Photo by Sheila Johnson at Studio J Photography.
The Art of Preserving Emotion:
What Sets Professional Wedding Photographers Apart
When planning your dream wedding in Napa Valley, one of your most important decisions is choosing the right photographer. The difference between an amateur with a camera and a professional Napa wedding photographer goes far beyond technical skills. It’s about capturing authentic emotion, creating a calm atmosphere, and preserving memories that reflect who you truly are as a couple.
Why Professional Wedding Photography Matters
Your wedding photographer will be present for every significant moment of your day, from intimate getting-ready moments to the grand celebration. This constant presence means their energy, professionalism, and artistic vision directly impact not just your photos, but your entire wedding experience.
“The photographer’s energy and the way they do conflict resolution, the way they are with the client, the way they make everybody laugh or make everyone feel comfortable is the only way that they can create that moment,” explains Samar Hattar, founder of Blissful Events and a Napa Valley premier wedding planner.
The impact of a photographer’s demeanor is more significant than many couples realize.
Photo by By Napa Wedding Photographer Sheila Johnson of Studio J Photography.
Blissful Events Wedding Planner Samar Hattar & Courtney Hazelwood will marry at Viansa Winery. They stand in Viansa’s driveway. Photo by Sheila Johnson of Studio J Photography.
Contact Studio J Photography
Sheila Johnson
Website: www.studiojportraits.com
Email: studiojbysj@yahoo.com
Serving: Napa Valley and surrounding areas
“A photographer can really make or break the energy of wedding day photos for a couple,” Samar said, “because no matter how excited a couple is, or how high the energy, or whatever they’re feeling, the photographer is the one that’s capturing that. So if they’re not coming into it to match the client and to be on their level, they’re not going to be able to capture those photos in the way that the client is truly, authentically being themselves.”
When a photographer lacks the right energy or professional approach, it shows in the final product.
“The photos don’t have a lot of emotion in them,” Samar Hattar explains. “You don’t feel the emotion within the photo by looking at it.”
This is why Samar Hattar, a California Wedding Day Best of 2025 winner, is highly selective about photographers she includes in the Blissful Events Bubble—her carefully curated network of elite wedding vendors. She chooses professionals who love what they do, bring genuine joy to celebrations, exceed expectations, care deeply about clients and the client’s vision for the event.
Two photographers who have Samar’s stamp of approval include Sheila Johnson of Studio J Photography and Alicia Parks of Alicia Parks Photography.
Sheila Johnson of Studio J Photography
A Heart-Centered Approach to Wedding Photography
Sheila Johnson’s genuine love for people and their stories shines through every image she creates.
“Sheila Johnson is just one of those people that puts her heart and soul into what she’s doing,” Samar Hattar said. “She loves every couple. Her entire heart goes into what she’s doing. She truly cares about the end result.”
“I love, love photographing weddings,” Sheila Johnson said. “I love photographing proposals. I love all the emotions. I get to be a part of all the happy, joyous milestone moments in people’s lives. I feel pretty blessed to be able to do that.”
Photo by Sheila Johnson of Studio J Photography, Napa Wedding Photographer
Building Relationships Before the Big Day
What sets Sheila apart is her commitment to knowing her clients deeply before their wedding day. She schedules engagement sessions that create meaningful connections—like recently photographing a couple at the bar where the groom first said “I love you,” allowing them to relive that special night.
“Getting to know them creates a more of a bond, so that they’re more comfortable on wedding day,” Sheila explains. “You feel more like you’re with a friend, as opposed to just a vendor.”
This relationship-building approach stems from Sheila’s personal values about preserving memories and maintaining connections with loved ones—something she considers deeply important in her own life.
Sheila’s journey into founding Studio J Photography and wedding photography began organically through her passion for documenting her five children’s lives. After joining a photography group and launching her business, she asked for help second-shooting her brother’s wedding. A photographer who would become one of her closest friends—someone with ten years of professional experience—volunteered to work alongside her. That collaboration sparked what has become an 11-year working partnership and a deep love for wedding photography.
“I love, love, I guess,” Sheila reflects on why weddings captured her heart.
A Relaxed, Stress-Free Experience
Sheila’s process prioritizes her clients’ enjoyment above all else.
“It is very important to me that you’re enjoying your wedding day and that it’s comfortable and … stress free, surrounded by family or loved ones,” she says. “That’s the highest priority for me.”
Her experience managing five children taught her to stay calm in high-pressure situations—a skill that translates perfectly to the sometimes-chaotic nature of weddings. Samar has witnessed this calming presence firsthand.
“She makes you feel so comfortable in front of a camera, it feels like a fun experience,” Samar Hattar said.
During a recent family portrait session in a sunflower field, Samar’s four-year-old daughter Jayla wouldn’t let go of her hand because of bees in the field. Rather than forcing a traditional pose, Sheila suggested, “Why don’t you stand with her, since she doesn’t want to let you go.”
“She captured my favorite photos ever of me and Jayla in those 10 seconds,” Samar recalls. In just 20 minutes, Sheila had photographed four of Samar’s youngest children—a feat anyone familiar with photographing children knows is no small accomplishment.
Samar Hattar and her daughter smile at each other in a family portrait by Sheila Johnson of Studio J Photography.
3 Steps to a Stress-free, 100% You Napa Valley Wedding
Step 1. Make an appointment
Step 2. Establish your wedding vision
Step 3. Get married and thoroughly enjoy your special day
Artistic Vision and Technical Skill
Sheila describes her style as “a little documentary mixed with classical posing.” She continues her education through conferences, workshops, and online courses, while also learning from mentors rooted in classic 1980s studio work. This blend allows her to incorporate timeless posing techniques while capturing authentic, candid moments.
Her artistic drive shows in her commitment to getting the perfect shot.
“The artist part: it’s got to be the right angle with the right light,” she explains.
Weddings with more than 50 attendees, she coordinates with secondary photographers to ensure all guests and key moments are captured.
Samar Hattar said she perfectly strikes the balance between helping wedding party members get the perfect shot and capturing magic moments as they naturally unfold. This versatility has made Sheila Samar’s go-to photographer for family portraits, senior portraits, proposals and weddings.
“We have family photos all over the house that she’s taken,” Samar Hattar said.
A woman proposes to her love in the Barrel Room of Viansa Winery surrounded by candles and white rose petals. Proposal planned by Blissful Events. Photo by Studio J Photography.
Services and Process
Studio J Photography primarily focuses on weddings, proposals, and high school seniors, with family portraits rounding out their offerings. Sheila’s process begins with a phone call to ensure compatibility and confirm her style matches the couple’s vision. After booking, she loves conducting engagement sessions to build that crucial rapport.
Wedding preparation is streamlined, with planning sessions about 30 days before the event to finalize family shot lists and must-have moments. Gallery turnaround time is approximately six weeks, and Sheila is passionate about printed products—albums and wall art that become treasured family heirlooms.
“I love doing albums. I love having a printed tangible,” Sheila Johnson said.
Pictures are a powerful way to preserve memories of those who may no longer be in our lives and remind us of those precious relationships.
“Our kids won’t have that experience of pulling out a shoebox of photos,” Sheila notes about the digital age and how easily digital files can be lost, erased or simply forgotten about. “Printed products are important to me. It’s so important to me to have those memories and keep those relationships and people still here.”
Alicia Parks of Alicia Parks Photography
From Corporate America to Creative Passion
Alicia Parks brings a unique background to wedding photography—16 years in corporate America managing 115 employees across California. This experience in leadership, organization, and high-pressure situations translates into exceptional wedding day management and an unflappable demeanor.
After having her third son, Alicia looked at her husband and said she wasn’t sure she could continue with the demanding corporate job. He encouraged her: if she was going to pursue her dream, now was the time.
Alicia gave herself one year to see if photography could become her career. Fourteen years later, having photographed hundreds of weddings—including 40 last year alone—she’s proven that following her passion was the right choice.
“I said, ‘Oh my gosh. Can people actually make money at this? Because, if that’s real, this is definitely what I want to be doing,’” she recalls of her first wedding.
Contact Alicia Parks Photography
Alicia Parks
Website: www.aliciaparksphotography.com
Serving: Sonoma, Napa, Marin, and San Francisco counties
Recent Honor: Best of California Award
The Power of Presence and Connection
What makes Alicia exceptional goes beyond her technical mastery. As a trained yoga teacher, she brings a unique awareness to her work.
“There’s this really cool, energetic thing that happens where I can feel when someone’s not calm,” Alicia explains. Many mothers of the bride have told her, “Oh my God, you saved my life on the wedding day. Literally, I felt like I was gonna lose it, and all I had to do was look over at you, and I was okay.”
Her photographer friends call her “a posing genius,” and she’s known for her passion. Friends say no one lights up about work more than Alicia.
“I get to a job and I am beaming. I’m so ready to go,” she says.
Samar Hattar has seen the effect of this energy firsthand: “Alicia has this beautiful, calm demeanor about her as a person that somehow translates into her photography. (Her subjects appear) utterly Zen in all of her photos.”
Celebrating Authentic Beauty
Alicia’s philosophy centers on capturing real, unfiltered beauty—a refreshing perspective in an era of heavy filters and digital manipulation.
“I’m all about the realness, because I think that everybody has their own beauty, and if you can bring that out and let them see it, that’s more powerful than Photoshop ever will be,” Alicia Parks said. “[Most] people cannot see their own beauty. I love being able to see that for other people. Because most people can’t see it for themselves.”
Her approach is personalized to each couple’s authentic personality.
“If you’re more on the fun side, I really try to lean into that on the wedding day,” Alicia Parks said. “If you’re more on the serious side, it’s more editorial and fashion forward … I think the art comes in being able to draw out the (humanity) of the subject. Not every couple poses exactly the same.”
Details about Viansa Winery in Sonoma
A Romantic, Timeless Style
At her core, Alicia describes herself as a romantic, and this shows in her work. Her editing philosophy emphasizes timeless colors—she wants white to look white and skin tones to appear natural, avoiding trendy presets that will look dated in years to come.
Her work blends editorial elegance with authentic candid moments, ensuring every grandmother has a beautiful portrait to hang on her wall while capturing the raw emotion of the day.
Samar recognizes Alicia’s dedication to excellence: “Alicia is someone that’s very authentic, and she’s definitely a go-getter,” Samar Hattar said. “She’s one of those people that, if she wants that photo, she will climb on top of a ladder, swing from the branch, she’s gonna get that photo.”
Wedding Photography Etiquette and Expertise
With hundreds of weddings under her belt, Alicia has mastered wedding etiquette that many amateur photographers don’t understand. She maintains strict rules about positioning—to avoid blocking the view of guests, her team never goes more than halfway up the aisle during ceremonies, and for smaller, intimate events, they don’t enter the aisle at all.
Photos by Alicia Parks Photography.
Photos by Alicia Parks Photography.
“There’s no time where a mother of the bride or the groom should ever even see us,” she explains. This unobtrusive approach ensures guests experience the ceremony without visual interruptions.
Years of experience bring a groundedness that allows Alicia to stay calm when others might panic.
“When you’re first doing it, there’s a worry about missing things, and so you’re in your mind, you’re kind of frantic,” she reflects. “But after years of doing something over and again, it becomes very solid in your body and you’re grounded, and so if someone else is freaking out, you’re actually the person that can calm them down.”
This creates space for genuine emotion and creativity—qualities that result in better photographs.
Success Stories
"It was exactly what we wanted."
Genevieve & Jouko
"I immediately wanted to sign up with Samar just because of her enthusiasm for the vision that we had for our wedding and her immediate obvious knowledge and how to get things done and how to handle the kind of event that we wanted to put on. It just took all the weight off our shoulders.
It turned out that a lot of people thought it was the best wedding they'd ever been to." —Genevieve
"We didn't meet with the vendors. Just one day the plan had come together without us being involved and it was exactly what we wanted." — Jouko
"Our wedding day could not have gone any more amazing."
Mahkenzie & Weston
"Stop looking for a wedding planner and book Blissful Events now! My husband and I got married this September and Samar was there for us every step of the way.
She really knows EVERYTHING about wedding planning and brought things to our attention that we would never even think about.
She made the biggest event of our lives go so smoothly. Our wedding day could not have gone any more amazing. She handled everything without us even knowing. Worth every penny!"
Wedding by Blissful Events, Photo by A Loving Photography
"Every detail was covered."
Dan & Tracy
"She took the time to learn what I was looking for, hear about my soon to be fiancé and I, and then start presenting me with options.
Her level of care went so far that if she hadn't been to a venue before but thought it might fit what I was looking for she would plan a trip to the venue and report back with details, photos and even video. Her level of commitment and detail helped me to take the vision I had in my head and make it a reality. In fact, an even better version.
I really can't say enough about Samar and Blissful Events. Should you select this company to help you plan your dream proposal or wedding I'm confident that you too will be thrilled with the results."
Proposal and wedding by Blissful Events, Photo by Rhee Bevere Photography
A High-Touch Client Experience
Alicia’s process reflects her corporate training in customer service and organization. It begins with a detailed questionnaire on her website, followed by an hour-long Zoom call where she gets to know the couple—their vision, their personalities, and what matters most to them.
“Part of them being really relaxed and authentic on their wedding day comes from these initial calls and … us getting to know each other,” Alicia explains. She emphasizes that not every client is the right fit, and that’s okay. The photographer-client relationship needs to feel comfortable since they’ll spend the entire day together.
All proposals are custom-designed based on the specific needs of each wedding. A 40-guest celebration requires different resources than a 400-guest affair, so Alicia tailors team size, coverage hours, and add-ons like drone footage or film photography to match each couple’s vision.
Clients who book receive a curated series of emails leading up to the wedding, and a final planning call two weeks before the event. On this call, Alicia reviews the timeline, discusses family dynamics, and addresses any sensitive situations to avoid awkward moments on the wedding day.
She also conducts venue walk-throughs with planners for new locations, ensuring she knows exactly where to position herself for optimal shots.
On the wedding day itself, Alicia’s team arrives early to greet everyone without equipment first—creating a relaxed atmosphere before “work mode” begins. The next day, clients receive sneak peek photos to share on social media, with full galleries delivered within four weeks.
The Value of Professional Planning
Alicia won’t work events without a planner except in rare circumstances.
“If there’s not a planner, the photographer becomes the planner. And that’s almost impossible to do both,” she explains.
She’s witnessed planners save the day in extraordinary circumstances—like when ovens failed an hour before dinner service, requiring rental equipment delivery and meal preparation in 60 minutes. “The planner made it happen. Nobody else could have done that,” Alicia recalls.
Choosing the Right Napa Valley Wedding Photographer
Now that Samar Hattar is planning her own 2026 wedding to Courtney Hazelwood, she knew exactly who she wanted behind the camera—both Sheila Johnson and Alicia Parks and their teams. Having worked with countless photographers throughout her career as a Napa wedding planner, she chose these two exceptional artists to capture different perspectives of her special day.
“It’s funny because they’ll be shooting at the same time, so it’ll be so cool to see the difference in the same moment that they are able to capture,” Samar Hattar said. “I’m excited for that.”
What unites both photographers is their ability to find perfect moments.
“They’re able to find the right space at the right time: the perfect moment for each thing,” Samar explains. “For example, I really want a picture where Courtney’s kissing me on the nose because I tell him he’s my official, forever nose warmer. My nose often gets cold and I’ll snuggle my nose against him to warm up. They could decide that’s not going to happen right now in the middle of the vineyard. We’re going to do that at sunset photos because … they’re amazing at finding the perfect timing for each thing and where to take it, versus just taking the photo for the sake of taking a photo.”
This thoughtfulness—this understanding that wedding photography is about preserving authentic love stories, not just checking boxes—separates true professionals from amateurs.
Let Blissful Events Guide Your Wedding Journey
Planning a Napa Valley wedding involves countless decisions about venues, vendors, flowers, food, and endless details. For busy couples seeking laid-back luxury—an elegant, worry-free celebration that authentically reflects who you are—Blissful Events takes away the stress and decision fatigue.
Since 2007, Samar Hattar has curated deeply personal, customized weddings as one of California’s premier Napa wedding planners. She knows the luxury wedding landscape intimately, working with A-list venues and vendors to create seamless events. The Blissful Events Bubble represents the industry’s elite—carefully selected professionals who love what they do, exceed expectations, and bring genuine joy to every celebration.
Why navigate this complex process alone when Blissful Events can handle the stressful details, allowing you to savor the joy of planning one of life’s most monumental events?
Your wedding day will pass in a beautiful blur. The photographs will remain, telling your story for generations to come. Choose a professional Napa wedding photographer who understands that these images aren’t just pictures—they’re the visual legacy of your love story.
Samar Hattar and Blissful Events specialize in creating elegant, personalized weddings and proposals throughout Napa Valley and California wine country. With carefully curated vendor relationships and years of experience, they transform wedding planning from overwhelming to extraordinary.
Wedding by Blissful Events. Photo by Christophe Genty Photography.
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