From the start, Marcus and Emily knew they wanted to get married in a music venue — Emily writes about bands in San Francisco, and they came together over a shared love of weirdo music. After six years together, they’ve been to dozens (hundreds?) of small shows, concerts, and festivals, including LA’s Detour festival, which is where they first hung out and ate falafels. After they got engaged last summer (around midnight after they got back from a show), they checked out a few of their favorite venues in San Francisco and landed at the Verdi Club, an old school Italian-American hall that now hosts weekly swing nights and the occasional garage-punk show.

With the Verdi Club’s decidedly 1950s aesthetic, and their combined obsession with Back to the Future (specifically, the Enchantment Under the Sea dance), they took the theme further and made the whole event feel like a vintage rock’n’roll show with modern punk touches. The invitations looked like mini versions of classic Sun Records show posters. Upon entry, guests had their hands stamped with a personalized stamp of their dog, chi-pug mix Iggy Pup and the word “VIP,” then were handed a handmade ‘zine about the wedding.

They walked down the aisle to “Walk, Don’t Run” by the Ventures, and the Ramones’ cover of “Baby, I Love You.” During their personal vows, Marcus noted that he’d “always be [Emily’s] plus one.” Their recessional was to King Khan & BBQ Show’s “Love You So.” I mean, the playlist is killer – TONS of some of my favorite tracks. I was pretty much drooling over this wedding as soon as it hit my inbox!

After dinner by local pop-up vendors Hella Vegan Eats, a band gathered on stage with a drum head that read “Savage Klatts” (their combined last names). It was a group of friends-musicians whom they’ve known for years. The Savage Klatts performed a power-mix of hits through the decades, including “Teenager in Love,” “Here Comes My Baby” and “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.” Emily and Marcus’ DJ pal, Fen, spun ’50s through late ’60s records during dinner, then closed out the evening with Top 40 pop and R&B jams of the late ’80s and ’90s. Um, perfect!!!

Ceremony
Bridal party and groomsmen processional: Perfidia (Ventures) & Walk Don’t Run (Ventures)
Bride processional: Baby, I Love You (Ramones)
Recessional: Love You So (The King Khan & BBQ Show)

Band’s set:
Sunrise, Sunset
Here Comes My Baby
Teenager in Love
Red Red Wine
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
(I’d Go The) Whole Wide World
I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
Never Tear Us Apart
Let’s Do It
Falling for You
Age of Consent
Hava Nagila (traditional version then Dick Dale version)

Dinner and cocktails:
Have Love Will Travel (The Sonics)
Book of Love (The Monotones)
Loving Cup (Rolling Stones)
Miserlou (Dick Dale)
20th Century Boy (T. Rex)
All I Want Is You (The Miracles)
Draggin the Line (Tommy James)
You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles)
I Like It (El Debarge)
Shop Around (The Miracles)
Sleepwalk (Santo and Johnny)
For Once In My Life (Stevie Wonder)
My Guy (Mary Wells)
I Fought the Law (Bobby Fuller Four)
Shot Down (The Sonics)
Only You (The Platters)
This Will Be Our Year (The Zombies)

Dance party reception:
Let’s Go Crazy (Prince)
Lucky Star (Madonna)
Real Love (Mary J. Blige)
24 Hour Party People (Happy Mondays)
Fantasy (Mariah Carey)
This is How We Do It (Montell Jordan)
Creep (TLC)
Pony (Ginuwine)
Back and Forth (Aaliyah)
Rump Shaker (Wreckx N Effect)
Telephone (Lady Gaga)
Get Lucky (Daft Punk)
Around the World (Daft Punk)

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Photographers: Bowerbird Photography
Venue: Verdi Club, SF
Bride’s Dress: BHLDN
Bride’s Headpiece: Mignonne Handmade
DJ: DJ Fenster
Catering: Hella Vegan Eats
Vegan Cakes: Black China Bakery
Photobooth: Live Foto SF