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!

001_IMG_3884rw 002_IMG_3767rw 003__MG_6001dm 004_IMG_3801rw 005_IMG_3815rw 006_IMG_3301rw 007_IMG_3806rw 008_IMG_3225rw 009_IMG_3253rw 010_IMG_3228rw 011_IMG_3854rw 012_IMG_3816rw 013_IMG_3843rw 014_IMG_3262rw 015_IMG_3785rw 016_IMG_3261rw 017_IMG_3275rw-Edit 018_IMG_3313rw 019_IMG_3969rw 020__MG_6135dm 021_IMG_3915rw 022_IMG_3919rw-Edit 023_IMG_3934rw-Edit 024_IMG_3953rw 025_IMG_3998rw 026_IMG_4003rw 027_IMG_3364rw 028_IMG_3372rw 029_IMG_3965rw 030__MG_6145dm-Edit 031__MG_6134dm 032_IMG_3892rw 033__MG_6068dm 034__MG_6070dm 035__MG_6101dm 036__MG_6087dm 037__MG_6111dm 038__MG_6097dm 039__MG_6028dm 040__MG_6014dm 041_IMG_4053rw 042_IMG_3413rw 043_IMG_3436rw 044__MG_6205dm 045__MG_6208dm 046_IMG_4063rw 047__MG_3948dm 048__MG_3977dm 049_IMG_4104rw 050__MG_6243dm 051_IMG_4083rw 052__MG_6219dm 053__MG_6235dm 054__MG_6254dm 055_IMG_3458rw 056__MG_6242dm 057__MG_6258dm 058_IMG_3469rw 059_IMG_3482rw 060_IMG_3503rw 061_IMG_3493rw 062_IMG_3505rw 063__MG_6285dm 064_IMG_3591rw 065_IMG_3586rw 066_IMG_3533rw 067__MG_6281dm 068_IMG_3614rw 069_IMG_3553rw 070__MG_6296dm 071_IMG_3621rw 072_IMG_4138rw 073_IMG_4145rw 074_IMG_4180rw 075__MG_6335dm-Edit 076_IMG_3670rw 077_IMG_3724rw 078__MG_6447dm 079_IMG_3700rw 080_IMG_3677rw 081_IMG_3656rw 082__MG_6402dm 083_IMG_3651rw 084_IMG_4228rw 085__MG_6559dm 086_IMG_4260rw-Edit 087__MG_6451dm 088__MG_6123dm 089__MG_6504dm 090__MG_6547dm 091_IMG_4327rw 092__MG_6592dm 093__MG_6637dm 094__MG_6660dm 095__MG_6640dm 096__MG_6699dm 097__MG_6602dm 098__MG_6606dm 099__MG_6619dm 100__MG_6478dm 101__MG_6513dm

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!

If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. Click here if you’d like to see more Weddings, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me.

Oh my gosh! This wedding was the PERFECT way to kick off 2010. Sarah and Anthony are one of those couples I just get giddy about when  I meet. Stylish, young, fun and so adorably cute! Plus, they are both artists, and have a great aesthetic. Once they explained to  me the “look” they were going for, I felt really inspired. Sarah really wanted an organic, natural feel to her images. And Anthony liked the minimalist element that the Winter season provides. Where some couples (and photographers) might wish this were a Spring or Summer wedding, I loved the fact that they actually liked the Winter feel.

The day started when I met Sarah and Anthony at the Claremont Resort Hotel and Spa, which if you don’t know, is a fabulous place in Oakland, Ca. The hotel was established in 1915, and I just love the vintage feel.

From the Claremont Hotel and Spa, we went up into Tilden Park to the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden, where an intimate ceremony was held. Even in the “off’ season, this garden was gorgeous, and I highly recommend a visit if you haven’t been there already.

After weeks of rain and cold weather, the sun came out this day for Sarah & Anthony.This is Anthony’s Nana, Hazel. If I could adopt her as my grandmother, it’d be a done deal!Anthony, smiling.This is the fabulous outfit of one of Anthony’s good friends. I just loved the juxtaposition of colors, patterns and texture.Topping off the outfit was the sneakers. Sweet!I LOVE the trees in the background. Yay for Winter!Everyone just looks so incredibly happy.I really like this photo. Something just so sweet about this picture of a father and his daughter.Cheers to mother and daughter matching cowboy boots!Sweet sisters.Trees!I love the tattoo. Nice shot by my assistant, Breck!I love this shot. So serious, but it totally works!From serious to silly! How cute are these ladies?Such beautiful eyes! I’m officially jealous.Rock those cowboy boots, girl!Proof they’re really married!I love Anthony’s look in this photo.Sarah is so pretty. Wow.Snapped this just as the Parks Authority asked us to stop. Oops. Still, a nice shot tho, eh?Sarah smiling for Breck.After these fun shots at the botanical garden, we rounded out the day with a dinner and celebration at Oliveto Restaurant in the Rockridge district of Oakland. The food was great and the space reserved for the group was perfectly cozy.After listening to Anthony’s impromptu speech at the end of the night, where he told Sarah what she meant to him, I gotta admit, I got a little teary.Shot this while eating dinner in the next room. Camera in one hand, fork in the other. Yeah, that’s how I roll.I like the expression on Sarah’s face that Breck captured. She’s having a blast!
Here we go!I noticed Mom’s tattoo as I went over to Sarah to say goodbye.

Sarah and Anthony were just such a pleasure to work with. I really enjoyed meeting their family and friends. Everyone was so down to earth and friendly. It’s clear, Sarah and Anthony are very loved. And, the love they have for each other is very inspiring. Sarah and Anthony’s wedding was the perfect reminder why I photograph weddings. So for that, THANK YOU, Sarah and Anthony. It was such an honor to capture these moments on your special day. Enjoy!

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

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

Oliveto Restaurant
5655 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 547-5356
www.oliveto.com

Ok, ok. So, normally, it takes me a wee bit to get my most recent wedding images on the blog. But this wedding was just so great, I just couldn’t wait to put these up.

What can I say about Nat & Ty? They are FABulous. (I can’t believe I just used that word either, but there you have it, I did.) Working with them over the past few months has been a sincere pleasure, and I was so looking forward to photographing their big day.

The day started off with Natalie getting ready at her home in Russian Hill, with her mom and close friends by her side. Once we hailed a cab, we were off to Ina Coolbrith Park. From this cozy park you get an amazing view of the downtown skyline!

The ceremony was intimate….just under 50 close friends and family. The Blue Angels were out practicing this day, but stopped just long enough for everyone to hear the touching ceremony. I particularly liked the part where Natalie and Tyler nailed shut a wooden box, which held love letters to one another. When Natalie wiped away a tear, and then Ty followed suit, my own glasses started to fog up! I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. (Note, photographing a wedding with foggy glasses is not advised!)

After the ceremony, there was a champagne and cigar reception, which made for some great photo fun. Then we were off to catch the sunset at San Francisco’s Aquatic Park, where Natalie often swims.(You’re brave girl….burr!!!)

This day was just beautiful, and Nat and Ty were absolutely gorgeous to photograph, as I’m sure you’ll agree.

Days like this remind me how lucky I am to have the job that I do. A big thanks goes out to Nat and Ty for making my job one that I love so dearly.

Congratulations you two! xoxoxoxo

001_IMG_9419rw copy 002_IMG_9444rw copy 003_IMG_9270rw copy 004_IMG_9284rw copy 005_IMG_9346rw copy 006_IMG_9356rw copy 007_IMG_9369rw copy 008_IMG_9403rw copy 009_IMG_9432rw copy 010_IMG_9437rw copy 011_IMG_9298rw copy 012_IMG_7111rw copy 013_IMG_9443rw copy 014_IMG_7101rw copy 015_IMG_7117rw copy 016_IMG_9461rw copy 017_IMG_9463rw copy 018_IMG_9450rw copy 019_IMG_9492rw copy 020_IMG_7169rw copy 021__MG_7534dm-1 022__MG_7495dm 023__MG_7540dm 024__MG_7504dm 025__MG_7602dm 026_IMG_7199rw copy 027_IMG_7215rw copy 028_IMG_9605rw copy 029_IMG_9594rw copy 030__MG_7900dm 031_IMG_7353rw copy 032_IMG_7314rw copy 033_IMG_7341rw copy 034_IMG_9677rw copy 035_IMG_9840rw copy 036_IMG_7623rw copy 037_IMG_7477rw copy 038_IMG_7538rw copy 039_IMG_7574rw copy 040_IMG_7518rw copy 041_IMG_0010rw copy 042_IMG_0031rw copy 043_IMG_7728rw copy 044_IMG_7775rw copy 045__MG_7813dm-1 046_IMG_7832rw copy 047_IMG_0081rw copy

Ina Coolbrith Park
Taylor & Vallejo Streets
San Francisco, CA 94101

San Francisco Aquatic Park
Beach Street and Hyde
San Francisco, CA 94133

P.S. I can’t forget to give a big shout out to my assistant photographer, Diana. She captured the great, colorful shots of the boys before the ceremony.

Alice and Stan are such a cute couple. Both originally hail from Russia, but now call San Francisco home. Alice and Stan are actually having 3 wedding ceremonies, with the first marriage ceremony held at San Francisco City Hall. By the time they have their big ceremony in Thailand next fall, this couple will have those wedding day nerves completely in check! Practice makes perfect

I had so much fun working with this couple. They were incredibly cute, really easy going, and completely open to my suggestions. I particularly like the images that capture the way they look at each other….such sweetness in their eyes! Oh, and be sure to check out the incredible blue color of Alice’s eyes. WOW! Who needs Photoshop when you’ve got knock out features like that? Lucky girl!

The best part about working with Alice and Stan was how nice they were. They even brought us healthy snacks for the car ride to Cafe Volare in North Beach and the Golden Gate Bridge near Baker Beach. Thanks for driving Stan! I hope you two had a wonderful night out after the ceremony.

Here’s a sneak peak of some of my favorites from our day together:

San_Francisco_City_Hall_lobby2 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_Mayors_Balcony copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_shoes copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_elopement copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_weddings2 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_weddings copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_flowers2 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_portraits copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_license copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_ticket copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_flowers copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_certificate copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_marriage copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_marriage_certificate copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_wedding2 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_staircase copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_staircase2 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_grand_staircase copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_skylight copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_1 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_interior copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_lobby copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_2nd_floor3 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_4th_floor2 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_4th_floor3 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_4th_floor5 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_2nd_floor copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_Room168 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_ceremnies copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_balcony copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_wedding copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_ceremony2 copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_civil_ceremony copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_ceremony copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_rotunda copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_entrance copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_fascade copy San_Francisco_City_Hall_plaza copy Cafe_Volare_North_Beach copy Cafe_Volare_wedding copy San_Francisco_Cafe_Volare2 copy San_Francisco_Transamerica_Building copy North_Beach_Transamerica_Building copy San_Francisco_Baker_Beach2 copy San_Francisco_Baker_Beach copy Baker_Beach_San_Francisco copy

.

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

Volare Trattoria Caffee
561 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 362-2774
www.volarecafe.com

Transamerica Pyramid
600 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA
http://www.transamerica.com/

Special thanks goes out to my assistant for this wedding, Mischa. Click here if you’d like to see more San Francisco City Hall Weddings, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me. Have questions about getting married at San Francisco City Hall? Check out my Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

Now, I know I say this a lot about my clients……but, Nicole and Johnathan were so incredible to work with. This couple was not only cute and stylish, but they were so laid back, funny, and willing to have a great time. Now, that’s my kind of couple!

I can’t say enough how much fun I had with these two. They had constant smiles on their faces, and when they weren’t smiling, they were smooching or making goofy faces at each other. I LOVE IT!

They came all the way from Texas to get hitched in San Francisco’s gorgeous City Hall. They’ve been to the City several times before and fell in love with it (can you blame them?).

After some fun shots at City Hall, we hopped in their limo and headed for Alamo Square for some quick shots in front of the famous Painted Ladies Victorian houses.

The only bad thing about this wedding was that it didn’t last nearly long enough! Honestly, I could have hung out with this great couple and their family all day.

Here’s a few favorites from Nicole and Johnathan’s big day.

Facade of San Francisco City Hall San Francisco City Hall family portrait 003_IMG_6896rw 004_IMG_7097rw 005_IMG_6905rw 006_IMG_6858rw 007_IMG_6875rw 008_IMG_6849rw 009_IMG_6880rw 010_IMG_6904rw 011_IMG_7108rw 012_IMG_4229rw 013_IMG_6937rw 014_IMG_6929rw 015_IMG_4264rw 016_IMG_4238rw 017_IMG_4240rw 018_IMG_4247rw 019_IMG_7114rw 020_IMG_7139rw 021_IMG_7123rw 022_IMG_6681ac 023_IMG_6698ac 024_IMG_7137rw 025_IMG_4217rw 026_IMG_6960rw 027_IMG_6969rw 028_IMG_7073rw 029_IMG_6973rw 030_IMG_6980rw 031_IMG_4155rw 032_IMG_6996rw 033_IMG_7000rw 035_IMG_7008rw 036_IMG_7021rw 037_IMG_7045rw 038_IMG_4162rw 039_IMG_7041rw 040_IMG_7042rw 041_IMG_7036rw 042_IMG_4159rw 043_IMG_4193rw 044_IMG_4161rw 045_IMG_7055rw 046_IMG_4171rw 047_IMG_7063rw 048_IMG_7084rw 049_IMG_7057rw 050_IMG_7066rw 051_IMG_4224rw 052_IMG_4281rw 053_IMG_7164rw 054_IMG_7179rw 055_IMG_7191rw 056_IMG_7193rw 057_IMG_6754ac 058_IMG_7183rw 059_IMG_4284rw 060_JY8A0057ac 061_IMG_7199rw 062_JY8A0062ac 063_IMG_7202rw 064_IMG_7208rw 065_IMG_4288rw 066_IMG_7217rw 067_IMG_7235rw 068_IMG_7262rw 069_JY8A0137ac 070_IMG_6792ac 071_IMG_7273rw San Francisco City Hall exit City Hall San Francisco entrance San Francisco City Hall entrance San Francisco City Hall Fascade Leaving City Hall San Francisco City Hall wedding 5 San Francisco City Hall wedding 4 San Francisco City Hall wedding 3 San Francisco City Hall wedding 2 Nicole & Johnathan's Wedding Limo Ride to Alamo Square Wedding ring and purse Painted Ladies in San Francisco Destination wedding at City Hall San Francisco Elopment at San Francisco City Hall Wedding Ring at San Francisco City Hall San Francisco City Hall plaza Wedding at San Francisco City Hall San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photo San Francisco City Hall plaza

Special thanks goes out to my assistant for this wedding, Alexis. Click here if you’d like to see more San Francisco City Hall Weddings, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me. Have questions about getting married at San Francisco City Hall? Check out my Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

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

I’m happy to share that recently I was asked to participate in, and photograph, an event at Oakland’s Lake Chalet. I go past the Lake Chalet several times a week while going running around Lake Merritt, and I’ve always wanted to peek inside as I’ve heard the restaurant is just great!

The green event was put on by the Lake Chalet, in conjunction with Karine Brighten of Karine Brighten Events, and Pilar Zuniga of Gorgeous and Green. Karine specializes in coordinating ‘green’ events, both private and corporate. Pilar offers wonderful eco-friendly gift, decor and floral arrangements, both for events and through her retail boutique in Berkeley.

The Lake Chalet has been working towards greening its facility, and is now available to host green events, such as weddings, corporate meetings, and more! I was really excited and honored to be chosen to be on the Lake Chalet’s “Preferred Vendor’s” list, as their only green-certified photographer…woo hoo!

Here are some fun photos of the event. I can’t wait to do more at this great venue. Oh, and they do a awesome 3-6-9 Happy Hour in the Pumphouse, and a great Taco Tuesday that you can enjoy right out on the dock when the weather is nice. Be sure to check them out, and commission a Gondola Ride on the Lake after dinner!

Event photographer for Lake Chalet Oakland Lake Chalet Green Weddings event Eco-friendly wedding flowers Lake Chalet Green Weddings event Sustainable Wedding Flowers Oakland Green Event Coordinator Oakland Green wedding flowers San Francisco Gorgeous and Green Weddings Berkeley Blue and Green wedding flowers San Francisco charity event photographer San Francisco private party photographer Green Wedding Coordinator San Francisco San Francisco gala event photographer Corporate event photography San Francisco Corporate Event Photography Oakland Oakland event photography Oakland Event Photographer Berkeley event photographer

A little history on the Lake Chalet (in case you didn’t know….I sure didn’t!)

Originally a tidal estuary formed by several creeks, Lake Merritt’s gets its name from former Oakland Mayor, Samuel Merritt, who proposed to dam and clean up the estuary in 1868. After funding the project with his own money, Merritt laid the groundwork for the urban sanctuary we know today as Lake Merritt.

The Lake was further transformed into a recreational park around the turn of the Twentieth Century as the roads and paths were built and in 1925 the Lake got its Necklace of Lights.

Municipal Boat House - The Lake Chalet building began life in 1909 as a high-pressure salt water pumping plant for the Oakland Fire Department; John Galen Howard designed the original concrete building.

In 1913, Walter D. Reed designed the two building wings to serve as a municipal boathouse. The building hosted excursions, regattas, locker rooms, a tea room and several restaurants.

The original pump station remained in operation until 1955 when building was converted to offices by Superintendent of Parks William Penn Mott Jr. to move parks staff there from downtown. The Lake Merritt Rowing club has used the lower south wing for their activities since 1961.

Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill – The restaurant, which opened in August of 2009, was created by veteran restaurateurs Gar and Lara Truppelli (Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant and Park Chalet Garden Restaurant in San Francisco) working with Executive Chef Jarad Gallagher.

I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see my Wedding Photography, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me.

Jerry Hart is a veteran radio broadcaster and morning show radio personality, including KISS FM in San Francisco. His weekly show, Smart Green Travel, is just one of many popular shows on Green 960 AM, which regularly features nationally syndicated talkers, including local and live news programming and environmental editorial content.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

Featured on this program:

Corina Ann Beczner
Owner & Green Wedding Consultant
Vibrant Events
www.vibrantevents.net
(415) 613-3778

Rebecca Wilkowski Photography
Certified Green Wedding Photographer & Photojournalist
(347) 413-4747
Web: www.RebeccaWilkowski.com
Blog: www.RebeccaWilkowski.com/blog

Bride Chic is the fabulous blog of couture wedding fashion designer, Amy-Jo Tatum. Amy-Jo has been a columnist for San Francisco Art and Fashion News and written articles for The Wedding Gazette. She founded The Design Project of San Francisco, a networking organization of fashion professionals collaborating their skills and talents on projects. She’s currently working on a book called—you guessed it—’Bride Chic’, all about that white gown and very special designer/client relationship. Want to see more of her fabulous gowns? Check out her site at www.amyjotatum.com

To read the article on my company in full, please visit Bride Chic. I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see more Wedding Photography, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me.

About the Couple:
Sarah and Anthony met while they were students attending the Art Institute of California in Santa Monica. Anthony works in film and Sarah is an artist. According to their photographer, Rebecca Wilkowski, Sarah and Anthony are “stylish, young, and fun, and with a great aesthetic as they are both artists…” In college, the couple had the same circle of friends, but somehow managed not to meet each other for three months. Then, late one night at the end of a party, Sarah showed up and Anthony was smitten. A week into dating, Anthony asked for her hand in marriage but she promptly said “no.” After 3 1/2 years of asking, Sarah finally said yes! They tied the knot on January 31, which is Sarah’s grandparents’ wedding anniversary. They thought it would be a nice tribute to them, as they have been happily married for more than fifty years.

The Decision to Go Green:
The couple’s shared love of nature led them to throw a gorgeous green wedding. Anthony loves to write, draw, and go camping. Sarah likes hiking, camping, riding horses, and all things outdoorsy. They invited a group of close friends to keep their wedding day small and simple, very in tune with the outdoors. Using their creativity and working with the gorgeous scenery of their venue, Anthony and Sarah incorporated their unique personal styles into their celebration.

Venue:
Before the wedding, the couple stayed at the Claremont Resort Hotel and Spa.  The ceremony took place at Tilden Park in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden, a naturally stunning and serene living museum of California’s native plant species. This garden encompasses many of the state’s rare and endangered plants and is a place for visitors to wander among trees, shrubbery, and flowers from different plant communities throughout the state. Sarah and Anthony had both always wanted to get married outside, and the gorgeous Botanical Garden seemed like the perfect place.

Rings:
Anthony and Sarah chose a green and meaningful option for their wedding rings—they exchanged vintage rings that had belonged to Anthony’s grandmother.  This idea is eco-friendly, and offers a way for the bride and groom to make a special connection to important family members.

Florist:
The couple decided to use a local, family-owned and operated florist, Darling Flower Shop, for their floral arrangements. The Darling Flower Shop came highly recommended and created the gorgeous succulent bouquets that Sarah wanted. The yellow flowers in the bouquet are wattles, Australia’s national flowers, which perfectly represent Sarah because she is from Sydney, Australia and yellow is her favorite color.

Reception Food:
Sarah and Anthony both love Italian food, and Oliveto, close to Oakland, CA is their favorite restaurant in the whole city for Italian cuisine. Sarah’s heritage is English and Italian, so it fit very well and was a natural choice for their reception dinner. The venue created a delicious menu of fresh, local and certified organic foods for the bride, groom, and their guests.

Table Linens and Decorations:
The couple rented their table linens and decorations, an option that is both budget and eco-friendly. The white tablecloths added to the simple, elegant look that Sarah and Anthony created.

Entertainment:
Instead of having a live band, Sarah and Anthony decided to use their iPod for music as a money-saving strategy. They made their own playlists and hand picked songs that were meaningful to their relationship, as well as their friends and family.

Cake:
Sarah and Anthony wanted an Alice in Wonderland type cake, unique and a little silly, similar to the Mad Hatter’s hat.  Fortunately, they had a close family friend who was willing to make the beautiful cake from scratch. This is a great way to save money and add a personal touch.

Final Thoughts:
The bride acknowledges that planning a wedding can be stressful at times, but it’s worth it.  Sarah says that she and Anthony realized this “the moment we saw each other right before the ceremony. In that instant, all the stress of the day melts away, and you remember why you love each other.”

—–

The Green Bride Guide (GBG) has everything you need to plan a green wedding! Here you can find pictures from real green weddings, articles and advice on eco-chic decor, and a wide range of green wedding gifts including: organic bedding, Recycled Glass Dishes, and eco-friendly appliances. GBG also has the largest green wedding directory in the country, to help you connect with local vendors.

To read this article in full, please visit the Green Bride Guide. I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see more Wedding Photography, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me.