Notes on the light
Twin Oaks is a garden estate in San Marcos that dates to 1891, and its character comes from the trees. The ceremony sites sit under a dense canopy, so faces stay in soft shade through the afternoon and the sun breaks through the leaves in the background. Portraits happen in whatever open light remains near the end of the day.
The spaces, and how they film
The ceremony sites. The estate offers several: a natural forest site with two streams and waterfalls, a wooden gazebo, a rustic atrium, and a braided ivy archway strung with small lights, in front of a fountain. The forest and the atrium are the two we would walk first.
The pavilion. The reception sits under a large tent in the heart of the garden, which gives the evening a warm, enclosed feel.
The film, so far
For Nick & Danielle the atrium was the backdrop for their first kiss as a married couple, and the tent carried the night.
Filming here
Water runs through more than one of the ceremony sites, so the officiant and the couple are on microphones for the vows. Under the tent the light is ours to shape; we keep it warm and low.
