Photography – Hazel Photo Weddings

Ring Mountain Preserve Engagement Session

The plan was to meet Elizabeth, James, and their dog, Herbie, at Ocean Beach. But as I drove over the Bay Bridge into the city… the sky at the western edge of the city was blanketed in fog — not the magical kind that rolls in softly, but the kind that feels heavy, gray, and wet.

When Elizabeth and James arrived I said, “We can stay here, or we can chase the sunlight.” I checked the fog map and found a nice pocket of sun to North. Within minutes we were driving over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Our search led us to Ring Mountain Preserve, where we were greeted with wide open hills of golden grass, blue skies, and the kind of light that makes everything feel like cinema. Herbie ran through the grass while Elizabeth and James took in the views of the Bay. What started as a foggy afternoon turned into one of those evenings where the air glows and the sky never quite wants to darken.

Sometimes the best photos happen when plans shift — when you follow the light instead of the plan.

Pride Month Finale: A Wedding at Cornerstone Gardens, Sonoma

Marina and Audrey were married on the last day of Pride Month, surrounded by family, friends, and the best evening light. Their celebration was a joyful mix of laid-back energy, meaningful traditions, and thoughtful details that reflected their love story.

The day began at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn with two familiar faces—Baby and Archie, their dogs, who I’d first met in the redwoods during their engagement session. In the hotel room we had an impromptu, sweet, and low-stress session with the pups, a delightful way to include them in the day without the added complication of bringing them to the ceremony. From there, Marina finished getting ready at the Fairmont, which has no shortage of beautiful corners for portraits, while Audrey headed over to Cornerstone.

The ceremony at Cornerstone was officiated by a close friend, which made everything feel intimate and connected. At one point, Audrey’s best woman dropped the rings into the grass—a small mishap that had everyone laughing before the vows continued. We wandered through the sculpture garden for portraits, finding playful ways to work with the art scattered across the property.

I always love being introduced to traditions I haven’t seen before. On the card table sat a pair of wooden wedding ducks, a Korean custom symbolizing peace, family, and fidelity. It was a quiet but deeply meaningful detail that tied seamlessly into the flow of the day.

The florals carried so much personality. Tiger lilies paired with citrus—lemons, limes, and grapefruit—created a palette both soft and bright, perfectly complementing the multicolored wedding party dresses.

Even cocktails told their story. Guests sipped on the Archibald—bourbon, Aperol, amaro, and lemon—and the Baby Dog—gin, lemon, simple syrup, sparkling wine, and a lemon twist—named after Marina and Audrey’s dogs, also featured on the custom napkins. Cornerstone’s range of cuisine offerings was on full display, from the prosciutto and melon bites to pork belly gua bao, and later in the night, truffle fries to keep the dance floor fueled. After dinner, Audrey’s sisters gave a toast that had the entire tent laughing and crying in equal measure, I love all of the images of guests in various states of crying sad and happy tears.

As the sun set, golden hour light poured in. While no one can control the weather, this perfect timing was all thanks to the excellent planning and coordination of Luciana and Masumi from Events by GS. We slipped into the vineyards and gardens for portraits, and later, outside the reception hall, fire pits and Adirondack chairs offered a quieter space to rest under the moonlight. Inside, on the dance floor, just as the party reached its peak, a rainbow banner unfurled behind the DJ reading: It’s Pride, Honey—the perfect punctuation for the final weekend of Pride Month. One of my favorite frames from the night is of two lovers by the fire, the moon hanging above—a peaceful counterpoint to the high-energy celebration inside the tent.

What stays with me most from Marina and Audrey’s wedding is the balance of fun and ease. There was laughter when the rings went missing, tears during toasts, joy when the rainbow banner dropped, and quiet contentment by the fire at the end of the night. With Luciana and Masumi guiding everything so smoothly, Marina and Audrey were free to simply be present—and that’s what made their day feel so full of life.

Many thanks to the Vendors that made this all possible:
Wedding Planner & Invitations: Events by GS (Luciana and Masumi Guerrero-Shibatsuji)
Photography: Hazel Photo
Wedding attire: Thuy Custom Clothiers
Florist: Empress Floral
Hair and Makeup: Whimsy Bridal (Katie Donaghy)
Tunes: DJ Christie Heart of Gold DJs
Videographer: Ian Chin Photography
Cake: Flour & Bloom Cakes
Venue and Catering: Cornerstone Gardens
Officiant: Elana Kessler (friend)

Lodge at Marconi Wedding

As is common in this industry, when I first met Stu and Olivia, they were total strangers… That all changed in a hurry when I floated the idea of an experimental 24 hour engagement session during a call. They were game, and I was bothe delighted and surprised. By the time the wedding rolled around, I’d already seen them at sunrise, at sunset, at sunrise again, and in just about every mood in between. It made meeting their parents, siblings, and friends on the wedding day feel surprisingly intimate—as intimate as spending 24 hours straight with strangers allows.

This was my first wedding at the Lodge at Marconi, though I’d wandered its trails years ago when it was still a conference center. The place has a fascinating history: originally built in 1914 as a radio receiving station by Guglielmo Marconi—yes, that Marconi, the electrical engineer and inventor often credited as the father of radio. Over the decades, the property morphed through many lives, from an infamous “alternative lifestyle community” in the 1960s to a retreat center for nonprofits and companies. These days, it’s a smartly renovated resort tucked into the hills of Tomales Bay, just an hour from San Francisco. The lodge sports old radio equipment sprinkled across the grounds, a quiet nod to its origin story.

The wedding day began with Olivia getting ready in one of the conference rooms. Her gown featured a removable train—ingenious, since it made bustling a breeze/non-issue later in the night. During getting ready Olivia surprised Stu with a thoughtful gift. We had our first look on top of the hill above the lodge, the wind catching the train in a way that begged for slow-shutter photographs to show the movement.

From the ceremony site at the very top of the hill, you get wide-open views of rolling hills and Tomales Bay. A sweet breeze kept the air moving, making the ceremony feel alive. A friend officiated in a bold floral dress, adding a pop of color to an otherwise minimal floral setup. Stu’s mom illustrated a map of the venue which assisted guests in navigating their way around the property.

Coktail hour started with a bang, when Stu surprised Olivia with a serenade backed by an a cappella group composed of friends. She was visibly floored. During cocktail hour, Olivia and Stu displayed photographs from our marathon engagement session, and I overheard guests pointing them out with equal parts admiration and disbelief.

The light only got better as the evening went on—golden hour wrapping the hills in soft warm light.

Olivia’s sister gave a toast that was rollicking deadpan funny without being exaggerated, the sort of speech you wish you could bottle.

Olivia and Stu first met in grad school during the early days of COVID, seeing each other for the first time over Zoom. The isolation and quietude of their initial “meet-cute,” gave the dance floor a special kind of righteous, earned energy.

Throughout the day teir families radiated joy and gratitude, a wholesomeness you could feel in every interaction.

The Lodge at Marconi’s history as a 1914 radio station made it a distinctive setting—surrounded by rolling hills, Tomales Bay, and the sharp, shifting light of West Marin- its certainly a wedding venue that lingers in your memory.

Venue: The Lodge at Marconi
Planner: TLC Event Coordination
Photographer: Hazel Photo Weddings
Rentals: Encore Event Rentals
Florist: Poppy Flower Co
Catering: Perkins Catering Co.
Bakery: Whole Foods
DJ: Heart of Gold DJs
Hair and Makeup: Dream Catcher Artistry
Officiant: Charlotte Harris

Lake Merritt Engagement Session

For Sasha and Tobias’ engagement session we started the evening at Bar Cesar, a spot central to their early relationship. The familiar corners made a sweet backdrop for the beginning of this session. From there, we headed back to their place near Lake Merritt for an outfit change and some photos around their home. As the sun began to set, we strolled together toward the lake, catching that golden light that turns everything soft.

Sometimes an engagement session doesn’t need a sweeping landscape or a meticulously planned itinerary. It can be as simple as tagging along on a date night to meaningful places for the couple. The magic of being together somewhere you love—your favorite bar, a plant you pass every evening on your walks, the bench at the park where you meet after work—can be all it takes to create portraits that feel like you.

With these two, it was exactly that. Just them, moving through familiar spaces, laughing in the same places they’ve shared countless small moments before. And as the sun set over Lake Merritt, it felt like the perfect reflection of their story—calm, glowing, and deeply connected.

Check out how they incorporated nods to their Oakland home on their wedding day at The Haven at Tomales – here.

The Haven at Tomales: A Wedding In The Round

Early September at The Haven at Tomales is golden — literally. The hills roll out in every direction, sun-bleached and open, with almost no other buildings in sight. The property feels quietly removed from the rest of the world, a rare kind of seclusion that made Sasha and Tobias’s wedding feel both expansive and deeply personal.

That spaciousness set the tone for the day. Instead of a traditional wedding party, Sasha and Tobias got ready with a small group of close friends. The mood was relaxed and easy — no timeline panic, just real joy and calm before everything began. It was a thoughtful, low-pressure way to handle things without the structure of a wedding party, and it made space for genuine moments. Their group portraits reflected that: casual, colorful, and full of the kind of laughter that happens when you’re surrounded by people who know you well.

Sasha and Tobias saw each other for the first time on their wedding day down the road at Elephant Rock. It was a windy, magical, sweet moment between the two of them. The wonderful rock formations lent a whimsy to their portraits, and the view of the mouth of Tomales Bay added grandeur.

The couple envisioned their ceremony “in the round,” with guests seated in four curved sections surrounding them — an inspired idea brought beautifully to life by wedding planner extraordinaire, Nicole Taylor. This layout created an intimate atmosphere where everyone felt connected and close. A single eucalyptus tree marked the entrance to the processional.

The processional was made up of family. A close family friend officiated in a flowing pink gown that glowed against the yellow grasses. Sasha made her entrance in a minimalist, strapless gown — a clean silhouette that left room for her striking gold monstera-leaf earrings to shine. They caught the light every time she turned her head and paired effortlessly with her legendary warm smile.

After the ceremony, Sasha and Tobias recessed together through the fields as guests tossed dried lavender into the air. Then came one of the day’s quiet highlights: a slow, beautiful walk up the hill to the reception barn. The lines of guests moving through the landscape — their colorful clothes against the golden grass — created a scene that felt cinematic and completely grounded in the place.

The reception was held in the barn, where the late-afternoon light cast angular shadows across the walls and tabletops. Golden hour came right on time — the sun popped over the ridge and lit the fields once more, turning everything warm and honey-colored.

Sasha and Tobias brought pieces of their life in Oakland into the celebration: beer from Ghost Town Brewing, a live set by their favorite Bay Area musician, La Doña, and dramatic florals that included monstera, alstroemeria, and dahlia. Their sense of humor showed up too — they handed their planner a bag and said, “Here’s a bag of 100 sheep. Do with them what you will.” The result? Tiny sheep scattered throughout the reception space, like an impromptu game of Where’s Waldo.

It was the kind of day that felt both effortless and full of meaning — shaped by the landscape, the light, and the people Sasha and Tobias love most.

Planning and Design: Nicole Taylor Events
Photography: Hazel Photo
Venue: The Haven at Tomales
Catering: Sage Catering
Florals: Golden Fields Floristry
Band: La Doña
DJ: Dart Collective
Lighting: Got Light
Rentals: Standard Event Rentals, Bright Event Rentals
Beauty: Ritual Salons

Reasons to Hire a Film Wedding Photograper

What Is Hybrid Digital / Film Wedding Photography?

It’s simply the idea of a wedding photographer mixing analogue film with digital photography on a wedding day.

But why use any film at all when digital cameras are so incredibly capable? The digital format is malleable to an absurd degree. The data captured by a modern full-frame sensor is monstrous. You can do anything with it—add sprocket frames, light leaks, dust specks, simulate expired film stock, all in post-production.

But just because you can do all those things, doesn’t mean you should. Which light leak? Which dust speck? Which faux film grain and why? The choices are endless. It can be unmooring. And in the end, the thing that is so heart-stoppingly beautiful about your own wedding photos is that they are a true document of the people you love the most in the world, and their convergence to celebrate the formation of your new family.

My digital cameras can fire off 20 frames per second. A wedding day might last nine hours.
Nine hours × 60 minutes × 60 seconds × 20 frames = 648,000 potential images.
Yes, it’s an exaggeration—but the point stands. The sheer volume of data is overwhelming. Choosing between all those moments—big and small, sweeping and intimate—is a responsibility. Decision fatigue is real, especially in our data-saturated era.

At once, film changes the paradigm. It slows everything down: the focusing, the composing, the timing of the shutter press, the winding of the film, the reloading of the roll. Each photograph develops a striking gravity as a result of the time and space that fills in all around it. A film photograph is afforded the room to breathe. It demands to be embraced just as it is, gorgeous imperfections and all.

This isn’t to celebrate missed focus or camera shake per se, a photograph can be authentic without those particular imperfections. The chemical reaction, the baked-in color science of each film stock, the unpredictable magic of light playing over photosensitive emulsion—it’s all so much more forgivable. So much more lovable.

Digital photography cannot afford that luxury. A digital photograph is always the result of a series of decisions. And because of digital photography’s deep malleability—its uncanny ability to see in the dark, to be anything you want it to be—its mistakes can feel unforgivable.

The problem with digital photography is that its perfection is often too perfect.

And yet, there are very real limits to what can be achieved with analogue film photography. Film is in love with light. It’s like bougainvillea craning its neck towards the sun. Stuck in a dark place, it wilts, it loses all color and fidelity. Digital is agnostic when it comes to the sun. Digital can find happiness in the nooks and crannies of a restaurant, under bistro lights, even with just moonlight as a companion.

Digital is a gossip. It immediately tells you when you have burned the highlights. Even before you press the shutter, an onlooker may gasp at what they see on the rear screen of your camera. This immediate feedback can lead to some show-stopping files. This feedback is wildly advantageous for flash photography.

Flash, which is necessary at the great majority of wedding receptions, is at least 20 times easier to master in digital photography as a result of the instant feedback on the camera’s rear screen. I do not recommend hiring an all film photographer for a wedding that includes many hours of nighttime reception. There might be film wedding photographers who are masters of flash, but they are rarer than a lizard reciting Neruda.

The lightning speed of contemporary autofocus and FPS (frames per second) from a digital camera body can make capturing action delightfully easy. Children are particularly tricky to photograph on film. I know from deep experience with my own children. They move quickly and with remarkable unpredictability and thus, you need at least one or two phds to fully master manual focus while photographing children. Often it is exactly the speed of digital photography that allows me to react quickly enough to tell the myriad small and lovely stories that unfold on a wedding day.

Which of my clients respond to my analogue film work and why?

Some of my clients are avid film photographers themselves. They love documenting their daily life with a point and shoot, and then delight at reliving their days months later when they process the film. Some of my clients are serious about using a large format camera to precisely photograph architecture. To them, it feels natural and meaningful to have a professional photographer use film to document their wedding.

Some of my clients know very little about analogue film cameras, and haven’t used a film camera, but they understand the appeal. It feels like an entry into an appealing world that they are beginning to understand little by little. Maybe they have an Instax, and they love the chemical nature of photographing a friend’s birthday, and the late-night hijinks that follow.

Others are drawn to film for its emotional resonance. They aren’t interested in technical specs, but they respond instinctively to the look and feel. They can’t always put it into words, but something about the softness, the grain, the imperfect magic of film makes them feel something they don’t get from digital. It reminds them of old family photo albums, or the grainy candids of their parents’ wedding. It’s not nostalgia exactly—it’s texture. Soul.

Then there are the aesthetes. These are the clients who treat their wedding as an opportunity to make something beautiful—deeply, personally beautiful. They appreciate the way different film stocks respond to color and light, even if they don’t know the names of those stocks. They recognize when something looks elevated, painterly, cinematic. They care about detail. They choose handmade paper for their invitations. They select flowers for their shape and tone. For them, film is another way to build intentionality into the day.

Finally, some clients are simply romantics. They believe in slowing down. They write love letters. They collect records. They like the idea that film can’t be checked on the back of a camera—that it asks you to trust the moment, to move forward without seeing the result. When they see a medium-format portrait of themselves, composed and luminous, it feels like seeing their love through a different lens—one that says: this mattered.

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