San Francisco Photography

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www.peterbrucephotography.com

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Old St. Hilary’s, a little history…

What a great couple and a fun wedding.I was was glad to shoot the wedding and of course going to some of the best locations in the bay area,like the Legion of Honor,Marin head lands and og course my favorite church Old St Hilarys.Thanks for making Peter Bruce Photo & Video part of your day.

Wildflowers surround Old St. Hilary’s, Tiburon’s iconic hillside landmark, which was originally a mission church named for St. Hilaire, Bishop of Poitiers. The heirs of John Reed—who held title to El Rancho Corte Madera del Presidio, the Mexican land grant that included the Tiburon Peninsula—deeded the one-quarter acre site for $2 to the Archdiocese of San Francisco, which built the church as a place of worship for local railroad workers in 1888.

The building is of significant architectural importance because it is one of the few remaining Carpenter Gothic churches to survive in its original setting. It is constructed of redwood, with redwood doors and a Douglas fir ceiling. Amber glass replaced the original stained glass windows after they were broken. The stained glass window above the door has been restored and depicts St. Hilary (fourth century), patron saint of scholars. It was a gift from Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Lyford.

The current electric lights are replicas of coal-oil chandeliers, which were lowered with ropes that brackets on the walls held in place. Heating and water are modern additions. Original furnishings include the white altar rail and two stands for statues on either side of the sanctuary, as well as the restored Stations of the Cross in the nave. A donor salvaged the cross from a church in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Most of the permanent furnishings are donations in honor of local residents. They include the concert piano and custom-made docent desk, chair and table, as well as oak pews that are reproductions of the originals. A group of local volunteers created the needlepoint pew cushions that feature local wildflowers.

The church was deconsecrated to make way for a new, larger one and was headed for destruction until several individuals intent on preserving local history established the Landmarks Society and purchased the site and building in 1959. It has served as a schoolroom and town meeting hall and is now a popular setting for weddings, concerts and other memorable events.

We hope you enjoyed these photos and a little history. Please let us know

Best Peter Bruce Photo & Video

I had the great pleasure of photographing  Ramey’s and Todd’s wedding at the Fairmont this weekend.  This couple had gotten married about a year ago and now were celebrating their union with family and friends .  The ceremony outside on the Pavilion Terrace was serene and joyful against the backdrop of the San Francisco skyline.
The guys had a fantastic first dance routine , a combination of Salsa and Rumba  I think( I’m no dancer myself) , that wowed the whole room.  After a delicious dinner  , Val Cunningham, Todd and Ramey’s dance instructor, led everyone to the dance floor for a fun and funny Swing dance lesson.   The rest of the night  was a merry blur of love , dancing and – yes – “air guitar”!

Enjoy,

Bernadette and Peter

I first met Holly over the phone; she was calling from Chicago- trying to plan her wedding through the internet and telephone.  She and her fiance , Rick, told me a lovely story about his mom and dad; it seems his dad, while he was alive , always took his wife on an anniversary trip to San Francisco, the most romantic place he knew.  Well flash forward to the present- Holly and Rick decided to honor this tradition by having their ceremony in San Francisco.  Of course Mom and her very best girlfriend( who incidently is also the mother-in-law to Rick’s brother) were a big part of the plans.  Everyone was so excited and Holly is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met.   This adorable couple chose the Fairmont Hotel Terrace Garden for their ceremony and- big fun- the Tonga Room for their reception dinner. Of course we had to get some cable car action in ( Holly, you should have taken the conductor’s offer to drive!) and yes the first dance was to a certain Tony Bennett  song…

The last pic is the Fairmont lobby  of a weary tourist back from the wine country – gotta love it.

Enjoy

Bernadette & Peter Bruce

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I just wanted to follow up on my second post with a few of my recent photographs. From time to time I find myself gazing into an image, but have no idea why. These are come of those images that I couldn’t stop looking at. I’m intrigued by the simplicity, but more so the people and the emotions I capture.

Don’t forget to check out my gallery located on my San Francisco Wedding Photograher website Peter Bruce Photography.