I love quoting original client emails from when they first inquire with the studio and this one is no exception. Kenny wrote, “Ummmm I’ve had your blog on my google reader the last two years by reference of my friend who had been researching wedding photographers years ago. I just added it because your pictures are pretty .” He had me at pretty.
And then it was Kenny’s turn! Kenny and his now wifey, Becky, had the most beautifully beachylicious wedding on a perfectly beachylicious day. The skies could not have been more blue in Manhattan Beach that day.
The couple was so sweet and I can clearly remember the bridesmaids’ toast being one of my all-time favorites. It was a beautiful wedding and I so enjoyed being a part of the day. xoxo

Venue: Shade Hotel, Manhattan Beach
Cupcakes: Cupcakes Couture Ice Cream: Sweet Lucie’s
Flowers: Bella Blooms  DJ: Limozic
Invites: Lilikoi Design and Letterpress
Photobooth: Photocube  Make up: Tuyen Tran
Dress: Rosa Clara Aire Barcelona  Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Suit: Banana Republic  Bowties: Forage
Bridesmaid Dress, Shoes and Kids clothes: J.Crew
Kids shoes: Toms  Girls Tutus: Tutu Girl

canvas photo prints

I just looked up my old notes from my correspondence with Tamara and Andrew to find something quirky and original to say about the couple… Well, I guess it’s kinda quirky (but maybe not all that original) that although Tamara’s original inquiry came into the studio on July 12th, we actually didn’t receive the signed contract until September 26th! That’s about 10 weeks of me trying my heart out to land this amazing couple and one of the very first weddings back at the exquisite and magical Bel Air Hotel, after a 2 year closure from a $100 million dollar “face-lift” (that’s what we call it here in Beverly Hills).
In all my years as a wedding photographer (10!), I can’t recall an online “relationship” such as the one we had with Tamara’s parents, John and Sherry. Since posting teasers on Facebook last week, they have written us no less than 129 times (okay maybe a slight exaggeration) with glowing testimonials and praise. It really means a lot to us when the families (in addition to the B+G, of course) get so invested in the wedding photos.
Anyways, we were thrilled to be a part of this wedding and we hope that the emails never end.
P.S. In case you miss us, feel free to continue to glow all over the web, especially on review sites like Yelp, Project Wedding and Google Maps!! xoxo

day of coordination: maryam forutan, delicate details
photography: next exit photography
video: tom buckley
gown and veil: carolina herrera
flowers: brad austin
lighting: the lighter side
band: jb project- west coast music

Emily and Saul are one of the sweetest couples we have every had the pleasure of working with. Emily lives in Washington D.C.with Saul, whose family (like mine) is originally from South Africa. Oh, and he plans to run for President one day. (He’ll win, I’m sure)
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Orthodox Jewish weddings, this is one! Just before the actual wedding ceremony, the groom has a Tish where the guys hang out and drink and sing and toast him. The Bedeken is where the girls hang out separately and the bride greets guests who whisper in her ear. They each sign the ketubah. Then, the groom, accompanied by his joyous crew, dance and sing from the Tish over to the women where he covers his bride’s face with a veil. And, then, they go get married under the chuppah. You get all that?
Working with the Sterling Engagements Team is like working with family. They are a band of event specialists who take care of every last detail with efficiency and grace. Alexandra, just married six months ago, has such a calming, favorite auntie-like way about her, and she makes everybody feel at ease. (Plus, the kicker is she is a phenomenal designer and makes every event look like a million bucks!
It’s always a pleasure working along side Alex’s squad of vendors, cause we know that they are gonna rule the school. Earl and Leslie from Fantasy Frostings always make award winning cakes, every single time we work together.  You can never go wrong with a band from Debois Entertainment. And, if you are going to get married on one of the rainiest days of the year, I can’t think of a better “indoor” venue than the Millenium Biltmore Hotel. All pictures were shot indoors, except for about 7 minutes before sunset when we got to hit the streets (albeit a little wet from the wicked storm). They say it’s lucky when it rains on your wedding day, but it certainly doesn’t hurt if it stops for just enough time to rock out on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles.

Venue: Millenium Biltmore Hotel
Event Design and Planning:  Sterling Engagements, Alexandra Rembac
Band: Debois Entertainment
Cake and Sweets:  Fantasy Frostings
Floral Design: Shawna Yamamoto Event Design
Hair/Makeup:  Couture Beauty Team
Lighting: Amber Event Productions
Linens:  Designer Specialty Linens
Officiant:  Rabbi Bernard Gerson
Officiant:  Cantor Joel Lichterman
Photographer:  Next Exit Photography
Videographer: Imagique
Wedding Stationary: Affectionate Digitals

It’s kinda crazy to think that Hayley first emailed me 2 weeks after Spencer was born. He’s about to turn 2!
So, Hayley and Johanny visited with Adi (I think that I was hiding in the bedroom, sleep deprived) and I clearly remember Adi coming in to chat after the meeting with a huge grin on his face.
“I really WANT to book this wedding.” And the rest is history.
Their girlie-girl wedding was uber-gorgeous at the Calamigos Ranch, designed and styled by the  incredibly talented Tabitha Johnson of Glitter & Ganache.
Everywhere we turned, we were blown away by the magical nature of the details and the love and friendship that surrounded the couple.
Thanks again to my Jr. High BFF, Carmen, for referring these two beautiful women to us. Carmen also served as the adorable (and funny) officiant of this perfect same-sex commitment ceremony. (had to add that part in for SEO, ha ha)
The Enchanted Florist
Wedding Cake: Hot Cakes Bakes
Cupcakes + Macarons: Blue Cupcake
Next Exit Photography
DJ Tendaji Lathan
Photo Booth: Snap Yourself
Coordination: Alia Brown

When the catering management team of the TOP resort hotel in the region invites a wedding photographer to join a 24-hour getaway with 35 of the industry’s best wedding planners and designers, you say, wa-wa-what??? Then, you fall over, cry a little, and thank your lucky stars.
This Wednesday night’s escape to the historic Ojai Valley Inn & Spa was a career changing experience. It was filled with exquisite food, fine wines, decadent treats, mind blowing table décor and lots of new friends. The dinner was set at the resort’s exclusive residence, Casa Elar, a 5-bedroom abode with all the bells and whistles, available for private events of all kinds. It is truly a one-of-a-kind venue.
The dinner event itself was quite astonishing, with the contribution of the ridiculously talented chefs at Ojai Valley Inn and top vendor artists from the wedding and event industry around Southern California.
Again, I was so proud to be included and it was my honor to sneak a few photos to share with the fans of those who participated. One camera, one fast 50mm lens and no flash. Even though I wasn’t really there to officially “cover” the event, I just couldn’t stop myself capturing the beauty of the night.
I have also included a few behind the scene photos of me and my buddies enjoying the Inn and some of our morning site inspection of the property’s incredible old BARN, used for weddings and events.

Event Design by Sonia Hopkins, XOXO Bride
Town & Country
Holly Flora
Images By Lighting
BAM Custom Draping
La Tavola Linen
Archive Vintage Rentals
Ceci New York
Living Cinema

Allison, who is from Denver, Colorado, but lives in Atlanta, Georgia, was referred to us by her best friend, Wedding Bee blogger, Mrs. Seashell, from the East Coast, who was raved to by our former bride, Wedding Bee blogger, Mrs. Poodle, from Santiago, Chile.
Says that 5 times in a row.

So, Allison and Next Exit had a big ole love affair over email and the phone and she decided to bring us out for her New Year’s Eve wedding at the Four Season’s Hotel in Denver!
It was a cold day, I mean kinda freezing actually, I’m not going to lie, but the bridal party were uber-troopers and let us drag them all over the city for amazing vistas and Denverian backdrops.
We were so honored to be a part of this wedding and hope that the happy couple will fly us out one day to photograph their babies when they move to China next Fall. (just kidding about the China part)

Four Seasons Hotel, Denver, Amanda Reeve
Wedding Planners- Colorado Wedding Company, CC Dick & Kelsey Albright
Next Exit Photography
Décor- Design Works
Kimball Floral
Ceremony Music-Columbine Entertainment
Band-Boogielicous, Starkey Productions
Urbane Dame Hair
Blush Artistry Makeup
Colorado Photo Booth 

When you start off a relationship like this with your wedding photographer, you have us at hello,,,,
“Hi Cat! It was great meeting you guys. I absolutely adored you both. I knew as soon as we left you were the one. I would love to have you be our photographers!”
Adi and I are real suckers for flattery. xoxo to you both, Sheena and Dan!
So, besides the fact that this wedding was executed with tasteful elegance and charming detail, we made a new friend in the process.
The wedding planner, one of the best in the city, is none other than Cassandra Santor, at Beautiful Day: Wedding Planning Made Simple.
She makes everything run smoothly, no matter what comes at you. And we great big puffy heart her.

Another perfectly produced wedding at the always perfect Saddlerock Ranch.
Band Dan Schnelle
Bridal Hair Sara Osterberge
Bridal Makeup Suzan Michael
Cake Hansen’s
Caterer Susan Feniger’s STREET
Next Exit Photography
Classic Party Rentals

I know, I know, I say it all the time, but I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it! I lurv Rachel and Joel.
If you grew up going to Jewish sleepaway camp in Southern California, you know Joel Charnick, cause he’s like the Godfather of sleeping bags and campfires and is the proud long time director of JCA Shalom.
His beautiful wife, who he met while studying at the American Jewish University, is one of the officers at Hadassah. What a couple of mensches!

They had one of my favorite weddings of last year at the Saddlerock Ranch Oak Grove in Malibu, so beautifully designed by Wedding Planner Laurel Szetzo at Laurel and Party.
Every detail was planned to perfection and the sunflower theme is just screaming to be picked up by a magazine or wedding blog! What more can I say than it was a magical day up in the hills of Malibu and I loved every second of it.

Command Performance Catering Group
Make-up: Mariah Nicole Makeup and Hair Artistry
Reception Music: Durell Coleman
Next Exit Photography
A Rental Connection
Flowers: Belle of the Ball Designs
Videographer: You’re the Star Digital Films
Vreeke Cakes
Hair: Veronica Morales
Wedding Dress: R-Mine Bridal
Bar: Liquid Catering

This wedding, held at an exquisite private estate in Malibu, was one of my favorites of last year. Such a perfect team of rockstar vendors! The bride and groom were set up by mutual friends and fell madly in love. You can tell, right?
Although I’m so thrilled to be able to blog some of the beautiful details, candid moments and romantic images of the event, I’m super bummed that I can’t blog any images of the army of A-list celebrities that made up the team of groomsmen that night. Let’s just say, they had me in stitches all day long.
Needless to say, Dorene and Mike’s perfect wedding was beautifully executed by one of Los Angeles’s most incredible team of wedding planners, Geller Events, lead by the incomparable Paige Blatt.

wedding planner: Paige Blatt at Geller Events
photos: Next Exit Photography
hair + makeup: Make Up Therapy (that’s the 2nd wedding blog in a row with Ms. Tara!!!)
caterer: The Kitchen for Exploring Foods
cake: Porto’s Bakery
flowers: The Hidden Garden
video: New Classic Films

I feel like 2011 was a year of amazing clients for Next Exit Photography. I never know who will walk through my door from day to day during boooking season, but the moment I met Erica and Jerony, I knew that they were a perfect fit for me.
We had an incredible time at their engagement session at the beach and I counted the minutes until their 9-ten-11 wedding.
In the meantime, I was introduced to their wedding planner, Kristeen LaBrot, who has since become one of my closest friends in the industry. So, not only was I lucky enough to get E+J, but I got LaBrot as a new BFF!!

location + catering The Ebell of Los Angeles
planner Kristeen LaBrot Events
wedding photos Next Exit Photography
hair + makeup Makeup Therapy (LOVE Ms. TARA!!!! She’s amazing!!)
cake CAKEGoodness
lighting D Lighting
dj Joe Farley
ceremony musicians Strings by Reiko
flowers Flower Allie
video DP Weddings
paper goods Papyrus
dress Monique L’huillier
custom vest Beane & Company
photobooth  DG Event
menu, program, petal cone and monogram design Kristeen LaBrot Events’ Etsy Shop
honeymoon Bora Bora