Archive for the ‘Diana Miller Photography’ Category

The Couple:  Lisa Alden and Ricardo Gutierrez

Wedding Date:  November 11, 2011

Photography by Diana Miller Photography

Tell us a little about you and your beloved:  We met nine years ago, we have two daughters together (ages 7 and 5) and we are expecting a new baby boy any day. We both love getting away, especially to the beach, where I love to surf and he loves to watch me surf!

What was the most amazing part of your day?  Playing on the beach after the ceremony with the kids.

What else would you like to share about your big day?  IT RAINED!

Ceremony Site:  New Brighton Beach in Santa Cruz

Reception Venue:  Harvey West Reception Hall

Photographer:  Diana Miller Photography 

Caterer:  Family

Cake:  Mellisa Grant Romero

Flowers:  DIY by the Bride

Favors:  DIY by the Bride

Wedding Dress:  David’s Bridal

Bridesmaid Dresses:  JC Penney’s

Hair & Makeup:  DIY by the Bride

Invitations:  DIY by Bride and Groom

DJ/Entertainment/Band:  Family

First Dance Song:  “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz

Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?  Delegation is important or you will drive yourself crazy.

Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance?  No.

Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Social Media Maven, Aimee Carroll.

Photos courtesy of and copyright Diana Miller Photography.

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Another Featured Real Wedding from the Summer/Fall 2012 issue of Real Weddings Magazine loaded to the Real Weddings Magazine Web site…presenting Featured Real Wedding Couple Michelle & John Torres.

Congratulations to Featured Real Wedding Couple Michelle & John Torres who were married on September 10, 2011 at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.

Click here to read their story, see their slideshow of photos from Diana Miller Photography, meet their entire wedding dream team and more!

Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Editor/Publisher Wendy Sipple.

Photos courtesy of Diana Miller Photography.

Check out the Real Weddings Contest Page! Great bridal loot for real Sacramento-area brides!

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Welcome back to another installment of Real Weddings Magazine’s Partner Profiles!

This week we highlight the super talented Diana Miller from Diana Miller Photography. Not only has Diana been taking beautiful photographs in the greater Sacramento area for years, she also been sharing her knowledge by offering very popular photography classes and writing informational articles! Way to go, Diana!

Diana Miller Photography

Tell us a little about your company?  Diana’s passion for photography began as a child in after receiving her first camera at age 10. By the time her first roll of BW film was developed, she had already decided she would become a photographer. After studying photography in high school and accepted to the Art Institute in Pittsburgh, fate brought her into a medical career.

Initially working as an EMT/Firefighter, Diana went on to become a registered nurse (R.N.). After moving to CA and working night shifts in the NICU, Diana took day classes at Sacramento City College studying photography, as well as practicing her technique with friends. She finally opened her doors for business in 1993 and became a full-time photographer. Now in her 18th year of business, Diana is in high demand for her portraiture, weddings and political event photography.

What sets you apart from your competition?  Being an R.N. for 14 years taught me before each job to make a plan, then have a back up plan, be flexible, go with the flow and be fast on your feet when nothing is going according to plan! I am very comfortable working with people and putting them at ease in front of the camera. Two comments I hear a lot from brides is that I brought out so much emotion in their pictures, and that they didn’t even remember us taking most of the photos! We are experienced and know what we are doing. We want to get the pictures you want quickly and get you to your guests so you can enjoy the most special day of your life.

Diana is the past president of the Professional Photographers in Sacramento Valley and was also named “Wedding photographer of the Year”. She has written many articles and teaches classes on photography and was featured in Rangefinder Magazine.

Where do you find inspiration?  Watching the light and how people interact. I love watching people, watching how the ambient light changes the mood and location of where we are, and being inspired by both.

When you opened shop, what was your promise to your customers?  To treat everyone the way I would like to be treated, to give them the best possible service and experience with their wedding photography.

Do you regularly blog? If so, what’s your blog site?  Yes, dianamiller.com/blog

What’s your favorite local restaurant?  Silver Sake and Miso. Two brothers own them so it’s a tie!

What’s your favorite local charity?  Women’s Empowerment. I do volunteer photography for them several times a year.

What is your favorite fun thing to do locally?  Hang out in midtown, visit the Crocker, go bike riding.

Do you have secret vice or indulgence? What is it?  Salt and vinegar chips.

What are you most grateful for in life?  My family.

If you were to plan your own wedding, or re-do your wedding, what elements would be most important to you?  The photography! I got married very young and didn’t put much thought into my photographer. He was very difficult to work with and hardly got any good photos of our wedding. I still regret it after 26 years of marriage!

What advice would you can give to brides and grooms getting married today?  The food is eaten, the cake is gone, the flowers are dead, the dress is packed away. What memories do you have from one of the most important days of your life? What do you have to pass on to your children and grandchildren?

Find out more about Diana Miller by visiting her Web site, Blog, and Facebook Page!

Photos courtesy of Diana Miller Photography.

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The Couple:Vivian Murai and Cary Keaten

Wedding Date:  May 8, 2010

Photography by Diana Miller Photography

Tell us a little about you and your beloved: We are transplants from Michigan and Wyoming who enjoy good food and wine and socializing with our wonderful family and friends. Cary manages a city in the Central Valley, and is an Ironman in his spare time.

I work for a state agency protecting public health and the environment, and for fun I read/meet with my Smarty Pants Book Club and volunteer at SSPCA special events when not kicking back with our almost 15-year old German Shepherd Shiloh.

What was the most amazing part of your day?  Many moments throughout the day were stunningly good, so it’s hard to choose. Here are examples:

My makeup, hair, flowers and dress turned out so well that Cary teared up during the ceremony.

I think another couple of high points for me would have to be seeing everyone as I walked down the aisle, our first dance, the rhyming toast my girlfriends wrote and performed at the reception, and taking the garter off Cary.

Cary’s high points were seeing his future wife walk down the stairs and aisle, and sharing the whole evening with friends and family (especially the eating, drinking and guys brawling over the garter part).

What else would you like to share about your big day?  We were really impressed and ecstatic with all our vendors (adaptable, responsive, high quality), and were glad to see all of our guests and enjoy the night with them. Old traditions were tweaked to be more inclusive thanks to Doug and Dara (Music on the Move).

Ceremony Site:  Delta King Hotel

Reception Venue:  Delta King Hotel

Photographer:  Diana Miller Photography

Videographer: Yautang Yu (Vivian’s Uncle)

Wedding Planner:  Vivian with lots of work from Dara and Doug (Music on the Move) and key assists from Jenny Johnson at the Delta King Hotel

Caterer:  Delta King Hotel

Cake:  River City Cakes

Flowers:  Big Bang Event Design (Amazing Stuff)

Favors:  Silicone wristband

Wedding Dress:  Alfred Angelo

Bridesmaid Dresses:  Nordstrom Rack and Nordstrom

Hair:  Diane Donahue at GS Hair

Makeup:  Shana J Beals

Invitations:  DIY invites from The American Wedding

Reception Place cards by Julie Keaten-Reed with assistance from Russ Keaten-Reed, Rendy Keaten and Cary Keaten.

DJ/Entertainment:  Ceremony Music by George Sheldon of Guitar Landscapes (sound system by Music on the Move)

DJ Doug and Dara of Music on the Move (All the planning help and coordination on the day made it easier for all of the wedding party to enjoy!) Doug and Dara were so flexible and adaptable. They made it go so smoothly – one of my friends said she should have had me work on her wedding!

Honeymoon location:  Hawaii (Big Island and Kauai)

Any other of your wedding vendor(s) you’d like to call out?

Alterations by Kim’s Couture Designs (Thanks, Kim and team!)

Grebitus Jewelry for our wedding bands and making our rings

Chabo’s Jewelry (SF gift Center) for my engagement ring (Thank you Don Toy for this referral.)

East Sac Pet Pals (Deb & Rick) for taking great care of Shiloh on the day of our wedding.

First Dance Song:  Better Together by Jack Johnson

Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?

1) Make sure you take stock periodically on the big day so you will remember how it unfolds. Leave some extra time in the schedule to deal with hiccups.

2) See your loved ones the days before and after because it is almost impossible to see them all during the reception. Drinks the night before and dim sum/open house the day after worked well for us – both were affordable and fun.

3) Do research if budget is an issue for you. I did a lot of window shopping and dress research, and got referrals and checked Web sites for DJs, Florists and Photographers. Your venue will have a short list of folks who know their requirements and routines. Definitely be wow-ed by your florist’s and photographer’s photos before you choose them. Thanks to the Brown House at Loehman’s Plaza for referring me to Big Bang Events.

4) Know that with diligence up front and good communication throughout, it will all work out in the end.

5) Breathe and enjoy the smiles as you walk down the aisle.

Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance?  I wish I could make time go more slowly during the reception so we could have talked with everyone. Other than that, everything seemed wonderful to me.

Photos courtesy of Diana Miller Photography

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We’re so excited that the new issue of Real Weddings Magazine comes out this week!

We’re now working like maniacs to get all of the amazing featured real weddings — both in-book and exclusively online — loaded to our Real Weddings Magazine Web site.

First up…Online Exclusive Real Wedding couple:  Lisa & John Erickson!

Congrats to Lisa and John who were married on March 20, 2010 at Yocha Dehe Golf Club at Cache Creek Casino Resort.

Click here to read their story, see their slideshow of photos from Diana Miller Photography, meet their wedding dream team and more!

Photo courtesy of Diana Miller Photography.

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