This wedding was everything you could wish for from a New Year’s Eve wedding! With lots of sparkle, balloon drop at midnight, bubble send off and a ton of love, this wedding was a complete blast from start to finish.

The Love Story

You may remember Mark and Tina from their beautiful Sutro Baths engagement session. Their love story is incredible. They grew up in the same neighborhood in East Oakland and met when Tina was 12 and Mark was 17. Naturally, Tina was just a little girl in Mark’s eyes, but Tina saw her future husband. She used to say they would be married someday because their last names rhymed. They finally started dating when she was 20, but the timing wasn’t quite right for either of them. They went back to being just friends without any hard feelings.

As the years passed, they went their separate ways and married other people. They lost touch, but never forgot about each other. In May of 2015, Tina came across Mark’s profile on Facebook and immediately sent him a friend request. Mark replied with an eager email asking her to dinner… and it is all history from there! Ten weeks later, Mark took Tina shopping and brought her to Tiffany’s where he bought her the ring of her dreams and on New Year’s Eve, they said their vows under the chandelier at Hotel Shattuck Plaza.

The Wedding Day

The day started with Tina getting ready in their room at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza. Tina’s sister pulled me aside when I arrived to let me know she had a gift for Tina from Mark and I had to capture Tina’s expression when she got opened it. It ended up being a gorgeous pearl bracelet that Tina had been obsessing over, along with the sweetest note.

We then rushed off to the UC Botanical Gardens where we were planning on doing the first look. Unfortunately, it turned out the Botanical Gardens were closed on New Year’s Eve! Luckily, I had scouted out the location before (though I hadn’t noticed it was closed) and remembered driving pass the Lawrence Hall of Science. I knew the incredible view of Berkeley and the bay would be a wonderful backdrop for their first look. My second shooter Kim of Kim Heath Photography was a complete rockstar and found the perfect little nook at the Lawrence Hall of Science. After the first look, Mark and Tina exchanged their gifts. Tina gifted Mark an album with her vows on the last page and Mark managed to top his previous present with a Louis Vuitton bag. Tina’s expression when she saw the present was priceless!

We made it back to the Hotel with plenty of time for Mark and Tina to relax a bit before the ceremony. The ceremony was beautiful. My favorite part was when Tina told the officiant it wasn’t fair she wasn’t allowed to kiss Mark right after he said the vows that he wrote himself! Of course, there was plenty of kissing later in the night 😉

Since this was a New Year’s Eve wedding, Mark and Tina planned the festivities to include a balloon drop at midnight. Minutes after midnight, the party finally wound down with a bubble filled grand exit. It was the perfect way to ring in the New Year, surrounded by their loved ones and starting their new life together! Congratulations to Mark and Tina, and thank you for trusting me to photograph your wedding!

Wedding Planner/Coordinator & Day of Stationery: Evelyn Ragonton

Ceremony/Reception Venue: Shattuck Hotel

Officiant: Robert Harris

Ceremony Musician: Breanna Musso, Eric Morin

Reception Music: Chris Hicks

Florist: Sarah Padilla Designs

Cake & Desserts: Marley’s Treats

Rentals: Joe Squared Productions

Hair & Makeup Artist: Arianna Montezem

Stationer/Graphics Designers: Cathy Gamlen

Contact me or email me at alice@aliceche.com to book your wedding now. You might also enjoy this elegant San Francisco wedding in the Julia Morgan ballroom.

---

Alice Che is a San Francisco Wedding Photographer based in the Bay Area specializing in intimate, emotional wedding, engagement, couple and boudoir photography. Serving the South Bay, Peninsula, and East Bay: San Jose, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Carlos, Burlingame, Los Altos, Milpitas, Union City, Fremont, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Carmel, Monterey, Santa Cruz and surrounding areas. She is available for destination weddings and engagement sessions! Contact her for more detailed pricing.