I first met Victoria and Erik a couple of years before their wedding through a mutual friend while I was visiting San Jose. Getting to come back to California and photograph their wedding felt really special, especially because their day was so completely them.
They were married at a private estate and regenerative farm surrounded by greenery, their closest people and so many personal details that Victoria and Erik brought into the day themselves.
The weather kept us guessing for most of the day. There was rain on and off, umbrellas came out and we weren’t quite sure what we were going to get for the ceremony. Then, right as it was time for Victoria and Erik to get married, the clouds cleared and the sun came through.
Pretty perfect timing.
A Wedding Filled With Personal Details
One of my favorite things about this wedding was how much of Victoria and Erik you could see in it.
Victoria made her own veil, which made what she wore feel even more personal. They also incorporated a traditional tea ceremony into the day, creating time to honor their families and bring that part of their story into the celebration.
Then there was the reception.
Victoria and Erik love Disney and wanted their wedding to feel fun, so instead of following the usual reception traditions, they made their own. They skipped the traditional first dances and brought everyone together with games instead.
It completely changed the energy of the reception. People weren’t just sitting back and watching things happen. Their friends and family were laughing, cheering and getting involved.
It felt less like they were following a list of things you’re supposed to do at a wedding and more like they were throwing a celebration that actually felt like them.
And I loved that.
Making the Wedding Your Own
This is the kind of wedding that reminds me why I love when couples make decisions based on what they actually enjoy.
You don’t have to include a tradition just because it’s expected. You can keep the ones that mean something to you, leave out the ones that don’t and add things that make your people say, “Yep, that’s so them.”
Victoria and Erik did exactly that.
Between Victoria’s handmade veil, their tea ceremony, the games, the unpredictable California weather and everyone coming together at this beautiful farm, there was so much personality throughout the day.
It was joyful, personal and really fun to photograph.
And when the rain finally gave us a break, we got that beautiful California light for their portraits before everyone headed back to celebrating.
I’m so glad I got to be there to photograph it all.
