Lea & Max // Deer Park Villa Wedding

You know you really love your job when you always show up at least one hour early, even if it means you just sit in your car for awhile, and repeat your, "You've got this " mantra, over and over again. As fun and exhilarating as being a wedding photographer might be, there is always that looming thought of, "I have one chance to capture this day perfectly", and I definitely have to practice ALL of the positive self-talk prior to any big wedding day. This is the kind of neurosis I endure as a wedding photographer, simply because all of my couples are so unique and special to me, and I'm diehard about capturing their (very important) day in the most genuine way possible.

I met Lea and Max for the first time at their engagement session, and beyond their easygoing, up-for-anything attitude, they were (ARE) among the kindest people I've ever met. Their "spark" was so easy to capture on this day, and that general ease they had with each other translated so effortlessly on camera. Seeing them again for the second time on their wedding day was another honorable opportunity to document their realness, and I truly felt like I was there to capture friends who I've known for years and years.

Just as I anticipated, their circle of supporters were equally as enamored and in love with this couple as I was (AM). Through the heartfelt speeches, never-ending hugs, and "happy tears" from just about every witness on this day, it was clear that Lea and Max have positively impacted everyone's lives, and the general feeling of gratitude was shared among every person there.

Congratulations to this gorgeous and genuine couple, and thank you for trusting me to tell your story. 100% cried during your entire vows??

Venue:Deer Park Villa
Hair & Makeup: Whimsy Bridal
Florals+Coordinating: Tango & Foxtrot
Donuts: Johnny's Donuts
Videography: Yukio Studios

D.Lillian Photography Associate Shooter

Meet my beautiful, kind-hearted, insanely talented partner photographer, Greer Rivera. She is not only a dear friend, but truly one of the most talented photographers I am so lucky to know, and my number one resource for all of my photography-related conundrums. Beyond our personal friendship, we have worked alongside of each other for a handful of weddings, and I love our intuitive workflow that we bring with us to every wedding.

No photographer has the same, identical vision, yet, our photography styles have a certain cohesion, and both of our passions are aimed at telling personal love stories through a photojournalist lens. And perhaps the best part beyond her sheer talent? She's really, reeeeally fun and brings ALL the good energy with her, everywhere she goes. Greer and I are excited to announce that we have decided to join forces to better accommodate our growing list of amazing clients. By virtue of bringing Greer on as my partner photographer, she will be working under my brand, and has been trained to represent D. Lillian Photography.  In other words, you can expect to get the same quality of work, aesthetic, and overall experience from Greer, as if you were working with me. All pre-wedding consulting and preparation will be done by me, as well as all the editing, so your wedding day images will have the D. Lillian Photography aesthetic you see in my portfolio.

To see samples of Greer's work, check out her portfolio, HERE. You can also check out a full wedding album, HERE.

A personal note from Greer:

Hi I’m Greer,

I’m a fun-loving, adventure seeking, outdoorsy, chai drinking island girl. I’m mama to a spunky and fearless 3 year old little girl named Tanzin, and I live in Mill Valley, CA with my boyfriend, Travis and our dog, Lucca.

I love to travel, and I have a deep love and respect for the ocean. My favorite weekend activity is packing up our little family and spending the day at the beach. I love hiking, being outdoors, 90’s music, reggae, a really good lemonade and a home filled with music. I’m definitely a dog person and I’m always up for a good adventure, especially a spontaneous one. My favorite smell is a wood fire burning and my favorite sound is my daughter’s laugh.

I’m a romantic at heart and I love islands. I was raised on Martha’s Vineyard and lived on St.John in the Caribbean for ten winters, that's where I started my business in 2007, adopted Lucca, lived on a sailboat, swam everyday, and danced to a little too much reggae!

I love natural light, real and authentic emotion, playful images and for people to be themselves and let their true love shine through. I am inspired by people in love and who live life to the fullest, I love hearing people's life stories and hope to hear yours!

Pierre & Juliette // Stable Cafe Wedding

February is historically a slow time for me as a wedding photographer, and also right around the time I start missing the madness that my previous wedding season brought. I was pleasantly surprised when I received an inquiry from Pierre and Juliette, a French couple living in San Francisco, regarding both a newborn session and wedding photography coverage for their upcoming wedding. We hopped on a call to discuss the details, and I learned that they just had a baby ONE DAY AGO, and that their wedding was in just a few weeks. I'm not even sure where they got the energy for that phone call on that day, but I'm so thankful they reached out and I heard their warmth and calm energy through the phone only a few moments into out conversation. I couldn't wait to document their newborn session and wedding all in the span of a few days and I was honored to witness such monumental moments in their lives.

I arrived at Pierre and Juliette's house on a Thursday, with their Stable Cafe wedding taking place on Saturday. I know firsthand how those first few days as new parents is especially sacred, and I didn't want my presence to overwhelm them, so I explained that my style of newborn sessions is really just documenting that special time, rather than fixing anyone into specific poses. Leo, their newest addition, gave me baby fever from the moment I walked in, and I couldn't help but fall instantly in love with the entire family at that point. In between cuddles, new baby smiles, finger and toe examinations, I watched as their bond as a new family formed.

Fast forward to a couple of days later, and it's storming in the city, and I show up at Stable Cafe a bit drenched, but so elated to see this family again for their intimate wedding. Their families are in town from France, and everyone shows up, ready to help in any way they can. They immediately get the centerpieces and table decorations on the table and the speakers set up, and it was especially heartwarming to see their family and community support these new parents throughout every step of their big day. The phrase, "it takes a village" was played out in front of me, and I was so proud of Pierre and Juliette for designing a wedding day that spoke to them and their laid back nature, and for inviting their family and closest friends to join in on their village.

Congratulations to this sincerely wonderful, kind, and amazing couple, and thank you for letting me tell your story.

Lauren & Faraz // Lovers Lane Engagement

Wedding off-season always provides that much needed breathing space for me and I love magically having weekends to myself again while I conjure up new career goals, and figure out new systems for my business...and then January rolls around and I am this.close. to losing my mind because I truly miss "the grind", and the relationship building that comes with my (dream) job. It's a vicious cycle of craving a break, then finally receiving it at the tail end of every year, and then missing the insanity that IS wedding season all over again. Why my brain functions like this? NO CLUE (insert forehead-slap emoji).

I was so excited when Lauren reached out to me regarding their 2020 wedding plans, and even more thrilled when we started chatting about an San Francisco maternity+engagement session. Not only did it mean my off-season was wrapping, but it meant that I got to catch up with this friend, meet her incredible partner, and gush about their impending baby boy. We met at our location, and the ease of telling their story through photography immediately set in.

Congratulations to this beautiful couple who will undoubtedly be the most remarkable parents so very soon. Already fantasizing about the most adorable family portrait for your wedding...

Collection Jess

Meet my beautiful, kind-hearted, insanely talented partner photographer, Jess Hensley. She is not only a dear friend, but truly one of the most talented photographers I am so lucky to know, and my number one resource for all of my photography-related conundrums. Beyond our personal friendship, we have worked alongside of each other for a handful of weddings, and I love our intuitive workflow that we bring with us to every wedding. No photographer has the same, identical vision, yet, our photography styles have a certain cohesion, and both of our passions are aimed at telling personal love stories through a photojournalist lens. And perhaps the best part beyond her sheer talent? She's really, reeeeally fun and brings ALL the good energy with her, everywhere she goes.

Jess and I are excited to announce that we have decided to join forces to better accommodate our growing list of amazing clients. We have developed a partner photographer pricing collection for our clients whose wedding dates and/or wedding budgets are a bit lower than my current rates.  By virtue of bringing Jess on as my partner photographer, she will be working under my brand, and has been trained to represent D. Lillian Photography.  Although the partner photography pricing is lower, you are still getting the same quality of work, same aesthetic, and same overall experience as if you were working with me. All pre-wedding consulting and preparation will be done by me, as well as all the editing, so your wedding day images will have the D. Lillian Photography aesthetic you see in my portfolio.

Collection Jess starts at $6000, and includes the following:

-8 hours of coverage

-online gallery

-download link of high resolution, edited images

Add-ons include:

engagement session: $1000

second shooter: $700 for up to 8 hours coverage

additional coverage: $700/hour

To see wedding samples of Jess's out-of-this-world gorgeous work, email me at dlillianphotography@gmail.com or fill out my contact form on my website. 

Priscilla & Ryan // Point Reyes Engagement

Being new(ish) to Marin county, I've only recently scratched the surface of jaw dropping locations that surround my general vicinity, and I've been itching for more opportunities to capture the North Bay. I had plans to do this engagement session in Los Angeles for my friends Priscilla and Ryan, however, those travel plans fell through, and they instead decided to make the trek out to my neck of the woods (pun not intended). I secretly-now-openly wanted to impress them with a scenic road trip to show them a bit of the coastline, but had no real plans or expectations of what we would see along the way, and had hoped they would be just as into the spontaneity of the day as I was (spoiler alert: They were). This day, this road trip, and this couple was everything I could have hoped for and more. We ran up and down this Cypress Tree Tunnel, stalked some cows, discovered what we thought was a mythical creature in the distance (it was Elk), drove 20 minutes out of way to see a lighthouse that was both closed and not visible, and laughed a countless amount of times while inadvertently creating over a dozen inside jokes. We wrapped our day with a home cooked meal and canned wine, and blabbed incessantly throughout the night, retelling our most embarrassing stories, and then gushing about their upcoming wedding next year. Beyond excited for these sweethearts, and sorry for gradually engulfing your bodies with our malfunctioning air mattress throughout the night.

Lyndsey & Jeff // Foreign Cinema Wedding

It has been a wonderfully crazy wedding season that has included four international trips and oodles of road trips up and down California, however, I was elated to be home and settled for Jeff and Lyndsey's San Francisco wedding, and I've been nostalgic for this day and this wedding venue, ever since. While I'm probably biased due to my own blissful,  past experience of living in the city, I've always had an affinity for San Francisco weddings, and I was reeling with excitement and gratefulness when Jeff and Lyndsey asked me to be their wedding photographer. I knew it was important to them to incorporate elements of their daily lives together into their wedding photography, and I loved starting my work day inside their home, where so much of who they are and how they love permeates from every corner. We had a plethora of different first look locations and ideas on the table, but opted for the street right outside of their home that naturally boasts stunning views of the city they met in, and aligned with our mutual vision that these images should reflect their relationship. Jeff and Lyndsey's wedding venue, Foreign Cinema, was especially unique, and beautifully encompassed the intersection between phenomenal food, artisanal wine, handcrafted cocktails, film, and art gallery. The urban vibe of their venue and its location felt quintessential to that of San Francisco, and I loved having the rare opportunity to incorporate some street photography into their wedding day, while simultaneously navigating around the local bystanders. This wedding day left me asking the universe for more San Francisco weddings, and left me feeling grateful for the opportunity to capture this day exactly how I saw it. Congratulations to this (absolutely stunning) couple, and thank you for letting me tell a part of your (wedding) story. Planning: Lisa BravoFlorals: Bewilder FloralVenue: Foreign Cinema

Nika & Patrick // Preservation Park Wedding

Back when I first spoke with Nika on the phone about wedding photography, she casually mentioned that their wedding theme was basically Coachella. "Uh, CONTINUE", I remember saying, feeling instantly excited about the prospect of shooting something eclectic, and opposite of traditional. As Nika and I continued to gush about her and Patrick's wedding, I learned that they had first met at Coachella, "back before it got popular", and that they wanted to emulate a festival vibe with wide-ranging food and drink vendors, and for it to a completely interactive experience with all of their favorite people. That was the vision I heard back during our phone call over a year ago, and what actually transpired on Nika and Patrick's wedding day far exceeded my already-high expectations. Their wedding "venue", Preservation Park, was a recreation of an old, Victorian neighborhood, and yielded the absolute best space when pulling off a festival-themed wedding. I was especially impressed with how they nailed the "interactive" part of their wedding vision, and I loved watching their wedding guests drift from the food trucks, to the bar cart featuring handcrafted cocktails, to the flower crown bar, to the photobooth, and to the merch and swag tent, and not ever really sitting down because there was so much fun to be had. Both Patrick and Nika were so completely calm throughout this entire day, and I loved that by virtue of having a laid back, easy-going wedding, they got to be present for each other, and enjoy every single minute with their greatest supporters. I'm still wide-eyed and smiling from this day, and grateful to have been trusted to document the true uniqueness of this wedding. Congratulations to this amazing couple who gave me one of the best work days I've ever known.Venue: Preservation ParkPlanning: Make It MarikoFlorals: Juna AlineaFood Trucks: Senor Sisig, Taqueria Angelicas, Lil Green CycloDessert: Boba Guys, Hookt DonutsBar: Bar Car SfLighting: Gatsby ENT GroupPhotobooth: Say Ya PhotoboothRentals: Bright Event Rentals

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).

Jennifer & Benjamin // Orebro, Sweden Wedding

Three international flights+one 2 hour bus ride later, and my built-in second shooter (husband) and I have arrived in Orebro, the seventh largest city in Sweden and home to a medieval castle, better known as Orebro Castle. This city is where Jennifer and Benjamin will be getting married the following day, and that castle that I keep humble-bragging about is where their wedding reception will be taking place. I did as much Google image-stalking as possible prior to this trip, but nothing could have prepared me for the beauty of this day, this town, and most of all, Jennifer & Benjamin's love story that unfolded in front of my very eyes. Not even going to lie: I fell in love with Sweden about .2 seconds after I arrived, and more specifically, Orebro. Jennifer and Benjamin's wedding was a cultural experience in and of itself, and a beautiful homage to Benjamin's Swedish ethnicity. I watched in amazement as customary, Swedish traditions played out (ex: when the groom leaves the room, male wedding guests quickly form a line and swiftly kiss the bride until the groom returns, and vice versa), and I had the incredible opportunity to take a short cab ride with the bride and groom to capture the essence of the local village, featuring the "Falu Red"-dyed paint, a hue that is specific to Sweden. Much of this day felt (and looked) like a medieval fairytale, and I am so thankful for Jennifer and Benjamin for giving me an opportunity to both see and capture such a marvelous (other) side of the world. I'm already nostalgic for this day, for this couple, and the sheer beauty that draped ever square inch of this day. Forever thankful to these two for letting me tag along and showing me the adventure of a lifetime.