Jessica and Tyson Tie the Knot at Thomas Fogarty Winery

Jessica and Tyson, a radiant and charismatic couple, got married at the Thomas Fogarty Winery in Woodside. We really enjoyed this rustic and scenic location with several cool indoor and outdoors locations to shoot in. It was a glorious day, the scene was set with great panoramic views of the valley and the vineyards surrounding the winery. Jessica looked amazing with her short veil and long eyelashes!  They chose not to see each other before hand, waiting instead till Jessica walked out onto the lawn where they said their vows. After dinner guests got to witness a spectacular sunset while enjoying hand rolled cigars by Patricio Angulo. Dancing was very energized thanks to wonderful DJ Woody and his amazing lighting which made for some great pictures! We had a great time working with Janece, from Every Elegant Detail who worked her magic throughout the day. We had a good laugh when we received Tyson’s email to us: “Like Jessica said, thank you so, so much, these photos all came out amazing. We keep having friends over to dinner and then we force them to look through all the photos again and again.  The slideshow came out great and we have been watching it over again and again.”

Marisa and Matt Healdsburg Country Gardens Monsoon Wedding

Marisa and Matt got married at the Healdsburg Country Gardens amidst summer rain. The torrential downpours were totally out of character for June and took us all by surprise, but didn’t dampen anyone’s enthusiasm. The gorgeous location was a perfect setting for Marisa’s classical beauty reminiscent of an old-time Hollywood actress. Undeterred by the rain, Marisa and Matt had a private first look in the photogenic cottage on the property, and we did some photos with the couple alone. The ceremony took place in a tent, keeping the guests cozy and dry. Matt had tears in his eyes as he saw his lovely bride walk down the isle. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect; it stopped raining just after the ceremony, and we were able to do all the group, family and bridal party shots under a gorgeous oak with views of the valley beneath. A reception followed in the rustic barn, the tables were set with Tiffany-blue table linens, and the dinner was a scrumptious Spanish paella made in enormous paella pans by Gerard’s Paella. There was wild and crazy dancing after dinner and even an after-party at Affronti Bar in Healdsburg where Matt’s brother, a professional DJ, spun the tunes. A super wedding with a beautiful and fun couple.

Annalisa and David’s Mayacamas Ranch Weekend Wedding

We felt at home with Annalisa and David from the time we first met them. We appreciated their warmth and humor and spirit of adventure. David is a fly-fisherman like Marcel and Annalisa likes to read a good book while enjoying the outdoors with her sweetheart. (Which is exactly what Meher does while Marcel fly-fishes.) Their fly-fishing engagement session was a first. Their wedding took place at the gorgeous Mayacamas Ranch in the mountains above the town of Calistoga. Mayacamas ranch is the ultimate wedding site for those who want to party for the whole weekend. Close family and friends had stayed at the ranch with Annalisa and David, renting the several cottages on the scenic property, enjoying the pool and the gorgeous surrounding areas for bicycling and hiking and even some fly fishing. So everyone was pretty relaxed by the time we got to this little oasis in the Mayacamas mountain range. The wedding ceremony on Sunset Meadow had guests (and at least one photographer choking up, while the bride’s veil flew around in the wind making for great photos. David and Annalisa were radiant after their commitment to each other and couldn’t stop smiling. They danced the night away surrounded by the love of friends and family. It was a pleasure working with Marilyn Ambra, Mayacamas’ exclusive wedding and event planning partner, whose calm presence and expertise ensured the day unfolded seamlessly.

Jill & Justin Tie the Knot on Paradise Ridge

Jill and Justin tied the knot right in our back-yard. Not literally, but just 15 minutes from where we live, at the Paradise Ridge Winery. Jill got ready at her mother’s house, calm and collected as she sipped champagne from the coolest little cans with friends! We did some portraits of Jill showcasing her gorgeous blue eyes and beaming smile. Justin and Jill saw each other for the first time as Jill walked down the aisle. Their two tiny dogs had front row seats to witness their “parents” getting married. We were lucky to be able to sneak out after dinner to photograph the bride and groom in the last rays of the setting sun. The view of vineyards below the winery, captures the essence of the wine country. The Golden Gate Hot Club band played their Gypsy Jazz through the evening, keeping the toes tapping. Justin and Jill are excellent dancers, and led the way for friends and family to join them on the dance floor.

Sue Ann and Robert’s Napa Valley Extravaganza at the Silverado Resort

Sue Ann and Robert’s Napa Valley Multi-Cultural Extravaganza was just that, a non-stop whirlwind of one fabulous event after the other! They got hitched at the Silverado Resort in Napa, amidst gigantic oak trees, with colorful parasols, exquisite table decorations and three dress changes. The couple did not want to see each other before the ceremony so we took advantage of the open shade on a veranda and did some girls and boys group shots before hand. There were a lot of children in attendance and what treats they had in store for them: a chocolate fountain, a serve yourself candy table, table activities and toys, bubbles and more! The adults were well entertained too, with a wonderful and energetic Lion Dance by Leungs White Crane Lion Dancers, where the dancers and drummers circled all the guests at the end of the cocktail hour and herded them into the Silverado Resort’s outdoor reception area! In the meantime Sue Ann put on the second wedding dress of the night, a traditional Vietnamese dress, and made her second entrance. You might think that was it, but no, after dinner the couple got changed again and we got to take them away for a few shots as the sun was setting. Sue Ann’s last dress was our favorite, a bit like a flapper dress from the 20′s, it looked like there were white butterflies all over it! When they returned, there was another amazing performance of Latin dance and percussion. The dancers were as good as anything you would see in Brazil during carnival! You could not help but tap your foot and wish you were as limber as these talented performers. The dancers managed to draw Sue Ann into their dancing circle, it was tougher for Robert who isn’t the dancing type Music, dancing and good vibes went well into the gorgeous Napa Valley night.
Want to see more? You can see their wedding slideshow here.

Venue: Silverado Resort in Napa:

Florist: Valley Flora

Chocolate Fountains of Sacramento

Music: Peter Rodolfi

Cake: Sweetiepies.com

Jose Rivera Latin Dancers and Percussion

Lion Dancers

Jenny and Rob’s “Cubanese” Wine Country Destination Wedding

Living and photographing weddings in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, we thought we’d seen it all when it comes to cross-cultural weddings. So it was a treat to shoot Jenny and Rob’s Cuban-Chinese destination wedding or, as they coined it, “Cubanese”. This fun couple flew all the way from Miami, Florida to celebrate their special day with close friends and family at the picturesque Gundlach Bundshu winery in the heart of Sonoma wine country.  Jenny and Rob totally adapted to the wine-country lifestyle by changing the traditional Chinese tea ceremony into a “wine ceremony”. For those two wine lovers, a perfect wedding indeed!

Click here to see their complete slideshow.

Here are some of the vendors that helped make their wedding perfect.

Venue: Gundlach Bundschu Winery
Event planner: Christina Andrews, Sonoma Wedding Source
Florist: Mimi and Marilyn at Seasons Floral Design
Cellist: Jeffrey McFarland-Johnson
Minister: Father Gerry Caprio
Caterer: Thomas Odermatt from Roli Roti Catering