Nathaniel Thompson's Photography Blog

santa barbara engagement session - sarah and ryan

2011-05-03T01:43:00.000-07:00

we caught another beautiful santa barbara day for sarah and ryan's engagement session at one of my favorite little beaches. sarah and ryan are madly in love, and it showed. it was non stop smiles as we had a great time on what turned out to be our own private beach.

easter moments

2011-04-26T00:49:00.000-07:00

had a great easter with the family - got the camera out and right away remembered why it is so hard to get a great photo of all 3 of my kids at once...i have silly boys - awesome in every way - but quite a bit silly.

next was the easter egg hunt!

we always have a "golden egg" that has extra candy in it - this is micah right after finding it...

even one of our bunnies was getting into the act...

later in the day after easter service and easter dinner, kaitlyn changed her dress and was playing out in the back yard. i saw the gorgeous back light and had to snap a few shots.

the two most beautiful girls in the world!

puerto vallarta trash the dress session - amy and jared

2011-03-02T01:20:00.000-08:00

here are the promised photos from amy and jared's amazing trash the dress session at the malecon and downtown puerto vallarta. it was a warm evening, so the 2nd half of the session at the beach was refreshing. every wedding i've had at las caletas has felt sureal. i'm so thankful each time i get to celebrate down there, so i'm stoked to have several more las caletas weddings lined up for 2011!

birthday girl!

2011-03-01T22:27:00.001-08:00

happy birthday to my little princess! She turned 6 today...growing up too quickly. Took this picture of her a couple of weeks ago at lotusland.

Las Caletas Wedding - Amy and Jared

2011-02-25T01:26:00.000-08:00

the return of the blog! and what better way to bring it back, than with amy and jared's awesome destination wedding at las caletas in puerto vallarta! amy and jared were amazing folks to be around, and their wedding was non-stop fun. from the moment the boat arrived at las caletas the party began an the dancing didn't stop - even on the boat ride back to the resort. amy and jared were such an amazing couple to shoot, you gotta see the trash the dress shoot too! check back soon for those photos, or see a sneak preview of them here, as i just added amy and jared to my website...

i occasionally get a request from prospective clients to see a complete wedding, from beginning to end. i make some of them available for public viewing on my proofing site - and amy and jared's wedding is a perfect example of that. so if you want to see every photo from rehearsal dinner to splashing in the ocean at the ttd session click here.

Playa del Carmen Trash the Dress Session in a Cave! - Sarah & Jed

2010-06-30T01:59:00.000-07:00

here is one of the coolest trash the dress sessions i've ever shot - we started out in a cave at rio secreto in playa del carmen. the folks at rio secreto were great, and took us to a cave not seen by the general public on the river tour. so, we had it all to ourselves. it was crazy shooting in a pitch black cave with only flashlights to point in one direction or the other to see where we wanted to shoot. then the cave would fill with light each time my speedlights would fire. it was truly a surreal experience. we finished up the shoot back at occidental grand xcaret and were blessed with a beautiful evening full of color.

Occidental Grand Flamenco Xcaret Wedding in Playa del Carmen - Sarah & Jed

2010-06-30T00:28:00.000-07:00

we had a crazy fun time in playa del carmen with sarah and jed at the beautiful occidental grand xcaret. when we arrived on a thursday it was an absolute downpour, and the same on friday. so, the backup plans were in place - the rehearsal was inside the open air lobby (the backup ceremony site). through it all, sarah and jed were calm and focused on what was most important...they were getting married! on saturday morning we all woke up to gorgeous sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. sarah and jed had until 2:00 to make the final call as to where the ceremony would be held - outside at the gazebo by the water, or inside at the lobby. and, when 2:00 came it was still beautiful outside...a few clouds, nothing to worry about...but, then just before the 5:00 ceremony. the weather suddenly changed, the skies turned angry and it rained harder than it had thursday or friday. so, it became a mad scramble to relocate the ceremony. the occidental grand xcaret is big and beautiful resort - and it is a LONG way from the lobby to the water - so the lobby was no longer an option for the ceremony. the ceremony was then set up on the covered balcony of the same building as the reception, but the rain came in horizontally and soaked half the chairs. finally (after one more unsuccessful location) the reception tables were moved out and the ceremony was set up in record time in its place. it ended up being a great back up site as the sides were open to the outside, and the positioning was such that the rain was not a problem. by, the time the ceremony started, the rain mellowed out, and then just as the ceremony ended a beautiful rainbow came out as if to say congratulations to sarah and jed! the rest of the evening was beautiful and the trash the dress session the next day was incredible - be sure to check back soon for those photos.

ventura engagement session - nicole & beau

2010-05-13T02:41:00.000-07:00

had a blast with nicole and beau at their engagement session in ventura! they were much fun to be around and it seemed like we never stopped laughing. can't wait for their wedding at spanish hills country club!

puerto vallarta destination wedding - trash the dress session - erin & collin

2010-04-29T01:28:00.001-07:00

here are the TTD photos from downtown puerto vallarta...

las caletas destination wedding in puerto vallarta - erin & collin

2010-04-29T00:11:00.000-07:00

erin and collin's wedding in puerto vallarta was simply incredible. it feels like that is all i should say, and then let the photos speak for themselves, but i've got to mention a few things...

first off, erin and collin were the best! they were so welcoming to us, so much fun, and they were up for everything! the wedding day was amazing, and the trash the dress session (photos to be posted soon) was a blast - and filled with laughs.

all three days we shot had their own thrills. jenny and i officially met erin and collin just prior to the rehearsal dinner, and as we were talking the sky turned a brilliant orange - so we had an impromptu photo session. the rehearsal dinner was at villa mia. erin and collin booked via milla (and their two other adjacent villas) for all their guests - and it was gorgeous. This meant they had the entire place to themselves - all the drinks, meals (prepared by the villa's chef), and service included. a perfect way to enjoy time with your closest friends and family for your destination wedding.

the wedding was at las caletas which is simply a photographer's dream. everywhere you turn there is a beautiful place to take photos. i was able to shoot with erin and collin for quite a good amount of time at caletas, but we didn't come close to taking advantage of all that caletas has to offer. las caletas can only be reached by boat, and is the former hideaway for director john huston. if you're looking for a private beach wedding, this is the place! i'm thrilled to be heading back to caletas in june and then again next may!

for the day after - trash the dress session, we started out in downtown puerto vallarta and then found a gorgeous little beach just south of town to shoot just before the sunset.

hollister ranch wedding - nate and lindsay

2010-03-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

another wedding i didn't get a chance to blog last fall. jenny and i loved shooting this wedding! we loved everything about it - the couple, the families, the location, the decor you name it we loved it! in fact jenny said to me (and anyone else who would listen), "this is exactly what i want kaitlyn's (our 5 year old daughter) wedding to be like!"

nate and lindsay are so madly in love it was infectious. i still can't get over the sequence of photos as nate sees lindsay for the first time. there were about 15 more perfect photos nate's reaction that i could have included in the post, but you have to narrow it down at some point...

and, i'm convinced hollister ranch is a little slice of heaven on earth - and not just because of the surf. the golden hills, blue skies, and great oak trees have something to do with it too.

san clemente state beach cottage wedding - amy & maxwell

2010-03-12T00:12:00.000-08:00

so as the blog faded last fall, some really cool weddings missed out on blog exposure. here are some shots of amy and maxwell's wedding in san clemente. amy had some fun and creative ideas from paper mache mustaches to half coconuts as dinner plates to sparklers for guests to hold during the first dance to maxwell's hand tailored suit to blue shoes and blue socks, this wedding was uniquely theirs.

more weddings to come...

wedding in rome, italy - melissa and jorge

2010-02-21T16:34:00.000-08:00

the blog is alive and kickin'! i do apologize for neglecting it, but i'm back! i'm reviving my digital self and i've made a resolution to log on to facebook as well! so what better way to get the blog going again than with melissa and jorge's awesome wedding in rome, italy at the famous hassler hotel. the hassler is located at the top of the spanish steps in rome. and in a variation of the italian wedding tradition of walking to the ceremony, melissa walked up all 138 steps to the hassler - in crazy high heels! the spanish steps are a favorite place for italians and tourists to slow down, sit, and watch the busyness go by on via dei condotti (rome's rodeo drive). so, after the rooftop ceremony we went down the steps and melissa and jorge sat with everyone else and soaked in the whole scene. the next day, we had a few moments to cruise around rome and take some more photos at their "day after session." melissa and jorge were staying at the st. regis grand, so we started there - then, had fun exploring the city.

Ciao Baby! (italy wedding take two)

2009-11-18T01:07:00.000-08:00

last year jenny and i had the privilege of shooting cory and regina's wedding in positano, this year we are thrilled to shoot jorge and melissa's wedding in rome! we will have limited phone and email access, but will do our best to get back to you as soon as we can!

vera and kenta's wedding

2009-11-16T06:59:00.000-08:00

vera is a true renaissance gal from everywhere and kenta is from japan where they both live and work. vera is fluent in japanese so it was fun communicating through her a bit. they chose santa barbara as the destination for their wedding because of its beauty, and their ceremony at sunset didn't disappoint!

lindsey and mike's wedding

2009-11-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

transplanted from the east coast, lindsey and mike brought their families out to gorgeous santa barbara for their beautiful wedding. i love lindsey and mike, their are so down to earth and easy to talk to - and i was stoked for them that the fog didn't roll in so they could show off s.b from the top of the canary hotel. the whole day ran perfectly thanks to melissa lee and zohe felici from events of santa barbara.

melyssa and rob's wedding at the santa barbara historical museum

2009-10-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

melyssa and rob's wedding was so much fun to shoot! their love for each other was so obvious through out the day, plus everything about the wedding was exquisite. from the gorgeous santa barbara weather, to the unique succulents in the floral arrangements, to the rustic santa barbara historical museum. but, i am most thankful to have been a part of melyssa and rob's wedding because of who they are. they are kind, patient, and fun! how can you not enjoy being around folks like that!

back online with a new website!

2009-10-22T00:50:00.000-07:00

okay, so i'm getting emails again - and even better, my new site has just launched! check it out and give me your thoughts.

thanks!

no email.... :(

2009-10-21T00:26:00.000-07:00

i'm in the process of launching my new website...but one of the casualties of this seems to be email. i can't receive any emails for the time being. so if you've sent one to me recently, please resend it when all's well - hopefully very soon. i'll post here when email is working again. if you urgently need to contact me, call 805.259.7955 or send a text to that same number. thanks!

-n

thalia and brett's wedding at rose story farm

2009-10-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

i was so honored to shoot thalia and brett's wedding at rose story farm. not just because they are both great folks that are easy to get along with, but also because they are both world class athletes that represented the united states at the 2004 olympic games in athens. they met at ucla where they both played water polo, and the rest as they say is history - inlcuding thalia winning a bronze medal at the games. did i say "wow!" yet? once you get past the whole "olympian" thing, you realize that thalia and brett are nice, genuine, kind, fun people and everyone at the wedding was having a blast! rose story farm arranged all the flowers, and i was thrilled to shoot at this beautiful venue. rose story farm is the top local grower of garden roses, so if you are having garden roses in your bouquet and you're getting married in the santa barbara area, then you'll like have some of their roses in your arrangement. the farm house was gorgeous, and obviously the grounds were beautiful.

karleanne and collin's wedding at the los angeles river center

2009-09-29T23:21:00.000-07:00

it's always fun for me to shoot weddings at new locations, and karleanne and collin's wedding at the los angeles river center was a beautiful new experience for me. with lush gardens everywhere, it provided excellent background for this gorgeous couple. karleanne is a professional dancer and collin is in the air force and it was a joy to watch them during their first dance as they looked like prince and princess. they are both the easiest people to be around too.

also, thanks to my buddy geordie speake for shooting with me.

melissa and jorge's engagement session at demetria estate winery

2009-09-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

i had a blast shooting melissa and jorge's engagement session. they are such down to earth and easy going people. and, they are going to have a dream wedding in rome this fall, so they wanted to shoot at a winery with an italian feel. the perfect location was demetria estate winery in los olivos. a boutique winery that offers tastings by appointment only, demetria was so kind to allow us to shoot all around their lavender covered grounds. melissa and jorge know wine, and were thrilled to take home a bottle of their 2006 Cuvee Sandra Pinot Noir. after shooting at the winery, we actually headed over to my house. well, not really my house...my parents place. but its still mine because i grew up there! yes, i actually grew up on a farm! and we decided to shoot there because it is located int he gorgeous santa rita hills and has a vineyard, golden fields of oats, and right now a beautiful field of marigolds. all of which provided great back drops for melissa and jorge's e-session.

amy and maxwell's engagement session in santa barbara

2009-09-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

ok, so if you know me well - you know i LOVE fish tacos! that's right fish tacos. what in the world do fish tacos have to do with amy and maxwell's engagement session? well, we'll have to go all the way back to 2008 and remember pete and krista. last year, after pete and krista's engagement session we came up off the beach and pete and krista had me over for fish tacos and krista's mom's house. my heart was melted and i fell in love with pete and krista - so cool to be around - my kind of people! well krista works with amy down in orange county, and they've become fast friends. so, when amy got engaged krista passed along my name to her. amy and i hit it off over the phone, and now i'm stoked to shoot their gorgeous wedding in san clemente. "wait what about the fish tacos?" ok, ok i'm getting there. well when amy and maxwell were looking to schedule their engagment session up here in santa barbara, amy said that krista might be coming up too, and that we could have the fish taco experience all over again! so, we had so much fun shooting at the santa barbara mission, and then headed back to krista's mom's house for the best fish tacos ever! and yes, i fell in love with amy and maxwell. their fun, kind, and wow you should hear maxwell play guitar and sing! unbelievable. can't wait for the wedding!

alex and amanda's wedding at fess parker's doubletree in santa barbara

2009-09-16T07:54:00.000-07:00

this was an absolutely beautiful wedding from start to finish! a gorgeous couple, a perfect santa barbara day, and the perfect setting at fess parker's doubletree resort. and alex and amanda are just as beautiful inside as they are out. jenny and i loved being around both of them! and any bride who is willing to sit in the sand in her wedding dress on her wedding day scores HUGE points in my book. amanda was ready to go all out for photos. ever since the first time i talked with amanda on the phone, i started looking forward to this wedding. and after the e-session, and i was able to meet both alex and amanda i knew their wedding would be awesome! i can't thank alex and amanda enough for allowing me to be their photographer. ann johnson coordinated the whole day beautifully for all 300 guests, the flowers were designed by kaleidoscope, ams entertainment made sure everyone was dancing the whole night.

dara and avi's engagment session in santa barbara

2009-09-02T23:57:00.000-07:00

had a great time shooting dara and avi's engagement session here in santa barbara! they were so much fun to be with, and it was easy to tell they're meant for each other. avi has a great sense of humor and was keeping the 3 of us laughing the whole time. and i learned that avi is a palm tree expert - i never knew we had so many varieties of palms in santa barbara. so, avi led us to his favorite type of palm tree - don't miss the photo of it below taken in the sunken gardens at the courthouse. dara and avi are going to have an amazing destination wedding on the big island of hawaii in april.

dana and bryan's trash the dress session on grand bahama island and old bahama bay

2009-08-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

as promised...conch shells! and once again the rain let up just in time for us to shoot. dana and bryan were so great on this shoot - no matter what we asked them to do, they were up for it! scouting the island, norm and i spotted this wrecked and rusty old barge sitting on the shore, and we knew it would be perfect for dana and bryan's trash the dress shoot. what we didn't realize, was how sketchy it all was. when we really got out on the barge we saw areas in the floor that had rusted all the way through. but dana and bryan were fearless - they never hesitated - they just charged on. i think i may have made them a bit nervous when i balanced myself out there on top of a wobbly old freezer to get a few of the shots posted here. anything for a shot right?!? after the session was done, dana and bryan had a big bonfire for all their guests on the beach - norm and i were stoked to be invited as we enjoyed chilling with everyone and getting wrapped up in conversation. the real treat came when the jonkonnu musicians came parading and dancing, surrounding everyone with some sweet sounds.

dana and bryan's destination wedding at old bahama bay resort on grand bahama island

2009-08-17T23:55:00.000-07:00

dana and bryan's wedding at the fabulous old bahama bay resort on grand bahama island was crazy good! crazy because it rained and rained and rained! good because it always seemed to let up at just the right time, and when it did the sky was awesome for photos. norm and i had so much fun over the 5 days we were there with dana and bryan. we felt so welcomed by them, as well as by their friends and family. it was fun to shoot a destination wedding in the bahamas too. most of my destination weddings have been in mexico - which i love! i've been to mexico so many times, that i almost feel like i grew up there. and i'm always looking forward to my next fish taco or huevos rancheros. so, being in the bahamas was a very unique experience for me. i loved learning about the conch! its a way of life there. they take boats out and free dive for it, and there is so much of it everywhere. they serve it at every meal in every way possible. from conch salad (delicious! kind of like ceviche) to conch chowder to conch and chips i loved it all. and the conch shells are everywhere - they line the shoreline, there are jetty's of conch shells (pics coming with the trash the dress post). i asked if they're worried about the conch becoming "fished out." but, the locals assured me that they are careful to only harvest the large conch and let the young ones grow - and that they don't use S.C.U.B.A. gear, to cut down on the number they're able to collect - and that they've been doing it this way for as long as they can remember. ok, probably more information than you wanted. now, on to the pictures. the first two are of the wet rehearsal dinner...

on the day of the wedding, it rained all day - right up until 15 minutes before the wedding started. and, it held off long enough for us to take pictures. then when the reception started, it began to rain cats and dogs again. talk about amazing timing!

this is what it looked like the day we left...

don't forget to check back soon for an insane trash the dress shoot!

nate and lindsay's engagement session at hollister ranch

2009-08-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

what an enagement session this was! i met nate and lindsay up at hollister ranch for their e-session where we had a blast chasing the setting sun. the location was special in every way as this is where nate's family lives and where he grew up (yes, i'm a bit jealous - some of you know why), its where nate proposed to lindsay, and its where they will have their wedding this fall. after four wheelin' around the property in search of the next shot, nate's family invited me to stay for an awesome chicken dinner - and you know i couldn't refuse an offer like that. i'm one happy photographer!

yael and john's day after session

2009-08-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

as promised...yael and john's day after session. this was especially fun for me as it was my first day after session in santa barbara. up to this point, all my day after sessions had taken place outside the usa. it took one of the awesome bdw gals to make it happen in my hometown. and if you're planning a destination wedding and don't know what bdw is, you owe it to yourself to check it out!

yael and john's wedding at the four seasons biltmore

2009-08-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

out of sadness comes joy, out of tragedy comes triumph, out of despair comes hope...

ok, i might be taking it a bit far - but let me tell you about yael and john's wedding at the incomparable four seasons biltmore. yael and john had been planning to have their dream destination wedding in mexico on may 8th - at the exact time the swine flu scare was in full force. and unfortunately, many of their closest friends and family were not being allowed to attend the wedding. so, yael and john changed everying. i'm sure there are many brides reading this who can imagine how devastating it would be for them. they changed their date, and even the country they were going to be married in. but then, things started looking up as their first great decision was to choose the biltmore as the new venue for their wedding. the next great decision was of course to choose me as their photographer ;) and they also chose all the right vendors: rebecca from imagine did an amazing job running the show, and camille from modern day design arranged the gorgeous flowers. put it all together and the whole day was perfect!

and i can't thank yael and john enough for having me be a part of their day. they were so much fun to be with, as were all their friends and family.

we also shot a "day after session" - so look for that blog post coming soon!

chris and jessica's wedding

2009-07-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

what do you get when chris, a set designer for the tv show number3s, and jessica, a costume designer get hitched? a country wedding at taft ranch (a great new venue) in atascadero topped off by an incredible attention to detail of course...from the brides cowboy boots to the french country florals, from the gourmet olive oil bar to the whimsical one of a kind cake - and you can't forget the vintage pedestal bathtub filled with ice to keep the keg cold - this was a special wedding to be a part of. not only that, but chris and jessica are awesome! at the engagement session, they treated me to chips, salsa, guacamole, and margaritas - so you know they hold a special place in my heart. the gorgeous flowers were designed by jennifer hocker and she was also the "day of" coordinator.

melyssa, rob, and abby's engagement session

2009-07-19T21:56:00.000-07:00

i have more photos from the road trip coming soon, but i've been dying to get melyssa and rob's e-session photos up on the blog. so here they are...

when i first talked with melyssa on the phone, we hit it off right away - so it was great to meet in person when she and rob came up to santa barbara for their engagement session. one thing that gets me fired up for their wedding, is that they consider photography an extremely important part of their wedding day. my kind of couple. plus, melyssa and rob love their dog. abby is like their child, so it was only right that abby be included in their e-session as one of the family. we had a great time up on the douglas family preserve and then down on hendry's beach for sunset. i can't wait for their awesome wedding at the santa barbara historical museum!

photos from the road

2009-07-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

been "roughing" it up here in oregon, and thought i'd share a few pics with y'all

before we made it to oregon, we stopped in auburn for a couple of nights and visited family. the kids don't have much experience with rivers and lakes, so it was fun to watch them float down the bear river...

the next stop was camping at trinity lake. all the kids "helped" us SO much. here is noah pounding in tent stake.

"we made it!"

gotta have smores when you camp. kaitlyn knows how they're done.

this is how kaitlyn does "camo" when she camps.

the next day was spent on the lake with friends. a completely new experience for the kids. almost better than disneyland.

a couple days later we were in beaverton to shoot my cousins wedding. it was the first time i'd ever shot a family member's wedding, and it was a blast. it was great for the kids to see what daddy does when he goes to weddings. they knew i took pictures, but they were always convinced i was in it for the cake. and, after having some cake at this wedding, i'm pretty sure they still think that's why i take pictures at so many weddings. jenny decked the boys out in linen shirts and pants, kaitlyn in a linen dress - they were irresistible - so i snapped away. they're gonna be heartbreakers all of 'em.

we hiked a gruelling 2.2 miles with the kids to the top of multnomah falls. they did great! we were out of trail mix, so the got peanut m&m's to tide them over.

brought a little tripod along and we were able to get a few rare family portraits.

we'll be camping again in the next couple of days, so i may be out of phone and email contact for a bit. we'll see how at&t does...they failed at trinity lake (folks with verizon we fine though).

the oregon trail...

2009-07-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

ok, so not the official trail - but we're road tripping it family style. which means an overloaded minivan and frquent potty stops. we're shooting a wedding on saturday, but we'll be camping for a couple of days before then. so, no phone or email until friday.

happy 4th of july!

2009-07-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

we're off to the beach to celebrate the 4th with friends! just had to post a couple of patriotic shots of my kids!

cody and aynsley's wedding

2009-07-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

cody and aynsley are two of the busiest folks in all of arizona, and as a result their wedding day was the first time i'd had the chance to meet them face to face. we of course had chatted on the phone and a had a conference call or two. but, it was an absolute joy to discover how down to earth and easy going they are - and even sweeter to see how much they are madly in love with each other. it was a bit of a gray santa barbara day, but everyone was stoked when a touch of blue sky poked through just in time for the ceremony. here are some of my favorite shots from the day. thanks to alex morgan for a couple of these shots as well.

jaymie and ales' destination wedding at dreams cancun resort

2009-06-25T01:44:00.000-07:00

i can't even begin to tell you how awesome jaymie and ales' dreams cancun wedding was. and to think it almost didn't happen because of the swine flu! i'm fired up jaymie and ales went through with it. dreams is a beautiful resort with the best location in cancun at the end of the peninsula.

ok, so norm and i have never been made to feel more welcome at a wedding than we did on this trip. from the moment we arrived, we felt like guests...not the hired help. from the rehearsal to the wedding day to the trash the dress shoot we had a blast! norm and i even got to play beach volleyball against ales and his brother the day we left (i won't mention who won...it wouldn't be good for business). jaymie and ales are the kind of people that everyone wants to be around, and they make everyone they are talking to feel important. they're just great people. plus...they have twin boys. the 2nd cutest twin boys around (of course THE cutest if you ask them). how can you not love a couple with twin boys?

the trash the dress shoot was amazing! we went across to isla mujeres and cruised through town on a golf cart and then ended up in the water in time to catch that golden light. then, after jaymie and ales changed into some dry clothes - all four of us had some chips and guacamole with margaritas before heading back to dreams.

i had trouble narrowing down my favorite shots, so i just posted a bunch. thanks to norm for some of these as well!

jaymie and ales - dreams cancun wedding coming soon!

2009-06-22T14:06:00.001-07:00

i'm so excited to share jaymie and ales' wedding photos with you - they had a gorgeous wedding at dreams cancun that was pure fun from beginning to end. details and photos to come very very soon...

...in the meantime, i have to tell a quick story. norm and i had a great flight on alaska airlines, and on our flight was a couple (not jaymie and ales) that was flying to cancun to get married. well ava the flight attendant was in a great mood and decided to have a contest. she passed out slips of paper to all the passengers and asked them to give the newlyweds some marriage advice. she then read them all and chose her favorites and read them over the loudspeaker. norm went the comedy route and earned a very repectable honorable mention. but, the grand prize went to yours truly. so, now i'm considering entering the marriage counseling biz as well - because i'm sure ava really know good advice when she hears it. here is a picture of me with ava and my grand prize (a glass of red wine):

also, flying over these islands - norm and i decided we'd buy this little island chain when when we're big 'n rich:

we were stoked with this view when we checked in to the resort:

john and patty's engagement session

2009-06-04T00:23:00.000-07:00

had a great evening with john and patty. they are from the bay area, and chose santa barbara as the destination for their wedding. john and patty are fun loving, and when you're around them for just a short while its easy to grasp how much in love they are. i can't wait for their wedding, as its going to be gorgeous - on the mesa, overlooking santa barbara - and i know every detail will be perfect because john and patty hired kaitlin from la fete weddings.

stephanie and dustin's wedding

2009-05-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

i'm a beachy kind of guy, so i'm always stoked when i get to shoot at hotel mar monte. and getting to photograph stephanie and dustin's beach wedding was awesome because they are the kind of people you gravitate to and want to be around. plus, there were so many beautifully thought out details and decorations that created an amazing experience for their guests. plus, a gorgeous santa barbara day helps too!

baker family

2009-05-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

the baker's family has grown by leaps and bounds recently, and they wanted some new family photos with their new family members. they've just legally adopted nathan through an amazing foster care program called angels. and little rebecca was just born too. what a beautiful family!

jesuita fire

2009-05-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

i can't get over how many fires we've had in the past year. my heart goes out to everyone who has lost there home. the jesuita fire continues to spread in both directions. our home is safe for now.

Website and Email Down!!!!

2009-05-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

My email and website have been up and down intermittently for the past few days. My hosting company is working on the problem, but if you've tried to email me recently I may not have gotten it. Please, call 805-259-7955 or you can email me at my alternate address: nathanielthompsonphotography@gmail.com. Sorry for the inconvenience!

-n

meghan's senior portraits

2009-04-22T01:08:00.000-07:00

had a blast shooting these photos of meghan. she's an awesome musician, and a budding photographer herself. congrats meghan!

the hamers family

2009-04-10T01:13:00.000-07:00

its not all happy couples here at ntp...its happy families too! check out how cute these kids are (and their parents too)!

kathryn and mike's engagement session

2009-04-05T22:46:00.000-07:00

i love engagement sessions, because it's a chance to hang out with a cool couple and get to know them better prior to the wedding. and, on top of that we get some great pictures. kathryn and mike's engagement session was as good as it gets. kathryn and mike wanted the los angeles skyline as the backdrop for their e-session, so we went to the griffith park observatory. the observatory has so many sweet places to shoot, its a photographers dream. kathryn and mike started out a bit nervous about what it would be like to do a photo shoot in front of so many people, but it took them less than a minute to let their guard down. and they were awesome! at the end of the evening we we went down the hill and had a bite to eat in their neighborhood at one of the original big boy restaurants. i had multiple flashbacks to my childhood as a put down a big boy combo. i'm excited for kathryn and mike's wedding at spanish hills country club this fall!

nikki and dean's destination wedding in zihuatanejo, mexico

2009-03-26T00:13:00.000-07:00

ok, i know. you don't have to tell me. i have a sweet job. what a way to start off wedding season - first puerto vallarta then zihuatanejo. ow! just pinched myself. and, i'm looking forward to more aventures when i shoot weddings in cancun and the bahamas later this year. ow! ow! not dreamin'. so, i'm basically becoming a local in the zihua-ixtapa area. it all started when nikki and dean booked me last spring for their wedding, then in june jenny and i celebrated our 10th anniversary in ixtapa. jenny and i just shot nikki and deans wedding there, and now i'm heading back in june for a surf trip with "the boys". its safe to say i love zihua. its one of the most beautiful bays i've ever seen. and i loved nikki and deans wedding. the night before the wedding jenny and i had the chance to meet everyone (i had the privilege of meeting nikki and dean in the fall when they came to santa barbara to attend a wedding) at the welcome dinner. you've never met a more quality group of folks than nikki and dean's family and friends. it felt so good to be welcomed. the following day at the wedding, nikki was the picture of calm and tranquility. even a make up artist that was on "mexico time" and showed up an hour late couldn't dampen her spirits. nikki and dean got ready at barcelo ixtapa (where jenny and i stayed as well). and, the rest of the wedding day was perfect, as the weather was gorgeous, the ceremony at la perla was so touching and the reception was an unbelievable party. the whole trip nikki and dean went out of their way to make sure we felt like guests, and after just a bit of dancing they physically took away our cameras, handed us margaritas, and got us dancing!

the next day we had a blast at the "day after session" as the weather was perfect again, the atmosphere was relaxed, and we had so much fun at marina ixtapa and then out on the beach.

destination wedding at las caletas in puerto vallarta, mexico

2009-03-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

check out my latest las caletas wedding here, as this post has been removed.

alex and amanda's engagement session

2009-03-07T00:56:00.000-08:00

so, i actually met alex's family before i met alex or amanda. when amanda first contacted me we talked on the phone and instantly hit it off. now, amanda really wanted to see and hold an album - but, she and alex lived in the bay area and weren't going to be in santa barbara anytime soon. however, alex's mom was heading up to the bay area for a weekend visit. so, i headed over to the house, dropped off some of my work, and got the chance to meet alex's awesome family. they were sweet, alex and amanda are sweet, and they're going to have sweet wedding at fess parker's doubletree resort. and, as you can see in the photos, alex and amanda are such a fun loving couple that they hardly stopped smiling the entire e-session. we shot at hendry's beach just down from alex's parents house in hope ranch.

stephanie and dustin's engagement session

2009-03-04T23:03:00.000-08:00

stephanie and dustin were so much fun to shoot, and they were excited to take pictures at this quiet little cove near town. its so great to be able to drive just a few minutes from santa barbara and have a beach all to yourselves. we had a great time and stephanie and dustin were up for anything! i can't wait for the beautiful beach wedding this spring and reception at the hotel mar monte.

casey and joe's wedding

2009-02-12T01:25:00.000-08:00

casey and joe are one of the most relaxed and easy going couples around. and their great attitudes toward enjoying the day put everyone at ease. casey and joe were married at the beautiful eucalyptus ln.

i had a blast at their e-session too, so had to include a few of those as we cruised around downtown ventura.

tiffany and jamie

2009-01-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

tiffany and jamie's wedding was so much fun! not just because of the great party they threw at the santa barbara yacht club, but because i consider them friends. it makes the whole day that much more exciting to be a part of. jamie is a much loved high school teacher, and it was unbelievable as the SMHS madrigals serenaded them at the end of the ceremony just before they exited the church.

i loved this engagement session too! tiffany and jamie love to travel, and especially love italy - having both been there multiple times. and in italy, of course, the vespa is king. check out the sweet personalized vespa jamie got for tiffany! it made for a great e-session in downtown santa barbara.

sara and andrew's wedding

2008-12-27T16:01:00.000-08:00

sara and andrew's wedding was one of my most enjoyable of the year! partly because they're fantastic and so easy to get along with, and partly because of the coming together of cultures. sara is an american girl and andrew is from england. and it was interesting to observe the wedding traditions from both countries that were combined to create their own personal celebration. they were married at charming el presidio chapel and then walked one block over to their reception at the santa barbara historical museum. karen fox at a smiling garden arranged the flowers and the swingin' live band was area 51.

rosendo and camille's wedding

2008-12-20T20:25:00.001-08:00

rosendo and camille had a beautiful wedding at the amazing firestone winery. and i could go on and on about how great the two of them are and how perfect they are for each other. but, i want to tell a brief story instead. rosendo and his mom had one of the most amazing mother/son dances you'll ever witness. rosendo's mom was in a wheel chair for the ceremony and for all the portraits, and as the day progressed to night camille had a beautiful dance with her father, and then rosendo's mom was wheeled onto the dance floor. i was trying to imagine how this moment was going to unfold - when to almost everyone's surprise, rosendo helped her to her feet. now, i'm as emotional as the next guy - but i'm definitely not a crier. but, this moment rocked me, and i kept shooting as the tears started to roll down my cheeks. her determination to dance with her son was only matched by her joy in the moment. i still get chills thinking of it.

altogether, it was a wonderful event - thanks to joy from joy de vivre weddings for making it flow so smoothly!

lindsey and mike's engagement session

2008-12-16T23:31:00.000-08:00

lindsey and mike's engagement session at butterfly beach was so much fun! you can't find two more easy to get along with folks anywhere. they are both east coast transplants, and moved to santa barbara so lindsey could pursue higher learning at ucsb. they fell in love with the beauty of santa barbara, and decided this was the place to celebrate with their family and friends. they're going to take complete advantage of santa barbara by getting married on the beach and then having the reception at the beautiful canary hotel. can't wait for it to all happen next august!

katherine and jeremy's wedding

2008-12-15T04:40:00.000-08:00

katherine and jeremy are from arizona, and decided that santa barbara county was the perfect spot for their destination wedding. they chose the gorgeous fess parker's winery in los olivos. jeremy is a firefighter, and he an all his buddies really know how to celebrate! and katherine was an absolute dream bride to work with - she was up for anything and everything, she was as relaxed and mellow as could be - i couldn't ask for more! the whole event came together beautifully as zohe from events of santa barbara guided the day, while camille from modern day design arranged the beautiful flowers.

stephanie and scott's wedding

2008-12-10T01:58:00.000-08:00

stephanie and scott's wedding couldn't have been better! and with rain threatening all day, everyone was absolutely thrilled that the clouds were completely blown away by the time the ceremony at sandpiper started. this wedding for me was so meaningful to shoot, because stephanie and scott have always made it a point o make me feel so wanted, so welcomed, and so apprecitated. and, i know i've mentioned this before, but i really didn't even feel like i was working - just enjoying the celebration. what a sweet job i have. thank you stephanie and scott!

brian and rita's wedding

2008-11-26T23:58:00.000-08:00

beautiful. thats the word to describe brian and rita's wedding. start with the beautiful couple - inside and out. add the beautiful church - our lady of mt. carmel. throw in the reliably beautiful santa barbara weather. and, you have the recipe for a beautiful day. brian and rita were so cool to be around, i never felt like i was working. and i don't think rita has ever taken a bad picture. plus, brian and rita scheduled a generous amount of time for photos of the two of them - which i love. i couldn't have imagined the day going any better. the reception was at events by stella mares, and they also provided the delicious meal. larry from music by bonnie did a great job of playing some sweet tunes. and also a big thanks to my buddy geordie speake for shooting the wedding with me.

rita has beautiful eyes...

...speaking of beautiful eyes, i couldn't resist including this little guys photo as well.

chris and jessica's engagement session

2008-11-19T23:03:00.000-08:00

chris and jessica are two of the reasons i love my job so much. they make it pure fun! not a job. chris is a set designer for the tv show NUMB3RS, jessica is a costume designer, and boy do they know how to have fun. the whole evening was filled with nonstop laughter. as i went through their photos on the computer, their joy was so infectious that i couldn't help but smile through the entire edit. you've got to check out the series of photos on the whale tail. after the session in downtown santa barbara, we hit el paseo for their famous chips and guacamole and some refreshing margaritas! the evening couldn't have been any better. i'm so jazzed for their wedding next june in cayucos where they have found the perfect "set" for themselves to design.

chris and traci's wedding

2008-11-15T00:38:00.000-08:00

chris and traci's wedding was the best way to return from italy! in life it is such a warm experience to be around people that you can tell truly want you around them. and that's exactly how i felt all day with chris and traci. traci was living in texas planning her destination wedding in santa barbara where she and chris met during college. when traci and i first talked, she let me know how important photography was to her. in fact, she didn't even have a wedding date or venue picked out yet, and over the next few weeks we were able to chat about some of my favorite venues and locations. then, as she neared her decision - she would check with me to make sure that i was available before she booked the venue for that particular date. i've never felt so honored as a photographer! the engagement session was a blast, and the wedding day was a non stop celebration with the ceremony on the sand and the reception at the gorgeous rincon beach club!

regina and cory's wedding -the amalfi coast, italy

2008-11-08T22:21:00.000-08:00

i suppose i don't even need to write about how amazing this wedding was. how could it not be: beautiful couple inside and out, the amalfi coast, amazing food, capri, awesome guests.

but, it was so incredible - i just have to tell you about it.

first off, i love destination weddings! the travel, the intimacy, the extra time i get to spend with the happy couple and those closest to them - and this one was no exception. but, its not every day that i get to shoot a wedding in italy - so, jenny and i decided to take a couple of extra days to enjoy where we were. we stayed 3 nights in the quaint town of amalfi before heading 15 min. along the coast to where the wedding was in positano. the weather was 85˚ and sunny the entire time we were in italy...except for one day (more on that later).

we met up with regina, cory, and their family and friends the day before the wedding, and we went to an amazing restaurant called la tagliata. there were no menus, and eveything was served family style. as soon as we sat down food was served. i loaded up my plate with excitement, only to realize later that there were many more courses to come, and i should have been more conservative with my portions. however, i still managed to try a little bit of everything. if you're ever in positano, la tagliata is a must!

so apparently, if it rains on your wedding day in italy, its considered extremely good luck...regina and cory are very lucky people. it rained all morning, and to be honest, despite how lucky this was, we were really hoping it would let up for the outdoor ceremony. and it did! no rain for the entire ceremony! then by the time we returned to the hotel for the reception, it began to pour, and didn't let up until the next day.

which leads me the next part of this post - the day after/trash the dress session was crazy fun! we walked through the streets of positano, stopping to take a few picturs along the way. then, we caught the ferry over to the island of capri where we trashed the dress! we had such a great time on capri as they stopped for ice cream and even helped make some shoes. regina and cory said they felt like celebrities the whole day as everyone stopped and cheered, while i acted as their paparazzi.

i still can't get over how fortunate i am to have a job that takes me all around the world! thanks to regina and cory for the privilege, and thanks to their family and friends for making jenny and i feel so welcome!

be sure to check out the slideshow of the wedding, as well as the slideshow of the trash the dress session!

and the trash the dress session...

colin, allison, and leighton

2008-10-23T02:45:00.000-07:00

my friends colin and allison, with their daughter leighton were a dream to shoot! they're beautiful people inside and out, and they sure know how to have fun. combine that with a beautiful santa barbara evening and really i could have handed my camera to any passerby - the results would have be awesome. love these!

abby and david's wedding

2008-10-21T00:43:00.000-07:00

what a privilege it was to shoot abby and david's wedding! it couldn't have been a more beautiful day in santa barbara at the gorgeous courthouse sunken gardens, and i couldn't have spent it with a more wonderful couple. i instantly hit it off with abby and david over a year ago, when they were in the beginning stages of planning their dream wedding. and it was so great to shoot their rehearsal dinner and wedding as i seriously felt like i was a guest that just so happened to be carrying around a couple of large cameras. at the rehearsal, abby's father even sent me home with a six pack of his amazing homemade beer (a nut brown, and a pale ale). and i was told (not that i needed to be) that this quite an honor as he never parts with his beer easily.

the whole wedding day flowed beautifully, thanks to rebecca stone of duet weddings. if you are looking for a full service or "day of" wedding coordinator, you have got to talk to rebecca! the vibrant flowers were arranged by karen fox from a smiling garden. the reception was at casa de la guerra where gavin roy mixed the tunes and the delicious meal was catered by fire and ice.

kelly and mike's wedding

2008-10-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

kelly and mike's wedding couldn't have been placed in a more beautiful setting. belle loreve's tuscan villa is located in ojai's back country and was the perfect backdrop for kelly and mike's fantastic celebration. after a year that included some very difficult times, kelly and mike's day was all about fun and celebration - and it never stopped! check out this first shot of them leaving the alter and don't miss kelly's excitement over wearing a wedding band as she pauses to check it out during their first dance.

charles and jenny's wedding

2008-10-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

i was so privileged to shoot the wedding of jenny and charles. they had an intimate wedding at the organic alma rosa winery in the esteemed santa rita hills region of the santa ynez valley. and this wedding was a thrill for me to shoot for several reasons. jenny and charles allotted a good amount of time for just pictures of the two of them - which i love. plus, my wife was my 2nd shooter - which doesn't happen as much as i would like because she is always doing a wonderful job of taking care of our kids. and, get this - when i was a kid, my dad was a finish carpenter, and i used to be his assistant. so, when i was about 12 or so, i assisted my dad at the alma rosa winery. i personally helped install all the cabinets and bar in the tasting room, and they're still there to this day! i personally think the handles on the cabinets need updating...but its so cool to go back and see a bit of my past still holding up.

amy and lenny's wedding

2008-10-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

this was such a fun wedding to be a part of! it was beautiful, and colorful, and every one was full of smiles. especially amy and lenny. i mean seriously, just look at them...could they be any happier?

our lady of mt. carmel is a colorful, gorgeous church, and the vibrancy continued on through the reception at the santa barbara historical museum as amy and lenny truly made this wedding their own. from hiring el sitio to cook authentic mexican food, to having tequila shots in lieu of a champagne toast - this wedding was amazingly unique!

think these girls are having fun?

i love all the different expressions from the girls as they watch amy and lenny's first dance!

ashlee and david's wedding

2008-09-24T22:32:00.000-07:00

ok ok i hear you loud and clear! its high time the blog was back in full force. so many weddings to get up here.

lets start it off with my friends ashlee and david's green wedding.

what i loved most about ashlee and david's wedding, besides the beautiful location and beautiful couple, was how much their family and friends were involved in every aspect of this wedding (including yours truly). their friends jen and amber took over coordinating duties. my wife (a former florist, and now photographer) did the bridesmaid's bouquets. and reception music during dinner was provided by several of their talented musician friends. but my favorite part of the wedding was ashlee's bouquet. yes thats right the bouquet. be sure to check out the photo sequence below, but her bouquet was created as she entered the ceremony. as ashlee came down the stairs with her father, she collected flowers that were held by 20 women. these were the ladies that have meant the most to her as she's grown from girl to woman - they were mentors and friends. and the last flower was given to her by her mom, who tied a bow around all the flowers to complete the bouquet.

Ciao Baby!

2008-09-14T02:32:00.000-07:00

i'm off to italy to shoot a gorgeous wedding on the amalfi coast. i know,i know - i haven't blogged in a couple of weeks. i promise to blog like its 1999 when i get back on the 21st.

not my photo

chris and rebecca's wedding continued

2008-08-29T03:16:00.000-07:00

so now the official post about chris and rebecca's wedding. in case you missed it, be sure to check out chris and rebecca's sneak peak - a few images there are not posted here.

there will be one more post of chris and rebecca's wedding to come as well - the slideshow!

being in the riviera maya with chris and rebecca was an absolute dream. from day one, chris and rebecca invited my associate norm and i into their circle of family and friends. everyone treated us as one of them and we had such an amazing time i don't even know where to begin. i mean this wedding had it all - a fun, beautiful couple completely in love with each other - warm weather - warm water - warm sand - cold drinks - a gorgeous resort (paradisus riviera cancun) - what an event! here are some of my favorite images from the wedding and then the day after/ trash the dress session - so many more to come.

jane and kevin's wedding

2008-08-27T01:07:00.000-07:00

jane and kevin are a couple of the coolest kids you'll ever meet. i was inspired by their joy and their faith that permeated the entire day! and its easy to see in the pictures how much in love they are and how excited they are to be married!

what a gorgeous day at fess parker's doubletree resort! the flowers were by kaleidoscope and tony from ams rocked the house for my second wedding in a row.

krista and pete's wedding

2008-08-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

i can't even begin to get across how excited i am about krista and pete's wedding. why? well there is the beautiful setting of the wedding on the beach, the gorgeous hope ranch location for the reception overlooking the pacific ocean, the stunning couple...but what has truly given this wedding a special place in my heart is the way that krista and pete have treated me as friends from the beginning. they had me over for fish tacos the night of the engagement session, they invited me to the rehearsal dinner and even hopped in the photo booth with me at the reception. i can't wait to hang with them next time they're in town.

santa barbara barbeque provided the delicious meals at both the rehearsal and the reception, and tony from AMS did a great job keeping the party hopping.

check out the slideshow!

chris and rebecca sneak peak

2008-08-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

i'm still in cancun, and i haven't even begun to sort through all the photos yet. but, i wanted to put a few up now. chris and rebecca were so welcoming and every one had an amazing time. much more to come from this beautiful wedding.

hasta luego

2008-08-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

i'm off to cancun to shoot an insanely cool wedding at the gorgeous paradisus riviera cancun. i'll be returning emails and phone calls on tuesday. if i can get it to work, i'll post while i'm down there.

katie

2008-08-05T00:19:00.000-07:00

here is the final post from preston and katie's wedding. when i was scanning through the images to choose some for the blog, i wanted to choose one of just katie to include in the post. i was so happy with how the shots of katie turned out from the few minutes we spent just shooting her, that I couldn't decide which one i liked best. i ended up including (in the main post below) the one that came first chronologically. so, which one do you like best?

preston and katie's wedding

2008-08-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

ok, so here is the real post for preston and katie's wedding. i was in awe the whole day about how beautiful the mccormick home ranch was, and what a beautiful couple katie and preston are inside and out. throughout the day, as i listened to story after story about preston and katie, it became increasingly clear that they were absolutely made for each other. preston told me katie was his dream girl ever since they met in high school. but it wasn't until the were reacquainted after college that they fell in love with each other. here are a few photos from the day!

on a side note, if you know me, you know i LOVE food - so i gotta give props to santa barbara catering for one of my favorite meals of the year so far.

and, i'm not done yet...

...check back soon for one more highlight from preston and katie's wedding.

guys + weddings = classic moments

2008-08-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

before i get into a huge post(s) about preston and katie killer wedding, i just had to tell a quick story. i was about to take all the groom and groomsmen pictures, and ducked into the dressing room to see how they were coming along when i saw this:

the groomsman were putting on their own boutonnieres (mistake #1). since this "boutonniere" looked different than the other ones, they decided it must be the groom's. to their credit, they did notice that it seemed a bit on the large side. it wasn't until a girlfriend of one of the groomsmen came to the rescue and pointed out the real groom's boutonniere, that they realized they had been trying to pin a corsage onto preston.

here they're getting it all figured out:

nick and tammy's wedding

2008-08-03T23:56:00.000-07:00

nick and tammy had fun all day long! can you tell? their attitudes were contagious, and every one at the wedding had a blast. nick and tammy wrote their own vows, and i was absolutely moved by their love for each other. they were married at elings park, and had their reception at the santa barbara maritime musuem. the delicious meal was provided by pure joy, the flowers were by juniper,and mike at coastline dj's kept everyone grooving.

i lied...

2008-08-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

ok, so i said the blog wouldn't go dark in my last post because i had a lot of work coming up. well i just went through that busy stretch and didn't get around to the blog. i'm sorry. but, i'm about to make up for lost time.

stephanie and scott's engagement session

2008-07-25T23:03:00.000-07:00

i'm so excited for this post for several reasons...

first, because i had the privilege of hanging out with stephanie and scott this past weekend. we had a blast, and you can tell by looking at the pictures how much fun stephanie and scott had. we first went to the santa barbara botanic garden. what a beautiful place! then, we headed out to goleta beach, which is in my opinion is one of the more "photogenic" beaches in town. stephanie and scott are getting married this october at sandpiper golf course, and then are having the reception at their family's beautiful home. i can't wait!

second, because stephanie is apparently a blog stalker. scott spilled the beans about how often stephanie check the blog to see what i've been shooting, or what my family has been up to. her personal favorite post was "happy easter!". so in honor of stephanie, i posted 25 pics from the session! i normally try to only post between 7 and 10 images from an e-session, but this occasion called for a little extra.

and third, because this means i'm all caught up with blogging! i've been so blessed to be taking pictures of so many amazing, interesting, and just plain wonderful people lately.

so, does this mean the blog will go dark for a while? absolutely not! i'm shooting two sweet weddings this weekend, two family sessions next week, and two awesome weddings the following weekend. to top it all off, my boys are turning 5 next week - gotta post that up too.