Documentary wedding photography in San Francisco & San Jose Bay Area, and across california
Somewhere along the way, wedding photography become conflated with Pinterest boards and Vogue spreads. Now, of course we love the details
of a well-designed theme, or gorgeous florals, but this does not have to equate to a performance.
I photograph your wedding for its history: the atmosphere, the emotion, the way you connect with your loved ones, the place you chose. The result is something earthy and artful, not overly posed or self-serious. Full of presence.
Your things are cool.
Your people are cooler.
My approach to photography is rooted in connection. With years of experience, I show up as both a friend and an artist, celebrating and tearing up right alongside you.
The result is a curated, hand-edited wedding gallery that is chic yet nostalgic, something effortlessly your own.
Hello lovers, My name is Tessa
for the spirited and sentimental
REED & Fatima
Tessa was incredibly attentive, professional, and worked so hard throughout our entire wedding day to capture every special moment.
the experience
06. Your forever memories
05. A little sneak peek
04. Oh my, you're getting married!
03. We dream about your day
02. We make it official
I'd love to hear all about your day: the big vision, the little details, and the people you can't wait to celebrate with.
Fill out the contact form and tell me all about your wedding plans. I'll get back to you within 24 hours, usually sooner.
01. Inquire about your date
06. Your forever memories
05. A little sneak peek
04. Oh my, you're getting married!
03. We dream up your day together
We'll hop on a discovery call to get to know each other, chat through your plans, and see if we're the right fit.
If it feels good on both sides, I'll send over the contract and invoice to secure your date. Once those are signed and settled, you're officially booked in!
02. We make it official
01. Inquire about your date
06. Your forever memories
05. A little sneak peek
04. Oh my, you're getting married!
03. dreaming about your day
Your engagement session is the time where we get to know each other and where you both feel warmed up in front of the camera.
In the weeks leading up to your wedding, we talk through your timeline and hopes for how the day will unfold, ensuring you can be as present as possible throughout your wedding.
02. We make it official
01. Inquire about your date
06. Your forever memories
05. A little sneak peek
04. Oh my, you're getting married!
03. We dream up your day together
It's here. The day you've imagined a hundred different ways is finally real, and I get to spend it with you.
I arrive early, set up and say hello, and then we jump into the beautiful whirlwind of the day!
02. We make it official
01. Inquire about your date
05. A little sneak peek
04. Oh my, you're getting married!
03. We dream up your day together
A few days after you say "I do," while the joy is still settling in your chest, a little sneak peek will land in your inbox.
A gallery of favorite frames from your day to share with the people you love and to keep close to your heart while the rest of your gallery is being edited.
02. We make it official
01. Inquire about your date
06. Your forever memories
06. Your forever memories
05. A little sneak peek
04. Oh my, you're getting married!
03. We dream up your day together
Within a few weeks, you'll receive your full gallery, digital and film scans alike, each hand-edited with love, ready to live on your walls, in your albums, and in your hearts for years to come.
02. We make it official
01. Inquire about your date
- Engagement session
- Film photography
- Weekend coverage
- Rehearsal dinner
- Cinematic highlights
- Fine art albums & prints
signature additions
Full day weddings start at $6,000
Elopements start at $2,000
Every wedding collection is built around you, including consultation calls and timeline assistance, engagement sessions, film and drone photography, and high-quality image delivery. Reach out below to find out about your custom proposal.
for wedding photography in San Francisco & the bay area
Investment
San Francisco wedding photography is where my heart lives, but my camera loves to travel!
I'm based in the Bay Area and honored to photograph weddings across San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley, Napa, Sonoma, and along the California coast.
Getting married somewhere I haven't been yet? I'm ready to adventure around California, and anywhere in the world your love story takes you.
and beyond
San Francisco / San Jose / Bay Area
Where I work
- Lewis & Azalie
Tessa is incredibly kind and easy to work with.
She has a talent for recognizing the most precious aspects that will be cherished forever and captures them perfectly.
She also took plenty of time to get to know us and what we were looking for beforehand which made the day itself so smooth and easy. And she got our sneak peaks and the full gallery of photos back to us extremely quickly.
We couldn’t recommend her enough! Thank you so much Tessa!
"She is a true professional, going out of her way to be a joyful presence on our wedding day"
- Amena & Carlos
We really enjoyed the entire experience working with Tessa!
It was our first time getting professional photos taken and we were afraid that we would be a bit nervous and awkward in front of the camera. Tessa made us feel comfortable right away. Tessa has a great eye for capturing genuine moments and found the perfect locations.
We can’t wait to use these photos for our wedding and would absolutely recommend Tessa to anyone looking for a talented and kind photographer!
"We enjoyed running around town with her & she made the whole experience light and fun!"
- Aubrey & Matthias
Tessa was wonderful to work with.
I really appreciated her warmth and enthusiasm that helped my husband and I feel comfortable even as a couple not keen on taking photos.
From her portfolio, I knew she would do an amazing job but the photos and highlight video came out better than I could imagine! The editing perfectly carves out the candid images with polished expertise.
It was perfect :)
"I really appreciated her warmth & enthusiasm that helped my husband and I feel comfortable"
- Jake & Christy
Could not recommend Tessa enough! Finding a photographer that not only has the style you like, but also a personality that meshes well and makes you feel comfortable was super important to us for our intimate wedding.
As for the photos themselves, she covered all the traditional moments you'd expect but wove in documentary and editorial shots exactly as we had envisioned together! Our final gallery was absolutely beautiful (both the film & digital shots were excellent). Could not have been happier with how everything turned out.
"Tessa was incredibly responsive the entire time - never left us wondering about what was going on"
- Ben & Dena
I’m absolutely in awe. We’ve been sitting with the sneak peek since you sent it, going through them over and over and reliving every moment!
Thank you so much for capturing us so beautifully. You made me feel beautiful, and these photos are a perfect example of why you’re so incredible at what you do.
I’m so grateful we found you, and I can’t wait to work with you again at the wedding in September. If this is just the sneak peek, I’m not ready for what the full gallery is going to do to me!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
"Every shot feels so authentically us while also being absolutely stunning."
If you've made it this far, and something in you is saying this feels right, I would love to hear about what you have planned.
Tell me all about your day and anything else you'd like to share. I'll write back within 24 hours, and we can take it from there.
I'm all in if you are!
[email protected]
Email me directly
Monday - Thursday
9am - 4pm EST
Office hours
San Francisco, San Jose & the San Francisco Bay Area
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$1,000 - $2,000
$2,000 - $4,000
$4,000 - $6,000
$6,000 - $8,000
$8,000 - $10,000
$10,000+
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SF City Hall / Marin Civic Center
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say hello
Thank you so much for reaching out!
I'll get back to you within 1 - 3 business days.
Keep an eye on your spam folder (my emails love to hide there), and if three days pass without a reply, please email me a directly at [email protected].
With love, Tessa
Sent with love, received with joy
Frequently asked questions
While I'm based in the San Francisco Bay Area and most of my weddings happen locally, I love a good adventure! Whether your day is happening in SF, somewhere across California, or all the way overseas, I'd love to hear about it.
Travel fees vary by destination, and I'll always be upfront about those in your custom quote.
Absolutely! I'd be honoured to document your wedding!
Most couples book me 9-12 months in advance, though peak season dates (May-October) in the San Francisco area tend to go even earlier.
That said, if your date is closer than that, please still reach out. Sometimes the stars align!
I do! Film holds a special place in my heart - there's an authentic nostalgia that digital can't quite replicate.
Most of my wedding collections include a blend of digital and film, so you get the best of both worlds: the reliability and volume of digital, paired with the romantic quality of film.
I do! Engagement sessions are such a beautiful way to get comfortable in front of the camera before your wedding day. You can book an engagement session as part of your wedding collection, or as a standalone shoot.
