MarieSam Sanchez Photography ... Southern California Destination Wedding Photographer

Happy Birthday My Love

msam007562 — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:24:42 +0000

Dear Tommy,

Yesterday morning I woke up to find you missing from our bed and I looked at the time and saw it was 7:35 a.m. Because it was Thursday, I quickly realized, you had just left to take Cheyenne to school. When you saw how exhausting it was for me to wake up every morning on 3 or 4 hours of sleep and drive Cheyenne to school, you offered to take her on Tues/Thurs so I could sleep in … I know that you are NOT a morning person, but I know that what you love even beyond your sleep, is me, and I can’t thank you enough for that

I don’t even know how many birthdays we’ve celebrated together now, I have lost count, but I know it’s a lot. We no longer go bananas on buying each other gifts because our lives are already full with everything we need and more, and I like it like that. But beyond our new home full of everything we could hope for is our love for our teenager, our new addition Marnie, and of course each other … and I feel lucky everyday to have you, that’s for sure.

Thank you for being my best friend, my cuddle buddy, the man who takes our pup for pee breaks at 2 a.m., the man who accompanies me at 3:30 a.m. when there’s breaking news I have to cover and my partner in everything. Oh yeah and my personal driver HA! Because you know it’s just weird when we’re in the car together and I’m driving … plus you know I need to put my makeup on and take naps LOL. It feels like the past couple years I have been living in a fog from work, stress, and teenagerhood LOL. And during those times you catch me in a daze or with a look of worry on my face, you always know just what to say or do. There have been times this past year you have walked into the room and knew instantly that I had been crying, and then you let me vent, complain and de-stress. It’s a wonder you don’t check me into a mental health clinic because you think I’m crazy But I love you so much for your patience, love and understanding. Through all the crazy ideas I’ve had over the past years, you are always there to support me and cheer me on no matter what. Those nights when I talk to you in the dark and share my fears, my hopes and dreams before we go to sleep are so precious to me. Even when you know what I have in mind is a little nuts or farfetched, you still stand next to me and hold my hand. Your faith in me and in us fuels me to wake up everyday with new hopes and dreams. I honestly could not ask for a better partner in you.

For some reason, I feel like we are starting a new phase in our love story with lots of exciting things to come. And I am excited that I get to share whatever lies ahead with you. I love you with all my heart … Happy Birthday My Love.

Your Wife,

MSS

P.S. And because a post is not a post without photos … here are a few images from our past year together from the wonder that is my iPhone

Embracing the Beauty that is You | Beauty Couture by MarieSam Sanchez

msam007562 — Thu, 02 May 2013 03:04:37 +0000

Growing up in the city of Cerritos, I was surrounded by a bevy of colors and cultures. Since my first days at Leal Elementary, I remember looking around at my classmates and seeing every shade of color … brown, white, yellow, black. I grew up knowing and embracing a melting pot of race, culture, and religion. It was the world I knew … well, at least part of it …

The other half of my childhood, outside of school, was spent at a dance studio. I had dance class at least 4 times a week — and I lived and breathed this lifestyle for about 8 years. And while it provided me with a great foundation and work ethic, it was also was the breeding ground where I developed a complex about what I looked like. It was during my dancing days when I began to question the definition of beauty, and actually, what it meant to be “normal.”

Yep, I, the short, brown skinned girl with dark, wavy hair and brown eyes found myself surrounded by what everyone around me at the time labeled as beautiful + perfect … blonde hair, blue eyes and a tall statuesque size 4 frame — everything that was NOT me.

(Side note: I am Filipino and that means family + happiness revolves around good eats and having your aunts shove a plate in your face as soon as you walk in the door to every family function! So how the heck am I supposed to be a size 4 when rice is served during every meal? And everything my family makes taste like heaven? LOL)

I was in all sense, the ugly duckling for many years, surrounded by beautiful and elegant white swans. And during that time in my life, I often found myself praying and wondering daily why I was so different from everyone else. I remember wishing I had blonde hair and blue eyes, and hoping that my skin just wasn’t so … brown, and struggling with the fact that I would never be a tall, statuesque beauty like the girls that surrounded me. To say the least, it was hard to look so different, and sometimes I admit, those insecurities still find a way to crawl into my head even till this day as a 30-something woman.

It honestly wasn’t until my 30s that I slowly began to realize that not looking like every image on the cover of a magazine was perfectly OK. Ironically, I am now trying to teach my own teenage daughter this very same lesson — of being healthy, but accepting your imperfections and learning to embrace what you’ve got … curves, dimples, cellulite, random breakouts of the skin, bad hair days and all. (But really, why the heck do I sometimes have random breakouts in my 30s? What is up with that? I demand justice!!! And yes, I do obsess over the slightest sign of a wrinkle, I am still human LOL)

Part of the lifelong journey of accepting who I am was fast-tracked about two years ago when I first picked up a camera and developed a love affair with photography. It’s funny how you start to look at the world so differently through the frame of a lens …

I began to notice the way a mother’s eye sparkles when she looks at her children …
The way a man’s heart flutters the first time he sees the love of his life on their Wedding Day …
The special moment when a father holds his baby boy in his arms for during their first photo together …
The way an 80-year-old man holds his wife’s hand and they chuckle together, a sweet sound of laughter they’ve shared for decades …
The glimmer of light that radiates from a woman’s smile the moment you tell her she looks ridiculously beautiful …

By living through my camera I’ve realized that beauty comes in so many different shapes, sizes and colors. There is beauty in every connection, every emotion, every smile and tear. There is truly a breathtaking and incredible quality in every person you come across — be it physical, spiritual, mental — we all have something “beautiful” to offer this world. This, is a priceless lesson I continue to learn with every click and photo I take, and one that reminds me that being beautiful means so much more than being a size 4 with sparkling blue eyes and flawless skin.

The funny thing is, every time I photograph a woman, the first request is always: “MarieSam, PLEASE make sure I don’t look fat!” This dire plea comes from gorgeous skinny women to my beautiful curvy gals as well. And trust me, I do the same thing!! Full disclosure: I have seriously perfected the angle of tilting the camera to look as slim as possible LOL. PS — if you need to know how this works, just message me *HOLLA*

That said, I honestly don’t think the pressure to conform to the mainstream standards of beauty will ever go away. But I do think that as parents — especially mothers — we can do a lot to teach our kids that being a beautiful person encompasses so much more than just looking like a “cover girl” or the handsome celebrity that all the girls love.

Growing up as the little brown girl with wavy hair, apple cheeks and thick waist and short legs, I have come to realize that being a beautiful person means being strong, confident, fearless, kind, intelligent, giving and in all honesty … being fierce! The days I feel the most beautiful are ones when I’ve done something to truly help make a difference in someone’s life — be it making them smile when they are in pain, making them laugh on a crappy day, or inspiring them to action in a moment of despair. When I can impact someone in a positive way, these are the days I feel most whole. (But I’m not gonna lie, I am still a woman, and I do like to get dolled up every blue moon and hear a whistle or two every now and then )

In truth, some of the most beautiful people I have ever met in this world would not fit into the “type” you expect to see walking down a New York city runway. Instead they are people who make this world sparkle a little brighter simply because of who they are — as people. And that to me is the kind of beauty that never ever fades.

If you have read all of what I just wrote — THANK YOU for stickin with me I know, I talk too much — that’s the journalist in me LOL. But there is a reason for all this … I have had an announcement brewing in my heart + mind for so many months now, and I am so happy to finally be able to say that I’ve launched a new line of beauty photography that focuses on highlighting the beauty, strength and spirit of a woman. In a gist … I LOVE being a woman But this self-acceptance has been a lifelong journey that I am still trying to weather through each and every day. In the meantime YES … I want to scream to the world … besides being a wedding and portrait photographer, I’m also a photographer of women — a beauty photographer who relishes in the opportunity to take your photograph. And I want to help women realize they are a gift to this world and they deserve to feel beautiful in their own skin.

Here’s a peek of some of the images I’ve taken of an incredibly wonderful bunch of women of different paths and different stories — single, married, mothers, working women, businesswomen, homemakers, thin, curvy — but all with one thing in common … they are like me and you — sometimes unsure, some days tired, sometimes in need of a boost — but at the end of the day … they are fierce, they are fabulous and they are women!!!

All that said … here’s a link to my new website dedicated to Beauty Couture by MarieSam Sanchez – there are lots of changes and additions I will be making on the site, but check it out to see some incredible “Before + After” photos of these lovely ladies. In the meantime this new journey of mine has begun … lots more details and info on specials coming soon!!! And of course, if you are interested in a session … HOLLA, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to photograph you

Lucy + Thomas ~ Poetry in Motion | Venice, CA Engagement Session

msam007562 — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 20:11:51 +0000

We told people we met at a frat party at UCLA. It was “our story” for a long time. Those who knew the real story know, I was the biggest nerd during my days at USC and the closest I ever got to a fraternity party was watching one on TV. Plus, what the heck would a Trojan ever be doing on the UCLA campus? HAHA Sorry, I couldn’t help it.

In truth, Tommy and I actually met in an AOL Chatroom. Yep, believe that. In a world of a million usernames and racy, sexy profile pictures. WuJuniorX caught Msam007562′s eye, and vice versa. Oh and trust me, there were no racy photos to gawk at — his photos were of himself in Bruin attire. Mine were of me and my 4-year-old baby girl. Today we tell our story freely and with laughter, but completely without shame and knowing in the vast and crazy internet world, we found each other because it was meant to be.

When we had our first Skype chat with Lucy + Thomas, I saw a similar laughter and twinkle in their eyes when we asked them how they met. For these two beautiful people, their bridge to each other was on Craigslist. Thomas posted a rare poem by Saul Williams titled “This Type of Love” on a personal ad and she happened to click on it and read it. Ironically, Lucy had heard the poem before even though this poet’s work wasn’t widely known and because of this, it drew her in like poetry in motion. So she sent him a message and the minute she clicked send, so began their love story …

Here are a few of our favorite images from this gorgeous couple’s engagement session in Venice! Lucy + Thomas, thank you for christening our first visit to the Venice canals with your love, laughter and beautiful smiles. We truly cannot wait to capture your Wedding Day xoxo!!!

Special appearance by their love bug, Ricki!!

Alice + Angel ~ Love Notes | Orange, CA Engagement Session

msam007562 — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:54:16 +0000

Since I first pick up a camera in 2010, I’ve learned so much more than the X’s O’s of being a photographer. Photography has helped me learn about myself, about others and about the way I look at life in general. It has truly opened my eyes to a world I would have never imagined and for that I am so grateful. But one of the things I’ve learned and am reminded of each and every day is that … photography is a gift. It is the gift of capturing precious moments with the click of a button, a way to tuck the footprints of your life into a safe place, a wonderful way to remember and relive a moment that you hold close to your heart. This gift means so much to me and I have always been an obsessive gift-giver, so I guess I’ve truly found my calling

Last year a colleague from work (as a journalist) purchased an session to gift to one of her closest friends, Alice and her fiance Angel. They already had a photographer for their wedding, but my colleague Christina, wanted to give them an engagement session. These are gestures that warm my heart because I honestly don’t think there’s a better gift than photos … although maybe I’m a bit biased?!

Here are some of our favorite images from this lovely couple’s engagement session at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA. It was a gorgeous day filled with sunshine and love notes ~ the kind you find on a music sheet, because during our session, Angel pulled out his guitar and played a special song for his gorgeous bride-to-be. How ridiculously sweet is that? Yep, sunshine and music sprinkled with love, it was perfect …

Special thanks to Christina for sending Angel + Alice our way! We had such a great time capturing this special time in their lives. And warm hugs to this beautiful couple ~ hope your Wedding Day was filled with absolute bliss!!!

Alfred + JoAnna ~ Love is A Celebration | Dana Point, CA Wedding

msam007562 — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:46:25 +0000

“So what do you have planned for your birthday?” a friend asked me last year. “Actually, Tommy and I are shooting a wedding that day … and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I replied with a smile.

It’s true. In my 2.5 years as a wedding photographer, I’ve spent two birthdays now shooting weddings and frankly, spending the day celebrating the union of two people in love couldn’t make me happier and more grateful for life and all its blessings. I honestly couldn’t think of a better way to ring in a new year than documenting one of the happiest days of a couple’s lives with a grand ol’ party

During my most recent birthday, Tommy and I had the honor of photographing Alfred + JoAnna‘s wedding celebration in Dana Point. The festivities began with a beautiful ceremony at St. Edwards the Confessor Catholic Church in the Dana Point hills, and later made its way to a gorgeous oceanview reception at Cannons Seafood Grill Restaurant in Dana Point. We had a great time photographing this fun-loving pair during their engagement session a few months prior, so we knew the Wedding Day would be epic. They are the sweetest couple and their families are simply amazing and so much fun! And as you’ll soon see in the photos … this bunch really knows how to DANCE!!!

Before I share some of our favorite moments of the day, here’s a list of the wonderful vendors and information on the details that helped make this day so special for this awesome couple:

Wedding Ceremony: St. Edwards the Confessor Catholic Church, Dana Point
Wedding Reception Location/Caterer: Cannons Seafood Grill Restaurant, Dana Point
Photography: MarieSam Sanchez Photography
Cake/Bakery: Heidelberg Pastry Shop
Florist: The Flower Girl
Makeup/Hair Stylist: Tiff from Legends Ladera Salon
DJ: Moondance Mobile Music (Jeff Holmes), djmoondance@gmail.com
Dress Designer/Bridal Shop: Maggie Sottero/Bridal Corner (Chicopee, MA)
Bride’s Shoes: Kelly & Katie Dahlia Pump (purchased from DSW.com)
Bride’s Veil: Etsy.com
Groom’s Suit Designer/Vendor: Calvin Klein, Men’s Wearhouse

I loved our bride’s reaction when she first saw herself in the mirror … yes JoAnna, you are stunning!!!

This is seriously one of my most favorite shots. EVER!!! The love shared between Alfred + JoAnna’s parents was so infectious and beautiful ~ this was a shot I knew I had to have Did I mention how fun-loving and awesome this bunch was? Including the priest — see top left photo, yes those are bunny ears he placed behind our beautiful bride I took this shot in hopes of capturing the awesome details on the guys’ socks … little did I know the real gem in this photo was the capture of them reacting to my instructions up top. HAHAHA!!!

Alfred + JoAnna made sure to give us plenty of time to take photos of them following the ceremony ~ “time” is a wedding photographer’s gold. So glad we had enough time to photograph this loving pair … they are truly so beautiful together and made our jobs so easy …

Their touching ceremony was followed by an incredible reception filled with lots of special touches and gorgeous and bright details … The special dances they shared with their parents were filled with so much love + emotion <3

And yes they totally danced their hearts out into the darkness of the night!!!

Alfred + JoAnna, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for letting us spend such a beautiful day with you and your families and friends. Your celebration was filled with so many incredible moments of love, laughter and joy and we felt so lucky to be there to capture it all. Much love to you both and many blessings for a life together that is filled with the happiness that surrounded you on your Wedding Day!

New Year, New Beginnings, New Home, New Love | Personal

msam007562 — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 06:18:06 +0000

Where do I even begin? It’s now nearing the end of February and to be frank, these past months went by in a blink.

In a gist, to give you an idea of how bananas life has been … we moved into a new home, filled with lots of new things (my depleted savings account can attest to that, LOL), I’ve been a decorating machine, and to top that all off … we’ve added a new love to our lives by way of our baby girl, Marnie — our 2.5 year old rescue dog who happens to be a Jindo mix. And she has become my new favorite model and though she won’t admit it, I know she’s lovin my paparazzi-ness

My cup runneth over with excitement over all the wonderful new things in my life, and I truly feel blessed a million times over. And now that we’ve finally settled into our new surroundings, I’ve got tons of blogging to catch up. And I’m hoping I can get all caught up in the next couple weeks! We are truly excited about all the wonderful things we have in store this year ~ a lineup of gorgeous couples whose weddings we will be documenting — local and overseas — and a very personal “sexy beautiful” project catered to women that I’ll be launching in the next month. Details to come very very soon

But for now, here’s a quick glimpse at our new cuddle buddy and frankly, it feels like I’ve become a mom all over again sans the stretch marks and morning sickness Thank goodness!!!

Ok I admit, sometimes Marnie gets sick of all the photos … hence she gives me shots like this
The loves in my life now total three … and I love them dearly …

My Super Sunday Sale | 2012 Holiday Portrait Session Offer

msam007562 — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 11:05:12 +0000

Midnight Madness, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday & Cyber Monday ~ WOO HOO, it’s a shopping addict’s dream weekend! But I honestly could not decide which special shopping day to celebrate, so I’ve opted for my own Super Sunday holiday sale :) *HOLLA*

I’m excited to share our 2012 Holiday Offer ~ it’s the only time we’ll be offering these awesome mini-portrait sessions and we’ve only got 12 available! And when you purchase now, you’ll get an awesome Gift Certificate that can be used from now until end of 2013. So stock up while supplies last ~ remember, there are only 12 of these babies up for grabs and this awesome deal will only be offered until Dec. 10 Oh and if you wanna add on an awesome canvas wrap, that’s an option too! All the details are listed below.

I believe that every day is filled with moments to embrace + cherish.
I believe that each day should be lived like it’s your last.
I believe that photos are the footprints of life, love + laughter …

And with that said, I truly believe this is the *PERFECT* gift for family, friends and for yourself! And I promise, we will make you laugh at least once during your session I promise.

So contact me at mariesam.sanchez@gmail.com if you’re interested in one of these sessions or if you have any questions. You can also use the contact form link atop this page.

Ok now … READY, SET, GO …

Alejandra + Sean ~ The Power Couple | Studio City Engagement Session

msam007562 — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:42:48 +0000

When we are asked to photograph a couple’s wedding, we always feel honored with the opportunity. When we are asked to photograph a friend’s wedding, it makes me realize twofold how blessed I am to so what I do. Never in a million years would I have guessed when I picked up my first camera, a Canon Rebel XSi, almost three years ago that I would end up being a documenter of love + life. I am so grateful to be able to capture moments like this …

A couple years ago I got an email my friend Alejandra, who I was classmates with at Tetzlaff Middle School — and yes we were on the cheer squad together OH YEAH BABY!!! She spoke of her sweetheart Sean and asked about our wedding photography services, though she let me know that she was not engaged yet. It was something that was inevitable she said. And even then, I could hear the excitement in her words … she had definitely found “the one.” Months later, I got the wonderful news that they were finally engaged and when she asked me to be her wedding photographer I did backflips inside. Not only was she one of the sweetest and fun-loving girls I knew back in middle school, but also because we hadn’t seen each other during all those years in between.

After years and years of being out of touch, except on Facebook LOL, we finally caught up during a fun meeting with her mom at Starbucks to talk all things wedding! Alejandra is a celebrity publicist while Sean works as a sports agent ~ and together they are a gorgeous power couple indeed! And when you see these two together, you know mixed in between their busy schedules, are days filled with lots of fun, love + laughter.

Here are some of our favorite images from their engagement session at their fabulous home in Studio City with a stop at the awesome football field at Harvard-Westlake High School in between … brace yourself, these two are not only fun and good-looking, they are fiercely sexy *RAWR* (And special thanks to Alejandra’s incredibly talented friend, Lindsey Bergfalk, who made sure Ally’s hair + makeup was always picture perfect!!!)

Since Sean is a sports agent, they wanted to implement his love for football into their engagement session. So Ally managed to work her magic and get access to the awesomely manicured Harvard-Westlake football field to add another fun element to their photos.

A girl after my own heart, she managed to even implement “The Heisman” pose into one of the photos … LOVE!!!

Love on the 50-yard line never looked so good

And who said football wasn’t romantic?

And we wrapped the night with a “dream photo” for Sean … his two favorite girls ~ his gorgeous bride Ally posing on top of his Porsche named “Porsha”

Thank you Alejandra + Sean for spending such a fun afternoon with us, we had a blast with you guys! You two are are made for one another

On the Road for a Football Game + a Wedding, But Finally Back Home | Personal

msam007562 — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:12:58 +0000

Tommy and I have been on the move these past couple weeks … for work, for pleasure, with lots of fun and good food in between But we’re finally back home and don’t expect to be traveling again until next year, I think LOL. And until then, I’ve got about a bazillion photos to edit and lots of blog posts to catch up on!

We spent about a week in Maryland earlier in October to visit some of Tommy’s family and yes believe it or not, to watch a Ravens football game! We went to the Ravens vs. Cowboys game and we had awesome seats courtesy of Tommy’s Aunt Loni who is a season ticket holder and a true, die-hard fan. Tommy’s Ravens won by the way in a game that went down to the wire, so it was a great day to enjoy some Sunday afternoon football on the East Coast. I’ll eventually get around to blogging some images from that trip, but for now, here’s a glimpse of me in my first and only Ravens’ gear — Tommy refused to let me go with him to the game unless I was fitted in some purple and black, so here’s what he ended up buying me (Please excuse my look of sass, someone was calling me and it distracted me right when Tommy’s took this photo! I am a terrible model LOL)

A few weeks after our trip to Maryland, we set sail with our teenie bopper daughter Cheyenne for a wonderful trip to Oahu to document the beautiful wedding of Stephanie + Russ in Hau’ula. It was my first time to Hawaii — can you believe it? My family and I are worldwide travelers and we LOVE anywhere tropical but we’ve never made our way to the Hawaiian islands believe it or not. But after spending a fantastic week there, I know for sure it will not be my last trip to that beautiful place. The food, the people, the ocean, the water, the breathtaking views and nature ~ I LOVED LOVED LOVED everything on that island. And because declaring my undying love for something isn’t complete without visual proof, here’s one frame we snapped just a few hours before we left to go back home … it was hard to leave that place *sigh*

Lots more to come on our recent travels in future posts, so stay tuned! Until then Mahalo for visiting my blog and Aloha

Dorian + Simone ~ A Sunset Session On Wedding Eve | Nassau, Bahamas Destination Wedding

msam007562 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 20:03:33 +0000

Earlier this year we had the incredible opportunity to document a special Wedding Eve session in Nassau, Bahamas for one of our wonderful destination wedding couples ~ Dorian + Simone. We had initially planned to do an epic Day-After session with this beautiful pair, but because Dorian was due back in California immediately after the wedding (these two are both busy actors — Dorian is Detective Ruben Robinson on TNT’s Southland!!), they decided to opt for an intimate session before the Wedding Day. So we met up with this lovely twosome at sunset on the Windwhistle Estate, where they had spent the entire week celebrating with their closest friends. We ended up only having about 20 minutes to shoot, but it’s really all we needed to capture the unique love + passion between these two …

When we first got to the estate, we found out Dorian was out running errands and actually got caught in a huge traffic jam. So we took advantage of the delay, and took his gorgeous bride-to-be to their private dock for some bridal portraits … Simone’s lovely dress echoed old Hollywood glamour, and if you can believe this, she did her own hair + makeup ~ isn’t she absolutely stunning???

Doesn’t this image just scream all kinds of zen and relaxation?

Simone is the epitome of grace + beauty with the perfect mixture of delicateness + fierceness ~ I honestly could photograph her all day!

We were afraid we would lose the sun before Dorian arrived, but fortunately he got there with about 10 minutes of sunlight to spare. I love the excitement and high 5′s they shared when they saw one another They went from joyful glee to pure intimate bliss when they took a moment to look at each other and realized they were less than 24 hours away from sharing their vows … tearjerker moments for sure!

Racing for time, we took the last few minutes of sunlight and ran with it … I’m pretty much in love with this next frame …

A beauty like Simone deserves a handsome groom like Dorian … I absolutely ADORE this couple’s style and swagger!!!

Dorian + Simone, thanks once again for letting us capture these wonderful moments you shared on your Wedding Eve! We hope these images always remind you of the excitement and anticipation you felt leading up to your beautiful Wedding Day. Much love and gratitude to you both for letting us share in such a special time in your lives xoxo

We had the wonderful chance to capture this pair’s Wedding Day with video. To catch a glimpse of Dorian + Simone’s exquisite Wedding Day, click here! And for more info on our cinematography + photography services, feel free to contact us using the Contact Form above or email us directly at mariesam.sanchez@gmail.com