Sonia Savio Photography

Chandra and Steve's Goregous Album

2011-10-31T16:36:00.000-07:00

My Queensberry completed album stuns me again. This time white leather with a black text box= GORGEOUS. Queensberry's craftsmanship is impossible to beat. When I took this album out of the box and ran my fingers over the beautiful cover, I just knew my clients were going to flip! There is rarely anything more rewarding than seeing my work properly printed and bound. Chandra and Steve are a dynamic, fun, modern couple, and this album is a beautiful reflection of that. <>

Tara and Alex's Engagement Shoot, San Francisco, CA

2011-10-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

This was an extended engagement session, which meant, we had a lot of time to play! Tara, Alex, and I squeezed into our car full of props and decided to find the most dynamic city backgrounds, really taking advantage of the heart of San Francisco. We found some really interesting corners in alleys and even a little greenery.

Kim and Daren, Holy Family Church, Napa

2011-10-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

This was a gorgeous wedding. If perfection in the details, this wedding had quite a touch of excellence. I loved the flower drying guest favors! Kim and Daren were a fantastic couple eager to pursue some artistic photo options which led to some exciting pictures. Holy Family Church was a picturesque "white chapel," perfectly suited for this couple who traveled all the way from Philadelphia!

Sally and Oliver, Hotel Valencia, San Jose

2011-10-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you don't have to travel far to get "destination" style wedding photography. Sally and Oliver found a great spot in San Jose. Hotel Valencia is a modern venue on Santa Row; a boutique shopping area. The Row was able to provide some amazing backdrops. In the span of three blocks we discovered a plethora of dynamic area's to shoot. I particularly love the red wall.

Tara and Alex, Sand Rock Farm, Aptos

2011-10-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

This beautiful bride and I were attached at the hip in high school, so when she let me know she was looking for a photographer for her wedding, I flipped! I am so grateful that I got to be a part of Tara and Alex's beautiful, creative, and super fun wedding. Sand Rock Farm is a gorgeous oasis in the redwood covered hills of Santa Cruz. It was the perfect place for a redwood grove wedding ceremony, and the architecture of the historic Victorian house was great for getting ready photos.

Lauren and Glen, Brix Restaurant, Napa

2011-10-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

Brix! No matter how often I work here I always find a new fabulous spot to shoot. Lauren, Glen and I got along amazingly well. We had such a great time, and they were just wonderful models :).

Kristine and Damian, Randall Museum, San Francisco

2011-06-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

We bounced around just about everywhere with this wedding. Bridal party and all, we started at the Westin (a great hotel to get ready), had the ceremony at the Randall Museum, then sped off for a 2 hour photo-walk hitting the mural at 18th and Church, Dolores Park, the mural on 19th and Dolores, Union Square cable cars and then back to the Westin! It was a great adventure.

Aubrey and Steven, Ralston White Retreat, Mill Valley

2011-06-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

Aubrey and Steven were a referral by a pair of my very dear friends, so I knew this wedding was going to be a blast! It was a such a beautiful location and such a laid-back wedding, that I wish I could have stayed perched on that mountain for a week. Ralston White is a heck of a venue, surrounded by redwoods on a hill that dips into a quarry pond a color blue I've seen in nature only twice before. I'll remember this "fairy-tale" like wedding for years to come :)

Loryn and Chris, Bridges Golf Course, San Ramon

2011-06-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

If ever there was a couple whom could say "we've weathered through thick and thin, through good times and in bad" this couple is it. They had a rough wedding day, both sick, with the threat of rain on the horizon, and the chilly air swirling about the Bridge's ceremony site. But as miserable as some brides and grooms might have been in these conditions, Loryn and Chris rose above it all. Loryn floated down the aisle and Chris stood proud and tall as she approached him. It was a beautiful day, because no matter how many obstacles came up, they never lost sight of each other, smiling and laughing every moment they could.

Lisa and Johnathan, The Waterfront Hotel and the Terrace Room, Oakland, CA

2011-04-19T16:12:00.000-07:00

Lisa and Johnathan were a charming couple. Their first encounter at the Waterfront Hotel took place just before their wedding. As Lisa walked down the pier to turn Johnathan towards her, I had goosebumps! Just shortly after, Lisa told me that in that moment she'd had them too. It was an electric day. The Terrace Room, right off of Lake Merritt, was a beautiful and elegant venue. At the end of the night, Lisa surprised us all with a special treat, Samar Nassar a Belly Dancer!

Jenny and Rick, Mountain Terrace

2011-04-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

Jenny and Rick had an eventful wedding. Mountain Terrace was a very cute and intimate venue which worked out beautifully when mid-way through everyone had to cozy around the candles during the power outage! But the unexpected circumstance only added to the romance of the evening. Everyone ate and danced the night away by candlelight.

The New Queensberry... ::sigh::

2010-12-21T15:11:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to present this brand new album by Queensberry. Known as the Duo, it combines traditional elegance with modern design. It's a truly exciting chapter in my album collection.

This Queensberry cover features a buttery black micro leatherette cover with a title window. Queensberry has a plethora of cover options, including a variety of color combinations and a photo option, where a photo can be placed in the text box, or to cover part/all of the cover.

Queensberry prides itself in design elegance, which I lobe, as I enjoy attention to detail.

One can barely detect Queensberry's embossed logo on the inside page, but I consider it a beautiful design touch.

This overlay page is a wonderful way to introduce the viewer to your album. The translucent overlay page gives you a hint of the picture behind it while announcing the book. Some clients also choose to have an introduction page with either a wedding announcement or a copy of the program embedded into the matt.

The opening photograph sets the tone of the album. This is the only page that breaks with the chronology of the wedding within the album.

This is the official start of the album. I wanted to show off some of the gorgeous details that were part of Tracy and Jeff's wedding, along with a full "flush page" of the rings. This page is a perfect example of Queensberry's Duo Album, which combines the traditional window matt page with the more modern flush mount style.

There are no size restrictions with Queensberry so I can create any size window for the photos. Traditional albums try to force you to stick with standard photo sizes, such as 2x3, 4x5, 4x6, 5x7 etc. With Queensberry's Duo I don't have to worry about that.

I had so much fun with this page. Tracy's ring was a unique blue diamond, so I decided to do a blue color-wash on the images and split the page with Tracy on one side (with the ring) and Jeff on the other (with the rock). One rock vrs another!

The start of the ceremony...

This picture reminds me of the Beatles, so I wanted to design this page as if it was inspired by an album cover.

I love off angles and perspectives and I tried to play that up using the design to combine my traditional, photo-journalistic, captures with a more contemporary shot.

This album showcases Queensberry's Duo matting. This photo was flush to the edge of the album vertically, but had matted edges. This really re-defines album standards and is Queensberry's Duo at it's best.

Mixing detail pictures in to the ceremony pages brings poetry to the moment.

The ring exchange and the kiss are anticipated moments. With this layout, I wanted to emphasize the grandeur of it.

Family and bridal party pics are a must in any album, but I love that the Duo can make any page look dramatic.

LOVE :).

This picture shows Queensberry's window matt and binding.

A transition page. Classic end to the couple's walk and opening start to the reception.

The reception and speeches.

Dance the night away...

Let them eat cake!

This final shot closes the album. With the final page, I always try to end on a quiet, yet high note.

Lucy and Josh, Mayacamas Ranch

2010-12-10T14:43:00.000-08:00

This was a truly amazing venue. Epic Sonoma at it's best. Mayacamas is up a hill and into a valley, with sweeping views and rolling hills. The wedding coordinator, Marilyn Ambra, really knows what she's doing. Every detail, from the ceremony programs to the lighting in the circus style on-site tent was given stupendous attention. This venue is in my top 5!

Jennifer and Josue, Hotel Los Gatos and Opera House, Los Gatos

2010-12-10T14:17:00.000-08:00

This was a beautiful wedding, gorgeously elegant. Jennifer was stunning in a slip of a dress with great personal details, and Josue looked like he was ready to be in GQ with his fabulous black tie. I love venues that allow for a lot of play. There were a lot of "prop" opportunities here, such as the yellow wall and the gate, that offered some cool perspectives which really appeal to my aesthetic.

Liz and Paul, Stanford Park Hotel, Menlo Park

2010-12-10T13:33:00.000-08:00

I photographed a series of weddings with Jennifer Paschal this year. This wedding was one of my first with her. I found out, about midway through the wedding that I indirectly knew the bride's family, which was a fabulous surprise. Liz and Paul are a dynamic and fun loving couple. I had such a great time shooting this wedding! Stanford Park is a great venue. I love the patio area and the inside is very chic. I can't wait to shoot there again!

Chandra and Steve's Wedding Slide Show

2010-10-28T18:15:00.001-07:00

I am proud to present this slide show of Chandra and Steve's beautiful wedding day.

Chandra and Steve, Brix, Napa

2010-09-30T22:23:00.000-07:00

I cannot get enough of this venue. Every time I shoot at Brix, it's like coming home, and I love it's epic potential. Matt Guyot is an amazing coordinator, and his inspired renovation of the already wonderful wedding site is fantastic. Chandra and Steve were dream clients, fun, easy going, and incredibly complimentary of my work (which is awesome). I had a super fun time shooting their rehearsal dinner the night before, and so I knew the wedding was going to be fireworks. We went for a sunset photo-walk and I love the sparkle this couple brought to this sunny summer evening.

Debbie and Slava, Kyoto Grand, Los Angeles

2010-09-30T21:56:00.000-07:00

Slava and Debbie were sweet enough to fly me to LA for their wedding. The ceremony took place on the picturesque rooftop of the Kyoto Grand Hotel. This was a traditional Jewish ceremony connecting two very large families, with ties to Persia and Russia, so it was a huge family affair. The groom had warned me that the families were animated, but man I had no idea. They really really knew how to party. There was no end to vodka toasts and dancing, it was great!

Angela and Cole, Casa de Flores, Sebastopol

2010-09-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

I had never worked at Casa de Flores, and WOW what a venue. Angela and Cole really found a little bubble of amazing with this place. The property is wonderfully maintained, and the gardens just burst with color and life. Having a venue like this is wonderful for a photographer's creativity. To boot, Angela was a gorgeous bride and Cole a fabulous groom. All together it was an awesome Alice and Wonderland type of adventure.

Brie and David, Brix, Napa

2010-09-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

Brie, David and I had a fabulous engagement shoot, so I knew I would have a blast at their wedding. It was an early afternoon wedding, so we decided it would be cooler and just cooler temp wise, if we did our couple's photo-walk in the morning before the ceremony. Doing a photo-walk before the wedding can be a great option for couples who just want to kick back after the ceremony and enjoy the reception. It's also a particularly good idea if the ceremony takes place too close to midday. Lighting is always better early or late in the day, and a walk can be uncomfortable in midday heat. In the end it was wonderful wedding and a beautiful day.

Nisha and Jo

2010-06-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Busy as usual! Yesterday I shot a Hindu wedding that I just HAD to share with everyone. I cherished this wedding. It was full of wonderful color, and brilliant people. Here are a few teasers to start...

Travels in Egypt!

2010-05-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

I'm back from a wonderful adventure. Travel photography is rejuvenating, as I always come back with fresh perspectives that inspire my wedding work. However, stay tuned as I combine two loves, travel photography and wedding photography! Sayulita here I come...keep posted for news on my first destination wedding of the year. For now, enjoy these travel pics!

Joy and Trevor's Engagement Shoot

2010-04-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

Since I've started to post again, after a bit of a hiatus, I've decided to keep going with it. Below is a window to my most recent engagement shoot! Joy and Trevor are the sweetest, greatest, and awesomest. I'll be shooting their wedding in Salulita Mexico next month! Please note, urban engagement photography is rare yet uber cool. I love the stuff we shot on Haight street. Also, even though I wish it conveyed better, the series shot in front of the De Young, is meant to be movie-esque. Something I like to play with every once and a while. Engagement photography shows a story, and I love making it come to life.

Katie and Dave

2010-04-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while, but I've been busy! Please enjoy some photos from my most recent wedding.

Candy and Carland

2010-03-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

This wedding took place in Piedmont. Candy and Carland had very religious foundations, for example, Carland's father, viewed here, is a preacher. However, given the conservative nature of the wedding, they also had artistic photography tastes. I really wanted to capture details with elegance and artistry, while being conscientious and a bit reserved with the couple's photos. I took a slightly different approach with this couple's photo. Trying to show them, as if I had just stumbled by, catching an unfolding scene through a screen of trees.

Christina and Marty's Engagement Shoot

2010-02-25T16:48:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from my engagement shoot with Christina and Marty. They graciously came all the way down from Lodi to shoot in San Francisco with me. This was a star couple. We had originally planned on starting at the Japanese Tea Garden but the blossoms were not yet in bloom. They both just decided to go with the flow.

Sometimes when I shoot an engagement session there's a five to ten minute warm up, where the couple is just awkward, not knowing what to do or how to stand. This couple, amazingly, sunk right in. It was easy to laugh and just hang out, which is often why I love engagement shoots.

Brand New Site!

2010-02-23T12:04:00.000-08:00

I am ecstatic to announce the remodeling of my website officially complete! A fair amount of hard work, tears, and round house kicks to the jaw, have led to this beautiful site's completion. I have many people to thank for their generosity and friendship in helping me get to this point. Namely, however, I would like to send my love out to my darling man, Cody, and his good friend, the fabulous web programmer Scott French. With Cody's dream design and Scott's relentless persistence for excellence, I could not be happier. I truly hope my future brides and grooms will enjoy this site for years to come. I would love to hear any comments, or suggestions, so please, let me know what you think! http://www.soniasavio.com/

Summer 2009, Part 1

2010-02-21T14:11:00.000-08:00

Due to popular demand, here is a sample image from my summer 2009 wedding season. Cristina and Peter were a wonderful couple. They were very willing to experiment, and from that we captured some amazing photographs. The longer the photo-walk (photographing with just the bride and groom) and the more open minded the couple, the better the pictures.

The Begining

2010-02-21T12:57:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my photography blog! Here, I hope to share my photo experiences, trials, tribulations, and of course, many many new images to come. I will be presenting a shiny remodeled website soon, so stay tuned!