BACKYARD WEDDING IN PALO ALTO | SF ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER

From the moment I met Celeste and Zakkai over Facetime, I felt an instant warmth and connection. Their chemistry, sense of humor, charisma, and kindness towards each other was such a sweet thing to see. They had a kind of love towards each other that felt reminiscent of old souls of another time. So it’s probably a surprise to absolutely no one that these two decided to exchange their vows in an intimate backyard wedding in front of 50 of their closest friends and family.

During our call, I got to know a few things about Celeste and Zakkai. They had first met in school in Southern California where they met as resident advisors. Their official first date was watching Game of Thrones where they first realized that they could talk for hours on end.

To be honest, they both went in without the intention of turning it into a long-term relationship. They just really enjoyed spending time with each other but decided to wait to see where it would go. In the end, they decided this was their most “failed” relationship because this was the relationship that kept going and going.

Fast forward to today. Here I was, walking up the driveway at a private residence in Palo Alto. With the tall trees and lush florals from Poppy’s Petalworks and planning and coordination from About Joy Events it was difficult to believe that this was just an intimate backyard wedding.

If the day had a theme, it would be, “A Family Affair.” Nearly everyone on both sides of the family had a role in the wedding. The wedding took place in Celeste’s brother Nate and sister-in-law Nam’s backyard. Both Celeste and Zakkai’s mothers read passages about love and marriage during the ceremony. And lastly, Celeste’s brother, sister-in-law, and Zakkai’s father played music as Celeste + Zakkai walked down the aisle together.

In the end, it was a day filled with hugs, tears, and filled with endless laughter.

Right around the time the sun was about to set, I decided to take C+Z for a walk around the neighborhood, allowing them to bask in a few private moments as husband and wife. In the end, we ended up under some fall foliage that was bright and vibrant. Even though I know they’d never forget their wedding date, I hope this picture will remind them of what a beautiful fall day it was, the day they got married.

To Celeste and Zakkai, thank you for being two amazingly wonderful human beings you are. All my love to you and your adventures in Colorado as an old married couple!