When it came time to lay out a budget for our wedding, both Kristi and I put “photography” near the top of our priority list. We were willing to sacrifice other stuff in order to ensure we had the right artist shooting The Big Day.

We really want photos that capture the essence of our wedding. Even more than video, I think still photos have the capability to do that. Plus, with the advent of digital photography, these pictures will certainly outlive us, and give our descendants a look into our lives for generations to come.

I’m happy to say that we found that artistry in Applemoon Photography. From our first meeting with Michael and Maren, we knew they were exactly what we were looking for. And now that we’ve had a peek at the results of our engagement photo shoot, we’re happier than ever about our choice!

Michael and Maren came all the way down from San Luis Obispo and spent the whole day shooting pictures around Orange County. And did I mention that they have an adorable newborn named Avi to care for as well?

We started at John Wayne Airport with a Pitts biplane I fly at work. It’s identical to the one I own. Kristi had organized some vintage clothing to give us that 1930’s feel. Afterward, we flew to Catalina Island — site of our first date — then finished with a late afternoon jaunt around old-town Orange and dinner at the infamous Byblos Cafe.

What you can’t see is that we were doing all this in the midst of one of the most oppressive heat waves I can remember experiencing here in Socal. Even near the ocean, it was about 105 degrees. At one point, I was wearing a heavy leather coat and hat! Yet you never see any sign of that in the pictures. Michael and Maren have an infectious passion for their photography, and it rubs off.

So… have a look at the pictures and let us know what you think!