Arbour and Decker held an intimate wedding in Oakland on a cold and rainy day in January. We met at Kissel Uptown Oakland, where they were staying, for portraits. Then their closest friends stopped by for a bit of a pre-party before heading to the venue down the street, Lovely Day.

Arbour and Jay wanted candid, documentary coverage of their evening—an authentic portrayal of themselves and their loved ones through genuine emotions and fleeting moments. As the ceremony took place indoors after sunset, there was an intimate moody vibe. We decided to shoot both without flash and with flash for the ceremony to capture both well lit moments as well as the more true to reality, romantic atmosphere. Then we got into party mode and went full flash for the rest of the evening.

Winter weddings are a great way to celebrate in the off season, and are so cozy. Love an all-flash party look as well! If you’re looking to throw an intimate wedding (any season) and want help capturing all the organic moments with minimal to no posing, check out my packages and reach out to chat about details!