We come across A LOT of pretty weddings on a daily basis and what we’ve come to realize is the ones that stick out, that really leave a lasting impression on us are the weddings that have character. The ones that truly reflect the personalities and love of a couple. For me, this San Francisco wedding is just that. It has a whole lot of heart that is just bursting from every single pretty detail, from the AWESOME maple bacon donuts, from the super relaxed yet oh so lovely atmosphere. You know where else it is bursting from? The perfect images from First Comes Love Photography by Alison Bank. Yes, we are majorly hearting this eclectic affair. See the rest of the day in the gallery.
The venue selection came sort of naturally. I am a graduate student at San Francisco Art Institute and that’s how I ended up in San Francisco. Cam and I met in Philadelphia. After finishing his doctorate in Philly, he moved to San Francisco to live with me and he got a job as an English professor at SFAI. The first time I visited the school, I fell in love with the gorgeous architecture. It’s a Spanish style mission adjacent to a modern, minimalist addition from the 1960s. The joining of the traditional and the contemporary is a beautiful metaphor for starting a new life together, joining of 2 lives, etc. We didn’t have a specific theme. We just wanted a casual and very intimate affair with our immediate family and close friends. With the venue selected, I envisioned an urban, garden party.
When it came to choosing a photographer for my wedding, I knew I was going to be tough to please. Alison Bank of First Comes Love absolutely exceeded my expectations. As an artist and former stylist, I knew I wanted my wedding photos to be unique, artistic, and timeless. And after spending plenty of time checking out adorable wedding blogs, I had a pretty clear vision of what I wanted our photos to capture. After a recommendation from a friend of a friend, I took a look at Alison’s web portfolio and fell in love. The moment my husband and I met Alison in person, I felt completely at ease. She was so personable and comforting. We clicked right away. Alison really took the time to get to know us and our style. She managed to capture every wonderful moment of the day. She got all the great shots without ever making us feel like we were posing for pictures. I can’t say enough great things about working with Alison. She’s been a complete delight to work with.
Some of my favorite moments: Because we are both writers, we wrote our vows and included a part where the members of our families were asked to stand and join hands and promise to nurture and support the marriage. For us, the ceremony meant more than committing our lives to each other. It was about the joining of two families. These are the people who have supported us each individually throughout our lives, and here they were promising to support us together. Very touching. Also. the rug we stood on during the ceremony is the rug from our front entryway to our home. It made the space feel so comforting and relaxing to me.
My favorite moment of the reception was watching my Mom and Dad dance together. I surprised them with their “song.” They thought they were going to dance to something traditional (“The Long and Winding Road” from the Beatles) But, I secretly knew there song was “Rockaria” by E.L.O. They were shocked and I think loved every second of it. I loved watching them together. I wore 4 generations of jewelry from our families, the oldest piece was my Mother’s Grandmother’s bracelet, given to her as a gift from her husband in 1914. Because this was a destination wedding for a majority of the guests, the day before the wedding, we rented a bus and took all the guests to the Alexander Valley to go wine tasting. We brought a picnic lunch for everyone. It was a great way for out of towners to see all that San Francisco has to offer and for everyone to mingle and get to each other before the big day.
Photography: First Comes Love Photography by Alison Bank / Venue: San Francisco Art Institute in Russian Hill / Pig Roast: SOL Catering, Oakland, CA / Donuts: Dynamo Donuts, San Francisco, CA / Florals and Event Planning: friend and event planner Maggie Wilson: maggiegalagher@gmail.com / Gown: WTOO from Novella Bridal / Groom’s suit: J.Crew / Matron of Honor dress: J.Crew / Hair: Clifford Hashimoto / Makeup: Bride