Vanessa and Jose are an amazing couple that got married this summer at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in San Jose and then had their reception at the Hilton Santa Clara which is right next door to the new Levi’s stadium. They both got ready at the hotel before we headed into downtown for their ceremony. I had not been to this church for a while and it was great to be back as I think it is a nice manageable size spot. Some churches are too big and some are way too small but this one is just right.
During their mass we got a ton of great candid shots and once they were officially married we did formals in the church and then headed to the Japanese Tea Garden for their bridal party photos. For these outdoor shots in really bright sun our new Profoto B1 Air lights were just what we needed to properly expose the bridal party yet still retain detail in the beautiful background without it blowing out. I absolutely love all the shots we got at the garden before heading back to the hotel for their reception.
I noticed the DJ’s voice sounded really familiar but it was not until I heard the name Chuy Gomez, did I know who he was! For years I have been listening to this voice on the radio and here he was DJ’ing Vanessa and Jose’s wedding. That was really cool and he did a great job MC’ing as well as playing a wide variety of music. Mariachis and traditional Mexican folkloric dancers performed during the cocktail hour while they guests awaited the grand entrance.
The evening’s dinner was very nice and was followed by the first dance, money dance, open dancing and then the bouquet and garter toss. It was a wonderful evening and we had such a great time working with Vanessa and Jose. Enjoy some of our favorites below!
