Jewish Wedding in Sebastopol, California

chacha and matt married in a sweet jewish ceremony, encircled by their closest family, with a few joining virtually as was too common in the first year of the pandemic. it was moving to see how every part of the day had been thoughtfully and carefully envisioned, even with just a handful of their dearest in attendance.

the bright winter day began with a walk at a nearby redwood grove that was an extension of chacha’s childhood home. grove of old trees is a hidden gem, tucked away on a narrow rural road in the middle of a forested neighborhood. it’s a small privately owned (but publicly accessible) preserve of old-growth coastal redwood, which i happily discovered on this day.

after getting themselves ready and setting up, they began the ceremony in perfect unison with nature. it started pouring the moment the walked under the chuppah, but they weren’t slowed down in the slightest. i think my favorite image from the day is a spontaneous kiss with facemasks dangling from their ears, a tender reminder of their perseverance and a mark of the time.

if you're planning a small backyard wedding, here is another one of my favorites to check out: nicole and tony in guerneville