A Wes Anderson Wedding in San Luis Obispo

WeddingsFeatured

Jul 29

A Cinematic, Summer Day at Riata Ranch—

It is potentially illegal to be a modern creative and not be absolutely enamored/inspired by Wes Anderson films. And so, when we received Lola and Samy’s Riata Ranch wedding inquiry last summer, we were beyond excited to collaborate creatively with them and their vision for a Wes Anderson themed wedding. Samy and Lola (a wildly talented creative herself) met in theater in high school, and have always been drawn to the artful and cinematic in just about every area of life, wedding photography being one of these things. After seeing our portfolio and learning about our documentary approach, they chose us (WE ARE SO LUCKY!!!!!!) to capture every moment of their wedding day. If you follow along with us, you know we are at Riata Ranch quite often (hehe we are so lucky AGAIN!!!!) to photograph weddings, so we were very happy to be back at one of our local favorites to celebrate Lola and Samy!

So, when I mentioned Lola being a wildly talented creative, you’re about to see what I mean. Like, please take the time to scroll through all the detail photos sprinkled in with the gallery. Because THIS GIRL DIYd BASICALLY EVERYTHING FOR HER WEDDING. That basically everything includes: all the table decor, the bouquets and other florals, HER DRESS, her veil, the hand made quilt welcome sign, all the other signage, etc. YES, SHE MADE HER OWN DRESS. When I tell you we work with the coolest people on planet earth, I am not exaggerating even slightly.

We joined Lola and Samy toward the end of their getting ready time, Lola and her closest people at Riata Ranch’s guest house, and Samy and his at the bunk house. From the beginning, these two were so in the moment and enjoying every second of being surrounded by their closest people. Every photo you see from the getting ready part of the day is truly candid, and I love the way we were able to capture these two so in their element with everyone. Lola and Samy opted to see each other for the first time at the altar, but we did work to get as much of their formal portraits taken before the ceremony, as they let us know they wanted to prioritize being present at as much of their reception as possible.

Riata Ranch has one of the best ceremony views in San Luis Obispo, and this spot is ever a classic for a ceremony, especially in the early summer, with the surrounding vineyards so in bloom. This was an EMOTIONAL one. It really is so beautiful to see two people so madly in love, excited to marry each other, and those surrounding them to share in that visceral excitement. Because Lola and Samy have spent so many years together, their families have become quite close, and it was so special to capture the relationships they not only share with their own parents and siblings, but with each other’s too.

After giving the newlyweds some time to celebrate and see each other, we quickly made our way through formal portraits so they could mingle with all their guests at cocktail hour! The weather was perfect for late June in north county San Luis Obispo— not too warm with a breeze, and so guests scattered on the lawn to begin the celebrations. We moved into the iconic Riata Ranch greenhouse for the seated part of the reception, where guests enjoyed dinner and toasts, before moving back outside for special dances and open dancing. I absolutely sobbed during Lola’s father daughter dance, and then subsequently cried every time I passed through the photos of it while editing. The love between Lola and Samy and their friends and family is so deep and BEAUTIFUL! We snuck Lola and Samy away for sunset photos in the midst of dancing, and stayed until the end of the night, capped off by a private last dance.

This was a dream day, with a dream couple, and we are so grateful to be the ones who got to document it in its entirety. We hope you love Lola and Samy and their gallery as much as we do!

We’re Katie and Joseph, a husband and wife team, and SLO wedding photographers.

We are big fans of documenting wedding days in an unposed, raw, genuine, and honest way that allows our couples to maximize their experience on their day while also receiving a gallery full of stunning images that communicate how it felt to be there.

Though we’re based in San Luis Obispo, we’ll travel anywhere for a good love story (and dance party). We invite you to follow the links below to learn more about us and our services, and to get in contact with us!