Third time's a charm! After having to reschedule their wedding twice! It was beautiful to watch as these two tied the knot finally! I first met Andy on the buffer Iceland retreat in 2014 when he and my husband were colleagues, and knowing what a genuinely wonderful guy he is, it was great to see him so happy. Michelle is one of the nicest people you could meet! She is genuinely good, from her love of all animals to her fantastic baking. I'm so glad I was there to witness the start of your epic adventure together! 

Elegant white wedding dress hanging with San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge visible in the background.
Elegant white kitten heel wedding shoes displayed with fresh rosemary sprigs on textured brown background.
Group wearing coordinated navy blue outfits posed together with Golden Gate Bridge in background.
Small dog sits near Bath and Body Works bag in black and white indoor scene.
Black and white photograph of small dog being held in someone's lap.
Small dog rests on blanket while being attended to in black and white photograph.
Small dog wearing white clothing sits on couch in black and white photo.

The first thing I saw when I walked into Michelle's suite was her gorgeous dress hanging on the glass door with the bright red golden gate bridge in the background—surrounded by her three sisters, sister-in-law-to-be, nieces, cousins, mother, and of course, her two sweat dogs, Watson and Sherlock. They both dressed up for the occasion! Michelle was a vision of beauty in that gorgeous dress, hair, and makeup done by her talented sisters and her delicate orchid and rose bouquet.

Black and white portrait of bride in lace wedding dress during preparation.
Black and white candid moment of wedding dress fitting in sunlit room.
Wedding party in navy blue dresses holding white floral bouquets against neutral wall.
Full length portrait of bride in white lace wedding gown holding pink and white bouquet.
Close-up of bridal bouquet with white orchids and pink roses held against lace wedding dress.
Portrait of bride wearing delicate veil and strapless lace wedding gown.

Michelle & Andy's unplugged ceremony took place on the lawn of Cavallo Point with a breathtaking view of the city and the iconic golden gate bridge. The fern leaves with delicate blue and light pink flowers are so lovely! Monica Snell from Gray Rabbit did a fantastic job we the beautiful pastel floral arrangements. 

Outdoor wedding ceremony setup with white chairs on a lawn surrounded by eucalyptus trees and mountains.
Outdoor wedding venue with rows of white chairs and pink floral arrangements on a manicured lawn.
Elegant floral arrangement with pink roses and mixed flowers against a grassy lawn with hills in the background.
Beautiful wedding arch with pink and white flowers overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and historic buildings.
Close-up of pink roses and blue delphinium in an elegant floral arrangement with greenery.

The morning of the wedding was still somewhat overcast and cloudy, but by the time Michelle came walking down the aisle, the sun was shining, and it was a beautiful summer day! Lauren Snead did a fantastic job officiating the wedding. Her energy and smiles are contagious! Michelle and Andy's vows had me in tears behind the camera. They had most people in tears, but it was tears of joy to witness their love for each other.

Wedding ceremony taking place on a scenic lawn surrounded by lush gardens and flowers.
Wedding celebration on a sunny day with trees and natural landscaping in the background.
Outdoor ceremony on a lawn with iconic Golden Gate Bridge visible in the background.
Outdoor wedding ceremony with blue bridesmaid dresses and white floral bouquets.
Outdoor wedding ceremony taking place under tall trees with red-roofed buildings in background.
A wedding ceremony takes place outdoors with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge visible in the background.
Wedding celebration with guests cheering against backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge on sunny day.
Outdoor wedding ceremony with white chairs and the Golden Gate Bridge visible through trees.

During the cocktail hour, animal lover Michelle set up a dog toy-making station where guests could make toys for their own and shelter dogs. What an excellent idea!

White storage basket filled with red and blue fabric strips next to brown curtains.
Blue sign reading 'Make a Toy for your pup and one for a shelter dog' next to braided rope toy.
Close-up of red fabric strips and braided rope toys for making dog toys.
Wedding guest in red dress making dog toys at reception craft station.
Hands working on creating a braided rope dog toy at a crafting table.
Wedding guests participating in a DIY dog toy making activity at reception table.

We really lucked out with the weather! For sunset photos, we had a clear, beautiful sky at sunset and almost no wind! Andy, an amazing photographer among his many talents, knows all about Golden Hour. He even made a fantastic app called Alpen Glow that will predict the quality of the sunset along with the golden hour, blue hour, sunrise, sunset, and much more! These stunning sunset portraits with the Golden Gate bridge and the city as a backdrop prove that sunset photos are always worth it! 

Wedding couple poses playfully with the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco creating a romantic sunset backdrop.
An intimate wedding portrait with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge providing a scenic San Francisco backdrop.
Romantic wedding portrait with Golden Gate Bridge silhouetted against evening sky.
Newlyweds share a joyful moment on the cliffs overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.
A wedding couple dances along the shoreline with the majestic Golden Gate Bridge in the background.
A romantic sunset beach moment captured during a wedding photoshoot in San Francisco.

 When I first arrived in the morning, I saw Andy and his friends working on setting up the stunning arch he had made behind their table. It was even more beautiful with the lights and the beautiful floral arrangements attached! The pink and white orchids popped on the blue table clothes in the ballroom. Michelle and Andy did so many lovely DIY decorations. The photo booth was another creation of andy, but my favorite has to be the British-style mailbox, Andy, for cards. The attention to detail is fantastic, like the collection day and time. I loved this little nod to Andy's heritage, who is from and had many family members come from the UK.

Romantic wedding reception setup with hanging lights, floral arch, and pink flower arrangements.
Elegant floral arrangement with pink roses and fern leaves mounted on a wooden arch against a beige wall.
Wedding reception setup with hanging lights, blue tablecloths and lush floral centerpieces in an elegant ballroom.
Wooden arch decorated with roses, ferns and Edison bulbs creating romantic wedding decor.
Reception ballroom setup with round tables covered in navy blue linens and black chiavari chairs.
Elegant wedding reception table setup with navy blue linens and classic place settings.
Wedding table centerpiece with pink and white orchids, gold geometric table number, and crystal glassware.
Reception venue with floor-length navy tablecloths and elegant green drapes framing tall windows.
Wedding table decor featuring pink orchids, geometric accents, and warm lighting against navy blue linens.
White decorative postal box with floral accents and a 'Cards & Gifts' sign at a wedding.
Photo guest book display with Polaroid camera and wedding signage on beige table.
Elegant centerpiece featuring pink and white orchids in tall glass vases with river rocks.
Wedding advice cards with pens laid out on lace fabric.

Starting things off with their first dance in front of the beautiful arch and hanging Edison bulbs, it felt like a real-life fairy tale. Like the wedding of a Disney princess. 

Wedding reception venue showing guests seated at tables with navy blue linens.
Wedding couple dancing in an elegant ballroom with guests watching in background.
A couple shares their first dance at a wedding reception with a blue-draped head table and floral arrangements.
A couple shares an intimate moment during their wedding reception with blue decor and floral details.
A wedding reception scene with an illuminated floral arch and blue table settings.
Speakers give toasts during a wedding reception under a decorated arch with hanging lights.
Wedding reception guests enjoying speeches and celebrations under a floral arch with string lights.
Wedding celebration moments captured during reception toasts and laughter.
Joyful moments shared during wedding reception toasts under a decorated floral arch.

How can you not fall in love with this beautiful cake? Covered in pink orchids, it also sported minifigures of Watson, Sherlock, and Michelle's bunny. I love how it looked like the little dogs each took a bite out of the cake. The cake tasted as good as it looked too!

Close-up of wedding cake detail showing white rabbit decorations and pink orchids.
Elegant three-tier wedding cake with floral decorations and bunting topper on silver stand.
Whimsical wedding cake detail featuring a small dog figurine and pink floral accents.
A couple cuts into their elegant white wedding cake adorned with pink flowers during their reception celebration.

DJ Ryan Moore from Waveform Events did a fantastic job! The dance party was epic, from Konga lines to DJ Ryan teaching the kids some moves! The party kept going until Michelle & Andy's last dance.

Two little girls in white dresses dance together at a wedding reception with an elegant blue and floral backdrop.
Wedding guests dancing and celebrating in a banquet hall with blue tablecloths and elegant drapes.
Wedding guests form a conga line during reception celebrations with joyful expressions.
Wedding guests dancing with arms raised at a lively reception with blue decor.
Wedding guests doing synchronized dance moves at reception with navy blue and floral decorations.
Wedding guests dancing joyfully on wooden dance floor with floral arch in background.
Guests dancing enthusiastically at wedding reception with elegant drapes and decor.
Dancing with flower girls in white dresses on the reception dance floor.
Wedding party members laughing and enjoying entertainment during reception.

With a nod to Michelle's Chinese heritage, their unique grand exit consisted of Chinese paper lanterns. (Another family DIY project I saw earlier in the day: Michelle's dad, cousins, and other friends putting together these lanterns for their grand exit!)

Wedding couple exits under glowing paper lanterns at night surrounded by celebrating guests.
Newlyweds walk under illuminated paper lanterns with guests cheering on both sides.
Couple walks through tunnel of glowing white paper lanterns during evening wedding celebration.

With a fantastic view of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and scenic views of the city skyline, Cavallo Point is the perfect venue for a San Francisco wedding! Michelle and Andy, I wish you a wonderful happily ever after! 

Venue: Cavallo Point

Officiant: Lauren Snead

Florist: Gray Rabbit

DJ: Waveform Events

Photographer: Picturist Photography

Second Photographer: Ashley Norton

“Danieka was an absolute joy to work with! She remained in constant contact with us over 2.5 years and stuck with us throughout multiple reschedulings due to the pandemic. On top of that she really got what we were looking for in photos, and she captured truly beautiful candid moments and some of my favorite portraits of us together as a couple. With both of us being uncomfortable in front of the camera Danieka was able to make us feel less awkward with her calm presence. Thank you we love our photos!”