San Francisco Wedding Photographer, Event Photographer + Photojournalist » San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photographer

San Francisco City Hall Wedding: Megan + Cody

admin — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 04:24:10 +0000

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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!

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San Francisco Destination Wedding: Lina & Mike

admin — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 06:47:17 +0000

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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

San Francisco City Hall Wedding: Kana + Scott

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:47:31 +0000

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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

San Francisco City Hall Wedding: Carla + Chris

admin — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 22:12:38 +0000

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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

San Francisco Destination Wedding: Kyle + Julie

admin — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:07:46 +0000

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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

San Francisco Elopement: Veronica + Chris

admin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:35:28 +0000

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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!

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

San Francisco Elopement: Lauryn + Jayd

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 04:41:15 +0000

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One of the things I loved when growing up was watching Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang. My favorite character? The little red headed girl, of course! Even today, every Christmas, I make it a point to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special, with that sad little Christmas tree.

When I was in kindergarten, my teacher Mrs. Weiner (yep, that was her name. Gloria Weiner.) showed us a Charlie Brown episode one day during our afternoon graham cracker break. One of my favorite parts of the episode was when Charlie was sitting in the classroom, and he started talking to his teacher. Her responses always sounded like she was talking through a megaphone….”whah whah whah whah whah whah”. I remember Charlie had a crush on his teacher, and he totally thought she had feelings for him, too. Poor kid!

So, what does all this have to do with my latest wedding? Well, Lauryn and Jayd are both teachers. For this reason alone, they are rock stars in my world. After talking to them about their careers, it got me reminiscing about the teachers I had as a kid. While most of them I can’t remember, there are a handful that I will never forget. The impact they made on my life was significant. They encouraged me to push forward when I doubted myself, offered me an ear when no one else would listen, and always reminded me that I indeed was special.

This is what makes Lauryn and Jayd so incredibly awesome. Not only are they committed to making kids’ lives better by signing on for an often-times thankless job, but they have the types of personality and character that their kids WILL remember years down the line. Lauryn and Jayd are so positive, so creative, and laugh more than anyone I’ve met in a long time. After just spending a few hours with them, I felt great. I can only imagine how great their students must feel at the end of the school day.

Teachers are some of the most kind, giving, self-less, dedicated and (of course) smart people around, and Lauryn and Jayd are no different. They embody the qualities that we should all try to cultivate in ourselves on a daily basis. So, thanks Lauryn and Jayd not only for allowing me the honor of documenting your special day, but also for taking me on a pleasant stroll down Memory Lane.

Here’s some of my favorite moments from the day:

Special thanks goes to my assistant Ryan, who helped out on this wedding. He always gets some great shots. I particularly liked the great shot he captured of Lauryn and Jayd’s shoes (Yes, I know, I’m obsessed with shoes. What’s a girl to do?), and some really lovely portraits of the groom. Go team!

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

San Francisco City Hall Wedding: Sarah + Eric

admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:23:36 +0000

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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!

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

Emily + Adam: San Francisco Destination Wedding

admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 02:33:14 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

Every time I work on a blog post, I take a moment to consider thoughtfully what I will write. Some times, I relay the story of how a couple met. Other times, something funny that happened during the wedding. For each couple, I try to share something that is unique to them, that conveys the beauty that I saw in them.

With Emily and Adam, I was tempted to talk about the great details of the wedding, from Adam’s tattoos, boutonniere and hat, to Emily’s flowing dress, bird cage veil and sunflower colored sandals. But, for this post, I wanted to dig deeper….to share something I was fortunate enough to witness, even just for our short time together.

You see, with Emily and Adam, I witnessed a great fondness. Now, this is not to be confused with love. All the couples I photograph appear to be in love. But with this couple, I felt something I don’t always feel between two individuals. It’s hard to put into words, but when you witness it, you can feel it because it chokes you up.

Their connection to each other really hit me during the ceremony, when Emily and Adam chose to read their own vows….something I really love when couples do, but don’t often get to witness during ceremonies at City Hall.

Their vows reminded me of a very important lesson: we often find the best things in life precisely when we are not looking for them. The impact these “chance” meetings have can be life altering. Every small decision we make can lead to amazing things, if we let it. Most importantly, no matter how strong we may be as individuals, the world just seems a little bit sweeter when we open our hearts, become open to possibility, and let love in.

To Emily and Adam, I wish you much love and many years of learning, growing and sharing with each other.

Special thanks goes to my assistant Ryan, who helped out on this wedding. I really love the great shot he captured of Adam sitting in the chair!

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

San Francisco Elopement: Sarah + Michael

admin — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:53:02 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

One of the best parts about being a wedding photographer is that, if you’re smart, you’ll take the time to ask personal questions about your clients, particularly how they met. Honestly, this is one my most favorite parts of my job. I love hearing every couples’ unique story. It also gives me an insight into my clients’ personalities, which is incredibly helpful when photographing them on the wedding day.

Something most folks don’t know about me is that I met my boyfriend of 7 years online. Now, I know that this is a common way to meet people now, but back in the day, it kind of had a little bit of a stigma to it. (“You met him, WHERE”?)

I always dreaded the “So, how did you two meet?” question. But, as time has passed, I’ve come to realize that more and more folks are meeting, and often end up marrying, in this way.

Sarah and Michael are one of those couples.

After doing online dating for a while, Sarah admits she didn’t have high hopes for the date with Michael, but in the spirit of keeping an open mind, she decided to accept the invitation and see where it led. To her pleasant surprise, they immediately hit it off and the first date lasted for several days (hey, who wants to go home when you’re having fun?). They soon decided to move in together.

Later that year on a romantic trip to Paris, Michael saw a gorgeous antique ring in a jewelry store and remembered that Sarah had mentioned that she wanted a unique/vintage ring when she got married. Michael knew he just had to have it for Sarah, but how to get it with her right there? After they left the store, Michael made an excuse about needing a beverage and told Sarah to wait he while ran to get one. After going missing for half an hour, Michael finally returned, secretly with the ring but without the beverage! Sarah figured out what Michael was up to, but it didn’t matter. The man of her dreams proposed, and she lovingly accepted!

The couple decided to wed in a small, intimate ceremony at the gorgeous San Francisco City Hall, officiated by the San Francisco City Supervisor Malia Cohen. The 4th floor balcony was perfect with its great light, privacy and bird’s eye view of the historical building. Michael looked great in his suit and purple tie, and Sarah looked like a Marilyn Monroe-style pin up. You go girl!

While I was photographing Sarah after the ceremony, I noticed that Michael was on his phone, updating his Facebook status to “married”. (Hey, it’s how we do things in the 21st century!) Later that day, when I saw his Facebook page, I noticed that he changed the field for his Favorite Quote to say: “I do” by Sarah J. McGeary.

(Insert a big SWOON here!)

Sarah and Michael……you are both incredible. You are genuine, down to earth, and don’t take yourselves or life too seriously. Best of all, you had me in stitches for most of the day. Editing your images for this blog post, I found myself with an ear to ear grin. I feel so incredibly honored to have been able to document your big day. I wish you many, many years of blissful happiness, good health and much laughter together.

Hugs!

Special thanks goes out to my assistant on this wedding, Ryan, who helped out with two City Hall weddings in a row. Go RyRy!

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