Julianne + Hank’s Wedding: 6/26/2010 – Guess who tied the knot just a few days ago at La Venta Inn? Julianne and Hank! We started the day with a short tea ceremony at Hank’s parents’ house, where Julianne and Hank paid their respect and showed gratitude to their moms and dads.

We then headed on over to the venue. The girls got ready and hung out in one area while the guys did their thing not too far away. The entire day was planned and coordinated perfectly by Yingka Chou of Master Plans – Events and Designs. Yingka is a childhood friend of Hank and was the one that introduced me to the couple (thank you so much!).

Also, La Venta’s very own Tim Kennedy, whom I’m looking forward to working with again in a few months, helped coordinate the day with Yingka. I’m always impressed with the staff and service at La Venta Inn, as they do more than just make sure the venue is in good hands. They worked with all the vendors, the bride and groom, and even the VIP folks of the wedding, to ensure everything ran smoothly.

The entire day was simply filled with lots of laughs, tears, and joy. We had a speech from every single member of the wedding party, roses for the mothers during the ceremony, and even a beautifully-coordinated first dance from Julianne and Hank themselves! Thank you guys for inviting me into your lives and hearts. I hope you both find your way back down to Southern California in the near future :).

Ceremony and reception locations: La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes Estates, CA

Planner and coordinator: Master Plans – Events and Designs

Music: AAA DJ Service

Hello! It’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I hope everyone is enjoying themselves and gearing up for the 4th of July weekend. Before things get busier, I wanted to give you guys a quick recap of my trip down to Cabo San Lucas this past week with Nancy.

It was really nice to escape the working world for a few days and celebrate us just living life together. We booked our flight + hotel via Expedia and dare I say got a good deal. I guess the trick was to go during the week and even book last minute like we did :).

We stayed at the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf and Spa Resort, which is about a 40-minute ride from the Los Cabos Airport and less than 10 minutes from Downtown Cabo. We got round-trip shuttle service via Cabo San Lucas Tours website, which took us from the airport to the hotel and back. You can also book activities through them.

Here’s a few shots we took while hanging out at the resort:

This was my first time to Cabo and pretty much staying at a resort. It’s safe to say you’ll have plenty to do on the actual premise of the hotel, and most outdoor activities are only a few minutes away (like zip-lining, as you’ll see later in this post). The service was absolutely top-notch at the Sheraton. They have everything you need: spa, pool, several restaurants, and just a lot of real estate for you to relax.

My only gripe about the place was that there was no WIFI in the room and you have to pay for the internet service via an Ethernet cable. They do have a WIFI area with public computers in the lobby, where the first 30 minutes each day is free. Afterward, you have to pay to go online. Cellular service (at least on AT&T) was spotty throughout the resort. But that might be a good thing since you’re on vacation and don’t want to be distracted/bothered by e-mails/phone calls :). I can’t speak for other resorts yet, but if you’re looking to consider one, I definitely recommend the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar!

Since we went during the week and I think things were already a bit slow with people not vacationing as much, Nancy and I felt like we had the entire resort to ourselves. So it was really nice to not have to wait in line, make reservations, or share the commons with other guests (not that I don’t like to share :P). We hung out by the pool, walked around the entire resort, ate at a few of the restaurants as well as on the beach, did a spa, and I managed to squeeze in a haircut as well :).

E-session time! Just kidding :). And yes, my Version 1 Boda Bag is on its last leg, but I still like it more than any other camera bag (especially for travel).

We also took a cab to Downtown Cabo two of the days we were there. Nancy recommended we eat at Cabo Wabo Restaurant. The next evening, we tried out Ole Ole Restaurant, which was right in Marina Los Cabos.

We also checked out what looked like the hottest club in Cabo, Pink Kitty. If you ever want to get in for free, go on a Wednesday night at 9PM, or go with a girl :P. And if you’re a girl, you’ll get free drinks. It was laaaaadies night!

Here’s the marina area at night (obviously :P):

Random photos from the point-and-shoot camera; from top-left going CW: dinner at Ole Ole Restaurant, dinner at De Cortez Grill and Restaurant, our room at the resort, and a view of the beach/pool.

Last but not least, and to the chagrin of my mother (who’ll most likely be the first person to read this), here are some photos and video of us zip-lining at Wild Canyon. This place wasn’t too far from our resort, about a 15-minute drive. You just call them up, tell them where you’re staying, when you’d like to do the activities, how many guests, and they’ll take care of the rest.

Here’s a quick video recap of us trying to be hardcore…

Zip-ling In Cabo San Lucas – 6/22/10 from Henry Chen Photography on Vimeo.

In the words of Nancy, “Henry, you’re sweating!” And as I’d like to think to myself, “No beeeeep Nancy! It’s like 90 degrees and we’re walking up a bloody canyon!” Just kidding. It was a bit hot and the more water you drank (which you should of course), the more you ended up sweating. And boy was I sweating like a pig, as evident in the video.

It was lots of fun and a great workout. You spend over 3 hours in the canyon, of which 90% of the time was walking/waiting and 10% actually zip-lining. I definitely recommend trying it out if you haven’t yet. Just remember to cross your legs, put all the weight on the harness, and turn your hands side-to-side to break.

Well, that does it on the recap. Back to the wedding world I go. If you’re interested in going to Cabo and have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I’m definitely no expert or experienced traveler to Los Cabos, but might be able to provide a tip or two :). Adios for now!

Pia + Marc’s Engagement Session – They’re one cool and nice couple. And on Friday, I hung out with Pia and Marc around Pasadena for their e-session! It’s been nearly 8 months since I first met Pia to talk about her wedding, and the e-session was the first chance I got to meet Marc.

They met several years ago while attending UCLA thanks to their respective roommates who introduced them to each other. Now Pia and Marc are tying the knot this September at the beautiful Langham Hotel, also in Pasadena. Thanks guys for being so wonderful to work with :). Congrats on your new home (it’s beautiful!), I’ll see you both again in a few months!

Ruby + Leonard’s Wedding: 6/19/2010 – It’s truly amazing how we can meet one another in the most unlikely way and create lifelong memories from it. If you had asked me about a month ago what I might be doing on June 19th, I’d probably tell you spending it with my significant other and family (Father’s Day was on the 20th and my one-year anniversary was on the 21st).

But as luck would have it, I got a call out of the blue from someone who found me on Yelp (thank you Alicia and Gabriela for your amazing reviews!). Turns out she was looking for a wedding photographer, for her daughter’s wedding…which would be in a month! This was Ruby’s mother Jocelyn. I first thought someone was playing a trick on me, but when Jocelyn sent over the contract and payment online and without even meeting me in person, I knew I was in for an amazing time on June 19th.

Fast forward to this past Saturday. I can’t tell you how honored and simply happy I was to be photographing Ruby and Leonard’s wedding. They’ve been dating since high school and are expecting a little one on the way in the not so distant future :). It’s special couples like Ruby and Leonard that I continue to realize how lucky I am to do what I do.

Everyone got ready at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Torrance, then went hopped on over to a church in Lomita for a Catholic ceremony. We headed back to the hotel for the reception afterward, where everyone let loose on the dance floor. I can’t thank Ruby, Leonard, and their entire family, especially Joceyln, enough for inviting me to their special day. Enjoy the sneak peek guys!

Ceremony location: St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Lomita, CA

Reception location: Holiday Inn Hotel in Torrance, CA