Our friends’ Anya and Ilya’s exciting wedding took place at the gorgeous Chateau La Joye in Half Moon Bay. This couple had one of the most original spots for their engagement session in the junkyards of East Palo Alto not long ago, and their wedding day was also nothing short of amazing.

We got pretty lucky with the warm weather as it’s often chilly around these parts. The couple decided not to see each other prior to ceremony and the processional was truly a beautiful moment in time. There were four special people holding the Chuppah for the duration of the ceremony and the emotions ranged from laughter to deeper and more sentimental ones.

The reception was held at the same beautiful venue at an outdoor tent which provided a great ambiance throughout the night. There was a desert buffet, dancing, a singing performance and much fun into the night.

At the end of the night Anya and Ilya got a very special gift from their friends.

Congratulations you guys! We were thrilled to be a part of your day.

Mike and Natasha

The wedding of Julie and Erik took place among friends and relatives in the beautiful lush hills of the Pulgas Water Temple in Redwood City. Their guests had come from near and far with a few people actually driving across the country for this event!

The processional included a baby being pulled in a car-like stroller which made everyone smile and laugh.

Following the ceremony we had a chance to take photos next to a real classic car - Julie’s dad’s Ford.

The entertainment at the reception was elegantly provided by Mike Ewing. There were toasts and memories shared throughout the night!

Julie and Erik were a referral from our past clients Leah and Matt and we’re very thankful for getting to know this awesome couple.

Click here to see their engagement photos.

Mike

Recently we had a chance to photograph a wedding of a wonderful couple whose ceremony took place at the breathtaking Stanford Memorial Church. Lily and Gavin both went to this university and this venue was definitely meaningful.

Lily’s mom’s dedication and help with the wedding day was difficult not to notice. Among everything else, she made both of Lily’s dresses (white as well as the traditional Chinese) and also the beautiful flower arrangements. Both of the families as well as the bridal party were key in orchestrating this great celebration.

The reception took place at the elegant Tai Pan restaurant in Palo Alto. Lily and Gavin met in Yosemite and among the highlights of the evening was a truly unique wedding cake which had trees, bears, squirrels and a waterfall.

Here the bride and groom were playing the game of biting a grape off of a string:

We’re very happy for this awesome couple and hope they’re having a blast on their honeymoon!

Mike and Natasha

A couple of weekends ago we photographed the beautiful wedding of Sveta and Slava. We met this couple through a referral and it turns out that Slava does a bit of professional shooting himself. We are glad to get to know this cool couple much better.

Most of the wedding day, including the ceremony and the reception, took place at Temple Emanu-El. We had a blast working at this venue for our second time in a few months and are really getting to know this spot.

For our photo shoot, we took the bridal party to the Palace of Fine Arts and also to the Hills Bros. historic building on the Embarcadero.

Following the Chuppah ceremony, guests and newlyweds proceeded directly to the reception. The room was exquisitely decorated, a live band provided the music, and a simply fabulous evening was had by all.

Congratulations Sveta and Slava! We’re glad to have shared this evening with you.

Click here to see their engagement photos.

Mike