Lori & James’s Wedding at the Bently Reserve

Lori & James’s wedding was pure elegance from beginning to end. It was such a pleasure to be a part of their day, and they had amazing relationships with their friends and family. Their wedding was a very elegant celebration that was filled with love, joy and appreciation of all that they have. It was a beautiful day.

Invitations done by Hello Lucky!

Absolutely gorgeous. What else is there to say? Well, in addition to being gorgeous, Lori is as sweet as can be.

Bridesmaids munched on custom color m & m’s while getting ready…

Lori was so happy and relaxed while getting ready. Surrounded by her friends and family while she got dressed, it was a very nice atmosphere to start off her wedding day. Neja Cosmetics did an awesome job on the bride’s hair and makeup.

Passersby asked us what celebrity we were photographing! Lori and James both had such a glamorous style, it was easy to mistake them for A list celebrities. Lori’s wedding dress is by Amy Kushel. That red carpet entrance was over the top!

This man KNOWS how to wear a tuxedo. James looks so comfortable and elegant in his tux, I totally imagined his family must be elite San Francisco high society. And then during the reception I learned he’s originally a farm boy from Fresno! Very tight knit family, so lovely to see how close he is with his parents.

Gift bags for out of town guests and the bridesmaids bouquet. I like the touches of red in the bouquet. We love the repetition of the bridal colors throughout, even down to getting-ready snacks of color-coordinated M&Ms and gift bags.

The candlelight ceremony took place at the Bently Reserve. This particular venue, while beautiful, has very challenging lighting from a photographic perspective. Got Light took care of that, and created the perfect ambiance, while still keeping the ceremony area well lit. A great planner with the right budget can create an amazing atmosphere. Morgan Doan of Events By Morgan is one of the best planners in the Bay Area, and was able to create this amazing event space for the wedding day.

The bride coming down the aisle, escorted by her father. Look at the profile of the dress, I just love the shape it creates.

From the moment he saw her, James’ face lit up with a huge smile, which he pretty much kept throughout the entire ceremony.

The Bently Reserve has these gorgeous columns out front that are perfect for some quick portraits. Don’t they look simply stunning together? The Bride and groom had a white bouquet and boutonniere, while the bridesmaid’s bouquet and dress carried the color. I really, really love the simple shape of Lori’s bridal gown.

This is one of my favorites. Lori has an amazing smile that makes you feel good about yourself.

Beautiful, and sometimes strange architecture outside the building makes for interesting portraits. This is a spiral staircase right next door to the Bently that we like to use for variety and interest.

Here are the escort cards which were hung from these crystal strands. And there’s a secret to these cards-the number of red circles was an indication to the waiters of the beef, fish or vegetarian selection.

During the cocktail hour, the room was turned over to create the elegant reception atmosphere. It really takes a team effort to do this type of transformation during a cocktail hour. Even the lighting is different. The tables were set up as much as possible and stashed out of view to save time. Good lighting and strong, consistent details like the reception trees pull the Autumn together. Gorgeous floral design by Michael Daigian Designs Despite the large number of guests, the ambiance created a sense of intimacy.

Square cake by non other than Jen’s Cakes. Isn’t it pretty?

I love how the wedding menu is presented with the napkin. These are the tiniest details that are looked after when you have someone as talented as Morgan coordinating the entire effort.

Lori’s sister giving a toast while the bride looks on.

All day Lori and James only had eyes for each other.

You could tell how proud these parents were of their kids. The whole day really couldn’t have been any better. It was perfectly planned, everything looked gorgeous, and Lori and James were so completely happy. It’s just amazing to be a part of that kind of experience.

Notice the gobo light pattern on the ceiling? That’s the same design as from the invitation and escort cards. Very cool! And that’s it for the sneak peek! Congratulations to both Lori & James!