san francisco documentary wedding photographer

2025 Weddings Year-in-Review

Each year of my career has its own rhythm, its own texture. Patterns emerge. 2025 was a year of return, and return again. 2025 also marked an explosion for my wedding work on film. I made images on a Rolleiflex 6×6 and a Pentax 645. I shot Portra and Gold, E100 and Tmax, Tri-x and Ektar. What a dream! This was a return in its own way… as I had brought my Hasselblad along to the first couple weddings I photographed 15 years ago! (Special shoutout to my lab, Royal We in West Oakland. So friendly, hard working, and consistent)

2025 was bookended by weddings at the Brazilian Room with an early start to the season on a sunny January day.

Mid-January through mid-February is a special time in our household. We take down the christmas lights and hang strings of colorful pennants as part of celebrating our kids birthdays (2 & 5.)

In February my brother and I took our father to Sicily for the first time in his life. His paternal grandpa had immigrated from Sicily to New York City around the turn of the century. This was my first trip to Italy, and I adored much about it, though I would avoid driving against rush hour traffic in Palermo next time. Eternal thanks to my wife for holding down the fort while I cavorted.

I started the spring by hopping back and forth across the Golden Gate Bridge: March in the Presidio, April at Cavallo Point, April in the Presidio, May at Cavallo Point.

The rest of the play-by-play from all 12 months of patterns and returns follows after the photos. (with shoutouts to co-conspirators)

The March wedding in the Presidio was my first Persian/Jewish hybrid with a Chuppah/Sofreh mashup. One of the pleasures of my job over the years is bearing witness to the creative melding and reinvention of wedding traditions.

Both weddings at Cavallo Point were graced with an exquisite field of California poppies.

In March I had my first newborn session that included film… the slow pace of photographing a newborn and their family is suited to the slow pace of shooting film. I think I liked that experience… as I followed that session with three more newborn sessions over the year including one for my brother, his wife, and my brand new niece!

The spring also held a handful of elopements at San Francisco City Hall. A space of many returns, of all the returns, and still stunning 7 years after my first elopement amongst the marble and lofted ceilinga, intricate moldings, and civic hubub.

In May I was invited out to Stinson Beach to document a wedding ceremony with the Bolinas Lagoon as a backdrop, followed by a reception at the Stinson Beach Community Center with the best wedding band I’ve ever had the pleasure of dancing to.

At the end of May I photographed my first wedding at Urban Adamah… this was by far my shortest commute! Ten minutes drive (no freeways.)

June was my busiest month of returns, with weddings in The Sacramento Valley, Glen Ellen, The Santa Cruz Mountains, and Sonoma.

I ate fresh figs straight from the trees. I was wowed by magicians. I hiked through redwood wonderlands. I slurped oysters. And I cackled with clients who felt like old friends.

At a wedding in June the power went out for a few hours right as guests were arriving at the venue. The whole vendor team leapt into action to problem solve/pivot… I remember popping my head into the kitchen at one point to see how the caterers were faring. They had a worksite light set up, and they were plowing away. I was struck both by how beautifully the catering team rallied, and by how their hard work and ingenuity was hidden away in the back house undetected by the wedding guests.

In July I returned to Urban Adamah for a particularly energetic Jewish wedding.

Later in July I was treated to an elegant Mandap dripping with marigolds nestled high on a rooftop in San Francisco.

In August my family explored Hawaii’s Big Island. Our five-year-old swam after a juvenile sea turtle. I told him not to touch it. He definitely succeeded in touching the turtle’s shell. It was the strongest, most independent swimming he had done in his life. I felt big pride even as he ignored my warning.

In late August I returned to Whispertree up near Boonville. Last I had been at the property, it was called Bell Valley Retreat, and it was drenched in rain. This time it was sunny and glistened with golden grasses. This time I also learned Boonville has its own local language.

September began with a return to Barndiva for a delightfully casual garden party reception for a San Francisco City Hall wedding I had photographed back in the spring.

September continued with a new vineyard venue near Santa Rosa and one of the most memorable meals I’ve eaten at a wedding. Something about breaking bread with the venue owner, the head caterer etc. at a round table in a meadow overlooking vineyards felt cinematic.

In late September I returned to a family property in Aptos. I had photographed the brother’s wedding at the property in the fall of 2020. In 2025 it was the sister’s turn to be wed. Returning felt both familiar and completely new. The day overflowed with children – their many nieces and nephews adding joyful chaos from every corner. My job affords me intimate peeks into multigenerational families. Often I find inspiration for my own family.

October began with a return to Slide Ranch for a colorful celebration by the sparkling Pacific Ocean for an intercontinental love story. This time it was so sunny! My previous visits had been characterized by the drama of a shifting marine layer. The groom’s mom insisted on dancing with me, which I took as an honor.

And finally the bookending with a return to the Brazilian Room and an afterparty at the New Parkway Theater.

Some of the collaborators and venues:
Events by GS / Riley Loves Lulu / Goodstock Productions / Small Blue Planet / Dream a Little Dream Events / Jacinda Weddings / Something Blue Productitons / Weddings by Aimée / Sachi & Maja / Kendall Melissa Events / AWE Planner / Sarah Elizabeth Events / Ybarra Events / Barndiva / San Francisco City Hall / Park Winters / Beltane Ranch / Cavallo Point / Nestldown / The Pearl / Slide Ranch / Whispertree / Vine Hill House / Deer Park Villa / Brazilian Room / Stinson Beach Community Center / Cornerstone Sonoma / Presidio Log Cabin / Dart Collective Family Band / Golden Bell Music / Last Wave Productions / Heart of Gold DJs / Lucky Devils Band

North Beach Engagement Session

I met Austin and Tom on a gorgeous March afternoon in San Francisco’s North Beach, connected through Taylor Rae Weddings. The city felt alive that day—warm sunlight spilling over the pastel façades, the faint smell of espresso drifting from corner cafés, the clang of a distant cable car echoing down the hill.

We wandered through the neighborhood together, taking photos as they moved easily through the streets—kissing at crosswalks, crossing hand in hand, wandering alleys, and sitting on low stone walls where the breeze from the bay carried a hint of salt. From the hilltops, the skyline shimmered against a perfect blue sky, and for a moment, everything felt suspended in that soft, golden light.

Their warmth, laughter, and quiet affection made every frame feel like a small story of its own. They wed in June at the lovely Straus Home Ranch.

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.