Step into the world of a moody 1920's speakeasy at this themed San Francisco wedding where Michael and Amanda tied the knot in nothing other than a theatrical cabaret. The whimsical event was captured by Mandee Johnson Photography and I had the pleasure of interviewing the bride about the special day!
Keep scrolling to see the magic and hear about the details!
Their Love Story
"In true millennial fashion, Michael and I first met after matching on Tinder. His main profile picture was easy on the eyes, but what really drew me in was seeing the silly pictures a few swipes in (ex: him making a fish face next to a massive fish at a market in Portugal), as well as his clear love of music. I accidentally ghosted him after we first matched (in my defense, I was in the middle of moving apartments and was preoccupied!), but we eventually made plans to casually meet up at Noise Pop Block Party in the Mission District of SF on August 19, 2017.
We ended up missing most of Neon Indian's set because we couldn't stop chit chatting. After that, everything flowed so effortlessly. We went to Casanova Bar with a few friends, then to Picaro to have Spanish tapas together for dinner (just us two). At the end of the night, I made a comment about how annoying it was that even though I lived just a short walk away, that I have to call an Uber because of how unsafe I felt walking alone in that neighborhood. Without hesitation, he immediately said "I'll walk you home." And so we did! I remember being so touched at the natural thoughtfulness, especially in a dating pool of dudes who don't have any consideration for the other person. That same week, we went to 2-3 concerts together, on a night hike to Baker Beach...and basically haven't stopped hanging out since."
The Inspiration
"Our venue was a truly underground 1920s inspired speakeasy / immersive theater venue in SF. We really leaned into the 1920s theme, but with a slight tropical element."
Color Palette
"Lots of jewel tones (greens, navy, burgundy, etc) and gold/brass."
The Details
"The unique entrance for guests (they entered through a fake clock shop, through a door hidden behind a grandfather clock). We had an actor from the venue play the surly clock shop owner "Joe". We loved being able to surprise & delight our guests with such a fun clandestine entry that transported them instantly from 2023 SF to 1923 immersive atmosphere."
Memorable Moments
"Our ceremony took place on stage in the cabaret room, and I'll never forget being backstage and hearing the exciting buzz of the crowd before Michael & I each made our grand entrance. It was so surreal coming out to one of my all time favorite songs "Someday" by The Strokes, and hearing the roar of applause/seeing all my favorite people under one roof, and then getting to marry my best friend. The reception was a blast! We had a dancer pop out of a giant fake cake to kick it off, had a local legend radio DJ play all our faves, a casino room, a piano bar room, a hidden tarot card reader in a Narnia-like wardrobe, a photo flipbook station, and more. There was something for everyone."
Knowing what you know now... what advice would you have for other brides planning their wedding?
"Make sure to bake in some alone time with your spouse on the day of the wedding, whether that's a first look photoshoot or just some solo time post ceremony to take a breather and remember that ultimately everything is a celebration of your love."
What was the most challenging part about planning your wedding?
"Keeping everything on budget (didn't happen!), and being stuck in planning limbo while waiting on essential responses from vendors."
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