Kate & Andy’s Presidio Yacht Club Wedding at the Travis Marina
Kate & Andy’s Presidio Yacht Club Wedding
The Presidio Yacht Club strikes the perfect balance of funky dive-bar charm, stunning Golden Gate views, and a laid-back atmosphere. With Cavallo Point right up the hill, it checks a lot of boxes for couples who want something unique and convenient.
Kate and Andy are two fun-loving people who enjoy biking around Marin, and they’ve even been known to stop at the Travis Marina Bar for a drink mid-ride. During one of those stops, they realized it might be the perfect place for their wedding. What a fun day they put together! Their dance party was next level, and I was stoked to be a part of it.
The Presidio Yacht Club at the Travis Marina is an awesome Bay Area wedding venue that feels homey and rustic, and doesn’t have the polish or pomp of many commercial venues, and that’s one of its biggest strengths.
This venue also holds a little piece of Bay Area history. Founded in the late 1950s, it was originally open only to military personnel. Today, it’s home to a close-knit community of boating enthusiasts. As the club puts it, “The Club continues its tradition of camaraderie by having all-volunteer work days every second Saturday of the month, followed by dinner.”
Besides the epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio Yacht Club has several unique spaces that make it both flexible and full of character.
Presidio Yacht Club Wedding Spaces
The Deck
This is where ceremonies usually take place. It overlooks the marina, the San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the City skyline. After the ceremony, it’s also where the cocktail hour happens.
The Boat House
The dinner and toasts take place here. This large, warehouse-style space has high ceilings, exposed beams, and lots of windows. Big rolling doors open onto the deck, creating an easy flow between the ceremony and reception spaces.
The Banquet Hall
A flexible space often used by the caterer or for small setups, like a favor table. There’s also a coat room off this space, access to the Travis Marina Bar, and access to the Boat House.
The Travis Marina Bar
Located upstairs, this bar is a gem. It’s got a true dive-bar vibe (in the best way), with plenty of seating, a great dance floor, and tall, light-colored ceilings that make it an excellent spot for photography. The bar opens onto a small deck where guests can cool off when the dance floor heats up. More pics further down the post.
Nearby Spots for Epic Portraits
In addition to the on-site spaces, there are several sweet spots close by for couple portraits. At Travis Marina, you’ll find Battery Yates and Satterlee Breakwater, which are both incredible photo locations with panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay.
Hopefully, that gives you a good snapshot of the Presidio Yacht Club wedding venue — now, onto Kate and Andy’s amazing day!
Getting Ready and First Look at Cavallo Point
Both Kate and Andy got ready at Cavallo Point, just up the hill from Travis Marina and the Presidio Yacht Club. They had an upstairs and downstairs suite in the same building, making it easy to move between them.
Things were pretty chill, but there were a couple of stressful moments. Kate couldn’t find her shoes and discovered a rip in her veil. Thankfully, she kept her cool, we did a quick fix on her veil, and found her shoes.
We did a quick first look right outside Kate’s suite. It was simple and sweet.
Family Portraits at Cavallo Point
Cavallo Point was busy that day, with several other couples on-site taking pictures around the property. After scouting a couple of possible portrait locations, I found a big, flat lawn below the little chapel. Apparently, all the other photographers and couples had the same idea! We waited our turn, and zipped through family portraits. Once we wrapped up family and friend portraits, we headed down to Travis Marina and the Presidio Yacht Club.
Ceremony on the Deck at the Presidio Yacht Club
We arrived about 45 minutes before the ceremony, and Kate and Andy were tucked away in a small room off the Boat House. I got some great shots of them peeking out through the window as guests arrived.
The flower girls were, of course, adorable. After the last-minute veil repair, it looked perfect. The ceremony itself was heartfelt and relaxed, with the Golden Gate Bridge as a stunning backdrop — an unforgettable setting for any Presidio Yacht Club wedding.
Cocktail Hours and Couple Portraits Around Travis Marina
Toward the end of cocktail hour, we did a quick loop around the Presidio Yacht Club for portraits in front of the nearby warehouses and above the Travis Marina Bar with views of the bridge. It is nice having so many great shooting locations so close by.
After dinner, we slipped out for more portraits at the breakwater and Battery Yates. As fog rolled in and a tanker motored into the bay, we got some epic, moody shots before heading back for toasts and dancing.
Toasts and Dancing at the Travis Marina Bar
The toasts were some of the best I’ve heard all year — funny, heartfelt, and clearly written by humans. After cutting a carrot cake (one of my favorites!), Kate and Andy headed upstairs to the Travis Marina Bar for dancing.
As I mentioned earlier, shooting in the Travis Marina Bar is always a pleasure. Kate and Andy’s dance floor was packed, the energy was electric, and guests were decked out in colorful headbands representing their favorite sports teams. At one point, someone even started bedazzling people! When I wrapped up, folks were doing the limbo while Quick Dog was setting up late-night snacks outside on the deck.
What a fantastic day — so many great memories. Thank you, Kate and Andy, for letting me document your Presidio Yacht Club wedding. Congrats!
Wedding Planner – Golden Gate Special Events
DJ – Max Haegard
Catering – Sonoma County Catering
Florist – Poppy Flowers
Hair / Makeup- Hazel Skye
Late Night Snacks – Quick Dog
If you enjoyed Kate and Andy’s Presidio Yacht Club wedding and want more inspiration, check out this awesome and colorful wedding I shot at the Presidio Yacht Club a couple of years back.