When connecting with new couples I’m looking for how adventurous and/or playful they are. I knew pretty quickly upon meeting Kyle and Becca for the first time that these guys were playful, but it wasn’t until their wedding day that I realized just how extremely playful they are!

Being able to just let them be themselves and goof off together set me up for an easy day of beautiful photos. Learning new slang terms like “docking” made my day – though I also had Cheryl elbowing me in the side telling me to stop using my new word… soooo much fun.

Kyle has the ability to have Becca laughing at a moments notice – and to do so all day long!

Becca was absolutely stunning at her wedding and I loved the little details on her dress like the removable sleeves!

Details – who doesn’t like a personalized hanger?

I’m obsessed with reflections, and even more so those with hidden messages.

Becca and her bridesmaids were absolutely adorable together.

Becca’s friends buttoned her dress like champs – all the time playing and laughing together.

I’m afraid of horses… but it didn’t stop me from pushing Kyle to walk a horse during their wedding portraits – though I did feel bad when I found out he might be afraid of horses too!

Seeing a couple hold each other is special – everyone does it a bit differently, and I think this is a huge part of Kyle and Becca’s story.

When finding poses with couples I like to get them to play together – with Kyle and Becca playing together came as naturally as you or me breathing!

So animated, so fun, so playful!

When looking at wedding locations in Napa, wineries are at a premium (technically there are only two wineries inside Napa county that can host weddings) – outside of this, you’re looking at resorts. V. Sattui is the first winery in the valley you’ll come across that can have weddings at their location.

Knowing that my couples getting married in Napa and Sonoma prefer to have their weddings at wineries and vineyards, I decided to make visit to each location and give you some quick photos to check out.

V. Sattui is a winery in Napa that hosts approximately 80+ weddings a year. Their wedding location is at the main winery on Highway 29 in the city of St. Helena.

With two great lawn areas, a barrel room and vineyards on site, you have plenty of options for ceremony and reception. I love the feel of the stone building and the mix of oak trees

Anyone who knows me realizes I’m obsessed with trees. What better way to indulge my playful side than capture the trees at V Sattui in napa.

When it comes time to photograph a wedding at V. Sattui I plan to make full use of not only the vineyard, but play with the trees during your wedding.

I stole this from my instagram feed from the day I visited V. Sattui’s wedding location in Napa – sadly I’m realizing I didn’t do any wine tasting at Sattui!!!

It used to be that I would poke fun at my sister suggesting she was a hippie (she’s far from it) but the more life moves forward, the more I look for adventures and new things to try, the more I think I might be showing my adventurous side through some hippie-esque means.

I’ve enjoyed Kombucha for a number of years now – but it wasn’t until I was hanging out at my buddy Jesse’s a month or so ago that I was introduced to “The Mother” – aka the SCOBY.

It doesn’t take much for me to get addicted to something new (can we say that I’m game to try nearly anything three times?)

Looking forward to bottling a ton more of the next few months!!

As I seek to connect with couples who are more adventure minded, I was contacted by my friends at Tahoesbest.com about a guest post that covered this exact topic. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share with my couples ideas that might play out to the adventurous side.

Guest Post by Lizz – TahoesBest.com

Why be restricted by a ceremony that doesn’t reflect your personality when you can let loose and have a true celebration by incorporating an adventure into your wedding? Lake Tahoe has something for every adventurer, whether they spend their time in the mountains or on the water, so of course there are plenty of opportunities to incorporate those adventures into the wedding of your dreams.

1) Instead of the traditional walk down the aisle and the usual white wedding gown, don a white bathing suit and a pair of water ski’s for a water ski sprint on the lake towards your ceremony. Everyone will be impressed with your creativity and ability to stand up on two skis while going high speeds on Lake Tahoe.

2) Another exciting way to have water play an active role in your wedding besides serve as a picturesque backdrop is to have a jet ski arrival or send-off. Why exit the wedding of your dreams in limo or car when instead you can shoot off to your new life together on a jet ski?

3) Do you adore mountain biking and are not afraid of getting a little dirty on your wedding day? If so, why not plan a mountain bike themed wedding? Bicycles have become a chic aspect of weddings in recent years, so finding great ideas on how to incorporate cycling into a wedding is easy. One sweet and romantic idea could be renting a tandem mountain bike for the bride and groom to arrive or leave together.

4) It is hard to fathom anything more romantic than saying “I Do” while gazing out at the sweeping vistas provided by a climb to the top of a mountain. A wonderful idea for a smaller, more intimate or even private weddings would be a hike to the top of one of the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain peaks. In the spring and summer, envision lovely wildflowers scattered along your trail and views at the top that will be well-worth the climb.

5) One of the best ideas for a wedding that is creative and different but not quite so out there for those worried that their less adventurous guests won’t get it is to get married on a boat. Take your walk down the aisle on a spacious yacht for the epitome of contemporary elegance or a charming smaller vessel for a shabby chic theme, and of course taking into account the size of your wedding and the feel you are striving for. Fine dining and entertainment are a natural fit for yachts and larger cruise ships, so including these aspects for the boat reception will be easy.

Weddings should be a reflection of who you are as a couple, and if you love the outdoors and all of the adventurous activities that go along with that, don’t be afraid to include one as part of your wedding ceremony or reception. An interesting twist like adding an adventurous aspect to your wedding can set you apart from all the other brides and grooms getting married in the same season, and Lake Tahoe hosts endless adventures to make your dreams possible.

Seeing our weddings featured in books, magazines, TV and online is always a kick in the pants. I’m proud to share Grave and Steven’s wedding from Estancia Resort which was recently featured in Quest Magazine.

With their simple yellow accents featured throughout the wedding, Steven gave a bit of a surprise with wearing my favorite socks – and on top of that, convincing all of his groomsmen to follow suit. Their playful attitudes helped pull together a relaxing wedding atmosphere where both they and their guests were able to enjoy the beautiful surrounds and each others company.

Estancia Resort provided a stunning backdropped filled with a great mixture of different looks to play with throughout the wedding day.

Their expressions made my day as Grace was smiling non-stop both due to her own personality as well as the warming presence of those surrounding her throughout the day. The way she lit up ever time she caught eyes with Steven was second to none.