There are so many choices when it comes to wedding locations in the San Francisco Bay Area! We have everything from wine country castles, vineyards, and historic buildings/mansions; to redwoods, restaurants, beaches, and gardens. We also have some amazing modern, urban, and industrial locations that are the perfect blank slate for making your day feel however you want! I just love the way that color pops off of a simple and modern backdrop. Give me white walls, natural light, clean lines, and colorful details; and I’ll create photo magic for you!
If you’re on the hunt for a great modern and/or industrial location for your own wedding in the San Francisco Bay Area, here are 3 of my favorite places you should check out:
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The Bridge Yard (210 Burma Rd, Oakland, CA 94607)
Check out this purple and orange disco wedding I photographed at The Bridge Yard for some examples of the fun and colorful things you can do there!
Highlights: Love that it’s in Oakland (that’s where I live!) and yet you’re as close to SF as you can get! You’ll still have some city views but without a super downtown feel (read: quieter and less busy with people, which is always a plus in my book). You also have the option for both outdoor and indoor spaces so the day can flow however you’d like!
Things to keep in mind: People often get lost driving to the location since Google likes to take you on an exit route that doesn’t seem to exist and you’ll end up crossing the Bay Bridge all the way into SF and have to turn around. (May have happened to me the first time I went there. But don’t worry, it was just a location scouting adventure, which is why I always try to check out a location ahead of time because things like this often come up.) I recommend getting there from the east bay via W Grand Ave and Maritime St to avoid this potential mixup. If you’re coming from San Francisco you’ll be fine so no need to alter the route! Also keep in mind that the indoor area has some displays and photos of the area around it, but you can easily coordinate the blue colors with your wedding palette and make it work!
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Blanco Urban Venue (12 N San Pedro St, San Jose, CA 95110)
Check out this Palm Springs Inspired editorial wedding that I photographed at Blanco Urban Venue for some ideas of what you can do with the space! Did I mention that the bride is wearing a fun colorful dress?!
Highlights: The coolest white architectural details and lines that remind me of Greece! They have multiple different outdoor areas as well as indoor space so you have plenty of options. They even have a retractible cover on the top level of the space so you can choose to shade the area if you’d like! There’s a big outdoor fireplace up there too! I also really love that this is a multi-level building that allows me to capture interesting angles from above. Overall an absolute favorite for its modern style and feel! Colors look so great against the white backdrop!
Things to keep in mind: It’s in a dense area with other restaurants and lots of people outside, so your guests will have to park in the lot up the street (not too far) and walk a bit through the popular area, but once you’re in the venue it feels quite private.
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Fort Mason Center Gallery 308 (Landmark Building A, 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94123)
I have yet to photograph a wedding here, but would love to! Make sure to reach out here if you’re interested in colorful and creative wedding photography at this location!
Highlights: Open space with tons of windows and natural light. They also put a nice white clean partial wall up at one end of the venue to block doors and restroom views, and it actually makes for a great spot to hang colorful decor, a photo backdrop, or have your ceremony in front of! You can section off the indoor space with white curtains to create multiple spaces, and you also get access to the small area outside.
Things to keep in mind: There are a ton of windows here that face the sunset, which in theory can be beautiful but it does lead to direct bright light (unless you use shades, which seem to be available). I always recommend that you don’t put a sweetheart table right in front of the windows where the sun is setting since it leads to really really bright backdrops that can be quite challenging to photograph and for people to look at you. You can always consider some white or sheer drapes behind your table if you really want to put it in front of the sunset. That will help people to be able to look at your table without getting blinded and will help your photographer too! 🙂 Of course, this all depends on the sunset time, so I always make sure to see when the sun will be setting in relation to your wedding events. You can use this sunset calculator to check! Also keep in mind that people may wander around the outside areas since it’s in a public space.
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Well there you have it- my favorite modern and industrial wedding venues in the San Francisco Bay Area! If you want more tips for how to set your wedding day up for beautiful photos, make sure to sign up for my free 5 days of tips here! Check out more of my wedding + couple work, or contact me to inquire about colorful and creative wedding and engagement photography. Bring all your quirks and whimsical ideas and we’ll have a blast!
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