Highland Park Los Angeles is like stepping back in time.
There is something undeniably electric about East Los Angeles. I first had the opportunity to photograph at a wedding venue in Highland Park last year in 2025, when I was asked to photograph this unique wedding at Bob Baker Marionette Theater. So, when Evelyn and Ismael told me they were planning an intimate wedding celebration starting at the iconic Old Brown House in Highland Park and flowing into a relaxed backyard gathering complete with a taco bar, giant lawn props, and a caricature artist(!), I knew we were about to create magic. As a Los Angeles wedding photographer dual-based in Southern California and North Carolina, I travel back and forth for couples who prioritize mood over tradition, feeling over perfection, and actually wanting to enjoy their wedding day rather than being forced to take photos to satisfy a photographer's portfolio for hours and hours. As a wedding photographer, I'm here for you, however you want to document your wedding day.
Evelyn and Ismael’s day was the best example of an intentional yet casual celebration—and captured on a mix of 35mm film photography, Super 8 motion picture film, and digital photography. All by me! Simultaneously. This was my first completed Super 8 film for clients (I have been doing various home video projects on Super 8 for a few years now), and I am so happy with how it turned out. You can view the full 5-minute Super 8 wedding film here.
Old Brown House- Highland Park, Los Angeles
Unlike commercial event halls, Old Brown House carries a deeply personal origin story. The venue was brought to life by local artists Tess, a former filmmaker, and Dan, a retired firefighter paramedic. Seeking a creative chapter centered around love and community, they purchased a classic neighborhood home in Los Angeles' Highland Park in 2021. Over nearly two years of hands-on, painstaking renovation, they hand-built and restored the space themselves—transforming it into a boutique, chapel-style haven for micro-weddings and intimate unions. And a haven it is- walking into the building feels like a warm hug. The wooden textures, comfy furniture, and punch bowl/ charcuterie display instantly make everyone relax.
The interior features a handcrafted wood ceremony space, parlor-style lounge accents, vintage furniture, and rich architectural textures that feel warm and residential rather than stiff or templated. Outside, the cozy patio layout can be converted into a wedding ceremony space for larger guest counts, or used as a cocktail area to let your guests mingle naturally, creating an effortless transition from your vows to having snacks and celebrations.
Prior to the wedding ceremony, we used the indoor and outdoor spaces for creative wedding portraits of Evelyn and Ismael, playing with light, shadow, and the beautiful warm colors of the interior building! When you have a space as well decorated as Old Brown House, documentary film photography really doesn't need much other than simply- light- to absolutely shine. This feels like a silly statement because without light you have no image at all, but it's still true.
The guests were seated outside, and the ceremony began. It was my first time switching between film, digital, and Super 8 video mediums- and I'm so thrilled with how well I did. Not to toot my own horn, but it's a massive undertaking wrangling three separate cameras while making sure key moments like ring exchanges, vows, and first kisses are captured on as many mediums as possible. Luckily, as a beautiful shaded outdoor wedding venue in Los Angeles, and with a ceremony space as effortless as The Old Brown House, it's easy to get lost in my craft and immersed into the moment and how truly lucky I am to be able to witness so many of these stories unfold.
After the First Kiss...
Guests mingled over a vintage punch bowl in the Old Brown House lobby, we took some more photos, and then Evelyn and Ismael headed out onto a private party bus with their closest family and friends. I took a break to explore Highland Park and had lunch. Later on we met back up at Evelyn's family home in El Monte, California. Her friend had decorated everything for her under Evelyn's instructions that she wanted their backyard wedding reception to look "whimsical, colorful, and fun" and oh man did she deliver. These intimate weddings are just so inviting- because they truly allow the day to unfold naturally, rather than being scripted. It allows for moments like "we have this bottle of wine that we were saving for our wedding day" to be opened and toasted just whenever they felt like, rather than at an exact time. It allows for spontaneous dances with friends, or catching up with loved ones. Of course, these moments can happen at any traditional wedding venue too- but something about a home space that everyone is familiar with just feels extra special. As a documentary Southern California wedding photographer, I'm always looking for these close moments between people, searching for the candid smiles that make these days so magical.
Now, Let's Talk Caricature Artists.
Out of photographing almost 250 weddings- this is the first time in my career as a professional wedding photographer that I've had a couple hire a caricature artist for their wedding reception. I've seen wedding painters, but this was truly something fun and special, that totally fit the whole funky vibe of the day. At their backyard wedding reception near Highland Park, Evelyn and Ismael hired a photobooth, and a caricature artist to do custom caricature portraits of their wedding guests during the reception. It was so incredibly fun to watch guests receive their portraits and laugh or smile at them. One pregnant guest got a special surprise with her portrait including her unborn baby in the drawing! And of course the bride and groom got their portrait done first.
Los Angeles Backyard Wedding Photographer
I hope this has inspired you! Backyard weddings can be so fun, they are totally customizable to what you and your spouse love and care about for your wedding celebration, and they can be paired with your ceremony at a totally different location if that works out better logistically. Since 2020 I have been seeing a massive uptick in splitting wedding ceremonies and receptions, sometimes even across multiple cities. Whatever works for you is the right call, whether it's "traditional" or not. I love a traditional wedding, but my heart definitely lies in the more candid, untraditional, and funky alternative wedding celebrations I see. Old Brown House was absolutely perfect for a couple seeking an intimate wedding ceremony, and after making it official, you could choose a backyard wedding, banquet hall, or traditional reception venue! The options are so open nowadays, and whatever your celebration looks like- I would love to be there as your Los Angeles film and digital wedding photographer.
You bring the love, I'll bring the film! Super 8 too if you're into that.
