On the last day of June we shot yet another amazing wedding in San Francisco.

We met up with Mimi and Tim downtown at the famous Sir Francis Drake Hotel. Mimi was finishing her preparations while Tim was making sure that everything is perfect and ready for the reception.

This couple chose the Old Saint Mary’s Cathedral for their ceremony. To get there from the hotel they hired a cable car trolley that took both the guests and bridal party. Being on the trolley along with all the girls was soo much fun! The trolley was slowly making it’s way through the crowded streets of downtown SF while the girls were loudly singing the “Chapel of Love”. Passersby on the streets were also singing and cheering along!

Goin’ to the chapel and we’re…
Gonna get married.
Goin’ to the chapel and we’re…
Gonna get married.

The lengthy ceremony at this Cathedral was beautiful and the couple’s moving vows seemed to touch everyone there.

Back at the hotel we stole our couple from their lively guests for a few minutes to create some casual portraits. Mimi and Tim’s spirits were high and they were ready for anything! Sir Francis Drake visitors had a unique opportunity to see a bride and groom on the floor of the hotel in their full wedding attire.

The reception was filled with absolutely hilarious toasts, meaningful speeches, and even a poem. There were contests and plenty of great food and dancing to end the night.

Thanks so much for sharing your day with us, Mimi and Tim! We wish you two all the best.

Mimi and Tim’s E-Session photos

Natasha

We had an awesome time at Rancho San Antonio last Friday shooting engagement photos of Julie and Erik. This nature preserve is absolutely beautiful and peaceful. We’ve hiked this park many times and our first shoot here was a blast!

There was a lot of laughing and Julie and Erik seemed very comfortable and relaxed. We even had a fun little adventure when Natasha scared off a bobcat hiding just off trail.

We met this couple through past clients whose wedding took place just this May. Thank you Leah and Matt for such a wonderful compliment!

We are thrilled to be shooting Julie and Erik’s big day this coming August!

Mike

It’s not often that Natasha and I see a concert so when we do it’s always a special occasion. Part of it is that we’re not usually free on the weekends and the other part is that we’re really picky!

Last Wednesday we got to see the amazing acoustic duo of Rodrigo Y Gabriela. It was my second time checking them out and it was both of our first time at the Mountain Winery. And wow, what a place for a show. Just when you think you’ve reached it on the windy Saratoga mountain road, you end up going through the gate all the way to the top of the hill! The view from there was spectacular - you could almost see the entire Bay Area.

We were joined by a couple of our friends and it was definitely a night to remember. I would describe the music of this band as “metal inspired flamenco guitar” :) It was just the two of them getting carried away by the rhythms and solos of their own flavor, with no voice or accompaniment of any kind.

Rodrigo and Gabriela came from Mexico to live in Ireland about 8 years ago. They played on the streets to make a living and now their talents are appreciated by fans worldwide. What a story of hard-earned success!

No cameras were allowed at the Mountain Winery, however, when I saw them play in SF the first time I had a chance to take photos right next the stage. Their show in SF was at a small bar and now they’re on to playing much bigger venues.

This video was part of the reason to their success:

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=LU68qT4T1bE]

Here are a few shots I took at their show in SF:

More Rod and Gab here: www.rodgab.com Hope you dig them too!

Mike

We had a wedding at the most amazing Jewish Temple last Saturday. Vera and Alex tied the knot at the Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco. The bride was visibly nervous with anticipation while the groom was doing his best to stay calm.

We just had to make use of this unusual door as a background for our beautiful bride:

A few moments before the ceremony:

The balcony at the back of the Temple allowed for this illustrative shot. The grandioseness of the setting made the intimate ceremony even more touching.

The reception had toasts, laughing, much dancing and even a few singing performances!

At every wedding we try to get creative with our shots of the rings, this car and the happy campers in it were just asking to be crowned :)

Congratulations guys!! Thank you for sharing these wonderful moments.

Mike