Kim + Mark | Hotel Casa Del Mar Wedding | Shutters on the Beach
We met Kim back in 2004 when she was in National Charity League. Then in 2012 we were lucky enough to photograph her sister Megan’s wedding to John. One of our favorite things to photograph are sibling’s weddings. It almost felt like family when we were at Kim and Mark’s wedding. We knew the families and a lot of the guests. Kim and Mark are such an awesome couple… and SO in love. You can feel it just by the way they look at each other. They did not do a first look, so we spent time with each of them separately with their respective bridesmaids and groomsmen.
We started the day in the incredible bridal suite on the top floor of Hotel Casa Del Mar wedding. Kim and her girls got their hair and makeup done by Design Visage. Mark spent time with his groomsmen and gave them a unique groomsmen gift. Each guy received a custom painted motorcycle helmet, hand painted by Shitty Helmets! Their wedding was overlooking the Santa Monica beach at Shutters and the floral arrangements were gorgeous. Bloom Box Designs definitely made the ceremony location look stunning!
Their officiant was Kim’s dad’s friend and he was hilarious. One of the funniest officiants we have heard in a long time. After they said I do – we had a quick 5 minutes to walk over to the sand and get the couples photos together. Even though there were people walking around the beach, it felt like it was just the two of them on the sand. The sun was setting quickly so we shot family formals and then headed inside for the cocktail hour and reception.
The reception was beautifully decorated and the band was awesome. They definitely got the everyone in the right mood to party all night. A bonus was having the drum line from the Los Angeles Chargers surprise Kim and Mark! Everyone was cheering as they performed a mini field show on the dance floor. The toasts were heartfelt and memorable. All in all, it was a beautiful day and we are so happy for Kim and Mark.
The Engagement Session
Possibly the coolest thing we have ever seen our photography printed on! What an amazing idea! A guestbook is a popular and great option, but have you ever seen a guest board? Very unique and perfect for their personalities. Their surf engagement session continues to dominate our Pinterest board with over 70K views.
Vendor Love
- Wedding planner: Alicia, Sharon, and Natalie w/ Details, Details @detailsalicia
- Photography: Jennifer & Brian w/ Gilmore Studios @GilmoreStudios
- Hotel (ceremony) Shutters on the Beach @shuttersca
- Hotel (reception) Hotel Casa Del Mar @hotelcasadelmar
- Hair/makeup: Design Visage @disignvisage
- Brides dress: Enzoani @enzoani
- Brides shoes: Badgley Mischka @badgleymischkabride
- Groom attire: Black tie/Tuxedo
- Groom shoes: Christian Louboutin @louboutinworld
- Floral design: Fayaz w/ Bloom Box Designs @bloomboxdesigns
- Cake: Vanilla Bake Shop Santa Monica @vanillabakeshop
- Band/entertainment: Jordan Music Entertainment @jordanmusicentertainment
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS
Brian and Jennifer Gilmore are husband and wife photographers that created a wedding & portrait photography team in Orange County, CA. They have been photographing weddings, families, and corporate events since 2003.
Contact us for more info about booking your wedding in the Southern California area. The creative team at Gilmore Studios specialize in wedding photography in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, and surrounding areas in OC and Los Angeles, CA. In addition, you can call 949-698-3968 or email us for more info about booking your next Hotel Casa Del Mar – Shutters on the Beach Wedding.
