Sachi + Jason, Stanford Memorial Church and Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay Wedding | Half Moon Bay Wedding Photography

Sachi and Jason initially emailed me with a list of what they wanted covered, and with each event I grew more and more excited for their day. Ceremony at Stanford Memorial Church- awesome! Reception at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay? SCORE! Rehearsal dinner coverage the night before- LOVE spending more time with the families! Wedding morning surfing session???? A first for me- and I couldn’t wait!

I took the liberty of stealing a tidbit from their wedding website- I loved hearing the story of how these two met and got engaged:

“Sachi was visiting Africa for the TED Global conference in Arusha, Tanzania in June 2007. Meanwhile, Jason had been a more frequent traveler to the region for his research with the National Geographic Society and The Genographic Project, and was there to help lead an ascent up Mt. Kilimanjaro for select TED attendees. The climb was a spectacular experience and capped an amazing two weeks, but for Jason and Sachi, reaching the summit was the second best part of the trip.

Years ago Sachi worked as a river guide on the Colorado River, upstream of the Grand Canyon. We travelled down Cataract Canyon, which is marked by the confluence of two major rivers, the Green and the Colorado, and holds special meaning for her. Unbeknownst to Jason at the time, “The Confluence” is also considered by many including the Navajo and Ancestral Puebloans (formerly the Anasazi) as the most spiritual place on Earth. On the third day of the trip the larger group we were traveling with planned a five hour hike up to the canyon rim right next to The Confluence. Jason stayed behind with Sachi so that they’d have the beach to themselves, and popped out a ring he’d been keeping hidden and dry. ”

The mood all day with these two was just wonderful. Somehow a balance of lighhearted attitudes mixed with an incredible depth to their connection and personalities.

The morning of the wedding we met around sunrise in half Moon Bay- the light was perfect. The water was completely deserted- it wasn’t a great day for waves, which really worked in our favor because we were completely alone, except for a lone seal which swam up to greet Sachi in the water.

The ceremony took place at Stanford Memorial Church- Jason’s late mother was buried in the memorial garden next to the church, and both Sachi and Jason took a moment before the ceremony to pay respects to their late parents before the ceremony. Instead of tossing a bouquet at the reception, Sachi left her bouquet on Jason’s mother’s gravesite. Such a touching moment, I felt honored to witness.

The night concluded with dancing + smores at the Ritz- such a great end to a perfect day. Thank you so much for sharing your day with me, Sachi and Jasan- it was an honor.

Preparation Location: Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay
Ceremony Location: Stanford Memorial Church
Reception Location: Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay
Wedding Coordination: A Savvy Eveny, Meren Dehaze
Floral Design: Three Sisters Custom Flowers
Bakery: Susie Cakes
Photography: Retrospect Images