aileen secord photography

After any shoot, a wave of anxiety usually passes over me. Have I captured the right mood of the day? Did I capture enough moments? Have I done my job? Maybe I didn’t and maybe I did. Then… there are those times you walk away saying to yourself, “I think I did alright.” These are times I drive home with a smile on my face and think I have some sort of creative eye.

Photography is tough business, especially when shooting someone’s wedding. You get one shot. One shot to do it right. And when there’s no timeline given to you, you have to be on your toes ready for ANY (and I mean ANY) hilarious/emotional moment (so, brides – make sure you give your photographers a timeline!). And then you pray to God that your photos are compelling and give off some sort of emotion to the viewer. That is when you’ve done your job. Anxiety? Yes, lots of it!

Annie and Cliff hired me a little too soon before her wedding to help photograph their First Look and Ceremony next to photographer, Nathan Wauk. I had such a blast watching the 2 love birds crack jokes and just be themselves. They were the untraditional bride and groom – Cliff walked Annie down the aisle and Cliff had no groomsmen. Cliff had his sisters at his side. Too sweet! After the evening, I drove home through the Malibu canyons with a smile on my face. I’ve done my job.

So you met Annie before… Now meet Cliffie… and enjoy the rest of this LONG post with my best shots.

And if you hate scrolling, then check out the easy to view slideshow here.

And this one was for me…

Here’s Nathan and I in Annie & Cliff’s photo booth (by Cheesy Photo Booths)… photographers love to have fun at weddings, too, you know.

First Look: Gardens of the World, Thousand Oaks
Ceremony & Reception: Malibu West Beach Club, Malibu
Dress: Monique Lhuillier