I have collaborated with Saida and Chantal, the charismatic owners of Nouvelle Vogue Bridal Salon, on many wedding projects and styled photoshoots. These two were the first ones to bring French/European bridal couture to the US two decades ago, and their style, taste and commitment to their brides is simply unmatched. Here are their expert insights in how to choose your wedding dress.
Another insight into the ground rules for wedding photography from acclaimed San Francisco photographer Kevin Chin with whom I have worked on many weddings – and his photos are always fantastic! Elegant, capturing the atmosphere and the moment AND all the pretty details – a balanced approach to capturing a wedding, and always stunning!
“How did you get into photography? And, in particular, into WEDDING photography? What is it that fascinates you about it?“
Like many people, photography started as a hobby for me. I was always the one taking photos on family vacations and gatherings. I started taking photos of my friends for fun. From there, people started to ask me to shoot their family portraits and weddings. The rest is history. Weddings are the most important day in a person’s life, and I feel privileged and honored to capture their special day. Experiencing the joy and emotions of a wedding day is something that I never get tired of.
“What is your specific style and why?”
I would say I incorporate a mixture of many different styles when shooting a wedding. You need to well-versed in many photography styles to capture all the different elements of a wedding. I am very good at posing my couples to flatter their body characteristics and their style to make them look their best. I’m also good at observing and capturing real candid moments throughout the day. And, of course, I use my creative eye to capture all the pretty details of the wedding day that the couple has chosen, which include the wedding dress, flowers, decor, venue, etc. I also take into account what style of photography my couple is looking for. Some prefer candids and don’t like posing for photos, while others want beautiful posed portraits and want to look like a model. I try to capture a good mixture of everything, but I’m happy to accommodate their preferences.
“How have you evolved as a photographer?”
I have been a professional photographer for over 30 years. I have gone from shooting film to digital. I have always strived to shoot in a classic style that will not look dated over time. During the film days when there weren’t any previews of the photos you were shooting, with practice and experience, I developed a repertoire of poses and key shots that I knew would always work and that every couple would like. These were the “safe shots” or “money shots” that I knew I had mastered and that I could rely on for every wedding. When digital came around, I was able to experiment more because I could see a preview of the images as I was shooting. This gave me the freedom to experiment more which, I feel, made me a more creative photographer. I feel I offer the best of both worlds because I learned the fundamentals of photography with film and became even more creative with digital technology.
“How do you connect with couples?”
My couples tell me that they appreciate my calm demeanor and easygoing personality. This is something that is appreciated on the wedding day because it helps the couple stay calm on their wedding day.
“What is the difference between an experienced professional photographer and laypeople shooting with their cellphone cameras?”
Wedding photography is the one category that couples should invest in wisely because when the wedding is over, all you have left are your wedding photos. You want to make sure you invest in an experienced professional photographer that can capture all the different events of a wedding day. As I mentioned before, a professional photographer should be experienced with capturing flattering portraits, candids that capture authentic moments, and beautiful detail and venue shots.
These different photography styles is what it takes to capture the true essence of the wedding day. You may love the style of your photographer that you are about to choose, but make sure they are experienced on how a wedding day flows. This is important because you want to make sure your photographer doesn’t miss any key moments such as the first kiss, the first dance, etc. Once the moment is over, it’s over. There are no second takes on a wedding day.
“Why is wedding photography expensive?”
You pay for what you get!
“Anything else you want to add?”
Whomever you pick as your photographer, you want to make sure you get along with that person because your photographer will be with starting with you putting on the dress until the last dance. You want to make sure that you like this person and that you vibe with their personality.
Thomas Fogarty Winery is the one wedding venue where I have worked by far the most over the last 15 years, and with good reason! Perched high up on a ridge, it’s elegant, it offers everything needed for a wedding, the venue staff is super helpful AND the views are incredible – on clear days from the Bay Bridge to the North to all of Silicon Valley to San Jose in the South. Sunsets – and even the fog rolling in – are sheer beauty.
I am certainly one of Fogarty’s biggest fans! And so I would like to share with you how all this came about – there is backstory to it!
The founder of Thomas Fogarty Winery is actually a famous physician, Dr. Thomas Fogarty Sr., who worked at Stanford University and who made an invention in 1961 that has literally saved countless lives around the world ever since: the Fogarty catheter. This device allows to remove fresh blood clots from arteries without surgery, and it has become a staple of cardiologists everywhere.
Charmed by the natural beauty of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Dr. Fogarty built his family home up on Skyline Boulevard and began acquiring the surrounding land.
By 1977, he had accumulated over 300 acres of land, and in 1978, he planted his first vineyard – with that, Thomas Fogarty Winery was officially founded! Practicing organic and sustainable farming, the winery is now producing mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – and they are fantastic!
With the construction of the architecturally stunning open Pavilion, where the majority of festive dinners are now hosted …
… the winery developed into an elegant event space with a capacity of 200 guests, indoor/outdoor options and beautiful ceremony lawn.
And we all can absolutely not wait to be back there soon, celebrating love and the beauty of the gorgeous setting. You need not take my word for it: watch this video of one of my weddings at Thomas Fogarty Winery!
Intrigued? Contact me at [email protected] for your free consultation.
A Day Like No Other – wedding coordination and design
“When only the best will do…”
Another one of these stars who – to the current generation of brides – is largely forgotten.
Born in 1929, she’d be nearly a hundred years old now… so why is she still relevant?
For starters, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend from the Classical Hollywood cinema and, as a fashion and style icon, was inducted into the International Best Dressed Hall of Fame List.
She was an accomplished classical ballet dancer and a stellar talent as an actress.
She was also incredibly beautiful, and for all her beauty, a rulebreaker. She played up her androgynous side at a time when that was not yet fashionable. She wore TROUSERS!! (Scandalous in her time – and an inspiration to a whole generation of rebellious young women). When frills and big dresses were considered the epitome of chic, she went understated.
Inspired for YOUR LBD?
And are you even inspired to wear a hat?! So chic, so feminine!
For her wedding dress, Audrey chose a timeless design playing up her dancer’s figure and fragile elegance – here at her dress fitting.
I am sure that her style still resonates with many brides today – even if they might not have been aware of Audrey the fashion tastemaker.
Here is a classic updo that would be flattering on any bride – with little variation…
… and a simple, elegant, perfectly proportioned dress – that will look stunning even 50 years from now.
Fashion is fleeting – but STYLE is timeless. What is YOUR style?
Where even to begin?
Iconic landmark. Prestigious historic mansion. Refuge of American presidents and foreign dignitaries. Even: movie set (for “The Rock” with Sean Connery!). The Fairmont San Francisco is all of this – and more. Walk its corridors, and see a whole gallery of the history of the City by the Bay – narrated through visits of the rich and famous, cultural icons and politicians to this incredible hotel.
What better place for an elegant, sophisticated wedding celebration? Especially for an authentic San Francisco flavor, AND for true million-dollar views.
Whether you are just enjoying an intimate elopement dinner in your room in the Fairmont Tower…
… or have your big ceremony and dinner and dancing here, it will be an unforgettable celebration!
The Rooftop Garden is a perfect spot for outdoor ceremonies…
… while the adjacent Pavilion Room with its incredible Art Deco chandelier lends itself to indoor ceremonies.
Photo opportunities in the hotel include the majestic main staircase…
… the lavishly appointed lobby …
… the Rooftop Garden …
… and, of course, the double-height Penthouse Suite where all American presidents stay when they visit San Francisco.
You can, of course, have your whole wedding in this Penthouse Suite – it can accommodate up to 100 guests for a ceremony on the patio, cocktails in the living room, dinner in the dining room and, if you wish, dancing, too! And the best thing? Once your guests have left, you can simply stay and spend the night in one of the most luxurious bedrooms you’ve ever seen!
But we are getting ahead of ourselves… for a bigger wedding party, there are several glamorous ballrooms to choose from for dinner and dancing:
… always with elegant tabletop items like silver chargers and cutlery included.
And once the party is over, just look out over the City, together as a married couple. Nothing beats this romantic moment!
So … now you know why the Fairmont is high up on my personal “Favorites” list! And the best thing: I’ll be back in a few months to create more wedding magic there… can’t wait!
Contact me at [email protected] for your free consultation.
A Day Like No Other – wedding coordination and design
“When only the best will do…”
Here is another one of my favorite photographers. Gavin and I go back more than a decade, have collaborated many times on weddings and styled photoshoots, and I admire him tremendously – both his work and the person he is. He lives and breathes photography, and wedding photography in particular… so here is what HE has to say about it all.
“How did you get into photography and, in particular, into WEDDING photography? What is it that fascinates you about it?“
My parents gave me a camera when I was little. A Kodak Instamatic. I loved playing with it, but even as a kid I could tell my pictures didn’t look like the photos I saw in magazines. It wasn’t until high school, where I discovered we had an old defunct darkroom and worked to rebuild it, that I would start to learn photography. But it wouldn’t be until years after college that I would consider photography professionally.
I honestly didn’t expect to love wedding photography. I guess I had a bit of an art-school-snob attitude about it. Only when I worked at a wedding as an assistant photographer that I realized how much I loved observing people, and being part of an intimate day in people’s lives.
“What is your specific style and why?”
The industry jargon is “wedding photojournalist.” Many couples express this by using phrases like ‘authentic, natural, candid, organic, unintrusive, capturing the moment, real, un-posed’, and the like. What matters to me for the finished product is that it connects you to memories that were in the moment, not memories of your photographer posing you, or telling you to do something again.
“How have you evolved as a photographer?”
I started out working with very talented photographers who are brilliant at posing and staging breathtaking shots. It was fun, and I learned a lot about lighting, technicals, etc., but for me it rang hollow when thinking about how a couple might relate to those images 20 or 30 years from now. I often imagine, “if this couple has kids, and in 30 years those kids are home for Thanksgiving and pull out Mom and Dad’s album, are they going to look at those photos and see the people they know and love? Or are they going to see expertly staged photographs?
“How do you connect with couples?”
One way I connect is through stories. Like the time a grandmother hobbled slowly up the walk to stand before her granddaughter – the bride – and say, “I practiced walking with a cane so I could be here.” I cried behind my camera. I like to think that the photos of that moment are an important part of that bride’s memories of her.
“What is the difference between an experienced professional photographer and laypeople shooting with their cellphone cameras?”
Connection, curation, and situational experience.
‘Connection’ in that I am able to operate my camera fully manually without giving it a thought. That gives me the space to pay attention to people, not camera settings. I’m connecting with you from behind my camera.
‘Curation’ because not every single frame is going to be good, and not every single frame should be part of the finished product. You want all the important moments, you don’t want every frame.
‘Situational experience’ is more technical in nature. Weddings are not photo studios. The majority of settings have no shortage of lighting challenges and unexpected moments. Ideal lighting rarely happens. How are you going to get a professional quality image without inserting yourself in the action and being a director all day? After all, it’s your day – not mine.
“Why is wedding photography expensive?”
There are many factors playing into this. I’ll touch on two. First is that the hours spent at the wedding are only a small fraction of the total hours that go into producing your finished product. We need to amortize the hourly cost on your invoice over the total hours it takes to deliver your finished product. Another factor is the cost for all the years spent learning. A photographer who makes it look easy only makes it look easy as a function of their experience. It probably took 6 years before I was making minimum wage after averaging everything over the total hours spent building and running my business.
Thank you, Jutta!
Warmly,
Gavin
Owner & Lead Photographer, Gavin Farrington
Allied Arts Guild is one of those hidden gems – you just have to see it to believe it! Tucked away behind high walls and hedges in the heart of Silicon Valley, Allied Arts Guild is a serene historic garden oasis, offering peace and beauty in our fast-paced world. Only minutes away from Stanford University and Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, it truly feels a world away. Built in 1929 as a workplace for artists in authentic Spanish style and adorned with authentic tiles and objects of art from Spain, Tunis and Morocco…
… this unique compound of art studios and a restaurant (Café Wisteria) serves to raise funds for critically ill children at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. Resident artists today range from jewelry designers to fashion designers to interior designers and everything in between, and the onsite Artisan Shop is noted for its exquisite handmade art pieces and lovely vintage items.
The whole complex is available to rent for intimate weddings up to 140 guests, with indoor/outdoor options both for ceremony …
… and reception.
Now you know why I love Allied Arts Guild so much!
Intrigued? Contact Events DirectorTiana Wong for a tour or call 650-325-2450 and let us at A Day Like No Other help you to make your vision become reality!
Where even to begin?! One of the most beautiful historic mansions in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was built in 2011 for then-San Francisco mayor James Duval Phelan; the surrounding 160 acres of meadow and forest were transformed into a manicured park in the Italianate style by John McLaren (who also designed Golden Gate Park). The name “Villa Montalvo” is a reference to popular 16th-century Spanish writer Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo, who first coined the name “California.” At his death, Senator Phelan was explicit in his bequest of Villa Montalvo. “I would like Villa Montalvo, to be maintained as a public park and for the development of the arts.” And that is exactly what happened! Today, the villa welcomes elegant weddings for up to 250 guests with indoor/outdoor options – so you are literally covered even in case of inclement weather.
One of the property’s most popular ceremony sites is the Love Temple, set inside the Italianate Garden at the bottom of the Great Lawn. A wide, rose-lined brick path flanked by antique marble statues leads to this open-air, white-columned pavilion, and couples wed in view of the surrounding garden with the Villa and woods in the background.
Directly behind the Villa, the Oval Garden offers a lush, intimate setting complete with classical statuary and wisteria-covered pergolas. A brick pathway serves as the center aisle, and a columned arcade makes a stately backdrop for exchanging vows. A third ceremony option is the new West Lawn Garden, which can accommodate 300+ guests.
While the newlyweds are photographed on the picturesque grounds, family and friends enjoy cocktails either in the West Lawn Garden or the scenic Spanish Courtyard.
Receptions follow on the Villa’s broad veranda, where everyone is treated to splendid garden vistas and the occasional visiting deer (and which can even be enclosed, should the weather not cooperate!)
The Villa’s interior is equally impressive. All of the first floor’s adjoining rooms open onto the veranda, creating a wonderful flow to your event. The huge Main Hall at the center of the house boasts a high, beamed ceiling, gilded chandeliers and an enormous fireplace. The Hall is often used for dancing, its many French doors left open so that the music carries out to guests relaxing in the adjacent courtyard and on the veranda.
Other unique gathering spots include the handsome Library, paneled with rare New Zealand walnut, and the Dining Room, a cozy salon with a century-old fireplace and richly paneled walls.
Perhaps the Villa’s most charming space is the Solarium, the perfect niche to showcase the wedding cake.
And that’s not all: The entire upstairs is reserved for the wedding party and their immediate family. The three spacious suites include a lavish dressing room, with its own balcony overlooking the Great Lawn.
In short: Villa Montalvo is the PERFECT wedding venue – offering privacy, elegance, historic ambiance and innumerable beautiful spots, year round. No wonder I love it so much for my couples…
Intrigued? Contact venue manager Bri Banners at [email protected], and for all your wedding planning needs, contact me at [email protected] for your free consultation.
A Day Like No Other – wedding coordination and design
“When only the best will do…”
.
Nancy and I are going back more than a decade… and I have come to highly appreciate her very elegant approach to wedding flowers. For example, she is not using any “fillers” – and that, of course, makes her arrangements more beautiful (but also more expensive). It’s true – she is a luxury wedding florist! Just admire the stunning floral decor she creates… and learn from her insights!
Ever wonder what goes into creating breathtaking wedding florals? Here’s a little insight into my world as a florist!
What sets me apart is that I don’t just design as a floral designer—I design as an event designer. My work isn’t just about making arrangements look beautiful; it’s about crafting a full guest experience. Every floral element is placed with intention—how it looks, feels, photographs, and enhances the atmosphere for both the couple and their guests.
I’m also too practical to design just for a trend. Trends come and go, but a well-designed event is timeless. Our design philosophy is rooted in my instantly recognizable belief that florals should complement, not compete with the space, the setting, and the guest experience. I approach every event with this mindset, ensuring that the floral design elevates the event in a way that feels intentional and seamlessly integrated.
Beyond beautiful blooms, it takes:
Designing with Purpose – Every arrangement is curated for its aesthetic, functionality, and impact on the event flow. Expert Curation – Sourcing the freshest, most stunning blooms to create the perfect palette and texture. Seamless Collaboration – Working closely with planners, venues, and other vendors to ensure every detail aligns. Flexibility & Quick Thinking – No event goes 100% as planned, so adapting without sacrificing design integrity is key.
Real-Life Solution:
One of the most complex installations I ever tackled was designing an orchid chandelier where the rigging point was on the 2nd floor, but guests were entering from the Mezzanine. The strands had to hang 27 feet down, so I had to engineer a way to suspend a grid from the 2nd floor opening that extended all the way to the Mezzanine.
On top of that, each strand had to be prepped in advance to avoid tangling—one wrong move, and we’d have a massive floral mess before the event even started! It took careful planning, precision rigging, and an eye for both aesthetics and logistics.
That’s the level of detail we go to—designing florals that not only look breathtaking but are also executed flawlessly.
Great question! The cost isn’t just about the flowers—it’s about everything that goes into creating a flawless execution:
Premium Blooms – Many wedding flowers are imported, seasonal, or require careful handling.
Expert Design & Labor – Designing, processing, arranging, and installing florals takes skilled professionals and hours of work.
Logistics & Setup – Transporting fragile blooms, setting up installations, and ensuring everything looks perfect under a tight timeline.
Event-Day Execution – Unlike home flowers, wedding florals must be flawless for one day only, requiring meticulous planning.
A wedding is a one-shot production—and florals are a critical part of that visual storytelling.
It all starts with the artisan’s mission, execution, and service.
Low-quality florals feel like an afterthought—generic, uninspired, and poorly executed. They lack careful sourcing, handling, and attention to detail, often arriving wilted, misplaced, or unfinished.
High-quality florals aren’t just about expensive blooms—it’s about how even a simple carnation is cared for, how a bunch of sweet peas is watched for days, and how upon delivery, wilting flowers are replaced, glass is wiped, and centerpieces are placed perfectly.
Luxury floral design is about craftsmanship and precision—but also having enough skilled hands on site to ensure everything is installed on time, adjusted, and perfected. It’s about going beyond expectations, so the final product feels effortless, polished, and truly extraordinary.
Great floral design is about more than just aesthetics—it’s about how it makes people feel. It’s about creating an atmosphere, a memory, an experience. When done right, florals don’t just decorate a space—they transform it.
Our design is intended to reflect my instantly recognizable belief that wedding florals should be more than just pretty arrangements—they should be part of the guest experience, an extension of the event design, and a defining element of the celebration.
For me, florals are never just about flowers. They’re about elevating the event, enhancing the guest experience, and making a moment unforgettable. 
I have worked with Marie many, many times over the years, and we have really become friends. We know we can fully rely on each other – and so I have never before asked her how she even approaches and does her work (it always came out fantastic… so why ask?). But with so much experience she has to share, I now did ask her – also for you, my readers!
“What is your specific strength as a florist?”
I am good at ‘thinking on my feet.’ There are so many unforeseen circumstances that come up on wedding days, and I have been able to accommodate my couples’ “wedding day emergencies” with some quick ‘flower thinking.’
“What is your style? Your approach to your work?”
My signature style is ‘garden with a touch of wild whimsy.’ My approach is to stay very organized on the back-end. I plan exactly how many stems of each variety will be going into each design months before the wedding. This allows for efficient, elegant, and confident designing.
“What does it take to deliver stunning wedding flowers?”
Understanding each variety and its unique needs is key. Some roses need just one day outside of the cooler to open to perfection. Others need four. Some varieties shouldn’t be in the cooler at all. Knowing how to time the care and handling of each flower makes for stunning wedding flowers.
“What is the difference between low-quality and high-quality floral decor?”
Low quality florals aren’t given “love.” They aren’t trimmed, misted with water, or kept at the correct temperature and therefore may not hold up on a wedding day. They’re also poorly designed by someone who was most likely rushing or simply didn’t have the knowledge of basic design principles that would enable them to give the “wow factor.”
“Why are wedding flowers so expensive?”
Flowers in general are considered a luxury. But most couples want more than just “everyday” flowers. They want special varieties such as garden roses, Icelandic poppies, and butterfly ranunculus. These more “special” varieties usually cost more than flowers you find in a typical grocery store.
Most couples are also looking for well-designed flowers. This means that they’re hiring a florist for their time and expertise beyond just the physical blooms. And if the wedding day includes a lot of large flower installations, the florist needs to bring a team to help them set it up. That labor gets expensive, especially if your florist (hopefully) is paying a fair wage to their employees.
“What else do you want to add?”
If couples are wanting to get the most “bang for their buck,” I recommend focusing on putting larger and more impressive floral designs where guests will be looking and spending time the most. Think: altar design, bar flowers, sweetheart table, etc. Put the bulk of your budget in these places, and then you can cut back in other areas if needed.