Romantic Elopement at the San Francisco City Hall

It was a beautiful fall morning when I joined Chelsea and Zachary on their special day.  It was just the three of us.  We drove together for our commute over the Bay Bridge into San Francisco that morning.  The car ride was surprisingly quiet as the two of them held hands and looked out the window in silence.  You could feel the tension building as the traffic over the bridge grew, and the time for their courthouse appointment drew near.  What if they were late?

Thankfully the traffic lifted and we arrived with plenty of time to spare.  The courthouse was uncharacteristically quiet that morning.  I sat down the hall from Chelsea and Zachary as they waited for their number to be called, holding each other, and quietly whispering.  I took a few unobtrusive photos of the moment, but mostly let them have this time alone.

When their number was called Chelsea and Zachary made there way in.  As they signed the paperwork and gave their oaths, the reality of what was about to happen set in.  The tension lifted, and the smiles and joy of the moment filled the room.  In a few moments they were going to be married.

The two-minute ceremony at the top of the grand staircase of the courthouse was quick and intimate, yet very beautiful.  The two of them held hands and smiled at each other as they exchanged their vows.  Before you knew it they had kissed, and were walking away with their marriage certificate in hand.  Chelsea and Zachary were now husband and wife.

It was now time for me to go to work.  The San Francisco Court House is an amazing place!  The combination of the breathtaking architecture and gorgeous window light makes for a photographers dream!  I wanted the photographs of Chelsea and Zachary to feel as intimate and romantic as the day had already become.

For the next couple of hours the three of us explored several floors of the ornate courthouse, creating their beautiful, intimate images.  No doubt the excitement, the romance, and the exhilaration from the day helped inspire vision for the moments we captured.

These are not just my photographs of Chelsea and Zachary’s wedding.  These are the moments that the three of us captured together on a very special, very intimate and very romantic morning in San Francisco.  I looked on as this beautiful couple danced together, in perfect harmony, expressing the love and passion they have for one another.  The images just came, and I was fortunate enough to be there to capture these wonderful moments unfold before me.

It’s days like these that make me truly love what I do.  Yes, or course I love the photography, but what truly makes this job rewarding is the relationships I foster, the friendships I make, and the defining life moments, and beautiful stories I am privileged to capture and tell through my imagery.

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