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The Maples | Wedding | Shelby + Erik

Filed in: Weddings and Engagements

What can I say, I just love these two human beings! Shelby and Erik were some of the first friends I made after moving from Denver to Sacramento in November 2019. Shortly after we met, it was clear that we clicked and we’d be great friends.

Throughout the years, I’ve had the honor of photographing Erik’s proposal in Yosemite National Park, their engagement session in Jenner, and of course their wedding at The Maples in Woodland, CA. It’s never a dry moment when these two are around (especially when their dogs Frank and Winston are nearby), so you can imagine that their wedding was no exception. The day was full of laughs, tears, excitement, butterflies, and even flower boys that chucked beer at wedding guests. Yes, this actually happened!

As a Sacramento wedding photographer, The Maples has been one of those wedding venues I’ve been dying to work at since moving to Sacramento because of its simplistic beauty and rich history. The road leading towards the venue is lined with towering maple trees that guides you to the entrance to the gorgeous 55 acre classic country estate. It’s pretty awesome! No matter where you turn, it’s hard to take a bad photo at The Maples.

Becca was the wedding planner and her team at Becca & Co. absolutely crushed it. It’s always a joy to work with my friend Philippe from Philippe Studio Pro. You definitely have to check out their wedding film. All of the vendors did a tremendous job, and I look forward to working along side them in the upcoming wedding seasons.

From start to finish (and even the after-party), the entire day was a huge success and one for the books. Shelby and Erik are clients (and friends) for life. I feel so grateful to be their photographer, not only for their wedding, but their crazy upcoming life chapters.

Keep scrolling to see their wedding.

In their words

What was your favorite part of the wedding? Mine (Erik) was the first look, and seeing how beautiful Shelby looked and how emotional we were seeing each other. Shelby’s was taking pictures post ceremony because we had some time together alone.

What was something quirky or crazy that happened on the wedding day? I dont think there was anything out of the ordinary for us.

What was the most special moment of your wedding day? Reading our vows to each other, and the letters we wrote to each other before the wedding. We dont often write down how we feel about each other.

What do you look forward to most about being married? Exploring, finding new places that we can make special for the two of us now that we are married.

What were your 3 top priorities when you were first searching for a photographer? Someone that we trusted, someone we felt comfortable with, and someone lighthearted.

Was finding & choosing a photographer easy? Why or why not? For us yes, it was a no brainer after we received our engagement photos in Yosemite back.

What were your first impressions of my photography/website? The website is great, and has improved over the years to really express the photographer you are.

What did you most value about what I offered? Flexibility and creativeness.

What questions or concerns did you have when deciding whether to book with me? We didn’t have any concerns, i guess just questions/ logistics about the wedding day.

What could have made booking a “no brainer” decision for you? It already was a no brainer.

If you had three words to describe your experience with Courtland Photography, what would they be? Great, perfect, easy.

What is the most important thing people should know about working with me? To be ready for the spontaneity.

Do you feel like you got your money’s worth? Absolutely!

How would you rate your overall experience?5/5

Why did you give that rating? You exceeded our expectations, and made sure we received what we were looking for.

Please share with me anything else you would like to include! Thank you for being there through out our journey.