GUYS, LOOK.
(My mind scrambles a bit when I try to put into words how much I adore these two + this session, but I've at least managed a couple of caps locked words to grab your attention, eh?)

If you look closely, there's a tear that has slipped over the side and has slid down Elizabeth's cheek as she laughs during the ceremony.
And I absolutely adore it.
Because that means moments before, her beloved's vows were so moving, so sincere, that that little tear was obligated to bloom and fall. And it means that seconds later, there was joy, and there was laughter.

Hey. So. Is it weird to Pinterest your own photos?
And is it weird to Pinterest your own photos for a family session 5 years in advance?

I don't know anything about parenting.
I've never done it.
However, I do know what a happy kid looks like who loves and respects his momma. 
Which leads me to believe that Yulia is doin' something right.
Doing many things right, most likely.

Being a portrait photographer means you come in contact with dozens of couples, kids, and families.

It's delightfully amusing to me, the things that will stand out from a wedding weeks after it has passed. When it's no longer freshfresh and the day has had it's time to settle in the cracks of memory. They're usually the small moments and short phrases, the significance of which is impossible to gauge at the time. 

When a parent warns me that they have a high energy alllmost 5-year-old, I get excited.

First, you shoot the engagement session. 
You get a sense of who your couple is, the first time you ask them to get cuddly and pose for a set of pictures. Sometimes you even get to meet their dog, and you finish your session fantasizing about having a sweet beagle puppy yourself.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING TOMORROW?

You've done it, Family B.

By now, arriving to a wedding day is a fairly predictable event for me.
A quick drive to scope out the immediate surroundings. (Niiiice, first look is gonna be going down right there.)
One last flick of the car visor to check my appearance, making sure I'm at least starting my day by looking presentable. (I've made peace with the fact that not a single hair's gonna be in place by the end of the night.)
And a deep breath (exhaaaale) before a firm yet tentative knock on the bridal suite door. Because you never fully know what the vibe is gonna be like on the other side.

The two things that come to my mind when I think of the Bay Area, are endless rows of grape growing and gorgeous coastline.