Burlingame Wedding | Sara and Patrick

Sara and Patrick’s Fairview Crystal Springs wedding took place on April 28, 2012, in Burlingame, California. Guests knew the venue as Crystal Springs Golf Course back then. That’s the name printed on the couple’s own invitation. Their day moved from a quiet morning getting ready to a hilltop ceremony overlooking the Crystal Springs Reservoir. A reception in the venue’s Crystal Ball Room followed.

Getting Ready

The morning started with rings, a diamond bangle, and the couple’s invitation laid out for detail shots. Down the hall, Patrick fastened his cufflinks and posed a bottle of whiskey next to his bow tie and watch. Meanwhile, two bridesmaids laced Sara into her beaded gown. Afterward, the wedding party arrived at the clubhouse by limousine, posing together under its arched porte-cochere.

The Crystal Ball Room, Set and Ready

Before guests arrived, the reception room stood ready. Round tables held centerpieces of ivory hydrangea, pink roses, and purple stock. A four-tier cake waited under a fresh flower topper. The Crystal Ball Room itself was lit in the venue’s signature purple. Chairs were dressed in organza sashes, ready for the night ahead.

A Ceremony Overlooking the Reservoir

Sara walked the outdoor aisle on both her parents’ arms, guests seated on a grassy bluff above the reservoir. She and Patrick exchanged vows inside a white wooden gazebo, the water and forested hills spread out behind them. Their first kiss came just as the sun began to dip low. Then the newlyweds walked back up the aisle together as guests applauded.

Portraits on the Bluff

Afterward, Sara and Patrick set off across the bluff for portraits of their own. They paused on a red wooden bench overlooking the water, then walked the open hillside together at golden hour. At one point, they traded their serious portrait faces for novelty mustache props with the wedding party. Later, the full group gathered once more by the gazebo before heading inside.

Cocktail Hour and Reception

Back inside, Sara and Patrick made their entrance to applause, several guests still holding their mustache props from the portraits. Toasts followed at the head table, then the couple’s first dance beneath a crystal chandelier. They cut their cake together, and the dancing continued late into the night beneath the Crystal Ball Room’s purple lights. Before the night ended, Patrick shared a quiet cigar with his best man.

Getting Married at Fairview Crystal Springs?

Fairview Crystal Springs is one of the most scenic wedding venues on the Peninsula. In fact, its ceremony gazebo overlooking the Crystal Springs Reservoir is hard to match anywhere nearby. If you’re planning a Fairview Crystal Springs wedding, I’d love to talk with you about photographing it. You can get in touch here, or read more about the venue on its own site.