Michelle+Graham - Nob Hill, Fairmont, Grace Cathedral, Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco Engagement

We always feel really lucky when we’re able to book clients who innately understand what we do; in all our work, we strive to deliver something timeless, but at the same time takes our clients towards a stylish edge with a little daring.  For all these reasons, we were so excited to do an engagement session with Michelle and Graham.

We met them in San Francisco’s Nob Hill neighborhood, host to the landmarks The Fairmont San Francisco, Grace Cathedral, and the Masonic Auditorium all within a block of each other, and were feeling good about the session immediately.  Despite a long, traffic-addled drive into the city, they were both in great spirits, we couldn’t ask for better.  Michelle filled us in on how the neighborhood meant a lot to her, having lived there previously, and always loving the look of the architecture of the area.  This sentiment stuck with us, because the sheer variety of the structures in this corner of the city is why we love it, so immediately we had another data point that affirmed that we were all on the same page.

Michelle was lovely in a maroon dress that struck that perfect mix of feminine/powerful and classic that we love, and we dug the awesome fit on Graham’s suit and super cool accessories.  We got the sense that they knew they looked great, and we’d have to agree!  All this confidence was a great complement to the love and warmth they had for each other.  No matter if we placed them together, where they’d fall beautifully together, or if we set them up to shine on their own, they supported one another any way they could to help each other really shine.   It was easy to see how they are meant to be together.

A huge thanks to both of them for really trusting what we saw for them on location; we were incredibly happy with the variety we achieved with them as they brought all the Sasha Fierceness we could ask for.  We loved this prelude; we’re now incredibly excited to work with them on their wedding day this summer!

Jackie+Ray - Union Square/Hayes Valley/San Francisco City Hall Wedding

We always tell clients that all you need to have an amazing wedding is the love for one another and the mindset to enjoy and express it with their friends and family -- long as you have that, we know we’re going to be able to make amazing photographs no matter the location.  Upon our first contact with Jackie and Ray, it was obvious they had those bases covered, so getting married in beautiful San Francisco City Hall and being around the colorful Union Square and Hayes Valley neighborhoods was a huge treat.

The tone for the day was set with their first look; Jackie in her vintage inspired gown and veil, and Ray in a great blue suit with a timeless, precise cut.  Immediately we saw the sincere adoration and respect they had for each other; when ackie announced herself with a tap on his shoulder, their body language signaled they were lost in that moment.  What was more amazing was that as much as they were in it for themselves that day (as they should be!), they were generous of their attention, making sure everyone felt included in their day.  They were both powerfully present in the day for each other and also deeply engaged with the people around them. 

This graciousness was a motif for the day along with their sterling confidence.  It was a pleasure working with them because they were able to lose themselves in each other, but also able to “feel themselves” when asked.  More than anything, we got the sense that Jackie and Ray relish helping the other shine together and apart.  It was a lot of fun to play with moods through the environs of San Francisco; we asked for a confident strut downtown, stately elegance at City Hall, and something flipping between sexy, hard edged, and whimsical in Hayes Valley and they didn’t miss a beat.

Jackie and Ray are that rare pair who are great together, but meant for each other because of how they treat those around them.  They were constantly grateful for those who were there on their day to support them, and that rolled down to us as we worked with them.  We are so proud to be a part of their day, and we could not be happier for them!

Ren+Ricky - St. Roberts Catholic Church/Westin SFO - Burlingame, CA Wedding

In the midst of shooting a wedding, we’re constantly looking for ways to head off unplanned issues with the schedule, knowing where we should be in case A happens at spot X or B at spot Y, or making sure we get as much coverage as possible —  always working, always moving and thinking.  We need to triage the information coming, and while most of it we can let expire from our memory, somehow meeting Ren and Ricky at Catherine and Jeyel’s wedding in the Fillmore was a moment that didn't leave us.  Ricky’s is a guy who can just _really_ wear a suit, but more striking than him was Ren, who sported a bun with a sleek curly-cue bang and outfit that gracefully mixed a classic pin up look with a modern evening dress.  More than their strong fashion sense, they had a palpable grace to them.  We’re big on first impressions, and the vibes of sincerity were abundant in this one.

On that first meeting, we learned that they were newly engaged, and there’d be a good chance they’d reach out; over the ensuing summer before their wedding, we hoped that they’d finally reach out, so when they did, we were elated.  Meeting with them formally for the first time started where many of our favorite consults start — at a bar!  Over an afternoon of drinks, we experienced more of what we immediately intuited when we were first met: they were a pair of generous people who were brought together by fate and circumstance.  The exact underpinning of their introduction is better left to them to explain, but to know the start of their story as a couple is to understand how they were destined to be together.

We were honored to be witness to their wedding day, where they were confident, vulnerable, and everything in between -- we couldn’t ask for them to be more honest.  From the deep thanks from Ricky towards his brother and groomsmen or Ren and her girls sharing in her slight nervousness-turned-fiercenessk once into her Mori Lee  gown, it was evident that they realized the gravity of their day, the collection of their friends and family who were sharing it with them, and were intent to revel in it.  From their ceremony at St. Robert’s Catholic Church to their Westin Hotel reception, it was a beautiful celebration of their new life together.

Their reception was especially memorable, with a contagious energy that started with their own entrances, carried through a french kiss contest won by their parents (ick?🤣), and onto the dancefloor at the end with all their wedding guests.  There was a immutable sense that all in the room were invested in them, in their union, and that this time was joyous because of it.  

Congratulations to Ren + Ricky!

Venue Westin SFO || Gown Mori Lee (@MoriLeeOfficial) from Nelly's Bridal (@NellysBridal)|| Her Shoes Valentino || Makeup Huong Vo (@huongggggiggles) || Hair @Indep_Hairstylist || Suit Express || Second Photographer Tony Chu Photography