tree swingflower girl and ring bearers in front of an old vintage truckbeautiful photos of a bride and her ring bearersbridesmaids in lace and mint dressesLove the lace and mint dresses that Tresa’s Bridesmaids wore.bridesmaids in lace and mint dressesbridesmaids with yellow and white bouquets and knee length dressescute pictures of groom and his kidsgroomsmen in dark gray suitsbride and groom holding up their parentTresa and Nate each holding up their parents wedding photos.bride and groom holding up their parentbride and groom feeding the horses at their wedding venue in san diegoblack and white wedding photosCondorUp style photos of the bride and groom in funky vintage chairs70chalk board menu signsyellow and white wedding flowerscenter piece consisting of mason jars, books, ceramic birds, yellow and white flowersround wedding tables with center piece consisting of mason jars, books, ceramic birds, yellow and white flowerscenter piece consisting of mason jars, books, ceramic birds, yellow and white flowerslong wedding tablewhite wedding cake with burlap ribbonbutter cream wedding cakebride and groom chalk board signs for their long tablebocce ball and horse shoes at the weddingGames are so much fun to have at a wedding.  These kids had a total blast playing bocce ball.romantic first wedding dancebride dancing with her father and groom dancing with his motherbride dancing with her fatheremotional wedding toastskids playing on a tractor at a barn wedding in southern californiakids feeding the animals at a barn wedding in san diegobubbles at a weddingevening wedding ceremony site under a huge tree in Pala Californiaout door lanterns look great in the evenings at a weddingcenter piece consisting of mason jars, books, ceramic birds, yellow and white flowerscenter piece consisting of mason jars, books, ceramic birds, yellow and white flowersfun vintage chairs at a weddingitwedding guests getting down on the dance floorawesome outdoor bouquet tosskids dancing to ymca at a weddingnight shot of a vintage farm trucksparkler wedding picturesWe get so excited for sparkler wedding pictures!bride and groom at night light by an umbrellaBride and groom at nightWe loved working with Tresa and Nate at their Condor’s Nest Ranch Wedding

Wedding Vendor Credits

Wedding Venue | Condor’s Nest Ranch

Florals | PoppyTree Floral Design

Catering | Dalena’s Cateting 2U

Corn Roaster | JJ Roasted Outdoor Catering 

Longer days and warm summer nights gets me itching for a camping adventure.  With our wedding in spring and clients coming first there hasn’t been time yet this year for Brett and I to air out our tent and head off on an outdoor adventure.  The closest this year I could come to camping was sharing some of our  star trails and night photography from the epic road trip we took last fall.  We put 6000 miles on our truck starting the epic trip in San Diego then winding our way up through Colorado to stay the night in a teepee.  Then we boogied to South Dakota for the evening in an old grain silo turned bed and breakfast.  We stayed in Minnesota for the changing of the leaves.  Saw lake Superior for the first time where we camped for a couple nights where we were awoken by geese each morning.  Popped into Nebraska for a Wedding. Did a couple long driving days to get into the mountains of New Mexico, and cruised into Phoenix for another wedding before making out way back to San Diego.  I became our official tent set up expert and Brett rocked at starting the fire and prepping dinner.  I’m starting to ponder where our next road trip adventure will take us.  star trails over a 16The amazing 16 foot tipi that we found on Air Bnb in Glenwood Springs Colorado.  We fell asleep looking up at the stars through the smoke trap and listening to the the colorado rivier rush by.
romantic escape in a tee pee a 16air bnb teepee on the colorado river, overlooking the river, with a queen size air mattress, carpeted floor and fully furnishedmoon rising over lake superior at LambOur first night of camping on Lake Superior at the Lamb’s Resort.  Camp site #55
camp sites on lake superior at Lambnight photographs of the moon over our camp site at the LambThis would be us making dinner with our funny little head lamps on. night photography and star trails at Lambstar trails at LambHistoric Renovated Grain Elevator in Herrick - Airbnb south dakota, grain elevator converted into a gift shop and bed and breakfastThe Historic Herrick Grain Elevator.  It has been converted into a cozy place to stay in South Dakota.

long exposures of the moon rising over lake superior, Burlington Bay CampgroundBurlington Bay Campground on Lake Superior
creative night photography at Burlington Bay Campground on Lake superior near the town of Two Harborsrelaxing by the fire at our camp site at Burlington Bay Campground on lake superior watching the moon riseWarming our little tosies by the camp fire.long exposure night photography on lake superior at the burlington bay campgroundcreative night photography at burlington bay campgroundmoon rising over Willow River State Park waterfalls in WisconsonThese beautiful falls were a mile hike away from our camp site at Willow River State Park Campground in Wisconsin.  We made camp just before sunset and challenged ourselves to get to the falls before dark.  We were rewarded by catching the moon rising over the waterfall.night photography of the moon rising over The Ackerhurst-Eipperhurst Dairy Barn in Bennington Nebraska The Ackerhurst-Eipperhurst Dairy Barn in Bennington NebraskaThe Ackerhurst-Eipperhurst Dairy Barn in Bennington Nebraska on a full moonstar trails over our camp site at Devils Canyon Campground in UtahDevils Canyon Campground in Utahnight photographs and star trails over fall trees in Bemidji NebraskaMoon rising in Bemidji Minnesota night photography in Bemidji Minnesota of the moon rising over fall treesnight photography at our camp site at Devils Canyon campground in Utahcamping on the lake in Kansas, Kanopolis Lake State ParkKanopolis Lake State Park, Kansasnight photography relaxing by the fire at our campsite next to the lake at Kanopolis Lake State Park KansasCimarron Canyon Stat Park Campground, New Mexico.New Mexico night photography at Cimarron Canyon State Park Camping Cimarron Canyon State Park Camping New Mexicofull moon night photographs in the New Mexico mountains of Cimarron Canyon State Park CampingCimarron Canyon State Park Camping New Mexicobeautiful night photography of the stars in new mexico mountainsfull moon photography of our campsite at Jacks Creek Campground in the mountains of new mexicoJacks Creek Campground.  One of the most beautiful placed we camped on the trip but the directions to get there were so complicated.  About an hour into to trying to find Jacks Creek I was telling Brett we should turn around and just stay at one of the 7 campgrounds we had already passed.  He pushed to go just a little further and we were rewarded.  beautiful full moon nature night photography at Jacks Creek Campground in new mexicofull moon night photographs at Jacks Creek Campground in the mountains of New mexicostar trails over new mexico mountains, Jacks Creek Campground

Katie & Ryan’s Scripps Forum Wedding was a truly fun occasion. When looking to have a beach wedding in San Diego the Scripps Seaside Forum stands out as a modern and unique venu with lots of versatility.  We love that the sand and the Scripps pier are just steps away from the ceremony cite allowing everyone to get their toes a little sandy after the i do’s.  A few of our favorite things that Katie and Ryan did to make this place uniquely theirs for the day was hang white globe lanterns around the outdoors, they set up their monogrammed bean bag toss area next to the bar, and place a flower petal design down their aisle.  Ryan even slaved for months crafting an IPA and a Whit beer for their guests to enjoy.  They were complete with custom wedding labels.

As far as summer beach weddings in San Diego go the weather is frequently a mystery to us.  You just have to pray to the sun gods and cross your fingers.  Katie and Ryan’s family must have been crossing a lot of fingers on their way over here from the east coast because the sun happily came out for their wedding day before disappearing into a gray overcast funk for the rest of the weekend.

There was definitely a lot of fun to be had at this wedding and we can’t be happier for Katie and Ryan.

white flower petal aisle designsafari chairs at a beach weddingwhite flowers in little hanging globes lining the aislewedding ceremony cite on the lawn at Scripps Seaside Forumguests mingling at the the forumwedding string quartetbeach wedding ceremony san diegohere comes your girl signbride getting out of a vintage wedding carscripps forum architecture lends itself nicely for weedingemotional father walking her daughter down the aislebeach wedding la jollagrooms firs look at his bride walking down teh aislefather giving the bride away at beach weddingbride wearing her motherbride in a vintage wedding veilbeach bluffs wedding san diegoFlower petal aisle designexchanging of the ringssweet moment between a groom and his bride during their wedding ceremonyscripps forum weddingfirst kissfirst kissjust marriedA group shot of all the wedding party and guestsRight after the ceremony is a great time to get a photo of everyone at the wedding. veil blowing in the windfun wedding party photosfun wedding party photossmall wedding party photosfun wedding party photosLa jolla shores wedding photosbeach wedding portraitswedding photographs scripps pierscripps pier fun wedding photosbride and groom having fun under the scripps pierwedding photos on the beach in san diegowedding photography with the scripps pier in the backgroundla jolla shores sunset aprildiy sign for your wedding and receptionsliders and appies by giuseppe catering scripps forumcustom brewed wedding beer custom designed labelsKatie and Ryan’s custom brewed wedding beer.
scripps signnautical pillows for weddingI loved the hand made DIY nautical pillows.blue and white striped straws and nautical name cardsMrs and Mr white and blue chair sashesblue and white wedding reception at the scripps forumRustic Beach Table Decorlanterns as table decorationsnautical beach table decorwedding cake with a bowscripps seaside forum wedding receptionfather daughter first dancebride and groom kiss at the head tablescripps seaside forum wedding receptiondramatic beach wedding photographyvintage bentley wedding car san diegowedding send offRose petals make for a wonderful send-off for the bride and groomRose petals make for a wonderful send-off for the bride and groomvintage bentley wedding carwedding sparklers on the beachwedding sparklers making a heartwedding sparklers on the beach