Beautiful Greenhouse Wedding in Pacifica

We all know that the Bay Area has several destinations that draw tourists from around the world. From the Golden Gate Bridge to the pearl necklace lights of Lake Merritt to the bustling sights of the Silicon Valley, we are lucky to live in a place brimming with obvious attractions. However, it is the little known gems off the beaten path that really light us up as photographers. Shelldance Orchid Gardens is one of those places. It is a place where you can have a greenhouse wedding that feels both majestic and intimate, a perfect place to celebrate the first day of the rest of your lives together.

Leah and Tom currently live on the East Coast, but the magic of Shelldance (as well as their family and friends who live in the area) brought them back to the Bay for their wedding ceremony. The couple said their incredibly meaningful, wry and often funny vows to each other in a cozy greenhouse ceremony, surrounded by vibrant plants that matched the beautiful embroidery of Leah’s gown. We knew Leah and Tom were a lovely couple prior to their ceremony but we felt really lucky to be present for their vows which not only covered their steady love for each other but also Tom’s apparently well known fascination with the weather and traffic patterns. The lighthearted and warm nature that was expressed in their vows permeated the entire event, which made the venue feel even more like a secret hideaway just for the couple and their loved ones.

The event was full of lively details that we were happy to capture, from the live plant centerpieces, a sweet food spread by Fogcutter catering and an upbeat performance by Campbell’s Jazz Soup. These details provided a great backdrop for the heartwarming stories and funny anecdotes shared by Leah and Tom’s friends during the reception. Events like Leah and Tom’s wedding remind us just how lucky we are to be wedding photographers, as we get to be witness to the union of absolutely lovely people. #Blessed

A Lovely House Wedding in Sonoma

Towards the end of our Bay Area Summer, we took a drive to the North Bay for a lovely house wedding in Sonoma where Laura and Adam said “I do” surrounded by their close family and friends. These two and the majority of their wedding guests made the trip to California from the Midwest and got to enjoy the California sun, a nice break from the chilly fall weather back home. Laura and Adam’s friend offered up his Sonoma home to serve as their wedding venue and what a beautiful venue it was. The sleek and modern home served as a backdrop for a refined yet intimate ceremony. We loved shooting the details of this home as the house was layered with crisp white and cream colors that gave the event an overall sophisticated and upscale feel.

The ceremony took place on the property’s lush lawn overlooking a rustic wine country field. The officiant of their ceremony was Laura’s sister and the readings and music were also given by guests. Having guests be a part of the event is a great way to get everyone involved and cut down on event down time where guests may become distracted. It was beautiful to see the blending of families and incorporating everyone into the ceremony sets a great tone for this modern day Brady Bunch.

Following the ceremony, guests mingled poolside during the cocktail hour while dinner was plated. Guests mingled and enjoyed their delicious food while overlooking a gorgeously refreshing looking pool. We definitely had a bit of home envy with this location.

The evening closed with a twilight toast to their guests and a champagne saber gift to their host and good friend. It was such a pleasure being part of this one. We love working in new places and documenting moments that are so meaningful to our clients.

Rose Garden Wedding in Walnut Creek

The afternoon sun that blanketed the grounds of Heather Farm on Emily and Ben’s wedding day presented a beautiful backdrop for a day full of fun, adventure and love—attributes of the couple themselves. The Gardens are nestled on the hillside over looking Heather Farm in Walnut Creek and make for a lovely place to have an outdoor wedding ceremony.

We have photographed a lot of weddings over the past decade, but we never get tired of capturing the unique moments of each wedding day and truly appreciating the work and attention that couples put into to making the day special not only for themselves but for their family and friends. One touch that we really loved at Ben and Emily’s wedding was a table that displayed the wedding photos of their family members. This highlighted one of the biggest aspects that we love about wedding photography, which is helping families preserve generational memories. It is great to know that the pictures we have captured throughout the years will one day be placed on tables such as these.

The ceremony and reception were filled with bouquets of soft, beautiful floral arrangement that coordinated with the romantic pastels of the bridesmaid dresses, which there were ten of (evidence of how well loved this couple is)! The couples wrote their own vows to each other and it was hard not to get a bit emotional ourselves when we listened to the stories of how their love has grown so far and how they will intentionally foster it’s continual growth. It is a pleasure to look back at photographs of the couple under the wooden gazebo draped with natural greenery and know that this was a moment that they were able to convey just how much they love each other while surrounded by their friends and families.

Emily and Ben created an evening full of love punctuated with many thoughtful details that really highlight the beauty of a natural light venue. Cheers to Emily and Ben and cheers to love!