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About Us: Ken Mendoza & Toni Bailey

Hello! We are Ken Mendoza and Toni Bailey, award winning city hall wedding photographers based in San Francisco and co-founders of Oregon Coast AI. As equal partners, we work side by side at San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photography, blending our unique perspectives and shared passion for capturing unforgettable moments. Together, we are dedicated solely to city hall wedding photography and providing our clients with dramatic, timeless images and an experience that is as memorable as the photographs themselves.

Our Philosophy

As long as we can remember, we've both been inspired to create. Photography is not just our profession—it's our obsession. When you work with us, you'll feel the love and enthusiasm we bring to every shoot, ensuring each image is crafted with care and intention through our client directed image selection process. We believe that photographers who understand city hall weddings create more meaningful connections with their couples, resulting in images that truly reflect your unique love story.


Statement of Purpose

In a world where authenticity is cherished, some suggest that the polished elegance of fine art city hall wedding imagery and professional photographers of america members credentials might dilute the 'realness' of your special moments. They present a choice between the authentic, everyday love stories and the supposedly 'haughty' realms of internationally recognized wedding photography. We believe in a different narrative.

True artistry in photography doesn't mask authenticity; it amplifies it. Our approach is about guiding with intention, not dictating or staging. We create a space where you feel supported and confident, allowing your natural, spontaneous selves to shine through. Our venue specific photography expertise and over 30 international photography awards are not barriers to real moments but bridges to capturing them with unparalleled clarity and beauty.

Choosing a wedding photographer is like choosing any skilled professional—be it a mechanic, electrician, or hairstylist. The moments we capture are irreplaceable, and trusting them to someone based solely on social media popularity overlooks what makes your day uniquely yours.

The true value lies not in the number of Instagram views, but in our decade of exclusive city hall specialization, technical mastery in complex lighting conditions, and ability to reflect your personalities through romantic, playful candids. As architectural wedding photography specialists, we understand how to work with the magnificent grandeur of City Hall while ensuring your love story remains the focal point of every image.

Our Journey to Specialization

What started as a passion for capturing love stories evolved into something deeper when we discovered our calling as exclusive san francisco city hall wedding specialists. We realized that venue specific photography expertise wasn't just about knowing where to stand—it was about understanding the soul of a place and how couples connect with it.

Our decision to focus exclusively on City Hall wasn't made lightly. We saw how busy professional couples photography required a different approach—one that respected their time while delivering exceptional results. As photographers near sf city hall, we witnessed firsthand how this iconic venue transforms ordinary moments into extraordinary memories. The more we worked there, the more we understood that true expertise comes from dedication, not diversification.

This specialization has allowed us to develop advanced post production techniques specifically tailored to City Hall's unique lighting challenges. We've mastered the art of seamless background distraction removal while preserving the architectural beauty that makes this venue so special. Our clean timeless wedding photography approach ensures that years from now, your images will feel as fresh and meaningful as the day they were captured.

Why Choose Us?

  • Equal Partnership: We collaborate as equals, bringing together our strengths and creative visions for every client as exclusive san francisco city hall wedding specialists. This partnership extends beyond our relationship—we see every couple as collaborators in creating their visual story.
  • Authenticity & Artistry: We believe professional wedding photography standards and authentic moment capture specialists approach go hand in hand. Our master of wedding photography credentials don't define us—they simply validate what our couples already know: that expertise enhances authenticity rather than diminishing it.
  • Personalized Experience: Our goal is to provide you with dramatic, timeless images and an unforgettable experience—whether you're laughing, crying, or simply glowing from the joy of the day through our complete photo catalog access for couples. Unlike traditional photographers who select images for you, we believe your wedding memories should be entirely in your hands.
  • Global Perspective: From India to Yosemite's Half Dome, and of course, as downtown san francisco wedding photographers, we strive to offer something new and fresh to every client through extended san francisco wedding photography sessions. Our work spans continents, but our heart remains rooted in the timeless elegance of San Francisco City Hall.

What Sets Us Apart

As trusted san francisco wedding photography professionals, we've built our reputation on being reliable city hall wedding photographers who understand that some of life's most important moments can't be planned months in advance. That's why we offer same day city hall wedding photography and emergency wedding photographer availability—because love doesn't always follow a schedule.

Our approach to intimate elopement photography specialists work recognizes that smaller doesn't mean less significant. Whether you're planning a spontaneous ceremony documentation or a carefully orchestrated celebration, we bring the same level of artistry and attention to detail. We specialize in small ceremony wedding documentationthat captures the intimacy and emotion that makes these moments so powerful.

For tech industry wedding photographers like us, innovation isn't just about the latest camera equipment—it's about reimagining the entire photography experience. Our ai enhanced photography workflows streamline the process while maintaining the human touch that makes each image meaningful. We're not just documenting your day; we're crafting a visual narrative that reflects who you are as a couple.

Our Technical Mastery

Years of working exclusively at City Hall have given us unparalleled expertise in managing complex lighting in historic venues and avoiding crowds in city hall wedding photos. We've developed techniques for capturing intimate moments in public spaces while maintaining the privacy and emotion of your ceremony. Our professional lighting equipment mastery ensures that whether you're saying your vows under the grand rotunda or stealing a quiet moment on the marble staircase, every image will be technically flawless and emotionally resonant.

We pride ourselves on providing stress free city hall wedding photography experiences. Our comprehensive wedding photography planning approach means we handle the logistics so you can focus on each other. From working with tight ceremony schedules to handling last minute wedding photography needs, we've seen it all and are prepared for anything.

Extended Services & Flexibility

While our heart belongs to City Hall, we understand that your love story might extend beyond those marble walls. That's why we offer multiple location wedding photography sessions that can include iconic San Francisco landmarks like Golden Gate Bridge wedding photos, palace of fine arts wedding photography, and Lombard Street wedding photography. These extended san francisco wedding photography sessions allow us to create a more comprehensive visual narrative of your day.

For destination city hall wedding photography, we work with couples traveling from around the world to exchange vows in San Francisco. Our local city hall wedding photography experts knowledge extends beyond the building itself—we can guide you through the entire process, from obtaining your marriage license to finding the perfect post-ceremony celebration spot.

Our Commitment to You


Let's see through the marketing fog together. Choosing us means selecting partners who will capture the essence of your love story with both authenticity and artistry. With us, every photograph is not just seen, but felt—deeply and genuinely.

As experienced photographers for courthouse ceremonies and professional wedding photographers for small weddings, we understand that your wedding day is about more than just pretty pictures—it's about preserving the feelings, the laughter, the tears, and the joy that make your love story uniquely yours.

Our seamless wedding photography experience begins the moment you reach out to us and continues long after your final images are delivered. We believe in expert guidance for city hall ceremonies that respects your vision while drawing on our years of experience to ensure nothing is overlooked.

Whether you're busy professional couples seeking convenient city hall wedding photography or couples who've decided that intimate wedding photography for working couples better reflects your values, we're here to serve your story with the respect and artistry it deserves. After all, the most beautiful photographs aren't just technically perfect—they're the ones that make you feel something every time you look at them.

That's our promise to you: images that don't just document your day, but transport you back to every emotion, every smile, every perfectly imperfect moment that made your wedding day uniquely and beautifully yours.


Oregon Coast AI: Where Art Meets Innovation


Beyond photography, Ken and Toni are co-founders of Oregon Coast AI, a technology company developing custom AI solutions for creative professionals and businesses across the Pacific Northwest. This unique combination of artistic vision and technical innovation allows Ken to stay at the forefront of both creative and technological advancement in the photography industry.

You might wonder what AI has to do with capturing the look in your eyes when you say "I do." Here's the thing—our work with Oregon Coast AI isn't about replacing the human touch in photography; it's about giving us more time to focus on what really matters: you.

Picture this: instead of spending hours in post-production removing that tourist who photobombed your kiss, we can focus that energy on perfecting the emotion in your expression. Our ai enhanced photography workflows handle the technical heavy lifting, which means we're more present during your ceremony and more focused on those fleeting moments that make your heart skip a beat.

The real magic happens when art meets efficiency. Our advanced post production techniques powered by custom AI tools mean we can deliver your complete photo catalog access for couples faster than ever before, without compromising the fine art city hall wedding imagery quality you're expecting. It's like having a incredibly skilled assistant who never gets tired and never misses a detail—but the creative vision? That's all us.

For our busy professional couples photography clients, especially those in tech, this resonates on a deeper level. You understand that the best technology doesn't complicate life—it simplifies it. Just like how your smartphone makes staying connected effortless, our AI-enhanced approach makes stress free city hall wedding photography possible even when you're booking us for same day city hall wedding photography or need emergency wedding photographer availability.

The honest truth? City Hall's lighting can be absolutely brutal. Those gorgeous marble surfaces that look so elegant? They can create shadows that would make even the most experienced photographer sweat. But our AI helps us predict and adapt to these challenges, ensuring consistently high quality wedding photography whether you're getting married at 9 AM or 4 PM.

What we love most is that this technology gives us superpowers without losing our souls. We can offer rush editing and delivery services that would have been impossible just a few years ago, but every image still gets our personal attention. Every emotion is still captured by human hearts who understand what this day means to you.

Think of it this way: we're still the same authentic moment capture specialists you fell in love with, but now we have some pretty amazing tools that let us be even more present for your story. Because at the end of the day, no amount of technology can replace the moment when you look at your partner and know you've found your person—but it can make sure we capture that moment perfectly.


Award Winning Master Photographer

Ken has over 100 International Awards (many captured at City Hall) from prestigious international photographic competitions such as WPPI (Wedding Portrait Photography International), PPA Professional Photographers of America, Asia Wedding Photographers Associations (Asia WPA) and WPE - European International Photography Awards.

In 2022, Ken represented Team USA for the World Photographic Cup (Wedding Category), an Olympic style international competition between top photographers from around the world.

Recent Awards and Accolades:

2023 Master of Wedding Photography: Professional Photographers of America

Chosen to represent World Cup of Photography Winner 2022, Team USA in wedding category.

2022 3rd Place Creative Wedding Category WPPI Annual with a City Hall exit photo

Master of WPPI (Icon Awards) (one of about 150 award winning photographers with over 20 awards in all photographic genres) the most prestigious of the world's photographic competitions.

2nd Place 2021 WPPI annual print competition (Gold Award) bride and groom wedding day category

2021 Grand Imaging award finalist PPA International Photographic Competition

Top 10 (#6 overall) WPE Europe International Photographer Awards 2019

Gold Award Bride Alone Wedding Day Category for a City Hall Wedding Photo. WPE Europe 2019

Elite Member Status - Asia Wedding Photographers Association (one of 5 Americans with this honor with 12 Silver Awards)

3 Silver Awards (Total of 11 Awards) WPPI (Wedding Portrait Photography International) 1st 1/2 Competition 2019

Photographer of the Year - Professional Photographers of the Wine Country 2018

Top 10 Wedding Photographers Worldwide Ranked #10 in World & #5 USA - Wedawards Best Wedding Photographers 2017

Admitted to WPPI (Wedding Portrait Photography International) Honors of Excellence Guild - March 2018

2nd Place award for City Hall Wedding Photo "Love is Love" in WPPI Bride and Groom Wedding Day Category 2017

WPPI (Wedding Portrait Photography International) Award Winner (5 awards - including City Hall Real Wedding Photos) 2016 & 2017

Wedding Photographer of the Year 2017 - Professional Photographers of the Wine Country

Member of the Prestigious Fearless Photographers

Member of Inspiration Photographers

Photographer of the Year 2016 - Professional Photographers of the Wine Country

Print Competition Judge PPWC - Professional Photographers of the Wine Country

Educator - Classes taught to professional photographers on lighting for wedding photography

Member of Masters of Light (International) - A invitation only group of 1,000 of best wedding photographers worldwide

Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, my travels frequently take me to destinations like Wine Country, Italy, and Yosemite. This past year, I had the opportunity to capture the beautiful moments of a wedding in India, where the couple previously celebrated their American wedding at City Hall. Additionally, I experienced the unique chance to photograph an entire wedding atop Yosemite's Half Dome. Indeed, I am willing to travel globally to document those priceless moments.

WPE International Awards Winner - Ken Mendoza, SF City Hall Wedding Photographer