mount tamalpais

Mount Tamalpais + Muir Beach COVID Elopement » Mill Valley, California /  by Vivian Chen

Saatchi and Luvreet originally planned to get married in Luvreet’s parent’s backyard but after seeing some of the outdoor elopements I shot last year, they were curious about Marin. Once I shared some galleries from Mount Tamalpais, they decided to change course and plan an outdoor Marin elopement. We started the afternoon on Mount Tamalpais for some portraits of the two of them among the majestic oak trees and rolling green hillsides. Sweet florals from Charlotte & Daughters added that special bit of warm to their wedding outfits. Afterwards, we headed down to Muir Beach where we met up with Saatchi and Luvreet’s families to hike up to a cliffside overlook for their ceremony. Luvreet’s sister officiated while both of their parents shared poems and words of wisdom with the couple. When it came time to exchange vows, Luvreet surprised everyone with what was essentially a lighthearted roast of Saatchi that got everyone laughing. After exchanging rings and sealing the ceremony with a kiss, they all hiked back down to the beach where everyone celebrate with cake from Butter&, champagne and celebratory flower petal toss.

Mount Tamalpais + Muir Beach Sunset COVID Elopement » Mill Valley, California /  by Vivian Chen

Even though Gao and Jose eloped by getting married virtually, they still wanted to mark the occasion and celebrate with a portrait session. We started the shoot on Mount Tamalpais where they wore traditional Hmong wedding outfits as a nod to Gao’s heritage before changing into their traditional Western wedding clothes. Gao carried a DIY bouquet of lilies-of-the-valley, one of her favorite blooms, while we did a first look and some more exploring along the steep hillsides. Afterwards, we headed down to Muir Beach for sunset portraits along the rocky shoreline. We were able to time the day perfectly to catch the prettiest golden hour light right at the end of our shoot. There’s nothing quite like these winter sunsets in Northern California.

Muir Woods + Mount Tamalpais Post-Wedding Portrait Session » Mill Valley, California /  by Vivian Chen

Coney and Sunny were married with a simple courthouse ceremony in Los Angeles earlier this year but never really got a chance for some proper photos. Coney, a talented illustrator with a love of nature, always dreamed of taking photos in Muir Woods, ever since she fell in love with the place several years ago. As a big fan of redwood forests, I was immediately on board to do a portrait session with this sweet couple in one of my favorite places. We heading into the woods an hour before the park closed and had most of the trails to ourselves. As I took them deeper into the park, we stumbled across a patch of ladybugs and one took a liking to Coney. Afterward a quick outfit change, we drove up to Mount Tamalpais for a new more photos just as the sun disappeared.

Springtime Mount Tamalpais Engagement Session » Mill Valley, California /  by Vivian Chen

As a professional photographer, I'm always challenging myself and growing creatively. Who I am today feels light years away from who I was when I was starting out. After a decade (?!) of shooting, I've learned to focus on my strengths and am inspired by the natural world and the genuine connections I make with my couples. At the start of this year, I knew that I wanted a website that authentically represents who I am, not just as a wedding photographer but an outdoor lifestyle photographer. With the help of Flight Design Co. I'm so happy to finally have a place where my work can live honestly, simply and elegantly. 

Meena and Nik's Mount Tamalpais engagement session is the perfect representation of the melding of my two photography loves and truly captures what I love most about photographing couples in the great outdoors. Mount Tamalpais is one of my favorite places to explore and photograph as it offers beautiful forests, rolling green hills and gorgeous ocean all within a short drive from the city. 

Floral Design: Gorgeous and Green // Hair & Make-Up: Julie Dy // Dress: Ulla Johnson