Be warned: this post is a a doozy! Patti & Alex have been waiting a tad bit for a sneak peak of their wedding, so this one is extra long just for them.

Patti & Alex were married on a typical San Francisco day with typical cold SF weather. But their wedding was anything but typical. Both raised in San Francisco, these two knew they wanted an authentic SF experience for their family and friends, complete with cable cars and a Chinese lion dance. And what better place to host a San Francisco wedding than the famous Fisherman’s Wharf? They planned their special day to PERFECTION. Not even the rain could dampen their spirits. In fact, it wouldn’t quite be a real San Francisco wedding without a little rain thrown in.

True to SF form, the overcast clouds set the tone for a gorgeous, moody wedding. I usually like to create some awesome black and whites during my post processing, but the light was so dreamy on Patti & Alex’s wedding day that the color just popped against the filtered sky. And the window light was amazing! I couldn’t bear to wipe out the color of these images. Even the paint on the walls at the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf coordinated with her bridesmaid dresses and flowers. One would’ve thought that a professional wedding planner had a hand in this event, but Patti planned all the itty bitty details herself.

This wedding was a true labor of love. Most of Patti’s vendors were ‘friendors’, including her cousin who helped Patti look extra fab with gorgeous makeup and hair.

Patti is one crafty gal. She made her invitations, baked all of the wedding favors herself, and even sewed boutonnieres and corsage pins for her family.

Karen of SOMA Flowers did an AMAZING job with the floral design.

After venturing out a little ways from the hotel, I found this totally cute pocket of old shipyard buildings and we stopped to take some photos.

I live in SF and believe it or not, I’ve only ridden on a cable car two times in my life.

We found an empty rooftop to quickly snap some shots with the Transamerica building as a backdrop right before the rain came pouring down.

And we walked by the old Cannery on our way back to the ceremony… this was most definitely a quintessential San Francisco wedding!

Alex was part of a professional lion dancing organization in San Francisco. He performed in the SF Chinese New Year parade for many years, so they wanted to do something special for the guests and surprised them with a lion dancing performance. My first lion dance I’ve ever photographed at a wedding. Midway through the dance, Alex and one of his groomsmen jumped into one of the lion costume and performed a routine for Patti! I never realized what an athletic feat it is to jump around in that lion head.

Alex is a professional chef and Patti is a baker, so the food at this wedding was over-the-top delicious. Including the wedding cake baked by talented coworker, Amy, which was alternating layers of red velvet and passion fruit. If I had plastic wrap with me, I swear I would’ve lined my purse and took some home.

Thank you, Patti & Alex, for the awesome food and wonderful time! You guys rock!

Today’s wedding post is an extra long one because Tim and Stasia have been patiently waiting to see a preview of their lovely day.

If I could sum up Tim & Stasia’s wedding in one word, it would be joy. The entire day was full of anticipation, laughter, happy tears, and celebration. I–ahem–might have shed a few tears myself during the ceremony. I can’t even describe in words what a blessing it was to be a part of this wedding. And, oh, what fun! With nearly 400 guests, it’s obvious that these guys are well loved. It’s easy to see why Stasia and Tim are the kind of couple that laugh so much and so often, it’s hard not to smile around them. But, let me tell you, boy do they know how to celebrate, as evidenced by the packed dance floor at the end of the night.

T&S, I had SO much fun photographing your wedding. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of your day!

This picture below may not seem like much, but I love it because right before the ceremony, Tim snapped a picture of the seated guests and wrote on his Facebook wall, “Words can’t describe what I’m feeling right now, but I’m pretty sure I’m about to have the time of my life.” [Insert sappy tears here.]

It’s not often that your best friend becomes your sister-in-law. Annie and Mel’s intimate Napa Valley wedding was many years in the making. Mel’s baby sister, Yen, has been Annie’s best friend since beyond high school. So, naturally, Annie and Mel were destined to end up together. There’s something so sweet about high school sweethearts enduring the crazy transitional years of college, and finally ending up happily ever after.

With Annie’s super crafty talents and organization skills, I was excited to shoot her wedding because I knew her day would be perfectly executed with amazing personal touches. She designed their fabulous invitations and even sewed the ring bearer’s pillow herself!

Annie’s other BFF and bridesmaid, My Tran, did a fabulous job with Annie’s makeup.

Annie drew her invitations herself and scanned them into her computer to make these adorable invites.

If I could do my wedding all over again, I’d choose a dress like this gorgeous frock with cascading ruffles. LOVE.

Annie & Mel, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your day! I loved every single minute of it.

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Tra Vigne Restaurant, St. Helena
Makeup Artist: My Tran
Bakery: Sweet Occasions
Floral Designer: Garaventa Florist
Wedding Dress Boutique: House of Fashion
Wedding Coordinator: Hilary Fontaine

Special thanks to Jason W. for shooting with me.

Sometimes, a best friend turns out to be a soulmate. Such was the case with Julie & Henry.  These two amazing people have the sweetest story! Friends from church, they were the best of buddies for many years until one day, Henry decided to move from SF back home to Michigan. It could’ve been the anticipation of separation that caused these two to spend more time together. Whatever it was, when Henry returned to Michigan, the two of them found themselves emailing and texting non-stop. Over the thousands of miles between them, they couldn’t deny they were more than just buddies. Julie planned a trip to Michigan and the two anxiously awaited their first real “date” since they had defined themselves as a couple. :)

Eventually, Julie decided to move out to Michigan for grad school and they were finally reunited. And, well, we all know the happy ending to this tale. Now their future kids will also know that distance, patience, and a lot of laughter can be the ingredients for a wonderful love story.

Congrats, you two! I had a wonderful time photographing your wedding and I look forward to catching up the next time you guys are back to the bay area.

Ceremony & reception venue: Oakland Kaiser Rooftop Garden
Flowers: Joann Cai
Wedding gown: Maggie Sottero at Rin’s Bridal
Event company: Inspire Productions

Special thanks to my bro & sis-in-law of Visia Productions for shooting with me.

Erika and Will are the kind of people that are so sweet, it seems almost unreal. They are the type of folks that are concerned with making sure their friends and vendors are eating lunch… on their own wedding day! It’s no wonder they are the perfect fit for each other. It was obvious by seeing how many hands were involved with the planning of this wedding, these two are very loved by those around them. Their wedding was a perfect reflection of Erika’s creativity and planning, Will’s support, and the hard work of their family and friends.

Here’s a fun fact that I discovered on Erika and Will’s wedding day: My little bro and sis-in-law were the photographers for Erika’s brother’s wedding a few weeks prior! AND, at the wedding rehearsal, I found out that Will’s little sister (Erika’s bridesmaid) was my sorority sister in college. Two random connections, one incredibly SMALL world.

We started off at the Courtyard Marriott in San Ramon where Erika and Will prepped in anticipation of their day.

Gorgeous flowers from SOMA Flowers in San Francisco.

Kalani Style helped to make Erika look extra lovely.

The San Ramon Marriott had some fun little nooks for our portrait time before the ceremony.

Cute moment alert! You can see in the back of this photo, the poor little ring bearer who didn’t quite make it down the aisle by himself. Nevertheless, the most adorable flower girl in the world did a perfect job in her role.

Erika & Will, thanks for letting me be a part of your lovely day. I wish you both all the happiness and joy in the world!

Venue: Canyon View Dining Hall
Coordination: Poshly Distinct and Mita Productions
Cupcakes: Love Bites Bakeshop
Flowers: SOMA Flowers
Makeup Artist: Kalani Style
Thanks to my hubby for being the best light stick man a wife could ask for and Nancy for second shooting.

I’m super excited to share part 2 of Nancy & John’s gorgeous wedding! If you missed part 1, click here.

Now, where were we? Oh yes, it was pouring rain when we left Hotel Sofitel. But nothing could dampen their spirits, because when we arrived at the Palm Events Center, the venue looked gorgeous! I mentioned before that Nancy & John’s wedding was a labor of love shared between all their their family and friends, and the end result was truly breathtaking. I loved that everyone was able to share in the joy of pulling off an amazing event.

The tables were named after San Francisco streets, a tribute to the great city they’re both from.

Instead of a candy bar, they had a donut bar! How adorable.  There’s a cute story behind why they picked bluberry donuts. I hope Nancy shares it in her Weddingbee recaps.

Although it was pouring buckets, we were determined to get some vineyard portraits in. Did I mention we took these BEFORE the ceremony? Nancy and John were such troopers!

The ceremony was held inside a dark and intimate barrel room lit only by candles and a few chandeliers. For the photography enthusiasts, that’s ISO 2500-3200, handheld at 1/15th – 1/30th of a second at 1.4 or 1.2 with no flash, nearly the entire ceremony.

Nancy and John, with the help their friends, set up a DIY photobooth! They did an AMAZING job with the set-up and props. Of course, it helps that they’re all photographers.

The Palm Events Center whipped up a special dessert for Nancy: French Toast for Mrs. French Toast. Quite possibly the sweetest touch a venue has ever provided.

Nancy surprised John with a super special serenade of Ingrid Michaelson’s “The Way I Am”. John was definitely surpised. Don’t tell him I told you, but I saw him busting out the tissues.

The night concluded with everyone dancing the night away. A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Nancy & John, I hope you’re having a FABULOUS time on your honeymoon in Asia. Thank you for letting me share in this day with you! I’m very lucky to call you guys my friends.

See more of Nancy & John’s wedding from Diana of Two Plus Two Photography  here!

On a pouring-down-buckets, rainy day in March, two deeply in love, San Francisco natives got married.

I met Nancy last year through the Weddingbee community. Little did I know that she would eventually become Mrs. French Toast! We met up for coffee at a local Peet’s shop and hit it off immediately, chatting about weddings and photography for hours.

Nancy and John, who are both photographers in their own right, asked me to photograph their wedding with their friend/business partner Diana (who was a blessing to shoot for).  It’s always humbling–and intimidating!–when photographers trust me with the biggest day of their lives. But Nancy and John were so relaxed and at ease on their wedding day, it made shooting them a breeze. Their wedding was a 14-hour celebration of love and family. Every piece of their event was created by the loving hands of family and friends, from the party favors to the photo booth (they did their own!). There’s something so joyful about working together on a huge project and seeing it come to fruition. The feel of love and community in the air was palatable. I broke a record with the amount of CF cards I filled up for their wedding! I’ll have to split this post into two because there are too many lovely images to share.

Nancy and John, thank you so much for inviting me to document your wedding and making me feel like a part of your family. Your warm and welcoming spirits are just a glimpse of the happy future I know you will share together.

We started off the day at Nancy’s house where she was beautified for the morning tea ceremonies.

Nancy’s red cheongsam (Chinese dress) was custom made for her in China and fit like a GLOVE.

Then, there was the exchanging of the gifts. Nancy opened her gift from John, a gorgeous Marc Jacobs handbag and Burberry wallet. John, you did well.


For those unfamiliar with Chinese wedding customs, it’s a tradition that the groom arrives at the bride’s house to collect his bride the morning of the wedding. Before he’s allowed to see her, he must prove his love through different “door games,” or tasks that the bride’s family requests of him. Nancy’s family let John off easy by reciting a few poems and smearing some red lipstick on his face.


Finally, John passed the love test and was allowed to see his gorgeous bride and present her with her bouquet!




The tea ceremony commenced at Nancy’s home. Nancy and John served tea as a sign of respect to Nancy’s family and received words of blessing and red envelopes in return.




Next stop: Hotel Sofitel in Redwood Shores for the tea ceremony on John’s side. For the Bay Area brides looking for a place to get ready, Hotel Sofitel is a lovely spot with amazing areas for photo opportunities.



Once the tea ceremonies had been completed, Nancy changed out of her cheongsam into her gorgeous wedding gown. Just look at those tiers of ruffles and the soft light falling on them. LOVE.



Nancy’s shoes were so pretty, I couldn’t bear to share just one picture of them.




While the ladies finished dressing, the guys and I took some quick photos in the hotel lobby.
Although John had already seen Nancy at the tea ceremony, we orchestrated a “first look” after Nancy changed into her wedding gown. One would think that a first look would be anticlimactic because Nancy and John had spent the morning together already, but you not believe how emotional this scene was. I was shooting these images through my happy tears. I guess there’s something unexplainably emotional about a groom seeing his bride for the first time in her wedding dress.




All of the bridesmaid’s bouquets were created with different pink flowers; one with pink roses, another with pink tulips, and a third with pink peonies. Nancy’s bouquet had a mix of all three flowers.






Finally, we were off to the Palm Event Center! Time to get hitched! To be continued…

For Christina and Buddy, 2011 began with a bang. They spent 1/1/11 getting married! I can’t think of a better way to start a new year. Despite the gray and rainy weather, their spirits could not be dampened as evident in the joy in their faces. They were the happiest two campers on the block. Christina & Buddy, you guys were made for each other and I’m so thankful to have photographed your day.

Christmas decorations were still in full effect at the San Leandro Hilton where Christina and her bridal party prepared.

Christina had the most adorable pair of purple galoshes to keep her toes dry from the rain.

I love these New Year’s Eve glasses left over from their rehearsal dinner.

The First Presbyterian Church of Hayward (which is technically located in Castro Valley) was a lovely church that fit all of their guests. 300-400 of them!

After the light reception, we headed over to Lake Chabot for some portraits.

Lastly, a Chinese banquet reception at East Ocean Seafood completed the festivities.

Congratulations, Christina & Buddy! And thanks to Phoebe for shooting with me.

I have a monster post today. I’m sharing more photos than usual because Lydia has family and friends around the world, in Brazil, Japan, China, and beyond. Hopefully her loved ones can share in the joy of her wedding day as they view these images.

Lydia & Gordon. It was love at first sight, you could say. Gordon was visiting from Nor Cal when he met Lydia in LA one fateful weekend. After two days spent together, not even the 400 miles that separated them could keep them apart for long. It’s easy to see why. With Lydia’s sweet, yet spunky personality and Gordon’s easygoing temperament, these two have a relationship that’s as comfortable as a pair of fuzzy, pink bunny slippers. After a year of long distance, Gordon eventually moved down to LA to be with Lydia and they adopted a loveable shepadoodle named Leyla to start their family together. Shortly after, Gordon got down on one knee and asked Lydia to spend the rest of her life with him.

Lydia and Gordon, it’s a blessing to know you both and it was an honor to document your day. Congratulations! I wish you all the happiness in the world.

Lydia was one of the calmest brides I’ve been around. She had everything planned out to a ‘T’ and all there was left to do was sit back and enjoy the day. We arrived just as the tea ceremony was finishing up and Lydia was about to get into her dress.

Next up, everyone piled in their cars and headed to Pasadena for family portraits at Pasadena City Hall.

Lydia’s bridesmaids were amazing throughout the day, adjusting her makeup and dress so that she could look her extra best in all the photos.

Pasadena City Hall was a photographer’s dream, with gorgeous, soft light reflecting off all the walls. Lydia & Gordon made my job easy by just being themselves and completely into each other as they naturally are.

I love these two below.

Did I mention that Lydia has a goofy side? In this photo below, the phrase coming out of her lips was, “Like a G6, like a G6…” As you can see, her bridesmaids were loving it. Lydia and Gordon have the sweetest friends ever. They all have so much fun together, which made portrait taking a breeze.

After portraits, we headed down the block for an intimate ceremony and reception, held inside the cutest little restaurant and courtyard.

Okay, most adorable flower girl EVER. She did not want to walk down that aisle. So, instead of daintily sprinkling the flower petals along the way, she chucked them to the ground a handful at a time with the cutest sullen expression on her face. I wanted to take her home with me.

If every guy looked at his wife like this, I bet there would be a lot less arguin’ goin’ on. Just sayin’…

Instead of a traditional recessional, Lydia and Gordon exited through the gates behind them, symbolizing the doorway to the start of their new life together.

Lydia and Gordon did what every couple should have a chance to do after the ceremony: REST. They went back to a local hotel with their bridal party during the cocktail hour to catch a breather and freshen up before the reception.

There’s something about this image below that I love. Gordon is holding a container of grapes and they’re all trying to grab a few before leaving to the reception. It’s like a choreographed triangle of grape eating.

Gordon’s brother/best man added some final touches to his toast.

I love this image below… After the ceremony, Gordon mentioned that he was a little nervous about the first dance that they had been practicing. I just love his expression of determination and triumph as he dips Lydia at the end of their choreographed routine. Success!

Heartfelt toasts by Melissa (Lydia’s sister) and Gregory (Gordon’s brother). Laughter and tears abounded.

Gordon played nice while cutting the cake, but you can see Lydia’s sense of humor as she dabbed Gordon on the forehead with some tasty cake frosting.

One last image to end the wonderful night. Congrats! And thank you to Jesse and Christina for shooting with me!

Update: Lydia and Gordon’s slidshow has been posted below!

Lydia and Gordon were married on the most popular wedding weekend of the year: 10/10/10. I adore them both and I can’t wait to share their images. For now, I’ll share a few that make me warm and fuzzy inside.