Sophia & Thomas // City Hall Zoom Elopement IN 2020 // San Francisco, CA
We couldn’t be happier about this exchange of nuptials! Our dear friend Sophia finally married her prince, Thomas. The two have been together for over 10 years now and finally got engaged this year! Of course, she was left planning a wedding for the (not-so) lucky 2020––with hundreds of guests-to-be. Unfortunately, she had to change her plans but was determined to marry her man anyway.
Because 2020 was (as we’re all oh-so-tired of hearing) unprecedented, San Francisco City Hall agreed to offer in-home, Zoom marriage ceremonies. Yes, you read that right! You can essentially get married on your couch, which is quite literally what Sophia and Thomas chose to do!
What was special about their wedding––besides the fact that it was a long time coming––was that Sophia enlisted my (Michaela) help to assist in planning her occasion! When I first spoke with her, she wasn’t even planning to have a photographer and was just going to set up her iPhone, snap a few photos, and then take a couple of quick, family photos out on Franklin Street.
But then she remembered that I was her friend! And that I would probably be stoked to help take some photos for their big day (Spoiler alert––I was!). After we were chatting, we emphasized that, regardless of how she was getting married, she was still getting married, and it was a unique and glorious occasion that deserved a celebration, however possible.
So she decided on the call that we would call in floral design by our pals at Ash & OAK for a kick-ass bouquet, order a new pair of heels, and commemorate the day with family photos at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts.
I joined them to capture their couch-side ceremony (it was cute AF), of course after having taken a Covid test, mask wearing, and keeping a safe distance wherever possible. Oh, life in 2020…
It was a beautiful day––we’re talking that one-in-a-million sunny, absolutely perfect day in San Francisco––and to top it all off, the Palace of Fine Arts was EMPTY.
Did you read that? EMPTY.
For those unfamiliar, the Palace of Fine Arts is a photo tourist destination of tourist destinations, where absolutely everyone dreams of having their wedding photos taken, and for good reason––it’s truly gorgeous.
With that said, it’s usually crowded-as-hell, and there are always ample thieves ready to jack your photo equipment if you’re not paying close attention.
But on this particular day, the clouds parted almost miraculously, the sun came out to say hello, and it was gloriously sunny and 75° for us to romp around the Palace of Fine Arts all on our own. Uh, thanks coronavirus?
After that delightful family photo session. Sophia, Thomas, and their families enjoyed a perfectly-private lunch at La Mar, a great Peruvian spot on the Embarcadero.
Despite all odds, it was a perfect day for a wedding. Despite how unanimously-difficult this year was, the personal emotion of such a special event was able to mask the strangeness of the times. We love these two so much and we are so delighted to have captured this special day for them.
Here’s to love, even in trying times.
