aj photo company: Wedding Photographer in Madison, WI
Wisconsin documentary wedding and portrait photographer for the fun and easy going couple or person!

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Recent weddings and engagement sessions photographed by AJ Photo Company.

Japanese Tea Garden and Sutro Baths Engagement Session | San Francisco, CA

This school year our family is hosting Alicia, a foreign exchange student from France. Before she arrived in the United States, I asked her if she could pick anywhere in the United States to visit, where would she go. Without any hesitation, she said California. I imagine she was thinking of Hollywood or LA, but I thought San Francisco would be pretty interesting too. So we set some email alerts on airfares, and when the price dropped well below what we thought we'd pay, we booked four plane tickets. It may have been a little premature, because we didn't even have any of Alicia's flight information to the States yet, but here we had a plane ticket to San Francisco for her! Once we had our plane tickets purchased, we were on the hunt for the perfect Airbnb. We knew we wanted to live like a local, so when we found Jessica's in-law suite within our budget, we booked that as well.

During the course of planning our trip, I reached out to photographers in San Francisco and was able to line up a second shooting gig at 3 Steves Winery in Livermore for the talented Ananda Rochita. It occurred to me that I should try to line up an engagement session or two as well, so I asked Jessica if she knew anyone who was getting married. Jessica put me in contact with Alex and Liezl whose session will be up on the blog shortly. Later, Jessica mentioned that she and her partner Mike recently got engaged and would love a session as well. Of course I happily agreed!

We met Jessica and Mike at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. We spent just a little bit of time there, but most of my favorite photos from their session are from there because of the architecture and lush greens. We followed Jessica and Mike to Lands End for views of the Golden Gate Bridge and hiked over to Sutro Baths for sunset. Jessica and Mike are such a warm and inviting couple, and I couldn't help but feel comfortable around them as if I'd known them my entire life. I am grateful they offered to take us out for dinner at R&G Lounge and so happy to be able to relax and spend a little more time with them.

Engaged couple holding hands in front of the Thai pavillion at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
Engaged couple holding hands and looking at each other in front of the Thai pavilion at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. 
Woman leans back against a wooden fence and laughs as her fiance leans into her.
Woman leans back against a wooden fence and smiles as her fiance kisses the top of her head.
Engaged couple holds hands and looks at a red Thai pavilion.
Engaged couple wraps their arms around each other's waists while looking at a red Thai pavilion.
Engaged couple smiles for the camera with a red Thai pavilion in the background.
Engaged couple looks at each other and smiles with a red Thai pavilion in the background.
Engaged couple kisses in front of a red Thai pavilion at the Japanese Tea Garden in the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA.
Engaged couple sits and snuggles.
Engaged couple smiles as they press their foreheads together.
Woman laughs as her fiance gives her a bearhug from behind.
Engaged couple holds hands and smiles at each other.
Engaged couple holds hands and kisses.
Woman smiles as she leans back into her fiance's chest.
Woman laughs and holds her leather jacket as her fiance stands behinds her smiling.
Engaged couple smile and look at each other at Sutro Baths in San Francisco, CA.
Woman smiles up at her fiance at Sutro Baths in San Francisco, CA.
Man smiles at the camera as his fiance admires him.
Silhouette of engaged couple holding hands during sunset at Sutro Baths in San Francisco, CA.
Silhouette of engaged couple looking at each other during sunset at Sutro Baths in San Francisco, CA.
Silhouette of engaged couple holding each other during sunset at Sutro Baths in San Francisco, CA.
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