Oak Glen is one of my happy places. I never really knew about Oak Glen before I started shooting weddings, but somehow it’s almost become my second home. I shoot probably 30% of my weddings each year up there and there’s no place I’d rather call (second) home.

This wedding day in particular, everything fell into place hitting all my happy notes. Melissa got ready in part of the apple packing house, which is so quintessentially Oak Glen my heart almost burst. The rustic processing facilities paired with that light and ethereal flow of her dress and her beaming sunshine-y smile… set everything in motion for an incredibly beautiful day.

One of my favorite parts of Oak Glen is the mountain light. There are always tall trees to diffuse the sun, and somehow all day the light is just a tiny bit softer up there. For Melissa and Michael’s ceremony, the sun cascaded through the tall trees perfectly, casting their vows in that glowy magic sunlight that photographers are known to chase. These two were also lucky enough to get married after one of the rainiest springs southern California has had in many years, so the field’s of Los Rios Ranchos were bursting with wildflowers. We snuck out to the flowers just as the sun was going down to catch that perfect light.

Melissa and Michael your kindness is contagious and capturing your wedding day was a dream. Thank you both for sharing your beautiful day with me!

Rileys Los Rios Ranchos, Oak Glen CA |