Kelly McCord Photography Blog

Kate and Matt's Isla de Mujeres Wedding Album

I've written before about how very blessed I was to be able to shoot Kate and Matt's wedding in Cancun, or more specifically, on the tiny little island of Isla de Mujeres, off the coast of Cancun. Where the island is so small most people get around by golf cart (including us, with all our photography gear!) -- it was an adventure, to say the least, and such an incredible pleasure and honor!! =)  And not only was it super-awesome to get to shoot a destination wedding (and I'm open and willing to do more destination weddings, people!! all you have to do is ask!!!).

ANYhow, I loved not only getting to shoot their wedding, but get to know Kate and Matt, along with their friends and family!  Really, it was one of the highlights of 2007!!  Definitely one of the highlights. My cousin Mia, is a flight attendant, for a private airplane, and Matt is one of the pilots she flies with, and she referred me to Kate and Matt, so again -- thanks Mia!! It was so fun, and I have you to thank!

So we just had the Bridal Expo, last weekend, and I made two new albums to show prospective clients; the one in the post below, of M'Kenzi and Jordan's wedding at (the incredible and fabulous) Rancho Soquel, but also of Kate and Matt's amazingly awesome Isla de Mujeres wedding, on Zama Beach (I'm not sure if it's 'on Zama Beach' or 'at Zama Beach Resort), but either way, that's where it was; Zama Beach Resort. Anyway, I wanted two very different albums, and so I did the local Rancho Soquel wedding (to see that album, it's the post below this one), and Kate and Matt's Isla de Mujeres, very Mexcian, very destination wedding-y wedding.  As I was with the Rancho Soquel album, I was really so excited and happy with how this album turned out. In fact, I can't decide which one I like the most, as they're both completely different and unique, both in style, and the look and feel of both.  If you'd like to check out the album I made to show clients Kate and Matt's destination wedding, you can click here, to go see the wedding album slideshow.

It's fun for me to see the wedding all together in an album (even if you're only seeing it online), as when I shoot, throughout the day, I am shooting with the final album in mind, and I think both of these wedding albums show that.  So go check out Kate and Matt's album, and then, if you want to see more wedding album goodness, click here, to read about M'Kenzi' and Jordan's Rancho  Soquel Wedding album.

Also, if you'd like a quick peek of how my booth looked at the wedding fair this year, here's how it looked (can you believe that none of my friends/fellow photographers brought their cameras? I'm not kidding, isn't that funny? I asked 3 other friends who were exhibiting there, and none of us had brought a camera with us. So please forgive the iPhone-esque nature of this photo!). =) But it at least gives you an idea of how it looked (I'm so embarrassed - these are literally the worst quality photos I've ever posted -- augh!)...click on 'continue reading' to see rest of the photos from the Bridal Expo! =)

And, many, many, many thanks goes to my dear friend Megs, for working the Bridal Expo with me -- Megs, you're the absolute BEST!!  And I can't forget my incredible Aunt Susi, who did all the super-fun,, whimsical flower arrangements for my booth -- she is ALSO the absolute BEST! =) (Click here to be taken to her website, and see some of her wedding work, it's amazing).

Lorri and Morgan at Mitchell Katz Winery/Palm Event Center, in Pleasanton

Lorri and Morgan found me through one of the Briggs sisters (see post below), although I can't remember at this moment exactly which sister it was, although apparently I owe all the Briggs sisters a fruit basket or something, because they've referred so many of their friends to me -- THANKS GUYS! =)

I absolutely love these two shots of Lorri getting ready...isn't she beautiful?

ANYhow, Lorri and I got on right away, even though our early correspondence was only through email, I liked her right away. I knew she was going to be great, when she and Morgan met me at the Hyatt in San Francisco, for our meeting, and the girls and Ross were in the room, hanging out. Anybody who can happily hang with my kids is a friend of mine.  So we got along right away, and continue to do so. She's a great girl, and Morgan's a really nice guy, and I liked not only shooting them, but just getting to know them, in general.  Lorri's had a pretty rough year, and it's been a somewhat rough year for me, as well, and we've commiserated long distance. She was so sweet and understanding when my Grammy died earlier in the year, and I haven't forgotten it. Can you tell I really like her? =)

And their wedding was absolutely beautiful. It was in Pleasanton, which to me is kind of like a no-mans-land. Once I get outside of the Bay Area, it's all kind of the same place to me. So needless to say, I hadn't shot there before, but I was so glad I got to!! The ceremony and the reception were at the Palm Event Center and/or Mitchell Katz Winery, and it's gorgeous. I love shooting at wineries, in general, and this one was a great one!  And Lorri and her family had spent a lot of time (and money, no doubt), making an already really cool place, even prettier.  The ceremony was facing the vineyards (which, really, can you beat that?), and they rung bells(!) after they were pronounced husband and wife (which I loved), and then the reception was inside, this huge vaulted room, with an adjoining, 'cellar' type room, that was lined, floor-to-ceiling with wine barrels. It was really (like I keep saying), very cool. Huge chandelier's and the whole bit. We had fun wandering around the winery, after the ceremony, and doing Laurie and Morgan's portrait session. I was slightly obsessed with this one brick wall (as you'll see in these photos), but I loved how they turned out.  I was so glad we were able to pull away for a little while and get those photos - because they (in my opinion) were so worth  it, as I absolutely LOVED the way their portraits turned out. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they're both beautiful people, but that was like the cherry on an already good sundae. =)

I love these!

Anyhow, you can tell I enjoyed myself, because all these are my 'narrowed down' version of favorites. If you'd like to see the overall day, in a slideshow, you can do so by clicking here: Lorri and Morgan's Wedding Photo Slideshow.

Above is a shot of Lorri and her dad, right before the walked down the aisle, I love catching those moments when people don't realize you're catching them. Also, check out the awesome chandeliers above them

 

Of course, if you don't have time for a slideshow, you can check out my "narrow" list of favorites, by clickng, 'continue reading' below. And thanks again, Lorri and Morgan, for asking me to shoot your wedding, and also, for being so great, this past year, on a more personal level. I feel like I not only had great clients (I've said before that all the best brides find me, and I'm not kidding about that), but I also got a new friend.

 

Chichenitza, My Birthday, Cancun, Isla de Mujeres and White Sand Beaches

As I posted below, I was going to do one slideshow, to show my first international destination wedding, on Isla de Mujeres, in Cancun. However, I had such a hard time finding a song that would be both sweet and romantic enough to represent Matt and Katt, and also fun and upbeat, to show our day-trip to Chichenitza. And then I decided to throw some of my birthday shots in (since that's where I was when I had my birthday) for my friends to see, that it turned into two slideshows.  One is of Kate and Matt's beautiful wedding day, on Isla de Mujeres, on Zama Beach (which is a quick 20-ish minute trip over by ferry from Cancun), and one that shows a few shots from my birthday, the hotel, and our day-trip to Chichenitza, with Kate, Matt and their friends (Tom and Joette, who we also fell in love with -- incidentally, if you're reading this, would love to hear from you, I lost your emails on the trip back to the U.S., so if you've got a moment, I'd love to say hi!), and their parents.  So, without further ado, I give  you:

My birthday in Cancun, (which we actually spent on Isla de Mujeres, scouting out the ceremony location), the Marriott, in Cancun, and the day-trip to Chichenitza.  Click here to see the birthday/Isla/Chichenitza slideshow...

And, even more exciting (for me), Kate and Matt's wedding slideshow.  Like I gushed said in the post below, I was so blessed and honored to be asked (and flown down) to be part of their special day, and I absolutely love both Kate and Matt, they are some of the kindest, most generous people I've ever shot, and of course, they're both super-cute, so that makes for nice pictures. =) Click here to see the wedding slideshow.

Also, just a technical aside, if you watch both slideshows you'll notice that the Chichenitza slideshow is a lot bigger, and the reason for this is, I was almost done with the wedding slideshow, when I had some issues with the program I use, and went and found there was an upgrade, so I downloaded it, and the upgraded version had the ability to make larger slideshows (YAY!!!), but I had already basically finished Matt and Kates, and these slideshows take SO long to make (we're talking days), that the thought of doing it all over again, just to be a bit bigger was just more than I could take, so the size of the slideshow in no way reflect my love of their wedding photos!  I hope you enjoy them.

Also, I need to talk about my birthday, and Kimmy for just a moment.  Despite this being the first birthday I hadn't spent with Ross in 10 years (which made it a little hard for me), Kim made sure I had a good day. We had room service for breakfast, and Kim proceeded to whip out a birthday hat and plop in on  my head along with one for her (you'll see me in the slideshow paying the room service with my hat on, and bedhead and jammies).  She schlepped a birthday gift and card for me, as well, to make sure I had something to open.  Now that's a friend.  The day was really wonderful, like I said in the previous post, we spent the afternoon, after we'd scouted out Zama Beach for the wedding (this is on the island, Isla de Mujeres, that we took a ferry to), floating and playing in the surf, collecting a myriad of shells, (that's a portion of the shells we collected, in the photo below), jumping off the dock (that you see in the slideshow, and the photos in the post below), having lunch on chaise lounges in our suits, beach-side, and laid in the sun for just a bit, before we had to hoof it back over to the mainland, where we were JUST in time for our 'couples' massage (which we still giggle about).  And despite the not-so-great lobster dinner, that made us both feel sick, it was still a great day.  I was able to relax, and just be in the moment, which given that this was a work trip, should've been harder, but Kimmy made it really easy for me.  That, combined with the thrill and fun of driving like a maniac all across the island in our golf cart, and her great company made it a wonderful birthday to remember, despite the fact that I spent a large part of it working.  And of course, I can't forget Kate and Matt, who put us up in a great room at the Marriott, which made the stay just as pleasant as could be. 

And not only is Kim my dear friend, but she is a great assistant.  We've been shooting together for awhile now, and she really anticipates me and my needs, helps me stay calm under pressure, and generally just makes shooting even more fun for me. I am so grateful that she's my  assistant this year (not to take anything away from my other previous/current assistants, of course).  And she really worked her tail off (well, we both did), during our trip, which I can go into more of later, suffice it to say, she was incredible, and a total trooper, and I truly couldn't have done it without her (besides the fact, that I really just like being with her, in general).

We had a great trip, and despite some bumps and bruises (remind me to tell you all about the mile run through LAX carrying all of my equipment),  we had a great time, and I'm indebted to her, and thrilled that Kate and Matt wanted me enough to have Kim and I join them , and be a part of their big day. We both felt incredibly blessed to be there, and be there however we could for Kate, (whether photographically, or otherwise).  I would love to shoot more destination weddings, both international and otherwise.  It was an adventure, and one I'd have fun doing again, for sure.  Phew, this is a much longer post than I intended, but there you have it. I hope you enjoy the slideshows of the journey, I had a fun time making them.

Oh! And one more note, the song playing on the wedding slideshow is called, "The Luckiest," by Ben Folds, and it might be one of the best 'love songs' I've ever heard in my life.  Seriously, watch the show just to listen to the song, it's so beautiful.

Kate and Matt en Cancun!

 

In May, Kim and I flew down to Cancun, Mexico to shoot Kate and Matt's destination wedding, on Isla de Mujeres, in Cancun, Mexico.  It was quite an incredible experience, and I was thrilled to be asked, and to be able to do it!  It was a crazy, mad-cap trip, which I can go into in more detail later, but getting to know Matt and Kate, and their friends and family was a privilege and honor that I won't soon forget.  I have so many favorites, this is going to be a large post. First of all, I first have to thank my cousin Mia, for putting me in contact with Kate and Matt. I'm completely indebted to her, for the introduction.

Being in Mexico, with Kim was a hoot, and we had a good time, especially on my birthday, where we rode over on the ferry to Isla de Mujeres, to scope out the ceremony and reception location (Zama Beach Resort, a gorgeous place for a wedding).  We spent the afternoon riding around like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride on the golf cart that Kate and Matt had reserved for us, and spent the afternoon on the beach (at Zama Resort), in our bathing suits, jumping off the dock, looking for shells and swimming around on the white sand beach.  We had lunch on the beach, and after the ferry ride back to mainland Cancun, had a 'couples' massage (which cracked us up to no end), having a dinner by the ocean and an early night to bed, to wake up for our trip the next morning.

On Wenesday, we met Kate, Matt and their friends and family, and embarked on the 3-hour ride to Chichenitza.  It was incredible to see the sites I'd heard so much about, they were incredible to see, and I was happy to record Kate and Matt's day there, for them with their friends and family.  After that, every headed back to the hotel to do their own thing for the evening. Kimmy and I went to the beach for a while, and she fell asleep while I read, with the gorgeous waves lapping the incredibly white-sand beach.  We had dinner  in our rooms, and went to bed early to prep for the wedding the next day.

Kim and I went over to Isla de Mujeres early in the day, to meet Kate and Matt, and do their portrait session, before the ceremony started, and we had a great time riding around on the golf carts, all over Isla de Mujeres, shooting pictures down small alleys, on craggy rock, in front of crazy-bright, fabulously painted buildings for a couple hours.  At the ceremony, Kate held a simple bouquet of calla lillies, and  walked down the beach aisle to her groom, to the sounds of a small group of mariachi. The ceremony was short and sweet (and absolutely beautiful, in front of the pier, and the crystal-clear blue water).   Surrounded by their family and friends, it was lovely to watch, and I felt privileged to be there.  After the ceremony, we took some more portraits, with everyone there, and a few more of Kate and Matt, on the dock, and then it was time for a delicious Mexican dinner under the stars, with the beach and water in the foreground.  It was a great time, and I know I keep saying it, but I felt privileged to be asked to be there, and shoot the day, and I felt like I not only got to see a wonderful time in their lives, but I made new friends, as well. 

I'm in the process of making a slideshow, which includes some of the photos from the day trip, the day before the wedding, that we took to Chichenitza.  When the slideshow is up, I'll post it here, but in the meantime, a few of my favorites are also featured here, and there will be many more after the jump....

EDIT: To see the slideshow, go to next post, by clicking here...

Award Winning! AGWPJA

I've written before about how I'm a amember of the WPJA, and also how when I entered my first contest with the WPJA that I placed, and could now be considered 'award-winning'.

Well, I entered the most recent [AG]WPJA contest .  The [AG]WPJA is the 'Artistic Guild' of the Wedding Photojournalist Association, a sub-group of the WPJA, which is -- from the site: "A group of international wedding photojournalists, who  capture unscripted wedding moments as they happen, and excel in the art of post-production image processing," or basically -- you're good at  not only capturing images ina photojounalistic style, but that you're good at Photoshop/post-processing after you've shot the images).   To be listed as a member of the [AG]WPJA (and not just the regular WPJA), you have to have placed in the top ten in one of their contests to be considered a 'member' and listed. 

So, all that to say -- I entered the most recent contest, and placed in the top ten!! So I'm now a member of the WPJA, and the [AG]WPJA.  I'm thrilled, because I think my post-processing is one of the things that sets me apart, and I'm glad to be recognized because of it. 

The above shot is the the image that placed. If you want to see it on the site, you can see it by clicking here. I entered it in the 'details' category. The judges comments were:  Classic, timeless elegance is reflected in this well toned image. The vertical lines of the veil contrast the looped hair which is offset by the ornaments. It's a simple moment that has been pushed along by great toning.

Anyhow, I'm thrilled to have another 'award-winning' image!  Especially because I really love this image -- it's just nice to be recognized doing something you love and have so much passion about.  I also recently had another image get into a wedding magazine.  I'll scan it and show it to you guys soon!

Jacey and Pat's Album

I've been in the trenches trying to catch up and finish editing the rest of the weddings from 2006. Because I was able to be with my grandma for the last few weeks of her life, I had to take a break from photo editing in order to be with her, in her last days. So while I'm incredibly grateful to have had that time with her, it has put me really behind in editing. I'm so grateful to the amazing clients I have, who have been more than understanding about the whole situation.

Not only am I frantically trying to catch up with finishing my weddings, but also trying to get ready for the wedding fair, which  means getting my albums together, to show my more recent work.  Ross has been really helping me put the albums together (what a lucky girl I am, to have such an incredible designer as a husband!!).  One of the albums we made, was from Jacey and Pat's wedding. I really love how it turned out. If you want to see this album, you can do so by clicking here.

Thanks again, to my clients for being so great, and SO understanding.  It really meant a lot to me to get to spend so much time with my dear grandma, in the last few weeks of her life.  So thank you for understanding that, and being so patient. I want you to k now I have (literally) been working around the clock trying to finish up your weddings. For example, I was up 'til 6a.m. this morning, slept from 6-11a.m., and then Ross woke me up with a Red Bull, and I'm off again. I've been keeping a nutty pace like that for the last 2 weeks, trying to get back on top of everything. I obviously can't keep up that pace for much longer, but if I can finish editing the rest of my 2006 weddings, I'll relax and go back to a not-insane schedule.

Jacey and Pat at Meadowood in Napa

Jacey and Pat hired me, sight unseen, after recommendations from the Briggs sisters.  Jacey contacted me after  viewing my work online and hired me. So I had no idea what their personalities were like, or even what they looked like until we met in San Francisco to shoot their engagement portraits. 

They were one of those couples that you like right away. They're fun and outgoing, and from a photography perspective, they're good looking, and game for anything, and willing to try lots of different things. As we walked around Golden Gate Park, talking about their wedding, I could tell it was going to be  a fun one to shoot. And after I got home and saw their engagement portraits (some of my all-time favorites), I was even more excited to shoot their wedding.  About a month before their wedding, I went and toured Meadowood, an absolutely stunningly gorgeous resort in Napa, where the ceremony and reception were located. And after seeing the location, I was even more excited. 

This was a wedding, where everything was perfect; the bride and groom, the location, all the people (there were so many great people, both bridal party, friends and family), the details, the colors, the attire, how well-run the event was -- you name it, it had been carefully thought about and executed perfectly.  Jacey looked stunning, from the top of her Monique Lhuillier dress, to the tips of her gold Manolo Blahniks. The bridesmaids were adorable, and the groomsmen and Pat, handsome and dashing. The location was beautiful, and Jacey's choices from the flowers to the place-settings were impeccable. Every detail was considered. And the staff was on top of everything. Once we were in the car and on our way home, Kim and I looked at each other and just said, 'Wow!'  Now don't get me wrong, I fall in love w ith every wedding I shoot. I really do, which is why I feel like I was made for wedding photography. And while I love every wedding I shoot,  it's really rare when everything comes together in such a way that everything feels absolutely perfect. From the moment I met Jacey and Pat, from the incredible engagement shots we got, (and I hope this doesn't sound like I'm ringing my own bell, but we did get some great shots, (if you want to see the engagement shots, click here), to the end of the wedding things just came together beautifully.

If you can't tell, by now, then let me be blunt -- I absolutely LOVE this wedding, and I'm so excited to show you the photos.  If you want to see all the photos, in their entirety, you can do so by clicking here.  If you want to see the slideshow, (which I really urge you to go check out, because like I said, this is a fun wedding to see - even if you're another bride, it will probably inspire you). To check out the slideshow, click here.  Or, if you want to just see a few of my multidude of favorites, I've posted a few below, so just click on the 'continue reading' link to see a few select shots.  And finally, thanks to the Leverty's for choosing me to shoot your wedding, it was an honor and a delight, and I hope you love the photos as much as I do.

 

Bryan and Alicia

I was privileged to be contacted by Bryan and Alicia almost a year ago, while they were living abroad in Japan.  They found me through my personal blog, and hired me site unseen (which it seems more and more people do lately),  and our first meeting was out their engagmenet shoot in Monterey.

I liked them instantly, and grew to like them even more, after watching them interact on their wedding day. I really like all my bridal couples, but just like in life, there are some that you really click with.  That's the case with Bryan and Alicia.  They are really both great people, and so sweet and kind to one another. 

Alicia (my assistant) and I drove up to Rohnert Park, which is quite a trek coming from Watsonville, and they put us up overnight, so we didn't drive home bleary-eyed and exhausted after the wedding.  When we arrived, Alicia (the bride) met us at the door, in a bundle of nerves. I haven't seen a bride that nervous in a long time. But, she also said the sweetest thing. She said, "I keep telling myself to calm down, I'm a Kelly McCord bride, and everything is going to be great."  I mean really, how great is that?  Alicia and I tried to keep her calm, and fielded questions and concerns at the ceremony site. Every time the door would open where she was getting ready, I could almost physically see her jump. Once the ceremony started, and she saw Bryan waiting for her at the end of the aisle, it seemed like all of the nerves vanished.  The reception was a lot of fun -- the crowd really got into the dancing, and nobody was shy having the camera pointed at them. From a photographer's perspecive, it doesn't get any better.

Their wedding day was really beautiful, and some of the shots I got, I absolutely love.  Alicia is gorgeous, both inside and out, and I think that shines through in the photos. (Bryan, you're great too!). =)  So I uploaded a few of my favorites (okay, a lot of my favorites), and I also made a slideshow. I'm really proud of the photos at this wedding, I really love how they came out.

To view more photos, continue reading.

To view the slideshow, click here. 

Heather and Chris: Hayward Engagement Shoot

A few weeks ago, I finally got to shoot Heather and Chris' engagement portraits.  I met Heather at the Santa Cruz Bridal Expo last January.  She told me that after viewing my work at the bridal fair, she compared every other photographer to me, and after realizing she wanted me, didn't have a date, and had to wait to book me. I was thrilled when she called and the date she had booked, I had available, as I had really gotten along with her (and her mom Dyan), and when we met to go over packages and albums, it felt like I was sitting down with friends. I knew I was going to have fun with her (and her mom), and not only did I love shooting Heather and Chris, but I love how their photos turned out! 

We had slated to take the photos at the Japanese Tea Garden in Hayward, but after we got there, we realized they were already closed. And since I had driven all the way to Hayward, and the sun was setting fast, we scrambled trying to figure out where to shoot. We settled on a nearby golf course. I was a little nervous when I first saw the place,but it turnd out to be a gorgeous location to shoot!  I didn't realize quite how beautiful until I sat down to edit, and loved each shot more than the next.

I'm really looking forward to shooting Heather and Chris' wedding, as it's taking place at one of  the most incredible wedding locations in the Bay Area (in my opinion, of course), and a place I've shot portraits countless times (even right after high shcool, we'd always go up and shoot), at   Villa Montalvo.  I'm super excited to shoot a wedding there.

And I keep mentioning Heather's mom, because I really got along great with her, also.  Well, Heather has a sister, named Oriana, and she just signed up to have me shoot her wedding next year! So I get to shoot two of the family's weddings! I feel so honored and blessed when family members book me, especially to do multiple weddings, it's such a flattering thing. Plus, I really like the family, so it's doubly fun, in this case! =) ( I'm thrilled to shoot Heather and Chris at Villa Montalvo in a few weeks, and I can't wait to meet Oriana, her sister, and shoot them as well. Plus, Heather is adorable, and they both are super-photogenic, so it's that much easier for me!

Below are some of my favorit shots, and if you'd like to see all of the shots from their engagmenet session at this golf course in Hayward, you can do so by clicking here.  And there are more after the jump.

Celebs, Suites, The Good Life and More

That's a commercial shot of my sister as model, for my friend Kiersten's company, which I'll explain more below.

Also, I shot my couple-that-I-can't-tell-you-about  last week for their engagement shoot. It was so fun and amazing, and I wish I could show you the photos, and tell you all about it. And I may be able to at some point, but not now.

I will say, shooting someone who is absolutely sure of herself in front of a camera, and used to doing it, is an incredible thing for a photographer, and I think the pictures reflect that.

In other news, our family flew down to L.A. this weekend, to support my friend Kiersten, with a pre-Oscar event her company was invited to participate in. Have you heard of gifting suites? If not, here's a quick run-down.  Celebrities are invited to come 'shop' (which isn't really shopping, because they're giving products away for free) at a gifting event.  So Kiersten was invited to show at this event (which means, give her products away for free).  And because I'm a photographer and because it was also her 30th birthday that weekend (and I wanted to be with her for that anyway), we decided to go down and support her. 

So last Tuesdsay Kiersten overnighted me her latest products for Milkdudz, and my sis and I got to work. If you want to see all the shots from the photo shoot for Milkdudz, you can do so by clicking here. Those are all Kiersten's prouducts, featuring my sister, my daughter Sofia and my nephew Maddox. If you want to hear about my trip to L.A., (or see some celeb shots) continue after the jump...