Duc and Jenny's Wedding

I actually met Duc and Jenny through another couple I made a video for. Let me start with that story.

The very first wedding video I ever made was for Harry and Eileen. I met them through Eileen's sister, Melinda, who I know from my church. Melinda had seen the videos I made for my church and she casually threw my name out when Harry and Eileen were considering a videographer. Well, they got in touch with me, we met up, I showed them some of my work and I made it very clear to them that I had never made a wedding video before. They didn't mind, they just wanted someone to film their wedding. And that's how I got my first wedding gig.

Now, Duc was Harry's best man and I had featured him in the highlight video. After he saw it, Duc contacted me saying he and Jenny were considering using me for their wedding as well. And that's pretty much how I met Duc and Jenny, and ended up filming their big day. 

Jenny is one of the sweetest, most down-to-earth girls I have ever met. She's always smiling, which is great because she has a beautiful smile. And I could tell that she really cares about the people around her. On her big day, she was surrounded by her nearest and dearest friends. Duc is an easy-going guy as well. He has a great sense of humor, loves a good laugh, and has some sick dance moves. He tore it up on the dance floor. Friends go a long way with him as well, because Harry served as his best man in return. 

Duc and Jenny got married at Maravilla Gardens, which is an absolutely magnificent family estate in Camarillo. It's now my second favorite wedding venue (and until I attend a wedding in a castle, the first will always be the forest wedding at UC Berkeley's botanical gardens). It had the most wonderful backdrop of rolling mountains and lush corn fields. Everything about this place was magical, down to the sparkler finale. 

My favorite moment out of the whole day was seeing Duc completely overjoyed at watching Jenny walk down the aisle. Perfection.

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Me and my crew

Joseph and Kristen's Wedding

It was a great honor to be able to film Kristen and Joseph's wedding. I have known Kristen literally since the womb. Our mother's were friends and they were pregnant with us at the same time.

We grew up together, told each other secrets, laughed, cried and matured together. So naturally it was a huge blessing to not only be a part of her wedding, but to also be able to provide her with a keepsake of the most important day of her life.

Kristen is one of those people who when you're around her you can't help smiling. She's very outgoing, shes very friendly, she loves to laugh and she loves to get to know people. She has an infectious amount of energy, and a really big heart. Joseph couldn't have been a better match. Though he comes off as more of the reserved type, he's actually a pretty big goofball. And so I imagine all their times together are full of laughter and good fun, surrounded by people who love them to death. 

Me and my crew

Renaissance Faire

About a month ago I went to the Renaissance faire for the first time. I had always heard about it and have always wanted to go but never got a chance to until this year. As with many of the other big or special events that I go to, I decided I would make a dress for this particular occasion. I always liked the Renaissance and medieval time period. One of the first dresses I ever made was a medieval/renaissance dress, so this was kind of right up my alley in terms of the kind of garments that I like to make.

The first dress I ever made. My high school prom.

I'm aware that the medieval era is definitely not the same as the Renaissance era but everyone who attends the faire doesn't really make that differentiation. I saw pirates, and vikings and all sorts of fantasy and steampunk costumes, so I definitely was not out of place by making a medieval dress, even though it's totally the wrong time..

There was a dress that I saw on armstreet.com that I liked, but I didn't want to pay $200 for. It's a fairly simple design so I decided to make my own version of this dress.

I think I got it pretty close, don't you?

The sleeves are what make the dress, with trim running down the length of the arm and button details. I literally bought 10 yards of trim and used every inch of it, and whatever I had leftover I made it into a headband.

Unfortunately, it was so blazing hot on the day that I went that it was quite uncomfortable to wear the dress because it was long-sleeved, pretty tight-fitting, and so thick with all the fabric that I was sweating beads the entire day.

At least I was able to unbutton the sleeves and provide a little bit of relief from the heat. Needless to say we bought a lots of drinks so that I wouldn't pass out from heat exhaustion.

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I enjoyed the faire so much that I went back a second time a couple weeks later. I really wanted to wear the dress again since I had made it, but it was going to be even hotter and I didn't want to risk not having a good time because I'd be uncomfortable. So I forewent wearing the dress and put on a different outfit.

I kind of threw together a huntress look because I really wanted to show off my coyote quiver. I went with a black corset and a black skirt, put a little flower tiara on my head and just strapped on my quiver and was good to go. I regret not bringing my bow because quite a few people asked me where it was, but I had no idea how to strap it to my back in the little amount of time I had to do it in. I got a ton of comments on my quiver though, lots of people asked me where I got it, if it was real, and if they could take a picture of it. People even took pictures of it when they thought I wasn't looking. So glad I went with this outfit this time!

 

I bought a horn earring, a crown to replace the flowers, and a drinking horn. A drinking horn! A fully functional horn you can blow into as we'll as drink out of! So cool!!

I can't wait to go back next year!