Just a little heads up…there’s some implied nudity below.

Sexy and sweet.  Here comes the candy!

The warm summer months are absolutely PERFECT for taking boudoir outdoors.  Contact us to schedule your very own intimate session.

Don’t forget to enter our PIN IT TO WIN IT contest to win a free styled portrait session!  Click here for more details!  It’s going to be a blast and everyone is welcome to enter!

Hair & Makeup styling by Liz Rivas of Sweeter Than Honey in Huntington Beach.

Candy theme and event styling by Katie Doyle of Ooh La La Designs.

I love these next few.  Keri had some alone time with her father right before he walked her down the aisle.

Thanks to Amanda Patrice for bringing me along!  I had a blast with this couple!

Wedding Coordinator: Holly of HMC Events

Video: John of Godfather Films

Florist: Cupid’s Arrow

Hair and Makeup: Dollhouse 

Cake: Bakers Oven

First Dance Song: You are the Best Thing by Ray LaMontagne

Here’s the scoop!  Follow these directions to enter to win your dream portrait session!

1.  Create a new board on Pinterest for this contest and pin THIS IMAGE!  Call the board whatever you’d like!  Have fun with it!

2.  Pin your favorite images from www.melissa-munding.com onto your new board.  Tell us what you love about each image and include the hash tag #melissamunding

3.  Fill your board with images that inspire you for your very own portrait session and describe why!  This is where you can really get creative.  Come up with an amazing theme, pin clothing options, locations, props, and anything else that inspires you.  Please DO NOT pin the work of other portrait or wedding photographers.  The goal here is to think outside the box and be as creative and inspired as possible without copying from another photographer.  Feel free to use your favorite movies, books, shows, fashion, time period, etc to inspire your shoot.  Don’t forget the hash tags so we can be inspired by you!

4.  Leave a comment on this blog post with a link to your new board to enter the contest.  You can leave a link here at any time.  All boards/entries will be judged after the contest deadline.

5.  Share the love!  Tell your friends about the contest so they can play along!  Find the link to this blog post on our FACEBOOK Fan Page and SHARE on your own wall.

6.  The deadline to create and submit the link for your board is May 27th, 2012.  The winning entry will be announced June 1st.  (You have a whole month to plan, scheme, and dream up something amazing!)

7.  The most inspiring and creative session idea will receive a FREE Portrait Package with Melissa Munding (Hey!  That’s me!), fully styled by our talented friends over at Ooh La La Designs.   This portrait session can be a single person, senior, family, engagement, boudoir or even a rock-the-dress session.  Anything that falls under “portrait session” is fair game!  (Weddings and other events are excluded.)

8.  The Fine Print:

• The winning shoot must take place locally (Southern California).  The winner will be given a list of available dates to choose from.
• Melissa Munding’s standard contract (which includes a model release) must be signed in order to receive the free session.
• Prize is non-transferrable and has no cash value.
• Some restrictions may apply.
• Portrait Packages are limited to 6 people.  Additional fees will be charged for each additional person after the first 6.

Please contact us if you have any questions!

Ready?  Set?  PIN! 

I love that.  Selfless.  It’s true.  Love really is selfless.  Alex and Kate are both shining examples of just that.  I believe they would do anything for each other and together they would go to great lengths for those they love.  Alex has always been a happy, caring, fun-loving guy and I’m so excited to have had the chance to meet his lady love, Kate.  I’ve known Alex since he was in junior high and I always think of him with a big, jolly smile on his face.  Now he’s all grown up and has a beautiful girl smiling back at him and that just makes my heart happy.  I’m thoroughly enjoying getting to know them as a couple and I’m ridiculously excited for their wedding in October!  If their engagement session is any indication, I can be sure the wedding will be an absolute blast! These two are such sweet, genuine, and wonderful people, I can’t wait to celebrate their love.  Marriage is a wonderful thing and I know they’re going to love it as much as I do.

A picnic with music, books, fruit and cameras?  Yeah, they’re my kind of people!  A couple after my own heart, Alex & Kate love to read together.

I have complete faith that these two can have fun absolutely anywhere.

I love this one.  I think Kate will too.  When I asked what she loves about Alex one of the things she said was that she loves the cute little wrinkles on his nose when he laughs.

One of the things Alex loves about Kate is how playful she can be.  I love this picture because I feel like their silliness comes out in it and I love that about them.

Just a couple more in a different location.  Did I mention they love books?

I had such an awesome day with these two and I hope there will be many more like it!

Is there anything better than baby hair-dos?  And itty bitty baby parts?  Nope.

So serious when he sleeps…but so perfect.  He looks just like his daddy.

Carson’s crib.

This is exactly what I love about this family.  They are always all smiles and giggles.

We even got a smile!  So cute!  I can’t wait to see more of his laughs & giggles.

This is one of my favorites from the day.  Congratulations Amber, Damon & family : )

Ok!  Phew!  That feels better.  Back to the heart of why I blog…to show off the amazing people I have the pleasure of working with!  I recently got to spend some time with Bonnie & Marcus down in Laguna Beach for a fun little shoot.  I met Bonnie in Kindergarten and haven’t seen her since the second grade…until this day.  My job is pretty cool like that.  She looks exactly the same.  I don’t know how that’s possible, but it’s true!  I’d recognize her in a heartbeat.  Of course, I’m a bit of a freak of nature who remembers pretty much everyone I meet, along with their name and anything else they may have told me.  I might run into said person a year later when they’ve forgotten all about my entire existence and still I know their name and half of their life story.  Sometimes it freaks people out.  Sometimes I’m told it’s a gift.  I’m sure it falls somewhere in between.

It’s such a cool thing to get to meet up with people from another time in my life.  I knew Bonnie as an adorable child and now she is the mother of a little boy right about the same age we were when we met.  It was really fun to see the person she’s become and chasing Marcus around was bunches of fun.  He gave my my workout for the day!  Aren’t they just so cute?

I stuck around after Bonnie & Marcus left and admired the sunset with a friend from Arizona.  It was one of those amazing days where it was just unreal and it made me glad I stayed still long enough to enjoy the beauty all around.

What do you get on one of the most beautiful days ever and one of my favorite locations ever with two adorable people head over heels in love?  The recipe for the perfect engagement session.  I had a blast with these two and I’m loving these photos so much that I think they can speak for themselves.  Besides, I have to pack for Vegas!  Ashley & Corey, you guys are awesome and I really can’t wait for your wedding!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  I have the prettiest clients ever.  It’s true.

I’m in love.  I hope that you will be too!  These albums are stunning!  They are truly meant to last a lifetime with thick, sturdy pages, a very faint protective lustre coating (that isn’t super shiny like so many other albums out there), great cover options, imprinting and a photo inset on the cover.  The leather covers are buttery and rich (as any good leather should be) and the color & texture choices are excellent.  I even have a few non-leather options for anyone who is looking for a vegan alternative.  If you haven’t seen these yet and are interested in purchasing one for your wedding just give me a call!

One of the coolest things about this album is that ever single one comes with a perfectly fitted box for safe-keeping.  You only get married once so this guy is bound to be around for quite some time!  Let’s keep it safe!

A few more views…

I know you want to see a bit of the inside of these albums so here are a few of my favorite album spreads for this particular album.  Super clean design is what I’m all about.  It really lets your photos tell the story perfectly.  There’s no need to add all kinds of extra stuff in there…less is more.

One more little note about this album…  That line in the center is called a “gutter.”  This album has the absolute smallest gutter I have ever seen in an album.  Ever.  They’re known for it.  This really allows for seamless viewing without large gaps in between your pages.  It’s just one more reason why I chose this book just for you.

Since these albums are relatively new to my product list, anyone who has an outstanding album with their wedding package has the option to upgrade from the portrait album.  I highly recommend it.  Have any questions?  I’d love to answer them for you!