Check out the sweet flowers on her cake.

An elegant table setting.

Introductions and speeches are always fun.

Did I mention Tami’s beautiful red wedding dress?

A kiss while dancing, witnessed by more than one camera.

And since these two are tango dancers, they treated their guests to a show.

Loving our bride’s hair accessory- feathers and pearls.

Enjoying toasts.

This little munchkin was enjoying the gardens, and also happens to be one of our connections to Tami and Gio. Or more accurately her parents are. We photographed their Bernardus Lodge wedding, which Tami planned. So fun to see them and their growing family at Tami’s celebration.

A sweet bit of romance from their invitation for this ring shot.

Good music.

Means good dancing.

Congrats again to our fabulous couple! Extra special thanks to the team of professionals who helped make Tami and Gio’s day so special:

Getting ready, ceremony and reception venue: Laureen Novak from the Outdoor Art Club
Tami’s hair: Ashley Smith of Flower and Gold
Bride’s make-up: Alexia Ogle of Flower and Gold
Bride’s gown designer: Amy-Jo Tatum, custom design
Groom’s attire: Black Tie Tuxedo
Caterer: Alicia from La Mediterranee
Cake: Matthew Reilly
Floral Design: Erika Frank
DJ: DJ Olly
Ceremony musician: Leo King
Invitations: Delphine Doreau
Wedding favors: Vosges Haut Chocolat
Dance Instructors: Gustavo & Jessica Hornos

Want more from Tami and Gio’s colorful California wedding? Check out their slideshow and sneak peek. Or check out Tami’s thoughts on her blog.

I started with the two of them as they got ready at the club.

Tami wasn’t particularly worried about western traditions. She chose a chic birdcage veil and a stunning red dance dress for her wedding look.

Our beautiful bride walking down the aisle.

Gio couldn’t be more smitten.

Or more excited to be officially married to Tami.

Sweet smiles leaving the ceremony in the garden.

During cocktail hour, I had the chance to capture a few portraits. Tami definitely planned another beautiful event. I loved her personal touches, like this sign.

We were all treated to some great music during the portraits and cocktail reception.

One of the many sweet little ones at the wedding. She is captivated by the flowers in the garden.

Tami and Gio were able to enjoy a few moments alone.

More to follow soon from Tami and Gio’s spring wedding in Marin County.

From Duke’s perspective.

A better look at the humans in the family.

Mason just happens to be absolutely adorable, no suprise given his genes, and a lovely little guy to boot. He offers huge smiles for his mom. Maya’s entertaining Mason and Drew behind our cameras.

Kisses.

The pensive boys.

Maya taught me a few of her tricks to get Mason to smile for me. He did so a couple of times, but it is clear he loves his mom’s version of the ABC’s best.

The weather had been a little iffy so we wanted to keep Mason warm. We decided to head back home for a few with Mason having the spotlight all to himself.

Duke is such a good protector and big brother. He is so calm and is happy to allow Mason to sit cradled in his lap. So precious.

Then one final image with Maya and her first boy.

It is always a pleasure getting together with Maya, Drew, Mason and Duke. Thank you so much for inviting us into your lives.

If you would like to see more, check out their slideshow.

Dave and I love long tables. They create a completely different environment at a wedding. Allison and Adam chose to have these tables at their Hans Fahden wedding and the interactions among the guests seemed to volley in all directions around the space. It was so much fun.

Christina included the above image on her blog, but I wanted to share a few more so you could see how the experience was for the guests and how the reception flowed with long tables.

Allison and Adam’s dinner was held in the wine cave at Hans Fahden in Calistoga. The "T" shape of the long tables fits perfectly in this space and the bride and groom sit at the intersection of the T, surrounded by their friends and family.

Here the best man gives his toast to Allison and Adam.

Friends and family enjoy the closeness and camaraderie of sitting side by side.

We have seen this space in its varied arrangements and I can definitely see the benefit of this one.

If you would like to see more from Allison and Adam’s fall wedding in the wine country, check out the sneak preview, the scoop and their slideshow.

Krista picked a beautiful dress by Paloma Blanca, but added her own look to it- a Japanese inspired sash.

With a chic bouquet of orchids and grasses to match.

Next she chose 3 stellar locations.

She selected the Hakone Gardens as a special spot to see her groom for the first time on their wedding day. And for the portraits with their bridal party. The results are gorgeous. This site has so many hidden nooks, lots of green and beautiful landscaped details.

Then the whole crew ventured to Andy’s family church, St. Andrew’s Episcopal, for the ceremony. I love the modern interior space.

And the amazing stained glass.

Finally we arrived at the Decathlon Club for the reception, where our bride and groom were treated to a glass of champagne upon their arrival.

The Decathlon Club does such an amazing job bringing the outdoors inside.

Throughout the day, Krista further emphasized their heritage and the special connection she and Andy had together.

The sign-in table honored their elders.

They created table cards with photos from their most special times together.

Mooncakes were given as gifts to each guest.

Krista chose lovely origami cranes as a theme for her wedding. They hung on the branches alongside notes written by their guests.

She used a pair of cranes on the cover of her ceremony program.

And the wedding cake was fabulously decorate with these birds.

I am sure it was a lot of work to create all these special details, but it was worth the effort. These personal touches and the care Krista and Andy took definitely made their day that much more special.

Krista and Andy’s Vendors:

Location of portraits: Hakone Gardens, Saratoga
Location of ceremony: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Saratoga
Location of reception: Decathlon Club, Santa Clara
Gown Designer: Paloma Blanca (bride designed sash)
Floral Design: Shawna Futagaki of Flower Divas Inc.
DJ: Rick from Joel Nelson Productions

Want to see more of Krista and Andy? Check out their engagement session, the scoop: part 1 , the scoop: part 2, and their slideshow.

Genevieve and Jack are absolutely wonderful and their wedding was truly gorgeous. Genevieve planned her California wedding from Chicago with the help of Jack’s sister (who lives in the Bay Area) as well as her planner Michelle Martinez of Event Designs. She and Jack chose the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley, California as the backdrop for the ceremony and reception. You can read all the details on the Destination Weddings site, but I couldn’t help but share a few of my favorite pix from this amazing wedding.

The site looked great all set up.

The candy bar was such a colorful and sweet treat for the guests.

Genevieve and Jack made these cranes for their guests. Such a nice touch. And I love their monogram.

Before the ceremony….

These young ladies performed a special song for the happy couple. So sweet!

Still want more? Check out their slideshow.

Cara and Nate’s wedding was simply so amazing. This is one super glamorous couple. They held their wedding at two beautiful sites (The Sonoma Mission Inn and Sonoma Golf Club). They worked with Emarie of A Savvy Event on their wedding design. Everything and everyone around them was gorgeous. Best of all, they are truly warm and loving and so very much in love.

You are about to be bombarded with images. Again, I apologize. Now, sit back and enjoy!

Before we headed over to the Sonoma Golf Club, we spent some time with Cara at the Sonoma Mission Inn, where she was getting ready.

Just after the girls helped her put on the garters (one for her to keep, one for him to toss). Notice the 49ers spirit.

All of Cara’s bridesmaids were getting ready with her. The room was filled with women; there was a bubbling feeling of comraderie floating about as each of them put on their dresses, did their hair and applied their make-up. They all looked amazing!

While I stayed with the ladies, Dave went over to the Golf Club to take some images of Nate and the boys.

The nuptials began right on cue. Cara didn’t seem a bit nervous; she was all smiles as she took in the scene before her and caught her first sight of Nate on their wedding day.

The ladies’ dresses were cinnamon with a gold sash. It was the perfect combination for a fall wine country wedding. And the flowers complimented them perfectly.

One of my favorite parts of a wedding is how the romance of the day is contagious. Everyone seems to be more in love at a wedding. It just makes me smile.

They had just kissed under the canopy. They walked down the aisle. They couldn’t wait; they had to steal another kiss before heading inside. How sweet is that!

We followed the ceremony with portraits. We took them out back to the golf course lawns for images of them surrounded by the landscaped grounds.

We worked our way to the front of the building to incorporate the Spanish style architecture into some of the shots.

Their reception room had a really cozy feel to it. The candelabras decorated with flowers, wrought iron chandeliers, the toasted orange tablecloths, the dark chairs with golden cushions, and the beautiful vineyard paintings on the walls all contributed to the ambiance.

Cara incorporated grapes into her wedding theme. They were a part of her centerpieces as well as adorning her cake.

I wanted to close with an image from their first dance. They were so lost in each other; I can practically feel their embrace.

Cara and Nate- welcome back. We hope you had a fabulous time in Hawaii and we can’t wait to hear about your trip. Thank you again for including us in your wedding.

Of course there’s still more. You can also check out their slideshow, their sneak peak, and their engagement session.

You may recall the ceremony was held at Palmdale Estates in Fremont. We started the portrait session there. The surroundings were beautiful and filled with color. And Elsa and Tim were very much in celebration mode- so happy!

Elsa, Tim and the gang then went off to relax for a bit and grab a bite to eat.

We met up again in Foster City. The gazebo and surrounding gardens are a perfect place to take pictures- there’s great color and great architecture. We started with a few of the bridal party.

Then we took a few with Elsa and Tim alone.

Then we headed across the street for the party. Elsa and Tim celebrated with a traditional Chinese Wedding Banquet at ABC Seafood Restaurant. The banquet room had been re-decorated since we last shot a wedding there and it looks great. Elsa and Tim added to the decor with their gorgeous flowers and other special touches.

The party really got started with the speeches. Best-Maid-of-Honor-Ever Judy gave a killer speech and had everyone, including Elsa, in stitches of laughter.

Elsa changed her dress and then she, Tim, and their parents went around and toasted the tables. This is always such fun.

Everyone was in good spirits throughout the night.

Elsa’s dad shares some familial love with Tim’s dad.

The cake cutting followed soon after the last course. Everyone gathered around to get a peak. This young lady snuck her way to the front.

We concluded the evening with the bouquet and garter toss. Elsa threw the bouquet with gusto. Best-MOH-Ever Judy was ready with a baseball glove, but unfortunately she was no match for the basketball star behind her. Sorry, Judy, the pictures don’t lie. (Don’t worry we did get the shot of you touching the ceiling- check out the full set of images.)

All in all, a very awesome day!

Elsa and Tim, thank you so much for choosing us to be a part of your wedding. And thank you to the ladies and gents of your wedding party; they were so much fun and so easy to work with.

Ready for more? Check out their wedding slideshow & gallery plus Elsa and Tim’s engagement session, their sneak preview.

We had been looking forward to Cara and Nate’s wedding for a while. Cara came to us as a referral from Emily and Mark. We always love referrals because it feels like we are working with people we already know really well, almost like family. And then we shot Cara and Nate’s engagement session which was so much fun. Not only were they gorgeous, they were super hardy, braving San Francisco’s worst weather. And they just seemed so right together, amazing chemistry. On top of all that, we were really excited to work at the Sonoma Mission Inn and the Sonoma Golf Club- two of the valley’s most amazing sites.

We started the day at the Sonoma Mission Inn, where Cara was getting ready. I loved the heels on her Jimmy Choo‘s and wanted to create an image that really showed off their sexiness. And boy were these shoes sexy.

Dave had his own way of capturing the Jimmy Choo’s.

We had some extra time before the girls headed off to the Sonoma Golf Club for the ceremony. Bonus time! Perfect for portraits of everyone in their finery.

I am still blown away by how beautiful Cara looked, Grace Kelly beautiful.

While I was with the ladies, Dave grabbed a few of Nate with his entourage.

Cara’s bridesmaids were great. One of them was always around to help when she needed it.

At the golf club, Cara hid away until it was time to walk down the aisle. And she had plenty of company. These girls enjoyed themselves while awaiting the big moment.

Cara’s dad looked so proud and happy as he walked her down the aisle.

Did I mention how gorgeous the day was? We had been really worried because it rained the evening before and the clouds were slow to clear up. We knew Cara and Nate wanted to have their wedding outside and we were hopeful for them. After all, rain in early October is practically unheard of in Northern California. In the afternoon, the skies finally opened up to blue with puffy white clouds.

Just a taste of what’s to come….

With such an amazing day, there are lots more photos so definitely come back for the full scoop.

We just have to give a shout out to some of the people who made the day so perfect-
A HUGE thank you to Emarie of A Savvy Event; she kept everyone on schedule and made sure that all the details fell into place seamlessly.
Another thank you to all the people from the Fairmont who served up the fabulous food.
And of course, so much gratitude to Cara and Nate for including us in your day. We had an amazing time celebrating with you!

If you just can’t wait for more of Cara and Nate, check out their engagement slideshow.

This way to Tim and Elsa’s wedding photos….

We started off Elsa and Tim’s day with each of them getting ready, separately of course. First Dave popped in to see the boys at the hotel. Then we went to the Palmdale Estates, their ceremony site, where Elsa put on her dress. She arrived after coming from the salon and she looked gorgeous. Her cousin did her hair and it was a perfect look for her- soft and flirty and curly. I couldn’t wait to see her complete the picture with her dress. While her bridesmaids buttoned her up, we captured a few of her in the mirror.

Then it was off to the get married. The venue was so picturesque. Elsa and Tim were surrounded by gorgeous trees and flowers as they said their vows.

It gives me goosebumps to see their joy. They were so happy after the wedding ceremony. I love their exuberant smiles.

We took a few portraits at Palmdale Estates. Elsa was surrounded by her best ladies and her new sister.

Then we snuck away with Elsa and Tim to tour the grounds. These two have an absolutely fabulous sense of humor and love to laugh and play together. It was such fun. But it was also great to see their romantic side. Tim is so sweet on Elsa, totally cute.

Following the ceremony, Elsa and Tim went with their family for lunch. We met up with them again for portraits before their Chinese wedding banquet at ABC Seafood Restaurant. The restaurant is across from the Foster City Gazebo and a beautiful park. Here’s a preview of what’s to come….

More images soon. If you just can’t wait, check out their engagement session in San Francisco’s North Beach and Financial District.