Lake Oak Meadows · Temecula, California

Maristella & Chris

7 October 2018

A lakeside wedding at Lake Oak Meadows in Temecula, California. Dinner outdoors, sunset portraits in the hills, and two very important dogs.

Chapter / JOSHUA TREE · CALIFORNIA

Before the rest of the world arrived.

A separate pre-wedding session in Joshua Tree, California.

Joshua trees beneath white clouds in the California desert.
Maristella and Chris walk hand in hand along a sandy track between desert hills.
Maristella smiles at Chris as they hold each other in warm desert light.
Maristella laughs beside Chris, framed by a narrow gap in the rocks.
Maristella and Chris stand together among sunlit granite boulders.
Maristella smiles as she leans against Chris, photographed in black and white.
Maristella and Chris embrace on a rocky ridge beneath the pink dusk sky.
Maristella and Chris lean their foreheads together, their faces outlined by warm light after dark.

Chapter / LAKE OAK MEADOWS

The dress has company.

The landscape around Lake Oak Meadows in Temecula, seen from above.
Maristella’s wedding dress hangs in a shaft of light against the wooden wall.
White flowers and greenery in the bridal bouquet.
Maristella smiles with a glass in hand beside a timber wall.
Maristella’s face is reflected in a handheld mirror.
A close view of hands during the bridal preparations, in black and white.
Maristella and her bridesmaids raise their glasses outside.
A shaded path winds through the Lake Oak Meadows grounds.
Wedding rings rest in a pool of light.
Chris adjusts his tie in the darkened room.
Chris looks towards the light before the ceremony.
Chris and his groomsmen stand beneath the trees.
One of the couple’s small dogs wears a floral collar.
The back of Maristella’s beaded wedding dress, in black and white.
Maristella looks down and smiles in soft window light, in black and white.
Maristella laughs while finishing her preparations.
Maristella stands in her wedding dress by the window.
Maristella stands outside with a family member before the ceremony.
Maristella leans down to kiss one of the dogs.
Maristella and her bridesmaids gather beneath the trees.

Chapter / BY THE LAKE

The dogs came, too.

Rows of white ceremony chairs line the lakeside lawn, seen from above.
White floral ceremony structures stand beside the water.
Wedding guests gather across the lake at Lake Oak Meadows.
Guests watch the lakeside ceremony, in black and white.
A small dog walks along the aisle with the wedding party.
A woman carries a young child among the wedding guests.
Chris walks towards the ceremony with a family member.
Maristella is escorted down the aisle beside the lake.
Chris wipes his eye as Maristella approaches, in black and white.
Maristella arrives beside Chris during the ceremony, in black and white.
Maristella and Chris join hands at the ceremony.
Family and friends sit around the lakeside ceremony lawn.
Maristella listens to the ceremony with her hand near her face, in black and white.
A woman reads into a microphone during the ceremony.
A guest laughs as she watches the ceremony.
The groomsmen watch the vows, in black and white.
A young boy stands beneath the couple’s joined hands.
Chris looks at Maristella during their vows.
Maristella speaks to Chris during the ceremony.
A close view of the couple’s hands during the exchange of rings.
Maristella and Chris kiss beneath the white ceremony arch.
The newly married couple laugh as they walk back through their guests.
Maristella embraces a guest after the ceremony.
Glasses meet in a toast beneath the trees.
Maristella and Chris cuddle their dogs after the ceremony.
The wedding party gathers beneath the willows.

Chapter / OUTSIDE

A table for everyone.

Long reception tables are arranged in the grounds, seen from above.
Flowers and glassware run along a reception table beneath the trees.
A pale wedding cake is displayed on a wooden table.
Maristella and Chris enter the outdoor reception together.
Chris dances as he enters the reception.
Maristella and Chris take their first dance on the outdoor dance floor.
Chris kisses Maristella as they dance in front of their guests.
Chris embraces a family member during a dance, in black and white.
The couple share a kiss at their reception table.
A man gives a speech beside the reception tables.
Guests listen to the speeches around the outdoor tables.
Maristella and Chris smile together at the table, in black and white.
Guests laugh during a reception speech, in black and white.
Maristella and Chris sit together at the head table, in black and white.
Chris raises his glass during the outdoor reception.

Chapter / TEMECULA

The sun goes behind them.

The couple stand behind a wire fence at the edge of the hills.
Maristella and Chris stand together in the open hills, seen from above.
The couple hold hands as they walk through the grass.
Maristella looks back towards the camera while embracing Chris.
The couple lean together in the fading light, in black and white.
Chris and Maristella walk away through the grass.
Pink clouds hang above the hills behind the couple.
Maristella stands in her wedding dress beneath the sunset sky.
The couple sit together among the rocks.
The couple appear small among the dry hillside and boulders.
Maristella and Chris stand close beneath the evening sky.
A pink cloud glows against the deepening blue sky.
Maristella and Chris are silhouetted in the last light.
Warm light shines between the couple’s faces as they kiss at dusk.

Chapter / AFTER DARK

Still dancing.

A man speaks into a microphone after dark.
Chris leans towards Maristella at the reception table, in black and white.
A woman gives an evening speech, in black and white.
Maristella and Chris laugh together over dinner, in black and white.
Guests gather around the long tables beneath strings of lights.
Maristella and Chris cut their wedding cake together.
Flames flicker at the reception after dark.
Chris dances beside Maristella under the reception lights, in black and white.
The couple dance as Maristella’s hair flies behind her, in black and white.
The couple dance in blue light among their friends.
Friends laugh together on the dance floor, in black and white.
Guests raise their hands beneath strings of lights.
Maristella dances across the pink-lit outdoor floor.
Maristella’s skirt sweeps across the red-lit dance floor.
Friends crowd the blue-lit dance floor.
The reception tables glow under strings of lights after dark.
Maristella and Chris stand close beside the lake after dark.
Maristella and Chris embrace beside the lake under strings of lights.