SF Wedding Travel Diary | Light Up The Ordinary

A golden hotel in the city, a sun-kissed lace dress, and crystal dazzles lighted up a weekend escape from the ordinary.

Photos by Sam Gomez


I'm always flabbergasted when someone tells me they don't like weddings. What's not to love about LOVE? There's great food, a dance floor to burn off the calories, open bar, and the perfect excuse to play dress up. Plus you're there to witness and celebrate the love between two people, the strongest bond humans can ever form. I'm an undying fan of weddings...and of love!

I wore a summery Sabo Skirt yellow lace dress to a friend's weddings at Foreign Cinema SF a few weeks ago.  The body hugging, cleavage baring dress with lace overlay is definitely a departure from my personal style but I figure a special occasion like a wedding is the perfect time to experiment with different looks and escape from the ordinary. My classic Nina clutch, earrings, and necklace elevated and completed my SF wedding look.

We stayed at The Hotel Monaco SF, a charming boutique hotel located blocks from Union Square and a brick and mortar manifestation of escaping from the ordinary. The lobby is painted in hues of warm oranges and yellows furnished with cozy chairs and couches beckoning to catch your fall. A stunning ceiling mural of hot air balloons adds to the whimsy of the hotel while a grand marble stairway dramatically leads to the guest rooms. The hotel recently added seven new suites on the second floor, perfect for bachelorette parties and another fun escapes. The rooms are luxe and uncommonly spacious for its downtown location. It was the perfect place to escape from home, escape from the ordinary.