The Illustrations of Renee Rodriguez

I am all girl. I love pink, shopping vacations, purses, shoes, and anything that has to do with fashion. The list goes on. Now, because of some illustrations I stumbled upon, I can add a few more things to my “Love List.” I am talking about the glamorous work of author and illustrator, Renee Rodriguez.

I came across Renee’s blog a few months ago and it was love at first sight! Her illustrations caught my attention because they are fun and chic without being too cutesy. They definitely have a touch of glamour to them and I love that!

Renee’s illustrations can be used to create shower invites, birth announcements, note cards, and other stationery.The possibilities are endless and they are just so fabulous! I love the fourth illustration from the images below…however choosing a favorite would be difficult.

Not only is Renee an amazing illustrator, she also the author of Fabulous Wishes for You (love the title!). Renee’s book is about wishing the best for your friends, helping them to see the importance of their dreams, and encouraging them to make them come true. I wholeheartedly believe in “write it down make it happen” and so does Renee. This book is all about empowerment and everyone knows I love that!

When you have a moment stop by Renee’s blog and say hello! xo

SoCal Vendor Spotlight – Anika London Photography

San Diego is known for its laid-back attitude, amazing beaches, wine country (yes, wine country), and the best weather this side of ANYWHERE. Now with all that going for us and being a top destination-wedding locale in the USA you can bet your bottom dollar that we have some of the most talented wedding vendors from caterers to photographers and everything in between. I have decided that it is high time that these vendors be recognized and featured. My first vendor is Anika London.

So who is Anika London? Josh and Ariel makeup the team called Anika London. This gorgeous husband and wife team (seriously, they are smokin’!) are based in San Diego. Their work is amazing and their approach to shooting an engagement or wedding is like no other. These two are so cool that they were nice enough to answer a few of my questions so that I can share them with you…so without further ado I bring you, Anika London!

Q. What makes Anika London so unique?

Our two distinct styles; both of us have been shooting weddings for many years but the two of us have two distinctly different styles. I would consider myself more of a photojournalist. I love movement, energy, and the craziness of the wedding day and what it represents. I’m definitely more into capturing the laughter, the tears, the crazy uncle, the brawl between ladies vying for the bouquet, and all the fearless drunken dancers on the dance floor.

Ariel loves beauty, she wants you to look at the photos afterwards and think to yourself, “holy good graciousness! I look amazing!” She’s the master of angles and knows how to make anyone look their best. She also has a very sweet sincere personality that really helps you feel at ease so that you look natural and truly beautiful. Combining our two styles really capture what the wedding day is and give the couple the best of both worlds. Great candid shots mixed hand-in-hand with images that take your breath away.

Q. What are some of your favorite locations to shoot in SD?

Oh boy, we absolutely love shooting in odd unconventional places. We have shot in school buses, parking garages, bars, roller coasters, hotel basements, and even a political rally. Our absolute favorite place to shoot is in any given parking garage. You give us a parking garage of any type and we are in heaven.

Q. Why are you such huge fans of the first look photo. 

Here’s why; you’re makeup and hair are fresh, generally you haven’t been crying yet so your eyes still look pretty, you can actually speak to one another when you see each other for the first time, there’s no stress because no one is waiting on you and there’s no reception we have to run off to, you’re generally not starving so you tend to not be as cranky (this one’s more for the guys), and ultimately you’ve spent a large amount of cash on your photographer(s) so why not have a scheduled time to shoot the most worthwhile photos of the day?

Q. What can a bride do to ensure that her photos will be great?

·The most important thing a bride can do (and a groom, we tend to leave them out of the mix but they are people too) is hire a coordinator. I am not just saying this because I want Naomi to like me I am saying it because it is absolutely true and necessary.

On your wedding day, you and your spouse need to enjoy every single second of it and having a good coordinator (not a friend that has been married before) run the show helps tremendously. They allow you and your spouse to focus on each other, your friends, and like I mentioned in the second question, the craziness of the day! There is no question about it, weddings are stressful, but no one needs to be stressed. Let the small things go, if by chance something goes wrong blow it off, let it be just another memory of the day. It is not what goes wrong that will ruin your day it is how you react to it.

A good coordinator will make sure things run smoothly so you will be stress free and HAPPY. Happiness is easy to photograph; anger and stress are not. I am just being honest here. Honestly, we can shoot anywhere it does not matter where it is, but if you are not happy and in love on your wedding day, your photos will most definitely show it. So the lesson is, “Don’t worry, be happy.” Or it could be “get drunk early,” whichever motto best suits your life.

 I knew you would love them! Please visit  the website of Anika London here  and  be the first to see their latest shoots on their on Anika London’s blog  here.

Stay tuned for more vendors in the series Vendor Spotlight!