Athena + Armando in Oakland, CA

We loved photographing Athena and Armando's wedding not only because Athena and Armando were so lovely to work with, but also because their wedding took place practically in our own backyard in Oakland.  For those of you who don't know, we are big-time Oakland fans, yet rarely do we get to work in our city.  So, when we learned that Athena and Armando also loved Oakland, we were super excited to photograph them all around Lake Merritt and connect over our mutual love of our town.

These two were married at Our Lady of Lourdes Church and celebrated with a reception at The Terrace Room at the Lake Merritt Hotel.  When we first scouted the Terrace Room, we immediately fell in love with its art deco design and decor, and on the day of the wedding, it was beautifully transformed by the hard work of Stacey and her team, who were wonderful to work with.  Athena and Armando, thanks so much for having us and we wish you loads of happiness!

Next four photos by Adm:

Photo below by Adm:

Photo below by Adm:

Photo below by Adm:

Photos below by Adm:

Next three photos by Adm:

Aubra + Justin Engagement

After making engagement photos with Aubra and Justin for more than 3 hours, we can't wait for their October wedding!  Aubra and Justin are both so easygoing and fun to be around (not to mention that Aubra is also a Tar Heel alum).  This was my favorite kind of engagement shoot - leisurely exploring different parts of Oakland, looking for cool street scenes and art.  We ended up in our old neighborhood near the Parkway Theater where we found some great light, shadows and colorful murals.  They also brought along their adorable pup Lucy who joined in for the shoot.  I happen to be an avid Oakland lover, and so I love these shoots that get to show off my city and feel so quintessentially "Oaklandish."

Who doesn't love a good stick fight?

Photo below by Adm: