October 24, 2017

Engagement at the Griffith Observatory in L.A.: Nancy + Will

October 24, 2017/ Catalyst Wedding Co

We got engaged over Christmas vacation while visiting home (Massachusetts). We were headed to have dinner with his dad when he decided to take me on a little driving tour of his hometown. Little did I know that he was just gathering up courage to pop the question. We park at a quaint little pond and take a walk to the gazebo and that is where he asked. We drive by it every time we go to his Dad's house.

September 11, 2017

Real Couples // A Mod Minimalist Wedding in LA: Lucy + David

September 11, 2017/ Catalyst Wedding Co

I fell in love with David during a 600-mile road trip when he started singing "It's Just My Imagination,” complete with trademarked dance moves. David says he fell in love with me during a 2-hour lost-wallet-scavenger-hunt in which I demonstrated a keen sense of direction, wit, and adventure all at once. I’m not so sure about all that, but we did find his wallet. And four years later, we decided to get married in LA.

Neither of us grew up in LA, but it’s a place where my family has roots and we both have loved ones. That’s what we wanted most for our wedding: to be with as many loved ones as we could possibly manage. We wanted a ceremony that felt authentically us, recognized the many unknowns of the enormous leap we were about to take, and celebrated the love, commitment, and vulnerability that had gotten us this far. We were lucky enough to get all those things on our wedding day, but nothing could have prepared us for the feeling — the sheer and overwhelming joy — of being surrounded by so much love. It was so much more than I know how to put into words.

May 26, 2017

12 Photographers You Need to Follow on Instagram for Nontraditional & Diverse Wedding Inspiration

May 26, 2017/ Catalyst Wedding Co

While wedding websites and blogs are a great destination for inspiration, wedding photographers are the original sources for beautiful wedding images, most of which are never published on blogs, in magazines, or on websites. If you are looking for original, nontraditional, and diverse wedding inspiration — or just a daily dose of love — then do yourself a favor and follow these talented artists:

February 07, 2017

Rockstar Glam Wedding Inspiration in Glendale, California

February 07, 2017/ Catalyst Wedding Co

This modern, edgy, and glam shoot was inspired by punk and rock n' roll with a little bit of sparkle. We paired textures like leather and studs with soft velvet and sequins. These two grooms channel their inner rock stars with fashion-forward outfits and unique hairstyles. A black, red, and silver palette keeps the look edgy yet chic. Lyrics from rock stars like David Bowie and Billy Idol incorporate a love of music. Vertigo event venue in Glendale, California provided the ideal backdrop with brick exterior and a chic and sleek event space.

November 18, 2016

Real Couples // Equinox Engagement: Spring + Jayni

November 18, 2016/ Catalyst Wedding Co

Spring and Jayni have been together six years and just recently got engaged. They met in Silverlake, so the nearby Echo Park Lake seemed like the perfect fit for their photo shoot. Spring proposed to Jayni by orchestrating a choreographed "dance" to try together, starting with them facing opposite directions and when Jayni turned around, Spring was down on one knee. We met for their shoot in Echo Park the day before the Spring Equinox, so the days were getting longer and the sun didn't set 'til 7pm. Spring is a musician, but rather than bring along her guitar, she opted for an adorable (and more portable) red ukulele for a serenade in the park.

November 07, 2016

Real Couples // A Desert-Fabulous Wedding: Jenny + Chris

November 07, 2016/ Catalyst Wedding Co

Jenny and Chris follow their own rules. She works in theater and both of them are whiskey loving, desert obsessed, and all around fun-lovin' folk that aren't afraid to "get a little weird." They DIY'd their entire wedding and used an online calculator to figure out how much booze they need, which they ended up doubling out of fear of running out! Their wedding was a little bit Rock n Roll mixed with desert fabulous. A bunch of guests stayed on site in the cabins (this is where the film crew for old westerns that were filmed at the fake town next door would stay) and partied the night away. Chris constructed the photo booth, they had BBQ ribs and pulled pork, whiskey and lemonade, and some kegs followed by an epic dance party.

October 06, 2016

Behind the Scenes with Lovelit Films // Sabrina & Moira

October 06, 2016/ Catalyst Wedding Co

Sabrina and Moira are a real-life queer Chilean-American couple living in Los Angeles, CA. They met through mutual friends in Portland, OR in 2005. Moira attempted to get Sabrina’s attention several times, but it wasn’t until 5 years later, when the 2010 earthquake hit central Chile that they made a real connection, bonding over their concern for family in the region during the natural disaster. In Moira’s words, “It took an 8.8 earthquake in Chile to get her to notice me!” They fell in love and have been together ever since. This past New Year's Eve, they spontaneously eloped in Hawaii.

September 29, 2016

Wedding Inspiration // Joshua Tree Modern Geometric Lesbian Elopement

September 29, 2016/ Catalyst Wedding Co

The idea for this shoot was to capture the natural beauty of the desert in Joshua Tree alongside the natural beauty of these two gorgeous brides for elopement inspiration. To accentuate the minimal, modern appeal of eloping, we chose dramatic, modern copper geometric accents for the decor contrasted with loose organic florals and plants, and minimally adorned but beautifully draped gowns in black and white. Our models are a real-life couple, Bridget and Kristi, who were planning their own elopement at the time of our shoot!

September 28, 2016

Wedding Elopement Planned and Executed in 6 Hours: Gabby + Callie

September 28, 2016/ Catalyst Wedding Co

Gabby and I were engaged and planning a wedding for November 2016. We had joked about eloping, both of us not wanting a big spectacle, and one morning it became more than a joke. Around 11:00am on a Wednesday morning, it just clicked for both of us. We knew we wanted to get married that day so we jumped off the couch and started scrambling. Seven hours later, with our beautiful daughter and two amazing friends, we were getting married in a little chapel in LA. We had a tiny little cake, a few flowers, a photographer and the clothes we picked out in ten minutes at a Banana Republic on the way. After the short ceremony we went to a restaurant nearby for champagne and dinner.

February 12, 2016

Real Couples // A Hollywood Wedding in New York City: Kalinda + Robbie

February 12, 2016/ Catalyst Wedding Co

Kalinda and Robbie are both Hollywood writers and producers based in LA.Their shared love for film, especially classic old Hollywood, was a huge influence in the design of their wedding. They are a producing powerhouse who weren't afraid of challenging the status quo when planning their unconventional event. The decor of their wedding was cheeky and thematic - an old typewriter as a guest book, table runners made of script pages from their favorite movies, place cards written on vintage movie film, and 1920s film clips playing on a screen overlooking the dance floor.

October 23, 2015

Real Couples // LA Arts District Engagement Session: Alissa + Bethany

October 23, 2015/ Catalyst Wedding Co

Alissa and Bethany traveled from Chicago to LA and while they were in town they wanted to do their engagement photos. They had planned out the shoot months in advance and seeing their style, Elmer knew the Los Angeles Arts District would be perfect — a real LA vibe. At the end of the shoot, they went down to the LA river where you can see all the iconic bridges in the background (if you’ve watched any car commercial it’ll look familiar). The thing that stuck out most to Elmer about Alissa and Bethany was the way they got along together: specifically, how Bethany was happy simply seeing Alissa happy. Bethany is apt to do little things to show Alissa she cared for her.