Lake Merritt Hotel Wedding - Oakland, CA

Michael and Tiffany were married in November at Lake Merritt Band Stand with their reception [party!] at Lake Merritt Hotel.

Yes it rained, but it was still a beautiful day and all their guests enjoyed the dry cover of the band stand while they watched Michael and Tiffany's wedding ceremony.

The flower arrangements, table center pieces, bouquets, and boutonnières were all gorgeous. Adam from Ira Andrew Designs did such an amazing job putting together a fall theme.

I met Michael and Tiffany at a wedding I photographed last year where they showed off their cool dance moves. Not only can they dance, but so can all their friends! Which was super fun to photograph! DJ Matteo kept the party hopping well into the evening.






Thanks to Jenn for assisting/2nd shooting!

Felton Engagement Session - Jason and Liz

Jason and Liz are getting married in Felton next April. We shot their engagement session on a rainy day last month. With a few different locations and one hair drying session we accomplished what we set out to do; get good pictures and stay somewhat dry!

Shakespeare Gardens Wedding - San Francisco, CA

Mel and Alisa were married in October at the Shakespeare Gardens in San Francisco. I didn’t even know this little gem of a place existed until I met them for their consultation. It’s a poetic location and perfect for an outdoor wedding.

We did most of their fun couple and bridal party pictures prior to the ceremony; leaving plenty of time for some large group and family photographs afterward. This is the way to do it! I had more favorite images than I had room to post!

They hired a cable car on wheels instead of a limo. It was perfect for the occasion! After the ceremony many of the guests where able to ride in the cable car to the reception. There they had an authentic Chinese reception dinner.

Thanks to Jen for 2nd shooting/assisting.







Day of Event Coordinator: AKDesigns

Wedding at The Reata - Oakdale, CA

Alan and Tracy where married in September at the Reata (use to be a brewery) in Oakdale.

Some of you might ask where is Oakdale anyway?! Well, Oakdale is close to my home town of Modesto. It was fun shooting at a location that recalled memories of hanging out sipping beers in years past.

Reata is such a great location for a wedding. It has ideal spots for pictures including a yellow wall, a brick building, a picture perfect little fence, and a bit of greenery. A stone water wall fountain made for a nice backdrop for the ceremony. The reception area has awesome high ceilings, brick walls and pleasant ambient light.

After the ceremony we had ample time to finish up some pictures before the reception started. Having all the proceedings at one location makes the day flow so effortlessly!

The catering was done in house and was absolutely yummy. The chicken in mushroom sauce and mash potatoes were scrumptious!

Thanks to Lydia for assisting/2nd shooting.





Florist: Country Shelf
Makeup: Marz Salon (I use to get my hair cut there!)
Cake: Linda Bernardi 209-522-8456

Wente Vineyards Wedding - Livermore, CA

Thomas and Shannon were married in September at Wente Vineyards, Livermore in September 2007.

With perfect weather they held their ceremony outdoor and included their two family dogs in the event. I’ve never seen dogs behave that well at a ceremony; they didn’t bark or try to run away.

After a touching ceremony we took pictures of the bride, groom and their entourage around the vineyard premise. They have some great stylish walls and cellar doors at Wente that made perfect picture backdrops.

The days events went late into the evening with dinner, toasts, drinks and lots of dancing.

Mountain View Engagement Session

Val and Greg had their engagement session in September. We decided to keep the theme local and explored a few different locations around Mountain View. After spending sometime at a near by park we walked around downtown and found a cool pink wall with a one way sign. They get married in November at the Saratoga country Club.

Preservation Park Wedding - Oakland, CA

Susan and Sung had a September wedding at Preservation Park in Oakland. The tree lined streets with historical houses are a perfect setting to take you back to simpler times. Sung and Susan met while attending the acupuncture school in San Francisco.

Susan wore a simple and elegant white gown by Jim Hjelm for the ceremony but for part of the reception she changed into a beautiful Hanbok (traditional Korean dress).

This was truly a celebration for everyone young and old. They invited their friends and family to bring their children to the wedding (not always custom these days). This was fun for me because all the children were so adorable and some of them instantly warmed up to the camera.

After dinner and toasts DJ Matteo kept the crowd grooving on the dance floor for hours.

Thanks to Lydia for assisting and second shooting.





Flowers: bloomer
Catering: La Bocca Fina
Cake: Masse’s
Makeup: Christine Craven