A special privilege we take so much joy in is when our past clients continue to welcome us into their lives as they embark on a new adventure together – parenthood. It’s something that we don’t take for granted, and we treasure the relationships that come out of what we do for a living!

Niki and Paul’s wedding last year was at Chateau Julien Winery and was absolutely beautiful! (See a glimpse here as featured in Ceremony Magazine). The only thing that could be sweeten that day was the day last week when their baby girl Peyton was born. She is a doll! Here are two sneak peaks into our newborn shoot yesterday. Congrats again to two very special people, now a family of three.

See below for some highlights of their wedding day.

]]> http://mikesteelman.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=3539 0 http://mikesteelman.com/blog/?p=3525 http://mikesteelman.com/blog/?p=3525#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:13:38 +0000 STEELMAN http://mikesteelman.com/blog/?p=3525

One thing we absolutely love to do with our wedding clients is to hang with them before their wedding day. The connections we have and the friendships we build with our clients truly helps us create some of the most beautiful images that we’ve become known for. It really makes for that much more of a great experience! Here are Lisa and Gil, who are getting married tomorrow at the Intercontinental Hotel in Monterey. With Spring season upon us, we’re finding some killer places to shoot around the Monterey Bay! We’ve had the privilege of knowing Lisa and Gil for a long time and it’s such an honor to be a part of their special day! Tomorrow is going to be amazing.

I’m all about being prepared, but sometimes you just have to improvise! (P.S. I LOVE my radio poppers!)

Meet Amber and Erik. These two are absolutely adorable! Their wedding was last week at the Highlands Inn in Carmel, and their love for each other is evident in all of the photos we created! Simply an amazing couple. Here are just a couple teasers for now… Enjoy!

What an amazing wedding Erin and Korey had last Saturday. We’re excited to have been able to help make it the best it can be. Their day was perfect at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa and we can’t wait to get through all of the images. Here are a couple favorites right off the bat. Congratulations again Erin and Korey!

In just under a week from now there will be a union of two hearts.

Erin and Korey will commit their lives to each other, and we are so excited to be a part of their special day! Sure, those are easy words to say, but when it really comes down to it, Gina and I are absolutely stoked to be able to invest in our clients’ lives in such a personal way. There is no other “vendor” on your wedding day that spends more time with you than we do. It’s a definite “Win-Win” when you have a photographer that cares, and I think that’s what genuinely and continually sets us apart. For Erin and Korey’s day, these will be their real life moments, and we are trusted to capture them to cherish for life! Wow. What an honor.

Here are a few shots from their engagement session in Carmel!
We’re so looking forward to an epic wedding weekend with these two!

Congratulations Anthony and Katelynn! You two are beginning a new chapter of amazing moments and happiness together! Thanks for allowing us to share in your joy.

Tonight’s wedding in Pebble Beach and Carmel was amazing.
There were so many details and awesome moments that were shared – we can’t wait to go through them all! For now, here are a few quick favorite teasers to enjoy from Anthony and Katelynn’s special day.

You know how you’re always working to check things off of your to-do list? Do you ever have a couple of those items that just seem to jump from one to-do list to the other and never really get done, no matter how small of a thing it could be? Well, if not, we do for you. One of those bad boys was our facebook fan page, of which we are proud to say has at least been started! So, would you come on over and “like” us? We’d love to connect and keep our relationship going for many years to come. Click the above image and come say hi on our wall!

Happy Valentine’s Day! We hope your day is full of that warm tingly feeling and then some! After nearly 12 years of marriage,
one of our favorite verses reminds us of what love really is: Sacrificial.

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails…
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Go love someone and make a difference!

]]> http://mikesteelman.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=3454 0 http://mikesteelman.com/blog/?p=3409 http://mikesteelman.com/blog/?p=3409#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:00:41 +0000 STEELMAN http://mikesteelman.com/blog/?p=3409

What can we say about Anthony and Katelynn… that they’re awesome? Cause they are!! Working in this industry for years, we’ve been able to meet and work with some of the best vendors on the planet. But what makes it even better is when those people become friends. Anthony and Katelynn are two of those people that we’re blessed to know both professionally and personally. They own and operate Chic Event Rentals and DNA Entertainment, both based out of Monterey, and we work with both companies fairly often. It’s always comforting to know that we get to work with someone we know and trust to help make a bride and groom’s day that much more special.

This time, though, it’s Anthony and Katelynn’s turn. We were honored to be chosen by them to document their most special day coming up this Saturday (we can’t wait!). Several weeks ago we ventured out to capture the love that they share in a casual way. We were blessed with a gorgeous day in Carmel and finished the session off in downtown. Go ahead, take a look – but do me a favor! Take a few seconds to soak up each image by itself and see the beauty. We think you’ll agree that they rocked it!

If any of you know Anthony, then you know this image speaks for itself.

I love how dreamy and freaky (in a good way) trees can be in different seasons!

With the moss hanging, this is one of my (Mike’s) favorites!

Such beautiful light on a beautiful couple…

I love how simple this next image is, when I pulled Anthony and Katelynn off the sidewalk into a tiny walkway.

We’re super excited to share with you that we’ve been published in Ceremony Magazine! Ceremony has been around for many years in Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and this year they’ve introduced their beautiful San Francisco edition (finally!). Our fabulous clients Niki & Paul and Jennie & Dan really shine in the magazine and we’re honored that their images were chosen. (I’ll be sure to blog their weddings in the next few weeks! Of course, there are many vendors that help make a beautiful day work, and we’ll list ‘em all…)

In addition to these two gorgeous weddings, we also have many images of some of our awesome past clients throughout the magazine. The folks at Ceremony really put together a splendid publication, showcasing details and moments that inspire. There’s even a couple floral tablescapes that we did for Ceremony featured in there. Be sure to grab your copy or visit online and enjoy the eye candy.

As a photographer, I have to be ready for anything. I’ve learned to expect the unexpected, and that’s what keeps me on my toes. I love the authenticity of real lives coming together.

Morgan and Jon declared their love and commitment to each other overlooking the beautiful Monterey Bay at the Monterey Plaza Hotel. I can’t express to you how sweet these two are! It was a gorgeous day, starting with sunshine and blue skies and finished with a blessed touch from the heavens. Sure, people got a little wet, but I don’t think anyone minded after what came next. When I saW the rainbow forming, I knew I had to run up the stairs while keeping my giggles to myself. (Can you hear the photographer in me geek out?) Enjoy the images and let me know what you think. Congratulations again Morgan and Jon! It was an awesome day and you looked beautiful indeed.

We’re thankful for you! God bless and enjoy this time with your friends and family.

With our commitment to being available everywhere, it’s a pleasure for us to travel for our clients – from San Francisco to Miami to Hollywood to Boise to Maui, and beyond. That being said, we do have a home studio located in downtown Monterey, and a few weeks ago we had a  “New Location Celebration”. We moved one block away from our old place of nearly 5 years, and wanted to celebrate the move! With the help of some of the best in the area, we had a blast! Of course, there aren’t many photos because I decided to put the camera down (lol) and enjoy the night with friends. I wanted to thank Amy Byrd of Amy Byrd Weddings for her graceful hand in helping it all come together, the absolutely incredible invitations by Brenna from BC Design Studio, the gorgeous flowers from Flowers by Reina, the delicious food from Paradise Catering (yum!), the lighting and more from Chic Event Rentals, the awesome cake by Cakes by Veronica, and amazing wine (and I mean good stuff!) from Bernardus Winery. Thank you to all who helped and were so generous. We had a wonderful time, and can’t wait to do it again! Thank you to all of you who helped. We are blessed to work with some of the absolute best people in the industry. Rock on!

Oh the authenticity of love! One of the best things about doing what I do is that I get the chance to witness one of the most, if not the most, powerful force in the world working in so many other people’s lives. When Laura and Chase let loose a little, I found my face hurting from smiling so much with them. They’re getting married next year in Carmel and I can’t wait for their big day. Here are some favorites from their engagement session at the famous Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove. Enjoy!

Gina and I had the privilege of capturing another couple’s love yesterday at The Hollins House at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz. Elena and Brett’s day was amazing, with the weather cooperating perfectly for a beautiful outdoor ceremony! These two are such a sweet couple, authentically. We had the honor of meeting them at Niki and Paul’s wedding about 6 months ago when Elena was one of Niki’s bridesmaids. (Oh my! I just realized I never blogged their incredible Chateau Julien Wedding! That’s just not right. It’s now on my list….LOL). Here are a few teasers from Elene & Brett’s day yesterday. Congratulations Elena and Brett!! You were amazing.