Masha + Eugene | Temple Emanuel San Francisco Wedding
Life is full of interrupted connections, but sometimes it also comes full circle. 20 years ago, my father took a studio photograph of Masha and her twin brother – mere children then – and exactly 20 years later, I was on hand to document her wedding. It was an incredibly meaningful for me to be capturing her Jewish wedding at Temple Emanuel in San Francisco. The day began in San Jose. I arrived to document Masha’s preparations, and discovered that the very same image my father made was hanging on the wall inside her home!! After some fun preparation moments and emotional first look with Eugene, we traveled for portraits to the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. When the time finally came for the wedding ceremony at Temple Emanuel, I was awestruck by the setting. Temple Emanuel is truly a majestic synagogue, the kind of space that both humbles and inspires its visitors. Another wonderful feature of the venue is that the guests literally had to just go downstairs for the party. And what a party it was! Masha is a former ballroom dancer and instructor, and so the couple had prepared an elaborate first dance. Unbeknownst to the bride and groom, their friends had prepared an elaborate flash mob dance, set to the Spice Girls’ classic “Wannabe”. It was an intense day: emotional, nostalgic, and full of tremendous energy until the very last song sounded on the dance floor.
Ashika + Cesar | Wedding at the Bently Reserve
For their San Francisco wedding, Ashika and Cesar were looking for elegance, grandeur, style. They found it at the Bently Reserve. The former home of San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, the building now plays host to weddings and events, where the guests can take advantage of the old-world feel of this monumental space. Ashika and Cesar’s wedding day itinerary would take guests all over the city of San Francisco, and my team and I were there to capture it all. You can see the wedding photography from Ashika and Cesar’s wedding on Sasha Photography’s blog. The gentlemen got ready at Le Meridien in the heart of San Francisco’s financial district, while the ladies prepped at the couple’s SOMA condo. Old St. Mary’s Cathedral played host to a Catholic mass and a ceremony imbued with meaning. The guests boarded a classic San Francisco trolley, while Ashika and Cesar took the Rolls Royce for a spin, and together we traveled all the way to the Palace of Fine Arts and the Golden Gate Bridge for our wedding photoshoot. Returning to downtown, we entered the stunning Bently Reserve event center. By itself, the Bently Reserve is an imposing building, but simply a space is nothing without the efforts of all the wonderful vendors who made this day come true for Ash and Cesar. As they made their grand entrance, the atrium was awash in striking orange and purple colors – lighting provided by MEGA Event Production. Enveloped by that gorgeous glow, guests took their places among impeccably decorated tables and stunning centerpieces – all made possible by Jane Hammond Events. The couple and their guests were treated to not one, not two, but three dance performances by a top-notch Indian dance troupe. And if that weren’t enough, at some point in the night, burlesque dancers descended the staircase to kick off the party! With the Catholic ceremony and the abundance of beautiful sari’s and Indian dance, the wedding really struck a balance between Cesar’s Filipino and Ashika’s Indian roots. My own photography and videography teams stayed at the top of their game throughout the day to ensure uninterrupted coverage as we transitioned from place to place. After the guests enjoyed the performances and a delicious meal, DJ Vadim, from DJ Jeremy Productions kept the Bently Reserve dance floor packed and rocking all night! When Ashika and Cesar saw the film, they simply said:
“Thank you Sasha we loved it! You made it look so great!!!!!!!!!”
Andy + Jen | Wedding at Casa de Flores
Andy and Jen’s wedding was truly magical. They were married at an intimate place in Sebastopol (near Sonoma) called Casa de Flores. The most positive energy was flowing from the space, from the guests, and most of all, from Andy and Jen themselves. The ceremony was conducted by close friend Tom Kramer, and was overflowing with joy and tears, profound words, singing, and perfect music. It was impossible not to get swept up in the waves of emotion. There was plenty of laughter as well, most memorably while the couple cut into their wedding cake (a gift from a friend). Ultimately, every wedding has its own unique energy. Here’s what Andy had to say when he saw the film for the first time:
“No words I could come up with can do justice to how well this is put together. It is so rare to give something that will touch the recipient forever, and you have succeeded. It is the catalyst I’ve been longing for to bring me back to the feeling of that day (me sobbing at my desk just now is a good testament to just how well it worked), and now we can show our loved ones who could not be there just how the day felt with full authenticity. That’s it, really – you have authentically captured the emotion of the day. No small feat.”
Masha + Misha | ‘The Honeymoon’ Engagement Film
Planning a wedding is one of the first great adventures as a couple, and it’s no secret that selecting a honeymoon destination is one of the biggest rewards. Masha and Misha did a clever thing by asking their friends to contribute to their ‘honeymoon fund’ in lieu of a wedding registry. Then, all that was left to do was to decide on the destination. Masha is an attorney, and Misha is completing a Ph.D. in Political Science. A healthy debate was sure to ensue. In steps SashaKino, to capture that debate with artistic flair, and bring it back to the generous guests in the form of a film. There’s no question that Masha and Misha’s wedding attendees were quite delighted to see that their gifts were put to good use. The film is authentically Masha and Misha. We collaborated on the script, and then shot the film in just one day at their home in the Peninsula, a horse ranch in Pacifica, and several locations in San Francisco. They were a joy to work with, and quite the natural actors. We also had great help for this film from our good friend, Igor, who masterfully played his part, as well as invaluable assistance from the restaurant folk in Belden Place. So where did they decide to go on their honeymoon? Watch the film and find out.
Margarita + Phillip | Wedding Videography Gone Wild!
A wedding at the Zoo? Of course, there’s a logical explanation. You see one fine day, not long after their courtship began, Margarita and Phillip decided to play hooky. They ditched their responsibilities for the day, and had a rendezvous at the SF Zoo. They whiled away the day together, amidst giraffes, monkeys, exotic birds and cotton candy vendors. Apparently, this day was so perfect that after Phillip popped the question, they decided that the Zoo would be the natural place for their nuptials. So, that’s how the SashaKino team ended up in the wildest part of San Francisco, on a chilly fall evening. Well, this couple had it all figured out. I’ve rarely seen guests be so astounded. Margarita and Phillip were beaming as they became husband and wife with the guests before them, and the zebras behind them. After the ceremony, they absconded to feed the giraffes, and then the party raged at the zoo’s Great Hall, carried by great tunes from Joel Abramson’s band. Many kind words were said about the couple – almost every speaker mentioned what kind people they are. Not surprise then, that they chose this place. The staff at the Zoo were amazing. They worked so hard to make sure that the guests (and the vendors) were completely taken care of. Like I always say: every wedding has its own story, and I’m quite sure you’ll enjoy this one.
Here’s what Margarita and Phillip had to say about the film:
‘We were laughing so hard when we saw this! We loved it:) Thank you:)’