Foreign Cinema Modernism West Wedding » San Francisco, California

Thu and David knew they didn’t want a huge and flashy wedding but still wanted to celebrate in some way with their closest loved ones. They ultimately decided to host a dinner reception at Foreign Cinema's Modernism West Gallery in San Francisco to perfectly encapsulate their desire for a unique and memorable experience while treating their guests to an award winning meal. Prior to the dinner, I met up with them and their sweet dog Rosy and their sun conure, Samin for portraits around Nob Hill and Chinatown. The couple wore matching outfits lovingly sewn by Thu’s mother. We wrapped up our shoot together with some fabulous rooftop views at their apartment. As the evening set in, Thu and David headed over to Foreign Cinema to finish setting up place cards, homemade treats and board games for post dinner activities. Against the backdrop of the restaurant's modern ambiance and gallery walls, surrounded by close friends and family, Thu and David celebrated with a heartfelt and joyous evening of good conversation, delicious dishes and lots of laughter.

Intimate Conservatory of Flowers Wedding » San Francisco, California

Having spent countless moments together in Golden Gate Park during the early days of Jenna and Brian’s relationship, the Conservatory of Flowers became a natural and nostalgic choice for their wedding. Steeped in San Francisco's history, the venue added a timeless charm to their day.

Their wedding featured lots of personal touches from the floral design artfully curated by their friend Nicole Shaffer to the Jenna’s outfit. She wore a vintage gown that she found at a boutique in Salt Lake City and had meticulously altered, adding a touch of timeless elegance to her bridal attire. Her veil, customized by her mother, became a cherished and sentimental piece, showcasing the love and craftsmanship that went into the wedding preparations. The wedding cake was a true reflection of the couple's creativity and collaboration. Inspired by the floral design contributed by their friend Nicole, the cake became a symbol of their shared vision and the meaningful connections they had formed throughout their relationship.

The ceremony, officiated by Brian's father, was a heartfelt and intimate affair as the exchanged rings in front of their guests in front of the Conservatory. Following the vows, guests were treated to cocktails and appetizers while wandering the lush rooms of the Conservatory. A delightful evening of dinner, speeches and dancing in the Conservatory of Flowers' Orchid Pavilion extended the celebration as the fog rolled in. As night fell, the Summer of Love light show enveloped the celebration in a magical atmosphere, creating a whimsical and festive ambiance that added an extra touch of enchantment to this unforgettable wedding day.

Wedding Venue: Conservatory of Flowers // Wedding Planner: Taylor Rae Weddings // Floral Design: Nicole Shaffer // Caterer: 49 Square Catering // Cake: Cake Coquette // Lighting: Got Light // Hair: Lauren Burda of Found Hair Studio // Make-Up: DIY by Bride // Jenna’s Vintage Gown: Lover’s Bridal Co // Jenna’s Alterations: Heritage + Thread // Brian’s Outfit: Wilkes Bashford // DJ: Paz Gajardo of Heart of Gold DJs

Modern Rooftop San Francisco Art Institute Wedding » San Francisco, California

Even after Keely and Sam had their Cavallo Point minimony a year before, they still found themselves needing to change venue plans at the last minute. The Riley Loves Lulu wedding planning team stepped up into action and was able to secure the San Francisco Art Institute with sweeping views of Coit Tower, North Beach and the San Francisco Bay. The mix of modern and traditional architecture was the perfect backdrop for Keely and Sam’s minimalist and DIY wedding. Keely got ready amongst piles of flowers as her mother and friends helped assemble her bouquet and arrangements. The final detail was Keely’s handmade veil, embellished with hundreds of silk flowers thoughtfully sewn by hand by Keely’s best friend and maid of honor, Matine. We headed out to the Zellerbach Quad where Sam and Keely shared a first look and some alone time together. Guests were lead to the rooftop where the same family friend from their minimony officiated again and their ceremony was sealed with a hand fastening ritual. Afterwards, friends and family were treated to delicious cocktails and a family style dinner while the fog rolled in over the Bay. Touching speeches wrapped up dinner before their rooftop dance party went on into the night under the glow of city lights.

Venue: San Francisco Art Institute // Wedding Planner: Riley Loves Lulu // Caterer: Katie Powers Catering // Florals: DIY by Keely’s Mother // Hair + Make-Up: Celia Castaneda // Lighting: Impact SF // Rentals: Heirloom Events // DJ: Sam’s Childhood Friend

San Francisco City Hall + Baker Beach Elopement » San Francisco, California » Erin Prado for VCP

// This wedding was photographed by associate photographer, Erin Prado. //

Kristi and Erhlich were married with a short and sweet ceremony at San Francisco City Hall. Afterwards, they headed to Baker Beach for some coastal portraits with the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop on a typical grey cloudy Northern California day.

Spanish Suite Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel Wedding » San Francisco, California

Like many couples in the pandemic, Erin and Kevan’s wedding plans changed a few times before settling on an intimate celebration in San Francisco. The Clift Hotel in San Francisco had recently renovated their Spanish Suite so it made for the perfect last minute venue choice when the Marin County Civic Center was closed due to COVID. Erin and Kevan were married in front of a small group of their family and friends on the top floor of the Clift Hotel overlooking downtown San Francisco. Erin wore a family veil for the ceremony which photographed beautifully in a softly lit stairwell tucked away in the hotel. After first dances, the couple and their guests were treated to a deliciously catered meal. We popped out on the balcony together for a few portraits before everyone was gathered in the main room for cake cutting and a hilarious toast lead by the the brother and sister sibling pair who had initially introduced Erin and Kevan to each other. Such a fun and sweet evening!

California Academy Of Sciences Museum Wedding » San Francisco, California

Holly and Jonathan wanted to something fun and unique for their wedding plans so throwing a big party at the California Academy of Sciences was the perfect way to go. Having postponed their wedding due to COVID, Holly and Jonathan ended up doing a small ceremony with just the two of them, a good friend and an officiant the summer before. They still wanted a chance to get their favorite people together so once it felt safe again, they went ahead with their original plans for a party amongst jellyfish, butterflies and stingrays. Nothing about their wedding was traditional from Holly’s black vintage Marchesa wedding gown to the non-floral arrangements at their dinner tables. The day began with the couple getting ready at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins in the same suite where they eloped the summer before. Afterwards, we headed over to the museum where Holly and Jonathan had their first look in the aquarium tunnel between the Amazon Rainforest and the Aquarium. After a short and sweet ceremony in the main pavilion, their guests were invited to explore the museum starting with the Amazon Rainforest BioDome before heading downstairs for cocktail hour in the Aquarium. Dinner was served in the main hall with delightful toasts before the evening wrapped up with a fun dance party with a live performance by Vybe Society. A celebration truly worth the wait!

Wedding Venue: California Academy of Sciences // Wedding Planner: Claire Paquin of Lily Spruce // Floral Design: DIY by Holly // Catering: Small Potatoes Catering & Events // Baker: Not Just Cheesecakes // Live Band: Vybe Society Band // Holly’s Dress: Vintage Marchesa // Jonathan’s Suit: Bonobo // Invitations: Minted

Summertime Lands End + Sutro Baths Sunset Engagement Session » San Francisco, California

Amigail and Alan met up with me on a warm summer day at Lands End for their sunset engagement session. We wandered around under the cypress trees and ocean cliffside before a quick outfit change for the Sutro Bath ruins. We couldn’t have asked for a more lovely evening!

Intimate Family Focused San Francisco City Hall + Wayfare Tavern Restaurant Elopement » San Francisco, California

Veronica and Chris first met while in college at UC Berkeley and their study breaks together slowly grew to a relationship. When it came time to get married they knew that throwing a large party wasn’t part of their vision. Veronica always loved San Francisco City Hall because of how grand it is. (It's definitely not what people normally think about when you say "city hall".) During COVID, City Hall was closed, and originally planned to get married at MacArthur Place in Napa. When City Hall announced their re-opening that summer, they jumped at the idea to pivot plans. It just felt more right to them to keep it simple and let the beauty of the architecture speak for itself. San Francisco is also home for them - Veronica is from the Bay Area, they met in Berkeley and had many dates in the city, and spent the last 5 years living in SF, so it means a lot to get married there. We started the day with some portraits at Crissy Beach before heading over to City Hall where Veronica’s sister officiated the ceremony on the fourth floor. Afterwards, we explored the building for some portraits. COVID restrictions meant that City Hall was much more quiet which allowed us to use the grand staircase for some beautiful photos. Veronica and Chris headed back to their hotel to change for their dinner reception at Wayfare Tavern. Cocktails and sweet and funny toasts kicked off the evening celebration.

Ceremony Venue: San Francisco City Hall // Reception Venue: Wayfare Tavern // Wedding Planner: Stephanie of Lally Events // Floral Design: Wild Club // Hair & Make-Up: Grace Lin // Veronica’s Outfit: Sarah Seven & Jimmy Choo // Chris’s Outfit: Franco Masoma & Santoni // Gift Boxes: Lauren Redman

North Beach Neighborhood Sunset Engagement Session » San Francisco, California

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!

Golden Gate Park Shakespeare Garden + Harborview Restaurant Wedding » San Francisco, California

After being together for a decade, S + M knew they wanted to make their union official. They chose to keep it intimate with a family focused wedding. S + M gathered about 25 of their closest friends and family in the Shakespeare Garden for their short but sweet ceremony officiated by S’s niece. Afterwards, we explore Golden Gate Park and the Music Concourse before heading over to Harborview Restaurant for their dinner reception. As the guests enjoyed their multi-coursed meal, S + M’s sisters lead a trivia game with prizes for the winners. Our evening together wrapped up with a little break outside the Embarcadero Center for a few portraits before dark. Grateful to have a been a part of their story.

Golden Gate Park Shakespeare Garden + Botanical Garden Wedding » San Francisco, California » Erin Prado for VCP

// This wedding was photographed by associate photographer, Erin Prado. //

Kelly and Ale are multi-talented and very creative people. Kelly wrote a book about brining and pickling and teaches classes all over the Bay Area while Ale works in the film industry. Their creativity was on full display for their wedding despite being postpone AND having to change wedding venues a week and a half before as their original venue was shut down due to flooding! Jessica from Dreams on a Dime was able to secure the Shakespeare Garden in Golden Gate Park for their ceremony and the County Fair Building in the San Francisco Botanical Garden for their reception. Their day began with Kelly getting ready with her friends and parents at an Airbnb close to their home. She channeled Stevie Nicks with a gorgeous Willowby by Watters gown she got from Wild Bride and wore a stunning gold crown by Amaroq Design. Her Urban Herbs provided the vibrant florals which were a mix of wheat for Kelly’s Kansas roots and tropical blooms for Ale’s Costa Rican heritage. The couple were wed surrounded by their friends and family on a foggy San Francisco day, which made the color flowers really pop. Kelly’s parents walked her down the aisle while Ale’s mother accompanied him. After the vows, the couple celebrated with a joyous parade lead by a live band with their guests through Golden Gate Park to their dinner reception. During cocktail hour, Kelly and Ale ducked away to wander around the Music Concourse and Golden Gate Park for a few more portraits. The reeception continued back at the County Fair Building with a delicious meal and wonderful and touching toasts. Afterwards, the party moved indoors for cake and dancing into the evening. Despite their initial challenges, it was a fun filled colorful celebration!

Intimate Muir Woods National Monument + Del Popolo Elopement » Mill Valley + San Francisco, California

Stephanie and Kirk love spending time outdoors so Muir Woods National Monument felt like the perfect fit for their tiny wedding celebration. I met up with them in the early afternoon and we hiked out to a small secluded spot along the Bootjack Trail for some portraits. (You can usually find clusters of ladybugs in this particular spot along Redwood Creek!) Afterwards, we met up with their families and headed over to the ceremony spot, tucked away at the base of an ancient sequoia. Stephanie’s sister officiated and they exchanged sweet vows and rings. After hugs and a few tears, we all headed into San Francisco where they celebrated with a delicious meal in the back patio at Del Popolo. As a thank you, Stephanie and Kirk wrote personalized letters for each of their family members as place cards.