Jessica + Chris // The Olympic Club, SF

Classic, timeless, and "quintessentially San Francisco" best describes Jessica and Chris's wedding at the Olympic Club, and I've been missing this day, this couple, and those burger dogs ever since (if you know, you know)...

It has been awhile since I've shot an indoor wedding, and this particular venue boasted ceiling to floor windows, offering the best San Francisco views that showcased the familiar, beloved fog we have all grown to love. The venue, as objectively striking as it is, is not what I'm excited about on this day. It's getting to tell the story of Chris and Jessica through my lens, a couple who I have loved and admired since the day I got their first email (which naturally feels like forever ago because Covid+rescheduled weddings).

I have been doing this long enough to know that you can learn so much about a couple through the speeches of friends and family members at these weddings. It comes as no surprise, but it was unanimous that this couple is so loved beyond measure by their community and every speech was testimony to their thoughtful, selfless, and loving personalities. From beginning to end, these two were so amazing to work with, ending every email and tackling every "covid wedding planning" obstacle by saying, "thank you for sticking with us through this mess". I'm definitely the lucky one though.

Cheers to such a lovely, special couple who I missed immediately after this day was over.

Al + Antrom // The Assembly, San Francisco

Every once in awhile, a dream wedding comes into my peripheral, and if I plead with the universe long enough, it quite magically becomes my reality. It's a very unreliable superpower of mine, but happens frequently enough to make me think I'm a pretty lucky person. This was the case for my good friend, Aleksandra's wedding at the highly sought after and buzzworthy co-working space for women, The Assembly. I knew this would be a beautiful opportunity for a beautiful friend, and I think I said, "Yes, PLEASE!" even before she officially asked me to be her wedding photographer (oops?). The only small (massive) caveat was that it took place 9 days after my scheduled C-Section...but spoiler alert: I survived (and so did my super supportive husband and super chill baby boy).

Known for her jaw-dropping, original woodwork, Aleksandra is a prestigious artist based in the Bay Area, and she brought this same originality and artistry to her wedding day. Al (as we like to call her), and fellow artist friend, Katie Gong, collaborated on the wedding backdrop, and the two created the centerpiece stage that left us all in a state of AWE. Al even created the massive pieces behind the bride and groom table, serving as the most stunning focal point of the room. But beyond this wedding looking like an actual dream, the most memorable visual from this day was seeing these two people smiling with their whole bodies, knowing they found their person, and being able to share their happiness with their closest friends and supporters.

Cheers to these two on what ended up being one of the sweetest days I have ever documented. Thank you for putting your trust in me to tell your story.

Special thanks to all the lovely vendors that worked their butts off to make this day look as good as you see in the pictures!

Venue: The Assembly

Backdrop: Katie Gong

Florals: Siren Floral Co.

Dress: Loho Bride

Hair: Population Salon

Catering: Stag Dining

Kelly & CJ // Yosemite Wedding

About two months before this wedding took place, I received an email from the bride, telling me in the world's most casual way that her wedding venue has basically flooded, and that they were no longer able to have their wedding at said location. Instead of panicking or even being 2% upset, she ended the email with, "Can you shoot our wedding in Yosemite by chance? ". Uh, DONE AND DONE.

Beyond being the most excited wedding photographer in the world to shoot my first wedding in Yosemite, I was also so excited to work with this couple, and nothing could have prepared me for HOW.MUCH.FUN. they were to work with. I think they laughed/smiled for 8 hours straight on this day, and I can't say I've ever seen clients HANDLE a zipline with such coordination before (and in heels+stunning wedding garb?). Even though the bi-polar forecast kept us on our toes and almost had us moving a fully outdoor wedding to all indoors, it stayed put long enough for us to capture the breathtaking nature that Yosemite has to offer, and it was honestly the most remarkable natural light I've ever worked with (that cloud cover!!!).

I loved the natural story that unfolded on this day, and I am so freaking grateful for clients like Kelly and CJ who let me "my thing" and trusted me completely. Cheers to this incredible couple who I am absolutely obsessed with...you guys are the real deal. <3

Venue+Catering: Rush Creek Lodge

Hair: Gia Tummillo

Makeup: Sara Chestnutt-Fry

Florals: Whitney Hanson

Ryan & Lev // Felton Guild Wedding

From lavish castle weddings in Sweden, to art warehouses in San Francisco, to intimate backyard weddings in the middle of nowhere, I am game for IT ALL and I'm continually impressed with how my couples piece together the most exquisite day that is unique to them, and how flawlessly they make it their very own. Ryan and Lev's forest wedding is no exception to this, and their friend/family reunion+backyard brunch theme immediately spoke to me the second I got their inquiry. Coming from a not-totally-structured person, I always feel so creatively empowered when I come across clients like Ryan and Lev who just gift me their trust, and completely let me do my thing in the background. They asked what time I'd like show up, they gave me a family shot list, and the rest we winged as a team (which included trampling through the back area of this forest and finding some sort of slightlllllllly creepy yurt). I left this wedding day and thought to myself, "I wish I could stay longer and eat pie all night with this couple and all of their guests". This wedding especially highlighted how important it is for me to have a connection with my couples, and I feel so grateful to still be doing my "thing" in a way that continues to feel authentic and genuine. Watching these two take a laid back approach to wedding planning was so inspiring, and truly yielded the kind of day where they got to hang out and be present for all of their biggest supporters. Cheers to these two lovely human beings, and thank you for having me (and being A-OKAY with that creep-tastic forest session).

Avisha & Ron // Puerto Vallarta Wedding

"80% chance of thunderstorms" is usually somewhere near the top 10 list of wedding photographers worst fears, the night before said outdoor wedding, especially one that is set in a location that boasts exotic, jungle terrain and meant to be enjoyed near picturesque, white-sand beaches. It is the day before Avisha and Ron's Puerto Vallarta destination wedding, and I am on my way to their rehearsal dinner where I would be meeting them in person for the first time, prepared to bring all the good vibes and weather luck for the following day, but being open to idea that the impending forecast might literally put a damper on their wedding day, and thus their spirits. Upon arrival (sweat dripping down my actual face, about 10 levels past "dewy"), I was greeted by the bride's sister, Amira, who graciously showed me around the small, yet expansive property of Villa Verano, a 17,000 square foot estate on an acre & a half of a beachfront private paradise. A few moments later, Avisha arrived, greeting me with a giant hug, and it was clear in an instant that her and Ron had a "zero cares" attitude regarding the ominous forecast for the following day, and from that moment on, I only witnessed the happiest, calmest energy from the couple and every single one of their guests as they all proceeded to have an amazing time in a magical place, celebrating each other along with their community of supporters. I left their rehearsal dinner feeling so inspired for whatever the next day would hold, umbrellas and all, knowing my subjects were already just so happy to marry each other, and that type of energy is so much more important to capture over less-than-ideal weather conditions. So remember that whole, "80% chance of thunderstorms" on every.single.weather.app? It never happened. Not even a drop. I greeted Avisha in her room that next morning, and brought as many of her details outside as possible, thinking that I could at least get some images of the Puerto Vallarta landscape in the background prior to the weather turning. But then the whole day turned into taking shots outside, and never once did we need to scramble for shelter or overhangs, and instead, we all just had the best day ever. My "work" day honestly just felt like I was hanging with a bunch of awesome friends who occasionally like to jump in a pool with all of their wedding clothes on, and I mean it when I say Avisha and Ron were the most laid-back couple, who completely trusted me to do my thing with absolutely no questions asked. This wedding was only a few months ago, yet I'm already nostalgic for this day, and I desperately need this couple to renew their vows every single year, and with all of these same people, in this exact spot. Cheers to this lovely, outrageously sweet couple who made my Puerto Vallarta dreams come true, and THANK YOU for sharing all those churros with me. I may or may not have eaten more than my fair share??Venue: Villa VeranoPlanning: Mar WeddingsDress: Laudae Bride

Whitney & Alex // Nestldown Wedding

Once upon a time (aka last year), I was chatting with a photographer friend Jessica, and I was telling her about the time I thought it was a good idea to have a bunch of booked weddings close to/around my due date of May 2017. This is also when I learned that Jessica was currently pregnant and in the same predicament with booked weddings that I was in last year, and I did my best to support her and advise against the stress I put myself through leading up to my due date. Long story short, this is how I inherited this lovely couple, and how I wound up at this unicorn of a wedding venue, and I kind of feel like I owe Jessica my second born child for giving me this wedding day and this stunning couple (although she just had her baby...probably not the best thing to gift her at this moment).Whitney and Alex's wedding day was something out of an actual, real-life fairytale (FernGully, to be exact). The morning of their wedding day started with unexpected scattered showers, and instead of it working against us or hindering my work environment, the fresh rain added the right amount of dew to the surrounding landscape, and I loved the pockets of subdued light we were able to find. Beyond the stunning property, both Whitney and Alex had the calmest energy, and I'll never forget seeing them together for the very first time during their First Look, and how their chemistry was almost electric. Although they hardly knew me, they didn't let that stop them from being wholeheartedly themselves in front of the camera, and their bliss was the easiest thing in the world to capture.Cheers to this incredible couple, and thank you for letting me be a part of your genuinely magical day. P.S. Do fairies live on this property? NEED TO KNOW.Special thanks to all the incredible vendors who helped to make this day even more magical:Catering: Poetry in Motion CateringFloral: Apis Floral Videographer: Steelhead CinemaDJ/Band: Los Gatos DJHair: Cynthia JacobMakeup: Doreen RosasCake/Desserts: Icing on the Cake

Courtney & Erick//Rancho Victoria Vineyard Wedding

After a rough past month of enduring a total website crash and losing every.single.blog.post. I've ever written, I'm finally done weeping about it, and ready to get back to gushing about the weddings I've been shooting this season, and the incredible people I've been meeting along the way. Courtney and Erick, beyond being two of the kindest human beings I think I've ever known, had an absolute breathtaking, flawless wedding day with so many fun, vivid colors and a zillion other details that I am still daydreaming about. The sweeping views of the local vineyards and sprawling hillside made for an unreal backdrop, and they couldn't have been more at ease, even after I pressured them to climb up a fence while wearing the opposite of climbing-attire. I love how they incorporated their Mexican culture with details like a live mariachi band, authentic Mexican food, and a churro station that guests literally RAN over to (just kiddding, it was me), and the succulent cupcakes were something out of Willy Wonka's factory. I may or may not have to ice my feet after a long wedding day, but boy is it always worth it when you get to work with total sweethearts like Courtney and Erick, who make you miss their wedding even just one day after it's over.Special thanks to all the (extremely) talented vendors who turned this day into a visual masterpiece:Venue: Rancho Victoria VineyardPlanner: Jenn Robirds EventsRentals/decor: Tin Roof FarmhouseLinens: La TovolaFlorals: Thistle & HoneyCake: Go West BakingBride's Hair: Tina RomoBride's Makeup: Shana Beals