Sierra Star Golf Course and Mammoth Brewing Co | Lori & Charlie
I met Lori and Charlie about a year ago in a coffee shop in Mammoth to discuss their wedding. I don’t even think they had secured a location yet, just a date. At that time their wedding date felt so far in the future. However, as I write this I am in disbelief at how fast the months of prep and communication leading up to this beautiful Sierra Star wedding came and went.
I arrived at the Westin on Saturday morning to photograph Lori getting ready. She had picked a room with an awesome balcony view of Mammoth Mountain. I figured hanging the dress on this balcony would be perfect for some details. I walked inside the room to grab something that I had forgotten and I noticed I could catch both Lori inside getting her make-up done and the dress hanging on the balcony in one shot. I guess forgetting something isn’t always bad!
"Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe"
I would be lying if I said I had heard the end of that rhyme before. A sixpence in your shoe? Says who? Well, Charlie grew up in England, which, if I am not mistaken, is where the rhyme originated. So, says the English. Anyway, it is supposed to be a “silver sixpence” which is hard to come by now since they stopped actually making them from silver in 1947. Luckily, Lori and Charlie know someone who was able to track down an actual silver sixpence for Lori to complete the rhyme. I thought that was so cool, especially because of my love for learning random facts.
Lori said this about the sixpence, “It was one of Charlie school mates from England, Rob, who I had asked about the sixpence...he did all the research to know that they weren’t silver anymore and bought it off eBay for me in England and brought it all the way to Mammoth for me!” Isn’t that awesome?
Lori had an awesome view with a spacious, well-lit room and Charlie had a cave. Just kidding. It was quite a dark condo though, a bit “Godfather”-ish. But I’m a fan of it so it worked.
Charlie wore a purple suit, which is rad and has since helped inspire my newest bicycle color. (Purple) I love when people step outside the box. A couple years ago I always wore crazy colored pants. Red, purple, blue and even checkered pants, and I once rode a bright pink bicycle. So seeing Charlie dress up in a purple suit was cool.
Sierra Star Golf Course in Mammoth is where the ceremony was and it was perfect. I laughed out loud alongside the audience when Lori started her vows off with something along the lines of “I put up with your shit, Obviously.” In the end, there was an archway of golf clubs held high by the guests. Charlie had no idea this was happening and his reaction was priceless! He got a kick out of it.
Charlie wore custom socks that had a repeating pattern on them. The pattern was a photo of Lori and him. After family photos she saw them for the first time, and her reaction was also priceless!
Where else besides Mammoth do you find the woods in the middle of the golf course? I love it.
It was then into the reception for the first dance and The Hora. I always love photographing The Hora. I can never tell who’s more scared; the bride, the groom, or me? I know they are afraid to get dropped but I’m a little guy and that circle moves fast!
We were a tad late to our sunset photo location and the sun dipped behind the mountain quickly. We still had a beautiful glow, but we were worried we wouldn’t be able to get that golden, hazy, sun-flared look. But with a little magic and imagination, we did.
Lori’s father and Charlie’s cousin both gave great speeches. Truly authentic and moving. They were the perfect opening acts for Charlie’s performance with an unexpected, climactic, Afro-wearing ending. This got the energy in the room high, and for the duration of the night it never died.
From the day I met Lori and Charlie, I had put pressure on myself to do the best I have ever done as a photographer. I highly respected both of them, and I had so much appreciation for how much they valued my opinion on the day of the wedding. Even down to the material of the suit and how it might show in the photographs, they wanted my thoughts.
Lori and Charlie, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your journey and for the opportunity to photograph your wedding and preserve those memories for you. This process with you both has pushed me in both photography and communication and I am forever grateful. I’m so happy for you guys and I wish you nothing but the best.
ABOUT ME: Hi! My name is Nic Hilton. I am a destination wedding photographer based in Los Angeles. I shoot many weddings in the Mammoth Lakes area as well as Southern California but I am available to travel worldwide! Contact Me today because I would love to tell your story.