San Diego Blog Stories
Within this blog you will find everything from Funeral planning for Veterans to Newborn photography. While we capture many events and share as much information as possible, our main goal is to serve others. We currently do that by providing information and curating things that are needed, primarily for our Military community in Southern California.
Quick Jump To…
Purr-fect Choice in San Diego | San Diego, CA | Court House Photographer
The ultimate guide to say 'I do' with your four-legged friend by your side! Discover the charm of a San Diego Courthouse wedding with your furry best friend. Why an outdoor civil ceremony? So your pup can join of course!
Tying the Knot with Furry Friends: 3 Reasons Courthouse Weddings are the Purr-fect Choice in San Diego, How to include them, how to prep your pup, and restaurant/brewery recommendations for after the alter.
Here comes the… Dog? | San Diego, CA | Elopement Photographer
Why an outdoor civil ceremony? So your pup can join of course! If you are planning to ditch the big wedding for now, and go for something more intimate, a San Diego Courthouse Civil marriage deserves huge consideration!
Here is why you should consider an elopement and Civil Ceremony at the Courthouse with your pup(s) when wanting to join your partner in marriage in San Diego County (or anywhere really!)
The Couple.
Lets start with describing this couple. Both are from San Francisco and wanted to get married! Sophia and Pramod are in their mid-20s and live in San Francisco with their Husky mix, Flash. they enjoy relaxing at home with Flash, eating vegetarian food with a glass of red wine and occasionally doing snow/water sports! Flash is a very friendly, easily distracted & lazier husky/pit mix. He loves food! They wanted family and friends to be able to join in on the celebration but were having trouble finding a venue that didn’t have a cap on persons that could attend. They decided to fly to San Diego (where grooms family lives) and get married at the court house!
Blog about the Civil Ceremonies in Downtown San Diego Courthouse
Good Reads for New Military MoMs | 2022
Good Reads for New Military MoMs (Mom of a Marine) | 2022
Navigating life as a new parent of a Marine headed off to Boot Camp is hard enough. If you love reading or want to read up on how to better understand the transition your new service member is going through, here are our top picks! Saving the BEST MoM (mother of a Marine) book for last!
The Heart of a Military Mom by Army Mom Strong & Elaine Brye 4.7 out of 5 #24 in Military Families (Books)
Rise Up Military Moms: A Journal for Living Life with Strength and Purpose by Army Mom Strong & Elaine Brye 4.8 out of 5 #67 in Military Families (Books)
Be Safe, Love Mom: A Military Mom's Stories of Courage, Comfort, and Surviving Life on the Home Front by Elaine Brye & Nan Gatewood Satter 4.8 out of 5 #11 in Military Families (Books)
Top 4 Book Reads for Military Spouses
Top 4 Good Reads for Military Spouses & Significant Others
Navigating life as a spouse or significant other of a service member headed off to Boot Camp or deployment is hard enough, want to stay busy reading? If you love reading or want to start up to better understand the transition your love is going through during their first years of service (including deployments), here are our top picks!
Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives by Jocelyn Green 4.8 out of 5
The 5 Love Languages Military Edition: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman & Jocelyn Green 4.7 out of 5 from 1,814 global ratings on Amazon #4 in Military Families (Books)
You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse by Jen McDonald 4.7 out of 5 #155 in Military Families (Books)
Open When: Letters of Encouragement for Military Spouses by Lizann Lightfoot 4.5 out of 5 #93 in Military Families (Books)
Mom Reuniting With Son After Deployment | Chunaco Family | USNS Mercy | San Diego Naval Base | pt2
Mom Reuniting With Son After Deployment | Chunaco Family | USNS Mercy | San Diego Naval Base pt2
USNS Mercy T-AH-19 is a 1,000 bed hospital ship commissioned in 1986 and currently lay berthed at Pier 1 on Naval Base San Diego, California. Along with USNS Comfort, USNS Mercy provides an afloat, mobile, acute surgical medical facilities when called upon to the U.S. military, and hospital services to support U.S. disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.
Mom Reuniting With Son After Deployment | Chunaco Family | USNS Mercy | San Diego Naval Base |
Mom Reuniting With Son After Deployment | Chunaco Family | USNS Mercy | San Diego Naval Base
Deployed Mom VS Deployed Dad…
Lets be clear, deployments are not easy nor are they really comparable. As a female service member I do recall my husband being home with our daughter versus the times he was deployed and I was home alone with her. I was blessed to have never needed to leave my daughter for an extended amount of time; therefore didn’t know what to expect watching LCDR reunite with her son.
Of course, he started getting mad at dad holding him waving at mom ( he was trying to nap haha) right as she was walking up and did warm up. This exact same thing happens when I see dad’s come home. At the same homecoming, another little kid ran up to his mom with a huge embrace! They are each unique and require reintegration to really feel like a family again.
Marine Dad Meeting Newborn for the FIRST TIME | Marinaccio Family | VMM-163 Fly-in from Africa | San Diego Airport Military Homecoming |
Check out photos and a video of this Cpl meeting his newborn for the first time after being deployed in Africa with VMM-163 at the San Diego International Airport.
This deployed Marine dad returns home to his beautiful wife and baby girl for the first time. The anticipation of this moment and importance of this first meeting was so important we decided to do video, too.
Lets be real, this sweet family of three are clearly lost in the moment enjoying their firsts. Cpl seems to have a good handle on fatherhood already because it doesn’t take long for him to embrace his girls and enjoy his first (adorable!) father/daughter bonding moment.
Why you need to hire a photographer at least once in your Military Journey
Why you need to hire a photographer at least once in your Military Journey.
Investing in photography is something we all consider a couple times a year but rarely follow through. Sometimes there is a budget concern, other important events around the corner, and so much more. As a photographer, even I have missed the past TWO YEARS of family photos…. And I do regret it. What I do not regret is getting a post deployment photographer for my husbands last pier side homecoming where I announced the gender of our baby.
Bonus Note about How Special Airport Homecomings are.
Five reasons why you need to schedule an extended family photo session
As we all know, life moves quickly. It's time to get the family together.
We’re busy keeping up with work, family and other commitments. But it’s not just the pace of life that is increasing—it’s also the distance between us as families.
Perhaps none is more important than preserving your family albums full of photos of loved ones and getting to spend time together. As a mother myself, I can’t encourage you enough to prioritize extended family portraits. Years from now you will be so very grateful that you took the time to get everyone together for a large family session. It's more than worth the effort and I guarantee you'll love every minute of it!
Here are five reasons you need to schedule an extended family photo session.
5 Reasons why you should get an airport homecoming photographer
Do you feel robbed of a typical post deployment homecoming experience because your spouse or significant other was selected to fly off the ship early?? Did you have a difficult birth or high risk pregnancy and need your SO home? Perhaps they were injured or came home due to unfortunate circumstances? Don’t worry! You, too, can have a beautiful homecoming experience that can be even more special than meeting on the flight line or deck of the ship.
Here are 5 reasons you should consider hiring a photographer for your airport homecoming.
Four reasons why courthouse weddings are underrated | San Diego, CA | Elopement Photographer
Why the courthouse? If you are planning to ditch the big wedding for now, and go for something more intimate, a San Diego Courthouse Civil marriage deserves huge consideration!
Here are 4 reasons why you should consider an elopement and Civil Ceremony at the Courthouse when wanting to join your partner in marriage in San Diego County (or anywhere really!)
Blog about the Marriage Hut Downtown San Diego Courthouse
HMH-466 | Marine Homecoming | MCAS Miramar | Lopez Family
Long Awaited Return for Repeat Client
I photographed Lopez’ graduation from bootcamp at MCRD San Diego 2 years ago so I felt privileged to photograph his first ever deployment homecoming with HMH-466 at MCAS Miramar.
The Squadron Lopez is a part of is the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 (HMH-466), the “Wolfpack.” It is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters. It is based out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW).
LHD 2 USS Essex Homecoming | 32nd Street Naval Base San Diego, CA
Rainy Day Navy Homecoming
Nothing would dampen the special homecoming about to take place for this couple. Rain or Shine, she was getting her man back that day! And she did; she took him home and was very happy. Did it rain at your homecoming?
Are you looking for a homecoming dress this one? Check out our Amazon suggestion store to find dresses or outfits that complement military uniforms or check out our free Outfit Guides for any and every uniform you can imagine.
San Diego Maternity | Stanley Family | Windansea Beach La Jolla, CA
This military family met up with me on Windansea Beach here in La Jolla for their Maternity photo session. Mom brought this olive/army green dress, and I brought the burnt orange Chicaboo gown! Which, is in my client closet for ANY client to use, Maternity or not.
Sadly, our photo session only lasted a few minutes before the sky lit up beautifully at sunset and momma needed a little extra help because babe was pushing on her nerve. Just to be safe, we ended the session and momma got the medical attention she needed! YOU and your babies health come before photos <3
Military Homecomings | VMFA 225 | Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar
"I got to see the bond between friends made in the military.
These two women are at different stages of their life but united in supporting their loved ones.
Overall, I loved photographing my client's family, and seeing such raw emotion; but I equally loved watching these two friends interact through the anticipation of their Marines coming home.
Do yourself a favor, hire a photographer! "
If you are in San Diego and your loved one is about to leave, has already left, will be coming home soon BOOK A PHOTOGRAPHER! If not me, then someone, please! You will not regret it at all.
To inquire about any ships, fly-ins, or even The San Diego International Airport Homecomings, contact me!