Jacqueline Plaza Photography

*Lucero-California Olive Oil

2012-01-29T23:04:00.000-08:00

Located in the little town of Corning, CA and among other olive groves, is Lucero. I am so excited to have come here! I went twice within three days:0 Its defiantly going to be "the spot" I take visitors to. I love me some good olive oil, and this experience was the best I've had. I never new there was a proper way to taste olive oil. It is much like wine tasting. The Staff at Lucero were knowledgeable, kind and welcoming. Here is a link to their web site where you will find their full story and products to purchase. EVERYTHING is good! You can't make a bad purchase and starting at $4 a bottle, I would say that is pretty affordable. The most amazing combination I had was their Chocolate Olive Oil, ummmm yup, that's what I said....with vanilla ice cream! It makes chocolate tasting ice cream but still looks like vanilla! Truly delicious!!! If you are ever headed up north on I-5, be sure to stop here. It's conveniently located off the freeway. Have a blessed week!

kinda funny;)

3 generations of california olive growers-Dewey with his father and grandfather

its the "new look" here in northern cali. ha ha! -with friends mel and phillip-thanks for visiting! xo

the crusher

gift packaging room

label machine room

tasting room and vanilla ice cream with mandarin orange crushed olive oil-yum!

sampling-first you warm the cup in your hand, then smell it and after taking a sip you make a funny sucking sound which brings out all the different flavors. i LOVE good olive oil!

apart from making olive oils they also blend balsamic vinegars. traditional, blueberry, wild cherry, fig, red apple and peach. all are delicious! love the container? you can purchase a mini one.

among the flavored olive oils is the chocolate. we asked how they did it but its a secret:)

tasting room and store

dwarf olive tree

and dwarf me;)

love this one

and the biggest olive in the world!

Isaiah

2012-01-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

What a sweet, sweet, boy! Isaiah was a delight to work with and at three weeks old, he was very alert and awake for his first photo shoot. Mom and Dad were great and you can see their love for him in these photos!

his favorite book

mommy's doll/pillow when she was a baby

a beautiful crotched heirloom blanket

Happy New Years + Moving

2012-01-16T00:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years!!! I know....it's a little late;) I hope everyone had a great time welcoming 2012. I don't know about you but, I did not make a resolution because let's face it, no one keeps them!!! Why set my self up for disappointment?! Though I didn't set any concrete goals for the the new year it has brought about many exciting, bitter-sweet changes and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us. The last two weeks has consisted of packing, moving and unpacking, with a little bit of tears in between.

Matt, (my husband) was accepted into the Law Enforcement Fish and Game Academy in Northern California. Our family and friends gave a us a beautiful, encouraging good-bye. It was hard to leave home but we are praying the Lord will bring us close to home when Matt starts his new job. But for now, we will enjoy where we are.

As for me and my photography, I had a really great 2011. I have so much to be thankful for and God's provision just continues to amaze me! All the weddings, babies and families shoots were so much fun I"m really excited about my weddings this year! I'll be traveling quite a bit but it will be fun and I'm looking forward to it.

Like I've mentioned before, I enjoy doing more than just photography. Moving gave me an opportunity to re-arrange my decor in different ways. We've been in our new place for about week and since its only 500 sq. ft. it wasn't hard to settle in quickly.....I mean like two days quickly! I love it! It has a cottage feel to it and its just enough room for the two of us.

Storage space is limited so I have to decorate with kitchen things and the occasional deer head;) I love that lil guy!

There is something about putting holes in walls, that are not yours, that makes it easy to commit to doing a picture wall. I still need to swap out the photos in the frames so all the pictures aren't of Matt and I;)

Bath robes in sight makes me feel like I"m in my own little boutique hotel.

Merry CHRISTmas!

2011-12-25T23:15:00.001-08:00

It was such a treat to celebrate Christmas on Sunday this year! Being at church was the perfect way to celebrate "the reason for the season"! I hope that everyone had a lovely time with their family and friends and were able to reflect on Christ, the Savior, being born some 2000 years ago and what that meant for you and me! For reading material on this click here.

To my family and friends, thank you for the gifts you gave me! I felt so spoiled by your generosity! God has truly blessed me by having you in my life! I love you and Merry CHRISTmas! XO!

front

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Eliana

2011-12-19T15:08:00.000-08:00

Eliana was such a sweet bundle of joy! It wasn't hard to get her to smile! I love happy babies! Here are a few of her Christmas photos! Merry Christmas Diaz Family!!!

Saenz Family

2011-12-12T02:45:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, we moved in next door to the Saenz Family and even though we have both moved on since, we have remained good friends! I shot Russell's newborn pictures earlier this year here and now their family Christmas card photos.

Chelsea, I LOVE your family! I miss living next door to you and our morning coffee in pj's and walking the hills (those were killer, especially while pushing the stroller!) but I"m so glad that we are friends and that God crossed our paths! Have a Merry Christmas!!!

Deck the halls.....

2011-12-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry to get this post up so late in the day! I had a last minute photo job that took some time. As I've mentioned before, I love to decorate! This time of year is especially fun with all the Christmas decorations.
The only thing I don't like about Christmas décor is how fun the house looks for a month, and then naked for the next 11 months. Can we keep them up all year?! Please!

before and after

2011-11-28T11:16:00.000-08:00

Good Morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I had three thanksgiving’s this year (smoked, fried and oven roasted) and they were all delicious, but my personal favorite is fried! It was a nice relaxing time with family. I'm so grateful to have them!

I finally found a solution to my entryway mess. These lockers were found on Craigslist. And given a quick coat of paint, they match my decorations year round. I like for things like my purse, keys, and wallets to be accessible, but also hidden from sight. And since there are eight lockers there is room for guests to put their stuff in as well. More photos to come next week with a post of Christmas decorations! I can't wait to start decorating and moving furniture around!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-21T12:54:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I posted how I would love to start shooting with film. I love the look it gives photos and most of my favorite photographers happen to shoot in film. After posting this I had a meeting with one of my 2012 brides and she brought me a gift! How SWEET is she?! She gave me nine rolls of B&W film!

There are so many things I am thankful for and one of them is Nia, for her generosity!

Nia, you are so kind! Your thoughtfulness has really encouraged and motivated me to start practicing shooting film again. I'm so thankful to know you and to work with you this coming year! You are going to make a stunning bride! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Baby Giana

2011-11-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

I love when I get to do a themed shoot! Giana was such a good girl and so sweet!!!

Wedding: Erica and Louis

2011-11-07T01:37:00.000-08:00

There are so many words that come to mind when describing this wedding and one of them is; personality. The shoes say it alone! The couple took such great photos that it was hard to narrow it down to these. My style of photography is classic. The idea of liking something forever rather than for a short time is my reason for this approach. I like my photos to look like I shot with film (which I would love to do again some day) but every now and then I like to throw in a filter for a fun look, not that classic isn't fun too. You will see the difference as you scroll down. The wedding took place at The River Mill. Their gardens were so beautiful and they were well equipped with staff. Its a beautiful location for any event.

Erica and Louis, you are two people who were a joy to work with. You are not only beautiful on the outside but the inside as well. I pray that God would be glorified in your marriage and that you live and long and happy life together. It was an honor to share in this special day with you and I look forward to our trash the dress session!

her shoes were christian louboutin

an old music box for a ring holder

this is probably my favorite of her! you are stunning!

beautiful sunset lighting

Zaldivar Baby

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

I recently photographed a family who just had their 3rd and last baby. After having two girls, a little boy was the perfect addition to their family. He was incredibly alert and pleasant to work with! The sweetest thing about this shoot was that friend gifted it to them! Zaldivar Family, you are such good friends to have someone love you this much! Here is an easy idea for a Christmas card. Take any photo, add a fun filter and some text.

Tomato or Tomatoe

2011-10-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to keep myself busy so I don't have to think about how much I miss Matt while he is gone elk hunting in Colorado. I heard that there was a tomato field in town that was all you can pick because it was in foreclosure. On my way home from a birthday party I saw it being disked so I pulled over and started picking what was left! Ha ha! My friend and I came home and roasted them. You can use it as a spread or pasta sauce.

Recipe:
Slice tomatoes and spread them on a cookie sheet covered in foil paper for easy clean up. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and sprinkle with salt, pepper, sugar, rosemary and thyme. Mix with hands. Cut the top of a garlic head, drizzle with oil and bake for 45-55min at 375 degrees. Puree roasted tomatoes and garlic. I used one garlic head with three cookie sheets worth of tomaotes.

i couldn't decide which "bag" photo i liked more, so i included all of them:)

for dinner we enjoyed trader joe's organic tomato red pepper soup to keep with the tomato theme. on the right is the tomatoes and garlic pureed.

Ten years

2011-10-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I attended my ten year class reunion! Crazy! I feel like high school was just yesterday. Though I would have loved to see so many more people there I had a great time catching up with those who where there. I wish I could find my year book to take a before and after picture of me but oh well.

some of us girls, ten years later and they still look the same

h&m top and rachel roy bottoms

these are the center pieces i made for the tables

Santa Barbara

2011-10-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I visit a place I can see myself living there. This is how I felt about Santa Barbara! Now I just have to convince all my family and friends to move there with me:) It was a nice place to celebrate our Five year wedding anniversary. My goal was to choose a place that both Matt and I would like and so I chose El Capitan Canyon Campground. It was more like glamping than camping. Glamping= Glamourous Camping. If you know my husband you would know that he loves everything outdoors and I love to create a fun atmosphere anywhere we are. It was a perfect place for the two of us. I brought a few personal items to make it feel like home. We had two candle lit dinners in our little cabin, went on a hike,visited downtown Santa Barbara and our favorite part was driving through the beautiful estates in Montecito! You can hardly see house but the gates and landscaping were jaw dropping. We would freak out when we caught a glimpse of a house. They were amazing! I can't wait to go again!!!

we had the queen creekside cabin

i brought my own comforter..... i love white linens:)

i brought our bathrobes to make it feel like we were at a resort

day and night view of the cabin

i had originally booked the canvas tent bc they are so cute but didn't have as much privacy as the cabins did. this would be fun for a girlfriends trip

anthropologie mugs

this is the courthouse....so beautiful and the neat things is that it still functions today as a courthouse. info on it here

views from the top of the courthouses bell clock tower

i love old doors

iPad

2011-10-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

For our five year wedding anniversary, Matt bought me an iPad! He couldnt wait until the 14th to give it to me and I don't blame him. It's so fun. The only thing is that I haven't figured out how to post to my blog using photos. Since my computer is at the apple hospital getting fixed, I will not be able to post:( I will have some of my adventures and projects to share with you soon!

JP

Welcome Fall

2011-10-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a big group of us went up past Sacramento to Apple Hill. It was the perfect outing to kick start my favorite season, Fall! They have activities for all ages and all year long! Check out their site here.

there was hardly any apples left on the trees

i love this time of year

all of us:)

i love his kisses

you can buy food to feed the animals

you can buy food or bring your own.....the trip tip sandwich was so good, i ate it all

the picture on the right has to be my favorite of the day. am i really that heavy:) i look like his kid! ha ha

she totally belongs there

delicious apple doughnuts

if you stick your thumb out, the man will give you a cored and peeled apple for free

$5 poney rides

wow, look at him juggle apples......pretty cool what photoshop can do

this is how we started our day and how we ended it

Happy Fall everyone!

Monique and Alec

2011-09-30T00:26:00.000-07:00

What you see here is a collaborative effort, from friends, to create a memorable and beautiful wedding for two people in love, who's main concern was to honor God in marriage. I not only had the honor to photograph their wedding but the pleasure to plan the entire event! Her only request was that the color scheme include lavendar. For me, it was like a dream come true, to plan another wedding with creative license to do whatever I wanted! I can't even begin to express how much fun it was. I do have to say that it wouldn't have come together so nicely and smoothly without the help of so many people. Days like this one, make me so grateful to have been placed in a genuinely loving church body. We are not perfect and fall short at times but the hearts at FBC truly desire to love one another and others with the same love God showed us. They gave of their time and resources to make this wedding happen!

This is how we planned a wedding on a very low budget

1. She borrowed a dress and had a great seamstress altered it to fit

2. The location was a friends house with an awesome backyard

3. Decorations were pulled from my house and a few other friends

4. We asked specific people to make specific desserts and they were SOOOO good!

5. To go along with the dessert reception theme we served coffee, coffee and coffee. It was iced, blended and hot and oh so good!

6. For music, we had a friend play music from his ipod

7. Lighting was done by a friend who conveniently had everything we needed

8. We spent $150 on all the flowers and made all the arrangements ourselves.

9. Basically everything but the groom's suite and flowers was borrowed or gifted

I want to thank the Goss', Stoppes, Jamie, Janine, Nate, Matt, Mel, the Sheppards, Christina, Taylor, Cassie, Philip, Brandon, Sarah, Karen, Yvonne, the Byrd's, the Doolings and the Dunfees, Diane and Jessica. If I forgot anyone please, leave a shout out in the comments section! Thank you for making this happen!

Matt, Mel and Nate, (my peas and carrots and mashed potatoes), thank you so much for helping me! You guys worked so hard! Love you!

Monique and Alec

2011-09-26T20:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peak of Saturday's wedding. I will post again on Thursday with more details and pictures. It was a sweet day!

this was moments after their first look

Tiffiny & Rudy

2011-09-22T18:19:00.000-07:00

After ten years of dating, Rudy asked Tiffany to be his bride! Their closest friends and family joined them in celebrating their marriage. Tiffany, you looked stunning!!! You were glowing from head to toe! Thank you for being such a wonderful couple to photograph and spend the day with.

dress from mira bridal couture

Happy Monday!

2011-09-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning! This past weekend's wedding was great. My bride looked lovely and I'll have a sneak peak for everyone on Thursday. Which leads me to announce that I will be blogging regularly on Monday's and Thursday's. I'm extremely flattered that I have frequent followers and would love to be consistent in sharing bits and pieces of my life with you. Some of the things that I love and will be sharing are; photography, decorating, fashion, traveling and just life....life that Jesus has so richly blessed me with!

Recently, I went up to Chico, Ca to visit with one of my best chica's. We only had a few hours to catch up so we made the best of it. Having lived in Chico for a little over a year after I graduated high school, I became aquatinted with local shops in the area that were fun to visit again. We started the morning, like all mornings should start..........with coffee:)! Then we followed the smell of fresh basil over to the farmer's market. It was packed with people, fresh fruits, vegetables, bread and my most favorite of all, flowers! They were so beautiful! After popping in and out of a few stores we met a sweet lady at an antique store who let us try on all sorts of beautiful diamond rings and jewelry. One of my favorite pieces she showed us was a 1930's Tiffany's broach that came from Paris. We ended the day like many of our college days would, with In and Out and a shopping trip to TJ Maxx.

Rachie, I had a great time with you! I love you and thank God for you in my life!

here today coffee cart

california organic flowers

miller's bakehouse

on the right, zucchini and vine

country squyres' antiques, downtown chico, ca

my friend and i

Brayson Nichols

2011-09-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

When I arrived to shoot Brayson, his mom told me that at one month old babies start to eat a lot more and are awake for more time in between naps.......well, she was right! After two hours of being with the Nichols, he was awake for the entire shoot until the last 10 minutes and as a result of eating more he peed on all of us at least one time! Ha ha! Mom and Dad, you were so wonderful to work with! And you did an amazing job making all the beanies! Brasyon was such a good baby and a delight to shoot! I hope everyone likes my new floor drops from, Lemon Drop Stop! :)

Labor Day and Guns

2011-09-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed our Labor Day weekend in the Del Puerto Canyon with our church family. It's always a fun and encouraging time. I think there were more guns than men to shoot them. While the boys had fun shooting targets outside us girls relaxed indoors enjoying coffee, desserts and magazines....I took the opportunity to work while in good company and took many breaks to enjoy myself too! Thank you Steve and Rhonda Stoppe for always opening up your home! We LOVE you! Here are a few pictures of the weekend!

the husband....i love you

bateman.stev.jay.matt.stoppe.adam.nate

a beautiful heard of elk.....i wish i had my zoom lens

beautiful skies

playing with you, was the best part of the day:)

SF Wedding: Kristen & Paul

2011-08-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

This lovely wedding took place at St. Ignacious and The Omni Hotel in San Francisco. Kristen and Paul were a joy to spend the day with. I've been blessed to work with the kindest brides. Kristen is the type of girl who is content with anything and has a good attitude towards change. I met Paul for the first time after the ceremony, (it usually does not happen like this) and right away I felt like I'd known him for a while. It was precious to see how he loves Kristen. He is patient and so kind to her and others, it must be his Irish blood:)

i LOVED the lighting in the hotel room

mama shirley was sooooo sweet....i just wanted to hug her every time is saw her

instead of a limo they opted to rent a trolley car to transport us anywhere we wanted:)

so sweet

so pretty

Ava Anneliese Roberts

2011-08-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I took engagement photos of Margo and Justin and now, their precious little girl! Congratulations!

i love the natural look

garage sale find, thanks angela

grandpa's wrangler's and me

thank you for my hat, grandma

and i'm done!

For Grandpa and Grandma Saenz

2011-08-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

"Remember us like this", is what the family wanted to do for grandma and grandpa as they got together to record a time when all the grandkids were all in one place at the same time. After the photo shoot they enjoyed root-beer floats while spending one last evening with family that was moving out of state.

And that's a wrap folks!

Kennedy Meadows

2011-08-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of visiting a place where my husband and his family have been camping at since he was a young boy. Every summer, for a week they would enjoy everything that Kennedy Meadows had to offer. It was so nice to be still and admire the work of God. This is truly a beautiful place.

Wedding: Melinda & Todd

2011-07-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

On the 3rd of July Melinda and Todd exchanged their vows, not only in front of their guest but along with a few hundred spectators on the beach. As she walked down the aisle hotel guest at the pool cheered for her while Todd's eyes were fixed on his beautiful bride. There was no detail left unnoticed. I'm posting quite a few pictures but there are so many more that show all the hard work and love put into this day. Melinda and Todd, you are such a sweet couple! Matt and I truly enjoyed being a part of your wedding day!

Santa Cruz Fun

2011-07-02T00:29:00.000-07:00

Matt and I went on a trip to Santa Cruz to check out lighting for our upcoming wedding at the Dream Inn. After a little work we proceeded to go on a date! We had lunch at a jainky restaurant on the pier because they were serving free calamari with a purchase of an entree....we are suckers for free stuff! After a walk on the pier we made our way over down town to The Abbey Coffee Lounge , the cutest coffee shop ever! Another great place to visit when in Santa Cruz is The Penny Ice Creamery. All their ice cream is made in house and they offer unique flavors that change daily and seasonally. You can try flavors like Strawberry Pink Peppercorn, Grey of Earl or Blueberry Lemon Verbena. You won't be disappointed!

My Love and I

The Abbey

Wedding: Therese and Maik

2011-06-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was a boy from a far away land. Maik and Therese met in high school when he was visiting as a German exchange student. This is when their LOVE story began. They were married in Napa a few weeks ago and it was a lovely union. Therese, you look stunning!

Del Rio Country Club Fashion Flash 2011

2011-06-09T22:50:00.000-07:00

This past week I was invited to photograph Luxurious Swimwear by Aqua Bliss at the Del Rio Women's Invitational Fashion Show. They had great vendors, food and the best DJ in town! Here are few pictures of the fun filled event!

Luxurious Swimwear by Aqua Bliss located at 1315 J Street, Modesto

DJ George with Sounds in Motion and his beautiful wife Erin Doran-Gonzalez owner of four fabulous companies, her newest being Luxurious Swimwear by Aqua Bliss

I don't know why I like this photo, but I do!

Have I mentioned I'm obsessed with brown Italian leather?! If I were a AerogreeN golf shoe I would want to be one of these!

Some of the beautiful details put together by event coordinator Amber Allen from Del Rio Country Club

Quincenera: Vanessa

2011-06-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Vanessa celebrated her 15th birthday. She wore a beautiful white dress with gold embroidery. I loved her simplistic approach to her Quincenera.

Baby Jaxon

2011-05-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

Meet Jaxon! An old friend from high school contacted me to do her son's photos and I had a blast meeting her little guy and catching up with her. This tiny bear was only a week old at the time of the shoot and pretty awake to my surprise. His beanie was purchased on etsy.

The frame shoot: Karis

2011-05-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

When Karis was 7mo old we did a bucket shoot now that she is almost a year older we wanted to do another themed shoot and this is what we came up with. Tia loves you!!!

army men, flowers and a tea party

2011-05-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

This was a mock Ralph Lauren shoot we did just before Easter. I love that Brynn is just like her mom! She is totally girly, yet tough and can keep up with the boys. Brynn was excited to finally move on to her part of the shoot after Austynn's. As I was getting ready to leave she said, "Tia, thank you for my photo shoot." Brynn,....de nada, te quiero mucho!!!

Baby: Austynn

2011-05-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

When your close friends have kids you love them like family. That is why this precious little girl will know me as Tia! We were all praying that she would recover quickly from being ill and when she finally made it home from the hospital we were able to get these shots. Her beautiful, big blue eyes just popped against the blue streaks of yarn in her beanie. I LOVE you little girl!

Wedding: Natalie & Shane

2011-05-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

Natalie and Shane were such a fun couple to photograph. San Francisco is a very special place for the two of them. This is where Shane proposed to Natalie and where they eventually became husband and wife.

personal: a royal affair

2011-04-29T00:38:00.000-07:00

Its always fun to get together with the girls and have a little fun:)

Grad: Vanessa

2011-04-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I was a little nervous to take my cousins pictures because she's a little on the shy side. But to my surprise, she was so comfortable in front of the camera. Vanessa is smart, sweet, beautiful and very talented. She is graduating this spring and continuing her education at a private christian college. And did I mention on a full ride scholarship playing basketball?!!! Vanessa- we are all so excited for you and I can't wait to see what God does in your life!

Jessica + Joel

2011-04-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

I was so excited when the carnival came to town and Joel and Jessica gladly accepted to be a part of this styled shoot. They were a great fit for this look! With their wedding around the corner, they still needed engagement photos and I needed a reason to do what I love.....photography and styling! The dress was from Forever21, the belt and bracelets from Jcrew.

This one looks like it can be in a Athropologie magazine

Baby Austynn: b&w

2011-03-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

Russell Peter

2011-02-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Lil Russell was such a good sport when it came time to posing him. Almost too old to let us maneuver him how we wanted. He was two and half weeks old at the time of the shoot. His little owl beanie, made by Monkey Toe Designs, was the perfect accessory!

DIY wedding: Kayla and Estevan

2011-02-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

The secret to creating a beautiful, budget friendly wedding is family and friends that LOVE you. Thank God for this! This wedding came together for less than $8000 and included all of this : ceremony and reception site, all food and beverages, favors, table decorations, cake, invitations, photography, the wedding dress, hotel rooms(for bridal party and helpers) and rentals.
Many of the ideas were found at oncewed.com.

The party favors were an assortment of green candy to keep with the green and coral them. They were wrapped with little plastic bags. A personalized stamp was used through out the wedding details. A belt from JCREW was attached to the dress to add some colorful detail. For an inexpensive way to do invitations find a friend that is computer savvy and print them on your home computer or on an online printing company. To save on paper and postage, create an email account for guest to let you know whether they can attend or not.

The bridesmaids dresses were bought at the jcrew outlet and the wedding bouquet was put together using an artificial hydrangea and a few live roses and mums.

Her dad etched their monogram into an old window that was given to them. The bride collected many different kinds of glass bottles and cut manzanita branches off her dad's property to create her center pieces. Friends came together to make these tissue paper flowers. A 300 yard roll of Burlap was purchased to cover all of the tables.

Again her dad was able to create another creative solution for a cake stand out of wood stumps. The cupcakes were made by a lady in Modesto (back to you on her name). They were delicious!

The reception was held at the Sonora Opera Hall. The bridal party stayed next door at the cute Gunn House Hotel.

A guest sign in photo booth and a popcorn station was set up to entertain guest while the bridal party was shooting off location. Friends were more than willing to operate each station.

Friends came together to create a delicious menu and dinner for the 250 guests. A handful of people made a variety of cookies to be enjoyed before dinner! I LOVE dessert before dinner!

The happy couple!

Mr. Estevan & Kayla Atkinson

Upchruch Family

2011-01-24T12:09:00.000-08:00

I've known the Upchurch Family for more than 15 years. When Derek contacted me from Virginia to shoot his family photos when visiting California for the Christmas Season I was excited to meet his new baby and of course, see an old friend and his wife. The photo shoot was done on the grounds of Diablo Grande Gold and Country Club in Patterson, CA. Thank you for choosing Photography by Jacqueline Plaza

days

2010-12-21T00:27:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege of shooting the Days family for the second time! Stephanie's contagious smile, Rj's good attitude, the boys' charm and Levi's cooperation made for a wonderful winter shoot! OK, I lied about the dog! Ha ha! Days, you are a beautiful family! Have a Merry Christmas and thank you for choosing Photography by: Jacqueline Plaza!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-17T22:30:00.000-08:00

photo taken by: self timer

jacob ryan: 2months

2010-12-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

It was so precious to see mommy and daddy so in LOVE with Jacob. Thank you for choosing Photography by: Jacqueline Plaza

Date Night

2010-12-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

Our date night usually start like this....a little hole in the wall Chinese food place in Turlock (the best teriyaki sauce ever!) and then Borders! I know, super boring but we love it!!!

Last night we skipped Borders and bought our Christmas tree, made the best hot chocolate ever, put Christmas music on and decorated our little house! It was so much fun!

Before and After

One of my favorite pass times is to decorate so when Christmas comes around I totally take advantage and decorate the whole house...even the bathroom! ha ha!

happiness... in a little red cup

2010-12-04T11:39:00.000-08:00

Its the little things in life that get me excited and this little red cup is one of them. I couldn't wait until Starbucks released their Christmas cup for the season and when I saw a friend holding one I sped up to the coffee shop and ordered my drink through the drive thru window. When the lady handed me my drink in white cup it was like someone telling me that Jesus wasn't real, (which he totally is! I'm living proof and so are you) I was soooooo sad!!! I really didn't even want the drink. I just wanted to hold a cute red cup! So the next time I went I asked if I could get my drink in a RED cup and they paused for a moment and said ahhh I guess! What is this???? Why can't I get that little red cup I see everyone else holding but me! I asked why it was a problem when I went up to the window and they said they were trying to get rid of all their white cups. Ok, so I thought this is a drive thru thing. So Black Friday rolls around and what is a more perfect way to start the crazy morning off than with a little Starbucks? I told my sister Monica that we needed to go inside to ensure that we would get the RED cup. After we ordered our drinks and got into the car I notice that they gave me a white cup!!! Why can't I get a stinking red cup?

So a few days ago I came home from being in SF all day and Matt, the sweetest person ever, had a wonderful surprise waiting for me!!! Yup, 12 little red cups of happiness:) He is the best! Before this on the night of Black Friday, when my brother Aaron heard of this maddness he asked for an extra RED cup for me:) Aaron---Thanks buddy! You and your bro are so thoughtful! I love you guys!

Sunset

2010-11-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

This weekend Matt and I had the pleasure to spend time with good friends, Tim and Laura Knapp! They showed us around their favorite spots when visiting Santa Cruz. Among these were the antique and farmer's market and The Natural Bridges State Beach. We were able to see the Monarch Butterflies that visit from October through February. I was not able to get a great photo of them with my small camera but it is a beautiful site to see. After exiting the park we watched the sunset. It was a wonderful day of fun, nice weather and beautiful sites! Thanks Knapps!

ZAHRA BABY

2010-11-10T10:38:00.000-08:00

Meet Marie and Zahra, who is still cooking in mama's belly. Marie is a family friend, who we love so much! I was so excited when she asked if I could take belly shots of her while on her trip home from Chicago. Marie, safe travels home. We are praying for you and your new family. Can't wait to meet Zahra next year! Love you.

Making the most of it

2010-10-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of Matt and I on our anniversary trip. For the first time, we drove on CA-1 from Monterey to Cambria and it was beautiful! We have an amazing coastline! While in Cambria, we visited The Hearst Castle. It was pretty awesome and I can't wait to go back for another tour. Despite me being ill, we made the most of it and had a great time! Check out the whole album on Facebook!

Happy four year anniversary babe!

2010-10-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Matthew, you are my favorite person in this world! I'm blessed to be your wife! xoxo

We had so much fun!

Oh happy night!

2010-10-13T18:47:00.000-07:00

I was so excited when I got the mail today to see a few of my favorite magazines come. All I need is a warm cup of Abuelita, my magazines and its a happy night!

Linda & Declan, SF

2010-10-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

2010-10-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

Mia+Jared . 10.02.10 . Vernalis, CA

2010-10-06T22:15:00.000-07:00

The Kiddy Kats!

2010-09-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that they are all grown up! It felt like yesterday that my sister had her first baby...Kayla and now she is a freshman in high school! They are all so precious to me!

My little niece Natalia

2010-09-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

The Bucket Shoot: Karis Hart

2010-09-28T22:35:00.000-07:00

My best friend Meredith was visiting from L.A. with her daughter Karis Hart and we decided to do a 7month photo shoot. I am always hesitant to do baby/toddler shoots because its sometimes hard to get them to do what you want them to. Not this little girl..... she is all smiles! Cannot wait to see them again!

My First Blog

2010-09-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Jackie Plaza. Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you enjoy my posts!