Terry & Carlos’s Comal Wedding Photos

Here is a photographer curated collection of photos from Terry and Carlos’s Comal wedding. It was such a beautiful day and were so happy to be able to be a part of this awesome couples big day!

“Take your time to help each other out in any way you can. Even if that means bringing coffee home for late nights or sitting next to each other to be supportive. Be there. Whatever that means for you.“

 Photography: Apollo Fotografie
Venue: Comal Berkeley
Hair & Make up: Grachelle Artistry
Stationary: Shutterfly
Coordinator: Jamie Marsh
Florals: Lester’s Flowers
Dress: David’s Bridal and Sparkle Bridal
Tux: Men’s Wearhosue
Videography: Apollo Fotografie
DJ: Fog City Entertainment
Dessert: Susie Cakes
Catering: Comal Berkeley
Other: Cali Party Bus

From the couple:

From the start, we knew we wanted to get married in the fall. It reminded us of some of our most memorable dates in the past 12 years. The hints of blue and orange throughout the venue matched perfectly which you can see in these gorgeous Comal Wedding Photos.

Being surrounded by nature was an important factor to me. Our floral, photo locations, an outside patio were a way for me to incorporate nature elements. We also found a venue that felt like home with a modern touch. Oh! and a full bar. Comal fit our vision and continues to be “very us”. This feeling was so important, that we cancelled our original venue in a garden to get it just right.

Theme:

When people would ask us what our theme was, I still cannot say. A designer or event coordinator might, but we know what we like and what we wanted there. We kept it simple and let the experience speak for itself. We did our best to follow what every married couple told us to do, which was “Do what makes you happy. The wedding is for you, and not anyone else.” From the smiles in our pictures, to the videos of our not-so great party moves, we couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Ceremony:

Although we didn’t have any culturally-specific traditions integrated in the ceremony, it was so special to have my brother officiate the wedding. He is someone who has seen us grow together and knows us well.

Florals:

We loved working with our florist, Imelda, from Lester’s Flowers! She understood our vision to keep our flowers colorful, bold, and green. Incorporating blue thistles, orange marigolds, and burgundy dahlias with our favorite fillers did the trick. To make the space feel even more special, we added lanterns with gold tops and gold frames with pictures of our decade together.

It being November and so close to Day of the Dead, we added a few nods to the beautiful tradition with marigolds, our skeleton cake topper, and a picture of our brother, Jacob, who continues to be a reminder to “live it up.” For the wedding party, it was important that the bridesmaids’ bouquets stood out against their burgundy or navy dresses, so we added creams, greens and wrapped the bouquet in gold ribbon. For the groomsmen, we wanted to add hints of dark red to offset the navy and complement my bouquet. They surprised me with bowties and I have the best man to thank for that.

Venue:

Comal serves delicious Mexican food. The open bar was a highlight. We selected custom cocktails titled “Mr. Tequila” & “Mrs. Mezcal,” our go-to drinks. We also gifted our guests shot glasses that guest could use at the bar. It’s a known fact that if you agree to catch-up with us, “we’ll meet you at the bar.” Music was a big part of our upbringing, so our favorite old-school latin songs were an inspiration to the dance playlist. The late-night tacos were also a must; after a night of drinking, we usually head to a taco stand in the Mission. I only get a sweet tooth at night, so an array of desserts made the cut. We had 3 different flavored cakes and 3 desserts: cookies, flan, and pudding.

Comic Love:

Lastly, we made a pit stop at the comic book shop next door to Comal, Fantastic Comics. Collecting comic books is one of Carlos’ favorite hobbies and one of our shared interests. Since high school, he has made sure to keep me updated on my favorite character’s storyline and summarize the latest “happenings” weekly.

Style:

Carlos was walking Downtown to catch the Bart train after work one day, when he saw a navy blue velvet suit in the window. He loved the dark tone, but wanted it in a different color. “Customizable?” he asked. “It’s possible,” they said. The color burgundy caught his eye and from there, he knew it was the one. Of course, everything else was his favorite color, black. The most important part of the ensemble were the cufflinks. They read “JV” his brother’s initials.

I went to a few bridal boutiques in Sacramento a few years back and I tried on the dress that I felt would be “the one.” We had just gotten engaged, so I didn’t want to rush into purchasing a dress quite yet. Come March, I went back with my bridesmaids and I knew it was meant to be. The dress has large roses on soft ivory lace overlaying a gorgeous shade of oyster satin. There are buttons along the entire back and I added custom off-the-shoulder sleeves. Of course, it also had pockets! It was the opposite of everything I was looking for, but I felt like a queen.

Then why the second dress you ask? I still wanted that romantic feel and I’m a little indecisive. Having both dresses showcased all sides of my personality. Both created in that creamy satin to match. The veil was extra special; it was a gift from my parents and found by pure luck. After having trouble contacting the wedding dress designer, my alterations ‘fairy godmother,’ Rin from Rin’s Bridal, had a veil with the same lace. She also created the custom sleeves for my dresses. I’ve never felt so beautiful in my life.

Our Story:

Highlights from the day:

Advice:

Donna & Octavio’s Crystal Springs Golf Course Wedding