Mater Dei Catholic Church Wedding and Big Private Backyard in San Diego | Documentary Wedding Photography

Ana and Jan Eric met at work in San Diego and built a love that feels easy, balanced, and full of laughter. She’s the organized one. He’s the adventurous one. Together, they make life ridiculously fun. 💚

When we first started planning their wedding a couple of years ago, all we really knew was the “when” and the “where.” Their ceremony would take place in a beautiful church, and the reception would transform Ana’s parents’ backyard in Jamul, California, into an unforgettable celebration. At the time, we thought maybe around 200 guests, five hours of photo and video coverage, and we would be set.

Fast forward to their wedding day, and their guest list had exploded to over 420 amazing people, with a waitlist to match 😱. Our team of six captured every single moment over 11 hours. From the heartfelt church ceremony at Mater Dei Catholic Church to Ana's parents’ backyard reception in Jamul, it was a day full of energy, laughter, and intimate moments that made documentary wedding photography and videography shine. It preserves the moments exactly as they happened and shows the true spirit of the couple and their families.

Contact Annie Bang for San Diego backyard weddings and authentic documentary wedding photography and documentary wedding videography.

📸 Photos by me, Brett, and Loren
🎥 Film by Ailin, Michael and Sharis

💌 Let’s Do This!
If you’re planning a church ceremony and backyard reception in Los Angeles, San Diego or Southern California and want photos that are real, playful, and full of heart, we would love to be your wedding photojournalists. LET’S MAKE MAGIC TOGETHER. ✨

Let’s start telling your story!

The Wedding Bowl, Cuvier Club Wedding | Nina and Jonathan

The Wedding Bowl, Cuvier Club Wedding

As a wedding photojournalist, capturing Nina and Jonathan’s day meant preserving every laugh, every tear, and every beautifully unguarded moment. The kind you cannot plan. The kind you feel. Even a wild squirrel joined the celebration, running right through the ceremony like it had a front-row seat to love. Honestly, iconic. 🐿️

Their wedding ceremony at The Wedding Bowl and reception at Cuvier Club were filled with a burst of joy, colors, lots of tequila shots, and party; wrapped in orange 🧡🍊 and light blue 💙, and then, bright, calm, playful, and full of heart. Every detail felt intentional, but nothing felt forced. Just like documentary wedding photography which lets people be exactly who they are.

Their love story is just as sweet. Jonathan asked Nina to marry him during a boat ride when she caught a floating bottle drifting in the water. Inside was a note that said, “Will you marry me?” She said yes, and right after that, it started to rain. Like a movie scene. Nina’s mom believes the rain was a sign from her dad in heaven, showing his love and presence. I mean, C’mon. 😭

As a wedding photojournalist, these are the moments I live for. The laughter that sneaks up on you. The tears that come out of nowhere. The stories that hold so much meaning beneath the surface. A true reminder of why authentic and candid wedding photography matters so much.

📸 by me and Brett

Let's talk. Yay!

Olivia and Morgan’s Colorful Wedding at The Garland

As a wedding photojournalist, you get a front row seat to some of the most intimate moments in people’s lives. The vows. The reunions. The big belly laughs. The quiet little tears. You feel everything. And you get to hold it with your camera.

Olivia and Morgan’s wedding at The Garland in Los Angeles was one of those days that fills you up in the best way. A whirlwind of joy and color. A full celebration of culture, family, and pure, unfiltered fun. It was the kind of wedding that reminds you again and again why documentary wedding photography matters.

There were surprises at every turn. Chinese lion dancers burst into the reception with pounding drums that shook the whole room. Everyone cheered and jumped in. The energy was unreal. Then the mood shifted into something soft and emotional. Olivia’s mom stepped up to the mic and started singing a Chinese song, Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin. Olivia and her dad danced slowly to her voice. It was tender and full of heart.

Her sisters told me that Olivia is the one who made their dad open up. She is the one who gently cracked him open and made him say things he had never said before. Things like “I love you.” I was honestly choked up behind my camera, thinking of my own Asian dad and how awkward we can be together sometimes. It hit me right in the chest.

This is the gift of documentary wedding photography in Los Angeles. We are both an observer and a silent participant. We get swept up in the drums, the dancing, the laughter, and the tears. And you know, when we click the shutter, that we are not just taking a photo. We are saving the feeling of being there. Wildly joyful. Completely unguarded. Full of truth and heart.

📸: by me and Brett

Their wedding film is here and it captures all the joy, love, and family moments beautifully. Watching it feels like reliving every moment of their day.

💌 Let’s Make Something Real Together
If you are planning a wedding at The Garland, anywhere in Los Angeles, or anywhere in Southern California, and you want photos that feel alive and full of truth, I would love to be your documentary wedding photographer.

LET’S CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL ✨

Let’s start your story

Los Angeles Documentary Style Photography Stories