A little Laughter and A Lot of Love

On a magical day, 11.11.11 Meagan and Heath were married in a beautiful and intimate ceremony at the lovely Harrah's Resort and Casino in North County.

Now, like all brides and grooms, Meagan and Heath went to great lengths to ensure that their day went off without a hitch and was enjoyable for all of their special family and friends in attendance.  It was enjoyable... did it go off without a hitch?  You decide! Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, things don't always go according to plan on a wedding day, and that is perfectly okay.  In fact, it might make for a great story and probably some great photos as well...

Meagan and Heath insisted on not seeing each other before the ceremony.  They worked it out so that the bride's suite and the groom's suite were separated by several floors.  When it came time to head down to the ceremony location, Meagan and her entourage headed down the hall and to the elevator bay.  As someone reached to push the elevator button, Meagan said out-loud to no one in particular, "Hm... maybe we should have called to see where the guys are right now"  At that exact moment, the elevator door opened and Meagan let out a little yelp.  Of course, there was Heath, also on the way down to the ceremony site!  He quickly covered his eyes while Meagan jumped behind another elevator's entry-way. Soon enough Heath was on his way.  Meagan laughed it off and carried on.

The ceremony is another fun and cute story.  The bride and groom stood before their family and friends as the officiant spoke repeatedly  of the love between Meagan and Keith.  The problem?  The groom's name was HEATH!  The officiant made the mistake several times, and luckily, the bride and groom, their friends and family, all found it added a humorous component to the ceremony. There was plenty of laughter and smiles throughout the ceremony.

In spite of the mishaps, Meagan and Heath said their "I-Do's" and ended the day in wedded bliss and just like all weddings should end, they lived happily ever after.

Congratulations Meagan and Heath, may your years together continue to be filled with lots of laughter and lots of love!

Julie and Darren's Engagement Session // Fun Times in the City

Julie and Darren are awesome.  They are a blast to hang out with and I can tell they are a great pair.

I suppose I should say there is a little bit of backstory... I met Julie about three or four years ago when we both took an intesive French class over a summer while we were in college.  We honestly learned very little French because we basically sat around talking about other things... and usually not in French.  And somehow we ended up with As in the class.  Woo.  Anyway, Julie and I stayed in touch over the years.  I had always heard great things about Darren but never had the opportunity to meet him.  I was so excited for her when they got engaged, and even more excited when she asked me to be their photographer.  Julie has also started working with me as a second-shooter in training, so I think this was a great experience to see what it's like to be part of a couple on the other side of the camera.

Julie and Darren wanted to do something really fun for their engagement session.  They wanted bright and vibrant colors and wanted their session to be more modern.  We decided that the best option was to take a stroll around Little Italy.  There are so many colorful buildings in the area, so it was really the perfect place for them.  I had so much fun with them, and I cannot wait for their wedding in February!

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View more from Julie and Darren's engagement session here!

The First Year...

I can't really say when Iliana Morton Photography started... I've been doing photography and getting paid for it (and sometimes not) for a long time.  What I do know is that recently Brian (my husband/controller of all things technology) mentioned that he renewed my domain (http://www.ilianaphoto.com/) registration. So what that meant to me is that I have been opporating officially as Iliana Morton Photography for somewhere around a year...

Looking back, I must say, this year has been kick-a$$ in all sorts of ways.  To be honest, I was somewhat miserable before starting this business.  I had graduated college,  I felt frustrated because I didn't feel I was doing whatever it was I was "supposed" to be doing, and I couldn't figure out what that was.  I cried a lot because I felt unpurposed, lost, and more than anything, exhausted.  Somewhat broken, even. Luckily I have the best husband in the world, because he was finally able to get me to answer honestly when he asked me the question "what do you do that makes you happy?"  The answer was easy, but I told him I couldn't do it.  He told me to stop being a baby and that I could if I really wanted to and worked really hard. "It's not going to come easily, and it won't happen overnight, but you CAN do it." is what he told me.  So eventually I did.  I eventually snapped myself out of the mid-mid life crisis I was having, put hours and hours and every ounce of extra energy I had into what I needed to do to start Iliana Morton Photography, and I took a giant leap of faith.  I am so glad I did.

It has not been an easy first year.  As most people will tell you, it's often rough being the "new kid."  But It has been an amazing journey so far.  This year has been full of learning.  I've gained so much valuable knowledge, and I'm sure that in itself is a neverending process. I've met so many people, a few who I am happy to call very good friends now.  I've been given amazing opportunities to do things I never imagined.  I've had the opportunity to meet and work with absolutely wonderful couples and individuals and have shared in their most joyous moments in life.   This, above all, is what I love the most and why I feel so priveledged to do what I am doing now.

So I'm going to "cheers" myself and buy myself a tasty glass of wine tonight and celebrate my first Iliana Morton Photography birthday. I'll extend the cheers to you too, because you've supported me through all of this and have provided me with whatever I've needed, whether it be words of encouragement, advice, constructive criticism, or a much needed break.  So thank you thank you thank you!  I can't wait to see what comes next...

xoxo
Iliana Morton

Dreams Running Wild

Last night I had a crazy crazy dream.  In my dream I was doing a photo shoot that involved pink flamingos (both the real ones and the on-a-stick-in-your-lawn variety) and horrible, awful, ugly gold lounge furniture...

Weird right?  Only a little, because I know where this came from. Yesterday my best friend Erika and my good friend and Inspired Events partner in crime Melissa and I went to the Wedding Party Bridal Show.  Among the many great things we saw, we noticed on exhibor had incorporated some of Lounge Appeal's new collection into their display.  Among them was this set...



Honestly, I am not a fan of gold.  I just don't like it.  But I do love this set of furniture together! 

Anyway, after the show, we headed over to Ocean Beach, had some lunch and browsed around the antique shops. I saw so many pink flamingos and I really really wanted one.  I don't know where I'd put it or what I'd do with it, but I've never had tacky lawn furniture.  I mean, I don't even have a lawn since I live in an apartment downtown. I truly have absolutely NO USE for a plastic flamingo.  But i still would love to have one. So that's where the dream came from!

Now that i've told you this horrible anticlamatic story, let me tell you something else... I realized, about an hour ago actually, that my tacky photo shoot in my dream could be real and could potentially be awesome.  Thanks to doing a quick search on google images, I found a bunch of lovely images that incorporated great use of flamingo pink and gold in a beautiful, completely classy way... 











Pretty, right? So here is the lesson I re-learned today.  Your thoughts and dreams, although seemingly a little crazy at times, might be your creative bug trying to get out!  Just because you come up with a completly nutty idea does not mean it's impossible!  Maybe the idea needs to be refined, and maybe you need the help of a true professional (I'll let you intepret that as you please!) to do that, but your crazy dream ideas can be great!  And I have to say, sometimes the ideas that are a tad off the wall end up being the unique and personable little things that I love to photograph at your wedding :)

Cheers and happy dreams!

...and one more flamingo for the road.



(ok seriously... where can I get a hat like that??)

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater

I'm cheating.  I'm admitting it right now-- this blog is a cheat.  I realized recently that I have not blogged about anything in about a month!  Therefore, this blog will be an attempt to catch up on everything that has been missed the past month...

Fasten your seat belts, here we go!

Chantal & Steve: Engagement

Chantal and Steve are AWESOME.  They came to me earlier in the year with a fun idea.  They said "Iliana, we are looking for someone to take photos of us cooking"  I said "YES."  I love food, and I figured they would feed me.  The day finally came and I arrived at Chantal and Steve's house with cupcakes (from my good friend Stevi at Hey There Cupcake!), and we did a really sweet session around their house.  They laughed on the couch, they mock-baked some cupcakes, and really made some Guacamole, which is Chantal's favorite thing Steve makes.  It was a great time!  They are getting married in their hometown of Boston, where both of their families and friends live.



Molly & Justin: Engagement

Now this is a story that I care about.  Not that I don't care about all of my clients, but I LOVE my friends, and Molly was one of my very best friends growing up.  I was absolutely thrilled when Molly sent me a message a few months ago telling me she would be in town for a visit and wanted to do an engagement session with me and her fiance while they were here.  I took them to Balboa Park, which Molly said was one of their favorite spots.  Molly and Justin obviously care so much about each other, and it was a pleasure to work with them.  It's especially great to work with friends.  I am so stoked they asked me to shoot their wedding, so I will be traveling up to Santa Barbara next month to work with them again!

(See more here!)

Elias and Laura: Wedding

 

Elias and Laura have been good friends of Brian and mine basically for as long as I have know Brian.  I LOVE them.  Brian has worked as a DJ with Elias for about 10 years now, so they have been good friends for a long time.  Laura is definitely "his other half" and they compliment each other perfectly.  They have been together for just about as long as Brian and me, and I was stoked when they finally got engaged (about a year ago) and then FINALLY got married!  They had a wonderful and very intimate ceremony, and I was happy to have been included!



 

 

 

 

Events by Elisa

Sometimes it is not in a couple's budget to hire a professional photographer.  But sometimes a coordinator really wants photos of the hard work that she's done.  My friend Elisa at Events by Elisa had me come out to a commitment ceremony that she designed so that she'd have some images to use for showcasing her talent.  I was so happy to help, and it was a great time!



Maximum Capacity Events

Another fun day working with a fellow wedding pro! My friend Elizabeth at Maximum Capacity Events asked me to take a few fun photos of her so that she can revamp her website over the Winter (which is my plan too!).  One of the first things she said is "Sorry, I'm not very photogenic."  At the end of the session I realized she clearly has no idea what she's talking about, because she ROCKED it.





Laurie's  Materinty Session

Laurie at Sparrow Bridal has become a great friend of mine. I'm happy to announce that just two weeks ago she gave birth to a darling little girl.  I am over the moon happy for her and her family!  Before that happened, Lori wanted to get some maternity shots to commemorate that time in her life.  It was beautiful, and she was clearly so excited... and still is!



Cindy & Scott: Engagement

I had the pleasure of working with Cindy and Scott twice in one month!  They decided somewhat last minute to hire a wedding photographer, and I am lucky it was me!  These two were the sweetest, and it was so fun working with them.  For their engagement session we walked around La Jolla Cove for a bit, which is one of Cindy's favorite places, and the spot where Scott proposed :)



Michelle and Danny: Wedding

I am so happy for Michelle and Danny.  I've had such a wonderful time working with them over the past eight months since they booked with me.  Their engagement session was a blast, and so was their wedding.  A little part of me is kind of sad that they are married now, because I don't have any events with them to look forward to!  But they are such a rad couple, and their photos so far are wonderful! Their wedding was at the Mission Beach Women's Club, and it was a great celebration!




(see more here)


Anjie & Joe's Engagement Session

Anjie and Joe are awesome.  They are into vinatge cars, good music, and are all around good people.  I was happy to spend an hour hanging out around The Midway with them for their engagement photos.  From the small amount of time that I've known Anjie I have gathered that she is such a strong and genuinely good person.  I was having a horrible day a while ago and she was so sweet and actually got me to tell her what was wrong and listened.  Total sweetheart.  Together they are such a great couple, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for them!





 

 

Eileen and John's Wedding

Eileen and John have faced so many challanges over the years.  They've been married for 18 years, and they felt it was time to renew their vows to show each other and their families their renewed commitment to eachother and their marriage.  It was an intimate gathering, and quite beautiful.  Elieen was very playful with the camera, even though she said she was shy...



The Bustle

At somepoint I did a little project with Bridal Insider and The Bustle... pretty pretty dresses!



Fun with Stone

The day of the "great blackout" was an interesting one for Iliana Morton Photography... it warrants its own post, but I ended up doing a photoshoot that evening!  Interesting!



J&T: Wedding

I won't say a lot about this amazing ceremony.  I might be able to expand on it later.  For now, this remains one of my favorite photos of the summer...



Cindy & Scott: Wedding

I told you I got to work with Cindy and Scott twice in the past month!  I had a great time with them at their wedding at Carlsbad Seapointe Resort.  It was my first time there, and it is an awesome little spot!  Cindy and Scott looked fantastic and it was great to see them so in love with the support of so many family and friends.




Michelle and Sam: Wedding

Michelle and Sam are another really awesome couple that I've had the pleasure of getting to know over the past year.  Their wedding was in Mission Viejo, and they both looked amazing.  They partied the night away, and I can't imagine them looking any happier than they were.  And I am still in love with Michelle's dress!!



Cherish and Cameron: Wedding

Cherish and Cameron were married in La Jolla and had their reception, which was mainly a huge awesome party for all their friends at Prospect Bar and Grill.  These two are so fun.  They had a great party, but they obiously are amazing parents as well!



Carnival Fun

Last but not least, somewhere in between all that crazyness I did a styled photoshoot with my friends at Eventity, Hey There Cupcake, Nic.Roc. Designs, and Sweet Pea Flower Co. It's on the California Wedding Wave (Ceremony Magazine's blog) today!  I might blog more about this shoot at a later date because it was just so fun!  Make sure to go over and see it!




Wow... September really was CRAZY!  On top of that I have been busy with other personal projects that I am also excited to share with you at some point.  Someone really needs to figure out how to add a few more hours to the day!  Holy moley!

xoxo

{ENTER TO WIN} The Wedding's Over, It's Time To Get Dirty...

Relax boys and girls, I'm talking about a Trash-The-Dress photo session!

If you're a fun-loving bride (or former bride) looking for another chance to really rock your (or another) wedding dress, you're in for a treat!  I've teamed up with Maximum Capacity Events and Enchanting Looksand we are giving you the opportunity to win a free trash-the-dress session!  Included in the prize is...

*Fully styled photo session with you (and your groom if he's up for it!) for up to two hours

*Planning meeting to discuss the style and theme of your shoot with Iliana Morton Photography and Maximum Capacity Events

*Complete hair and make-up provided by Enchanting Looks

*A dvd with ~50 edited images

*One 8 x 12 framed print

Now these are not any of my photos (nor do I know who did them, sadly), but here are a couple to inspire you!









Ready to get trashy?  All you have to do is send an email to iliana@ilianaphoto.com  with the subject line "Trash the Dress" (or you can leave a comment on this blog!) and tell us what you might like to do!  The possibilities really are endless!  We will pick one lucky winner on August 15th!

 

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One entry per person/couple.  Must be in San Diego County.  Email must be received by 12am on Monday August 15, 2011.  Winner will be announced Monday August 11.

 

Michelle & Danny's Oceanside Engagement Session

I loved this couple from the first time I met them for our initial consultation together.  In that half hour we spent together I could tell that they had a special connection.  And they were just all sorts of fun to talk to.  They are the type of couple you'd want to hang out with.  When Michelle sent in their engagement questionnaire, she mentioned that she and Danny like to go to concerts and other shows and are fans of The Shout House.  In my head while reading through that questionnaire I kept saying "hey, me too!" again and again.  So I was stoked for their engagement session, and a chance to get to know them both a little better.

Not being from San Diego, Micelle and Danny were open to any location for their engagement photos as long as it included the beach.  The beach is always gorgeous, but I felt that they also needed to have a dose of color and fun because they are such a vibrant, fun couple.  I suggested the Oceanside Pier area because not only do you have a great beach setting, but also because it is one of the more colorful beach areas in San Diego.  I had a great time with them.  They weren't afraid to walk a bit further into the water than most couples were for the sake of my... vision?  They humored me, and were great sports about a few (not so small) splashes.  Here are some of my favorites...























I'm so excited for their wedding, which is coming up in just a few months.  I can't wait to work with them again!