Malika and Rob’s Day of Photography and Bonita Golf Course Wedding Reception

Malika and Rob Dominion Center Church and Bonita Golf Course Wedding by San Diego Wedding Photographer Andrew AbounaA full day of wedding photography for Malika and Rob that captured the anticipation, preparation, ceremony at Dominion Center Church, and the couple’s Bonita Golf Course wedding reception. The wedding photography began at the groom Rob’s home where he and his groomsmen were getting ready. The first half-hour with the guys captured their fun of joking around a bit while they finished the final parts of getting ready, and of figuring out how to fold and insert red handkerchiefs for their black suit jackets.

Next in our carefully planned wedding photography schedule were some fun posed and more active shots of the groom and groomsmen near Lake Murray. Lake Murray is a reservoir and open space are that is part of Mission Trails Regional Park, and a nice location where I’ve created shoots at before. Even though were in a natural-like park setting the guy’s red and black colors contrasted very nicely with the water and vegetation of the area. The wedding colors are also used in throughout the couple’s church ceremony and Bonita Golf course wedding reception.

Malika and Rob Dominion Center Church and Bonita Golf Course Wedding by San Diego Wedding Photographer Andrew AbounaI concluded the hour of pre-wedding photography with the guys and made the short drive to where bride Malika and her bridesmaids were getting ready. The gals’ already had their wedding hair styles finished, but final touches on makeup were still being done when I arrived. Wedding photography captured the makeup work, the anticipation and activity, and of course bride Malika’s wedding dress and some accessories.

After photographing Malika being helped with fastening up her wedding dress, and with time running a bit short according to our schedule, we choose to create the girls’ side of the wedding party photos just across the street next to a canyon, which in fact looked back towards Lake Murray and Mission Trails Regional Park in the distance. Some posed, light-hearted and candid wedding photos afterwards and we were on our way to Dominion Center Church for the wedding ceremony, followed by their Bonita Golf course wedding reception.

Malika and Rob Dominion Center Church and Bonita Golf Course Wedding by San Diego Wedding Photographer Andrew AbounaDominion Center Church was decorated very nicely for the Malika and Rob’s wedding ceremony in San Diego. Red rose petals adorned the white wedding aisle runner, ending in a heart arrangement of rose petals at the stage. And the stage itself was decorated with black and red color accents for the couple’s wedding. While waiting for all of the guests to arrive, a number of whom I captured on camera to help document the couple’s wedding, I also shot some posed and candid photos. One set of wedding photos that I shot was of Malika presenting her father with a personalized card.

Malika’s father also walked her down the aisle, and while I was photographing their procession with one camera from the front of the now-filled church, I also swung around to capture photos with my other camera of Rob’s first view of Malika. It was a joyful and tearful wedding moment, one which I’m always careful to photograph. The couple’s entire wedding ceremony, delivered by Pastor Cedric, was joyful and even a bit light-hearted at moments, something which everyone really enjoyed.

Another nice aspect of their ceremony was their sand ceremony which blended all four of the members of the family. It was nice seeing in the sand ceremony’s shadow box one of the couple’s pictures that I created for them through their engagement photography session a couple of month’s earlier. And their wedding guest book that I created for them with photos from their engagement session was also on hand at Bonita Golf course wedding reception.

Malika and Rob Dominion Center Church and Bonita Golf Course Wedding by San Diego Wedding Photographer Andrew AbounaAt the conclusion of the couple’s wedding ceremony and after warm wishes and congratulations from delighted wedding guests, the couple was ushered into their waiting 1951 Rolls Royce Wraith from Rolls Livery and taken by their delightful driver to their Bonita Golf course wedding reception. Once at the reception site I spent a little time with just Malika and Rob creating a collection of photos with them and the white Rolls Royce.

The couple and then did a private reveal of the Bonita Golf course wedding reception banquet room to admire the table decorations in red and black. The tables, created by In The Event, were adorned items and photos to give vintage feel of old Hollywood for the couple’s wedding reception. Shortly after the reveal it was time for the actual reception to begin, so after the guests were seated at their assigned tables Malika and Rob made their grand entrance, followed by the newlyweds’ first dance.

During their meal I photographed more of their wedding decorations, but time soon lead into other key parts of their Bonita Golf course wedding reception, including more first dances, wedding flower bouquet (by Flowers Direct) and garter tosses, and cutting of their wedding cake. The cake and surrounding cupcakes, made by Alejandra, were also decorated with the vintage, old Hollywood theme of the couple’s reception.

For more of the couple’s wedding day photography please see their complete gallery in my San Diego Wedding Photographer Client Galleries (password required). And for more information about San Diego Wedding Photography please contact me.