San Francisco Wedding Photographer
A little preview from Sisi and Alex’s beautiful wedding day! 💍 I’m so grateful for their trust, as they booked their October wedding with me as early as last May. Their lilac-themed, woodland-inspired celebration was a perfect blend of mystery, romance, and elegance.
Sisi’s style was impeccable, wearing a sleek and graceful mermaid satin gown with a polished updo and pearl accessories, radiating sophistication.
It was such a pleasure to capture all the love and laughter of your special day.
It was a pleasure to take photos for our beloved couple, Alex and Sam, at Nestldown LLC, the most beautiful woodsy venue in the Bay Area, last week. (Hereafter referred to as ND.) I’d like to share my experience of this wedding venue, hoping to provide some helpful insights for those planning to hold their weddings here.
ND is a private property located in Los Gatos. The 36-acre garden is situated in the heart of the California redwoods, with the specific address at 22420 Old Santa Cruz Highway, Los Gatos. The venue features koi ponds, waterfalls, a piano, a Fantasy Garden, lawns, orchards, chess, Apple Hill, a barn, a miniature train, and more, offering a wealth of backgrounds and materials for photography. It’s challenging to capture everything in just one day. The scenery changes with each season, ensuring that it’s beautiful no matter when you visit.
This venue is very popular, hosting nearly 150 weddings annually, and it tends to be fully booked well in advance, especially on weekends. From Monday to Thursday, the cost ranges from $15k to $22k, Fridays cost $20k to $30k, and weekends are priced between $22k and $38k. During March, April to early May, November, and December, the maximum guest capacity is 125 people. From mid-May to October 31, the maximum capacity is 150 guests.
They assign a Special Events Manager (SEM) to help you plan and organize your wedding 7-9 months in advance. About 10 days before the wedding, the timeline is sent to each vendor, along with reminders of key details. On the wedding day, the SEM provides walkie-talkies to various vendors, including photographers, to ensure smooth communication. Important note: drones are strictly prohibited at this venue.
The parking area is quite large, so you don’t need to worry about parking issues. Upon arrival, you’ll first see the barn (where getting ready and the dinner/dancing takes place). Opposite the barn is a koi pond, a small waterfall, and the Main Lawn (where outdoor dining occurs). To the left, you’ll find the iconic small house and butterfly chair, which is called the “Fantasy Garden.” The First Look typically happens on the upper redwood trail, and the ceremony takes place in the Chapel (a woodland setting with a long staircase). Nearby is another pond (with a fountain) and two small wooden bridges. Though the venue is expansive, there’s no need to worry about walking too much. The couple will have a dedicated vehicle for transportation. The SEM will drive a golf cart or a black vintage taxi to shuttle the couple between various spots. At the end of the day, the sparkler exit takes place in front of the barn, with the couple exiting to the taxi and being sent off amid cheers.
Thank you again to our couple for trusting us and having us capture their big day. We wish them a lifetime of happiness.
Ascend Prime Steak and Sushi
Thank you to Bob and Sarah for inviting us to fly from San Francisco to Bellevue (a beautiful city just a half-hour drive from Seattle) to shoot their wedding after seeing our work online. This wedding filled me with joy and movement. Even though they have been together for over 10 years and got married 2 years ago, this wedding held special significance.
They meticulously planned the entire event, making it uniquely theirs, and featured their beloved dog, Harmony, as the star of the show. The ceremony included a heartwarming “trick show" with their beloved dog, filled with love and warmth. Unlike traditional weddings, they used dog treats instead of rings for the exchange, feeding them to Harmony. 😆 From the signin table to the invitations and even the cake, Harmony's image was everywhere, showing how much she is a part of their family. They also brought along a painting with their 9-year-old pet turtle, who couldn’t attend the wedding, to include in the photos, showing their deep affection for their pets.
What really touched me was how they shared every detail with me, constantly confirming their choices of outfits, styles, colors, and even the patterns of cutlery, tablecloths, and chairs, asking for my input. I felt their immense trust and appreciation. Over the past seven months, I almost became their half planner, providing suggestions for everything that would enhance their photos based on their ideas. On the day of the shoot, everything went smoothly; the pace was tight but not rushed. Their high level of cooperation made the shoot exceptionally seamless. Trust is the greatest compliment a photographer can receive.
I am very grateful to have met such a wonderful couple, which makes being a wedding photographer feel like a truly rewarding job. Best wishes to Sarah & Bob 🎉
和西雅图有莫名的缘分，还记得人生第1次踏入美国的土地，就是从西雅图机场开始，每次来旅游或者出差，都会很怀念这过去几年的点点滴滴回忆。 感谢Bob和Sarah在网络上看到我们的作品后，邀请我们飞去Bellevue（西雅图旁边的城市）去拍摄他们的婚礼。这是一场让我觉得很快乐而又有意义的婚礼。尽管已经相恋10多年，几年前就结婚了，但是这场婚礼意义非凡。他们很用心的策划了整场属于自己的婚礼，他们的爱犬Harmony成为了这场婚礼的闪亮主角。 一场和狗狗互动的“表演” ，充满了爱和温暖。与往常不一样的是，她们把狗狗喜欢吃的饼干圈作为交换戒指，然后分别喂给了狗狗。不管是迎宾区，喜帖，还是蛋糕等等都可以看到harmony的“形象”，感受到她们已经把狗狗当做自己的亲人。
让我很感动的是，他们会事无巨细的跟我分享她们的想法，不断的确认各种衣服，造型，配色，甚至刀叉桌布凳子等等的款式选择都会请求我的“把关”，感受到满满的信任和肯定，在过去7个月里，我就像扮演了他们半个planner似的，根据他们的想法，给他们提供所有利于出片的建议。 在拍摄当天，也是非常的顺利，节奏紧凑但不会觉得rush。 他们也是高度的配合，让整个拍摄特别丝滑，信任是对一个摄影师蕞大的肯定。 我很感恩能遇到这样的神仙couple。
Venue：W Bellevue + Ascend Prime Steak and Sushi
Wedding design & Florals：@alachloe
Doc：@gordonduoweddings
Makeup： @iamfrancoisezhang
Dress： @waichingstudio
Photobooth： @digiphotobooth
Cake： @cakeandcrumble.pnw
W Bellevue
