Goosecross Winery – Engagement Session

Aren’t Nicole and Josh a beautiful couple? I think so too, and I’m so fortunate they hired me to photograph their Sonoma wedding next summer. They recently came to Napa for a planning session, and we squeezed in their engagement session. We shot at Goosecross Winery in Yountville on a perfectly sunny day. The sky looked so soft and light against the contrast of the vines that appeared to be drinking in the light. They looked electric! We also got some sexy and dramatic shots among the casks of wine that I love.  It’s always great to spend time getting to know my couples better during the engagement session, especially for a destination wedding couple like this couple who hail from Minnesota.

After shooting at Goosecross, I whisked my couple off to a favorite vineyard location in Yountville. It’s where the original founder of the town planted the first grapes in an area. This place is magical to me and sharing it is always an honor. So many people enjoy Yountville because of the notoriety of The French Laundry. I love it for it’s history and beauty as well. I’d love to share it with you sometime soon.

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Napa Engagement Session – Castello Di Amorosa

Engagement Sessions in Napa Valley are always interesting and fun. But this one is by far one of the most interesting. Nicole and Arthur had their engagement session at Castello Di Amorosa, which is an authentically-built, 13th century inspired Tuscan castle and winery, most of which was fabricated in Europe and reconstructed in Napa. Arthur proposed to Nicole at the castle and I had the pleasure of joining them the following day for their engagement session. We had perfect weather which made for the most beautiful blue skies that Napa is known for. With the castle as the back drop we set about getting some great images them. I love that they chose to dress in formal attire. It’s hard to tell that they’re not actually royalty. And that gown Nicole wore was a stunning contrast to the castle’s rugged look.

This castle looks like it came from another century. With great attention to detail, you really feel that you are in a historic place. Don’t let the structures fool you though, this is a serious winery with acres of vines and production of Italian style wines. At times I had to remind myself that I wasn’t in a Tuscan Valley and here in Northern California. The property is a favorite of Napa Valley Lovers wanting to propose, have engagement sessions, and even weddings. We’re looking forward to shooting here again and again. My camera loves it.

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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. Napa Engagement Photographer_0001 Napa Engagement Photographer_0002 Napa Engagement Photographer_0003 Napa Engagement Photographer_0004 Napa Engagement Photographer_0005 Napa Engagement Photographer_0006 Napa Engagement Photographer_0007 Napa Engagement Photographer_0008 Napa Engagement Photographer_0009 Napa Engagement Photographer_0010 Napa Engagement Photographer_0012 Napa Engagement Photographer_0014 Napa Engagement Photographer_0015 Napa Engagement Photographer_0016 Napa Engagement Photographer_0017Alston Park Engagement by Alexander Rubin Photography

 

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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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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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San Francisco Engagement Session of Jillian and Tom

“The Golden Gate Bridge……..offers enduring proof that human beings can alter the planet with reverence” – Kevin Starr

The above quote sums up the feeling most residents and visitors of San Francisco feel about the iconic bridge. It’s certainly how I feel.  The bridge made the perfect backdrop for Jillian and Tom’s engagement session. Even though their upcoming wedding will take place in wine country, they wanted an engagement session in the city they fell in love in.

When Jillian and Tom were first together, they lived on Russian Hill and wanted to incorporate that memory into their shoot. We had a blast running up and down the hills and finding the most picturesque areas that also had meaning to them. The smile on Jillian’s face conveys how much fun all three of us had that day. Then we were off to our second location the Golden Gate Recreation Area near the Presidio Yacht Club just in time for sunset. I have to confess this was my favorite part of the day. My creativity was fueled with the light from this perfect location. The warm light made for some epic images for my couple. As a photographer these are the kind of days that just remind me of why I love what I do.

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