As Professional Photographers here in Southern California, we just adore the couples we meet, whether it’s to photograph their engagement session, their wedding, various stages of their family life, or any combination of those, as each one of them is truly great to work with. But perhaps our favorite part is hearing their stories on how they met, how they became interested in each other, their first date, and of course, the proposal. This is especially true for Erin and Justin. A truly wonderful couple that we had the pleasure of photographing at their Mount Palomar Winery Wedding located in Temecula.
With an outdoor ceremony overlooking the rolling hills of beautiful Southern California wine country, and an indoor reception amidst hundreds of wine barrels and a ceiling draping with elegant fabric, this romantic modern winery wedding was one for the books!
Erin’s sweetheart lace wedding dress had heads turning all day! Erin handmade her stunning white and red bouquet, which included her grandmother’s handkerchief, which had been included in several family member’s weddings. What a great way to pay homage to their family. Many of the details throughout the day were DIY and they wanted to take some things off their plate before wedding day, so she decided on making the bouquets ahead of time!
Another DIY detail that Erin included in her day was the display of 1,000 origami cranes. Her maternal grandmother came to the States when she was 18 from Japan, and it was important to her to honor this part of her heritage. According to Japanese lore, folding 1,000 origami cranes is truly a labor of love. The time and energy put into creating these symbolize the patience, trust, and dedication necessary to sustain a happy marriage. Paying homage to the majestic crane, which mates for life and is said to live 1,000 years, the couple ensures their own fortune of good luck and a long and happy marriage.
On the wedding day, the bridal party matched the color theme of the day, with bridesmaids dressed in cornflower blue gowns and groomsmen wearing all black with matching blue ties. The groom, Justin, awaited his soon-to-be bride in an all gray suit.
After the gorgeous outdoor ceremony, the party continued inside Mount Palomar’s barrel room. Beneath grand chandeliers and twinkling lights, they danced the night away. Everything came together perfectly thanks to the help of coordination from the event staff at Mount Palomar. All of the details of this rustic winery wedding were captured by the team at Three16 Photography.
We would really like to thank Erin and Justin for allowing Three16 Photography to be part of your special day. We wish you many years of love and happiness.
Check out their love story. We hope you enjoy it, and their photos, as much as we do.
Erin and Justin’s Love Story
What three things do you admire most about your soon-to-be spouse and why?
Erin (about Justin): His supportive nature, sweetness, and sense of humor.
Justin (about Erin): Her kindness, thoughtfulness, and adventurous spirit.
Describe each other in one word and tell us why did you choose that word?
Erin (about Justin): Partner. From the day we met, Justin has made me feel like I could be completely myself around him. He encourages me, supports me, and makes me laugh. We have been able to build a loving life together while still celebrating the things that make us different, and I feel lucky and excited to spend the rest of my life with him by my side.
Justin (about Erin): Irreplaceable. Erin has been so supportive and loving since day one. I can’t imagine my life without her in it now.
Any advice for other newly engaged couples as they begin to plan their wedding?
Just enjoy being engaged, planning your day and each other 🙂
Describe your wedding for us. Is there a particular theme? What flowers did you choose and why? Any special traditions or items you have incorporated into the day?
We hope for our wedding to be a celebration of our love, commitment, and the beginning of this new chapter with the people we love most.
We chose to use sola flowers (made from tapioca wood) because they were a little different and able to be made ahead of time (since we did a lot of DIY decors). The bridal bouquet will also have my paternal grandmother’s handkerchief incorporated into it, which was given to her by her mother for her wedding. She was married for more than 50 years before my grandfather passed. The handkerchief has been carried by each of my girl cousins at their respective weddings over the years.
We will also have a display of 1,000 origami cranes. My maternal grandmother came to this country when she was 18 from Japan, and it was important to me to honor this part of my heritage with this symbol.
“According to Japanese lore, folding 1,000 Origami Cranes is truly a labor of love. The time and energy put into the thousand hand-folded origami cranes symbolized the patience, trust, and dedication necessary to sustain a happy marriage. Tradition holds that the bride who finishes this task, called ‘sembazuru’, before her wedding day will be richly rewarded with a good luck and a long and happy marriage. Paying homage to the majestic crane, which mates for life and is said to live one thousand years, the bride and groom ensures their own good fortune. After folding 1,000 origami paper cranes, one for each year of its life, the majestic ‘bird of happiness’ is able to carry that person’s prayers to heaven.”
Looking back on planning your wedding, is there anything you would have done differently?
Nope! It’s been a fun experience with a lot of things learned along the way!
What’s the plans for the honeymoon?
Taking a short trip to Cambria the week after the wedding for three days, then a trip to Italy in the spring!
Vendors used for Erin and Justin’s gorgeous Mount Palomar Winery Wedding:
Location Information
Ceremony & Reception: Mount Palomar Winery
Address: 33820 Rancho California Rd, Temecula, CA 92591
Name of Site Coordinator: Sandy/Kimberly
Vendor Information
PHOTOGRAPHY
Company: Three16 Photography
Instagram: @three16photography
FLORIST
Bouquets: Sola wood flowers, Erin DIY
Centerpieces/Decor: Sam’s Club, Erin & Kendra Bowe, DIY
DJ
Company: G Sharp Entertainment
Instagram: @gsharpentertainment
CATERER
Company: Mount Palomar/Once Upon a Wedding
CAKE/DESSERTS
Company: Sugar Divaz Bake Shoppe
Instagram: thesugardivaz
HAIR
Company: JMC Hair Studio
Name of Person: Jen Kohlenberger
MAKE-UP
Name of Person: Sheena Riley
DRESS
Company: Vows Bridal Outlet (Watertown, MA)
Brand / Designer: Christiano Lucci
Website: https://bridepower.com/
Instagram: vows_bridepower
GROOM’S SUIT
Company: Nordstrom
Brand / Designer: Hickey Freeman
WEDDING INVITATION
Company: Vistaprint
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About the Author:
Jerrick O’Connor is the owner of Three16 Photography and has 15 years of experience in the world of photography. He specializes in Weddings, Engagements, Family and Corporate photography and loves connecting small business owners with other small business owners in hopes they can benefit each other’s production. When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his wife Josie, playing board games or just spending time with his many friends.
