Hey Everyone! I just got back from Thailand, and I finally get to post my favorite pics from my last wedding of 2011. Megan and Cody are a great couple who had a beautiful wedding on the 4th floor balcony of the gorgeous San Francisco City Hall back in December. I really enjoyed working with this couple, as they were both so down to earth and made photographing them really fun. And, as always, I’m including my favorite part…their Love Story:

Megan on Cody:
Cody stole my heart from the moment we met, although I didn’t tell him that right away.He came into my life at a time when I needed him most and didn’t even know it.  He makes everything better. Cody gives me the strength I need when I feel like giving up. He has opened my eyes to a new world of possibilities, a new world of hopes and dreams. He makes me laugh to my core and gives endlessly just to see me smile. There is no one I would rather lay down with at night or awake to in the morning. Cody is my life, my love, my partner.

Cody on Megan:
The first time that I met Megan I remember asking myself, “why can’t I find somebody like this?”  I found her ability to juggle the elegance of a pretty lady and the tomfoolery of a playful girl spellbinding.  I knew immediately that I was in trouble…….in a good way.  Megan balances me, and I like to think that I do the same for her.  The perfect day for us can be spent running a thousand miles an hour or curled up in ball on the couch.  Together, we fit. She is my missing piece, my other half that makes me whole.

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San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA
http://www.sfgov.org

Special thanks go to my assistant on this wedding, Ryan. As always, he’s fun to work with and got me covered, even on the days when I leave my camera strap hardware at the officeThanks for making so many 2011 weddings a blast…here’s to more fabulous weddings in 2012!

I love couples like Karey & Ben, who spontaneously decide to fly across the country and get married! This cute couple lives in Chicago, so I of course have a special fondness for them.

Like many couples around the globe, Karey & Ben chose the auspicious date of 11-11-11 for their wedding. However, the one thing they didn’t choose was the soggy weather. After some discussion, I encouraged them to embrace the San Francisco Bay Area’s unpredictable weather and move forward with their ceremony in Tilden Park at the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden.

Karey & Ben’s ceremony was intimate, with just a handful of close friends in attendance. They were total troopers and braved the constant down pour of rain for some fun photo ops. One of my favorite moments of the day was when I noticed that everyone had purchased funky matching red and white patterned umbrellas. I immediately knew this would be a great photo!

Karey on Ben:
Ben is a man of actions. Ben will say little but do a lot— he is the first person to offer someone his seat on the bus, help an elderly person cross the street or help me mix ingredients for a charitable bake sale. He is kind and caring and always puts the well being of others (especially those less fortunate) before his own. Ben does the right thing without being asked.

Ben also has an amazing sense of humor. He makes me laugh with his quirky antics—his appetite for pizza and ice cream, unsteadiness on icy sidewalks and theatrical storytelling.

We have been together for 13 years. We have been through the highs and the lows and came out loving each other even more. We really are best friends who share everything. I love and admire Ben, and I can’t wait to see what the next day, month and year have in store for us.

Ben on Karey:
Karey holds herself and her behavior to high standards—a standard of love and an  ethic of honesty, hard work, determination and joy. She has a good heart, is intelligent and open, funny and stunning.

Karey takes action to accomplish her goals. Full of grit and love, she just keeps going. She conscientiously shares her time and work with friends and others alike. The example that Karey sets motivates me to be better. But it is Karey’s love—her smarts, understanding, laughter and humor in the face of both the easy and the arduous—that brings joy  to my life.

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East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden
Tilden Regional Park
Berkeley, CA 94708
(510) 544-3169
http://www.nativeplants.org

Gorgeous and Green/Pilar Zuniga
2524 San Pablo Ave
Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 665-7974
http://gorgeousandgreenevents.com

Lina and Mike are like the fairy tale couple. High school sweethearts, they’ve been together for the last 10 years. Although school and distance has often kept them apart, it’s clear that this couple’s love for one another is as strong as ever.

Because I knew I wasn’t going to have the opportunity to meet Lina and Mike in advance of the wedding, I made it a point to get to know them a bit before hand via email and telephone. One of the questions I asked them was, “What’s your love story? And, what do you hold dear about each other?”

As always, I got such a wonderful and heartfelt response, and now I get the pleasure to share it with you. (Time to grab the Kleenex!)

Lina on Mike:
Eleven years ago when I was 15 years old, I saw Mike as he was walking one of my classmates to class & thought he was totally cute. A year later, a couple of our mutual friends convinced him to “AIM” me. We started off as “radiohead7272″ and “angelbear717″. A summer of LOL’s, ROTFL’s BRB’s & TTYL’s later, we were hanging out at school during every break and disgusting all of our friends with our teenage flirtiness. On October 27, 20o1 we officially became a couple during the last dance at our homecoming themed “Happily Ever After”. Since then, we’ve gone to college in different cities and have been long distance for the last 8 years. We talk everyday and do our best to see each other as often as possible, but really, what hasn’t killed us has definitely made us stronger! I’m a planner, he’s impulsive. I like country music, he likes alternative rock. I like tea, he likes beer. I like chick flicks, he loves sports. The list of opposites goes on and on, but in the last decade as we grew from 16 & 17 to now 26 & 27, we have learned to compromise, be patient, listen, communicate, be understanding, enjoy each others company, and value both the little & big things. Most importantly, we have discovered a love beyond what words can express and now the promise of a long, happy journey to spend the rest of our lives together!!

Mike on Lina:
Lina & I met in high school when I was a senior and she was a junior. We had an unconventional first meeting. It all started when one of my high school soccer teammates told me that “someone” thinks I’m cute. Of course I asked who and found out that it was a person that I had never heard about or met before. Soon after, while chatting on AIM, I got an instant message saying “hello, you don’t know me but I know you”. I thought it was one of my friends playing a prank on me, so I just went along with it. After chatting for about 3 minutes, I realized it wasn’t a joke, but instead was the girl in the 11^th grade that has a crush on me. We continued to chat every night, sometimes until 2 or 3 am even though we had to wake up early for school the next day. At the end of October, I asked her to the Homecoming dance. During the last dance, I asked her to be my girlfriend. We dated, having our ups and downs as a young couple, but somehow have been able to work everything out. Lina & I are polar opposites, but this is what makes our relationship interesting and fresh. There are many things I love about Lina. She is a caring, thoughtful, loving, friendly and fun person. Even though we agree to disagree a lot, in the end we become stronger as a couple by learning from our differences. Throughout the ten years that we have been together, I am proud of the commitment and trust that we have fostered for each other. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with Lina and know that there are exciting things in store for us in the future.

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Special thanks goes to my assistant Ryan, who helped out on this wedding. As always, I appreciate his fun sense of humor and slick ninja moves.

San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA
http://www.sfgov.org

So many great things about this couple….where do I start?

How about they fed me, not once, but twice! Yep, Kana is an incredible cook, and true to Japanese hospitality, she made an incredible spread of traditional Japanese food. YUM! (I’m not afraid to admit, I asked for a doggy bag to take some cookies home!)

In addition to keeping me well fed, Scott and Kana are some of the nicest folks I’ve met. It was so much fun to just sit and chat with them, and hear all about how they met, their interests, and their plans for the future. One thing I learned about them is that they both share a love for swing dancing. Cool, right? And the best part? They’ve been practicing in their garage, open to the street for their neighbors and passersby to see. I love it! I mean, where else can you walk down the street and see a cute couple just having a blast swing dancing in their garage? I ❤ San Francisco!

The best part of meeting Kana & Scott, however, was to be able to be witness to how they feel about each other. I love when a couples’ feelings are subtle, yet palpable. With Kana, what I loved most was the way she smiles at Scott. And with Scott, it was how he looks at Kana…with such deepness, tenderness and affection. Man, what expressive eyes he has…it nearly knocked me over. To be able to see such affection between two people always makes me feel so incredibly blessed and honored. And, it reminds me why I love doing what I do for a living.

So, without further adieu, let’s get to the good stuff. Be sure to grab a tissue, it’s sure to make you cry!

Kana on Scott:
It is difficult not to love Scott because he is such a sweetheart. I have never seen anyone who has a big, beautiful heart like him. He is someone who can truly be happy, cry and pray for other people. He makes me laugh, whether he tries or not. I love every moment we spend together. I love how he is so simple like a child. I love how he takes care of me. I love his cooking. I love dancing with him. I love the look in his eyes when he says “Aishiteru” (“I love you” in Japanese).  I love everything about him, and I can’t believe how lucky I am to have him next to me for whole my life!

Scott on Kana:
There are so many things that I love about Kana that I don’t think that a paragraph can come close to capturing them. Kana is caring, honest, warm-hearted, and a bit mischievous. She makes gestures, such as bringing home flowers or cooking her favorite meal, which make me feel so appreciated. She clearly expresses her joy in her wonderful smile and laughter. It isn’t hard to find something that brings this happiness out in her. I love that she hops and pats her arms against her side like a penguin when she is excited. I am thrilled that I get to spend the rest of my life with her enjoying the little things that each day brings.

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Special thanks goes to my assistant Ryan, who helped out on this wedding.

San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA
http://www.sfgov.org

One of my favorite parts of a wedding is listening to the vows during the ceremony and the speeches at the reception. So often, you really get a glimpse at who the bride and groom are as individuals and why they love each other.

While civil ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall are absolutely gorgeous, they can be darn quick, and often don’t leave time for personalized vows or speeches. So, I decided it’d be fun to have my clients share in their own words what made them fall in love with each other….right here on my blog! Here’s what Chris and Carla had to say about each other…..be sure to grab a tissue, it’s sure to make you cry!

Chris on Carla:
I think it was after about two or three dates with Carla that I became convinced that she was out of my league. Here was this smart, funny, loving, beautiful, passionate girl, and inexplicably, she kept returning my calls! Our life together has been such a wonderful surprise. We are the first people either of us have ever lived with and it’s felt nothing short of completely natural since the first day. Sure, I’m still at a loss to explain why you would need to put 12 pillows on a bed, when only 4 of them are actually used to sleep on, and she’d be hard-pressed to articulate why any person would need a different bike for every day of the week, but maybe it’s our differences that keep us interesting to each other. I can sincerely say that I treasure every day we’ve spent together. I can confidently say I’ll treasure every day to come.

Carla on Chris:
Our courtship was fast. We met in March at a wine social, became friends on Facebook, saw each other again at the beginning of July and had our first date in mid-July. I was in love by September. We moved in together in February and he proposed in April. From the beginning, every day was wonderful and better than the one before. That hasn’t changed. Every day is better. We each have common crazy interests – running for me, cycling for him. We love to explore – places, things, food and drink. I have a passion for baseball that he only understands by his passion for cycling. I can’t say my life got turned around; it simply became fuller and richer with Chris in it. He makes me smile, he makes me laugh and I love him for a million other little and big things. I am blessed with love and goodness. I am excited to explore the world with Chris. But even if we never leave home, he brings the world to me.

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Special thanks goes to my assistant Ryan, who helped out on this wedding. He gets extra bonus points for giving up half his Cliff bar to Carla when she needed a bite to eat. Go team!

San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA
http://www.sfgov.org

One of my favorite parts of a wedding is listening to the vows during the ceremony and the speeches at the reception. So often, you really get a glimpse at who the bride and groom are as individuals and why they love each other.

While civil ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall are absolutely gorgeous, they can be darn quick, and often don’t leave time for personalized vows or speeches. So, I decided it’d be fun to have my clients share in their own words what made them fall in love with each other….right here on my blog!

Kyle and Jule came up with at “Top 7″ list, which I just love and hope you will, too. I’m so happy I met them and was chosen to document their big day.

7 Things Julie Loves about Kyle:
1. He keeps score at baseball games. Like, with pencil and the little form that comes in the program.
2. He never complains if I get snot all over his shirt during a meltdown.
3. He appreciates the importance of a 7-11 run, and intuitively knows when to bring me treats.
4. He always puts his hand on my knee when he’s driving and he always let’s me do the crossword first.
5. He laughs, or at least fake laughs, when I tell one of my same four jokes, again. And again.
6. He makes me talk about things I really, really don’t want to talk about but should.
7. He will never, ever make me go on a hike.

7 Things Kyle Loves about Julie:
1. She tells the funniest/cheesiest jokes ever. And I laugh at them every time.
2. She watches Texas Rangers baseball games at lame sports bars with me.
3. She has killer dance moves.
4. She can swim from Alcatraz to the shore.
5. She buys me ice cream sandwiches.
6. She is an amazing teacher who genuinely loves her job and her students.
7. She is the most encouraging, caring and honest person I’ve ever met.

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Special thanks goes to my assistant Ryan, who helped out on this wedding!

San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA
http://www.sfgov.org

Veronica and Chris are great for a lot of reasons…..where to start?

COOKIES. Yes, I’m a sucker for clients who feed me. And Veronica won me over with her incredible, home-made, oatmeal, walnut, chocolate chip cookies. YUM.

LONDON. This is where Veronica and Chris live. (Lucky, right?) I’ve never had the opportunity to visit, but I’ve had a handful of clients from there, and I always hear good things. Some day I’ll visit. And yes, I’ll play tourist. You’ll see me riding the double decker bus, trying to get the guards at Buckingham Palace to crack a smile, and I’ll most likely come back with a poor excuse for a British accent. So, when I inevitably ask you if I can ring you on my mobile before I come pay a visit to your flat…..just humor me. Tea and crumpets, anyone?

MUSIC. Anyone who knows me knows I love music. Veronica just happens to be a trained opera singer. Now, I know next to nothing about opera, other than the fact that when I hear it, it just blows me away. I mean, how the heck can that incredible sound come from such a little person? Anyone who can sing opera gets major points in my book!

CHOCOLATE. If you know me, I’m hopeless when it comes to chocolate. I have to have it at least once a day. Thankfully, Veronica and Chris had an entire bowl of it, which they encouraged me to indulge in when we first met!

THE ENVIRONMENT. While I wouldn’t call myself a tree-hugger, I’m pretty interested in and passionate about the environment. I’m a Bay Area Certified Green Business and a Certified Green Photographer. Well, turns out Chris does environmental research as a fellow for Oxford University. He gets to travel to cool places to study the tropical forest to better understand carbon fluxes, through remote sensing, eddy covariance, leaf gas exchange and intensive carbon cycle plots. Now, if you have any idea what that means, please drop me an email.

SHOES. When I first met Veronica, and saw her colorful pair of Saucony sneakers, I knew we’d get along just fine. Say what you might, but I think you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes. Comfortable, a little funky looking, and they go with most everything. What’s not to like?

KISMET.  I always say, the best things in life often come to us when we aren’t looking. It’s meant to be. This is exactly how Veronica and Chris met, and is a common theme among many of the couples I photograph. Hearing stories of how people meet always reminds me: be open to possibility and the unexpected…it might just change your life!

FASHION. These two looked fabulous on their wedding day. Chris wore a tux, with really cool Oxford cufflinks. Veronica wore an incredible lace dress accompanied by a vintage purse and earrings. I absolutely love any bride with vintage details, so it was heaven photographing this wedding! So, without further adieu, here’s a selection of some of my favorite moments. Enjoy!

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Special thanks goes to my assistant Sarah, who helped out on this wedding!

San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA
http://www.sfgov.org

I envy couples like Gina and Michael.

This pair was blessed with finding one another, completely by chance. Both knew when they met that the other was “the one”.

Soon after, Gina and Michael made the commitment to journey forward together. They decided to celebrate their love for one another with a wedding, as well as a beautiful baby.

How wonderful to find your soul mate.

How blessed to know so clearly in your heart what you want.

How courageous to follow your bliss.

Documenting unions like this make me particularly happy, and honored. Thanks to Gina and Michael for allowing me to share in the intimate moments of their day at the Claremont Resort Hotel and Spa.

Wishing you love, happiness and many blessings!

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The Claremont Hotel Club & Spa is a historic hotel at the foot of Claremont Canyon in the Berkeley Hills in Berkeley and Oakland, California, providing the resort with scenic views of San Francisco Bay. The Claremont Resort opened in 1915 as the Claremont Hotel, named for the Claremont district in which it was situated. The Claremont has 279 guest rooms, an award-winning 20,000-square-foot spa, 10 tennis courts, and 22 acres of landscaped gardens.  The Hotel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003,and is a designated California Historical Landmark.

Claremont Resort Hotel and Spa
41 Tunnel Road
Berkeley, CA 94705
510-843-3000
http://www.claremontresort.com

Special thanks go out to my assistant on this wedding, Diana. She always make shooting so much fun, and helps keep everyone smiling!

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Often times with San Francisco City Hall weddings, I meet the couple for the very first time just minutes before their big day starts. I literally only have seconds to greet them, gain their trust, and decide how to best photograph them. While some folks might think this would make it much harder to photograph a couple, I tend to disagree. Actually, I think it can often lead to some incredible images.

What I’ve come to learn is that when I don’t have much prior knowledge of a couple, or a relationship with them, I become more acutely aware of how the couple interacts. I get to slow down and observe. I look for those “moments” in between moments. (Zen & the Art of Wedding Photography…..hm, now that sounds like a great title for a book, no?)

With Sarah and Eric, one of the things I noticed when I observed them was how they looked at each other. Their glances were often subtle, yet filled with an incredible intensity, depth and warmth. It’s those fleeting glances, that seem to go unnoticed by most others, that I love to capture on film. So much is said in these moments with no words.

Another really great thing about Sarah and Eric was how lighthearted they were. So comfortable with each other, so open, so warm. It was really wonderful to watch these two interact, making funny faces at each other, smiling and laughing. Eric is definitely a ham, and I can see why Sarah finds it so easy to keep smiling for him. I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard at a wedding in a long time. (Eric, thanks for all the laughs and the bad jokes. I’m going to need to apply some extra night creme now to reverse all my newly acquired “expression lines” from your wedding!)

Sarah and Eric, you embody those qualities that have always meant so much to me in my own relationships: deep affection, respect and humor. It’s these qualities that not only make you incredible individuals, but will also carry you through life together.

Below I’ve shared some of my favorite moments between Sarah and Eric. Enjoy!

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Special thanks goes to my assistant Ryan, who helped out on this wedding. I really love the great shot he captured of Sarah and Amanda’s shoes (which I was secretly admiring all day)!

San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA
http://www.sfgov.org

Just like Hearst Castle, the Julia Morgan Ballroom sets the bar high and does not disappoint. When you step inside the front entry way, you’re greeted with an expansive lobby complete with a high vaulted glass ceiling, marble and bronze. Take the elevator up to the 15th floor and you’ll experience the incredible ballroom and lounge, both featuring gilded ceilings and matching 20′ stone fireplaces. One of the most interesting features of this venue is the 27-foot bar that curves from the lounge towards the expansive ballroom. Once in the mahogany paneled ballroom, you’re treated to incredible views of the San Francisco skyline from the room’s floor to ceiling arched windows. The attention to detail is just incredible, and really sets the tone for an upscale affair.

One of the great things about having the Julia Morgan Ballroom as your wedding venue, is that it’s incredibly private. Couples with smaller affairs can opt to rent just the lounge and bar (with private use of the lobby as well), or the entire 15th floor (which also includes access to several smaller rooms). Either choice will be a grand one!

Julia Morgan Ballroom
465 California St
San Francisco, CA 94101
(415) 421-7730
http://www.juliamorganballroom.com