It was a beautiful, sunny day in June—a perfect day for a wedding. San Francisco, California is known for its cold, foggy summers, but today was a lovely exception. My spouse and I drove into the city to meet with our couple, Olya and John. I ran through the wedding schedule in my head, plotting out poses and angles for photos along the way. My husband, Isiah, read through his wedding script several times in the passenger seat, preparing himself to officiate the ceremony.

We landed at Mansion on Sutter in Union Square where the two were staying. As soon as we entered the building, we felt a rush of exhilaration. The classy interior, wooden staircase, and general ambiance were just too perfect not to get excited about. While Isiah sat downstairs to make small talk with the groom, I ran upstairs to snap some photos of our bride-to-be. The soft, afternoon sunlight spilling through the window illuminated Olya as she got ready for the ceremony at San Francisco City Hall. On the way out of the hotel, I caught a few pictures of Olya descending the staircase, where the lighting was to die for.

Once at San Francisco City Hall for the wedding, I had Isiah scope out the location so that we could get John to the wedding altar without seeing Olya before the ceremony. Our couple hired a violinist to play music during the wedding, which accentuated the romantic atmosphere.

If you’ve never been to SF City Hall, I highly recommend it. The architecture is incredible. Everything from the windows to the staircase, to the ceilings, to the lighting… It’s just so lovely—especially for a wedding!

John and Olya shared the vows during the ceremony, looking deeply into each other’s eyes. Both sides of the family clapped with joy as Isiah pronounced the couple married. A couple of signatures on the marriage license and some family photos followed shortly after. I made sure the couple got lots of photos of them against the ornate windows and long the gorgeous stairwell—before we went outside to take photos of our newlyweds in front of San Francisco City Hall.

The party didn’t stop there. A week later we met up in Orange County, our shared hometown, for their reception. Olya and John wanted a small and private wedding, but still wanted a big party with their friends and extended family. The reception was held at Tanner’s in Huntington Beach, with an amazing deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the HB Pier. There was food, drinks, dancing, and you better believe there was a champagne tower! In fact, it was the number one thing the bride was excited about after getting married.