A San Francisco picnic wedding for the cutest couple after their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California. Nick is English, Marina is Russian, and they’re both Californian. They’ve been together for eight years, lived in multiple states and cities together, and have a wonderful life that they love and share and love to share. After eight years together, they decided to make it official and celebrated with a San Francisco City Hall wedding, a San Francisco picnic wedding reception, and a little wade in the water of the Pacific Ocean. I loved everything about this day and couldn’t be happier that I was able to share it with such a special couple.

We started at San Francisco City Hall, where they were joined by three good friends who acted as witnesses and helped them celebrate their marriage. It was a bit too hard to get all of their parents together from multiple continents, so they instead opted to live stream their wedding to their parents (the sweetest use for technology!), with plans for small receptions and parties in each country with their parents next time they are in town visiting. It was an emotional ceremony with tears and laughter, which is the best kind.

We followed the ceremony with portraits around San Francisco City Hall, which has the best light and the prettiest views. I always feel so thankful and happy to work there and create magical photos with my clients in such a beautiful space!

After their ceremony, they headed to the San Francisco Botanical Garden for their San Francisco picnic wedding! It was the sweetest and most relaxed wedding reception and I loved every moment. Everybody should have a San Francisco picnic wedding! They laid out a picnic blanket, had caviar and toasts, sliced meats & cheeses, and then popped champagne and everybody toasted and enjoyed. After walking around in her heels all day, Marina kicked off her shoes and had her feet in the grass (and cute daisies), which was the perfect plus of her San Francisco picnic wedding.

At some point in the garden, we headed out for a few fun portraits. It’s a Russian tradition that the groom carries the bride across a bridge (seven times, apparently, but we went with just once), so by the cherry blossoms, Nick picked Marina up and they kissed and laughed all the way across the bridge. It was such a cute and fun addition and tradition for their San Francisco picnic wedding!

After the picnic, we all headed to Baker Beach, where more champagne was popped and the sunshine was enjoyed. Marina and Nick really wanted to capture the Golden Gate Bridge. Both of them are immigrants to the United States and California: Capturing portraits with this iconic bridge was a must for them as they celebrated their marriage in their new home state. They also really wanted to pop in the ocean for a little half dip. Marina and Nick wanted their wedding day to have a bit of “clean slate” symbolism to it: Celebrating their relationship already and also washing their feet and getting wet in the ocean as a wedding day “new chapter” feeling. They walked through the water, laughed and hugged while the waves crashed over their feet, and shouted with happiness. “It was perfect,” said Marina. “It was fresh and refreshing, and it felt like California.”

I love these photos and I love this couple: Everything about this wedding day was absolutely perfect. Enjoy the gallery!

Couple laughs while waiting in line for their wedding ceremony appointment at San Francisco City Hall, California
Couple holds hands while they prepare for their wedding ceremony with appointment at San Francisco City Hall, California
Couple holds hands while at the desk before their ceremony at San Francisco City Hall, California
Couple smiles on the Grand Staircase during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple walks up the Grand Staircase during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple walks up the Grand Staircase during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple stands in the rotunda before their ceremony during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple holds hands in the rotunda during their wedding ceremony at their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple holds hands in the rotunda during their wedding ceremony at their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Bride cries while couple holds hands in the rotunda during their wedding ceremony at their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple holds hands while their family look on in the rotunda during their wedding ceremony at their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple shares their first kiss in the rotunda during their wedding ceremony at their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Groom talks to his parents over Skype right after his ceremony at San Francisco City Hall
Bride and groom talk to their parents over Skype right after his ceremony at San Francisco City Hall
Friend holds bride's dress during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in the elevator
Couple laughs with their friends during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple laughs together during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple hugs and laughs together during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple hugs during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Couple hugs and smiles during their San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Gorgeous light on the bride's dress during her San Francisco City Hall wedding in California
Bride and groom stand together for a more formal wedding portrait
Bridal wedding bouquet with peonies and ranunculus
Groom kisses bride on the forehead
Bride and groom hug during their San Francisco City Hall wedding
Bride and groom walk together under the archways at San Francisco City Hall
Harsh light makes beautiful portrait of bride and groom holding hands
Bride and groom kiss in San Francisco City Hall
Bride and groom smile standing together in San Francisco City Hall
Groom kisses bride on the forehead after their San Francisco City Hall wedding
Bridesmaid fixes bride's dress during her San Francisco City Hall wedding
Bride laughs in front of an intricate and beautiful window
Detail shot of bride's crystal earring and flowers in her hair during her wedding
Groom laughs and smiles during solo portraits after his wedding
Bride and groom stand on the Grand Staircase at San Francisco City Hall before their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride and groom celebrate in front of City Hall before their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride and groom stand in front of San Francisco City Hall after getting married inside
Bride, groom, and their friends celebrate after they get married at San Francisco City Hall.
Bride and Groom head to their San Francisco picnic wedding reception after getting married at City Hall
Bride and groom stand under the cherry blossoms during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Groom holds bride on the bridge under the cherry blossoms during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride and groom stand under a beautiful tree in the San Francisco Botanical Garden during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride and groom stand under a beautiful tree in the San Francisco Botanical Garden during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride and groom stand under a beautiful tree in the San Francisco Botanical Garden during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride and groom walk with the groom's arms around the bride during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride and groom stand and kiss in the forest at the San Francisco Botanical Garden during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Portrait of the bride at the San Francisco Botanical Garden
Portrait of the bride and groom in the trees at the San Francisco Botanical Garden during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride's lace dress train trails through the forest at the San Francisco Botanical Garden during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride's lace dress train trails through the forest at the San Francisco Botanical Garden during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride and groom walk hand in hand under the cherry blossoms at the San Francisco Botanical Garden during their San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride serves caviar and toast on a picnic blanket in the grass during her San Francisco picnic wedding
Friend holds champagne flutes during the San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Gold and diamond engagement ring, wedding ring, and men's wedding band in purple and white flowers from the brides bouquet during her San Francisco picnic wedding
Bride's wedding bouquet with a big, pink peony sits on the grass and the daisies during her San Francisco picnic wedding
Bride looks at her wedding ring on her finger with groom looking on after her San Francisco picnic wedding reception
Bride and groom stand on the sand at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom run away from the waves on the sand at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom kiss on the sand at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom twirl and dance together on the sand at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom embrace and kiss on the sand at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom stand on the sand at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach

Bride and groom walk through the waves at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom walk through the waves at Baker Beach hand in hand in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom embrace in the waves at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom embrace in the waves at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom embrace in the waves at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom kiss in the waves at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride and groom embrace in the waves at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Bride squeezes ocean water out of her wedding dress at Baker Beach during her San Francisco picnic wedding
Bride's gorgeous white shoes sit in the sand during her San Francisco picnic wedding
Bride and groom embrace in the waves at Baker Beach in front of the Golden Gate Bridge during their San Francisco picnic wedding on the beach
Couple and friends cheers their pink champagne during their San Francisco picnic wedding
Bride walks down the beach at the end of her San Francisco picnic wedding

Wedding Ceremony Location: San Francisco City Hall

San Francisco Picnic Wedding Location: San Francisco Botanical Garden

Ocean Dip Location: Baker Beach

Browse more San Francisco City Hall weddings that I have photographed right here in my portfolio and here on my blog. I think you’d especially love these: Nina & John shared a pint at the local pup after their wedding | Paige had two wedding dresses that were the same, but different colors, so she changed after her ceremony | Nicole and Karsten arrived at their San Francisco City Hall wedding on bicycles (and she had an Oscar de la Renta dress on, too!)