Some final tips for your winter Weddings in Southern California
Some final tips and advice for your winter wedding to wrap up this 4 part series.
While Southern California may not be subjected to blizzard like conditions or freezing temperatures, keep in mind that it may get cool for your guests. With many locations offering outdoor facilities for your wedding ceremony, here are a few suggestions for keeping warm and safe at your wedding:
- Provide your guests with warm beverages prior to the ceremony such as hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate. It helps them stay warm.
- If your facility offers portable heaters, make sure you know the cost to rent them and if they can be made available for your event should you require them.
- If your wedding and reception are outdoors and you discover it’s suppose to rain (or snow) on your wedding day, make sure you check to see if your facility rents or offers tents. If not, have ready the number of a few event tent suppliers in case you have to make that call early in the day.
- If it has rained the night before or in the morning prior to your wedding and you’ll be walking on grass or a slippery surface, make sure you check it out and walk it a few times to insure you won’t slip and fall.
- For your veil, carry small weights to attach to the end of them in the event of winds, especially the Santa Ana winds. Small weights can be fishing weights. Be sure to daub a little white paint or white nail polish on them so that they blend in with the veil.
In the end, make sure you have an emergency plan for sever winter weather. If you plan right, you will be sure to have a memorable winter wedding.
Capturing engagement photos in Los Angeles is almost like fishing in a well stocked lake, it’s almost effortless. There are so many spots to take engagement photos in the city center and surrounding areas. This weeks engagement photography location of the week takes us to downtown Los Angeles. The main photo in this post was taken atop an apartment complex off of Figeuroa Street in Downtown LA.. Fortunately, the couple lived in the complex and we didn’t ask permission to go on top. The only thing I wished I had was a flash light as I was looking around my photo gadget bag for my lenses. In other words, if you’re going to take photos atop of any building, you should take a long a flashlight. I found many opportunities to capture this couple in and around the building.
Engagement Photography in Los Angeles
In the black and white photo, I used the stairwell in the building to create an “after hours” mood where the couple rendezvoused in the stairwell for a private moment. I like to tell stories when it comes to engagement photography. I think the couples get more out of it, at least more than just a nice photo of them in a park somewhere.
I have a very short list of suggested spots to take your engagement photography. I have provided a link to the sites I could find online. Some of the pages have photos to give you an idea of what the place looks like so you can plan your shoot. In addition, you can get the addresses so you can get driving directions.
L.A. area Engagement Photography Locations:
- The Music Center (link is to the directions page)
- Anywhere in downtwon L.A. where there are building backgrounds
- In front of city hall on Spring Street
- The Central Library on 5th Street(very nice to grab a few images there)
- China Town (my personal favorite)
- Union station (link is to wikipedia and info about Unison Station with some photos)
- Olivera Street (when it’s crowded)
- In front of the Coliseum
- USC (My alma mater - many great spots on the campus - try Mudd Hall of Philosophy)
This weeks wedding photo and wedding site is Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula. Located off of Rancho California Rd in Temecula, I have had the several opportunities to photograph weddings at this particular winery both prior to the addition of the new building and after the new reception facility. It’s like night and day. The new facility offers so much more opportunity for capturing wedding photos than what they use to have: a trailer. Actually, Wilson Creek Winery is perhaps one of my most favorite locations to photograph in wine country, Temecula.
Wedding Photography at Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula
The new facility also allows for ariel photos of the outdoor reception area (as a side note, they do have indoor reception facilities as well). I have found the staff to be friendly and accommodating as well. They do allow the bride and groom along with the wedding photographer to take photos in the vineyards. I mention this since I have had some issues with other vineyards in the area. In addition, if you are planning on an engagement photography session, they will also take you up in to the vineyards on a different date. (But you will want to check with them to make sure. I know I have done this, but you may want to let them know this is your intent should you want engagement photos at the winery).
You can view images of a wedding I photographed at Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula by visiting my Southern California Wedding Photographer gallery on my photography site. In addition, I have added some of the facility information for the winery below. You can also visit their website for more information on weddings at Wilson Creek. If for some reason their site is not working, I have added their contact information below the facilities list as well as a link to a map of the area.
Facilities information for Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula:
- Use of our facilities from 10am-2pm (or end at 3pm in the lower garden) or 5:30pm -10:30pm
- Select from one of our unique wedding and ceremony locations
- Champagne Ballroom and white wood wedding gazebo adorned with hanging fresh flower pots
- Intimate Barrel Room and Vineyard View ceremony site
- Merlot Mesa for your wedding and/or reception
- A Wilson Creek Event Coordinator and a Banquet Captain will assist you in making your dream wedding become a reality
- Beautifully landscaped gardens with fountains, creek and trees available for photo memories
- Outdoor torches, and ambient night lighting, including uplights and spotlights
- Air-conditioned bridal suite with private restroom- Grooms suite after May 2008
- 60” round or 72” round tables that seat 8 and 10 guests respectively, deluxe padded white resin chairs, banquet tables and gift tables
- Premium white damask floor length table linens with your choice of standard napkin colors
- Wedding cake table or use of our rustic wine barrel
- China, utensils, water glasses, wine glass, champagne flutes
- Outdoor patio heaters or Umbrellas with wine barrel base if required
- Silver or gold chargers, candle centerpieces, votive candles, sheppard hook with lantern isle décor (upon request)
- Gift Shop opened upon request- all your guests receive a 10% discount on purchases
- Our famous Wilson Creek Almond Champagne served at the wedding rehearsal to start your wedding weekend off festive and fun!
Temecula Creek Winery Contact Info:
35960 Rancho California Rd., Temecula, CA 92591
951.699.WINE (9463) | info@wilsoncreekwinery.com
