California Beach Wedding on the Sand at the Catamaran Resort, Christie + Ben


Christie & Ben met at work! They are both high school teachers and they sponsored the same high school club…must have been cute for the students to watch this blooming romance!

Wedding Venue:
The Catamaran Resort in San Diego is the perfect tropical beach front resort for a wedding! Surprisingly, it is one of the few venues in San Diego where you can get married barefoot on the sand! The resort is gorgeous and the waterfront setting is something all your guests will love. I just love taking photos there with so many options for backgrounds as well! If you are looking for a tropical beach oasis for your wedding in Southern California, this is really the perfect choice! 🙂

Star Vendors
Wedding Coordinator: Events by Martha – Martha Silva
Venue & Catering Manager: Catamaran Resort – Amber Lighty
DJ/MC/Wedding Planner: Juan Collazo
Photographer: Myself!
Cake: Flour Power
Hair Stylist: Brittany Reynolds
Makeup: Lindsay Anne
String Quartet: Zene Strings
Flowers: Tess Fresh Flowers

My favorite moment:
I had many favorite things about this beach wedding at the Catamaran Resort in San Diego! First of all, this couple is absolutely hilarious! Rarely do you meet people who make everyone around them laugh and feel welcome and happy together, but these two people embody those qualities and I think it is so wonderful that they found each other! I was just laughing all day and having so much fun photographing their wedding!

Next, I love that they had their dogs involved. I am a huge dog lover and animal lover in general and I had my own two dogs as part of my wedding. So when I saw their dogs dressed in a tux and wedding dress, I was so impressed that they went to the trouble to have these canine parts of their family as part of the wedding ceremony! Lastly, the groom is into fish and saltwater aquariums. So naturally he drove his fish here to be featured on each of the reception tables and then drove them home afterwards! This is a “blow me away” effort! It’s so cool to incorporate the things that are most important to you as part of your wedding.

Lastly, and this was the icing on the cake, the bride arranged a surprise flash mob dance to the groom! And then it turns out that he had been planning the exact same thing to the exact same song without her knowing! I mean, honestly. Is this a match made in heaven or what? I hope you enjoy the photos!

Planning your own photos? Lets chat!

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“The best days of your life are not just ahead—they’re happening right now, in every moment you choose to be present and grateful for what you have.”♥️
No rules, no stress, just your favorite location -and a lot of fun on our senior session. 

Confident. Calm. Completely herself.

Senior year, but make it golden. 🌞🌊

#SeniorPortraits #CarlsbadPhotographer #OceansideSeniorPhotos #BeachPortraits #ClassOf2026 #ModernSeniorStyle #NaturalLightPhotography #SoCalSenior
These are the moments that make up a lifetime.

The kind you don’t plan. The kind you can’t pose.
Just a little girl chasing the grandpa who makes her laugh the hardest.⁠
⁠
This is what real memories look like—movement, joy, love.
The way he turns to let her catch up.
The way she thinks he’s the most fun person on the planet.⁠
⁠
It’s not perfect lighting or perfect stillness…
It’s perfect *connection.*⁠

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#carlsbadfamilyphotographer #carlsbadphotographer #encinitasfamilyphotographer #encinitasphotographer #lacostaphotographer #oceansidephotographer #sandiegofamilyphotographer #sandiego #carlsbadbeach #carlsbadbeachphotographer #sandiegophotographer #lifestylefamilyphotography #carlsbad #lajolla #encinitas #sandiegolifestylephotographer #encinitaslife #lajollaphotographer #lajollafamilyphotographer #familybeachphotos #familyphotography #familyphotographer #carlsbadfamily #vallentynephotography #carlsbadcalifornia⁣
⁣ #carlsbadphotographer⁣ #oceansideca⁣lifornia⁣ #oceansidepier⁣⁣ #oceansidephotograpapher⁣⁣
This moment right here: sunshine on their faces, love in the air, and a baby on the way 🌿✨
Big brother is ready (with sidekick pup, of course), and this growing crew couldn’t be sweeter.
There’s something about maternity sessions in open fields… time slows down, and the joy feels extra real.

#MaternityPhotosCarlsbad #GrowingFamilyLove #CarlsbadPhotographer #SunlitMemories #BigBrotherVibes #DogApproved #OceansideFamilyPhotography #BabyOnTheWay
She's a Beauty inside and out and she's off to college for an amazing adventure, wishing her all the luck in the world!

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#vallentynephotography #sandiegoseniorphotographer #seniorphotos #seniorphotography #carlsbadseniorphotographer #encinitasseniorphotographer #seniorologie #sandiegoportraitphotographer #sandiegophotographer #carlsbadphotographer #temeculaseniorphotographer #seniorpictures #beachseniorpictures #lajollaseniorphotographer #ranchosantafeseniorphotographer #carlsbadsenior #sandiegoseniorsession #carlsbadhighschoolsenior #seniorstyle #csusmgrad #sanmarcosseniorphotographer #collegegrad #seniorstyleguide #sandiegophotographers #sandiegobeachphotographer #beachphotoshoot #seniorportraits #cathedralcatholichighschool

 

Vallentyne Photography is a portrait studio in Oceanside, CA, with a newborn studio in Carlsbad, CA, serving North County and San Diego. With 20 years of experience, we specialize in natural, timeless portraits for families, maternity, newborns, and seniors—capturing genuine moments on location or in our beautiful portrait studio.

We’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable. Let’s start with a quick chat about what matters most to you. We’d be honored to create portraits you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

“The best days of your life are not just ahead—they’re happening right now, in every moment you choose to be present and grateful for what you have.”♥️
No rules, no stress, just your favorite location -and a lot of fun on our senior session. 

Confident. Calm. Completely herself.

Senior year, but make it golden. 🌞🌊

#SeniorPortraits #CarlsbadPhotographer #OceansideSeniorPhotos #BeachPortraits #ClassOf2026 #ModernSeniorStyle #NaturalLightPhotography #SoCalSenior
These are the moments that make up a lifetime.

The kind you don’t plan. The kind you can’t pose.
Just a little girl chasing the grandpa who makes her laugh the hardest.⁠
⁠
This is what real memories look like—movement, joy, love.
The way he turns to let her catch up.
The way she thinks he’s the most fun person on the planet.⁠
⁠
It’s not perfect lighting or perfect stillness…
It’s perfect *connection.*⁠

*
*
*
*
*
#carlsbadfamilyphotographer #carlsbadphotographer #encinitasfamilyphotographer #encinitasphotographer #lacostaphotographer #oceansidephotographer #sandiegofamilyphotographer #sandiego #carlsbadbeach #carlsbadbeachphotographer #sandiegophotographer #lifestylefamilyphotography #carlsbad #lajolla #encinitas #sandiegolifestylephotographer #encinitaslife #lajollaphotographer #lajollafamilyphotographer #familybeachphotos #familyphotography #familyphotographer #carlsbadfamily #vallentynephotography #carlsbadcalifornia⁣
⁣ #carlsbadphotographer⁣ #oceansideca⁣lifornia⁣ #oceansidepier⁣⁣ #oceansidephotograpapher⁣⁣
This moment right here: sunshine on their faces, love in the air, and a baby on the way 🌿✨
Big brother is ready (with sidekick pup, of course), and this growing crew couldn’t be sweeter.
There’s something about maternity sessions in open fields… time slows down, and the joy feels extra real.

#MaternityPhotosCarlsbad #GrowingFamilyLove #CarlsbadPhotographer #SunlitMemories #BigBrotherVibes #DogApproved #OceansideFamilyPhotography #BabyOnTheWay
She's a Beauty inside and out and she's off to college for an amazing adventure, wishing her all the luck in the world!

*
*
*
*
*
#vallentynephotography #sandiegoseniorphotographer #seniorphotos #seniorphotography #carlsbadseniorphotographer #encinitasseniorphotographer #seniorologie #sandiegoportraitphotographer #sandiegophotographer #carlsbadphotographer #temeculaseniorphotographer #seniorpictures #beachseniorpictures #lajollaseniorphotographer #ranchosantafeseniorphotographer #carlsbadsenior #sandiegoseniorsession #carlsbadhighschoolsenior #seniorstyle #csusmgrad #sanmarcosseniorphotographer #collegegrad #seniorstyleguide #sandiegophotographers #sandiegobeachphotographer #beachphotoshoot #seniorportraits #cathedralcatholichighschool

email directly:

heather@vallentynephotography.com

760-672-2416

located in oceanside, california