Rachel + Joshua’s intimate wedding was the perfect depiction of making their wedding day their own.

These two are so kind, fun, and clearly made for each other. They asked me while we were catching up over a Zoom call what my favorite types of weddings to shoot were. My answer was “the ones where couples are intentional about their day”. To me, it doesn’t matter so much what aesthetics you choose, the floral colors, or the amount of money spent on the event. The best weddings to me are the ones where it’s obvious a couple is head over heels for each other and they take the time to think through what they actually want their ideal wedding day to be like, & then they do exactly what brings them joy.

Perfect from start to finish!

Rachel & Joshua started with a beautiful first look under the wisteria vines at Marston House in San Diego, got a little tour of the inside of the Marston House with their families, stopped to pet some adorable dogs running around at the local park, then headed into cocktail hour to hang out with their loved ones, where they sipped on home brewed kombucha and beer that Joshua and his dad had brewed together. So freaking sweet!

Rachel & Joshua were a literal dream couple to photograph.

These two met on Bumble, had a first date, and then Joshua left for Germany for over a month! They continued texting while he was away and officially went on their first “dinner date” at Sisters Pizza. Fast forward to falling head over heels in love, getting engaged, and one day saying “want to get married in a couple months?”. In a full circle moment, Rachel & Joshua got married and a few weeks afterwards moved to Germany to both start MBA programs together (major couple goals!).

Rachel & Joshua planned an impromptu wedding, but I loved the intention they put into being true to what they both really wanted.

They desired their wedding day to be low key, filled with love, at a place special to them, and surrounded by their best friends and family. This wedding certainly met their desires from the setting to the vibe.

After the ceremony, Rachel and Joshua proceeded to take their entire wedding part to the place where they had their first date.

Now Sister’s Pizza will hold countless memories for these two for the rest of their lives, plus their close friends and family who got to celebrate the marriage of this beautiful couple.

R + J opted for a mix of digital and 35mm film photos to document their small garden wedding in San Diego.

Rachel + Joshua’s day had so many special moments:

their first look under the wisteria vines (happy tears were shed)
getting a private tour of the Marston House
stopping to pet all the dogs roaming in Balboa Park
all their guests drinking homemade beer & kombucha Joshua had brewed with his dad
their heartfelt, handwritten vows declared in the Marston rose garden
a processional of all 50 guests (including bubble machines!) from the gardens to their dinner spot
a wedding dinner reception at Sisters Pizza, where they had their first “official” date
& partying under the stars with their besties and family members

Rachel and Joshua – it was such an honor to be part of your day.

If you’ve ever wondered what your wedding would look like captured on film, take a look at the below 35mm film gallery for some inspiration!