Today’s stylish and intimate wedding celebration makes my heart sing! Because Katie & Ryan have an authentic love for all things vintage. Their style pulls inspiration from the 20s, 30s, and 40s, and one thing was for sure when it came to their wedding at the stunning San Francisco City Hall – it was going to be full of fabulous vintage finds and meaningful family heirlooms; which just made made their day all the more special!

Beautiful bride Katie shared these words about their special day… “We skipped the big traditional wedding, choosing to keep the guest list down to family only so we could enjoy every moment with those who meant the most to us.

I wanted an intimate, historical, vintage wedding, my maternal grandparents had a city hall wedding and I always loved the story. I actually googled “best city hall in America” and that is how we found  San Francisco City Hall. I knew I wanted the venues to stand out and hold their own, so I wouldn’t need to spend money, or have unneeded stress, decorating.

The best part of the day was that I felt so connected and present. I spent the morning with my fiancé, choosing flowers, eating breakfast, and going to get coffee.  My mother, sister, and nieces helped me get ready which was a very special time for all of us.  We had a kings table and a family style dinner so I felt so in the moment the entire time.”

“I purchased my dress from BHLDN with help from my mother and mother in law. I wanted to be comfortable and the weight of my beaded gown and the no fuss undergarments were a huge selling point. I knew it was the one the moment I put it on, it just felt amazing.  My 1920s head piece was a last minute find from Etsy and matched perfectly. I picked up my handbag and necklace from the rose bowl flea market.” 

“My husband has his suit made custom with a personal embroidery on the inside from indochino, we wanted to spend the money on something he could wear again.  Ryan’s cufflinks and boutonnière pin came from a vintage store in Houston Texas.”

“The morning of our wedding, Ryan and I walked out of our hotel and found a street vendor florist.  I picked from the selection she had and made my bouquet and Ryan’s Boutonnière in my hotel room.  The prayer book was my grandmother’s. She held a prayer book for her wedding in 1949 so I wanted to have a piece of her there with me.” 

“We hired the most adorably nervous pastor and he read another couples wedding ceremony. I still remember the look on my husbands face when he realized it.  At that point, he could have read it in a foreign language and I couldn’t have cared less. We still laugh about it now. It was perfect even though it wasn’t what we had chosen.”

Words of wedding wisdom from the bride…

“Use Pinterest with caution. Once you find something you love, stick with it and move on.  There are so many opinions and ideas out there it is easy to second guess yourself.  Go with your gut, always.”

“We opted out of flowers for the reception table and decided  to display our parents and grandparents wedding photos instead.  It was a nice reminder of the love that came before us and those who couldn’t be there with us physically.”

“Our wedding cake was gluten-free because I I have celiacs disease. It was a lemon-raspberry filling with n Art Deco buttercream frosting.  Our cake topper was a vintage find in Louisiana from Pink Elephant Antiques.  It wasnt until I got home and cleaned it that I realized the back read “made in occupied japan” on the back. I like to think a GI likely brought it home from the war for his bride.”

Tell us a little bit about your photographer….

“I met Molly just like how I met my husband, in the CrossFit gym!  She was one of my favorite members who would come in with her big floppy puppy everyday.  I had seen how gorgeous her work was and she was the first person who came to mind when I began planning.  She was so relaxed, easy going and great with directing family for group photos, it was a pleasure having her along for the day. I am absolutely obsessed with the photos and get compliments on them to this day.”

VIEW THE GALLERY

Isn’t it fabulous? I love intimate weddings! Because at the end of the day you are married to the one you love, then your wedding was perfect – however big it was! As always a heartfelt thankyou to the happy couple, Katie & Ryan, for sharing their beautiful day with us and to their photographer Molly + Co for capturing it so perfectly! If you would like to see more of Molly’s work why don’t you pop on over to her website www.mollyandco.com – and be sure to find and follow her on Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest.

And if you are considering a chic Citywedding of your own and are looking for more inspiration then you will love Amy & Patrick’s colorful city garden wedding, or this chic modern vintage elopement inspiration and Lucy & Andrew’s festive 1930s inspired wedding in London is not to be missed!

Amy
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Contributors & Credits

Photography – Molly + Co || Ceremony Venue – San Francisco City Hall || Reception Venue – Park Tavern || Stationery – Minted || Wedding Cake – Park Tavern || Wedding Dress – BHLDN || Groom’s Attire – Indochino || Bride’s Shoes – Royal Vintage Shoes || Bridal Headpiece – Etsy || Wedding Cake Topper – Vintage from Pink Elephant Antiques || Engagement Ring – CAM Jewelry || Submitted via Matchology