Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club | Annie & Matt

Annie and Matt are high school sweethearts, which might be my favorite kind of love story to photograph. There's something about a couple who has grown up alongside each other that shows up in every glance and every easy laugh, and this wedding had it in spades. They wanted everyone who mattered to them standing up there too, so their wedding party was big, joyful, and clearly having the time of their lives all day long.

The morning started with soft, romantic details, blush and buttery-yellow blooms, a delicate invitation suite tied in ribbon, and Annie's gown waiting for her against a stone wall.

Annie's bridesmaids were an absolute riot getting ready together, and then it was Annie's turn in front of the mirror, getting every last pin and detail just right before the big moment.

Annie had a beautiful first look with her dad, and her large wedding party, before the ceremony, and honestly, she looked so elegant in her off-the-shoulder gown that it's no wonder every reaction was priceless.

Matt was getting ready just as things were heating up on Annie's side, cufflinks monogrammed with a simple A&M, surrounded by his groomsmen in their own kind of chaos.

Annie and Matt chose to say their vows at Stanford Memorial Church, the same church where both of their parents were married, which made the whole day feel even more full circle. The church itself is remarkable: built as a memorial to Leland Stanford and dedicated in 1903, its facade holds one of the largest mosaics in the country, an intricate scene crafted by Italian artisans out of tens of thousands of pieces of glass. Standing inside those doors, under that history, it's easy to see why it means so much to their family.

Matt watched Annie come down the aisle with the kind of expression every bride hopes for, and then they stood together at the altar surrounded by family and generations of history.

They said their vows, sealed it with a kiss, and signed their marriage certificate right there in the church before stepping back out into the California sunshine as a married couple.

Signing the register is one of my favorite quiet moments of any wedding day, just the two of them, pen in hand, making it official.

Outside, in front of that stunning mosaic facade, the whole wedding party came together for photos, and of course, the groomsmen couldn't resist lifting Annie up for a laugh.

And then it was Annie's turn with her girls. Her bridesmaids swarmed her the second we stepped outside, all matching in buttery yellow, laughing and lifting her right off the ground.

Annie and Matt's love for each other is easy, playful, the kind you'd expect from two people who have known each other since high school. Every portrait we took together felt like catching them mid-conversation.

The reception carried the celebration to Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club, the very venue where both Annie and Matt's parents got married. Their welcome sign said it best: a love in full bloom, with soft, elegant signage and floral details throughout in white, butter yellow, pastel orange and pink, with hints of gold.

The reception room itself was full of the kind of details you plan for months and then barely get to slow down and see on the actual day: a full room set with crisp white linens and gold accents, and the sweetest little touches at every single place setting.

Annie and Matt made their grand entrance to a room full of cheering friends and family, ready to celebrate.

The toasts that followed had the whole room laughing and reaching for tissues in equal measure, glasses raised again and again to the two of them.

The golf course setting gave us the most gorgeous backdrop for sunset portraits: a waterfall, an open fairway, and rolling hills that the sun just kissed on its way down. We wandered all around that waterfall while the light was perfect, and I don't think either of them stopped smiling.

Back inside, Annie and Matt shared their first dance as husband and wife, and then Annie danced with her dad, both of them clearly holding onto every second.

A live band kept the entire dance floor moving well into the night, easily one of the most fun receptions I've photographed in a while.

Once the band really got going, Annie and Matt were right out there with everyone, guests circled up around them, dancing and laughing the night away.

They cut into their cake to cheers from the crowd, tossed the bouquet to a room full of hopeful friends, and kept the party going.

And then, as if the day hadn't already given us enough, it ended with the most epic sunset I've ever seen over that golf course, deep purples, reds, and blues streaked across the whole sky while Annie and Matt danced underneath it. High school sweethearts turned husband and wife, surrounded by everyone who watched them fall in love. What a day. Congratulations, Annie and Matt!

The Dream Team

• Venue: Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club
• Planning + Coordination: Leigh & Co. Events
• Florals: Bloomsters
• Catering: Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club
• DJ and Band: All Star Jukebox
• Videography: J Kapture Studios
• Desserts: Studio Cake Design
• Hair: Blush Hair and Makeup Design
• Makeup: Blush Hair and Makeup Design
• Day-of Signage: Oblation Papers
• Photography: De Joy Photography