Since I’m in the business of love I wanted to make a special collection of pictures that showcase the love I’ve captured over the last 3 years…thank you from the bottom of heart for sharing your love with me!
Love,
CJP
I’ve known Marjorie and her family for years; I met them while working with her sassy older sister at a mortgage company, back when I had a grown-up office job. I love all of them and have spent wonderful afternoons eating, drinking, and being merry with them at their family home in Pinole. So when I heard the news of Mar’s (that’s her nickname) engagement to Jon, I was over the moon, because it was so damn obvious to everyone who knows them, meets them, or just passes them on the street that they are madly in love and make each other as happy as two people possibly can.
Mar and Jon both come from large families full of love, and that was totally clear on their wedding day. After attending and shooting their engagement party, I was able to meet much of Jon’s family and see how well the two families were going to blend together! On their wedding day, as tensions and stress can tend to accumulate with so much to accomplish in so little time, it was so sweet to see siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and parents all doing their part and playing their role to help make this merry matrimony happen.
As with most of my brides, Mar confided in me once or twice that she wasn’t sure how the day would turn out, having never done anything like it before. I responded with the same thing I tell all my couples with similar concerns: “It’s going to be perfect, because it’s all about your love for each other. The rest is just icing on the cake… literally. Besides, you’re not supposed to be an expert at this, because that would just mean you got married all the time!”
Despite Mar’s concerns, let me tell you: down to every last detail, their wedding was STUNNING! Her gorgeous beaded Sottero Midgley dress that trailed long and gracefully behind as she made her way down the aisle of St. Paul Church. The fabulous salmon colored bridesmaids dresses on the beautiful bridal party, complemented by the grey tuxedos that Jon and his handsome groomsmen wore. The centerpieces that stood tall on the tables with pastel flowers draping off of them. The cake… can we talk about this gorgeous 4 tiered cake? It was so delicately adorned with detailed designs and colorful flowers; it almost looked too good to eat! All these wonderful aspects and so much more made this wedding perfect in every way and blew everyone’s socks off!
I can’t wait to hear all about their amazing honeymoon to the Virgin Islands (they just got back). Congratulations love birds… we couldn’t be happier for you both!!!
xo,
“You’re my puzzle piece…and not the ones you jam together, I’m talking about the ones that really do fit.” -From their favorite card
True, authentic, deep, passionate, honest, inspiring love. That’s what Xan and Kim have. It’s the kind of love that fills a room… the kind of love you can see all over them.
From the first time Kim and I spoke on the phone, to the bottle of wine the three of us had at our first meeting, to the epic engagement session we had retracing their first date (in case you missed it, here it is: http://173.255.253.231/chloejackman.com/public/kim-xan-romantic-engagement-session-dogpatch-sf/), to the months we spent planning the wedding (mostly them, me just here to help!), to the evening I spent at their new apartment drinking more wine and putting the final touches on their big day, I have been in awe of them and their deep, unwavering, whole-hearted, fearless love for each other. They truly are the perfect puzzle pieces made for one another, and I’m pretty sure that this has been the case for them in every previous life and every one they’ll have after this magical one.
One would naturally assume they’d have an epic wedding to celebrate their epic love, and I’m thrilled to report that they did just that. The whole thing was filled with personal touches that made it oh so them: DIY projects like the vibrant alter Kim made out of pinwheels she cut and folded herself; coffee filters she dyed, strung up and had decorating the walls of their venue; fabulous “Yay” flags; candles made in Xan’s Grandfather’s memory; DELICIOUS homemade honey bourbon that included the secret recipe as a gift to their guests; and adorable cake toppers made from champagne corks by the all talented Laura Beam. Their friends and family put countless hours into making this wedding spectacular. And let’s not forget the food trucks people. I mean, come on… that is a fantastic way to feed your happy and hungry party, because let’s be honest; who doesn’t love a good food truck?
There are so many moments from their wedding that I will always remember and that made me laugh, cry and feel the love, but I will leave most of them for you to discover or re-discover in the images below. The few that I have to mention are:
–When they did their first “not” look before the ceremony: they were very cautious not to see one another and we were all on patrol to make sure that was the case, but we set them up in a door way with their backs to each other so they could only hold hands and hear each other’s voices. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. I watched them comfort and support each other with a few simple words and a few squeezes of hands. And Xan, being the Southern gentleman he is, said farewell with a kiss on his lady’s hand.
–The ceremony itself: Geez… I was tearing up before the music even started, then I looked at Kim who had tears streaming down her face and I lost it! After the procession it was finally just her and her daddy left to walk out into the main room, down the aisle, and into the arms of the man she will love forever. As she entered the room (I can only imagine this but I’m fairly sure), everything faded away and all she could see was him and all he could see was her. In a perfect moment, she mouthed “I love you” to him and he did the same to her. Through tears of joy, all the way down the aisle, they promised their love to one another. Xan, being the gentleman he is, almost made a big boo-boo by reaching down to kiss Kim when she made it to him at the alter…long before the “you may now kiss the bride” line. But never fear, he caught himself and managed to find the patience to wait to kiss his bride until he was told to (and a million more times since then, I’m sure).
Xan and Kim, thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to share this beautiful day with you guys! Congrats on the puppy (let’s schedule a photo session for him soon!), and I can’t wait to see you both, drink more wine, and catch up 
xo,
Yay!!! i love you, friends, family, rainbow unicorn, 48th floor, pinwheels, Texas, South Carolina, food trucks, purple, honey bourbon, sisters, Saint Lucia, sparkly blue, Dia De Los Muertos, bunts, photo booth, Ok Cupid, first “not” look, Yield Wine Bar, i love you, “Gangsters Paradise”, Oxenrose, swing dancing, December 26th, golf cart, you’re my puzzle piece…
