Santa Barbara Zoo Wedding - Sarah Ellefson Photography

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Emily + Danny’s Santa Barbara Zoo wedding featured more than a few giraffes, such a perk of a menagerie celebration! Knowing they wanted to entertain their guests with something out of the box, hosting their beautiful reception on top of the hills in Santa Barbara overlooking the ocean was a no brainer. This wasn’t our first time with this fun crew, we had the privilege of photographing the wedding of Andrew, the bride’s brother, a few years ago. Their family is extremely tight knit and seeing them all together, complete with two new cute additions to the family serving as flower girls, brought so much joy to the day.

Emily + Danny chose not to see one another before their wedding ceremony at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, building the anticipation for locking eyes when Emily walked down the aisle with her dad. Whether or not you do a first look, creating intentional moments of celebration before your wedding ceremony is a must. Emily began her morning with her bridal crew at her family home but took time to step outside alone and read a letter from Danny in the peace of the courtyard, grounding herself in feeling connected to him before joining back into the party. Danny, in the quiet of his hotel room, did the same. Before heading over to the church, Emily also had her bridesmaids and parents step outside so everyone could have a moment to take in her stunning wedding attire when she walked out the door. Leaving for the wedding ceremony is a moment that can so often be rushed, taking a few extra minutes to really soak in this moment adds so much emotion and excitement to the morning!

After their wedding mass, the family gathered for photos in the courtyard before heading over to the zoo to continue the celebration. Starting with cocktails and feeding the giraffes, the evening continued with an emotional father/daughter dance and a stunning sunset over the ocean. This Santa Barbara Zoo wedding was such a beautiful day!