Back in the Dominican Republic the second time this year. I really enjoy the North Coast of this gorgeous island, which has a lot of very nice wedding options to get married. Carly and Seth had an intimate ceremony and reception at Sea Horse Ranch. This seaside villa compound has some amazing private villas, many of which are available for rent. On the day of the wedding the weather was not cooperating, and the chance of rain was high. Last minute the ceremony was moved inside one of the villas, as opposed to the original sea cliff ceremony plans. It all worked out well, and the reception took place at the gorgeous Beach Club, overlooking the rocky cliffs on the ocean front. The theme for the decoration was Asian inspired, with much of the decorating ideas coming from the mother of the bride, Joan. The food was prepared by the resident chef at Sea Horse Ranch. One of the most enjoyable parts of this wedding was the desert bar, with dozens of different pastries and cakes, all meticulously prepared by Joan. Richard Weber from 4TW is the man behind the scenes who put all the pieces together.

Share on Facebook

When I met Meghan and Joe back in Spring, I knew that their wedding was going to be something special. Their venue choice and their easy going attitude made me excited all the way to their wedding day. The amount of detail and work that went into every aspect of the wedding is exceptional. The venue itself is gorgeous, with an impressive redwood grove for the ceremony. The reception had two elevated stages that were the perfect settings for the food buffet and the desert bar. The old wine cellar ruins was the perfect spot for the cocktail hour and dancing. One of my favorite shots included the guitarist, Jay Alvarez. He played a Spanish song, “Ojala”, during the reception and first dance. Meghan and Joe met in Argentina, and the song is symbolic for them. Putting Jay with his guitar in the background tied in their special song into imagery. All the vendors were fantastic to work with. I am honored that Joe and Meghan trusted me with their special day.

Venue: Sand Rock Farm, Aptos
Planner: Lori Hood, Allison Weddings
Flowers: Chelsea Bowman, Belle Fine Flowers
Guitar: Jay Alvarez

Share on Facebook

Almost the end of the season for me and I was fortunate enough to photograph two friends’ weddings back to back.  I first met Michael at community events and found many similar interests including photography. Michael and Silvia have been nothing but amazing, and their unending support and interest in my business has been astounding. This ceremony is only part one of two great events, with the main wedding happening in Silvia’s home town of San Paulo, Brazil. Am I going to go to this weeding? Good chance! After the ceremony the whole bridal party gravitated towards the food trucks across the street.  Michal and Silvia attracted the attention of Canadian TV producers, from Eat St., who were doing a story on San Francisco street food. This cool experience by the newly weds got them TV exposure and some free buns from the Chairman Bao Bun Truck!  After the truck stop we headed out to McCormick and Kuletos on the Warf to celebrate, with a front row view of the Blue Angel’s performance.
The following day we met up for family portraits in front of the Palace of fine arts. My artistic side sidetracked into a side photoshoot of Michael and Silvia to a garage sale across the street. I have to admit that the couple in frames shot has been done before, but then again what hasn’t?  The reception venue choice was a bit weird at first, but Michal and Silvia insisted that we were not getting crapes at Squat and Gobble on Chestnut street. To my delight it turns out that Squat and Gobble has a beautiful back patio with a European flare. It is not huge, however the space worked well for the close knit group of 50 people or so. The incredible paella was cooked fresh, with enough leftovers to feed an army. I have a few more musician and couple shots to add to my growing collection.

Share on Facebook

Being a wedding photographer can be a tough job at times. Whenever friends get married sometimes I have a tough choice of being just a guest, or personally ensuring the quality of the couple’s photography. Making the decision for Juliya and Kirill’s wedding was easy, and in the end everything worked out.  This wonderful couple got married on October 1st at the San Francisco City Hall.  There were a lot of couples there, but we managed to get intimate portraits at various nooks and crannies of the building. After the ceremony and the city hall weddings, we headed out to the Legion of Honor for more photos. One of my favorite photos below should be titled “The two grooms”  Our friend Gene Ekster suggested that Kirill and him start dancing the traditional Russian dance, “Kalinka”. It’s one of my new favorites.   Our wonderful photo tour ended with the Cliff House, which hosted a wonderful lunch with the couple’s family and friends.

Share on Facebook

Gregory and Gail’s wedding was anything but ordinary. The most remarkable thing about this wedding was the beautiful fusion of two cultures. Gregory and his side of the family is Nigerian with some members of the family including his mother, flying down from Nigeria. Gail’s side of the family is Italian, mostly from the Midwest of the United States. The colorful traditions that both sides added to the wedding made this one of the most colorful weddings I have photographed. The venue itself has a very laid back atmosphere and felt more like someone’s house than a typical wedding venue.  After the ceremony Gail dressed in traditional Nigerian dress and headpiece. The traditional African band and DJ kept the party going late into the night.

Venue: Venture Retreat Center, Pescadero
Catering: Mchef4U

Share on Facebook