May 2015 – Ashley dePencier Photography

Monthly Archives: May 2015

Michael and Alycia’s Stockdale Country Club Wedding

Alycia and Michael were married in a beautiful ceremony on the south lawn of Stockdale Country Club. The wedding was intimate, with family and close friends to witness the marriage. Alycia wore a fitted dress with lace detailing, her hair in a classic up do, and her unique ring featuring a teardrop setting surrounded by yellow diamonds. Michael wore a black suit and tie. I especially loved the flower girl dresses worn by her daughters and nieces. The flower details on the belts finished their looks perfectly. Before heading inside to the reception, the couple hosted a cocktail hour on the south lawn with games like cornhole and giant Jenga for the children to play. The pink accents continued inside with a custom candy bar, gorgeous sugar flowers on the cake, and table arrangements full of roses. After cake and toasts, Alycia and Michael danced the night away.

Venue and Flowers: Stockdale Country Club

Styling: Heather with Fairy God Mother

Cake: Couture Cakes

Rentals: Walker Lewis Rents

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Shane and Alyssa’s Engagement Session

I love it when I get to shoot an engagement session on digital and film. Hart Park was a beautiful backdrop for Alyssa and Shane’s photos! I loved their outfit choices as well as their accessories and props! They brought wine bottles and fun hats for us to play with and we had a ball. Their super fun wardrobe and props inspired us to include some engagement session what to wear tips along with their post. You will find our favorite outfit tips and tricks at the bottom of this page. Enjoy Alyssa and Shane’s adorable engagement session photos!

Colors

Soft, ethereal colors are our favorite. Blush, gold, cream, tan, and white look beautiful against any backdrop and in any light. Try to stay away from harsh neons and attention-grabbing hues.

When going dark, pick navy or dark gray over true black. Black often results in a harsh look, while a black-adjacent color will soften the photos and bring the focus back to where it belongs – your face!

Remember that you don’t have to match your partner – just find a color palette that works together. If you need inspiration, check out my Pinterest board for engagement sessions.

Prints

When you are choosing an outfit, solid colors are your best bet. Avoid busy, loud or graphic prints and plaids. If you must have a print, go for something subtle, soft and natural in color. Also, remember to avoid anything with words and prominent logos.

If you are looking for variation, fabric choice can often provide visual interest without taking away from the subject. Trying a mix of fabrics like tulle, silk, denim, wool, and even raingear can create an interesting pattern effect. Find a skirt like Alyssa’s at Blisse Tulle.

Accessories

Accessories are a great place to show off your personality. For guys, we love ties and fun socks, vests, and watches. Boat shoes and boots are fun alternatives to traditional dress shoes, and we love it when the guys bring their cowboy hats. For girls, we like everything from fun jewelry to headbands, hats and scarves. Wedges or heels can dress up a more casual look.

Styling

Don’t be afraid to dress up! Guys, we love a tailored suit look. A great suit will not only add layers, but they flatter all body types. If you are looking for a more casual feel, try a button down with the sleeves pushed up, a nice pair of jeans and some boat shoes. Avoid items like tshirts, as they tend to look flat on camera.
For girls, don’t be afraid to get styled up – we are currently loving the 60’s midi skirt trend with fun heels!

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Jeff and Stephanie’s Park Place Wedding

It is so unusual here in Bakersfield to have a rainy wedding day that I consider it a lucky charm. Jeff and Stephanie were blessed with a beautiful wet and misty February day, and I couldn’t wait to shoot in the soft light. The bridal party got ready at the historic Padre Hotel. The bridesmaids wore Tiffany blue wrap dresses and all had Toms painted with their favorite Disney movie, while the men accessorized their gray suits with burgundy vests and rose boutonnieres. You all know I love a Disney theme, and Stephanie certainly brought that. She wore an Alfred Angelo dress inspired by Sleeping Beauty, with delicate flowers and beading on the bodice. The rain let up for a brief moment, so we were able to take some pictures downtown, but we chased the storm into Shafter and by the time we got to Park Place everything was wet! We improvised and were able to do some fun photos, even using an umbrella as a fun prop to document the rainy day. After the heartfelt (and indoor) ceremony, the rain let up enough to let us take pictures by the gazebo and some gorgeous sunset shots by the water.

Vendors

Dress Shop: Enchanted Bridal Boutique

Dress: Alfred Angelo

Alterations: Mary Rita Nommenson

Getting ready venue: The Padre Hotel

Ceremony/Reception venue: Park Place

Florist: Flower Bar

DJ: Kevin Rush

Cake: Gimme Some Sugar

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Jeffrey and Lacey’s Park Place Almond Wedding

On Lacey and Jeffrey’s wedding day, the almond trees were in full bloom and the air was pleasantly warm; they had picked the perfect date for a Park Place wedding. Jeffrey and Lacey were married at the gazebo in front of their friends and family. Lacey wore a gorgeous mermaid dress with flowers from head to toe, which echoed the blooming almond trees… and her shoes, GUSH! Jeffrey wore a dashing grey suit with a white tie. Their coral, blush, and peach colors were vibrant and full of fun, just like the bride and groom and their bridal party. We had a great time goofing off with everyone and doing group poses, even copying the movie poster for Bridesmaids! We could not have asked for a more fun group of people to photograph in the blooms. The couple celebrated into the night, and Lacey even pulled a prank on Jeffrey during the garter toss…talk about hilarious reaction shots. We were also able to capture some amazing film shots of Lacey and Jeffrey. The couple’s wedding has already been featured on The Knot….just click the Featured badge at the top of our blog to find it!

Wedding Vendors

Venue: Park Place

Flowers: White Oak Florist

DJ: FreeStyle Entertainment

Cake: Tastries

Dress: Ladies and Gents

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