We’ve seen a lot of incredible venues in our time, and this 16th Street Station wedding is one of our new favorites! This historic train station in West Oakland, which was once the last stop on the trans-continental railway and the home of the first African American union in the country, has an industrial elegance that’s nearly impossible to describe in words. Luckily, Keely of The Montoya Collective was there to capture every inch of Denai and Ian’s special day. Using a mix of tropical leaves and garlands from San Francisco Wholesale Flower Market, they added life and energy to the venue without distracting from the aged beauty of the architecture. In keeping with the upscale, romantic feel, Denai looked stunning in a form-fitting lace Ines di Santo gown and long veil, and Ian looked as handsome as could be in a black-on-black suit.

The Couple:

Denai and Ian

The Wedding:

16th Street Station, Oakland, California

Our family and friends really made this wedding happen, from setting up everything on the day of, my bridal party doing all the flower arrangements, and my husband directing the whole ordeal. I cannot imagine ever feeling the amount of love or gratitude I felt that day.

Our advice: Try to keep in mind and understand what really matters to your day. Our wedding day ended up being the hottest day in the history of Oakland, which led to many issues throughout the wedding, on top of some vendors not even showing up! During the process, you get so wrapped up in the details, but things will inevitably go differently than you planned. Try not to hold onto the details but keep the big picture in mind. It’s easier said than done, but trying to remain flexible made our day so much less stressful.

Congratulations to Denai and Ian, and a special thanks to The Montoya Collective for sharing this 16th Street Station wedding with Junebug! Want to see another historic wedding venue? This couple fell in love with the historic charm of Spencer-Peirce-Little-Farm and you will too!