Getting married in a cathedral carries a sense of history; priests often mention that many, many other couples have wed there. For Cynthia & Marshall’s Monterey Cathedral wedding, that history is significant: They got married in the oldest continuously functioning church in California.

And what a beautiful place it is. From its rich wooden doors to the colorful alter, San Carlos Borromeo de Monterey looks amazing. It’s a National Historic Landmark, too.

Cynthia & Marshall had a beautiful ceremony, then there as a break before the reception, and we had a great opportunity to take photos without being rushed. After using many locations around the cathedral, I took them to a couple quiet oak groves I found nearby — a spot that I had never used before but will definitely return to.

Their reception was at Wedgewood Rancho Cañada in Carmel Valley, and it was a real celebration of family. It was a celebration of music, too, because that’s what brought Cynthia & Marshall together. They had a wonderful Mariachi group perform, and their first dance was to a piano piece that Marshall once heard Cynthia play. It was all very touching, and personal, and heartfelt.

And fun. Lots of dancing, great speeches, people both young and old enjoying themselves. We were treated to a nice sunset and took advantage of it for some extra photos.

I had help from my friend and colleague Nic Coury, who took photos and told a classical music-themed joke that helped get Marshall’s big smile to appear. (If you ever see Nic, ask him to tell you that joke. It has to be heard to be believed.)

So many great moments from Cynthia & Marshall’s wedding day. See my favorites in the gallery below.