north beach

San Francisco City Hall + Specs’ 12 Adler Museum Cafe in North Beach Elopement » San Francisco, California by Vivian Chen

With its stunning architecture and grandeur, Michele and Erik chose San Francisco City Hall for their intimate wedding celebration on a late February afternoon. The historic building, adorned with marble columns and an exquisite rotunda, served as the perfect backdrop for their vows on the fourth floor balcony. The couple kept things small with me as their only witness to the ceremony. Afterwards, we wander around the building for some portraits before heading downstairs to join their friends who were waiting on the sidewalk with Michele and Erik’s sweet pup, Cliff. As the couple emerged from City Hall as newlyweds, they were met with cheers and applause from their friends, who were waiting outside with bottles of champagne and wine. The atmosphere was electric, filled with joy and excitement. Cliff wagged his tail in approval, adding an extra layer of warmth and love to the occasion. With glasses raised high, Michele and Erik shared a heartfelt toast with their friends. It was a moment of pure joy and camaraderie to get the evening started. We jumped in a cab and headed over to North Beach, one of San Francisco's most iconic neighborhoods. Nestled in the heart of the city, this neighborhood is known for its rich history and vibrant culture. Their destination was happy hour with friends at Specs' 12 Adler Museum Cafe, a legendary bar steeped in the history of the Beat Generation poets. As the group settled into the cozy atmosphere of Specs', they raised their glasses once again, this time in a toast to the future. It was a celebration of love, friendship, and the enduring spirit of San Francisco.

North Beach Neighborhood Sunset Engagement Session » San Francisco, California by Vivian Chen

Lexie and Tyler decided that North Beach would be the perfect backdrop for their engagement session. As it’s the neighborhood where they live with their sweet dog, Louie, Lexie and Tyler wanted to feature the place where their relationship blossomed. We wandered around the streets and alleyways taking in the beautiful sunset views that North Beach has to offer, some of which were new for me. (Hot tip: Get a local to show you the non-touristy vista points!) We wrapped up the shoot with some pizza on the street from one of their joints. Always fun to see different corners of San Francisco. Looking forward to their wedding in a few weeks!

North Beach Sunset Engagement Session » San Francisco, California by Vivian Chen

I first met Erin and Real when they booked one of my holiday mini sessions last winter. After enjoying their time with me on that foggy, wet morning in the redwoods, they decided they wanted to work together again for their wedding next year. And even though they loved their photos from their mini session, they wanted a sunnier engagement session featuring the city that they love. We met on a lovely summer evening in North Beach where we explore tiny parks and gorgeous brick alleyways before wrapping up the shoot at one my favorite North Beach intersections for that classic Transamerica Building shot.

North Beach + Lands End Engagement Session » San Francisco, California by Vivian Chen

Jen and Joe chose three locations for their evening engagement session. We started the shoot at one of my favorite intersections in North Beach before heading over to Ina Coolbrith Park which features gorgeous spring blooms and a stunning view of San Francisco. Afterwards, we booked it over to Lands End to catch the last remaining rays of sunset between the cypress trees and cliffs that overlook the Pacific Ocean.

North Beach Sunset Engagement Session » San Francisco, California by Vivian Chen

Mads and Brad love spending time in North Beach exploring, eating and shopping all the cute shops in the neighborhood. In fact, one of their first official dates was at Quince. For their engagement session, we decided to use North Beach as a backdrop and a gorgeous post rainstorm sunset made the whole shoot feel extra magical. Looking forward to their wedding in September!

Saints Peter + Paul Catholic Church & Golden Gate Club Wedding » San Francisco, California by Vivian Chen

Sarah and Mike had a classic San Francisco wedding. Since both of them had a lot of guests coming from out of town, they really wanted to showcase the city where they fell in love. Sarah and Mike were married at the famous Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in North Beach. After the traditional ceremony, they hopped on a cable car with their wedding party for a drive around the city where we stopped at Crissy Field for some photos in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. The party continued at the Golden Gate Club in the Presidio where everyone enjoyed a delicious meal and cocktails before partying the night away to live music by Retro Jukebox Band.

Wedding Coordinator: Dreams on a Dime // Ceremony Venue: Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church // Reception Venue: Golden Gate Club // Florist: An Added Touch Flowers // Caterers: Presidio Foods Catering // Lighting: Just De Lights // Band: Retro Jukebox Band // Make-Up: Angie Elko // Hair: Abby Ramstad // Videographer: Final Frame

Destination City Hall Elopement + North Beach Lunch Reception » San Francisco, California by Vivian Chen

Matt and Malika live in Southern California and while they knew they didn't want a large traditional wedding, they still wanted to get married in style. The classic and grand architecture of San Francisco City Hall made the perfect venue for their winter elopement plans. So they gathered their small families to explore San Francisco for a weekend getaway that kicked off with their city hall ceremony. After the vows, we caught ride to North Beach were took a nice little stroll through the historic neighborhood before ending up at Cotogna for their lunch reception.