Historic Mansion Wedding in Oakland

Some may see wedding planning as a serious challenge. Liyan and Brian are a fun couple who took this literally as Brian completed a series of challenges in order to win over his bride. In the end, Brian earned the right to “unlock” his bride by following a set of clues to find their house key frozen in a block of ice.

Once the key was found we were able to photograph a traditional Chinese ceremony at the couple’s home in Oakland. The rich fabrics and tapestry of Brian and Liyan’s Chinese outfits were a pleasure to view, as was the intimate gathering of family to celebrate the union of these two.

We love a good outdoor ceremony and Liyan and Brian’s Camron-Stanford House Wedding was no exception. The natural light complemented the sleek and simple elegance of Liyan’s gown. The mix of soft and bright pinks layered through the flowers, the bridesmaid dresses and even the ties of the groomsmen provided a lighthearted and romantic touch to an already beautiful natural view.

The blend of family traditions with sleek modern touches punctuated the entire event. It was a joy to see the genuine smiles, the laughter and the love between family and friends that were created that evening and it was not a challenge at all to see that Liyan and Brian have a very bright future together.

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!

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

Wedding at Shelldance Orchid Gardens

Ever dream of getting married in the company of lush and vibrant plants? Kate and Michael lived the dream at their gorgeous wedding at Shelldance Orchid Gardens. Shelldance is a magical place tucked away just south of San Francisco on Highway 1 in Pacifica and while it may be a bit off the beaten path it is well worth the trek.

Kate and Michael were a super fun, vibrant couple with a vibe that matched the colorful display of plants on view in the assortment of greenhouses on the Shelldance property. The couple exchanged vows beneath of canopy of hanging plants and delicate paper lanterns, a site that was later filled with round tables for the intimate reception. There were so many wonderful small details that are woven into the décor of this venue, including the sparkling lights woven in to the arch behind the couple as they said their “I dos. Shelldance has the versatility for all season and we love how this October wedding was decorated with touches of rich autumn colors, including centerpieces that incorporated flowers but leaves, plants and also a pear or two! We also appreciate the commitment to the plant theme throughout the event as even the wedding cake featured an assortment of succulents.

These two also brought us a very different idea for a reception by moving the whole kit and caboodle over to the local bowling alley that "rolled" the party into the evening. It was great to be able to shoot photos of the couple and their friends in a more relaxed atmosphere. We loved to see how people really come alive while bowling! This a group of people that really has fun together and this really shows in the images that were captured.

Though this was our first experience at Shelldance and it quickly made it one our list of favorite wedding venuesom/blog/bay-area-outdoor-wedding-venues.