Diana + Allen’s Wedding – What a great time it was documenting Diana and Allen‘s memorable day this past weekend! We started the day with a tea ceremony at Diana’s parents’ house followed by a Catholic church ceremony. Allen, better known as Duke among his family and friends, was all smiles and tears the entire day, especially when looking at Diana and standing right beside her. And the future Mrs. Nguyen looked absolutely stunning from her Ao Dai traditional Vietnamese attire to her classic wedding dress.

The 12+ hour day flew by like minutes, as there were countless memorable moments to document. I just loved the way Diana and Allen looked at each other, but also how they paid tribute to their parents during the ceremony and toasts. In addition, the awesome wedding party had quite a unforgettable grand entrance dance, and all of Diana and Allen’s friends playing games on them made the table rounds at the reception a riot.

A special shout out and thank you to my dear friends + clients Hanh and Don for introducing me to D + A. It was great seeing you guys again! And of course, thank you to Diana and Allen for allowing me to capture your beautiful day. On a related note, I do wonder where on earth Allen and his groomsmen got those boxers from. Best moment of the night was when one of them split his pants during a dance off. Classic! Congrats you two, enjoy your honeymoon in Cabos and hope you like the sneak peek :).

Ceremony location: St. Callistus Catholic Church in Garden Grove, CA

Reception location: Pacific Hills Banquet and Catering in Laguna Hills, CA

Esther + Sam’s Wedding – I don’t know if my couples know this, but I vicariously live through their happiness on their big day. When someone asks me if it was a great wedding or if I had a fun time photographing it, the #1 criteria I have is if I felt the love. That couldn’t have been more true than at Esther and Sam‘s big day at the beautiful Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey.

Everything from the ceremony conducted by Esther’s dad and brother and the flower girls/ring bearer being super duper adorable to the Korean culture present throughout the day and the parents/grandmas/bridesmaids full of life made every moment so memorable. You also couldn’t have asked for a more AWESOME couple to work with than Esther and Sam. It’s so great when you just connect with them, and they’re not afraid to laugh, cry, and just be downright silly in front of the camera :).

Also, having a professional coordinator or not on your big day is pretty much day and night when it comes to things running smoothly. And when someone like Yingka Chou of Master Plans – Events and Designs is there to ensure that, you know you can focus on just taking photos. Thanks to Yingka, not only did I get to meet and work with Esther and Sam, but had a wonderful time documenting their day without having to rush anything or being a bit stressed out :).

But the biggest thank you goes to Esther and Sam. They’re full of so much life and love, not just for each other, but their family and friends. The way Sam hugged his parents and went around to show respect to the elders…the way Esther helped her mom with her hair and gave those ooberly cool gifts to her bridesmaids…these things show just how truly wonderful Esther and Sam are, and how blessed I feel to have capture their wedding.

Ceremony and reception locations: The Ritz Carlton Marina Del Rey Hotel in Marina Del Rey, CA

Planner and coordinator: Master Plans – Events and Designs

Catherine + Eric’s Wedding – The rain stopped, clouds parted, and the sun came out for a beautiful wedding on the hills of Burbank this past Saturday at The Castaway Restaurant. Catherine and Eric invited their closest family and friends to celebrate the next chapter in their life together. After being with each other for quite some time now and sharing so much of life with one another, it was finally time for Catherine and Eric to tie the knot.

There was so much love in the air, as everyone from Catherine’s sisters and Eric’s guy friends and uncle shared how much this wonderful couple meant to them. It’s been nothing but a pleasure getting to know and work with Catherine and Eric. Seems like it was just yesterday when we exchanged our first e-mail. Thanks you two for inviting and sharing with me your story.

Ceremony and reception locations: The Castaway Restaurant in Burbank, CA

Karen + Jay’s Wedding – Awesome time last weekend with Karen, Jay, and all 80+ of their guests in Antigua :). From the engagement session and rehearsal dinner to the wedding and Sunday brunch, it was so much fun working with everyone and making new friends. I think Karen and Jay have spoiled me so much. Now only did they pick a beautiful location for their wedding in Antigua, but these two loved having their photos taken and was never camera shy!

Please enjoy their wedding slideshow by clicking here and be sure to turn up your volume. Thanks again Karen and Jay for inviting me to your amazing wedding week. Destination weddings are wonderful for their beautiful locations, but it’s really getting to know the bride, groom, and all their loved ones in an intimate setting that makes it truly worthwhile. Congrats you two!

Ceremony and reception locations: Capuchinas Ruins in Antigua, Guatemala