Archive for the ‘Fisher Photography’ Category

The Couple:  Cynthia Lucero-Obusan and Oliver Obusan

Wedding Date:  June 2, 2012

Photography by Fisher Photography

Tell us a little about you and your beloved:  Cynthia was born and raised in San Jose, CA. Oliver is from a small town called Talisay in the Philippines and moved to the U.S. in the fall of 2008. Oliver and Cynthia met in May 2010 at an Asian Pacific Heritage Event at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto where Cynthia works as a public health physician and Oliver as on occupational therapist. Although not of Filipino decent, Cynthia has been dancing as a semi-professional Filipino folk dancer for more than 15 years and after seeing Oliver perform at the event she approached him to join her dance company. Romance blossomed instead, although Oliver eventually ended up joining the dance company after finishing his master’s degree in 2012. In addition to dancing, the couple enjoys traveling, hiking, camping, tennis and their 18-month-old Siberian Husky, “Cyber.”

What was the most amazing part of your day?  The most special part of the day was our nuptial mass which incorporated the Filipino traditions of the veil, cord and coin ceremonies and was officiated by Cynthia’s cousin with music by members of Cynthia’s church choir. Other highlights were our beautiful reception venue, the amazing food and cake which our guests raved about, and special performances by the couple’s dance company, LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble, which included live string music during the cocktail hour and a dance presentation during the reception.

What else would you like to share about your big day?  The flowers were absolutely amazing…especially the bouquets which were gorgeous and incorporated our wedding theme of “poppies.” In fairness, all of the flowers were fabulous… better than we ever imagined! The DJ was great and the photo booth was the most popular place to be outside of the dance floor. After dinner, the groom changed into a Barong Tagalog (traditional Filipino dress shirt) and the bride into a dancing dress before unveiling a specially choreographed first dance. The rehearsal dinner was held the night before in the beautiful glass lobby of Oshman Family Jewish Community Center Cultural Arts Hall in Palo Alto and guests were treated to delicious Filipino cuisine from Tastebuds of San Bruno.

Ceremony Site:  St. Nicholas Catholic Church

Reception Venue & Caterer:  Fremont Hills Country Club

Photographer:  Fisher Photography

Videographer:  Slava Basovich Weddings

Wedding Planner:  The Test of Time Weddings

Cake:  Beverly’s Bakeshop

Flowers:  Petals & Posy

Favors:  Favor Bags by Paper Supply of Grace Graphics and Wildflower Photo Glass Coasters by The Knot Wedding Shop

Wedding Dress:  Brides Against Breast Cancer Tour of Gowns

Bridesmaid Dresses:  Elegant Lace Bridal

Hair:  Shaida Locascio from Krush Salon

Makeup:  Rebecca Duggan

Invitations:  Sincerely Yours Events, Inc. with Calligraphy by Lisa’s Lovely Calligraphy

DJ:  Cope Entertainment

Entertainment:  LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble

Band:  LIKHA Rondalla

Photo Booth:  Amaze Studios

Honeymoon location:  We took a five day mini-honeymoon to Oahu, Hawaii, and are currently planning a bigger dream honeymoon for later this fall.

Any other of your wedding vendor(s) you’d like to call out?  (1) HeirloomDVD: by Memory Gardener; (2) Rehearsal Dinner Venue: Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, Palo Alto; (3) Rehearsal Dinner Caterer: Tastebuds, San Bruno; (4) Engagement and Wedding rings: The Classic Rock, San Jose; (5) Scrabble Mr. & Mrs. Wedding Chair Signs: Purple Peony Couture; (6)Wedding Garter Set: Demure Allure; (7) Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: Luxe Adornments; (8) Satin bridal clutch and Rhinestone Hair Comb: Wearable Artz; (9) Hotel Accommodations: Cypress Hotel, Cupertino

First Dance Song:  “Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel” by Tavares

Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?  Weddings are expensive so try to find ways to put the money you’re spending to good use. We saved money and supported charities by purchasing my wedding gown from Brides Against Breast Cancer Tour of Gowns, my wedding day hair and makeup from a local school charity auction, and our invitations, photo montage DVD, photographer, DJ, and wedding coordinator services from the “Wish Upon a Wedding” charity auction which provides weddings for couples facing terminal illness or serious life-altering circumstances.

Be realistic about your time and talent when deciding what to DIY and ask for help if you can. I made our wedding programs and menus which was about all I could handle and I’m glad I didn’t attempt more. My mom made our silk flower pew decorations and my dad designed some fantastic handmade wooden signs to direct our guests to our venues. Rather than paying for special dance lessons a friend of Oliver’s choreographed our first dance and a co-worker volunteered to be DJ and MC for our rehearsal dinner.

Finally, one of my bridesmaids painted a “wedding tree” on a large canvas to which our guests added leaves with their fingerprints. It’s gorgeous and a beautiful piece of art hanging in our bedroom now. So utilize the talents of your family and friends!

Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance?  The groomsman’s tuxedos were a bit of a disaster and probably the most stress-inducing part of the wedding. We had a bad feeling pretty early on that there might be an issue and wish we would have followed our gut and gone with a different shop. Lesson: always listen to your gut!

After our wedding we’ve seen a couple friends who made photo books of their engagement pictures and had guests sign that in lieu of a traditional guest book…it’s a great idea and we wish we had done that.

Finally, we had planned in our timeline a chance for Oliver and I to take the mic to thank our family and wedding party and those people who helped with various wedding tasks. It got overlooked by the coordinator and DJ and by the time it crossed our minds the reception was nearly over and many of our guests had left. Be sure to let your vendors know what things in your timeline are most important to you and what you don’t mind skipping if time is short.

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

Photos courtesy of and copyright Fisher Photography.

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The Couple:  Maureen and Bryan Fulkerson

Wedding Date:  August 13, 2011

Photography by Fisher Photography

Tell us a little about you and your beloved:  Bryan and I are both very active and enjoy running, rock climbing, mountain biking, camping, tennis and hiking. We gave up TV when we moved into our new home shortly after our wedding and haven’t turned back. We use the time we would be spending watching “junk reality shows” and Iron Chef America, to explore self-growth on a quest to ensure lifelong happiness. We’re big on relaxing and enjoying life!

What was the most amazing part of your day?  For me (Maureen), I loved the procession. Since we didn’t have wedding parties, our procession was just our families and it was so heartwarming and meaningful to me to have each member of my immediate family be a part of the day.

Bryan liked that we didn’t give into society’s pressures of tradition or the “cookie cutter wedding.” We did things just the way wanted to, which included him wearing a polo shirt under a seer sucker suit (which he looked amazing in). Our day was truly a representation of us.

What else would you like to share about your big day?  Bryan made part of the centerpieces for the tables! Since he didn’t have a real opportunity to meet many of my hometown friends and family (we live on the East Coast and them on the West Coast), he thought it would be a great idea to introduce him and us through stories and photos. He put together pictures and brief stories on card stock and then I decorated them with ribbon and some scrap-booking supplies. They turned out great and made for good conversation starters for our guests. The stories brought old friends and family up to speed on how Bryan and I met and shared a lot about our life together.

In addition, the same person, Donna Jones, who married us also married my mom and my step-father in 2001.

Ceremony Site & Reception Venue:  Private Residence

Photographer:  Fisher Photography

Wedding Planner:  Maureen worked with her mom, sister, Mary-Beth Fulkerson (who is married to Bryan’s brother) and Jan Fulkerson (Bryan’s mom) to plan the details. Bryan thinks he managed the whole operation. Shhh, we won’t tell him! : )

Caterer:  DIY. We made all of the food with lots of help from family and my mom’s amazing garden. The menu was made up of our favorite foods to include baked brie, bruschetta, Caesar salad, pasta salad, turkey, beef and veggie burgers. We even did a bride and groom burger — the Beefy Bride Burger and the Gobble-Gobble Groom’s Burger, each complete with their own special toppings! It definitely showed our sense of humor and creative sides. Bryan wrote out the menu on a large chalk board which was located at the front of the serving line.

Cake/Desserts:  Pleasant Valley Grill. Again, in a step towards the nontraditional, we ordered four different round specialty cakes from the Pleasant Valley Grill made by one of the owners, Christine Meyers. We used the coconut cake (a family favorite) for our cake cutting because it was the only cake the color white. My aunt made candied lemons to decorate the cake. Having four completely different cakes gave our guests lots of choices, although I heard from several people that they tried all four!

Flowers:  DIY. We ordered all of our flowers through Sam’s Club.

Favors:  DIY. Small jars of honey with a piece of cloth that matched the center-pieces and secured by a yellow ribbon. Bryan’s mom sewed the fabric pieces that went under each jar of hydrangeas for the centerpieces and cut out the swatches to be used for the honey jars.

Wedding Dress:  J.Crew

Bridesmaid Dresses:  BCBG

Hair & Makeup:  Laura Schumaker at Blondie’s Salon.

Invitations:  DIY. Bryan and Maureen used an invitation kit and a template to create and print their own invitations. Maureen wrapped each with ribbon before sending them off.

DJ/Entertainment/Band:  Mountain Event Productions

Honeymoon location:  Bryan and I returned to Virginia immediately following the wedding so I could start a new job as a school counselor so the honeymoon was postponed. This summer we have a three-week road trip planned up and down the east coast which we are both really excited about.

First Dance Song:  “You Are the Best Thing” by Ray Montagne

Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?  Try not to get caught up in creating a glamorous wedding that breaks the bank just to impress others. Do things the way you want, use your imagination, and, of course, hire a great photographer who understands your style and make sure you give them plenty of opportunity to shine — smile and keep smiling!!

Also, consider a long family-style table! We made a last minute switch (my mom’s idea) to swap out eight round tables for long rectangular tables which we shaped into a “T”. The top of the “T” was the head table. This turned out great and made for an intimate feel!

Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance?  I wish I could have slowed down time! The day goes by so fast, try to relax and soak it all up!

Photos courtesy of Fisher Photography.

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The Couple:  Keeley Ahart and Ben Michael

Wedding Date:  June 11, 2011

Photography by Fisher Photography 

Tell us a little about you and your beloved:  Our first date was 9-11-07, and he took me to an awful restaurant followed by a horrible movie, ha ha! We had so much fun that we repeated the event for our one year anniversary, even going so far as to see the sequel of that ridiculous movie! We’re best friends, no exaggeration, and I love him to the moon!

What was the most amazing part of your day?  The entire ceremony was gorgeous (my mom did practically everything), but the most amazing part of the day was in the morning when we were setting everything up. We were all running around putting things together when my best friend and maid of honor tells everyone to look at the sky! We all stopped to look, and were awed by the sight. There was a beautiful, soft solar ice ring surrounding the early morning sun. Cell phones were out immediately!!! Everyone agreed it was a blessing.

What else would you like to share about your big day?  My mom, Julie Ahart, impressed everyone with her wedding planning abilities! She made all of the decorations, including living floral centerpieces, adorable guest gifts, all of the flowers and a beautiful cake! She truly thought of everything and was the biggest help! She even surprised me and all of the bridal party with a spectacular gift basket complete with snacks, little liquor bottles, aspirin, stain remover, safety pins and countless other little things that came in SO handy! Love you mom!

Ceremony & Reception Site:  VFW Park

Photographer:  Fisher Photography

Wedding Planner:  My mom

Caterer:  My dad and grandparents spent the entire day before the wedding boiling meats so they could go straight on the BBQ!

Cake:  My mom!

Flowers:  My mom!

Favors:  My mom was very busy.

Wedding Dress:  David’s Bridal. To my surprise, I went to a good friend’s wedding only weeks before my own and she was wearing the EXACT dress I had bought!!! Such a small world! I thought my choice was so unique, but I guess we both have great taste.

Bridesmaid Dresses:  I let my bridesmaids choose their own black dresses of any style! I wanted them happy, comfortable and out of debt!

Hair:  Melissa Prato

Makeup:  DIY

Invitations:  More Than a Mailbox

DJ/Entertainment/Band:  The good ol’ iPod controlled by our friend’s Mikey the “P” and Bubba.

Honeymoon location:  We’re still honeymooning! Everywhere we go!

Any other of your wedding vendor(s) you’d like to call out?  I have to give credit to Uncle Randy, who kept the chicken from burning while we said our vows, Longtime family friend Bruce who married us, and Jodie Fisher for being our photographer! Jodie was on scene for more than 10 hours and she fit in like family! Thank you so much Jodie!

First Dance Song:  ”Big Me” by The Foo Fighters (the acoustic version)

Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?  Involve your family as much as possible! It will make the event so much more special and the family will love to be part of your special day as more than just a spectator. There are countless tasks that even a crazy aunt or wild sibling can’t mess up! Trust me.

Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance?  Relax!

Photos courtesy of Fisher Photography.

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

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Another Featured Real Wedding from the Winter/Spring 2012 issue of Real Weddings Magazine loaded to the Real Weddings Magazine Web site…presenting Online Exclusive couple Lynelle Miliate-Ha & Andrew Ha!

Congratulations to Online Exclusive Real Wedding couple Lynelle Miliate-Ha & Andrew Ha who were married on June 4, 2011 at a Private Residence.

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

Photo courtesy of Fisher Photography.

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

Subscribe to the Real Weddings Magazine Blog!

That’s right dear Real Weddings  brides — we’ve got new goodies to give away!

CHECK OUT THE REAL WEDDINGS MAGAZINE CONTEST PAGE!

Not only do we get to work with the best wedding vendors in the Sacramento region and help you connect with them, but we’ve partnered with these fantastic vendors to give you the chance to win some bridal loot to help your wedding planning be even more fun!

The October and November 2011 Real Weddings Magazine Contest prize sponsors? Check out this fab list:

Custom “Mrs.” Rhinestone Tank Top Advantage Bridal is your one-stop shop for wedding accessories!  Bridal accessories, check. Favors, check. Bridal jewelry, check. Flowergirl dress, check. Bridal party gifts, check…and so much more! Visit their Web site to see all of their fabulous goodies!! Tank top value: $40.Prize Sponsor: Advantage Bridal, advantagebridal.com

Engagement Session Session includes one photographer shooting couple for one hour on location within 30 miles of Placerville. Please note that the session must be midweek late afternoon/evening session only. Couple will also receive a $150 credit toward prints or six high-resolution prints. Value $300.Prize Sponsor: Fisher Photography, jodiefisher.com

$150 Gift Certificate to Paul Martin’s American Bistro Time to meet the parents? Treat them to a delicious meal at Paul Martin’s American Bistro in Roseville. With a focus on great food utilizing fresh, local and peak of the season ingredients, Paul Martin’s American Bistro is certainly a place to impress the future in-laws! Value $150 — certificate cannot be used for gratuity and no cash back if full value isn’t fulfilled.Prize Sponsor: Paul Martin’s American Bistro, paulmartinsamericanbistro.com

The WED BOX The WED BOX by Caroline Long — this unique wedding planning kit has everything to help keep you on track as you plan for your big day. The stylish and sophisticated kit includes: The WED box with satin ribbon closure, 20 designer folders, 16-month customizable calendar, reminder stickers, budget planner, guest list work sheet, attendant work sheet, gift journal and so much more. Value: $75.Prize Sponsor: Caroline Long, carolinelongltd.com

Please note that you should be a valid greater Sacramento bride-to-be to enter our contests!

Yeah, we really will be giving away all of this great stuff!!

So, what are you waiting for? Enter NOW (but please note, that you can only enter once per contest timeframe — for additional rules, please see our official rules).

Again, we’ll have new contests every other month, so Real Weddings brides be sure to check back in December to register for our Real Weddings Magazine’s December & January contests!

Blog post by Editor/Publisher Wendy Sipple.

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

Subscribe to the Real Weddings Magazine Blog!