June 2020

Lovers Point wedding photo with a bride and groom holding each other with their reflection in the water and a blue sky

Lovers Point Park Wedding – Melinda and Vern

Wedding

Melinda and Vern’s outdoor Lovers Point Park wedding in Pacific Grove included their 6 combined children acting as bridesmaids and groomsmen, and niece and granddaughter serving as flower girls. Melinda and Vern were all smiles on this special family affair and along with about 100 of their closest friends and family were blessed with an unexpectedly sunny day after a strong storm swept the Bay Area the day before. Lovers Point Park was the perfect setting for their wedding ceremony allowing a scenic view of the ocean, and the clear skies served as a clean backdrop for their family and couples portraits, with the seagulls helping to add an authentic seaside feel to their images. Though I was only with them for a couple of hours, this wedding might be one of my more memorable events with the family involvement in the wedding, beautiful location and weather, and overall emotions captured. It just goes to show that beautiful moments happen all the time, and it is an honor to witness and capture them for my Couples. This Lovers Point Park wedding is a great example of an outdoor wedding ceremony and I highly recommend it for your small elopement as well! If considering having your wedding, big or small, check out these San Francisco wedding venues. Interested In More Information? Please Fill Out the Form Below! 415 756 9335  ianchinphotography@gmail.com

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Stanford Memorial Church + Palo Alto Hills Country Club Wedding – Justin and Natalie

Wedding / ,

Stanford Memorial Church + Palo Alto Hills Country Club Wedding – Justin and Natalie Justin and Natalie began their Stanford Memorial Church and Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club wedding day at Stanford Memorial Church, having their religious ceremony before their larger reception. They chose September 8th, 2018 for its numerical significance in Chinese culture but having a wedding day that was very much untraditional. A first for me and a memorable part of this union was the fact that the entire bridal party, which consisted of Natalie’s cousins, all wore white dresses, foregoing  the traditional “rule” that the Bride should be the only one wearing white. Further breaking the traditional trend, the entire wedding party joined the Bride and Groom with matching casual footwear – Chuck Taylor All-Stars! I love it when Couples do things their way and don’t do thing simply because it is expected – that’s what makes them…them, after all! 🙂 Referring to their first date, Justin and Natalie provided Teaspoon boba drinks to welcome their guests upon arrival to the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club for their wedding reception, as well as using Sugarfina gummy candy for table arrangements and favors. Boba and gummy candy – these were some lucky guests! And I was able to bring some gummy home too for what might be the best gummy bears I’ve ever had!  Tying into the theme of uniqueness it seems, Justin’s best man, Walter, ended the dinner reception by providing a speech and a gift to the guests as he surprised everyone with a gift card to Chick-Fil-A taped under everyone’s chair, referencing Justin’s love for the fast food chain. He tied in the fact that it is often difficult for the Couple to eat during their own wedding, so he even presented the Bride and Groom their own Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, which they happily combined with their post dinner snack of tacos later in the evening.  It was the perfect night for this awesome laid back Couple and I was so honored to share in their special day! From the untraditional wardrobe to the hilarious speeches and moments throughout the evening, I was constantly presented with unique moments to photograph and loved every part of it. I was as excited going over these images as I was eating the gummy bears (and that is saying a lot!) If you are interested in learning more about a Stanford Memorial Church and Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club wedding, check out this walkthrough I wrote on the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club with more information! Interested In More Information? Please Fill Out the Form Below! 415 756 9335  ianchinphotography@gmail.com 762 10th Ave San Francisco, CA 94118

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mountain terrace

The Mountain Terrace Wedding – Scarlett and Stephen​

Wedding / ,

The Mountain Terrace Wedding – Scarlett and Stephen Steven and Scarlett’s Mountain Terrace wedding was held outdoors on a sunny fall afternoon in November, coming all the way from Hong Kong for their destination wedding in San Francisco. Scarlett loved the scenic backdrop of trees at the Mountain Terrace, a site rarely seen in Hong Kong, and Stephen was raised in the Bay Area, so it made sense for them to hold their wedding at this gorgeous venue. With friends and family flying in from all over the world, including a Couple whose wedding I photographed a few years ago (Kate and Ben wedding), they rented out a large Airbnb to get ready nearby and to hold their customary Chinese wedding games, which included a dance routine by the guys, as well as guessing Scarlett’s lips through a lipstick stained paper towel. After a goofy and laid-back morning at the house they set out for the venue to sneak in some couples portraits before the ceremony since they skipped taking engagement photos and wanted to focus on the natural beauty at the wedding venue. Knowing Scarlett loved the trees, I knew immediately where I wanted to place them for my “guaranteed laughter” direction I give 🙂  Easily one of my favorite photos of the day was influencing Scarlett to laugh so hard that she ended up hurting her stomach! 😀 If I could have every Bride and Groom enjoy themselves this much I would say I’ve done my job! There were no fancy tricks or special lighting for the photo, but to me “Moment” is the most important part of any photograph, and capturing the sheer joy in body language is the best reward! As a sign of their huge hearts, Scarlett and Stephen requested the officiant to start off the ceremony by giving time for the guests to turn around and meet someone new and introduce themselves. I think this is easily the best introduction to a Couple and wedding ceremony you can ever have, and it just goes to show what kind of people they are. After some equally funny and emotional vows at the ceremony, we kicked things into high gear during the cocktail hour and I got to really have fun (and let them be themselves). Since it was a relatively smaller sized guest count of 70, we ended up shooting formals of most everyone in attendance…but a normally mundane task proved to be quite amusing as the guests were almost as fun as the Couple, and the wild poses foreshadowed what the dance floor would be like! If you don’t believe me – scroll til the end! 😛 You know it is a good party is when the Bride is knocked out at the end of the day…and I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have it any other way. Venue : The Mountain TerraceVideographer : Peek MediaMakeup and Hair : A-List MakeupCake : Studio CakeDJ : The Celebration DJFlorals : Sweet Peas Floral DesignsTransportation : Destination Systems c Interested In More Information? Please Fill Out the Form Below! 415 756 9335  ianchinphotography@gmail.com

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Lovers Lane Marriage Proposal Photos - Thomas and Janice - 7.6.19_14

Lovers Lane Summer San Francisco Marriage Proposal Photos – Thomas and Janice

Marriage Proposals

Thomas and Janice’s Lovers Lane Summer San Francisco marriage proposal photos in the Presidio neighborhood was a perfect scenic and outdoor location that focused on nature. Thomas chose this place because he instantly fell in love with the photos he saw when searching online. As the third most popular marriage proposal location, he did well! Having found a previous blog post that I did at Lover’s Lane, Thomas fell in love with this location immediately, and loved the photos I took and wanted something exactly like that for his big moment! Thomas opted for an hour package to take advantage of the beautiful day and make it more like an engagement shoot photo session, which I was more than happy to oblige. Fortunately, it wasn’t too crowded on this day and we were able to walk from end to end with little disruption. This day could have not gone any smoother and been more convenient for me because I was able to photograph a baptism right before this marriage proposal at Saint Gregory’s Armenian Church, a seven minute drive away from Lovers Lane. Typically, marriage proposals are done closer to sunset time which allows for generally more complimentary lighting and romantic oranges, but I was lucky that Thomas chose to propose to Janice shortly after she met her friend for lunch. It was perfectly timed for the daytime, and seemingly meant to be! It is always entertaining for me to photograph the girl completely surprised. Needless to say, Janice’s response to being proposed to was so great and seeing the tears trickling down her face were the icing on the cake! She was in so much shock that she needed a few minutes to collect herself before we continued on with the engagement session! She was literally shaking! 😀 Congratulations Thomas and Janice and I hope you will cherish this moment for years to come with these Lovers Lane summer San Francisco marriage proposal photos! Interested In More Information? Please Fill Out the Form Below! 415 756 9335  ianchinphotography@gmail.com 762 10th Ave San Francisco, CA 94118

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swedenborgian church wedding

Swedenborgian Church

Venues

Swedenborgian Church Wedding Swedenborgian Church2107 Lyon StreetSan Francisco, CA 94115 415 533 5714office@sfswedenborgian.org Located in the middle of Pacific Heights, a Swedenborgian Church wedding is perfect for the Couple that would like to tie the knot in a stunning chapel. It’s one of those venues that makes you feel closer to your guests, since its rustic warm candlelit interior adds to a more intimate wedding setting. It is also one of the more dimly lit churches I have ever been to, which only adds to the solemnity of the celebration. Stunning chandeliers lit with candlesticks hover over the guests and surround the entire altar, bringing a feeling of warmth and love.  Attached to the church is the Parish House, which could be used as the reception area. The floor plan includes just the right amount of space for guests to sit and be close enough to mingle. The space of this hall is perfect for weddings of 50 – 70 guests. And right outside of it is the lawn, popular for cocktail hour and bar and dessert vendors.  This gorgeous venue has such rich detail throughout and provides non secular weddings for everyone. An online review from a former visitor mentions, “great for even the non-religious” as she goes on to say that she, herself is not religious but “knew it was the right perfect place.” If you are interested in other locations similar to Swedenborgian Church, take a look at these other Church wedding venues   Swedenborgian Church Wedding Photos Swedenborgian Church Weddings on the Blog Brian and KristinRichard and Aaron

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Hastings House Garden Wedding

How to Plan a Hastings House Garden Wedding

Elopements, Venues

Hastings House Garden Wedding Ultimate Guide to Planning a Hastings House Garden Wedding (with pricing and photos) Choosing a Hastings House Garden Wedding offers the perfect intimate setting for your outdoor elopement or small wedding, which includes a one-of-a-kind garden scenery that needs little to no other decor. Stroll through the colorful bright flowers and trees as you approach your partner to exchange vows, with one of the most private venues around the San Francisco Bay Area. Hastings House Garden Weddings Half Moon Bay CA Right by the garden lies a half-acre lot that oversees the Pacific Ocean. One of the best things about having a wedding at the Hastings House Garden is its unique location to offer both a garden setting and a beach setting within a few minutes walk. It actually might be the only location in the San Francisco Bay Area that offers this! Linda and her husband, Richard, live in the home directly in front of the garden, so they both offer wedding coordination and guitar music, respectively, to add to your experience. Hastings House Garden Wedding Cost Rental Fee: Starting at $3,000+ for elopements and around $4,000+ for weddings. Pricing varies depending on guest count and services included.Deposit Fee: Deposit requirements are provided during booking. Contact Hastings House Garden Weddings for current deposit details.Capacity: Up to 30 guests for wedding ceremonies How to Book Hastings House Garden Weddings Email: linda@hastingshouseweddings.comPhone: 650 726-2513Website: https://hastingshouseweddings.com/#section-contact Best Times for a Wedding Hastings House Garden Wedding Photos Weddings at the Hastings House Garden on the Blog Court and Ash Elopement Conclusion The Hastings House Garden offers the perfect sense of privacy in a secluded setting. It’s perfect for that elopement you desire, and makes planning so much easier! If you are looking for another outdoor venue in nature, check out my post on How to Plan a Wedding in Muir Wood Interested In More Information? Please Fill Out the Form Below! 415 756 9335  ianchinphotography@gmail.com

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stanford memorial church wedding (3)