The other night I was hanging out in my future neighborhood in Huntington Beach.  The hip Bella Terra Mall held had an event themed “Vegas Nights” with lots of fun games, entertainment, music, and food.  Here’s some of my favorite pictures!

Location:  Bella Terra Shopping Center, Huntington Beach
Photobooth: Photoboothless
Band: The Devious Means
Zen Arts performers: roaming tux guys, burlesque style Vegas girls

I was introduced to Vanessa and Ephraim a week ago as they were wrapping up plans for their wedding.  Since they were having a really hard time finding a photographer they loved… they were kinda stuck and running out of time.  Lucky for me, their wedding planner Kat Keane passed along my info and they instantly felt we were a great fit!   This past Thursday they were surrounded by their closest family as they said their vows and celebrated amongst the beautiful gardens.  Here’s a few of my favorite pictures!

The Dream Team
Wedding Planner: Kat Keane
Photography: SherriJ Photography, lead SherriJ Fuller, second photographer Kathryn Colby
Florist: Dolce Design Studio
Reception Band: Blue Note Jazz
Emcee: Freelance DJ Service Ron Zapata
Catering: Taste Restaurant
Dessert: Cupcakes Couture of Manhattan Beach

Leaving the studio this week is Marissa and Tyler’s beautiful wedding album.  The book is 12×12″ with a grey leather cover and photo cameo featuring one of their favorite images from her wedding day!  Also photographed is a custom double disc of wedding images.  I can’t wait for Marissa and Tyler to get their book!

Change is often times a good thing.  Today, I want to share a personal post about a big change in my life that’s going to be Awesome!  After spending the past 2.5+ years in Santa Monica, my hubs and I are moving down south, 46 miles to Orange County!  More specifically to Huntington Beach.

Here’s a little back story about us:  My husband Mat is a super talented guy.  He’s been doing Visual Effects for almost a decade now.  One of the greatest things about his career is that he can pretty much do his stuff anywhere in the world.  (CLICK HERE to check out some of his post production and directing work!)  As for me,  I travel all over Southern California area photographing weddings, mostly between Santa Barbara to San Diego.  The only reason we haven’t moved before, was because we thought “change” meant moving to Hawaii.  We considered it, but after spending the past 4 years building my business in California, I wasn’t really hip to that idea.  We both love living by the beach, doing outdoorsy stuff like hiking, camping, taking road trips, going to the theater, and trying new food.  We recently got married last year in October and things have been just dandy ever since!

I’m not exactly sure when the turning point was for us.  Maybe it was the stack of Santa Monica parking violations piling up, our outdated kitchen with tile countertops, or having to share the same office space in our small 900 square foot apartment.  On the other hand, the biggest plus was definitely location.  We’re 2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean,  1 block off Main Street, and just a couple blocks off the 10.  Gradually, the negatives started to outweigh the positives, so we finally decided it was time to move onward and upward!

After searching online for a few days, (WestSide Rentals, Craigslist, and Zillow) we found the most adorable beachside cottage!  The house is a fully renovated cottage built in 1916 with tons of charm!  It has everything we could possibly want and some things we never knew we wanted.  Some cool features:  a chef’s kitchen with top of the line appliance, granite counter tops, a clawfoot tub, hardwood floors, a wood-burning fireplace, free laundry (no more quarters!!), custom built-ins throughout, and a 2 car garage with +2 extra spots!  The house has been used as a vacation rental, so it comes with some furniture if we would like it!  (Yes please!)  Some outside features include great curb appeal!  The house is yellow, with a red door, and a white picket fence!  There is a patio, a yard, a garden with blooming flowers, fruit trees (lemon, lime, figs, avocado!), a birdbath fountain, and 2 outdoor areas for dining el fresco.  There are also windows on every side of the house letting in lots of natural light!   It just keeps getting better and better, right~?!  These are all great features, on top of the fact it’s right in the heart of downtown Huntington Beach.  We’re 8 blocks from the beach, right off Main Street (again), close to a park, and in a neighborhood with other adorable houses and mature trees!

I’m super excited about this new chapter in our lives!   I’ll be posting some updates over the next few weeks, so check back if you’re curious!  For now, all I can do is imagine what our new life will be like… gazing upon this picture I snagged off Google Maps.  =)

Today, I’d like to share a post with my fellow wedding photographers out there.  Have you ever wondered how you can promote your images to venues, so it’s a win win situation for both your business and the venue?  This is one thing I’ve struggled with, and thanks to Edibooks, I have finally found a great solution!   Edi books offers 3 different kinds of mini albums, with choices on covers, colors, textures, and binding.  I personally like the 5.75″x9.75″ Matchbook with 12 pages.  Pictured below are a few of my new mini albums ready to ship out to their corresponding venues!  Hopefully future couples will see something they like.  =)

Gina and Issy had a beautiful intimate ceremony overlooking the beach at the Long Beach Art Museum this past weekend.  Unlike most of my couples, Gina booked me for her wedding over the phone, without ever meeting me in person.  One of her first questions to me was if I have photographed an older couple before followed by her second question if I had ever photographed a Jewish wedding before….  After sharing some samples, she felt confident we were a great match and I’m so glad she did!   Gina would describe her wedding as “untraditional” with a mix of bright colors of yellow, blue, and pinks.  She wore a navy evening gown with crystal beading and Issy wore a suit.  Here’s some of my favorite pictures from their day!

Creative Team
Photography: Lead Photographer Sherri J Fuller, first assistant Kristine Ko
Flowers: Bride and Bloom
DJ: Scott Goers
Makeup: Something New

Today, I’d like to share a post with my fellow wedding photographers out there.  Have you ever wondered how you can promote your images to venues, so it’s a win win situation for both your business and the venue?  This is one thing I’ve struggled with, and thanks toEdibooks, I have finally found a great solution!   Edi books offers 3 different kinds of mini albums, with choices on covers, colors, textures, and binding.  I personally like the 5.75″x9.75″ Matchbook with 12 pages.  Pictured below are a few of my new mini albums ready to ship out to their corresponding venues!  Hopefully future couples will see something they like.  =)

This weekend I had the great pleasure of photographing Adrian and Michael’s wedding at the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood.  You might remember these two from their engagement session at the Griffith Observatory back in September.  (You can CLICK HERE to see those pictures.)  When they first met with me, the vision for their wedding included a contemporary approach with their close friends and family around them to celebrate their love for each other.  They wanted the day to be “one big party!” with great music and great drinks.  Alas, things did end up perfect and I think the day was just as they envisioned!  Below are some of my favorite pictures from their day!

The Team
Coordinator: Tiffany Pitoun
Photography: SherriJ Photography, lead Sherri J Fuller, 2nd shooter Kristine Ko
DJ and Lighting: DJ Roderick, Vox DJs
Florist: Joy Myerscough
Cupcakes: Sprinkles Cupcakes, Beverly Hills, CA
Invites/Printed Material: Print Spot, Monterey Park, CA
Grooms’ Attire (Suits/Shirts): Hugo Boss Beverly Hills

Today, I want to introduce you to my first clients of 2013: Ashley and Donnie.  They booked me at the begining of the year for their wedding next May.  Ashley is a graphic designer/ marketer who is planing on mixing Old World Charm and fun elements of Disneyland for her wedding.  I must also say I’m also extra excited because Ashley will also be my first Hindu bride, with the amazing traditional gown and all!   When she told me her favorite color was purple, I knew she was the perfect candidate for a location I’ve been wanting to photograph for a long while  This past weekend, we headed to Temecula for a perfect mix of color, culture, and cuteness at an amazing lavender field at Keys Creek Lavender Farm.

UPDATE: This session has been published on Engaged and Inspired on July 29th, 2012.