Old Mill Park + Muir Beach COVID Destination Elopement » Muir Beach, California

Megan and Jeremy envisioned themselves getting married on a bluff overlooking the ocean but also love redwood forests. So when they reached out to me for their elopement and said “We just want to enjoy ourselves and capture our happy moment in the mystical setting of Northern California”, I knew exactly where to go: Marin. The redwoods in Mill Valley’s Old Mill Park would serve as our first stop for a quick engagement session before changing into wedding outfits. After a few more photos in the grove, we hopped in our cars and drove out to Muir Beach for their ceremony. Together we hiked up to a little overlook above Muir Beach. This spot was the same place where Jeremy had originally planned to propose to Megan but due to an unexpected case of food poisoning, the plans were temporarily abandoned. But on this day, they returned to exchange vows and start the next chapter of their lives together. As it was just the two of them, Megan and Jeremy started their ceremony by reading letters their family sent them, sharing words of encouragement and love. They exchanged vows and rings before sealing it with a kiss and a little happy dance. Afterwards, we walked back down to the beach where Megan and Jeremy celebrated with champagne picnic just as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Destination Outdoor Art Club Wedding » Mill Valley, California

J and D live in New York but have a lot of family in the Bay Area, especially since J is a California native. For their destination wedding, the chose the Outdoor Art Club for a low key elegant celebration surrounded by the natural beauty of the gardens and Mill Valley. They were also drawn to the unique wooden architecture of the Bernard Maybeck building. I met D and J for their first look at the venue before walking over to Old Mill Park with their sibling wedding party for portraits under the redwoods. D’s aunt officiated their wedding while J and D’s nieces and nephews participated as flower girls and ring bearers. There were a few Jewish traditions present like the sharing of wine and the breaking of the glass, a nod to D’s family heritage. After the ceremony, guests mingled with the couple in the gardens while enjoying passed appetizers and drinks before heading into dinner for a delicious dinner. Hilarious toasts from the couple’s siblings kicked off the evening of dancing, dessert and merriment.

Wedding Venue: Outdoor Art Club // Wedding Coordinator: Jessica Uhl of City Lights Event Company // Floral Design: Belle-Flower // Caterer & Rentals: Trumpet Vine Catering // Lighting: Marin Event Lighting // Cake: Live Love Bake // Hair & Make-Up: Rachel Rockwood Artistry // DJ: ChungTech

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.)