Destination Wedding Photography – Alexander Rubin Photography

Madeleine and John – Charles Krug

30Think Audrey Hepburn on a Roman holiday meets Leonardo DiCaprio in Great Gatsby… except in Napa Valley. Yes, it was THAT beautiful and by far one of the most magical and stunning weddings that I have ever photographed.

Charles Krug is the oldest winery in Napa Valley (founded in 1861!) and is the ultimate of vineyard venues. Charles Krug is also one of only five wineries in Napa Valley that can host weddings. And what a venue it is…

The “First Look” photos began in the recently renovated Redwood Cellar, which has a rustic yet modern feel with high, open-beam ceilings. A sliver of light filtered through the small windows, adding a perfect glow to the beautiful couple.

The Great Lawn outside of the historic Carriage House offers an array of options for a gorgeous ceremony backdrop. This park-like setting dotted with heritage oak trees and surrounded by vineyards was simply spectacular for Madeleine and John’s “I-do” moment.

Enter the Carriage House with it’s soaring vaulted ceilings, stunning period chandeliers, arched doorways and a large dance floor that is perfect for any wedding. Here, dinner was served to all 90 of Madeleine and John’s guests who had journeyed great distances to be here for their special day. However, as incredible as the wedding venue was, the best part of the day was seeing Madeleine and John shimmying it up on the dance floor together… happy, in love, and MARRIED!

Madeleine and John, your wedding was absolutely spectacular. I could feel the love between the two of you, your friends, and your family, so much so that documenting your day was simply a breeze. Thank you for the moments!

A special thank you to Mary and Stephanie at Off The Beaten Path Weddings for the flawless wedding coordination. Always a pleasure to work with you.

Amanda and Maneesh – Auberge Du Soleil

Can you say COLOR?!

Among the many festival-related rituals in a Hindi’s life, weddings are by far the most extensive of ceremonies. Laughter, vibrancy and fun were the recurring themes of Amanda & Maneesh’s wedding on this gorgeous day in Napa Valley, and let’s just say they know how to party!

Auberge Du Soleil was the perfect setting for this wedding. This venue embodies the natural beauty of wine country, but with a luxurious and modern twist. The space is intimate yet has the capacity to host larger parties if needed.

After the heavenly ceremony was over, the reception was held indoors in the function room that provided a cozy and romantic environment for the celebration. The sweethearts were welcomed into each other’s family and shared a fabulous dinner thanks to the incredible culinary talents of the Michelin star restaurant at Auberge.

As you scroll through this beautiful wedding day, I hope you enjoy this gorgeous couple as much as I did – their smiles and their joy are contagious. Amanda and Maneesh, thank you so much for allowing me to capture this incredible time of your life. It was such an honor to be a part of it.

Amy and Andrew – Gardner Ranch, Carmel

I have been fortunate enough in my profession that I’ve traveled to many beautiful areas, but few hold a special place in my heart like Carmel-by-the-Sea.

AKA Carmel, this quaint town is located on the breathtaking coast of Northern California in Monterey County and is renowned for it’s food, wine and natural scenery that will take your breath away.

When Amy and Andrew first contacted me from their home in Texas about photographing their wedding in Carmel, I couldn’t be more excited. The venue of choice was Gardner Ranch, a charming property located on the banks of the Carmel River. Twenty-four acres of lush meadows and majestic oaks, while being walking distance to shops and restaurants made it the perfect venue for a destination wedding.

Every detail about Amy and Andrew’s day matched the mood and ambiance of Gardner Ranch to a tee. Elegant and charming yet rustic – with a big dose of fun and laughter at every stage of the day. For example, just look at these bridal party pictures… 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 photos.

This vibe carried well into the day and evening. It’s clear that these two live life to the fullest and are so loved by everyone around them. And, they sure know how to throw a party!

I could go on and on about this magical day, but I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

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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Soda Rock Wedding of Katie and Miles

Why is Soda Rock Winery in The Alexander Valley so popular for weddings? There are so many reasons. It’s a historical property in Sonoma that dates back as far as the 1800s and is thought to be the first to make a branded wine. But it’s the attributes of the property itself that make it so sought after for picturesque weddings. The stone wall, the antique barn, and multiple indoor and outdoor venues make it a top pick. Katie and Miles dated in the area and it’s a place that has great significance for them. The barn was became the cornerstone for their day with the ceremony being held next to the amazing barn, their cocktail hour being in the barn, and their reception in the ballroom.

The ceremony was emotional and a great celebration of love for all in attendance. During the cocktail hour a group of friends of Katie’s dad belted out a roaring chant called Boom-shaka-a-laka, and oy did it kick off the tone for the rest of the day. It was a great photo moment. Some of my favorite photos of the day though are in the incredible barn. The way the light shines through the wood slats is intense. I could have shot there all day!

One of my favorite wedding planners Kaitlyn Finley of Ohh La La Weddings was at the helm of this wedding and she made my job a cake walk. Every time we work together I am guaranteed a happy and relaxed couple, a stellar creative team and a smooth and fun day! This team consisted of some of the best in the valley and I’m happy to have been part of it.

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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.

Blue Victorian Winery Wedding | Vezer Family Vineyards

Camille & Joey were married at the Blue Victorian Winery in gorgeous Suisun Valley wine country. Their wedding was passionate and dramatic, and they threw amazing party! It was such a pleasure to be a part of their wedding.
Congratulations Camille and Joey!

Best of 2013

2013 was an amazing year for Rubin Photography! We had weddings and photoshoots in 6 different states, across California from Napa to Los Angeles, and in destinations including Maui, Hawaii. We begin 2014 grateful for all of our incredible clients! Thank you all for the privilege and honor of capturing some of the most important moments of your lives. Happy 2014!

2013 was a great year for the commercial photography side of our business as well. From magazine covers to celebrity shoots, it was by far our busiest and most successful year! Perhaps the greatest moment of the year was a shoot for Starbucks Corporate which included a very special guest….Oprah!

Olivia & Patrick | Camp Long

OLIVIA & PATRICK | WEDDING | CAMP LONG | SEATTLE, WA

San Juan Island Destination Wedding | Roche Harbor

SARAH & RYAN | WEDDING | ROCHE HARBOR RESORT | SAN JUAN ISLAND, WA

Roche Harbor on Dwellable

novelty hill winery wedding | lauren & nate

LAUREN & NATE | WEDDING | NOVELTY HILL, JANUIK WINERY | WOODINVILLE, WA

Adjectives: Colorful, Happy, Silly, Loving, Romantic and Passionate.

Lauren and Nate are an amazing couple! I had such an incredible time photographing their wedding day. The morning started with everyone getting ready at Novelty Hill, Januik Winery in Woodinville. This winery is one of my favorite venues in in the Northwest. It’s architecture is modern and clean and the courtyard and surrounding areas offer tons of photo opportunities. The weather was perfect and we captured some beautiful moments. Take a look at my favorites below. Congratulations Lauren and Nate!