Pizzaiolo Wedding

Small weddings in our hometown make us so happy! We started our day with Helena and Daniel at the Claremont Hotel where we photographed the couple getting ready and seeing each other for the first time. Afterwards we hustled over to the Temescal neighborhood for their Pizzaiolo wedding. The ceremony took place on the back patio in the late afternoon sun, followed by drinks, dinner, and dancing inside the restaurant. Shooting at Pizzaiolo is such a treat for us: a cozy atmosphere, delicious food, and great people. What's not to love?

After dinner we grabbed the couple for some quick portraits before the sun set. We walked around the block and snagged some portraits in front of cute Oakland homes, rustic fences, and along the Temescal Alley.

These two were such a pleasure to work with and we wish them all the best together. Cheers to couples keeping it Oakland!

Detail of wedding dress and shoes in the Claremont Hotel in berkeley
Candid portrait of bride with mother and sister at the Claremont Hotel
Portrait of Bride before wedding at Claremont Hotel
Father of Groom adjusting his tie at the Claremont Hotel
First look at the Claremont Hotel
Bride and Groom during wedding ceremony at Pizzaiolo
Wedding ceremony at PIzzaiolo in Oakland
Pizzaiolo wedding
Kiss the bride at Pizzaiolo
Diptych of pizzaiolo wedding setup
Portrait of bride and groom in temescal neighborhood in Oakland
Black and white portrait of bride and groom in Temescal Oakland
Wedding rings on tiny flowers
Bride and groom kissing in temescal alley
Guests at pizzaiolo wedding in Oakland
Restaurant staff preparing food for Pizzaiolo wedding
Two photos from wedding at Pizzaiolo
Candid of mother of bride giving toast at Pizzaiolo
Pizzaiolo cake cutting
Dancing at PIzzaiolo in Oakland
Wedding guests in Temescal Oakland
Groom dancing at Pizzaiolo

Their photographer bailed last minute. We saved the day.

We have said it in the past, and well, I guess there is nothing stopping us from saying it until we are blue in the face, but we really love weddings at San Francisco City Hall.  Maybe it's the expedited time frame and the real spontaneity of the images, the awesome architecture, or the intimacy of a civil ceremony but really it's probably the coming together of all of these aspects. Here are a handful of images captured recently for a couple who reached out in somewhat of a panic. The photographer they had hired bailed on them at the last minute (who are these people?!) and after a quick search they came upon our work. We're so happy we were available and could help them out.

Cheers,

Chris and Christian

Portrait of bride and groom at San Francisco City hall
Weddings at San Francisco City Hall
Candid portrait of bride and groom walking to City Hall wedding ceremony
Black and white photo of bride and groom climbing grand staircase at San Francisco City Hall
Wedding at San Francisco City Hall
Wedding ceremony in the rotunda at San Francisco City Hall
Bride and Groom exchanging rings in City Hall
Black and white wedding portraits of bride and groom at San Francisco City Hall

Embarcadero Engagement Photos

Earlier this Summer we met up with Carrie and Andrea to take some quick Embarcadero engagement photos in San Francisco. We worked with Carrie several years back for some business portraits in Oakland. Since then she moved to SF, met Andrea, and got engaged! We met these two along the waterfront to catch some nice evening light and ended our session with some champagne at Waterbar. We're super excited to shoot their wedding at San Francisco City Hall next month!

Chris and Christian

Embarcadero Engagement Photos
Engagement photos at Embarcadero in San Francisco

Wedding at Dawn Ranch in Guerneville

This was our first wedding of the year and our first wedding at Dawn Ranch. We couldn’t ask for a better way to start our season than with a wedding at one of Guernville’s best wedding venues. Dawn Ranch is located in a small town on the banks of the Russian River just before you hit the California coast. It's not far from the Bay Area, maybe a 1 to 1.5 hour drive. Even though the drive isn’t too long, this venue feels intimate and secluded. A perfect place for couples who want to feel like they have escaped the city without having to schlep out too far. The venue property is 15 beautiful acres of redwoods, apple trees, and grassy meadows with cute cabins to boot.  Andrew, Rebecca and even some of their wedding guests were able to make use of those cute cabins by spending the prior night surrounded by peaceful nature. Choosing an outdoorsy venue with lodging onsite not only provides an avenue for couples to get rid of the pre wedding jitters with a group of their close friends but also conveniently ensures that everyone in the wedding party will arrive to the ceremony on time! 

We met Andrew and Rebecca at their cabin to shoot some last minute getting ready details. The natural light filled the space so nicely that it was hard to not keep shooting. After a quick first look and some family portraits, Andrew and Rebecca exchanged vows surrounded by their friends and family. It was all fun and laughter from there on out.  The couple enjoyed their meal from a long family style table which lent itself to the communal atmosphere. The entire setup was elegant, simple and beautiful which was accentuated in Rebecca’s white and bright bouquet and the coordinating table schemes. After dinner and drinks, the party moved over to the pool area for deserts and dancing. You really can’t go wrong with dancing poolside under the moonlight in your own private wooded oasis. 

We loved this one, the venue, the light, our clients, and all of the good vibes.

Bride with friends getting ready in a cabin at Dawn Ranch
Getting ready photos at Dawn Ranch wedding
Wedding dress hanging on wooden fence at Dawn Ranch
Bride getting into wedding dress before ceremony at Dawn Ranch
Natural light portrait of bride in wedding dress at Dawn Ranch
Groom waiting for bride during first look at Dawn Ranch wedding
First look at Dawn Ranch
Bride and Groom during their first look at Dawn Ranch
Happy bride and groom before wedding at Dawn Ranch
Bride and Groom practicing their dance moves together before ceremony at Dawn Ranch
Bride and Groom standing under a large tree at Dawn Ranch
Detail photos of wedding program and bouquet
Candid of wedding guests arriving to Dawn Ranch in Guernville
Wedding guests greeting each other at Dawn Ranch wedding
Flower girls coming down the aisle
Bride walking down the aisle with parents during ceremony at Dawn Ranch
Black and white candid photo of smiling bride during wedding ceremony
Portraits of bride and groom during their wedding at Dawn Ranch
Groom placing wedding ring on Bride's finger
First kiss as husband and wife at Dawn Ranch
Wedding at Dawn Ranch in Guerneville
Rustic table details at Dawn Ranch wedding
Brother of bride giving toast
Sister of groom giving toast with couple watching
Candid photo of bride and groom laughing during dinner at their wedding at Dawn Ranch
Portrait of bride and groom in front of rustic wood mideviel wall
First dance at their Dawn Ranch Wedding
Photos of the bride and groom dancing in front of weddings guests at Dawn Ranch
Poolside at Dawn Ranch in Guernville
The evening winds down after a dawn ranch wedding

Natural Light Portraits in Oakland

We love shooting natural light portraits in Oakland! It gives us the chance to meet so many talented people who are working hard doing what they love. We make our portrait sessions low stress, easy going, and most importantly, fun. We photograph folks in their natural surroundings without the use of studio backdrops or artificial light. We've worked with actors, designers, farmers, florists, authors, you name it! If it's time to shoot some new images for your website or just time to refresh your headshots, drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you! For more information about our bay area portraits, please fill out our contact form.

Natural light portraits of a florist in Oakland
Actor headshots in Oakland
Natural light portraits in Oakland
Portrait of older man with dirt bike in Oakland