Simple Sophistication

Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ • Sessions by appointment only

Simple Sophistication

Elegant Marbella Country Club Wedding | San Juan Capistrano, CA

Marbella Country Club Wedding – Sarah and Anthony

Our Story (from Bride and groom)

Anthony and I met at Nordstrom in 2010. I got hired in Kidswear and he worked in Kids Shoes. From the first time I saw him I thought he was so cute and had an immediate crush on him. From there it worked out that everyone from work went to In Cahoots one night, including Anthony and I. That night, my outside of work friends were meeting me to go to dinner. Anthony called on behalf of everyone at work to invite me to go out. My friends had just gotten to my house to leave for dinner and I was so excited Anthony (my crush) was calling me, I said “uhh let me call you right back” and hung up and freaked out that he had called. I told my friends I couldn’t hang out with them anymore and they understood and left. I went by myself to meet up with everyone from work but mainly to hang out with Anthony. Him and I were talking that night and at one point we walked through a swarm of people to reach our friends. He grabbed my hand to guide me through the crowd and once we got to the other end, I didn’t let go of his hand. From that moment on, he knew that I liked him and the rest was history 🙂

To this day, when we think back about the first night we hung out and we both laugh because he thought I didn’t like him since I basically hung up on him. We also think how lucky we are to have met each other and how easily and smoothly our relationship fell into place. We dated for about a month- hung out every single day and night (since we worked together) until we couldn’t since Anthony was going to Tahiti for his sisters wedding. Before he left, he told me he loved me. Since he was my first boyfriend, I had no clue what love meant or felt like, so I responded “thank you”. He was in Tahiti for about the 2 longest weeks of my life. I had never felt such emotions of missing someone so deeply, thinking about them at all times and all of the anxiety and excitement that comes with what I learned was being “in love” for the first time. When Anthony came back, he surprised me by being home a day early. While he was gone, I had a grand plan of how I was going to tell him I love him, but since he came back early, I didn’t get to tell him I loved him the way I had planned. But I still wanted to make it special so I quickly came up with a new plan. I had him meet me by a gazebo on the lake near my house. There I had set up with candles spelling “I Love You” and as he walked up, I explained the reasons why I like him so much and eventually that I loved him.

Fast Forward 4 years and Anthony proposed to me at the same spot I told him I loved him. He had set up a beautiful arrangement of candles and flowers leading to a shape of a heart where he would propose to me. The day he proposed, he told me we were going to dinner with his parent. Naturally we got dressed up and were ready to go. 5 minutes before we left, my friend called and said “Sara don’t freak out but Chloe (my dog) got off the leash at the park and my sister and her couldn’t find her” Of course instead of going to dinner, we rushed over to the spot where they were at. As we were walking up, Anthony stopped me, told me Chloe is OK and blind folded me. From that moment on, I knew what was up. We got closer and he removed the blind fold where I was greeted by our closest family and friends and the beautiful set up he had planned. I balled my eyes out as he proposed and will never forget the emotions of love and happiness we share with our family and friends that day.A year later, we got married where Jennifer and Brian perfectly and beautifully captured our wedding day and more importantly the love Anthony and I share for one another. I hope that I didn’t ramble too much, but that is pretty much our love story summed up in a few paragraphs:)Advice to brides: Try your best not to care so much about all the details and getting wrapped up in the planning. Just believe whatever is meant to happen will happen and I am confident your day will be drama free, and the most memorable day of your life. Also, make decisions based on you and your better half want rather than what everyone else wants you to do.
Wedding day slide show:

Anthony & Sara from Gilmore Studios on Vimeo.

Wedding day video by Plug Films

Sara & Anthony from Plug Wedding Films on Vimeo.

 

Wedding vendors:

Wedding Coordinator/designer: Annie w/ Backstage-A-Fare

Venue: Marbella Country Club

Photography: Brian and Jennifer Gilmore Studios

Video: Dan w/Plug Films

Wedding dress by: Lazaro

Groomsmen attire: Nordstroms

Grooms wedding shoes: Magnanni

Bridesmaid dresses by: Matthew Christopher

Makeup by: Beeta Beauty

Wedding rentals by: Signature Party Rentals

DJ: Payam Kamyar

About the photographers

Brian and Jennifer Gilmore are a husband and wife wedding photographer team in Orange County, CA. They have been photographing weddings together since 2003. Contact us for more info about booking your wedding in the Southern California area.

Brian and Jennifer Gilmore specialize in wedding photography in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Huntington Beach, and surrounding areas in OC and Los Angeles, CA. 

Call 949-698-3968 or email us for more info about booking your 2017-18 wedding

 

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    • Marbella Golf Course, country club, green,
    • Lazaro wedding dress hanging, before the wedding, lace, dress detail,
    • wedding rings, his and hers, wedding bands, Marbella Country Club
    • bride and groom, Marbella country club, Lazaro wedding dress, grey tux suit, Gilmore Studios

    Meet the Gilmores:

    Gilmore Studios serves Orange County, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. We specialize in wedding photography, family portraits, newborn and branding photography. Our studio has been in business since 2002.

    Fun Facts:

    PLace we call home:

    Newport Beach & Queen Creek

    Number of kids:

    3 boys

    Years in business:

    Since 2002

    As seen in:

    Wedding

    Featured On the blog

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    Simple Sophistication

    We are on Instagram

    Shoot with me at the happiest place on earth. ✨

    This is actually an older session…

    but it’s one I still come back to all the time.

    Because it’s not just about the location.

    Yes, it’s Disney.
    But what really makes it work is how personal it feels.

    We keep it moving, use the light, and let the moments happen naturally.

    That’s how it goes from “photos at Disney”
    to something that actually feels like you.

    Would you ever do your senior photos here? 👇

    18 6
    Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 17996420546768852
    Shoot with me at the happiest place on earth. ✨ This is actually an older session… but it’s one I still come back to all the time. Because it’s not just about the location. Yes, it’s Disney. But what really makes it work is how personal it feels. We keep it moving, use the light, and let the moments happen naturally. That’s how it goes from “photos at Disney” to something that actually feels like you. Would you ever do your senior photos here? 👇

    What nobody tells you about being in front of a camera.

    It feels awkward… at first.

    You don’t know what to do with your hands.
    You’re thinking about your smile.

    That part? Completely normal.

    Here’s what actually happens:
    I guide you through everything, keep it moving, fix the little details…

    And then it shifts.

    You relax.
    You stop thinking about the camera.
    And it finally feels like you.

    📍Coto de Caza

    Do you think you’d feel awkward in photos? 👇

    15 0
    Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 18088454921600408
    What nobody tells you about being in front of a camera. It feels awkward… at first. You don’t know what to do with your hands. You’re thinking about your smile. That part? Completely normal. Here’s what actually happens: I guide you through everything, keep it moving, fix the little details… And then it shifts. You relax. You stop thinking about the camera. And it finally feels like you. 📍Coto de Caza Do you think you’d feel awkward in photos? 👇

    Here are things to look for when choosing a wedding photographer.

    This decision matters more than most couples realize.

    Because once the day is over…
    this is what you have left.

    Here’s how to actually choose the right one:

    1. Style that reflects your vision
    If you don’t love how it looks now, you won’t love it later.
    2. Experience handling real wedding days
    Timelines shift. Lighting changes. You want someone who can adapt.
    3. A genuine connection
    You’ll spend a lot of your day with them. It should feel easy.
    4. Professionalism you can count on
    Clear communication, reliability, and someone who shows up prepared.
    5. Full galleries, not just highlights
    Anyone can post the best 10 images. Ask to see the whole story.
    6. Real reviews and reputation
    Look for consistency, not just one good experience.
    7. Value that matches what you expect
    Not just price… what are you actually getting?

    Here’s what I’m doing behind the scenes:
    guiding when needed, adjusting to the day as it unfolds, and making sure nothing important is missed.

    Because your photos shouldn’t just look good…
    they should feel like your day.

    What matters most to you when choosing a photographer? 👇

    15 0
    Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 18079827413397783
    Here are things to look for when choosing a wedding photographer. This decision matters more than most couples realize. Because once the day is over… this is what you have left. Here’s how to actually choose the right one: 1. Style that reflects your vision If you don’t love how it looks now, you won’t love it later. 2. Experience handling real wedding days Timelines shift. Lighting changes. You want someone who can adapt. 3. A genuine connection You’ll spend a lot of your day with them. It should feel easy. 4. Professionalism you can count on Clear communication, reliability, and someone who shows up prepared. 5. Full galleries, not just highlights Anyone can post the best 10 images. Ask to see the whole story. 6. Real reviews and reputation Look for consistency, not just one good experience. 7. Value that matches what you expect Not just price… what are you actually getting? Here’s what I’m doing behind the scenes: guiding when needed, adjusting to the day as it unfolds, and making sure nothing important is missed. Because your photos shouldn’t just look good… they should feel like your day. What matters most to you when choosing a photographer? 👇

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    This countdown? One of my favorites.

    Here’s why:
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    And it turns these photos into something you actually use… not just something that sits on your phone.

    Because this season? It’s a big one.

    And having something tangible to hold onto during it…
    matters more than you think. 🤍

    Would you do a countdown like this? Comment MISSIONARYSTORE for our item on Etsy Shop

    14 2
    Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 18052366784734729
    Most people think they’re just for announcements… But they end up being so much more. This countdown? One of my favorites. Here’s why: It gives you something to look forward to. A way to mark the days, celebrate the little milestones, and stay connected while they’re away. And it turns these photos into something you actually use… not just something that sits on your phone. Because this season? It’s a big one. And having something tangible to hold onto during it… matters more than you think. 🤍 Would you do a countdown like this? Comment MISSIONARYSTORE for our item on Etsy Shop

    How long does a cake smash session really take?

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    We start with portraits first. Clean outfit, no cake, just your baby being adorable. Then we bring in the cake, swap into the smash outfit and let the chaos begin. 🎂

    And if you want to keep going, we can do a quick splash session at the end. Some of the biggest smiles of the whole session happen right there.

    Three different looks. One session. 45 minutes.
    It goes fast so I make sure every minute counts.

    Are you surprised we fit all of that in? 👇
    Ready to book your cake smash?

    7 0
    Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 17976086367008382
    How long does a cake smash session really take? About 45 minutes and here is everything we fit into that time. We start with portraits first. Clean outfit, no cake, just your baby being adorable. Then we bring in the cake, swap into the smash outfit and let the chaos begin. 🎂 And if you want to keep going, we can do a quick splash session at the end. Some of the biggest smiles of the whole session happen right there. Three different looks. One session. 45 minutes. It goes fast so I make sure every minute counts. Are you surprised we fit all of that in? 👇 Ready to book your cake smash?

    Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ

    Session by appointment only

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