Category Archives: Weddings and Engagements

Amy + Greg – Fort Mason Wedding – San Francisco, CA

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There’s something about a big green lawn in front of a body of water. It makes you want to get out the lawn bowling equipment, mix up a mint julep, and just watch the ships go by. They are also good spots for weddings. It just so happened that Greg and Amy mixed the two together, and the end result was a damn good time. The only real variable with any outdoor wedding is the weather. Add to the fact that we are in San Francisco, and things can get dicey at times. Not on this day my friend. We had a picture perfect day with blue skies, green grass, and a bartender who knew how to pour. What follows are some of my favorite from the day. Enjoy!

 

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Marissa + Tom – Half Moon Bay Wedding

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Anytime I can reference a Lord of the Rings quote to someone, anyone, and especially at a wedding, I just know it’s going to be a good day.  I won’t go into details, but it involved a past bride and the fact that I was now Todd the White.  I had flown through space and time, evolved if you will, and she had no power over me.  We all laughed a good laugh, and I went on my merry way taking pictures as I do.

Marissa and Tom’s wedding was blessed with a typical Half Moon Bay day, which is slightly overcast and cool.  A win win for brides in dresses and photographers trying to avoid harsh light.  The Pacific Ocean was also right next door, and that’s a win for everyone involved.  Any day at the beach is a good day, right?  And so it was, on this fantastic beach day that Tom and Marissa merged their two lives and will go forward as one.  I consider myself lucky to witness and photograph such happiness, coupled with the right amount of free spirit and goofiness.  May the good times continue to roll…

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Nicki + Simon – Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in San Jose – The Ranch Reception

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Nicki and Simon were married on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon in San Jose at the Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph. It’s a stunningly beautiful church with lots of natural light and amazing architecture.  Plus, it had a balcony! I love it when churches have balconies, because it gives us photographers another amazing angle to tell the story from.  And although there’s just a few images from above, it helps fill in the story leaps and bounds.  But I digress…!

The morning started off right with champagne for the ladies and Don Julio shots for the boys.  Anything to relieve the nerves.  No matter how many times I see it, the moment never gets old.  Even the most stalwart of brides and grooms eventually have “that” moment when you can tell the emotions and the reality are settling in.  That’s where booze comes in handy! I’ve been known to take a nip myself sometimes 😉 Artistic freedom is my excuse!

I didn’t have anything this fine day, because all the pieces were in place, and Nicki and Simon’s wedding was gorgeous.  Come take a look and see for yourself.

 

 

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See you down the road.

-Todd

 

Annemarie + Eric – Mt. Tamalpais Theater

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I love the weather.  I look at my weather app everyday to see the forecast; to see what’s going on for the next few days.  Since I keep bees now, I am always looking for what’s blooming – a eucalyptus here, some star thistle there, or maybe an acacia bursting with pollen.  I also love outdoor weddings in beautiful settings.  Annemarie and Eric chose to tie the knot atop Mt Tamalpais.  As outdoor weddings go, it doesn’t get much better than this.  That is of course, if it doesn’t rain.  Well, luck was on our side, as the rain preceded all vows and brought a carpet of fresh fecund grass and dappled wildflowers to the hills.  No one could ask for a nicer spring day.  Here are a few of my favorites.

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Raissa + Brian – Marin Headlands Wedding – Mt. Tamalpais Wedding – San Francisco Wedding Photographer

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The door opened at the cafe, and when I looked up from my hot cocoa, we both smiled and let out a quick chuckle. Now, thinking back on the phone call I received from Brian, apologizing that they’d be a bit late for our meeting, of course that’s why his voice was familiar in some distant way. As it was, Brian just happened to once upon a time live one floor above me in the same dorm room some (many) years ago at Cal Poly SLO.  “Out of all the gin joints in all the world…”  But yeah, it is a damn small world.

So the world is small, but it’s also enormous.  It’s full of wild encounters, amazing people, and endless stories.  Today Raissa and Brian wrote their own story, on their terms. They tied their own knot, literally, as a symbol of their bond.  Their wedding ceremony was intimate, love-filled, comedic at times (horse-radish!), and honest.  I am honored to have been a part of it. What follows are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

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Kim + Matt – Bodega Bay – Compass Rose Garden Wedding

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Kim and Matt’s Wedding was everything you’d expect from a day up on the northern coast of California.  A touch of wind, fog moving in, and a slight chill in the air.  It was my first time photographing at the Compass Rose Garden, and I loved it.  No wonder these two fell in love with this place.  Nestled back in among lush green trees with ferns dappling the hillside, it was a photographers best case scenario.  Everything was outstanding this day; The flowers were amazing, food was off the hook, the cheese spread clinched best in class, and some amazing toasts from friends and family were orated with excellence.  I have never seen someone get so emotional about shoes (Katie!).  There was also the wedding dress strap snap heard round the world, a wave at the dinner table, and some general craziness happening on the dance floor.

What follows are some of my favorites.  Hope you enjoy them. 

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Melissa + Scott – Upstate New York – Adirondack Wedding

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Bit of a side story here. I grew up on the east coast until I moved to CA when I was 16 years of age.  Man, what a cultural difference.  Southern California was like a foreign country. The styles, the freeways (The 5, The 405), Hal Fishman reporting what the Hollywood Stars were doing on the local evening news, the way people talked – it was all so different. But now I am one of them, and it’s the east coast (northeast) that is so foreign to me. There’s this immutable intensity that shrouds everyone, and for no particular reason. Maybe it’s the winters and ice and salt coupled with the bitter cold? But the moral is that I miss parts of it.  I miss those lush, fecund, green summers.  I miss rain squalls that brew off in the distance and march unstoppable, bringing a deluge of cascading sheets of rain, whether it’s needed or not. I even miss that intensity, which I rekindled – not on my own terms however – but a 1/2 mile from the car rental kiosk (sorry I missed the turn and stopped short guy.)  Nothing like getting a huge and agro middle finger waved at you for a greeting.  Ah, much as it ever was…  And with that, I give you Scott and Melissa’s Wedding in the Adirondacks.

Melissa and Scott have been together for a long time.  Like a loooooong time.  I didn’t know this until I got out to NY.  I mean, I had chatted with Melissa on the phone about some general details, but we didn’t go into great depth about her and Scott.  So it was a surprise when I kept hearing these repeated phrases as I walked around, sipping on a few beers at the rehearsal, “Yeah, I didn’t know if they’d do it, but here we are.”  And there I was as well, a few thousand miles from home photographing someone’s wedding in upstate NY.  Honestly, sometimes I have to step back and look at the duality of my job.  On one hand, it’s totally rad that I get to travel and photograph a couple’s destination wedding, and on the other hand, it’s absolutely ludicrous!  Either way, I was thrilled to have attended and been allowed the honor to capture Melissa and Scott’s wedding at the gorgeous Burlap and Beams. What follows are some of my favorites.

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Nate + Katie – Tahoe Tree Company Wedding – Lake Tahoe Wedding

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I was fortunate enough to have had back to back Lake Tahoe weddings.  If you’ve never been to Lake Tahoe, don’t bother, it’s horrible.  It sits at over a mile in altitude, cleaning your lungs with every breath as National Forest surrounds everything, anchored by one of the most pristine lakes in the world, flanked on all sides by the Sierra Nevada.  Ack.  Whoa, that just made me want to go back up there!  Nate and Katie’s wedding day was absolutely perfect.  We had great weather, an amazing gathering of family and friends, and a spectacular location.  I can’t say enough about the Tahoe Tree Company’s grounds.  Yes, I love to garden and landscape, and walking around the place, I must say it was one of the nicest nurseries I’ve been to.  And what a great place to host a wedding, right?  Grounds that nurture and coddle young saplings and tender flowers until their all grown up and ready to embark on a life of their own.  Sounds like a perfect metaphor describing two beautiful people starting a new chapter of life.  What follows is one gorgeous day that will be followed by many more to come.

 

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Steve + Abbie – Lake Tahoe Wedding

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When a really good friend comes to the table to cash in his chips, what’s a guy to do but say yes?  Steve and Abbie are dear friends, and I was stoked and honored to have been asked to photograph their Lake Tahoe beach wedding.  A few caveats were laid down if I was going to do this baby pro-bono publico.  I had to enjoy some craft brew made by one of his friends (check)… and I think… that was it.  Wait, does that mean I will work for beer?  Possibly, but if we haven’t known each other for almost 2 decades, it’s not gonna happen.  Holy crap I am getting old!  But what photographer worth his or her salt wouldn’t want to capture a stunning bride in one of the world’s most pristine places.  Steve, you’re not so bad yourself, but that dress Abbie!  I loved it.  The ceremony was short and sweet, with tons of love and energy floating through the air.  What follows is short and sweet as well, but I am sure you’ll enjoy it.  And no brother, you didn’t burn down any bridges; although I may be needing a place to crash when the pow comes 🙂

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Allied Arts Guild Wedding – Gabe + Casey – Menlo Park Wedding

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Owning a VW has it’s advantages.  When you meet another person who can appreciate the Vanagon Westfailia as much as I do (read money pit), you know you’re in good company.  My first meeting with Gabe and Casey was at a cafe in Menlo Park.  They got some soup, I had a mocha.  We spoke of other stuff than wedding talk.  Things like where they were from, how they met, motorcycles, and yes, VW’s.  By the time they returned to the table with their meal, I think it was decided that I was the guy for them.  I can only say I am honored to have been your photographer.  It was such a blast to hang out with your family and friends, see you guys interact and have a great time, all the while capturing some amazing moments.  What follows is a slice of the day… or a tiny baklava bite… your choice.

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