A Stanford Memorial Church Wedding with Allied Arts Guild Reception

Getting Ready

Alyson and Tim held their wedding ceremony at the breathtaking Stanford Memorial Church, followed by a stylish and relaxed reception at the historic Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. It was a beautiful pairing of classic architecture and garden charm. To make the weekend even more special, they rented a large house near Stanford where their entire wedding party—ten close friends—could stay together.

Having everyone under one roof made the logistics of the day so much easier. Hair, makeup, getting dressed, and coordinating transportation were all streamlined. But more than that, it created a sense of togetherness and celebration that carried through the entire weekend. Late-night laughs, morning coffee runs, and shared anticipation made it feel less like an event and more like a mini wedding retreat.

Portraits

After the wedding party was done getting ready, we all headed over to the Stanford campus. Parking there is such a pain. I was exceedingly thankful to Alyson and Tim for getting me a parking pass. They met at Stanford and have a special connection with the place. Even though it was Saturday and the weather was beautiful, the campus didn’t feel overly crowded. We quickly found a great spot for the wedding party and family pictures. The light under the porticos is so nice. I love shooting at Stanford.

The Ceremony at Stanford Memorial Church

Stanford Memorial Church is pretty exceptionally beautiful. The church is available for weddings of all faiths. Stunning stained glass, mosaic tile work, gold leaf, sculptures, and paintings cover the walls and ceilings of this church. The architectural details, lighting fixtures, and woodwork are also incredible. If you are going to have a church wedding, this one is an excellent choice.

Alyson and Tim had a fairly short, humorous ceremony.

Couple walking down isle with congregation in the background at Stanford Memorial Church Wedding

Reception at Allied Arts Guild

After the ceremony, Alyson and Tim signed the church’s logbook. I love this old-school tradition. We then did a few more wedding party pics before they all piled into a stretched limo and headed to the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. It has been a few years since I shot at the Allied Arts Guild. It has a great mix of outdoor and indoor spaces, interesting backgrounds, and beautiful gardens.

I was stoked to be back. Working off my vendor list, Alyson and Tim hired Rebecca Pfiffner of Be Hitched to do the wedding planning and Heart of Gold Djs to rock the party. Alyson and Tim are vegan and had a vegan menu put together by S+M Vegan out of Oakland. Check them out. Their food was so excellent.

Couple Portraits During Dinner

After eating some exceptional vegan food, Alyson, Tim, and I took a quick stroll around the Allied Arts Guild. There are artists’ workshops and neat nooks and crannies wherever you look. Alyson’s feet were dying, so I encouraged her to take off her shoes. She did. We were all happier for it.

I didn’t want to keep Alyson and Tim away for too long. We cruised back for the rest of the dinner, speeches, cake cutting, and first dances.

After the first dances, we popped outside, chatted with Rebecca Pfiffner for a sec, took a few more couple pics, and then headed back in for more dancing. This was a great wedding with fantastic people. My only regret is that there wasn’t more dancing. One downside of the Allied Arts Guild is that they have a 9 pm shutdown time.