Beautiful Coastal Wedding at The Portofino Hotel & Marina | Redondo Beach, California

This was the most spontaneous wedding I've ever photographed in my career. I booked it with just 12 hours' notice, and here's how it happened:

The couple had originally booked their wedding photographer months in advance, as is typical. However, the day before their wedding, they received a message from their photographer explaining that her flight from New York was experiencing delays, putting her arrival in Los Angeles at risk. The flight was ultimately cancelled due to bad weather, leaving the bride frantically searching for a replacement photographer. She and her bridesmaids spent an hour in their hotel room reaching out to friends and reviewing photographers' portfolios. The bride was drawn to my editing style and chose me as her photographer. Through a mutual friend who knew the bridesmaid, I was connected with the wedding coordinator, who shared the timeline and wedding details with me. With less than 12 hours until the wedding, I rushed to prepare and charge my equipment before getting some rest. This experience alone made the wedding unforgettable.

I began at 8 AM by capturing detail shots of both the bride's and groom's preparations. After photographing the bride with her bridesmaids, I moved on to the groom and groomsmen portraits. For the first look, we chose a quiet, elegant area inside the hotel away from other guests. I added a unique touch by having the groom tap the bride's shoulder—even before approaching her, he was visibly emotional. Following their intimate first look, we photographed the bridal party inside the hotel before the ceremony began. The coastal view, one of the many perks of a Redondo Beach hotel venue, provided a stunning backdrop as the couple exchanged their vows and became officially married. The reception included some personal touches: the groom, who owns a boba franchise, treated guests to boba drinks, and the couple's beloved dogs—Max the husky and Scooby—made special appearances at the wedding. Then we walked to the nearby beach to take some couple portraits to end the day!