We awoke to the sound of excited whispers and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. The pristine white walls of the cozy San Francisco home reflected the early morning sunlight…. inciting anticipation of the new day. It was Andrew and Liza’s wedding day… the day Liza had dreamed of her whole life was finally here. As Erin and I finished our breakfast, Liza, with curlers in her hair and coffee in hand, proudly showed us all her carefully selected details. From her shoes to her perfume, she was so proud of everything and she told us how excited she was that we were there to photograph her day.
Their wedding was different than any other wedding I’ve photographed…. in a very good way. This wedding was a Russian Orthodox Wedding, and everything felt rich with culture and history. I loved that the normal wedding day chatter was in Russian, I loved the ethnic family dynamics, I loved that the ceremony was so different, I loved that everyone had true Russian names (I’m pretty sure I met at least 2 Constantin’s, 4 Alexei’s, an Anastasia, and 2 Dimitri’s.), and I LOOOOVED the traditions. I’m seriously STOKED to be sharing this wedding with you all! Here are my absolute favorites from the day, but before we continue, I’d just like to take a moment to thank my 2nd shooter and good friend Erin for everything she did that day. It’s a rare thing to have your dream job, and it’s a whole different level of rare to be able to do your dream job with your dream team… and I’m so lucky to be able to say that I have, with Erin. And now, back to the images…. enjoy!
Take a look at these BEAUTIFUL bouquets done by Carol of An Added Touch Florist in San Francisco. Didn’t she do an amazing job?!
This is the special bread and salt that both sets of parents present to the bride and groom at the beginning of their wedding reception to symbolize wealth and zest in life. Here’s a great shot of Liza’s mom, Nina, preparing the bread…. Look how intricate the designs are!
This is a shot of the icon Liza’s parents presented to her before they went to the church. As in most Catholic and Orthodox religions, icons are a very important part of their worship in the church. This icon was so fancy!
These are two of my favorite shots from the whole day!
Here’s some shots of the CRAAAAZY art and decor inside the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. It was a huge cathedral and when I stepped inside, I couldn’t help but stare open-mouthed at the INTRICATE art that covered every inch of the place. I can see why Liza and Andrew wished to be married there!
The ceremony was definitely my favorite part of the wedding day. While it was challenging photographing a ceremony spoken in Slavonic and Russian, it was beautiful to observe…. very intimate.
Yay! They’re married!!!
From the cathedral, we went a few blocks down to the Green Room in the War Memorial where the reception was to be held, and took some pictures with the wedding party.
And, of course, we had to get a shot in front of San Francisco City Hall!
The reception was GORGEOUS!
Andrew and Liza, along with your families…..
Thank you for allowing Erin and I to be a part of your special day. It was a privilege to document your love and your families, and I wish you all the best in your marriage.
And special thanks to all the amazing vendors!
Ceremony Venue: Holy Virgin Cathedral
Reception Venue: The Green Room
Florist: An Added Touch Florist
Hair and Makeup: Karina Leontiev
Caterer: James Standfield Catering
Bakery: Burlingam Cakery
