Anastasia & Tom’s Valley Presbyterian Church Wedding Photos

Here is a photographer curated collection of photos from Anastasia and Tom’s Valley Presbyterian Church wedding. It was such a beautiful day and we were so happy we were able to be there for this lovely couple’s big day!

“Don’t worry about little things going wrong – you and your partner are what makes the day perfect, not your surroundings!”

 Photography: Apollo Fotografie
Venue: Valley Presbyterian Church
Florals: Enchantment Floral
Dress: David’s Bridal
Suit: Cassara Brothers Clothiers
DJ: DJ Ronn Productions
Dessert: Peeples Baking
Catering: Napkin Ring Catering

From the couple:

We like simple, modern designs, but we wanted to soften them with vintage elements, and incorporate touches of the natural world around us. Basically, the design inspiration came from the wedding dress and the church – simple, structural design elements framing and bringing attention to something different (such as the ornate vintage lace back panel on the wedding dress, or the gorgeous redwoods visible through the church window). Our wedding colors were dark green (inspired by the redwoods at the church), grey, and white.

Another nod to nature were our wedding favors – the boxes were made of birchbark. The favors were also meant to bring a bit of the bride’s Russian heritage into the wedding, since they (and the candy inside them!) came from Russia and were made in a very traditional Russian style.

Florals & Guestbook:

We used common garden flowers, like peonies, roses, snapdragons, and sweet peas for our bouquets and centerpieces. The choice was meant to look a little vintage and accentuate the backyard setting of the reception. Originally we wanted the florals to stick strictly to our colors, white and green, but our florist convinced us to add blush pink flowers for more visual interest. I think it was a good call!

We personalized our guestbook by having Tom‘s cousins help the guests add instant camera photos of themselves next to their signatures. I think it will be really fun to look through in the coming years! Our other favorite parts of the wedding were the locations of the ceremony and reception, and the relative informality of the event.

Bride:

I chose my wedding dress because the blend of vintage lace and simple, modern styling felt unique. The back of the dress, with the lace panel and long train, is definitely its most striking part, and I chose the veil design (a cathedral-length, lace-edged mantilla) to complement those two elements. I chose pearl jewelry to keep my look classic and understated. My “something old” was my mother’s ring – she passed away last year, and wearing the ring made me feel like she was still there with me during the wedding.

Groom:

I chose a simple grey suit to match our wedding colors. A splash of color came from a green tie that also came from the palette. I shied away from a tuxedo because of the outdoor, informal, and clean, modern look of the wedding. Finally, I picked a particular style of suit to accentuate my recent weight loss prior to the wedding.

How We Met:

We met in math class in high school. The teacher thought Anastasia was too chatty, so sat her next to Tom. It didn’t work, we started chatting together instead, and eight years later, Tom proposed. On Thanksgiving, Tom was picking Anastasia up to help prepare for the meal. What Anastasia didn’t know was that he had had a ring made with one of his great grandmother’s diamonds. Before leaving to help prepare the meal, Tom knelt on one knee and asked her, in Russian, to marry him, with her mother, father, and grandparents watching on. Naturally, she said yes!

The Wedding Day:

For Anastasia, the most anticipated moment of our wedding day was the first look. She was really excited to see Tom all dressed up, and to see his reaction to her wedding look. For Tom, it was exchanging rings – it felt like a special, meaningful moment in the ceremony. Both of us also enjoyed saying our vows, since we wrote them ourselves and felt they really expressed the relationship we had, and the one we will have as a married couple.

Click The Links Below To See More Beautiful Wedding Photos:

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From the photographer:

At Apollo Fotografie it’s safe to say we love love. Like a lot. Our skilled professional photographers are passionate about their work. Our photographers are trained in a light and airy cinematic storytelling style. This is what makes us some of the best photographers in the Bay Area. We specialize in surprise engagements, engagement photography, San Francisco City Hall ceremonies, elopements, and weddings. Let us help you document your love! Whether you’re in San Francisco, the Bay Area, or beyond. Contact us Apollo Fotografie today for pricing and availability.