January was a whirlwind of a month for me. It started out nice and calm and mellow… and then BAM! Wedding season is already upon us. I know, it’s only February – but as a team we have 11 weddings this month! That’s compared to just three in January, and four in December. So you get the point.

In the middle of the month I took a girls weekend to Joshua Tree (as you saw if you read my blog regularly), then I had a week full of engagement sessions and meetings and was off to Costa Rica for a week. When I came back from Costa Rica, just 4 days later I was off to photograph a wedding in Palm Springs… well… more accurately, La Quinta which is outside of Palm Springs.

I’m back now and I am trying to really focus on the marketing game this year… Which I also said last year, and I did! But one year is not enough for getting a strong marketing game. It’s an on going project that I will probably always be working on. If I knew what I know now when I was in college, I would have minored in Marketing. Although – maybe that wouldn’t have mattered a whole lot since the marketing world with Instagram, Facebook and blogging is SO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT all of the time. Rules are always changing… so maybe it wouldn’t have helped all that much. Anyway, I digress…

Palm Springs. La Quinta… both areas I love love LOVE. This wedding held a lot of firsts for me! It was my first wedding of 2018, my first wedding in La Quinta, AND my first Persian wedding!!! I’ve photographed weddings with Persian elements but never a full Persian ceremony! Add to all of that, the bride is a dear friend of mine from my volunteer days at Camp to Belong Orange County. Pantea has a heart the size of Texas, she really does… and she has a spirit, and gentleness about her that matches. Not only that, but she is a badass boss babe! Fairly recently, she moved to the desert from the mountains of Big Bear and opened her own Law firm!! My girl is KILLING IT!!!! Opened a law firm and snagged a husband who is just as impressive as she is. Derakhsh has his own OBGYN practice. Yep. Say it with me friends, “POWER COUPLE!!!” They both smile non-stop in each others presence, and make everyone feel like family. They are a beautiful match for one another and I am so very happy for my sweet friend. Take a look at just a few highlights from their beautiful wedding at La Quinta Country Club:

Special shout out to Alexandra & Stacey for shooting and assisting all day and taking over at the reception so that I could be a guest and enjoy this awesome party. And of course to Pantea & Derakhsh for asking me to photograph your wedding AND enjoy as your guest. Much love to you both and best wishes for an amazing future together.

For more information about wedding photography anywhere in the world – reach out to me! Say hello… follow me on instagram @briannacaster or visit my website and drop me a line at http://www.briannacaster.com

Vendors:

Venue – La Quinta Country Club

Photography – us, of course… Brianna Caster & Co. Photographers

Videography – Amber Exposure

Floral – Jenson’s (Mary Cass)

Planning – Celebrations of Joy

Rentals – Signature Party Rentals & BBJ Rentals

The beautiful table for the Persian Ceremony was put together, and all treats were made  by Pantea’s mother Poury Ilbeigi