Northern California Backyard Wedding

Coastal Views in Mckinleyville, California

Documentary wedding photography is immersive and observational. Approaching a wedding day in this manner allows me to capture the most authentic version of a couple and their guests. This wedding was held in a Northern California backyard that belonged to the groom’s uncle. The driftwood sky door was custom built by his uncle to amplify the unreal coastal views during the ceremony. From the details that echoed the couple’s shared history sailing the world together to the laughter that rippled across the dinner tables as friends described the beginning of the relationship, everything about the day reflected the couple’s adventures together and the community that supported them along the way.

Documentary wedding photography does more than spotlight the couple. Instead, this natural approach traces your most meaningful connections. Your memory of the day will be shaped by the little moments you didn’t even realize were unfolding.

As the guests fully delivered coastal cocktail chic, this wedding was the perfect synthesis of elevated but unfussy.

For me, documentary wedding photography is about staying connected to the ebb and flow of the day and is heavily dependent on intuition. The emphasis is on presence rather than performance. That said, whenever necessary, I will always tell you what to do with your hands.

Venue: Private // Event Designer: Above & Beyond Creations // Florist: Buttermilk Floral // Bakery: Ramone’s // Suit: Hugo Boss // Dress: Jenny Yoo

  • Bridal details featuring Tocca perfume and a blue velvet ring box
  • Maid of honor holds bride's hand as she dresses for her wedding on the California coast
  • Bridesmaid and Mom in pink high necked cocktail gown place veil on bride wearing Jenny Yoo gown
  • Veil embroidered with butterflies in dappled light on mid century modern couch in Northern California
  • Bride waits before ceremony in mid century modern house on the California coast
  • Groomsmen chatting before wedding on the California Coast
  • Detail of bride's sculptural gown in the afternoon light
  • Bride laughs before first look in the Northern California redwoods
  • First look in the Arcata Redwood Forest
  • 35mm-film-wedding-redwoods
  • Redwoods wedding portrait of bride and groom married at private coastal California estate
  • Driftwood sky door overlooks the Mad River and the Pacific Ocean at Northern California backyard wedding
  • Bride signals okay to go to officiant at Northern California seaside wedding
  • Bridesmaids carry baskets at Northern California wedding at a private estate overlooking the Pacific ocean
  • Bride in Jenny Yoo gown kisses groom in Hugo Boss suit beneath a rain of floral confetti in a meadow aisle designed by Buttermilk Floral in HUMBOLDT COUNTY
  • 35mm film capture of bride in Jenny Woo dress walking down aisle that overlooks the Pacific Ocean
  • Guests line up for cocktails at Northern California backyard wedding
  • Guests pose in front of a VW bus at a Northern California backyard wedding
  • Detail of table florals designed by Buttermilk Floral in Northern California
  • Detail of place setting with vintage glassware designed by Above and Beyond Creations in Northern California
  • Detail of table decor at private estate wedding in Northern California
  • Floral arrangements on tables with multi colored drinking glasses at Northern California wedding
  • Guests watch speeches as the sun sinks over the Pacific Ocean in Northern California
  • Couple laughs under a tent decorated by Buttermilk Floral during speeches from bridesmaids at Northern California backyard wedding
  • Guest in a kilt shows off cocktail
  • Wedding guest in pastel maxi dress at wedding on the California coast
  • Guest in green ruffled dress at coastal California wedding
  • Bride wearing Jenny Woo for Anthropologie gown stands in the coastal breeze with an embroidered veil
  • A desert table on a rustic chest of drawers sits beneath a tree at a Northern California estate wedding
  • Dessert table with vintage sweetheart cake by Ramone's Bakery in Northern California
  • Bride and groom laugh during a riverside portrait session in California
  • Bride and groom walk down a trail to the ocean in Northern California
  • Bride and groom walk to dance floor as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean in Northern California
  • First dance at a private estate wedding in Northern California overlooking the Pacific Ocean
  • Groomsmen walk away from ceremony arch in Northern California photographed on 35mm film
  • Besties and bridesmaids serenade the bride who wears a Jenny Yoo gown as they dance with feather boas to Mama Mia at a backyard wedding in Northern California
  • Dad twirls bride during dance at backyard wedding in Northern California
  • Bride and Dad hug after dancing at Northern California backyard wedding
  • Guests watching dances during Northern California backyard wedding

Are you planning a backyard wedding in Northern California? Here are my tips…

Northern California’s landscapes (e.g., coastal cliffs, towering redwoods or rolling vineyards) will become a focal point for any wedding design. Strategize the ceremony and reception placement for optimal views, lighting, and guest comfort. Florals that incorporate seasonal specialities, local greenery, or wooden accents (hello driftwood sky door) can go a long way in transforming an ordinary lawn into a garden scape.

How to Plan Your California Backyard Wedding

Assess the available space. Consider a ceremony location with enough room for seated guests. Ensure there is space for both a cocktail and a dining area. Don’t forget a dance floor!

Pro-tip: if You are able, allow for an easily walkable 360 degree perimeter around the seated guests and the site of your vows. This ensures that your photographer and videographer can operate as unobtrusively as possible.

Hire A Northern California Wedding planner

A planner based in Humboldt County will be familiar with the unique qualities of our area including moody weather, long distances between amenities and seasonal goings ons. Since most couples planning destination weddings in Northern California are doing so from afar, I’m happy to provide recommendations.

How to Prepare for Weather For a NOrthern California Backyard Wedding

Please, please, please consider a tent rental. While the months of May through most of October tend to be fairly dry in Humboldt County, rain can make an appearance at any time of the year. Plan also for cool evening temperatures by utilizing space heaters and throw blankets. These are not the temperatures most folks associate with sunny California.

Pro-tip: don’t forget to consider the interior space of the tent on your decor list. An abundance of twinkle lights, soft draping and greenery will go a long way to stamp out any corporate golf tournament vibes.

What Permits are required for a Northern california backyard wedding?

Local noise and parking ordinances will need to be adhered to. Many neighborhoods limit noise above a conversational decibel level after 9 with some coastal neighborhoods putting the cut off point at 8. With this in mind, many couples opt to include an off site after party with guest transport as the end point to the festivities.

My Favorite local caterers for an Intimate Humboldt Wedding

Northern California offers incredible local, sustainable, farm to table catering options. Some of my personal favorite Humboldt caterers are Casandra Kelly Catering, Chef Natalia Boyce, Uniquely Yours and Brett Shuler Fine Catering.

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