Let’s agree on one thing: The wedding photographer is the modern ninja. As soon as I arrive to document a wedding at San Francisco City Hall, I’m racing the clock. Park the car? Check! Feed the meter? Check. Get through security with my huge bag of photo equipment? Check! (It helps that the security personnel know me…I’m hoping that one day they’ll just wave me through). Then we’ve got limited time to document the ceremony and traipse all around City Hall taking creative portraits. Often, I’m coordinating large groups of guests, or working around events that are taking place inside the building. Often, too, I’m racing the clock (especially in the late fall and winter) as daylight starts to fade. Gotta get to the Golden Gate bridge before the sun sets! San Francisco City Hall and the city in general offer so many possibilities, and yet time is never on my side! Well, there’s one very crucial component to the recipe that makes my shoots a success: The couples I work with. Take for example Tony and Gilma (and their guests). Despite all of the challenges listed above, Tony and Gilma exuded boundless energy throughout the day. No matter how many stairs we climbed or how many transitions we made, their spirits never faded, and the incredible connection between them was the secret ingredient I ultimately needed to do my job well. So, Tony and Gilma, thank you for everything. Congratulations on a beautiful wedding day! And now, I’ll let your words and the images we created together do the talking.
Posts Tagged ‘san francisco city hall wedding photographer’
San Francisco City Hall Wedding | Gilma + Tony
January 12, 2012Marina + Pablo | San Francisco City Hall Wedding
November 8, 2011When I met Marina and Pablo at San Francisco City Hall on this particular autumn afternoon, we were working with the following set of ingredients: No sleep, no food, no parking. Add a scoop of ‘running behind schedule’ and a dash of ‘forgot the rings in the car’, and we had the perfect City Hall wedding recipe. That the day turned out fabulously is a testament to the love that flows between them, and the incredible positive energy that flows from them. Marina, Pablo, you are both simply fabulous. I still cannot believe that we were able to accomplish so much in such a short afternoon, and I sincerely apologize for making you climb on windowsills, wade through traffic, dodge cable cars and levitate using conventional balloons. Your sense of style and your ability to run down long staircases in high heels are enviable qualities. You might consider teaching a workshop! Anyway, I’ll stop rambling now and let you and the world enjoy the results of my love for photography and your love for one another.
San Francisco City Hall Wedding + Fun in Chinatown | Alice + Kuang
September 8, 2011Five minutes into our initial meeting at the wine bar, and it becomes obvious that Alice and Kuang have it all figured out. Book the 4th floor gallery at City Hall to create a private ceremony space for 60+ guests and avoid the Friday rush. Check. Build in time for a location shoot in Chinatown. Check. Finish it off with a swanky reception at Roe. Check. All of this, along with dossiers of the wedding VIP’s, is contained in an extensive planning document (4 megabytes). Now, I suppose I don’t have to mention that these two are wrapped in all kinds of style. You only have to glance at the photos to see it for yourself (don’t miss: the tie! the shoes!!). Kuang – smooth, confident, always the gentleman. Alice – light, radiant, with a smile that lights up the room. It was a pleasure to document their wedding. We were all over City Hall, we turned heads in Chinatown. Did I mention, synchronized Facebook relationship status change? Check. Anyways, just a couple of days after the wedding, this lovely note was already in my mailbox. Alice, Kuang, you guys are amazing. You have an exciting year ahead of you! All the best!
I love City Hall. It’s grand, cavernous, beautiful. But it presents a challenge for the photographer. How do you stay inspired? How do you continue to produce exciting and varied imagery, in a place that looks the same every day, and within the highly structured civil ceremony process? I believe I have the answer, and it’s two-fold. First, I draw inspiration from couples like Clarinda and Wryan, who are willing to play, experiment, and give 100% of their energy to being partners in the creative process. The other part of the equation is my own constant experimentation. I’m always looking for undiscovered nooks and crannies, new sources of light, and challenging myself and my clients to pursue both motion and stillness in new forms. Clarinda and Wryan were amazing to work with. There was no denying how physically charged their connection was, and the photos reflect it. Thank you guys! I’m really excited to have created these images for you!
Anthony and Magaly booked me months in advance for their City Hall wedding and adventure in San Francisco. They currently reside in London, and because of the ample lead time, I was able to help them plan their wedding day here in SF. Their whole families arrived to be with them on their day, and they wanted to make sure that everything went according to plan. For such a large group, they reserved the Mayor’s Balcony, which allowed them to have an hour of uninterrupted time to hug, toast and be together after the ceremony. Several weeks before the wedding day, I had already sent my proposed itinerary for a Cable Car ride around the City. The Cable Car picked us up at City Hall, and we drove to the Golden Gate bridge and Fort Point, by way of the Presidio. After that, we made a stop at the Legion of Honor for some elegant photos amidst the columns. Finally, wrapped in blankets (in true SF summer fashion) Anthony, Magaly and their families headed to the Cliff House for a delicious and well-deserved lunch. It’s never easy to have long travel- and photo-sessions with large groups, but (a) their families were just awesome and full of energy and (b) everyone was excited and invigorated by the sights and the chilly weather. Anthony and Magaly – you guys pulled it off!! Hopefully you’re on a beach somewhere right now and getting over the SF climate in true honeymoon style!
San Francisco City Hall Wedding | Nicholas + Angie
July 18, 2011When I met Nicholas, Angie, and their girls, Oceana and Kieran, I couldn’t believe my eyes. This beautiful family was dressed to the nines, everyone perfectly buttoned up and color-coordinated. Black, white, silver, and then the striking red lipstick worn by Angie made it a very elegant affair, and a joy to photograph. It’s such a pleasure for me to document weddings at San Francisco City Hall, especially because just like Nicholas and Angie, the brides and grooms I work with put so much care and effort into the details. The other thing that completely blew me away was how patient and well-behaved the girls were, and how much energy they had as we walked around the building taking pictures. The unique style and amazing connection of this beautiful family definitely made this an incredible San Francisco City Hall wedding. Congrats, Nicholas, Angie and girls! All the best to your new family.
