San Francisco WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

As San Francisco wedding photographers, we never take for granted how fortunate we are to live by such a vibrant and unique city. We couldn’t have found a more perfect complement to our wedding photojournalism style than the city by the bay. Whether you’re a local Bay Area bride or a groom planning your San Francisco destination wedding, the city’s colorful characters and iconic neighborhoods provide a visually compelling context for your day. While city traffic can be frustrating at best and maddening at its rush-hour worst, as long as you give yourself twice as much time as you think you might need to pre-empt any stress, you’ll get yourself to the church on time – to coin a phrase. Our knowledge of what is possible location-wise and logistics-wise amidst the maze of foggy hills ensure you get the most out of your wedding day photography...just make sure your wedding shoes are comfortable!

With deep history, unique architecture in all directions, its romantic fog and iconic bridges, great light, parks, endless food and entertainment options, and a ubiquitous open-mindedness, San Francisco is a great place to be a wedding photographer!

We particularly love San Francisco churches for your wedding day. From the Roman-Corinthian architecture of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral to the oldest church in the city, Mission Dolores. The Mission is actually the oldest intact building in the City of San Francisco and the Mission Cemetery is the only cemetery that remains within the City limits.

Not everyone chooses to have their San Francisco wedding ceremony at a church! Some even get hitched at their favorite restaurant or event space. For an intimate wedding space, Spruce SF is amazing. The food, wine and service is unparalleled in the industry. 

For lovers of history and architecture, the Asian Art Museum and its neighbor across the street, San Francisco City Hall offer impressive wedding photography portrait locations and the diverse crowds on nearby streets lend themselves to interesting wedding photojournalism. With our years of experience as the best wedding photographers serving the San Francisco Bay Area, we know this city well and have a long list of great alternative shooting locations for days when the iconic spots are just too busy. By the way, it’s perfect for Engagement Photo Sessions as well! 

About Viera Photographics

Viera Photographics is a husband and wife wedding photography team located in Sonoma, California. They specialize in telling stories through their style of wedding photojournalism and candid documentary wedding photography. In business since 2005 they are considered to be one of the top high-end wedding photographers. Their unique wedding photographic style emphasizes stylish storytelling with raw emotion. They bring impeccable and unmatched customer service on every level.

Jaime, Dennis and their team are available worldwide with no travel fees. They travel often photographing weddings all over the world. Some of their top destinations are: Napa, San Francisco, Tahoe, Big Sur, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, New York, Newport, Rhode Island, Vermont, Mexico, and Hawaii.

Viera Photographics

[email protected]
San Francisco, CA
(707) 934-4007

Featured San Francisco weddings

An Asian Art Museum Wedding // Carah and Michael

San Francisco wedding photography

Planning their San Francisco Asian Art Museum wedding day from New England wasn’t the easiest logistical feat, and involved several trips out west to make sure everything was in order. But from the beginning they partnered up with those who are the best at what they do. The ceremony was at Saints Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco’s Washington Square and (fun fact), the front steps were where Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio posed for their wedding photos after their civil ceremony in 1954. The reception was held at the Asian Art museum — Helping to realize Carah’s dream of a grand and formal, yet inviting and vibrant wedding, her wedding coordinator Cassandra O’Gara straight knocked it out of the park. From the cavernous nave of Church, to the expansive card catalog room of the Asian Art Museum, they had grand and formal both covered. For all the mini-events happening throughout the day, however, there was a more inviting, family-style feel;  from the bubble sendoff, to touring on a trolley car around San Francisco with their wedding party, to Mike’s surprise “groom’s cake”, to a packed, multigenerational dance floor rocking the evening away to the sounds of Pop Fiction, to wrapping up the night eating In N’ Out burgers, it was an epic day for everyone involved. Michael and Carah’s wedding day happened to be one of the windiest days of the summer in San Francisco, and the weather made for some unexpected mishaps, such as her veil (with its heirloom diamond headpiece) being blown off her head and taking a life of its own, whooshing rapidly across the sky under the domes and columns of the Palace of Fine Arts. This could’ve turned many a couple towards the dark side, but their positivity and lovely spirit saved the day. In Carah’s words: The engrained memory of our shocked and concerned family and bridal party banding together… Continue Reading

A de Young Museum wedding // Kevin and Chris

San Francisco Wedding Photographers

Kevin and Chris’ De Young museum wedding took place in San Francisco’s Golden Gate park. The architecture of the DeYoung is magnificient and the ceremony site was that of stark contrasts. The ceremony took place in the serenity of the sculpture garden, framed in the background by the massively cantilevered steel roof of the museum. Kevin being an illustrator (most notable for his cover art in the Marvel series, “She Hulk”) he brings two dimensional images to life for a living. This larger-than-life architectural backdrop; a bit like Mad Max meets Alice in Wonderland, seemed apropos for this special occasion. As your friends often know you better than you know yourselves… why not have them officiate your wedding? The co-officiants, Eric and Scott took anecdotal stories from the past and infused them with just the right amount of fiction to keep the crowd completely engaged and glowing. Eric: Welcome to the greatest wedding of all time. Again, I am Eric. Scott: I’m Scott. Eric: Kevin and Chris asked us to co-officiate their wedding ceremony as a reflection of them as individuals. To represent them. Spiritually and emotionally. Scott: Even physically. Eric: Yes. It’s like Kevin and Chris asked the question, “Do we have people in our lives that kind of look like us, only better looking, taller, and funnier?” Scott: I don’t think they found them yet. Eric: I never noticed but you do look like Kevin. Scott: We’re like bizarro them! [this couple is blessed with some truly awesome pals] In complementary wool suits – earthtone in color – the two faced each other and their audience as the last of the processional, their cuddle-bug chocolate lab Temko, made his way down the aisle with the all-important wedding bands. As a couple, standing up in front of 180 of your closest friends and family as you open your hearts to one another can… Continue Reading

A San Francisco City Hall wedding // Thy and Brandon

Thy and Brandon travelled from Seattle with a few family members and a couple good friends for their intimate San Francisco City Hall wedding. Now you’re probably thinking what Brandon’s friends thought when he told them about their destination wedding venue…city hall? San Francisco’s city hall is one of the most incredible buildings in the city, a breathtaking Beaux-Arts monument that was recognized in the late 70’s by the American Institue of Architects as one of the finest examples of French Renaissance architecture in the country. Stretching over 2 city blocks and featuring an enormous dome that’s higher than that of the nation’s capitol and the fifth largest in the world. Point is, San Francisco City Hall is a pretty incredible place to be married. In Thy’s words: We wanted something intimate that was more about us and those close to us. We didn’t want a giant wedding where we would not even really be able to spend time with the people who mattered most. We’re a relatively shy and practical couple that just wanted the memory to be relatively stress-free. A simple city hall wedding doesn’t mean that you need to forego a gorgeous Vera Wang wedding dress, however, and Thy looked incredible as she made her way up the grand staircase to meet Brandon. The ceremony itself was quite short – only a few minutes – yet despite the short duration, it was still quite emotional. Brandon’s mother was in tears and Thy described the feeling as “surreal when the commissioner had us promise to take care of each other for the rest of our lives.” Every day, countless couples shuffle into the security gate of San Francisco’s City Hall and emerge as husband and wife, off to begin the next phase of their lives together. I was glad to be able to tag along… Continue Reading

San Francisco City Hall wedding // Elisa and Joe

On a brilliant Friday morning, we headed south into the city to meet Elisa and Joe for their San Francisco City Hall wedding. An hour later – unbeknownst to anyone other than Jaime and I – they emerged as husband and wife. It was our first time photographing in city hall and what an incredible energy the place has; There were couples of all shapes and sizes preparing for their marriages, city-councilmen and women bustling through halls, some sort of youth-beauty-pageant thing being prepared for, and on the second floor of the rotunda, a Celtic choir filled the grand space and provided ambience (and bursts of applause) for Joe and Elisa’s quick ceremony. Joe and Elisa came up for a visit in the fall and we took them on a walk around our neighborhood taking photos. It was clear to us how much they liked being around each other and, despite the absence of any guests apart from us the morning of their wedding, they both were filled with nervous excitement which was sweet. As their number came up on the tele-prompter, they entered the office of the court clerk and their officiant and signed the necessary documents. We then proceeded to the second level of the rotunda where they made it official. Although the ceremony was quick, they displayed and incredibly full range of emotions and after their kiss – and for the rest of the morning – they both couldn’t have been any happier. We headed to a park for a small picnic lunch, Jaime dropped their cake (true story – don’t trust Jaime to carry your wedding cake), we laughed, toasted with them and left them to enjoy their first afternoon together as husband and wife. Simple and perfect.   Continue Reading

A San Francisco Elopement // Carmen and Joe

San Francisco Wedding Photographers

A day when you get to meet a couple on the Golden Gate bridge for their San Francisco wedding is a truly unique one! Carmen and Joe are Dean and Chancellor (respectively) of two University of Wisconsin campuses, and on a Thursday afternoon this summer, they decided to elope atop the Golden Gate Bridge.  Running is a big part of their lives and one of their favorite runs they’ve ever done together was on the Golden Gate Bridge.  So they decided to travel to San Francisco, start on either side of the bridge and meet in the middle to get hitched! It made perfect sense to us, now all I had to do was quickly get Dennis over his fear of heights (did it!) and get fit (working on it!). We met the couple on the San Francisco side of the bridge where Dennis picked up Joe and drove north to the Marin side to begin our run. It was a classic San Francisco afternoon with the Golden Gate Bridge shrouded in misty fog, while on either side of the bridge, the otherwise lovely, sunny afternoon shone through brightly.  Dennis ran with Joe as Carmen and I approached from the San Francisco side of the bridge.  It was very sweet of them to stop periodically to let us run ahead, because I’m certain they would’ve easily blown past had we not been there – these two are in seriously good shape. Carmen and Joe love each other big time, and were literally bursting with love when they met atop the main span of the bridge.  We’ve seen a lot of affectionate couples but I think based on a kisses-per-hour ratio, Joe and Carmen take top honors… and it was pretty awesome to be around.  The two love each other through and through;  they love cooking together (they are both vegans), playing music (they’re in a band together), and… Continue Reading

A Terra Gallery wedding // Michele and Tim

San Francisco wedding photographer

Michele and Tim are both native San Diegains transplanted to San Francisco. They met at a Giants vs Padres game through mutual friends. That game was the start of their genuine, loyal and silly relationship, and to this day, neither of them actually remember who won as they talked the whole entire game! The past 5 years they have been enjoying each other cooking, eating, laughing with their friends and hanging out with their dog, Radish. Their Terra Gallery wedding, in the heart of San Francisco was a true reflection of the couple themselves and included many personalized details. The Chuppah was Michele’s great grandfathers, brought over from Germany. They put together all the flowers arrangements themselves and designed the awesome koozie favors. All the tables were adorned with kraft paper and crayons for drawing and the table names were and inside jokes referring to defining moments of their relationship. We just loved all the details and this couple’s genuine love for each other and every one of their guests.   Continue Reading

A Spruce SF wedding // Sabrina and Jeremy

San Francisco is such an enchanting city.  There’s really no other place like it in the US, with it’s urban-space-invasiveness broken up by public spaces, expansive parks, and the ocean and San Francisco Bay.  We’ve had some of the best times in the Bay area and met some incredible people here along the way.  Sabrina and Jeremy are two such people.  We first met Sabrina nearly 5 years ago through our very good friend Shannon but it wasn’t until several years later that we’d meet Jeremy.  At that time, several hundred miles of California coastline separated the two, but any weekend that was free, either Sabrina or Jeremy would hop in their car on Friday afternoon and bridge the distance. A few years passed and we finally got to meet this guy we’d heard so much about.  Admittedly, we were a bit intimidated at first, but I think that’s pretty natural when you’ve heard so much about someone but only know them through another person’s accounts.  In addition he’s a pretty big guy and,  although I’m nearly 5’10”, in my head I only feel around  5’6″.  After we got over our nerves, we liked this guy straight-away. He listens intently and gives back a thoughtful perspective drawing from genuine wisdom and I know this because he left a teaching job in Santa Barbara not long after to move to San Francisco.  Sabrina’s a Pediatric ICU nurse and despite her intense and often heart-rending profession, she always greets you with a smile that will out-do most people’s best attempts at a hug.  The two love the outdoors and being active – as we experienced during their engagement session at Steep Ravine campground –  and suit each other perfectly. When Sabrina walked down the aisle at her Spruce SF wedding that Sunday afternoon in her… Continue Reading

A Hillsborough wedding // Lan and Alvin

Hillsborough wedding photographer

Lan and Alvin’s wedding was our last wedding of 2012 and saw us return to the lovely Hillsborough neighborhood, just south of San Francisco. Their Hillsborough wedding and reception were held in the gorgeous home of Lan’s Uncle and her cousin, whom she regards as a younger brother.  Family and friends were in abundance and contributions to the decor, planning, and overall seamlessness of the day were given generously by all.  Lan and Alvin are just…well, very very cute and so in love with each other, it broke our hearts. Lan’s giant smile immediately puts you at ease and Alvin is such a sweet, genuine guy, he was as completely engrossed in every moment of the day as he was concurrently aware of making sure things were on track and running smoothly around him.  As the ceremony ended, the sun dipped, and the heat lamps fired up…the night was full of some of our favorite speeches of the year and to top off the night…we got to see Lan and Alvin’s Gangnam Style!  What more could you ask for, being a Hillsborough wedding photographer is awesome! As our thoughts now shift to the new year and the work that awaits us in 2013, we are thankful and so grateful to have met such a wide variety of amazingly unique clients – many whom have become friends – in 2012.  Thanks Lan and Alvin for giving us such a positive finish to our (official) year! Continue Reading

A Hillsborough wedding // Josephine and Erick

Hillsborough wedding photography

When Bodie woke up this morning, he knew it was going to be an extra special day. “There are strangers all over my house, setting up tables, chairs, and lighting where only months ago there, was just dirt!  Mom looks extra fancy, people everywhere are giving me treats, I have my special tuxedo tie on, and Bella’s here…and she’s wearing bling!” Everyone was getting ready for their black tie, classy Hillsborough wedding. Only months before, Josephine and Erick’s new home looked quite different. The two put a lot of love and hard work into transforming the outside of their beautiful home from a glorified sandbox into an elegant wedding venue.   With the help of Yelena Johnson, their efforts were a success and set a wonderfully intimate tone for the day.  As the sun dipped behind the Santa Cruz mountains,  dinner began and guests found their seats at one of two, 24-foot long farm-style tables.  They were then treated to gorgeous local cuisine and wines under the warm light of overhead chandeliers.  A very classy affair, made even more so by the fact that it all took place in the comfort of their own home. Bodie and Bella’s day ended a bit prematurely – midway through the ceremony, the duties of ring bearer and flower girl all became too much to handle – and the two passed out  in each other’s paws. Continue Reading

A Mission Delores Wedding // Isabel and Daniel

Mission Delores wedding photography

It was like a scene from an old Hollywood movie.  The bride, resplendent in her Pronovias dress and borrowed vintage veil walked down the aisle towards her groom, their smiles conveying more to each other than words ever could.  For, as with all the greatest love stories, the real story is not in what is told, but in the untold, the secret language between those in love … a look, a touch, a certainty. Isabel and Daniels’ Mission Delores wedding ceremony, the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco, was a perfect setting for this part of their journey together.  The reception was held at RF80, an urban event space nestled in the warehouse district below Petrero Hill. The space was completely transformed to illustrate the couple’s style.  From the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to the long family-style table settings, they were surrounded by elegance and love. Every flower in the room had been handpicked by Isabel’s Mom; flowers that will always hold a special place in Isabel’s heart. A snapshot into the timeline of their love story was laid out in five beautiful oil paintings, painted by Isabel’s father, which hung on the wall.  These were made into prints and given to the guests as gifts, as a souvenir and keepsake … an invitation to those that they love to be a part of their journey. The unscripted moments framed the day, the heady perfume of gardenias, roses, lilies of the valley, rosemary and orchids, the smiles and blessings from those they love, a few intimate words caught unintentionally on video by a friend, to be replayed again and again. For Isabel and Daniel their love story has been a journey that started long before they said “I do”.  Their Mission Delores wedding day was a beautiful resting place along the way, a time to reflect on… Continue Reading

A luxury central California wedding // Brie and Brian

Año Nuevo Ranch Atascadero California Central Coast Wedding

North of Santa Cruz, along the rugged coastline is a slice of rustic paradise where Brie and Brian’s luxury central California wedding was held. Brie was raised in this dramatic countryside where the mountains abruptly meet the sea. Where time seems to not matter much and family is everything. The family’s ranch Año Nuevo, served as the perfect site for Brie and Brian’s wedding celebration. Three weeks before the big day, Scott Corridan of Corridan Design and his creative team descend upon the property with muscle, machinery, and materials – prepared to transform a large flat section of land with a  barn and some horse stables into a late 18th century African safari camp in the spirit of Ralph Lauren. Whew, three weeks later, they’d done it. There were many different themed rooms, our favorites among many were the hunting lodge great room, outfitted with couches, leather armchairs, designer cigarettes, and a full bar serving a menu of custom designed signature cocktails, the airy seafood hall with freshly prepared sushi and a raw bar, the wine bar hosted by three sommeliers, and of course the beer garden with a wide selection of tap beers. The family had input on their own respective rooms including the Mother of the Brides’s “Cafe” featuring homemade pies and fresh espresso drinks. Just to guarantee no guest left hungry, at midnight a food truck pulled up to the entrance of the stables, serving up a bit of comfort food as the after-hours dancing began in the night club. With so many distinctly different rooms for guests to enjoy (and with a deliberate shortage of chairs), the flow of the afternoon/evening remained dynamic with guests moving about from one space to another.  Brie and Brian aren’t the type of people who want a spotlight shone on them… Continue Reading

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