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This month we hear from Erin about her Presidio wedding :)

How did you and Shane first meet?

Shane and I first met at Pier23 on a sunny afternoon. I was there to catch up with an old friend who lived in San Francisco years earlier and while in town wanted to show Shane, his work colleague, a few old haunts. Work would bring Shane to San Francisco periodically in the months that followed. The fables, heritage, landscape, weather, culture, architecture, creativity and community of this great city lured Shared into moving to San Francisco.

Erin & Shane

What was the wedding planning process like for you?

My professional trajectory includes event planning and execution, I found the wedding planning process felt familiar and yet entirely unique. In previous events, I’ve thought about the minutia, the details, the cadence, the flow, the intention, and now I was orchestrating this event to blend my life and family with another. While I hadn’t ever thought about the prospect of ever getting married or planning my wedding, once engaged, wedding season was completely exhilarating. The blank canvas meant delving into co-creating a celebration with intention, blending our individual spirit with our shared values surrounded by friends and family. Although we had a sense of our style and how we wanted the day to unfold, we were keen to seek inspiration and advice from a wide range of sources like wedding blogs and magazines, pinterest and personal recommendations.

Choosing a venue seems like one of the more difficult aspects of wedding planning- what made you choose the Log Cabin?

In late February 2017, we got engaged in Purgatory, Colorado. Basking in the glow of newly engaged, I wasn’t in a rush to begin planning. Casually talking about cities we love and generally about venue character, we knew a day about us needed to feel like us. San Francisco bubbled to the top of the wish list, as well as intimate, rustic, September with an outdoor component. Our fathers served in the military and the Presidio with the rich history and naturally rustic setting resonated with us. We spend weekends cycling through the Presidio, across the Golden Gate Bridge, right past The Log Cabin countless times and yet never breaking stride to peek inside…. Until of course, we wanted to get married in the Presidio and realized this incredible gem, perched precisely in view of the Golden Gate Bridge, with an outdoor area and a simple rustic indoor space, would allow us the freedom to craft a perfectly poetic celebration. The venue and the date were critical components that came quite easily, we looked at this one venue and the last weekend in September was available. The blank canvas of this location meant we had creative license to design every last detail, it was a perfect match for us! Further underscored by the ease of working with The Presidio Trust in planning and executing our wedding. I found the team incredibly professional, accommodating, transparent and thorough, we lucked out!

Smiles and laughs post-ceremony

What inspired you to include a classic VW van into your wedding day? Is there a special connection or significance for you and Shane?

Shane and I are both avid VW loyalists, dreaming of the day we buy and restore a microbus of our own. Effortlessly, Shane knows the year and model of every VW we’ve ever come across in our travels. Of course, Vantigo’s suite of vintage vehicles, pristinely restored, are some of our favorites in San Francisco specifically. Since we decided to have our ceremony and reception at the same site, our transportation needs for our wedding were limited. My (the bride) parents married in San Francisco in 1966 and I worked with local savant, Al Ribaya of Al’s Attire to restore my mother’s wedding dress and make me some platform boots to accompany this magnificent dress. Shane also worked with Al to design his wedding suit and shoes. With the venue, the date, the location, and the attire cared for, the transportation was chosen purposefully as well. A VW bus would be a dream, and fortunately, the Vantigo team were excited to work with us. We had color options to choose from and the liberty to choose the route and precise details. Vantigo was prompt and professional and executed without a hitch. I was able to relax and take in the sights as we made our way from the hotel to the venue. I hadn’t brought water, thankfully Vantigo did! Once at the venue, we waited nestled between a few houses where I could inconspicuously watch our guests arrive while the breeze from the open side door maintained my cool! I vividly remember sitting there, amidst the eucalyptus trees and open space, what a magical moment. After the ceremony, we hoped in the Vantigo and headed to the nearby Golden Gate Overlook for photos with Gina Logan, photographer extraordinaire. Gina Logan Photography captured the very essence of day as if it were a small batch, hand crafted, boutique wedding. Gina blended in, capturing intimate and candid moments as gentle and delicate as the wind. Similarly, the van was perfect for me to wait and gather my thoughts alone, but also flexible enough to comfortably accommodate my new husband and photographers to the overlook. Once again, we knew what we wanted and Vantigo delivered beyond our expectations, perhaps every decision in our marriage will be so easy!

How was your experience working with Vantigo?

Over the course of our planning, we thought about a few options to maximize our Vantigo experience. The VW was perfect for bride & groom needs, we really wanted to also incorporate Sally, the 1951 Ford School Bus. Given the timing and limited transportation needs, we decided we would one day plan another opportunity with Sally. Working with the Vantigo team felt like a wonderful local experience. Living in San Francisco, we wanted to incorporate small businesses where we felt like it was a relationship. Vantigo was precisely that! They were responsive and full of ideas and receptive to our requests and questions throughout the process. And most importantly, come the day of our wedding, flawless.

0554 GinaLoganPhotography

Any advice for the brides and grooms-to-be who are currently planning their weddings?

My advice to anyone thinking about getting married or even looking for a unique opportunity that involves transportation in the Bay Area, take a look at Vantigo. We found through the arch of the wedding planning process, we knew what we wanted, and, in some cases, we knew what we didn’t want to determine how to achieve a most memorable experience. Along the way, people asked about the planning process and how things were coming along. Building relationships with our vendors and collaborators made for a more meaningful and shared experience. We told people about our plans, who we were working with and how amazing each element of details had been to plan and orchestrate. The planning for our wedding day became an experience I will treasure forever. By the time the wedding day arrived, we were ready to let go of the reins and let the day play out, hopefully to plan and largely unscripted. Unequivocally, our wedding day was an intimate and meaningful celebration brought to life by all those who participated. We harbor a great respect and appreciation for the community of relationships built through the process. Thank you for being a part of a most memorable day!

Photography done by Gina Logan Photography

About the Author

Eliza — Vantigo Camp Counselor, Business Operations First Officer