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Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding | John & Juliet

bride and groom on a stony staircase leading down to a private Carmel by the Sea beach for their First Look

I was so honored to have been referred to John and Juliet to photograph their luxury Carmel By The Sea wedding by one of my stellar AGS legacy couples, Morgan and Bill! It’s truly a privilege to capture chapters of my couples’ love stories, from Morgan and Bill’s Carmel Beach engagement, to their Tehama wedding, and of course, their Big Sur maternity session!

Bride's details: gown hanging from the chandelier, white heels by Sarah Flint,
groom's details: shoes, bow tie, ring, his vows; portrait of the groom from the shoulders down buttoning his up tux jacket
Carmel by the Sea wedding 2021 bride getting ready with her bridesmaids with champagne
portrait of groom with his groomsmen and champagne
pocket square with the groom's initials and the wedding date
the groom and his groomsmen gathered around the bar in an indoor, glass patio

I knew John and Juliet and I were going to be a great fit (and I’m not just saying that because Juliet is an ophthalmologist- if you know me, you know I always get along great with eye doctors 😉 They’re SUCH kind, passionate, and fun-loving people, and I had a blast spending their luxury Carmel By The Sea wedding day with them. Read on for all the epic details I captured as their local Carmel By The Sea wedding photographer!

How Did They Meet?

“We met back in 2002 in Monterey while attending Stevenson High School. Our friendship grew when John convinced me to join the school newspaper. We kept in touch throughout the years; grabbing quick coffees, drinks, and dinners in cities ranging the coasts of the United States. Juliet went from being a winemaker to becoming an ophthalmologist and John transitioned from engineering to sales in litigation consulting. Always enjoying each other’s company, they reconnected in New York at the end of Juliet’s medical school training and we became more than just friends. Our love blossomed quickly and they started their adventures around the US and the world, from traveling around France to Croatia and from living in California, New York, Colorado and Texas.” – John & Juliet

Carmel By The Sea Wedding Luxuries

If I could describe John and Juliet in a few words, it would be the lives of the party! Their luxury Carmel By The Sea wedding day reflected that in every aspect. Originally, they wanted their wedding at Pebble Beach, and as a Pebble Beach wedding photographer, I would’ve loved that too! But their wedding day here at home honestly felt like a grand ol’ reunion surrounded by family and friends! It was a real treat for me as their local Carmel By The Sea wedding photographer!

Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding black and white photograph of the excited bride and groom by film photographer AGS Photo Art
venue details of the bride and groom's private estate in Carmel By The Sea for their wedding; the bride's mink coat from her mother in law, flower chandeliers by Fleurs du Soleil
the bride and groom seated among their guests; the bride and groom touching their foreheads together surrounded by flowers and string lights
black and white Carmel By The Sea Wedding photography by film photographer AGS Photo Art
black and white Carmel By The Sea Wedding photography by film photographer AGS Photo Art

They used their Carmel Highlands estate that they were renovating as the venue for their luxury Carmel By The Sea wedding. The moment you walk in, you see a this beautiful bouquet by Fleurs Du Soleil, which absolutely warms up and welcomes you into the space. Their backyard served as a big, open reception space with hand-built structures to hold these flower chandeliers- aren’t they gorgeous? My Carmel By The Sea wedding photographer heart can’t get enough!

private estate outdoor details at Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding by film photographer AGS Photo Art
portraits of the bride and groom by film photographer AGS Photo Art
bride and groom hand in hand walking to the camera in between two wooden fences and greenery
photos of Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding at private estate
Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding private estate details
black and white Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding portrait of the bride and groom
florals by Fleur du Soleil; Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding ceremony photo of the bride sliding the groom's ring onto his finger
flowers by Fleur du Soleil; basket of blankets next to a sign that reads "to have and to hold in case you get cold" for wedding guests

Everything flowed so well as a home estate luxury Carmel By The Sea wedding. They really made their home into a venue! As such, we made sure to take advantage of the space and all the great lighting. Photos all around the estate really shined with this grand, high-end vibe! I was so stoked to work alongside John and Juliet’s event and wedding designer/planner, Colette Cuccia. She was absolutely amazing at tying in all the pretty things and bringing their vision to life!

Carmel by the Sea portrait of the bride putting on her earrings
black and white Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding photograph of the bride having her dress buttoned up by her mother in law
bride and mother in law hugging each other
bride sitting by the window reading and writing her vows

First Look At Carmel By The Sea

John and Juliet’s neighborhood has access to a private hidden beach. You know I 100% advocate for doing a First Look, especially as a Carmel By The Sea wedding photographer, you have all the gorgeous coastal elements! This private beach is absolutely stunning, don’t you think?

bride and groom first look portraits at private Carmel by the Sea beach
bride and groom first look portraits at private Carmel by the Sea beach
bride from the waist down holding up her dress while standing at the bottom of a staircase leading down to the water at Carmel by the Sea

I loved Juliet’s mink fur coat that she wore throughout the day. After all, it can get a little chilly out here in Carmel By The Sea! Her mink fur coat was John’s mother’s first. I thought was such a sweet and sentimental touch. Not to mention, it adds to the luxury Carmel By The Sea wedding aesthetic!

bride and groom during their First Look at Carmel By The Sea by film photographer AGS Photo Art
bride and groom portraits at Carmel by the Sea
bride and groom portraits at Carmel by the Sea
bride making her way down a stony staircase for her First Look; bride and groom embracing from the shoulders down

Cutting The Cake: Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding

Easily one of the most AMAZING highlights of the day was sabering the champagne at the ceremony. Yes, sabering! As in, cut with a saber! John and Juliet had a saber engraved with their names that they also used to cut the cake- how epic is that? And then, John took some of the cake and threw it at his friends to catch in their mouths! Boys will be boys, right? Another really heartwarming detail of the day was also everyone’s speeches about the bride and groom, how Juliet has such a heart of gold, and how John is everyone’s best friend. I loved getting to witness how this fun-loving couple and their fun-loving friends and family!

bride and groom cutting their Carmel by the Sea luxury wedding cake with a saber
bride and groom with champagne bottles at their Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding ceremony
photos of flower chandeliers at Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding at private estate
Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding portrait kiss by film photographer AGS Photo Art
private estate dining tables at Carmel by the Sea luxury wedding
photo of Luxury Carmel By The Sea Wedding at private estate by film photographer AGS Photo Art
bride and her bridesmaids in blush pink dresses; groom and his groomsmen lifting him up off the ground
the bride and groom sharing a kiss on the dancefloor

Looking for a local Carmel By The Sea wedding photographer? You’ve found her! Contact me here. We’ll make wedding magic! And of course, this luxury Carmel By The Sea wedding magic was made possible through a team of awesome vendors:

Florals | Fleurs du Soleil

Planner | Colette Cuccina

Music | Kelly Productions

Makeup and Hair | Bridal Makeup And Hair

Catering | Paradise Catering

Videographer | Kindlewood Films

Wedding Cake | Layers Bakery

Rentals | Chic Event Rental

First Look portrait of the bride and groom touching their foreheads together and smiling by film photographer AGS Photo Art

comments +

  1. Tina T Del Piero says:

    It was a fairy tale wedding and truly the most loved and in love couple. We wish them many years of wedded bliss.

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