Ryan and John at Domaine Chandon (second shooting)

My friend Julie, of Julie Weisberg Photography, found herself without a second shooter at the last minute, and I was free and happy to help! We've had a fairly slow Spring, so it was great to simply be at a wedding (I find myself missing them if I haven't been to any in a month or two!) And it was great to work with that "second-shooter" sense of freedom- I just ran around laughing with all the guests, and getting fixated on little specks of pretty light for way too long.

So here's a little handful of some of Verités favorite shots while working for Julie Weisberg a few weeks ago.

And sorry for the overabundance of pictures of John and his mom during the ceremony. Gah- my heart! I couldn't even. 

Venue- Domaine Chandon. Represented by- KVenues. Videographer- Steven Bailey Films. Dessert Table- Honeycomb. 

Sam and Michelle at Redd in Yountville

Ack! It's been so (SO) long since we last blogged. It's embarrassing. We're gonna go ahead and drop this point now and move on to posting pictures again from here on out!

So, Sam and Michelle! These guys had this wonderful little party earlier in the spring to celebrate their marriage. They had actually gotten married a few months prior in Hong Kong where they live, but needed to celebrate with all their American family and friends as well! So they bought out Redd in Yountville (it being the first restaurant Sam worked at after culinary school years ago!) And it was such a lovely, cozy, smiley event. Seriously, these people weren't ever not smiling!

My favorite thing about it (well, aside from the oysters and smiles) was that the guests ranged in age from like two months, to 92, and everyone played with everyone as if they were close peers and best friends. They are a beautiful and tight-knit family. 

And then my other favorite thing was Lance and Tracy (Sam's cousin). We photographed their wedding many years ago, and are the reason we got to come to this one. Seeing couples so many years later is the best. 

Key players:
Venue and Food- Redd. Coordinator- Going Lovely. Jazz trio- Alex Aspinall.

Mark and Robert married at the Exploratorium

This wedding is from way back in September, but these guys are dear friends of mine so they got the special friend treatment (the one where I put them at the bottom of my list and do everyone else's weddings/sessions before theirs. Seriously, there's all sorts of perks to being friends with us!). Anyway, point being, I'm thrilled to finally be sharing it!

Mark was literally one of the very first people I met when we moved to San Francisco over a dozen years ago, and I immediately adored him. He's crazy smart, ridiculously open-minded, patient beyond belief, has a stamp in his passport from like half the countries in the world, and always knows of a new good place to eat. And nothing makes me happier than knowing that Mark now has Robert to share all his thoughts, and travels, and food with! These two, even being as different as they are (and the list of their differences is humorously long) are so incredibly happy together.  As cheesy as it sounds, I honestly can't think of another couple that more perfectly completes each other.

And their wedding was great! They got ready at their respective houses with their parents (I got to witness Mark's mom playing a song for him on the piano, and Maria got to witness Robert's shoe closet!!). Then we headed over to the Exploratorium where we took pictures of them cuddling and laughing, and they greeted friends who had come to be with them from around the world! There was some tearful vows, a liquid nitrogen ice cream bar, and lots of pretty city lights. Near perfect.

Venue- The Exploratorium Catering- DJ-

Ashley and Daniel at Saint Mary's and The Marriott

I always try to buy sparkly stuff for our office and Maria always has to reign me in (apparently sequenced water pitchers, toss pillows, clipboards, and staplers is overdoing it). But luckily for me, there was Ashley and Daniel! They had a shimmery, shiny, sparkly wedding and Ashley did not get reigned in, and it was fabulous!!

But honestly, even if everything hadn't glittered, it would have been a great day. We were especially warmed by some of the moments they had with their parents. Both the Bride/Father and the Groom/Mother dance were filled with tears. But my favorite moment was during the Father of the Groom's speech. Daniel's dad talked about how after Daniel returned from Afganistan, Ashley was the only one who could really reach him to help him truly come back . . . Being part of a military family myself, and having just a tiny understanding of how war changes someone, that sentiment left a decent-sized lump in my throat.

Here's to Ashley and Daniel and everything sparkly and good!

Event Planner/Designer- Sugar Rush Events Church- St. Mary's College Venue- San Ramon Marriott Cake- Studio Cake Florist- Clayton Sonset Flowers And a huge shout out to our assistant Stan who took many of these beautiful images.