Lavanda at Leal Vineyards, Hollister, CA · Stephanie & Devin · June 20, 2026

Their Story

She couldn’t look at him for the first hour. That’s how flustered she was the night they met through their friend Kaleef. Then he ordered tacos for the whole table, wearing a powerline t-shirt like it was nothing. That was that. A month later, they hadn’t gone a single day without talking. Not one. Stephanie says she manifested him: someone who could dance, who could sing, who knew how to actually live. Devin found a woman who is goofy and fully herself, never performing for the room. Two hundred of their people gathered at Lavanda at Leal Vineyards on June 20, 2026. They watched that story become a marriage.

The Wedding Vision

The vision was intentional from day one. Stephanie and Devin wanted posed portraits with a little Solange in them. They wanted boho pulled elevated — black and whites that could exist on their own, without needing an audience. Rattan chairs. Olive trees in the frame. A grass champagne wall instead of a bar. And Devin’s grandmother officiating, because no one else should get to say those words over them.

Behind the Scenes: Choosing the Shots

We walked the property together on a site visit months before the wedding, mapping out every location shot by shot. The second I saw that clawfoot bathtub tucked into one of the rooms, I knew. Exactly what we were doing with it. We picked the cave for Devin’s formal portraits — moody and textured, nothing like a typical groom shot. Their wedding party was almost 20 people deep. So we brought in a second photographer for the day, a three-person team total. That meant we could be in two places at once, catching two different moments instead of choosing between them.

The Ceremony & First Looks

Getting ready for Devin and his groomsmen was one big party — laughing, joking, no nerves at all. Stephanie’s side got her ready with the same energy: pajamas, music, bouquets built around a photo of her mom. We ended up doing two first looks that day, and neither one was planned. One with Devin and his groomsmen. One with Stephanie, her bridesmaids, and her family. Both were spontaneous. Both were magic.

That’s the payoff of a real site visit. When you treat a wedding like a production, you plan for everything in advance. You make the day efficient enough that the client never has to answer a single question. They just show up and live in it, because the team already has it handled. I call it the Beyoncé effect. You prepare with intention, you carry it through, and that preparation is exactly what leaves room for magic to happen.

The Reception

The reception was one big party comprised of every person who mattered to them. Cousins, aunties, old friends, new friends — all the people who make a day feel full. Their first dance pulled everyone straight onto the dance floor with them.

One of my favorite things to do at a reception is bring the cake out to the dance floor. Their staff was willing to move it, which made the whole thing possible. It’s a small thing that changes everything. Your people end up surrounding you instead of watching from their seats. It creates some of the most fun, engaged photos of the whole night.

And of course, the tacos came back out before the night ended. Same story, new chapter. Congratulations Stephanie and Devin!

Venue: @livelovaleal
Photography: @brandirollinsphoto
Décor/Florals: @luxe.leal
Cake: @idoweddingcakes380
Gown: @jaimebridal
Makeup/Hair: @teambridalbeauty
DJ: @djchubbsswagg
Videography: Terrell

If you’re planning a wedding at Lavanda at Leal Vineyards and love photography that feels editorial, playful, and full of real moments, I’d love to connect.

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