That one Friday when they eloped in downtown Oakland
Edoff Memorial Bandstand, Lake Merritt, Oakland
Some days just have a feeling to them from the moment you arrive, and this East Bay intimate wedding was one of those days. We met at Lake Merritt in the heart of downtown Oakland on a warm spring afternoon, the kind of weather that makes everyone a little more relaxed and a little more themselves. They chose the Edoff Memorial Bandstand for their ceremony, and honestly, it could not have been a better setting. The bandstand's open, circular design gave the whole ceremony a natural stage to gather around, with the lake glittering just beyond and plenty of green space for everyone to spread out comfortably.
What made this day so special wasn't the size of it. It was small and intentional, just our couple surrounded by their parents and their best friends. No big production, no long guest list, just the people who matter most standing close while they exchanged vows. There is something about an elopement like this that lets all the emotion come through so clearly. You could feel how present everyone was.
After the vows, we spent time wandering the park for portraits, and this is where we really got to have fun. We walked, we laughed, we found beautiful pockets of light throughout the park, and captured some genuinely epic portraits of the two of them together. There is a kind of ease that shows up in photos when a couple is fully relaxed and just enjoying each other, and that ease was all over this session.
Of course, we made sure to get plenty of photos with their parents and friends too. Those in-between moments, the hugs, the laughter, the quiet looks between people who love each other, are some of my favorite parts of any wedding day to capture.
And then there was the dog. Somewhere in the middle of our portrait session, we ran into a dog in the park that our newlyweds said was exactly the type of dog they hope to have someday. It was such a fun, unplanned moment, and it summed up the whole feeling of the day. Nothing about it was overly planned or stiff. It was joyful, easy, and full of genuine moments like that one.
By the end of our time together, it truly felt like we had all just spent an afternoon having fun, which is exactly what a wedding day should feel like. I had the best time working with them, and I already cannot wait to see their album. Days like this remind me why I love doing this work.
Why We Love Photographing Elopements
When this couple contacted me as a referral from a past wedding client, they told me they didn’t need a full wedding day package, they just needed a few hours of photos on a Friday afternoon in Oakland. This San Francisco group chose Lake Merritt, as many do, as their special place to exchange vows in a unfussy but meaningful way. I customized a package for them because they only wanted hourly photography and an album, something we quote all the time for couples who want beautiful, professional coverage outside of our standard packages. Elopements like theirs are one of our favorite events to photograph, and there is a reason for that.
When you elope, you skip the pressure that comes with hosting a huge event. There is no seating chart to worry about, no long list of vendors to coordinate, no timeline packed to the minute. It is just you, your nearest and dearest, and the actual reason you are all there in the first place, celebrating the two of you getting married. That shift changes everything about how the day feels. Couples are more present, more relaxed, and more willing to have fun in front of the camera, and it shows in every photo.
If you are considering an elopement, a small ceremony, or coverage that does not quite fit into a typical package, we would love to talk with you about a custom option built around your day. You can explore our wedding packages to see what we offer, and reach out anytime to talk through something more tailored to your plans.
Congratulations to the newlyweds! Thank you for letting me be part of it.
