california

This Bay Area photographer creates photo magic with fine art skills & moment-making wizardry

I see a lot of amazing wedding photography that tugs at my heartstrings and makes me belly laugh from great shots. But once in a great while we get to see a portfolio of wedding moments captured by someone who really knows visual art and makes it obvious that they take great care in capturing a wedding day with that eye for detail and magic. That’s what I felt when I saw what Ella Sophia was creating for her couples…

Crowns, pink flowers, & the cosmos at this Space Center wedding

Jay and Rick described their Chabot Space Center wedding style as modern, edgy, and glam and I couldn’t love it more. Jay wanted to include a few nontraditional elements to capture who they are like her flower ring instead of a bouquet and a bad-ass crown made by her friend. The ceremony was also very customized and included the Quaker tradition of sitting in silence and waiting to be moved to speak. Don’t miss AMAZING fashion (featuring epic ink), ceremony space to die for, and pops of pinks and reds that make everything have warm vibes…

Count the fandoms at this elegant & crafty super-nerd puzzlefest wedding

I commissioned a Renaissance faire vendor to make my purple leather and multicolor dyed silk dress with an ornate Sailor Moon themed Silver Millennium detail on the back, and both of us wore cloth shoes that I had covered in art representing our favorite fandoms. We called our mixed-gendered wedding parties the Bridesguard and Groomsguard, and the perfect metaphor for us as a couple actually occurred right before the wedding when they took us out and shielded us from each others' sight so we could do an Articuno raid in Pokémon Go standing back to back before the ceremony.

Spot all of the nerdy touches and adorable dogs at this wedding in the Redwoods

We were going for if Wes Andersen threw an early ’00s high school dance in the forest. We wanted lots of nerdy pop culture touches, but nothing too heavy-handed. We were in the same nerdy friend group in high school and actually dated for two weeks before going out separate ways. I was married to someone else for a decade but when that ended we reconnected. We have all the same friends and even the same godkids, so our wedding was like a giant reunion.

Pops of color, fave fandoms, & vegan food at this Enchanted Manor wedding

Aylia and Dan are adorably nerdy lovebirds who were focused on making their Enchanted Manor wedding in California full of personal touches, homages to their fave fandoms, lots of color, and delicious vegan food. You’re definitely doing to want to see Aylia’s ombre yellow dress (with yellow Chucks!), their custom Pop Vinyls, two sweet puppers, fandom-themed tables, and donut display.

LA’s oldest bowling alley was the backdrop at this chic & playful two-bride wedding

Gianna and Erin met working as writers on the same TV show and their friendship blossomed into love. They didn’t want their wedding to feel like a wedding but rather just a fun party. Plus, they loved the old-timey feel of the space. 

Don’t miss Erin’s fab black and navy dress and Gianna’s suit that was once owned by Ellen Degeneres!