Mod-Inspired City Wedding in San Francisco :: Holden & Ryan
After nearly nine years of blogging, we have some real gems in our archives, and it seemed a shame to think they might be buried by newer posts! So we’re dusting off our favorites and bringing them to you every Saturday – don’t miss it!
Photos by Christina McNeill.
You might remember Holden and Ryan from this fun engagement session last summer. Well they’re back with their wonderfully stylish wedding! From the bride’s mod-inspired Valentino dress to the intimate San Francisco reception, there’s lots to love here (also, tons of frame-worthy photos from Christina McNeill)…
All of Holden’s jewelry held special meaning, including the pendant she wore around her neck: “The pendant is a coin my maternal grandmother sewed into her clothing when she escaped Stalinist USSR,” says Holden. “Since she is ill and could not make it to the wedding, I wanted to honor her by wearing the pendant.”
Each invitation was hand-lettered and watercolored by hand by the bride, so no two were alike.
Isn’t this a fantastic shot?! Definitely worthy of framing and sharing in your home.
Holden’s favorite part of the day? “Returning to the very place we met, Cafe de la Presse on Grant. I was there one morning years ago having cappuccino and a rather cool guy I’d been checking out asked if he could join me. To go back to the cafe right after our ceremony and have a little mini-celebration with cappuccinos on the sidewalk was pretty sweet. And the caffeine helped us through the rest of the day!”
Says the bride, “We love and use The Cake Gallery for all cake occasions! They might have a bit of a silly reputation, but their cakes taste better than any I’ve had. Our wedding cake was vanilla with raspberry filling, and the groom’s cake was chocolate. My mother made the floral cake topper and used an San Francisco skyline paper cutout around the pedestal.”
There was no shortage of dancing at Holden and Ryan’s wedding! They hooked up an iPod to the hotel’s restaurant sound system and played mostly rock ‘n’ roll from the 1960s (their first dance was to “Never My Love” by The Association).
“Instead of a traditional guest book we left out self-addressed, stamped San Francisco post cards and colorful markers,” says Holden. “The best man mailed the cards while we were on our honeymoon so we came back to a mailbox full of good wishes. We kept getting them weeks after we returned! Now, I’ve stuck them all in a photo album for keeps.”
A little more info about the day from the bride:
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? Having the ceremony at City Hall was something we barely discussed as it just seemed so natural. It’s a stunningly gorgeous historic building and we’re proud citizens of the city. There is a sense of gravitas and official-ness about the place. All that marble! We’ve each been San Franciscans for over ten years and feel at home here, so we wanted our out-of-town guests to feel the same sense of magic and history. Ryan, who has worked in the hotel industry, knew about Hotel Majestic, the oldest continually-operating hotel in the city. San Francisco is known for its boutique hotel charm and being able to share that in Hotel Majestic’s beautiful, deco styled all-white dining room was perfect for us.
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? I wouldn’t say we had any kind of theme but it’s natural for us to want to showcase the place where we live. Ryan is a musician and we like a rock ‘n’ roll edge. We love mid-century modern design and I’m inspired by vintage Vogue photography. I love fashion icons like Jackie O, Brigitte Bardot as well as newer ones like Kate Moss. We wanted something classic, timeless and maybe a little bit punk. Ours was a wedding of yet another guitarist to yet another (former) model and we can make fun of that and play with it a little. We have to be ourselves: music and fashion are important!
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? We wanted to keep the ceremony short. My parents’ Ukrainian Orthodox ceremony was something like three hours long. Not our style. I’d say we had a modern take on a traditional wedding. We tweaked some old traditions to make them our own.
What advice do you have for other brides? First: Make sure your maid-of-honor (and/or event planner) is one of those people who can just take care of things before you even hear of them. My sister is amazing at this – there were definitely hitches, but I didn’t know about them until after my honeymoon. To me and the guests, the entire event moved like butter. Second: Leave for your honeymoon immediately, and get your family to pack up and return things to your home. We flew to Bangkok the very next day. It felt wonderful to leave everything behind!
Do you have any budget tips for other brides? Keep your list short and think of weddings before our era. People don’t need tchotchkes or lots of extras to have a good time. Good food, music and company (okay, and liquor) will do the trick. Overall my budget tip is to be skeptical of anything a wedding vendor says you NEED. You don’t need a lot of stuff to have a beautiful and fun wedding. Like Jean Luc Goddard says, “All you need for a movie is a gun and a girl.”
I love this wedding, their style is so true to themselves and she is definitely channeling Jackie O in that gorgeous chic Valentino number. Beautiful photographs, definitely Vogue worthy and I like her budget tips – all so true x
These photos capture San Fran so well! I love that their first dance was to “Never My Love.” That has got to be one of the best laid-back love songs ever!
Gorgeous, I absolutely LOVE the dress!
Stunning invitations! Such a fun wedding, I love that they stopped for a coffee :) Aww!
[…] Holden & Ryan | Mod-Inspired City Wedding in San Francisco […]
Love the bride’s simple chic style.
Thank you, THANK YOU, Kathryn for the sweetest feature today!
Love the Bride’s cool, chic style! And so cute that they stopped for coffee–what a sweet part of the day! xo
So pretty and so handsome! Out of a 1960s movie.
Her dress! Her cake! I love them to pieces!
Baby’s breath centerpieces! LOVE.
[…] your way over to Snippet Ink to see tons more photos from this San Francisco wedding. (Make sure you keep scrolling ’til you see the cake, about two-thirds of the way […]
[…] you Snippet & Ink for featuring this sweet wedding! And, thank you Glamour Magazine Weddings for picking it up, too! I […]
What an adorable couple, such a stunning dress and handsome suit. This proves that you can never go wrong a with tailored and timeless, simple theme. Thanks for sharing!!
[…] – they are my favorites to photograph and I am amazed at how different they can be. I loved this one, especially — this couple just looks so cool. Beautiful photography too (I can like other […]
Holden and Ryan’s wedding pictures are inspirational! If more people could keep their weddings simple but elegant ( like Holden’s dress) everyone would enjoy the occasion. The cake was fun and elegant as well! Great job everyone involved!
these pictures are divine!! love the detail and cute energy in al of them. feels so young and not like a big stiff wedding like so many could feel. have 3 of my great friends getting married this year. the life events (and outfit hunting!!) of the 30-yr olds, it’s here and I cant wait to witness their new paths w/their loved ones.. :) <3 —THX so much for sharing these xxom
What a lovely couple! The photographs are absolutely amazing. I love the bride’s dress and love their story. I also have to mention their self-addressed post card detail is so creative!
Love it… Unfussy, unpretentious, memorable, special. Eat your hearts out, bridezillas of the world!
Sweet and timeless… I love Holden’s dress….absolutely gorgeous! I love their individual approach to their wedding and really enjoyed hearing about the thought behind it. Congrats to you both!
[…] Cute city hall wedding […]
[…] City Hall wedding looks romantic & […]
I was at Holden’s wedding. The pictures taken are amazing – they capture the energy and love that Holden and Ryan have for each other. The details was wonderful and the whole event – worked. Anyone looking to have a picture perfect wedding – talk to Holden and Christina. I had a great photographer – but nothing like Holden’s pictures!
[…] you Snippet & Ink for featuring this sweet wedding! And, thank you Glamour Magazine Weddings for picking it up, too! I […]
[…] Holden & Ryan | Mod-Inspired City Wedding in San Francisco … Well they're back with their wonderfully stylish wedding! From the bride's mod-inspired Valentino dress to the intimate San Francisco reception, there's lots to love here (also, tons of frame-worthy photos from Christina McNeill) … more… […]
[…] Sweetest short wedding dress. […]
Thanks a ton for sharing your neat web page.
I know this is an older post but I love her advice of thinking about weddings before our era and limit the guest list. Very good advice.
Hi Admin,
You really showcased skill in manipulating depth of field. The subjects have been brought to the spotlight. Awesome pictures really.
San Francisco City Hall Photography
[…] Holden & Ryan‘s mod-inspired city hall wedding in San Francisco. Photo by Christina McNeill. […]
Great couples. both are wore a very cute wedding dress. particularly she wore a amazing pendant perfect match for white dress.
[…] Sweetest short wedding dress. […]
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I just wanted to let everyone know. Hotel Majestic dining room just got new carpet and the rooms in the hotel have been touched up. Feel free to swing by to see if we help with any of your bridal needs including a nice engagement photo location.
What lovely photos! It was a great hosting your event! We look forward to seeing you again. Please refer us to your family and friends for any future events. We host a variety of events for our guests, including private group painting lessons, babyshowers, receptions, business meetings or luncheons. Thanks again for choosing us. Please visit http://www.thehotelmajestic.com
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What a sweet couples and awesome wedding setup! I always smiling looking at your pictures. This kind of event theme still relevant in 2019. It’s also great to check mansion hotel for your stay and feel the luxurious experience. They have superb place for wedding reception. Visit http://www.mansiononsutter.com
I like the simplicity but stunning wedding setup. Also I like Barbie’s advice that spend only for the things that are needed. Thank you for sharing. If you have plan to visit Solvang, you can book your stay at http://mirabelleinn.com.