Pacific Grove, CA

March 10, 2023 Justin Souza

It’s no secret that we love an alternative wedding! Rose and Jason’s had it all - Star Wars cosplay, wands, elven circlets for the bridesmaids, a black wedding dress and veil. Set all of that on the backdrop of Pacific Grove in all its cloudy, moody beauty and you can see it was definitely a day to remember! Congratulations, you two, this was truly a joy and an honor to be a part of.

Hannah + Stephen's Elegantly Nerdy Wedding // The River Mill // French Camp, CA

February 4, 2019 Justin Souza

The two of us are hardcore nerds (we’re talking many years of D&D here), so when Hannah and Stephen started describing their geeky wedding plans in our first meeting, we knew we would get along famously. Their nerdtastic autumn River Mill wedding did NOT disappoint!

Geneva + Nicholas' Geektastic Barn Wedding // Crawford's Barn // Sacramento, CA

June 20, 2018 Justin Souza

As completely unabashed nerds ourselves (I mean, we named our children after characters from The Princess Bride and Doctor Who), I say this with all affection and authority: Geneva and Nicholas’ wedding was geek paradise. There were board games, word games, a Super Nintendo, a photobooth where guests could dress up like the Mario Brothers. We even spotted a photo of the bride and groom in Mario and Luigi cosplay! And through the whole wedding, Geneva, Nicholas and their guests exhibited this unabashed sense of play, which is really the hallmark of the true nerd. It also makes for a rockin’ party.

Ashley + Sean's Blustery, Geeky Fairytale Wedding // Galas Barn // Oakdale, CA

April 4, 2017 Justin Souza

As Justin mentioned in our previous blog post, nerds are our people. And Ashley and Sean aren't just nerds - they're hardcore nerds. In notes they exchanged/read to each other before their ceremony, they talked about being in band class together. There were Star Wars references throughout the day, superhero nods (Batman socks for the groom and groomsmen, a Batman garter for the bride), more Disney allusions than I probably even realized (the big ones being the Minnie Mouse slippers Ashley wore while getting ready and the fact that she walked down the aisle to a song from Beauty and the Beast) and, of course, Harry Potter themed flannels for the bridesmaids that said "I Solemnly Swear I Am Up to No Good" on the back. They were even in the bridesmaids' Hogwarts House colors. All of this is just to say: Ashley and Sean take their geekdom seriously. And we seriously love them for it.

hello & welcome

Photos Just So is Justin and Dana, a married pair of award winning wedding photographers who capture colorful, unique, adventurous couples from California's Central Valley to the Bay Area, Yosemite, Sacramento and beyond.

We love love. And we think it shows.

Our blog is a showcase of some of the many love stories our clients have shared with us.

We can't wait to join you in yours.

Olive + Jade's Whimsical Floral Wedding // Polestar Farm // Esparto, CA

It’s been ten years since gay marriage was legalized in this country, which simultaneously feels like a long and frighteningly small amount of time. I would never define Olive and Jade by their genders or sexualities but it also feels important to say that non-binary and trans people will always be safe with us (I wouldn’t have mentioned gender at all if I hadn’t run it by these two first). Dana and I operate a very queer, very neurodiverse household so it’s probably no surprise that those are the clients and families we work with the most. Things can feel dark right now and maybe you need the pick-me-up of a colorful DIY wedding by an incredible floral artist and their cool as hell musician bride? It can’t hurt, anyway.

Ten years of shooting unabashed LGBTQ+ joy! What a privilege.

Melissa + Andrew's Boho Yosemite Wedding // Rush Creek Lodge // Groveland, CA

THE BEST-LAID PLANS

About 25 miles from Yosemite Valley Chapel (where Andrew’s parents were married decades before), Rush Creek Lodge and Spa in Groveland would be a great jumping-off point for a Yosemite park wedding and a family-friendly hotel reception. Unfortunately, the roads into Yosemite sustained storm damage and at the last minute, Rush Creek Lodge became the location for Melissa and Andrew’s getting-ready, ceremony AND reception. It was impressive to see how both the lodge and the couple pivoted last-minute to put on a beautiful ceremony on the Rush Creek site itself, which was a short walk/golf cart ride up a trail into a secluded forest area. It may not have been the exact day they dreamed up, but you’d never know it was Plan B. I don’t want to get into too many details about the wedding day because that’s Melissa and Andrew’s private adventure, but I will say that I’m very thankful to have been able to document a small part of their love story.

Michelle + David's Enchanted Forest Adventure Elopement // Purisima Creek Redwoods // Half Moon Bay, CA

What is an adventure elopement?

Unlike a City Hall wedding, an adventure elopement is usually outdoors - getting to the location where you’ll say your vows is an integral part of the experience! It doesn’t always have to be a serious trek, though. David and Michelle opted to get married in the Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve and I would estimate we only hiked 10 or so minutes from the trailhead, though it took 20 or 30 minutes of driving straight into the forest from Half Moon Bay to get to the trailhead in the first place.