Lauren Nicole Photography

Back in middle school, my girlfriends and I would have sleepovers at each others’ houses. At my house, we’d stay up far too late talking and get yelled at by my dad about four times a night. At Rachel’s house, we’d have crazy sing-along dance parties in our pajamas and eat too much pizza. I have a distinct memory of thoroughly embarrassing myself at Rachel’s one time by bringing a mixed tape I’d made off the radio (sidenote: if you don’t know what making a mixed tape off the radio means, please contact me!!). In between crazy songs complete with distortion and commercials, I’d recorded myself singing the Star Spangled Banner and left it on the tape. I never thought I’d live it down when it played on Rachel’s tape deck, but I doubt the teasing lasted long, and I never told anyone about it later. I learned that what happens at slumber parties, stays at slumber parties. I also learned not to record myself singing on anything. Ever.

Rachel moved away a few years later and we lost touch until the wonder of Facebook helped us to reconnect. I was delighted to hear about her new life in Nevada and California, and about the love she had found. She was planning her future with a great guy named Ryan – and seeing how Ryan worked at a radio station, she had someone new to make her mixed tapes.

During her wedding planning in 2009, Rachel’s photographer was forced to cancel to serve a military commitment, and she reached out to her friends online. I connected with Rachel about her wedding, and we made plans for my husband and I to fly out to San Diego the week of our fourth wedding anniversary to see her. We had the pleasure of staying in a beach house her family rented for the week, taking the chance to explore southern California, and one last ‘babymoon’ before our son’s birth a few months later.

The morning of their wedding dawned beautifully, and Rachel met us at the beach house to get ready. Her wedding to Ryan was a small, intimate family affair, and with it came a comforting casualness that is rarely, if ever, present in traditional weddings. The ceremony location was finalized that morning with the same ease you’d feel over debating which pair of earrings to wear. The boys set up a white arch and chairs on the sands of a beach in Carlsbad while the girls prepared. Rachel wore the perfect little white dress for her beach wedding, the elegant blue ribbon popping perfectly with her sapphire jewelery. Ryan was casual and comfortable in a blue button-up and customized Converse sneakers with their wedding date embroidered on the heel. And that ring? Massive sapphires are not just for royalty.

A small, special group of friends and family met to celebrate Rachel and Ryan’s special day; surfers and sunbathers strolled along the shore as they exchanged their vows by the ocean. Their reception was held at Vigilucci’s Steak & Seafood Restaurant across the street, where we shared an amazing meal and toasted Rachel & Ryan’s life together. It was less like a wedding reception and more like gathering for a family holiday dinner, and the entire day was filled with laughter and joy. I’m so thankful Rachel asked me to share in her intimate family celebration, and I’m honored to have been able to document it all for her.

Thank you again, Rachel and Ryan, for letting me share in your special day. Brian and I had an amazing time celebrating on the west coast with you, and I look forward to visiting you again sometime soon for a fun, modern shoot in the Gaslamp District.

If you are having a destination wedding, please contact me for special pricing.