San Francisco, CA

January 25, 2019 Justin Souza

When Betsy and Sonny called to tell us they were looking for a photographer for their laid-back San Francisco wedding - at Tank 18, with arcade games after the ceremony - we knew it was a perfect fit. Especially when they mentioned that to avoid dealing with SF traffic, they’d decided to charter a bus!

Dinika + John's Glamorous Red Carpet Catholic Wedding // St. Ignatius Church + San Francisco Film Centre // San Francisco, CA

March 9, 2017 Justin Souza

Dinika & John's San Francisco wedding was pure fairytale.

From the beautiful Victorian house Dinika got ready in to the awe inspiring St. Ignatius Church where they said their vows and the gorgeous San Francisco Film Centre where the party really got started - from start to finish, their wedding day was a visual (and literal, when you add in the incredible food) feast of love. And I haven't even mentioned the Elvis impersonator yet.

Becky + Walter's Golden Gate Engagement Session // Golden Gate Park + Baker Beach // San Francisco, CA

November 13, 2015 Justin Souza

Is there any more appropriate time for a Golden Gate Park engagement session than golden hour? Becky and Walter were great sports during their shoot - we initially planned to take pictures inside the Japanese Tea Gardens, and when we were thwarted by an early closing time, they were totally game to switch things up a bit. The pictures we snapped outside the iconic park weren't what we had originally planned, but I think they turned out even better. We even found a fairy door while wandering through a secluded eucalyptus grove. There's a lesson in there somewhere about best-laid-plans and going with the flow, I think - especially when it comes to weddings!

Jon + Monica's Grand View Park Engagement // San Francisco, CA

May 8, 2015 Justin Souza

Justin and I have known Jon for just over ten years. We met back when we were all graduate students in Cornell’s MFA writing program – Justin and I in poetry, Jon in fiction. Together, we’ve seen each other’s highest highs and lowest lows, so trust us when we say there have been no better years than the ones Jon has spent with Monica. When they started dating, it was obvious that Monica’s wit and self-assuredness were a match for Jon’s (which is saying a lot). Add to that the fact that she’s brilliant AND beautiful and we were very clear from the beginning that he had to LOCK THAT DOWN.

Chantelle + Rob's Glamorous Palace of Fine Arts Wedding // San Francisco, CA

March 24, 2014 Justin Souza

This post marks the launch of our brand new photo blog, and believe us, this wedding is a stunner of an opening! In addition to their boundless love, Chantelle and Rob really brought an old Hollywood glamour to their event. The ceremony was held at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, which is a public space, and the radiance of the beautiful bride in her stunning dress literally drew a crowd of tourists.

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.