Lush Outdoor Art Club Garden Wedding » Mill Valley, California

Katya and Matt were married on a beautiful and warm summer day at the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley. The day began at the Mill Valley Inn where Katya and her bridesmaids were getting ready. As they changed into their dresses, I popped over to Mill Valley Beerworks next door where Matt and his groomsmen were grabbing some beers and a quick bite. Once everyone arrived at the venue, Katya and Matt had a sweet first look while her bridesmaids looked on. Katya’s uncle officiated their ceremony under the redwood trees and the vows had everyone crying happy tears. During the reception, Katya and Matt’s sisters surprised them with an acoustic performance of one of Katya’s favorite songs. The party continued on into the night as Katya’s uncle did double duty and DJed the evening’s party. As a nod to Katya’s Lebanese heritage, her family included a traditional dance before everyone assembled for a conga line on the dancefloor. Such a fun wedding!

Intimate Outdoor Art Club Wedding » Mill Valley, California

Meagan and Reuben wanted a low-key and relaxed wedding to match their personalities. They are a very practical and egalitarian couple and it shows. On how they decided to get married, Reuben said, “Even at the moment we started dating, our relationship was already quite serious, since we'd already known each other extremely well for ~5 years. I think we both had in mind that if this 'worked out', we were hoping to marry each other. We talked about marriage frequently in the first two years of our relationship. One belief that both of us held around a proposal is that it shouldn't be the one-sided exercise that it frequently is. We felt that either both of us should get engagement rings or neither of us should and that there shouldn't necessarily be a "proposal" as such. So, in the spring of this year, we spent several weekends going to various jewelry stores in the Bay Area shopping for engagement rings for the both of us. After finding ones we liked and getting them, it was very much a "Hmmm, I guess we should start telling people this is a thing now?" Even though we were very intentional about choosing each other, we actually can't even point to a moment when we decided to get married since it was kind of the default assumption for so long!”

Meagan and Reuben, big fans of backpacking and camping, really wanted to showcase California elegance so the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley was the perfect choice because of its natural beauty. When I arrived at the venue, Meagan and Reuben were getting ready together. Reuben even helped steam Meagan’s dress. Reuben’s sister played a big role in helping the day unfold as she not only officiated but also made the ceramics for the reception florals and baked the wedding cake. Their intimate wedding truly showcased the power of community and the love everyone has for the two of them.

Wedding Venue: Outdoor Art Club // Floral Design: DIY with help from Reuben’s sister Madeline // Caterer: RSVP Catering // Dessert Pies: Mission Pie // Hair & Make-Up: Caitlin Collentine // Meagan’s Dress: Unbridaled by Dan Jones from LOHO Bride // Meagan’s Shoes: Sam Edelman // Reuben’s Suit: Suitsupply // Reuben’s Shoes: Allen Edmonds // Wedding Bands: Esqueleto

Winter Outdoor Art Club Jewish Wedding » Mill Valley, California

Katie and Ari were married on an overcast winter day at the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley. They chose the Outdoor Art Club because it showcases Mill Valley's natural beauty and it is a central spot for their favorite bike rides. Katie and Ari had an interfaith wedding featuring Jewish traditions but with a twist. The couple’s sisters and close friends held the chuppah and instead of sharing wine, they chose to crack open a Sierra Nevada beer. The rest of the wedding continued this casual and easy going vibe as guests sipped on beer and enjoyed a delicious meal and appetizers before getting down on the dancefloor for the traditional Jewish horah.

Wedding Venue: Outdoor Art Club // Floral Design: Barbara Winters & Mill Valley Flowers // Caterer: Cater Marin // Baker: Cake Coquette // Lighting: Marin Event Lighting // Hair & Make-Up: Diana Varat // DJ: DJ Jeremy Productions

Redwood Grove Old Mill Park Wedding » Mill Valley, California

Lindsay and Ariel’s wedding day began with a traditional tea ceremony at the Mill Valley Inn. Both sets of parents as well as some uncles and aunts were honored with offerings and tea and cookies. In exchange, Lindsay and Ariel’s family offered their blessings and red envelopes. The surprise of the morning was when Lindsay’s mother pulled out a wedding gift that Lindsay’s grandmother prepared and saved for her before she passed. After a sweet and emotional morning, we all headed over to Old Mill Park where Lindsay and Ariel officially saw each other for the first time. We took some time to shoot portraits before Lindsay was whisked away to wait and hide in the public library next to the park. Under the shade of the redwoods, their wedding ceremony included lots of sweet stories, including how they first met—a real life Craigslist missed connection! Afterwards, everyone headed to the Mill Valley Community Center for a delicious reception of fried chicken with a geode cake and s’mores for dessert. (Big thanks to James and his team from Limelight Productions for keeping the day running smoothly.)