Planner: Joanne Lue
Photographer: Nirav Patel
Videographer: Amy Hung Films
Venue: Campovida Winery, Hopland, CA
Florists: Meredith Law Design
MU&H: Grace Lin Makeup
Coordinator: Posh and Folk
Live Band: Golden Bell Music
Cake: Flour and Bloom Cakes
Rentals: Encoure Events Rentals
Catering: Elaine Bell Catering
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How Falling in Love is like Owning a Dog
First of all, it’s a big responsibility, especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love. On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security: when you’re walking down the street late at night and you have a leash on love ain’t no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable. Who knows what love could do in its own defense?
On cold winter nights, love is warm. It lies between you and lives and breathes and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs. It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.
Love doesn’t like being left alone for long. But come home and love is always happy to see you. It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life, but you can never be mad at love for long.
Is love good all the time? No! No! Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Love makes messes. Love leaves you little surprises here and there. Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed. Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper and swat love on the nose, not so much to cause pain, just to let love know Don’t you ever do that again!
Sometimes love just wants to go out for a nice long walk. Because love loves exercise. It will run you around the block and leave you panting, breathless. Pull you in different directions at once, or wind itself around and around you until you’re all wound up and you cannot move.
But love makes you meet people wherever you go. People who have nothing in common but love stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back, again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it. And in return, love loves you and never stops.
Taylor Mali
It was late summer last year when Kayla reached out to me on Instagram and told me that she wanted me to make a video of her and her husband as an announcement of their marriage. Her husband, DJ Jones, who plays defensive tackle for the 49er, had a civil wedding (with just two of them and the priest) earlier last year in the beginning of the pandemic. They managed to get married without letting their friends and family know just because the world was in crises and they wanted to wait until the perfect timing to share the good news. October 2020 marks as their one year anniversary for Jones' proposal. Therefore, they decided to make the announcement through a Zoom meeting with their friends and family.
The day I met Kayla and DJ, I immediately felt in love with the two of their fun and vibrant personality. They are perfect for each other. Kayla also rented a vintage car for the shoot. It couldn't be more romantic to be sitting in a vintage car with your love one in the vineyard. Rubino winery is not only beautiful but close to the city, where DJ goes to practice (It's the football season!). At the end of our shoot, as in most of the the fairytale stories, DJ picked up Kayla and kissed her. They both smiled at each other.
Why do you want to capture your wedding on video?
We want to be able to look back on the wedding day as a reminder of our promise to each other, who was there to celebrate with us, and just how the day was in general. I know it’ll go by fast so being able to see the events of the day and feel the emotions on that day again is important.
Why did you pick me?
We liked the drama and artistic quality of your sample videos. The price point was also nice!
How did you meet?
We met through an online dating app called coffee meets bagel. Our first date was at a local cafe, and we both thought the other person was “nice.” I liked Jason’s voice and smile, and Jason felt we hit it off. We went on a few dates before Jason asked me to be his girlfriend, and we took our first out of town trip together after a couple of months to meet his parents in Vegas (they were on their way back to California after visiting jasons sister in Arkansas). Jason and I then planned another trip to Vancouver that same year. Jason says this was when he knew he wanted to marry me.
The proposal.
Jason and I love going to mammoth each year to ski and be in the snow. Jason has a friend with a cabin in mammoth. He and I planned a last minute trip to mammoth with his cousin, and drove up. On the way, he asked if I wanted to stop by Convict Lake, which was very unusual of him. I agreed, and the three of us walked along a snowy trail around the frozen, snow covered lake. When we got to a quiet area, Jason and I walked Toward the edge of the lake, and he got down on his knee to propose. Jasons cousin (best man) took pictures. Afterward, a couple of my friends met with us at the cabin and we enjoyed the weekend.
The venue/s? Why this place above anywhere else?
Wedding ceremony: Mills College Chapel; Reception: Hong Kong East Ocean. Jason and I go up to the Bay Area every Christmas to visit his extended family, and enjoy the sights/ food. We originally wanted to have a civil ceremony at the SF courthouse, but logistically it would have been difficult for our guests. So, we checked out Mills where jasons mom went to college and I fell in love with the space. It’s cozy, unique and peaceful. Jason and I are pretty low key so we identified with this space. The restaurant was close by and the food is good, so we went with that.
What experience do you want to give your guests at the wedding?
We want our guests to feel engaged and as an intimate part of our wedding. I’ve been to many large weddings where the ceremony and reception is more of a show, and I didn’t want that. I prefer to be able to interact more with our guests.