Berkeley Wedding Photographer – Page 2

Berkeley City Club Wedding

Berkeley City Club Wedding – Jenni & Andy

Jenni & Andy were married on a sunny day in late December at the Berkeley City Club, a hidden gem of a wedding venue, right next to the Cal campus. Genius architect, Julia Morgan, was at her finest when she designed this “castle in the city.”

As the sun was setting, wedding guests gathered on a generous balcony. The chuppah holders processed. Jenni and Andy’s puppy was led down the aisle by Jenni’s niece. A pair of friends/co-officiants effortlessly wove diverse rituals into the ceremony. Highlights included: the signing of a gorgeous, colorful ketubah depicting, among other things, the Golden Gate Bridge, and their frolicking puppy; a musical performance with Andy on trombone, a friend on sax, and Jenni, with a chorus of friends, on vocals. They smashed a glass, smooched, and headed into the library for cocktail hour, where a full jazz band serenaded guests.

The vision for the wedding reception was crystal clear: “dinner & a show,” oh, and a hora, of course. (Important life rule, never pass up a chance to dance the hora.) Andy’s parents kicked off the show portion of the evening with a riotous slideshow romp through Jenni & Andy’s childhoods. There were traditional toasts, a family band, experimental music, pop covers, a jazz set with Andy and band. Such a lovely full evening!

Berkeley Hills Engagement Photos

E and B were willing to meet me early in the morning at Wildcat Canyon for a hike and engagement photo session. I think of this as the Berkeley Hills, even though it’s a teensy bit North of Berkeley. This set is a sunrise engagement session! My absolute favorite. We met early in the morning, and used the delicious soft light coming through the grass, rolling over the hills, emanating from the city below, for our glory. While sunset engagement sessions are also lovely and ubiquitous, they generally involve lots of other people in the scene to avoid. We had a particularly quiet morning, and for much of our hike, there was nobody else in eyesight. The part of the hike up on the ridge line next to the forest was special, lush and new. It was January here in the Bay Area, the rainy season, but we got lucky and had a clear, sunny morning. The rain brought out the green grass and the mushrooms.

The Hideout at Kirkwood Wedding – Lake Tahoe, California

The Hideout at Kirkwood Wedding – Lake Tahoe, California – Allie & Dave

Allie and Dave held their wedding at The Hideout at Kirkwood near Lake Tahoe up in the Sierra Mountains. It was a very bright and sunny day, and it cooled down pleasantly when the sun went down. The approach to the Hideout is majestic, miles down a winding dirt road, a clearing opens with a lake and a lodge in the distance. This place feels both tucked away and expansive. Don’t miss the night photos that show the natural beauty of the setting.

Allie and Dave have particularly complimentary personalities. There was this one moment where, as part of his vows, Dave painted a picture of the moment he was given entry to Allie’s relaxed side. All the sudden he broke into a lively dance. Allie’s wedding dress was adorned with the most gorgeous intricate beadwork. She wore her hair in wrapped loose braids, which complimented the dress perfectly. Allie’s mother and sister were exceptionally sweet as they helped her into her dress.

All of the vendors Allie and Dave brought in were lovely, and worked together well. This totally makes sense, because Allie and Dave are genuine, warm people. I was particularly appreciative of Shannon of J Jasper Events who helped us to make time for a couple sunset photos, which are some of my favorite from the day.

Venue : The Hideout at Kirkwood
Wedding attire : Dress: Anna Campbell Suit: J. Crew
Florist : Kathy’s Wedding Flowers
Wedding planner : Shannon Boling of J Jasper Events
Hair : Salon Be (Tahoe)
Makeup : Salon Be (Tahoe)
DJ : Quantum Party Productions
Catering : Mother Lode Market & Deli
Invitations : Minted

Reconstructionist Jewish Wedding – Commander’s Mansion

Reconstructionist Jewish Wedding – Commander’s Mansion – Alex & Adam

Alex and Adam held their wedding on a pleasant cloudy June day at the Commander’s Mansion in Watertown, Massachusetts. The Commanders Mansion is a stately old building dating back to 1865. The history of the building is not without minor controversy, and is certainly worth a read. Take a look at that light filtering in through the old glass windows, that, my friend, is a photographer’s dream. The ketubah signing, in particular, shows off the charm of the building.

Rabbi Alex Weissman and Rabbi Adam Lavitt are both, well, rabbis, so, as you can imagine, the day’s ceremonial bits were very well orchestrated. This was to be expected, but still, the eloquent and heartfelt words of their friends and family during their tisches, and Rabbi Jacob Staub‘s words as he officiated under the chuppah, were overwhelmingly moving.

What I couldn’t have seen coming, was that Adam and Alex would be so delightfully, infectiously, playful. This made our portrait session a total pleasure. The duality of attending to the spiritual realm with intelligence and intention, while holding deep reserves of playfulness, was brought to light metaphorically in their dress. Both wore a harmonious and subtle blazer-shirt-tie-pocket square combo, that matched their boutonnières to a T, but down below, they wore silver and gold Chuck Taylors!

One of my favorite moments of the day happened during a toast Alex’s mother gave. She quoted at length from a beautiful poem, and not until she was through, did she reveal that she was quoting Rabbi Adam Lavitt, her new son in law. I leave you with the poem:

Ma’ariv

By Rabbi Adam Lavitt

This is balance:

The world is entirely consumed by darkness,

then brimming with light.

The seasons approach one after the other,

bring unbearable heat, bitter cold and everything

in between. Joy fades. Loss

makes space for growth and new life.

Balance is not a perfect blend

of extremes. It is something that takes place

inside a larger system. It is a perspective,

an awareness that makes space for us

to fully experience winter and then spring,

light and then darkness.

Darkness and then light.

Life of all Worlds, thank you

for giving us the strength

to allow our world, our heart,

to be big enough for it all.

Venue : Comander’s Mansion

Catering: Cuisine ChezVous

Officiant : Jacob Staub

Florals : Celebrated Flower

DJ : DJ Red Dawn

East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden Wedding Berkeley CA

East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden Wedding Berkeley, CA

Eli and Tobie were married in a shady grove of towering redwood trees in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Berkeley, California. They are both super charismatic, and they were great in front of the camera. When the connection between a couple is electric, like it is between Eli and Tobie, my job is easy.

Yes, Eli and Tobie’s wedding was overflowing with glorious colorful outfits, but Tobie’s pants — come on! They brought a burst of color to every image he was in. Tobie’s parents constructed a freestanding chuppah that looked like an erector set in the best possible way. There is one image of Tobie’s dad seeming to summon the chuppah from the earth. Poems were read, songs were sung, Eli’s family staged a production of the Owl and the Pussycat, replete with costumes and props. Eli is a talented musician, namely a singer songwriter. Throughout the ceremony and toasts, there were references to songs Eli had written, including a love song he wrote when he was first falling in love with Tobie. At the reception, guests were served the fanciest, most delicious, vegan barbecue you might ever encounter, especially that chimichurri sauce, yum! It was a typical Bay Area day, sunny and hot in the middle, cloudy and windy in the afternoon. I loved how one couple grabbed their travel quilt and got cozy.

Vegan Catering by It’s From the Garden