Kristina and Rich have great, eclectic style. Their wedding was a fabulous mix of eclectic, vintage, modern, art deco style, with a little bit of D-I-Y for good measure. They are such a fun couple, and such a pleasure to photograph. We had a great time with them at their engagement session at Baker Beach, we knew the wedding day would be just as fun to photograph, which started off at Ralston Hall for us. We were not disappointed!
The story goes that Kristina had her wedding shoes before she had the ring. But when you know, you know, right?
We had a lot of fun with Kristina’s bridal portraits upstairs at Ralston Hall. She’s a great subject, and we could have photographed her for hours! This is just a sneak peek for you, but there are so many great bridal portraits from their day. Kristina has experience modeling, and knows that a slight turn of the head or a different expression can be all it takes to create a whole new look.
Kristina is a genius when it comes to stretching her wedding budget. She planned and created a gorgeous wedding with no details spared. The beautiful jeweled and feathered invitations were put together by hand, along with the programs & escort cards. And she had her wedding dress custom made for a tiny fraction of the cost of buying retail. And then there’s the cookies and candy bar to come. If you are looking around for some great DIY ideas, look no further!
Kristina and Rich had a private meeting prior to the ceremony. We started out inside the mansion, and then went outside. Ralston Hall is gorgeous inside and out, there are so many great spots for relaxed portraits. You can choose your favorite spots or just see what inspires you and your photographer in the moment. In addition to these glamorous portraits done inside, we also wandered to a bamboo grove, a little garden area and a cool metal garage door, all on the property and easily accessible. But Ralston Hall would be perfect on a rainy day wedding, because there’s so much you can do inside.
I love this image. So classic. The architecture at Ralston Hall is gorgeous. It makes a perfect backdrop for a vintage themed wedding.
Here’s the bamboo grove. I love the rich colors in the background.
I guess she has a plan for keeping Rich in line…
The feather adds to Rich’s boutonniere, and Kristina wore a feather in her hair for the ceremony as well.
The Ralston Hall ballroom is perfect for ceremonies. This room is so rich, photographically. Chandeliers, a great wood floor (I love the stripes), soft wall color, arches, limited glass, tall ceilings. Love it.
They are married! Don’t they look gorgeous together?
After the ceremony Geoff sneaked out for a few more portraits with the couple while I captured all the great details of their reception room.
Kristina and Rich kept their family portraits to a minimum which allowed them to relax and enjoy each other. I cannot stress enough what a difference this makes in a couple’s ability to enjoy themselves. See how relaxed they are? We don’t pose them like that. They were actually truly content, relaxed and enjoying each other. That creates an ideal situation for portraits. And its the best way to enjoy your wedding day!
Their colors were navy and silver, which suited the vintage style perfectly. The lighted feather centerpieces add a touch of fun and personality to the room.
Kristina is a scrap booker and is planning to create her own wedding album, scrapbook style. I’m sure it will have lots of great details and embellishments similar to the wedding invitation details.
I haven’t seen a fountain under the wedding cake since I was a kid! It definitely created an old school glamorous feel.
The first dance was a very sexy & sultry ballroom dance.
For Kristina’s bachelorette party, her girlfriends all headed to a ranch in Texas for a “shoot em up” weekend. The party host (the handsome gentleman in the middle) talked about how the ladies kicked their legs up when pulling the trigger. It was a great story, and you can tell how much the ladies had at the bachelorette weekend. The reception was really fun, and everyone was clearly having a great time. It’s nice to see people genuinely enjoying each other and not worried about formalities, just having a great time.
After the cake cutting, Kristina headed upstairs to toss the bouquet from the balcony.
Another great DIY wedding touch-a candy bar featuring favorites like salt water taffy in vintage bowls and vases.
The best idea EVER!!!!! Kristina and Rich served cookies and a shot of milk to their guests. There are so many great ways to enhance your wedding experience without breaking the bank. This is one of my favorites. Those cookies didn’t last 5 minutes!
I love how the centerpieces glowed after the lights came down. At the end of the night, Kristina and Rich gave us gifts. It was so unexpected and so incredibly thoughtful. Thank you! Congrats Kristina & Rich, and I can’t wait to see how the scrapbook turns out!
