Pine Valley Ranch - San Ardo, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Noe + Maria

Noe + Maria are amazing clients, not only because they chose me to photograph their wedding, but also their engagement! Being able to photograph both is such a meaningful experience for me as a photographer because I get to help craft the visual narrative of your story in a cohesive way. Thanks, you two!

The ceremony happened in Gonzales, CA, and the reception took place at Pine Valley Ranch in San Ardo. Both were stunning locations! Great choice, Noe + Maria!

When my wife and I saw the place, we couldn’t help but smile! This was my wife’s first time shooting with me since her injury, so she was over the moon to help design and photograph the flat lay setup. She did amazing!

Noe + Maria were stars, despite the crazy 114 degree weather! That’s really high for us Californians, but these two kept their cool. Everyone stayed hydrated with cold water and had an amazing time, too!

I can’t praise Noe + Maria enough. They listened so well to us and the videographer. We really appreciated it when they took our advice! It was fantastic to watch them see the benefits of our perspectives as the day unfolded.

We made sure to schedule some portraits with the couple at sunset, and OMG we died while shooting them. The light was to die for, and Noe + Maria were so magical! Maria’s dress was absolutely gorgeous! She found it at Trudy Brides.

The reception was just wild in the best way possible. The drinks were flowing, people danced to the Mexican Banda, and they all had a great time.

The DJ had super bright spotlights on the couple during the first dances, which made it impossible to get good exposure on the whole scene, so I ran over to him and asked if he could turn them off while I got my shots. These photos turned out great!

The lighting in general was tricky during the dance because they had huge video panels that were playing videos and photos. The colors were constantly changing, so we repositioned ourselves to get the best lighting and composition.

Believe it or not, the cake weighed 80 pounds! It almost fell over while they were transferring it from the fridge to the barn, but luckily the day was saved. With the cake intact, the couple dove right in!

I’ll be honest: it took us about two whole days to fully recover from this wedding. Our bodies ached, but it was well worth it! Just look at these photos! Thanks so much, Noe + Maria, for letting us have the honor of documenting your special day. We loved every second!

Morro Bay, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - AJ + Ariana

I was in for a glorious treat on AJ + Ariana’s special day because their intimately-sized wedding took place on a boat! It was my first time taking my camera to a sea session, so I was more than thrilled to face any new challenges that came up!

The wedding party prepared at Front Street Inn & Spa, which was less than a quarter mile from the dock. This made things so easy for everyone involved! The transition from land to boat was seamless.

I can’t recommend Chablis Cruises enough for their amazing service. If you’re looking for the perfect intimate wedding venue, you really can’t go wrong with a boat like this! AJ + Ariana definitely made the right choice. This was a venue to remember!

The captain had to guide the boat in a zig-zag pattern to avoid rough waters, so the lighting changed frequently. We didn’t avoid the rough waves entirely, but that was a part of the day’s magic!

I needed to re-frame the shots consistently while photographing, but good coordination and communication with the captain helped out immensely. I can’t wait to do something like this again!

To combat the constantly-changing environment, it was crucial that I used a high shutter speed on my camera. This allowed us to capture crisp images even though I wasn’t nearly as steady as I am on flat ground!

With just their closest friends and family, the event felt truly intimate. I loved all of their theme and style choices. Atomic Blooms went above and beyond, translating AJ + Ariana’s floral dreams into a reality. This couple put so much thought into their special day!

The sun was actually out, unlike a few months ago during their engagement shoot. During that session, the mist and fog were so thick that we could barely see the horizon.

While that session was also amazing, I’m so glad that the weather was different today so that we could have the chance to capture the waves and Morro Rock in the background!

AJ + Ariana, I’m completely floored by how stunning your wedding was. These pictures are worth a million words! Congratulations, and I can’t wait to see what life has in store for you in the future!

Mission San Juan Bautista - San Juan Bautista, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Nick + Sonia

Nestled in the gorgeous San Benito county lies the Mission San Juan Bautista, which was the perfect venue for Nick + Sonia’s wedding! It was an amazing day, and I’m so happy that we got to photograph it!

The day began at Hacienda De Leal, where the bride and groom prepared for their upcoming nuptials. This pretty spot did the bride justice as she and her bridesmaids prepared for the day! A makeup artist from Nelas Studio and Academy made sure that the bride looked stunning.

As always, I made sure to capture amazing detail shots to help the couple remember the little things. We had some harsh light during this part of the day, but we easily solved that by adjusting our positioning in a way that took advantage of the harsh lighting. That way, we still achieved dreamy photos!

The ceremony was breathtaking! The Mission San Juan Bautista really was the perfect place for Nick + Sonia’s wedding. It was so meaningful for the couple and everyone in attendance!

No one could keep smiles off of their faces! The ceremony went so smoothly, and the happy couple looked straight out of a fairy tale.

After the ceremony, we headed to Casa Maria for the reception, where Oscar By Oscar did a fantastic job conjuring Sonia’s decoration dreams into reality. With soft pinks and whites, the reception table sang of refined luxury.

Central Coast Entertainment kept everyone dancing. This shot is one of my favorites! I placed my camera on a tripod and used a long exposure to create an intentional blur. This dance is called “Vibora Del La Mar,” which is a traditional Mexican dance where the people try to knock down the bride and groom while holding hands and dancing in a line. The dance is super fast-paced, and this photo is worth a thousand words!

The guys in particular had a blast! This is why I love my job. I also love it when my clients are open to creative shots like this one! For a fresh angle, I got on the ground and told the guys to pretend to be in a music video. They nailed it!

Nick + Sonia, your wedding was a day to remember! All of your hard work and planning definitely paid off. Since you gave us a timeline of what was to happen two weeks before the wedding, we were able to squeeze out every last drop of fun!

Thanks for being such great clients. You two are an amazing couple and I wish you both the best in your new future together. Congratulations!