Jul 31, 2025 | By: Sheila Johnson
Planning an engagement session in San Francisco? This iconic city offers endless backdrops for love stories—dramatic cliffs, golden sunsets, charming neighborhoods, and unforgettable memories around every corner. If you’re looking for inspiration for your own engagement photos, Jacqui and Dan’s session is the perfect example of how to make it personal, meaningful, and full of fun.
We kicked things off at Sutro Baths, perched high above the crashing waves. The cliffs offered the perfect vantage point—peaceful, dramatic, and totally breathtaking. As the sun dipped low, casting a golden glow across the horizon, Jacqui and Dan cozied up against the coastal breeze with the sound of the ocean below. The views stretched endlessly, and the moment felt both cinematic and completely personal—just like them.
But the real heart of the evening? That came next.
We made our way into North Beach, winding through the streets until we arrived at Tupelo, a cozy, soulful bar tucked along bustling Columbus Avenue. If you’ve never been, it’s the kind of place that feels like a local secret—a warm, brick-walled haven full of live music, candlelit tables, and character. And for Jacqui and Dan, it’s where something unforgettable happened: it’s where Dan told her he loved her for the very first time.
The moment we stepped in, the energy shifted. Bartender extraordinaire Ian (Ian, the MVP of the night) greeted the couple with a cheer and popped open a bottle of champagne to celebrate. He even set up some lights on the dance floor so we could recreate the moment—complete with a spin, a dip, and lots of laughter. Watching these two dance and be completely in their element, surrounded by music and memories, was the perfect way to end the session.
And just when I thought these two couldn’t get any sweeter, I asked how Dan proposed—and cue the happy tears.
Dan had received the ring in the mail just hours before dinner. No big production, no weeks of planning—just a quiet decision that this was the moment. A year before, he had gifted Jacqui a pill jar (a nod to his job as a pharmacist), filled with 100 tiny capsules. Inside each one? A handwritten note of love, admiration, or an act of service—each redeemable whenever she chose. On the night of the proposal, Dan presented the jar again, this time with just one capsule left. He told Jacqui there was one she hadn’t opened yet.
Inside, the note read: “Will you marry me?”
The spontaneity. The thoughtfulness. The way it honored one of the most meaningful gifts she had ever received—it was all so them. No grand setting could top the tenderness of that moment.
From a Hinge date at Horsefeather to arcade games, love confessions on crowded dance floors, and surprise proposals sealed with the tiniest capsule… Jacqui and Dan’s story is one of shared joy, small details, and big love.
As Jacqui put it, “I feel so safe and at ease and just happy knowing that I have him for life.”
And after a night like this, I have no doubt their adventures are only just beginning.
Thinking of taking your engagement photos around San Francisco?
Whether you’re dreaming of a sunset session at Sutro Baths or recreating a meaningful moment at your favorite bar, I’d love to help you tell your story through photos. Let’s start planning your session.
📍 Sutro Baths + Tupelo | SF Engagement Photographer
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