Josh & Whitney : San Clemente, CA

Josh and Whitney are a couple that inspire you to be the best you can be. Both of them are amazing people and are completely humble in their presence. Whitney was an all star athlete in several disciplines including soccer and basketball. Currently, Josh serves our country in the military in an incredibly demanding rank where he also trains others to defend our nation. As we learned about these two individually and as a couple, we were inspired to work hard, persevere through anything and really find the dedication to be the best we can be. Needless to say, photographing their wedding was an extreme privilege and a blast.

Both Josh and Whitney grew up in San Clemente, just down the street from each other. So it was only fitting that they wanted to do their engagement pictures at the San Clemente Pier.


Whitney's a very simple girl with natural beauty. After her bridesmaids and sister helped with her hair, she added a little mascara and was ready to go. Josh prepared as he adorned his well earned metals and military uniform. They were very calm and relaxed throughout the day.


The ceremony was a great representation of marriage and all it has to offer. The love between Josh and Whitney was hard to miss throughout the day.


In some military weddings, as the bride and groom head down the aisle together, the honor guard form an "Arch of Sabres" or an "Arch of Swords." Once the bride and groom have made their way through each arch, in this case giving the toll of a kiss to pass, the bride receives a swift "tap" on the butt with the sword as a welcome to the military family. It's really a neat tradition symbolizing a safe passage into the next chapter of the bride and groom's life together.


We've often said you can tell a lot about a couple based on their wedding party. This idea rang true with Josh and Whitney. Both the women and the men were classy, fun, supportive and just a great bunch to be around. Spending time with them all, you could see how much loyalty and love has grown in their relationships with their friends. It was so much fun to capture them all together as well as Josh & Whitney as a couple and individually.


Once the reception began, everyone was in celebration mode. Josh and Whitney's first dance continued to showcase their admiration and love for one another. Their food and decor was so beautiful. We hope you enjoy a few of the details done by their caterer, Cassie at Anything But Ordinary Catering. Their food set up was gorgeous and their table linens complimented the colors of the outdoor setting. Also, Josh and Whitney distinguished their tables by animals they set in the flower arrangements as opposed to numbers. It was unique and added to the ambiance of having their wedding outside.


Both Josh and Whitney are close with their families, who have also known each other for years. They have amazing examples of marriage in their parents. While Whitney's sister was giving a heartfelt speech to her big sister, Whitney's mom was filled with tears of joy. Their wedding day exhibited so many incredible qualities in family, love and their future together.


Josh and Whitney, we are stronger for having met you both. Your dedication, athleticism, selflessness and desire to love people around you is infectious. Thank you for allowing us to travel this journey with you. We think about you often and keep you in our prayers as you experience life together. Thank you for serving our country and putting everyone else before yourselves. We hope to continue to keep in touch.

a calm in the storm : Issue No. 9 "Positive or Negative"

Every now and again we get into these phases where we reevaluate and make sure we're on the right path heading in the right direction. As we do this, we have to make a choice, either we can focus on the negatives or we can focus on the positives. Well, we've decided we need to modify this all together. Instead of talking through all the negatives and ignoring the positives, or only focusing on the positives and forgetting about the negatives, we've morphed the two. Remember to take a look at what you're doing right. Focus on what builds you up and where you are maximizing your strengths, your positives. Then, look at the negatives. Figure out why they're negatives. Where are you weak? Allow those areas to teach you. Either request help in those areas or focus on learning from them and moving forward. But, don't let them define you. You'll remember I've talked about the good old "ORCO" sign on the 55 freeway (for you Orange County commuters). The last one we drove by said something similar to: you can't do great things on this earth, it's only possible to do little things with great love. That might sound pessimistic or defeating, but when you really look at the words, you'll see it's empowering. We need to stop trying to change the world with one big moment. Or smaller yet, it's impossible to make yourself better or achieve great things overnight. But, each little choice we make, if it's in love, with confidence, and a purpose, can build a great foundation to a miraculous outcome. Old cliche saying...Rome wasn't built in a day. As old school and common as that sounds, the underlying principle is always applicable. So what do you say? Positives or Negatives? How about both in harmony with each other causing you to take small steps in love for others and for yourself. Sometimes we're taking one step at a time and sometimes' we're taking one step forward and one step back. But as long as we're always taking steps with our goal in mind...we'll get there with a fun journey along the way. So focus on your journey. When you find yourself struggling through negatives, let the positives keep you going. The balance will keep you afloat with a harmony and joy that makes the journey seem more than worth it.