weddings | heidiborgiaphotography.com

The Ramsey

Rain on your wedding day can happen! Even with a slight rain, we will help you make your dreams come true!

The bride’s comments from their day:

….WOW!! The pictures are beautiful!! We are so happy with them! The lighting was perfect….

Back in December, Gerald and Felicia had contacted Weddings in Monterey and Heidi Borgia Photography about helping them with their dream wedding with their toes in the sand in Carmel on the beach. They were coming down for a couple of days with their family from Clovis, California.

As with all of our wedding couples, we have a “plan B” situation in case rain is expected. Just a few days before the wedding we checked the weather forecast and it called for rain. As you may know, rain here on the Monterey Peninsula is very rare, so we were very surprised ourselves and started watching the radar forecast very closely from this point forward.

As you may know, rain here on the Monterey Peninsula is very rare, so we were very surprised ourselves and started watching the radar forecast very closely from this point forward.

A day before the wedding we were chatting with Gerald and Felicia and asked if they would indeed still like to get married with a slight rain. They both had dreamed of this day on the beach in Carmel with their families watching them exchange their vows – rain or no rain.

The day of the wedding we spoke with them multiple times and told them about little “windows” of no rain in this exact spot on the beach hour by hour… we found a time and we went for it. They did have a very slight rain during their wedding but it still worked out perfectly.

Their vows to each other were beautiful and included;

As Maya Angelou wrote, “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” Barbara De Angelis reminds us that “Marriage…. isn’t something you get. It’s something you do. It’s the way you love your partner, every day.

Days like these I am so happy that I always have an assistant with me to help set up my portable lighting – quickly and efficiently as we were beating the rain! By using off camera flash (multiple strobes), we were able to make the scenery pop and not dreary/rainy at all.

They stayed in a local venue at The Monterey Hilton Garden Inn and had dinner with their family to celebrate after at the famous Hog’s Breath Inn in Carmel. Felicia’s beautiful florals were supplied by Swenson and Silacci Florist. The colors in her bouquet were stunning.

A little rain in Carmel on your wedding day – don’t let that stop your dream wedding plans! We are always here for our couples to make anything happen.

Vendor Team

Wedding Planner and Permit: Weddings in Monterey

Officiant: Monterey Wedding Officiant – Brian Borgia

Floral: Swenson & Silacci

Photography: Heidi Borgia Photography

Married on the most romantic day of the year – Valentine’s Day! And being on the top of the cliffs of Big Sur with your closest friends and family watching you exchange your vows. True bliss for these two.

Their attention to detail was perfect! Even the all of the girls in the wedding had matching purses. And her shoes….. total perfection.

To end up the day, they had a fabulous dinner provided by Tarpy’s in Monterey.

Vendor Team:

All inclusive Wedding Planner: www.weddingsinmonterey

Officiant: https://www.montereybayweddingofficiants.com/

Photographer: https://heidiborgiaphotography.com/

Florist: https://swensonandsilacciflowers.com/

Hair and Make Up: https://powersbeautyartistry.com/

Bride’s Dress and Shoes: https://www.davidsbridal.com/

Men’s Apparel: https://www.menswearhouse.com/

Little One’s Apparel: https://www.janieandjack.com/

Dinner Reception: https://www.tarpys.com/

Big Sur Wedding Elopement with Weddings In Monterey

25 years together! Let’s celebrate! Standing in a circle of roses….

Nancy and Raul met back in high school – no kidding! They dated back then and started a family together and now – their gorgeous family wanted to help them celebrate their love of 25 years. She even wore the same wedding dress that she wore 25 years ago!

Weddings in Monterey (Brian the officiant and me the photographer) were thrilled when they reached out to us. Brian wrote them a custom renewal ceremony that brought tears to the eyes. I love hearing people’s stories when it comes to renewals. They have been through the ‘ups and downs’ and their love was clearly shown in the way that they looked at one another.

At the beginning of our session together, they said they really wanted to go in the water at some point – ahhhh… what? Yes! I’m totally game. I love it when a couple wants to venture into the water (I always have waterproof shoes on!). I recommended that we play with the ocean at the end of the session so that her dress stays clean and his pants don’t have that ‘wet’ look. It proved to be a fabulous and fun playful time in the albeit cold Pacific blue.

Thanks for driving all of the way from Arizona for your renewal of vows with your toes in the sand you two! Next time, let’s not wait 25 years but do it again in 5!

Oh, and thank you for the generous $300 tip… so so kind.

Vendor Team

Wedding Planner – Weddings in Monterey – @weddingsinmonterey

Photographer – Heidi Borgia – @heidiborgiaphotography

Officiant – Brian Borgia – @montereyweddingofficiant

Floral – Swenson and Silacci – @swensonsilacciflowers

Location with permit – @weddingsinmonterey

Back in January of this year, Laura reached out to Brian and I to see if we could be a small part of their day with their family. Their dream was to be married with their toes in the sand with their 6 kids present. We made it happen for them and thankfully the pandemic did not de-rail their plans!

We met them at the beautiful Monterey Tides Hotel, which is right on the water in Monterey. We started with a first look…. Laura really wanted to have the sunset drop right behind her as she said her “I do’s”, so we decided to take pictures of the family and the two of them before the actual ceremony. Not all laid out plans work perfectly as it was a little foggy that night and we did not get that idea sunset. We all still had a wonderful time and the kids were fantastic sports. They even brought along their 4 month old puppy.

Thanks so much L and T! Wishing you the best lives together with your adorable family.

Vendor Team

Venue – Monterey Tides Hotel – @montereytides

Photographer – Heidi Borgia – @heidiborgiaphotography

Officiant – Brian Borgia – @montereyweddingofficiant

Back in early June, Melissa reached out to Brian and I with Weddings in Monterey to see if we could assist with officiating and wedding photography. The two of them were going to meld their two families together – they both had children on both sides.

We were thrilled when they found us and what a day we had with them! We started with the ceremony at the gorgeous Hyatt Highlands Inn, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean on a cliff. At their first kiss.. you’ll always hear the “POP” of the champagne cork compliments of the fabulous staff at the hotel. Jessica was spot on as always and served them champagne immediately (Voss for the kids) and a few passed apps.

After the had a moment to revel in it all, we started with their pictures at the arch (flowers done by the amazing Fiona Floral) and then off to Garrapata Big Sur for some memorable moments.

Wishing M and H all the best with their new marriage and family!

Vendor Team

Venue – Highlands Inn – @highlandsinn

Secondary Location – Garrapata in Big Sur

Photographer – Heidi Borgia – @heidiborgiaphotography

Officiant – Brian Borgia – @montereyweddingofficiant

Floral – Lorettas Floral Truck – @la lorettasfloraltruck

This wedding season, due to the pandemic, many couples have been faced with making very hard decisions based upon what is right for them. From deciding to postpone their wedding for a year to changing up their venue location to whittling down their guest list. From the beginning of COVID, I’ve felt for all of my couples having to facing their own situation and the impending question ‘what do we do now?’. I’ve tried my best to listen to each and every situation and lend as much support as humanly possible – inherently they all know what the right call will be for themselves and their family and friends.

This amazing couple that did just that…. meet Caroline and Edward from Florida. They had been on my calendar for months and we tried multiple times to meet before their ceremony, but COVID snuck in and changed plans. Instead, we had to formally meet on zoom and the minute I “e” met them – I was thrilled as they were fabulous and calm, cool and collected. They knew that they for sure were going to be married on their original wedding day of July 18th, but now the question was how to make it happen. Again, they and some of their guests were coming from out of the state.

In two weeks time (no, I’m not kidding) they changed course from a resort in Monterey to a completely different resort in Aptos. Everything worked out perfectly! Seascape Resort was able to accommodate them and their guests in a beautiful ceremony and reception all set outside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The ceremony chairs were 6 feet apart and the reception tables, that normally sit 8-10 were set for four guests only and also set apart. Social distancing at its finest!

It was an honor to be present and fully take in their moments during the day from behind my lens. I’m grateful to see that smaller sized weddings are still possible for our couples and their dreams can still come true!