About My Fun couple…

Erin and Alyssa are the type of couple everyone wants at their party—energetic, loving, and full of joy. They didn’t stress the small stuff; they simply wanted to throw an incredible party for their closest friends and coworkers. Their laughter and connection made them an absolute joy to work with. Capturing their special day felt more like hanging out with longtime friends than working. I also want to give an honorable mention to Dewey, their Golden Doodle. AKA the fried chicken dog 😀

Wedding Day Highlights

A Stunning Modern Theme

The theme was a perfect blend of modern sophistication and playful charm. I want to give a HUGE shoutout to Tawny and her team at One Sweet Soirée for putting it all together- including this super star vendors team I got to me part of. To comply with the museum’s strict floral restrictions, their florist, Zaddy Blooms, created stunning arrangements using lush greenery and pine trees. These elements elevated the timeless ambiance of the venue while keeping the design simple and chic.

Emotional Moments

While the couple opted into just a reception party, their party didn’t hold back on intimate moments. Special highlights included Alyssa’s dad during the family formals saying how proud he was of her. On the dance floor, so many happy moments there as well! Erin’s dad would come up and start dancing with the newlyweds. It was really sweet…

Museum Photo Tour

One of the best parts of hosting their wedding at the Legion of Honor Museum was exploring its breathtaking spaces for photos. We started in quiet, empty rooms, making our way to the grand gallery housing Monet’s masterpieces. The museum staff kindly closed off the area for five minutes, allowing us to capture magical, private moments. We then made our way outside after the museum had closed to the sides where the sun peaked through the cypress trees. These locations made their museum wedding photo gallery truly unforgettable.

Cocktail Hour in the Galleries

Cocktail hour was hosted in the upstairs galleries, where guests mingled among the artwork while enjoying live music from Lucky Devils Band. This unique experience set the tone for the reception, blending elegance with the vibrant energy of the day. Guests loved taking pictures with the sculptures and paintings, making it a lively start to the evening.

Dinner and Dancing Under the Stars

The dinner reception took place in the intimate, candlelit setting of the museum’s cafe. Guests indulged in international food stations prepared by Global Gourmet Catering, ensuring a dining experience as diverse as it was delicious. Later, the dance floor was moved to the outdoor terrace, where lounge areas and bars on either side created the perfect party atmosphere. Erin and Alyssa’s guests danced the night away under the stars, surrounded by the magic of the museum.

Legion of Honor Wedding info: Everything You Need to Know

The Legion of Honor Museum is one of San Francisco’s premier venues for a stylish and unforgettable wedding. This iconic SF museum wedding location features elegant architecture, stunning art galleries, and expansive gardens. The Legion of Honor wedding price starts at around $11,000 for venue rental, with additional costs for catering, lighting, and setup. Capacity is limited to about 150-450 depending on they type of wedding you book here! You can get married at the court of honor, or on the lawn. My couple decided to host a reception party, which took place in the Rodin Galleries and the Terrace. But with the elegance and class, the true Legion of Honor wedding price is priceless in my book.

It’s important to note that the venue has strict rules for load-in times, security, and decor, including a restriction on florals. Couples should plan ahead to work within these limitations. Be prepared with a plan B for rain, as the outdoor dance floor and terrace areas are weather-dependent. If you need more Legion of Honor wedding Info, here is a very useful link! Or I can reach out to my couple for more wedding information as well.

Additional Legion of Honor Info

1. Court of Honor

• Rental Fee: $18,000 (Sunday–Thursday) / $20,000 (Friday–Saturday)
• Tenting Fee: An additional $32,000 is required for tenting, except for wedding ceremonies.
• Seated Capacity: 450 (with tenting)
• Reception Capacity: 600
• If you are just shooting engagement sessions, or portrait sessions. It is available for free during museum hours!

2. Balustrade Lawn

• Rental Fee: $500
• Note: This space is only available for ceremonies and must be rented in conjunction with another event space.
• Seated Capacity: 250

3. Rodin Galleries

• Rental Fee: $10,000 (Sunday–Thursday) / $12,000 (Friday–Saturday)
• Seated Capacity: 80 (Gallery 10)
• Reception Capacity: 200 standing or 80 seated

4. Terrace Level

• Rental Fee: $7,000 (Sunday–Thursday) / $9,000 (Friday–Saturday)
• Seated Capacity: 150 inside café with dancing area; 180 inside café with dancing on the terrace
• Reception Capacity: 350

My Tips for This Venue

As someone who loves museums, the Legion of Honor Museum was a dream venue for me to shoot at. If you’re planning your wedding here, I recommend scheduling an early start around 4:30 PM to take advantage of the museum passes provided by the staff. This allows time for beautiful photo opportunities in the galleries and garden before your reception kicks off.

Why This Wedding Stands Out

For Erin and Alyssa, the Legion of Honor Museum wedding was a perfect match for their vibe—modern, elegant, and brimming with fun. Whether it was their private garden stroll, the lively cocktail hour in the galleries, or the late-night terrace dance party, every moment was special. It was an honor to capture their day, and the stunning setting only added to the magic.

Scroll below to check out my shots of Erin & Alyssa’s legion of honor wedding photos to see how this incredible celebration came to life!

Interested in another elegant venue?

Check out my City Hall page. It’s not only affordable, but it is just as classy and timeless!

The post Erin & Alyssa’s Stunning Legion of Honor Wedding appeared first on Jacob Cabral Photography.

Blake Garden Engagement Shoot. Kensington California, UC Berkeley

Here are pictures from Brittany and Brandon’s engagement shoot held at the Blake Garden in Kensington, which is located right next to UC Berkeley in the Bay Area!  This, being my first time shooting at the Blake Garden, was such a refreshing experience. When Brandon first contacted me and told me about this hidden treasure, I was so excited to shoot- It is always nice when clients show me new spots! Since we shot their engagement session in the middle of a sunny afternoon, there were plenty of nicely shaded areas. For those that know me, I LOVE shooting in the shade!

Brittany and Brandon were fantastic to work with. Can you believe that this was their first shoot together?! I wouldn’t believe it…They took direction into their own hands and the shots came out GREAT. On top of that, they were fun to laugh and hang with. Shooting at Blake Garden was also a very special moment for the couple because that is where Brittany took Brandon on one of their first dates… it’s also where Brandon proposed to her. He even had the park closed off during the pandemic just to propose! I am so grateful I was able to capture such an intimate moment with Brittany and Brandon, congrats you two!!

The post Blake Garden Engagement Shoot // Brittany & Brandon appeared first on Jacob Cabral Photography.

Fairytale Wedding at Sutro Heights Park

On May 1, 2021 Tessa and Will tied the knot in San Francisco’s beautiful Sutro Heights Park. Surrounded only by their immediate family, this was a  beautiful, intimate wedding ceremony. The park, which overlooks Ocean Beach, has a stunning flower wall which was bloom during the wedding. This was just perfect. Being that this was my first time shooting at Sutro Heights Park, it couldn’t have been any better.

It was a beautiful sunny day in San Francisco, but being next to the beach it was quite windy (as expected). However, once we walked up to the flower wall, the wind had calmed down. Before the ceremony had started, Will was going over his vows and the family was getting situated. Once everyone arrived at the flower wall, the couple had walked up to the flower wall and the ceremony began.

The Wedding Ceremony

Will and Tessa, looked great up there! Tessa had a beautiful wedding dress with a slight hint of pink, while Will had a nicely fitted suit. Additionally, they were placed perfectly. The shade wasn’t spotty but flat, this was a photographer’s dream! The ceremony went by quickly. The poems that Shelly, the officiant, had recited were beautiful. The vows were tear jerking as well! It was a joy being there and experiencing this moment with the couple and their family.

Formals

After the ceremony and family pictures, it was time for the formals of just the couple. Sutro Heights Park has A LOT to offer! At times, it felt as if I was in old Europe with the stone walls and flowers. But at other times, I felt like I was in at a modern mansion with the unique concrete architecture. The formals went SO well. Tessa and Will were amazing at taking direction into their own hands. We eventually ended our session at Sutro Baths after the park. The sun was perfectly lighting Tessa’s dress and the wind was creating a dreamy mood. I was so grateful to capture this memorable day of beautiful people. Congrats, Tessa and Will, I wish you both the best!

Check out Some of Their Photos!

The post Sutro Heights Park Wedding // Tessa & Will appeared first on Jacob Cabral Photography.

Trish and Sannie chose to do their engagement session at the Little Sunday Studio located in San Jose, and it let me tell you, it was a VIBE. Both Trish and Sannie are talented street photographers who have a special street swagger style- it was only right that we shot at the Little Sunday Studio! Before the shoot, the couple had sent me a mood board of what they were going for. The board mostly consisted of magazine, editorial style poses. This was really refreshing for me! As a wedding/engagement photographer, It definitely brought a new style to my plate. I also enjoyed this because it felt as if I was collaborating with Trish and Sannie!

Although we had the Little Sunday Studio booked for two hours, it went by QUICK! During those hours, we had music bumping and the creative vibes were flowing. Overall, I had such a great time shooting! Trish and Sannie were amazing. Not only are they super chill, but they also have great style. Their vibe and connection is crystal clear and can be seen in their final edits. This made my job so easy that day! Being that we were all photographers in the room, I enjoyed their suggestions and ideas on some of the poses and angles. We were also able to utilize the different spaces and light that came into the room.

After the studio session, we managed to get some outside pictures while the sun was still setting. Both Sannie and Trish had out brought their film cameras during this time and we were all just having fun shooting each other! After the session we got good food/drink at San Pedro Square. It was an amazing day with an amazing couple, congrats Trish and Sannie!

The post Little Sunday Studio Engagement Session // Trish & Sannie appeared first on Jacob Cabral Photography.

When I arrived at the church, it was a calm atmosphere. The family was setting up while the pianist was warming up. Darrick, both nervous and excited, was thinking about the big day ahead of him and his soon-to-be wife, Faye! Prior to the wedding day, the couple had decided that they wanted to do a first look at the church right  before the ceremony. These are always so fun to shoot and experience, I was very excited to see how they would react to seeing each other for the first time that day! Once Faye had arrived, I took her solos before the first look. Like Darrick, she was also nervous but happy that the day was finally happening! As Faye slowly walked up towards Darrick, their close friends were off to the side watching and waiting for that special moment to happen. During this time, Mark, the videographer, and I were getting shots of the couple from different angles. The excitement was building up. Once Faye tapped Darrick to turn around, it was like the New Years Ball had dropped. They smiled with joy, laughed, and were amazed at how beautiful they both looked.

The ceremony was both beautiful and intimate. St. Cecilia’s, being a big church, only had the first few rows filled due to covid restrictions, and all the of the guest, including myself and Mark, wore a mask- I felt very safe and comfortable shooting Faye and Darrick’s big day! After the ceremony and alter photos, myself, Mark, Darrick, Faye, and her bridesmaids headed over to Legion of Honor to do their wedding photos!

Legion is always good location to get the light and airy look. Its high, marble-colored columns adds that high-end touch to the photos! Faye and Darrick looked great here, this was the perfect location. The overcast also helped a lot with the lighting! Though the courtyard was closed, we were able to really utilize the surrounding columns and entrance walkway. With the nerves out of the way, I could tell how comfortable they were knowing that they have just tied the knot. Because of this, they looked so good in front of the camera! I would like to also add that, normally, when the exhibits are open, Legion likes to add big (ugly) banners to the columns, but since they were closed due to the pandemic, we were fortunate to have banner-free columns!!! I could not be happier with how these shots turned out! After finishing Faye and Darrick’s wedding photos, we then headed over to Berkeley Double Tree for their reception.

The reception room at Double Tree was perfect. It had enough space to accommodate a small wedding, and even had a dance floor! Before the program had started, I was able to get some detail shots of the table settings, flowers, and also had time to set up my off-camera flash. Being that this was an intimate wedding, the reception was beautiful and straight to the point. The program had everything a big wedding would have, but instead it was a close collective of friends and family. Everyone knew each other and shared good vibes throughout the night. I too felt very comfortable with the wedding guest! They were all so nice and were not even afraid to ask me to take their pictures! I feel that sometimes, at bigger weddings, guest are always shy when it comes to asking any photographer to take their picture. This was definitely not the case here! By the end of the night, I felt as if I was part of that close collective of friends and family! As I was packing my stuff, I felt very fortunate and blessed to have shot this specific wedding with this specific couple and their family during this time. Everything worked out perfectly, and I hope it shows through Faye and Darrick’s beautiful gallery. Congrats, Faye and Darrick! I wish you the best!

The post St. Cecilia’s, San Francisco Wedding // Faye & Darrick appeared first on Jacob Cabral Photography.

Irene and Mario were amazing. I already had envisioned what I wanted to do with them before the session. We did the shoot fairly early in the morning at 9AM. It was Spring time in San Francisco and was freezing with Karl the Fog lingering around. Perfect. We started off at the pool, a well-known spot for pictures with beautiful reflections. Although I was about 60 feet away from the couple, they were able to hear my poses as I shouted them out. I’m sure other lurkers thought this was funny…or that I was crazy! At one moment, there were a flock of seagulls, I felt that this was the best shot from that pool set.

After we got done with the pool, we found what looked to be maybe abandoned, brick bathhouses(?). The rustic, abandoned brick looked so good with the Karl the Fog! Here I was directing poses, trying to explain scenes from a movie. This was something new that I have never done prior. I learned this by observing photosets from those Facebook groups. Irene and Mario picked up very well on it and had a good time with it! Irene and Mario did a quick outfit change before moving to our next spot.

We then walked up to Lands End and found some private parts in the woods. Upon walking around in the woods, there was this BEAUTIFUL spot the looked out into the ocean. The spot looked as if trees had been purposely separated to create a natural window looking out to Pacific Ocean. Because of all the fog, it was completely white with no visibility of the ocean whatsoever. I was able to create some nice silhouettes here and went for a minimalistic vibe. We ended our shoot with some floor poses. Irene would lie in Mario’s body, I just told them to imagine that you are on a date. They did just that, they ignored me and the poses came naturally.

Irene and Mario, thank you so much for this moment. Thank you for being you. Thank you for giving me a chance and opening my eyes to this path. I wish y’all the best!

The post Sutro Bath Engagement // Irene & Mario appeared first on Jacob Cabral Photography.

Austin and Alex’s big day was a dream to shoot! Both Austin and Alex are interior decorators based in the Sonoma area and are BAD ASS at what they do. I mean c’mon, their wedding venue, attire, and wedding details just give us the slightest glimpse of how talented they are. Because there was so much going on, aesthetically, I tried to get a lot of detail shots. When it came to the ring photos, I looked for what vibe would fit it most. The overall vibe of the winery has a ranch, dessert-like feel so I was looking for something that would relate to that. In this case, it was a small succulent, cactus-like plant that I found in the lobby. The wedding bands also had a rustic-like look to them and went perfectly with the plant! Another big big detail that grabbed my attention was the attire.

The attire of the wedding party was SO AWESOME! The suits had amazing designs that popped, something that was different than the traditional wedding party attire. The wedding party really knew how to work these suits! Let’s just say LOTS of Instagram Boomerangs happened that day 😀

As the ceremony approached I was able to get some detail shots of the area. As I expected, it was nicely set up. The cream colored seating, umbrellas, and wedding arch offered a tropical touch to the wedding. It felt like I was in Hawaii for a bit! With the area being outside in the open, I was able to get good angles of Austin and Alex during the ceremony. I was mainly using my telephoto lens so that I wouldn’t be a distraction to the ceremony going on. The ceremony was short and sweet! Their speeches were beautiful, in one of the photos, you can just see how much they both love and care for each other.

After the ceremony, it was the cocktail hour. Here I was able to get shots of some of the guest and also the beautiful vineyards of the winery. All of the guest were super nice welcoming when I’d ask if they wanted their photos taken. When Alex and Austin arrived in their post-ceremony attire, the party officially got started! Everyone then headed down towards the wedding venue for dinner and dancing. While the live band was playing, the energy of the wedding was full of positive vibes! People were dancing, mingling, and to top it off the weather was just right. I couldn’t have been happier with how the whole thing turned out. Congrats, Austin and Alex!

The post Scribe Winery Wedding// Austin & Alex appeared first on Jacob Cabral Photography.