Sarah and I first met sometime around the 7th grade, in Girl Scouts. I joined a troop of girls who all attended a different school than I did, and she was one of the first to reach out and talk to me. I feel like this little snippet of information alone will tell you mountains about my friend. She’s the type of person who makes friends out of strangers wherever she goes, because she genuinely is interested in you – she wants to get to know you, to hear about your day, to catch up, to stay in touch. She is also perhaps one of the most “real” people I have ever met – she definitely was one of my funniest and quirkiest friends growing up, and when we reunited a few years ago I was SO so happy to find that even as an adult, she hadn’t changed one bit.

And I was also so happy to find that she had met this amazing guy named Tory, who somehow complemented her quirkiness just perfectly. It’s a pretty fantastic thing to see your friend – especially someone as awesome and unique as Sarah – be with a person who so totally let’s them be themselves. Sarah and Tory fit together just perfectly, and it was such an honor for Barrie and I to be able to join them up in SF on their wedding weekend. There was an intimate Jewish ceremony at the Sunnyside Conservatory, followed by a casual reception (catered by a delicious Vietnamese food truck) at Project One Gallery.

Once upon a time, in middle school, Sarah and I used to take pictures of each other with our little film cameras and put the prints together in magazines (these were legit guys – with fashion spreads and beauty tips and advertisements and everything!) It was quite lovely and nostalgic having her in front of my lens again :)

Absolutely adored the fact that Sarah chose to get ready in her beautiful light-filled apartment…

I sometimes feel there is an extra special dynamic between couples who have been doing long distance during the span of their relationship. When they’re together, and perhaps especially on their wedding day, you can almost feel them treasure every single moment, you can see the excitement of being reunited, you can sense the appreciation and enjoyment of having their favorite person by their side. To witness it is a reminder for all of us – that to be able to hold the hand of the one you love, to see the way their face breaks into a smile, or find the way your head fits perfectly on their shoulder, are beautiful things never to be taken for granted.

For much of their relationship Harnnull had been in Seattle while Kristy was in LA, and I couldn’t be happier for them to both be together now here! They are seriously some of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, and their wedding day was brimming with the sort of joy and gratitude I described – I caught them more than a few times expressing “I love you” to each other when few others could hear :)

To top it off, it all came together at one of my favorite city venues, Cafe Pinot, and we had a complete dream team of vendors – Sassy Girl Weddings coordinating everything perfectly, and Bunch Studio creating all the lovely blooms. And not to be forgotten – Coolhaus providing dessert! :)

I love this tradition! I’ve seen a few different unity or sand ceremonies at weddings, but this has to be one of my favorites. Kristy and Harnnull each wrote each other letters and sealed them up in this box along with a bottle of wine, to share with each other come their one year anniversary :)

I would like to say that the reason Jess & Rich‘s wedding was amazing in so many ways, the reason it had me tearing up in the middle of a cafe {good lawd} as I was editing the images, was because I’ve known Jess for years and that they are a couple that is so close to my heart. But the reality of it is that even if I hadn’t know Jess and her family for years, and hadn’t had such a close association to them – I would still have been a teary mess because the wedding was just. that. amazing. in and of itself. It was a true expression of who they are, and love seriously poured out of each and every moment. Like when Jess gifted necklaces to Rich’s daughters during the ceremony, and shakily expressed, “you are my heart”. Or when her sister Nikki gave her speech and Jess stood to embrace her when she found it hard to go on. Her mother helping her put on the very veil she wore for her own wedding day. Or the way Rich and Jess looked at each other during their first look, and couldn’t stop smiling. Love, everywhere, all day, and it was wonderful.

When Jess first called me years ago to tell me about this man she had just met, we were 23 year old kids, and I couldn’t have imagined what an amazing thing that relationship would blossom into. It is a wonderful happiness to see two people who are pretty much perfect for each other, who shine in each other’s presence, and it’s even more wonderful when that person is a dear friend.

Jess & Rich – I’m so happy for you and feel so honored and blessed to have been the one to document your special day. There was so much prettiness to capture in every corner, and I hope these images do justice for just how amazing your day was :)

Venue: Brookside Equestrian Center
Coordinator: Lauren Kadowaki
Florals: Bunch Studio (always my fave! :)
Make-up/Hair: Theresa Huang