Photography – Page 2 – Alexander Rubin Photography

Auberge Du Soleil – Proposal of Kate & Eldridge

Auberge Du Soleil in Napa Valley is one of the most beautiful places for a proposal. After being here recently for one shoot, I was absolutely ecstatic to be back again so soon. The resort itself is one of the most stunning places in Napa Valley. I could shoot here a hundred times, and still find new and interesting places to capture my couples.

My groom Eldridge is from Texas but loves the Napa area. He’s always looking for new ways to surprise his girl Kate. I think he outdid himself this time! Working with the event staff at the resort, he chose one of their package proposals and everything was in place for the one of the biggest surprises of Kate’s life. As they came upon the private table with a customized wine bottle, Eldridge popped the question, with me there to capture it. I can’t begin to tell you how much I love getting the shot of the look on a woman’s face when her soulmate drops down on one knee. It’s pretty exhilarating. Can you tell I’m a hopeless romantic? After sharing such a precious private moment with these two, we explored the property and had a lot of fun. I especially enjoyed getting creative with the engagement ring as you can see. One of my favorite shots of the day is Eldridge and Kate under the most beautiful flowering trees. I think you’re going to love it too!

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Alston Park Engagement of Lucy and Josh

There are more than beautiful wineries in Napa Valley. Nature in some of it’s most beautiful glory can be found at Alston Park northwest of Napa, and I am so lucky to be able to photograph here. The park is owned by the city and is open to the public. 157 acres of unobstructed beauty featuring grasslands, plum orchards, and oak groves can be found here.

Lucy and Josh chose this pristine place for their engagement session. They are such a sweet couple and they’re so in love. Having the park as my backdrop and the most perfect golden light was a dream. I can’t wait to do more sessions at this stunning place.

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San Francisco Proposal of Ema and Ian

There are places in the world that hold a special place in our hearts. I’m sure you have one? I certainly do! For Ema and Ian that place is San Francisco. It’s where they spent much of their time together during the early days of their relationship. So it was without hesitation that Ian chose the City by The Bay for his surprise proposal to Ema. I was referred to Ian by his friend Mike who’s proposal to Melanie I photographed at Cade Winery. I can’t begin to tell you how I love being part of these special moments. To able to help a young man plan a proposal is a true honor, and I’m looking forward to more and more of them.

Now back to Ian and Ema. Ian took his love on a casual stroll along Baker Beach, one of their favorite places. With a magnificent view of the Golden Gate Bridge, he dropped to one knee right on the sand and asked Ema to be his wife. Unbeknownst to Ema I was there to capture the moment! You can see from the images how surprised she was. And of course she said yes to the relief and joy of Ian. I was introduced to Ema and we proceeded to have a great proposal session. Baker Beach is a beautiful and rugged place for a photo shoot. In addition to the beauty of the bridge, there are rocky cliffs and nature all around. After our session, Ian and Ema celebrated their engagement by attending a Giants game. Can you imagine a better way to celebrate for two San Francisco lovers? What a perfect ending to a perfect day!

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Style Me Pretty Feature – Theorem Vineyards Wedding

Destination weddings are perfect for couples who want an intimate weekend where they can spend quality time with a smaller group of their family and friends. In the case of Leslie and Cory who hail from Texas, they worked with Kate Whelan Events to host a beautifully designed rehearsal dinner and I was lucky to be able to photograph it. The couple’s love of travel is such a strong part of their relationship. In fact Cory proposed to Leslie on one of their many adventures. When it came time to plan their wedding, they decided a destination wedding would be perfect. Theorem Vineyards was recently purchased by a family member so they had a special connection to it. Their loved ones felt right at home with a Texas meets California rehearsal dinner. With the venue at their disposal they created a beautiful environment with a tent, lounge furnishing, lounge furnishings, elegant glassware and a Texas sized menu. The design was rustic chic with a country twist. Kate and her team hit this one out of the park. Wherever you turned there were thoughtful design elements to behold.

With so many stylish details this rehearsal dinner and subsequent wedding caught the attention of Style Me Pretty. We love being featured, and when it’s by SMP we’re over the moon!

Carmel Valley Wedding – Sneak Peek

I’m very excited to share a preview of Amy and Andrew’s Carmel Valley Wedding, held at the Gardener Ranch, along the banks of the Carmel River. Features of this rustic property feature 24 acres of lush meadows and majestic oaks. Amy and Andrew are both from Texas, which made this a true destination wedding. The setting couldn’t have been more perfect for an outdoor California wedding. I love working in Carmel, and this is truly a special the venue in the Monterey peninsula.

Just look at these bridal party pics. They were having a blast and it showed. When you have a group of people that are this relaxed and focusing on what’s important, it’s not hard to get great pics. I loved how playful Amy was. Especially when we put a vintage chair in front of a stunning oak tree. There are so many more pictures to share. Stay tuned for many more of this beautiful wedding and all the details soon.

I can’t thank wedding planner Andre Roberts enough for putting together such a seamless and beautiful day and a fabulous team.

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Auberge Du Soleil – Surprise Marriage Proposal

There is a place in Napa that’s so special, it seems like a dream. Tucked into a lush hillside, overlooking the Napa Valley sits the majestic Auberge Du Soleil. Surrounded by 33 acres of olive groves and gardens bathed in sunlight, this resort exudes luxury, privacy and romance. I’m sure those were the qualities that drew my clients Matt and Kate to it.

Matt chose to propose to Kate here because of the beauty, and also the resort makes it so easy. Let’s be honest men, when you’re ready to ask your love to spend the rest of her life with you, it can be pretty nerve wracking. But Auberge takes all the planning and stress out of the equation with a list of proposal packages. Matt’s biggest concern was as they traveled from Canada to Northern California the security at the airport would discover the engagement ring, ruining the surprise. We actually spoke about this scenario a few day before his flight and I told him if it happened to just drop down on one knee and ask her right there at the security gate. He wrote a clever note on top of the ring box just in case.

With the ring securely in his pocket and the stage set for the proposal, Matt and Kate strolled down a charming path and arrived in an olive grove under the evening sun. Awaiting them was a private table set just for them with cheese, fruit, and a chilled bottle of sparkling wine. Kate was overwhelmed by this show of romance and before she could take it all in, Matt was down on his knee presenting her with the engagement ring. I just happened to be ready with my camera to photograph the moment he asked her to be his wife. Matt and Kate both have a great sense of humor that meshed perfectly with mine. That evening they celebrated their engagement at the resort’s Michelin Star rated restaurant. Congratulations Kate and Matt!

Same Day Sonoma Proposal & Napa Engagement

Not only am I privileged to shoot Sonoma and Napa Weddings, but also proposals and engagements. It’s common to work with a couple for their engagement and wedding, but to be present from the very beginning allows me a rare opportunity to get to know them in a much more meaningful way. Eric and I worked together to plan the perfect ruse. He and Alexa would come to Ram’s Gate Winery in Sonoma for a wine tasting and they would stumble upon me photographing images of the winery’s website. With everything going according to plan, Eric dropped to one knee and formally proposed. Are you wondering if she said yes? The pictures tell the full story and show Alexa’s candid emotions.

After the shock wore off and with a resounding yes from Alexa, we headed to Napa for a formal engagement session at the picturesque Domaine Carneros. Specializing in sparking wines, it was the perfect location for a celebration. The bubbly flowed and the love was evident. After sharing such an emotional experience with Alexa and Eric, the wedding day can’t come soon enough for me.

Napa Valley Engagement Session of Alisa and Adrian

This May I’ll have the great opportunity to photograph the wedding of my friends Alisa and Adrian. We recently got together for their engagement session in Napa. Lucky me, I was allowed to choose some of my favorite Napa locations for the session. This couple’s electric personalities and their impeccable sense of style made for some amazing shots. They surprised me showing up dressed formally for the shoot in all white with touches of blue. SPECTACULAR is the only word I can think of to describe their choice of attire for the session. Napa_Valley_Engagement_Session_Alexander_Rubin_4

Our day started in the Carneros Region and ended in Napa in the Stags Leap District to Regusci Winery. Moving to different locations allowed me to shoot them in several environments. From beautiful vineyards, to floral fields, and even a rustic winery building from the turn of the century, all of my favorite places served as gorgeous backdrops for this dynamic couple. As you can see Alisa and Adrian love to have fun! They even got down and dirty rolling around in vineyards. Those are some of my favorite photos of this series. I can only imagine how much fun their wedding day will be.

Sonoma Indian Wedding of Anna and Atish

I love the movement, color and drama of Indian Weddings. From the cultural rituals, to the many colors, I just can’t decide what I enjoy most. When I was chosen to shoot the wedding of Anna and Attish at Olympia’s Valley Estate in Sonoma, I was honored. This is Part 2 of Anna and Atish’s wedding weekend. I just blogged their Jewish Wedding, and their Indian Wedding was just as amazing. The ceremony was held beside a pond surrounded by weeping willows on the most beautiful day in the hills of Petaluma. Olympia’s 150 year old rustic barn was the scene for the reception. No detail was left to chance under the helm of Nicol Turner of Little Blue Box Weddings. Anna and Atish’s families and friends were overjoyed for them. You can see from the smiles on everyone’s faces that love was all around them. It was hard for me to wipe the smile off my face as I captured their photographs.

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A Proposal Above The Fog

High above the Napa Valley Floor is a place called Howell Mountain. A select group of vintners built their wineries here high above the fog. One of those wineries is Cade Winery which produces bold yet balanced high-elevation Cabernet Sauvignon. My client Michael borrowed some of that bold spirit when he was ready to propose to his love Melanie. With high clouds off in the distance, the day couldn’t be more perfect. Michael took Melanie to Cade Winery under pretense of a bit of wine tasting and meeting with the winemaker. I just happened to be standing by to capture the moment he dropped to one knee, presented a beautiful engagement ring, and popped the question. As you can see from the images, she said yes! I loved capturing the two of them Face-timing with friends and family to announce their engagement! After we toured, tasted and captured images around the property. Congratulations Michael and Melanie!

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