Retro Documentary Film Portraits in Sonoma County

Here is a sweet little love story in two parts: vineyard and town, told the way Bea and Paul live it. They eloped during Covid, so this wasn’t quite wedding photos, not exactly engagement photos, just the celebration they never got to have in Healdsburg. Their beginning fits right in here, they met working in a vineyard in New Zealand, sharing a hostel, trading harvest shifts, and slowly realizing that the person they kept laughing with was the person they wanted to keep. He knew it watching her bottle wine at a tiny winery. She knew it later, picking him up after work when he said he loved her and floated the idea of an apartment in Italy. Perfect.

P.S. It won’t hurt our feelings if you immediately scroll to the black and white film at the end….

We started in town, wandering past cozy tasting rooms and sunlit storefronts, easing into the rhythm of a perfect afternoon in Sonoma County. We leaned into movement and silhouettes. Bea twirled, Paul pulled her in, and everything went quiet for a beat. That is the heart of what we do as Bay Area documentary film wedding photographers, create space for connection so the real stuff can lead. Our brand mission is to help even the most camera-shy couples feel confident and seen, never stiff, crafting romantic, natural images that look like how the evening felt. We plan intentionally, then let the magic happen.

Let’s make magic for you, check out our pricing here

 

We brought a few rolls of black and white, and the film frames felt like they were always meant to exist, timeless and a little cinematic. We are a documentary film wedding photographer team at heart, blending digital and film so our couples get the clean pop and color of digital, and the nostalgic retro vibes of grain. Those in-between moments sing on film, the squeeze of a hand, the breath before a kiss, the grin that happens after the joke.

We started in town and ended where their story began, among the vines. No pressure, just a walk through sunlit rows while we chatted about their puppy, favorite happy hour spots, and the ongoing inside joke about an almost-proposal in Mexico that did not count. Our approach as Northern California documentary wedding photographers is simple, build comfort first, guide when needed, then step back so real moments can breathe. Bea brings the sparkle, warm and witty. Paul carries the quiet, then lights up around the people he loves. Together they are a soft collision of playful and romantic, and the camera loved every second.

Loving the energy? Let’s capture yours!

 

Bea and Paul, thank you for trusting us with your hearts. Your gallery is a mix of lively candids, tender in-betweens, and those moody black and white retro film frames we are a little obsessed with. This is why we do what we do, to tell love stories with honesty and ease, over and over again.

Your Napa and Sonoma Documentary & Film Photographers

Planning portraits in Healdsburg, a vow renewal among the vines, or a full wine country wedding, we would love to capture it. As Northern California documentary photographers and Bay Area documentary photographers, we tell your story in a way that feels natural, effortless, and entirely you. We blend digital with black and white film for timeless images, honoring real moments with a relaxed, guided approach. Browse more Healdsburg and Sonoma sessions to get inspired, then reach out to check availability and share your plans.