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 ‘sf city hall wedding’
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!
SF City Hall Wedding | Kelly + Mark
July 15, 2011Kelly and Mark came all the way from Kansas to have their wedding at SF City Hall, and they were not disappointed. They were excited about being here, excited about finding one another, and excited to have found me to document it all for them. The day started with some beautiful photography around City Hall, and then, the ceremony. Readers of this blog may recall Gabor’s early kiss attempt. Well, Mark and Kelly’s ceremony experienced a similar moment, when joy and nerves overcame convention, and Mark slipped the ring on the wrong hand! Since we were in the privacy of the fourth floor, only the commissioner, the couple and I witnessed it. What I’ve learned from the many weddings I’ve documented, is how rare it is for everything to go according to plan. I’ve also learned that if two people are head over heels in love, it doesn’t really matter. Congrats, Kelly and Mark!
Cindy + Conrad | San Francisco City Hall Wedding
May 17, 2011This one started with symmetry. Cindy and Conrad – big Diet Coke fans – fueled up before the ceremony and photo expedition got underway. San Francisco gifted us a soft, cloudy day, and our City Hall wedding officiant was kind enough to accommodate a ceremony on the fourth floor, where all of that soft light streamed in through the giant windows and fell on Cindy, Conrad and their attendants. After a moving ceremony and some beautiful family moments with Conrad’s parents, we headed out to the Palace of Fine Arts to continue our three-hour session. Gusts of wind inspired some veil play, and the beautiful texture of the PFA architecture made a perfect backdrop for portraits. We finally parted ways, chilly but satisfied! Thank you Cindy and Conrad! All the best!
Thank You!
April 18, 2011Last week I received a beautiful thank you note from Allison and John. I love my job! 
