Joleen Willis Photography

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Joleen Willis Photography

Romantic photography for modern couples.
-AND-
Fashion forward senior portraits.

20/11/2025

Getting ready is one of my favorite parts of the day.

There's something so tender about these in-between moments - like slipping on your shoes, taking a breath, seeing your dress waiting for you.

This is when reality starts to settle in. In just a few hours, you'll be married.

I want you to have time for moments like this. Not rushing through a checklist, but actually feeling the magnitude of what's about to happen. Because these quiet, intimate moments? They matter just as much as the ceremony.

Let's build a timeline that gives you space to breathe and be present.

📍Mokelumne Hill -
Photography|
Catering|
MUA|

16/11/2025

That golden hour magic when you step out as newlyweds ✨

This is what I live for - those unposed, pure celebration moments when you forget I'm even there.

Your day deserves space to breathe.

Let's create a timeline that lets you actually feel every moment.

📍 California Wedding Photographer

Venue:
Photography:

13/11/2025

Before the wedding band, there was this ring - and the yes that came with it...

There's something about photographing engagement rings on wedding days that gets me every time. Because this isn't just wedding day jewelry - this is the ring that was there when you said yes. The one you've been staring at for months while planning. The one that made it real.

Maybe your partner spent months ring shopping. Maybe they involved your best friend in the secret. Maybe it's a family heirloom with its own love story.

Or maybe it's something completely unexpected that surprised you both. Whatever the story is, it matters. And years from now, you'll want to remember exactly how it looked on your wedding morning, surrounded by your flowers and all the other beautiful details you chose.

The real beauty is in knowing what that ring represents: someone asking, you answering, and both of you deciding to build something together.

That's worth documenting.

06/11/2025

Rain on your wedding day? Here's why I'm not worried...

I've learned that weather happens. And you know what? Some of my favorite photos have come from rainy wedding days. Not in spite of the rain - because of it.

Here's the thing about rain: it forces everyone to be present and flexible. All that stress about the "perfect" day melts away when you realize the day is already perfect because you're getting married. The umbrella portraits? Often more romantic than we planned. The cozy indoor moments? More intimate than any outdoor setup. The way everyone rallies together to make it work? That's the real story.

The couples who handle weather curveballs with grace always end up with incredible photos. Why? Because they're not trying to control everything - they're just experiencing their day as it unfolds. That authenticity shows in every image.

So if you're worried about weather on your wedding day, take a breath. I've done this before, I know how to adapt, and I promise your photos will be beautiful. Rain or shine, the story we're telling is about you two, not the forecast.

03/11/2025

This is the calm before the beautiful chaos...

Wedding mornings have their own special energy. There's champagne and nervous laughter. Someone's fixing a curl that won't cooperate. Your mom is probably crying already (in the best way). And somewhere in all of it, you're standing in your robe thinking "this is really happening" 🥂

I always arrive early for getting ready photos because this part of the day tells its own story. Before the ceremony nerves kick in, before you're "on" for everyone else, there's this window where it's just you and your people. The ones who've seen you at your best and worst and showed up anyway. The morning light is perfect, the energy is building, and everyone's just genuinely excited to be there.

This is also when the best candid moments happen - when someone makes you laugh so hard you almost mess up your makeup, when your sister helps you into your dress, when you all toast to the day ahead. No posing required, just real reactions to a really big day unfolding.

So if you're on the fence about including getting ready coverage in your timeline? This is my pitch: these hours give you a breather before the whirlwind begins. A chance to settle in, be with your favorite people, and ease into the day rather than jumping straight into ceremony mode. Plus, matching robes with champagne make for pretty great photos.

30/10/2025

Include your dog to your wedding. Seriously, just do it.

Some of my favorite wedding moments have involved four-legged family members who are just as much a part of your love story as anyone else standing up there with you.

These are the moments that make your wedding day uniquely YOURS - not some cookie-cutter version of what a wedding "should" look like, but a real reflection of your life and what matters to you.

I've photographed dogs walking down the aisle, cats in bow ties, horses at outdoor ceremonies, and every combination you can imagine. And you know what? Those photos always end up being favorites. Why? Because they're real. They're you. They show what your family actually looks like - fur and all.

Plus, let's be honest, pets have a way of stealing the show in the best possible way. They add spontaneity, joy, and those beautifully imperfect moments that make wedding photography so special.

If you're wondering whether to include your pet in your wedding day - in my opinion, the answer is yes. Always yes.

28/10/2025

Your wedding day isn't just about you two - it's about the people who got you here too 💕

Wedding days remind me it's so much bigger than your wedding. It's about your best friend who's been there since middle school. Your sister who helped you pick the dress. The cousin who made you laugh when you were nervous. These relationships are part of your love story too 🌿

One of my favorite parts of wedding day photography is capturing these connections. The way your bridesmaids look at you when you're getting ready. The quiet moments when they're adjusting your dress or holding your bouquet. The tears during your ceremony that aren't just yours - they're theirs too, because they've been rooting for this love story all along ✨

Beautiful bouquets and light and airy scenes are wonderful, but they're just the frosting. The real story? It's in these connections, these relationships, these people who love you enough to stand by your side.

22/10/2025

After years of photographing weddings, I know when the magic is about to happen...

Here's something most couples don't realize: your wedding day is packed with moments that will touch you as powerfully as your ceremony. The quiet pause before cutting your cake. The way you look at each other during toasts. That split second of pure joy right after you're announced as married. These in-between moments? They're the ones you'll remember most 💕

I can sense when something meaningful is about to unfold - maybe it's the way you take a breath before your first dance, or how you reach for each other's hand during a speech. My job is to give you time and space to experience these feelings fully, without worrying about whether I'm getting the shot 🌿

Because here's the thing: you deserve to be completely present for your own wedding. Not performing for the camera, not posing on cue, but actually feeling every emotion as it happens. That's why I create detailed photo timelines - so the photos can play their role in the pace of your day without interfering with your experience of it ✨

The best photos happen when you're lost in the moment, not thinking about the camera at all. Trust me to watch for the magic while you live it.

20/10/2025

Your vows deserve to be photographed as much as they deserve to be heard 💌

Can we talk about how powerful it is to see your vows in writing? Not just the words themselves, but the evidence that you sat down, thought deeply about your promises, and put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard at 2am because the words finally felt right) ✨

I always photograph vow books and handwritten notes because they capture something the ceremony video can't - the tangible proof of your promises. The way your handwriting looks when you're nervous and excited.

The crossed-out words where you changed your mind. The coffee stain from writing them over breakfast. These imperfections tell the real story 💕

Years from now, you'll remember what you promised each other before life got complicated, before kids and mortgages and everyday routines.

The vows are the whole point, and they deserve to be remembered just as much as the moment you spoke them 🌿

17/10/2025

This is what happens when you forget the camera is there 🌅

You know that feeling when you're so caught up in a moment that everything else just fades away? That's what I'm always hoping for during your portraits. Not stiff poses or forced smiles - just you two, actually enjoying each other, while I capture it ✨

Here's the secret: the best photos happen when you stop worrying about the camera and start reacting to each other. When you're distracted by a task - like walking down this beautiful golden road together - you forget to be self-conscious. That's when the magic happens 💕

I know so many couples tell me they're "awkward in front of the camera" or feel nervous about portrait time. I get it. Social media has taught us to be hyper-aware of ourselves. But after years of photographing weddings, I've learned that the couples who allow themselves to feel every little feeling usually have the best photos.

My goal is simple: give you time and space to react to real moments. To laugh at inside jokes. To hold each other like you actually do. To exist together in that lingering golden light without performing for anyone. Because those are the images you'll treasure long after the trends of the year fade away 🌾

Photography
Venue
Hair Jill Doane
Makeup
Florals (with some blooms from )
Catering

14/10/2025

The little details tell a story you'll want to remember 💍

Here's something I've learned after years of photographing weddings: those tiny details you agonized over choosing? They matter.

Not because they need to be Pinterest-perfect or publication worthy, but because they're part of YOUR story ✨

Your grandmother's handkerchief tucked into your bouquet. The vows you wrote at 2am because the words finally felt right. That vintage ring your partner spent months searching for. The hand-written note from your mom that made you cry happy tears while getting ready.

These aren't just pretty things - they're the tangible pieces of your love story, and they deserve to be remembered 💕

Trust me, when you look back on your photos you'll remember exactly why you chose that ribbon color, why those earrings meant so much, why every little decision felt important.

The details are the frosting on the bigger purpose - you becoming a married couple. But that frosting? It tells the story of how you got there, and that story matters 🌿

09/10/2025

I’ll always be the biggest fan of that just married glow. ✨

Sarah and Sven, arm in arm, laughter spilling into the air as their closest friends trailed behind them, it’s moments like this that carry the heartbeat of a wedding day.

This is the kind of joy that can’t be staged, the glances exchanged, the feeling of “we did it” that lingers long after the ceremony ends.

Because your wedding photos shouldn’t just remind you of what the day looked like, they should bring you back to the way it felt.

Mokelumne Hill
Photography:
Catering:
MUA

Address

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10:30 - 17:00
Wednesday	10:30 - 17:00
Thursday	10:30 - 17:00
Friday	10:30 - 17:00
Saturday	10:30 - 17:00

Website

http://www.joleenwillis.com/

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