Philip and Jeanette’s wedding took place in Irvine last October and I had the pleasure of shooting their beautiful day with my dear friend Loretta. Philip and Jeanette had been dating for many many years before they got engaged and it was so fun to celebrate their wedding with them. : ) Congrats again to the beautiful couple!

I was able to sneak in some time with the ladies before the ceremony. Most of these photos were taken minutes before the actual wedding started- can you imagine the excitement they were all feeling?! ahhhh!

This little boy is so cute and handsome! : ) He’s sneaking a peek at the bride…

And it begins!

Philip and Jeanette, hope you’re enjoying the married life! : )

When Crystal of Crystal Jean Photography invited me to second shoot for Andrew and Shana’s wedding I was thrilled! The wedding was so much fun and I love all the details that went into this big day. Shana has her own wedding/event planning business so it’s no wonder that everything turned out so perfectly. Thank you for having me! : )

time for the first-look!

Andrew and Shana decided to keep a few traditions going and included both a Chinese and Japanese tea ceremony into their special day. I really love how the two were distinct and special in their own way. : )

The Japanese garden was beautiful! You can’t tell from these pictures, but it was also SUPER cold that day. Props to Shana and all the bridesmaids for being such troopers!

Now, the ceremony. It was intimate and so sweet.

After the ceremony a reception was held at the Miyako Hybrid Hotel and the details looked absolutely perfect there. 

Andrew and Shana love basketball so their bridal party came in with jerseys on while the MC announced their entrance as if they were basketball stars…what a clever idea!

After dinner was served there was a performance by the groom himself and his buddies from an acapella group they all used to be a part of. Shana loved it! : ) Toasts followed afterwards.

Shana changed into a Kimono for cake-cutting. How cute is she?!

Haaaaaay, time to get your groove on! : )

Congrats Andrew and Shana! Blessings to you both! : )

I enjoyed everything about Paul and Kim’s wedding. Their relationship is so rich and so full of love that even the simplest things were such a joy to capture. They have an incredible support group and community that helped shape their relationship and I love how it was so present throughout their wedding day. Being there to photograph these special moments was such a blessing!

If you missed part one of their wedding day/engagement photos, check them out! : )

After Kim was all dressed up we headed to the seminary housing where Paul and Kim spent much time together. It was such a special place to do the first look photos and I just love how these turned out!!

Ok, how cute are they?!

This was one of my favorite parts- the apartment building was filled with families who also study at the same seminary. As Paul and Kim were leaving for the church children ran out from their homes to see Kim’s dress. Parents leaned over from their balconies to celebrate and congratulate, and everyone was just having a grand ol’ time!

The church was beautiful!

Paul’s brother, who couldn’t make it to the wedding, designed these programs. It was so nice to have a part of him there even though he wasn’t physically present.

Oh Kim, you’re beautiful!

A quick prayer before the ceremony…

This is Paul’s mom and dad. They also weren’t able to attend the wedding, but thank God (no, really!) for technology and the handy face-time feature on the iphone! They were able to witness everything, even all the little flower girls and ring bearers that walked down the aisle that day. Paul helps out with the children’s ministry at his church and I love how he included them in the ceremony..,the most kids I’ve ever seen!

Now here comes Kim… Paul sang a sweet song as his bride walked down the aisle. So sweet.

Hey look, there’s my daddy! : )

For the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Sheh! I love how excited everyone got as Paul and Kim were announced husband and wife. They were like movie stars, hugs and high-fives following them as they exited to the back of the church. 

A reception followed the ceremony at the back of the church. It was simple, but so rich in love and emotions.

I love it when they laugh : )…and cry. Paul’s parents made a video for everyone to watch. It was SO touching the words they spoke and the love they showed. 

Paul and Kim, what an honor it was to be your photographer! You two have such beautiful souls and I wish nothing but the best for you. Blessings! : )

Kai and Flora were married at the Hacienda Heights Country Club in October. After spending so much time with them for their engagement session and bridals, I felt quite attached to Kai and Flora and couldn’t have been happier to celebrate their special day with them.

A huge THANKS to Michelle Chiu for second shooting with me. I loved hanging out with you for the whole day and can’t wait for our next 85C run! : )

Flora, you’re stunning! Love Kai’s reaction to seeing you for the first time…

And now for the ceremony- short, sweet and a bit emotional. I think everyone was in tears at one point. It was a beautiful ceremony and the sun was just about to set, creating a warm glow around us all- so perfect!

These next two images are Michelle’s…

Hooray for Mr. and Mrs. Pan!! : )

Thank you Michelle for capturing these detail shots of the banquet hall! I loved having you by my side throughout the day! 

Now the grand entrance!

There was an open mic for friends and family to share. I love getting to know the bride and groom through the toasts. All the speeches that night were seriously SO good and SO touching! Yes, more happy tears : )

now let the fun continue! : )

Time to dance! After Kai and Flora’s first dance everyone was invited to join the couple on the dance floor. Unfortunately, the speakers blew out (or something!) halfway through the first song and nobody knew how to fix it. I was so impressed by how the newlyweds reacted though, keeping calm and just enjoying the company of their guests instead of complaining or getting angry. Oh, and they continued the fun at a club! : )

Congrats Kai and Flora! Blessings to you as you begin this new chapter in your lives!

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Joyce and Brian were married at the Yorba Linda Community Center last month. They held a beautiful ceremony with close family and friends- I couldn’t help but feel the love as everyone gathered to bless these two. Oh, what an honor it was to photograph this special day! (This will be a long post so enjoy all the pictures!)

The day started with Joyce getting her make-up done by the talented Renee Loiz. At first there were only a few girls in the room then one by one, more girls came in to join the excitement! I loved this festive, yet very intimate time with just the girls.

While Joyce prepared I had a few minutes to capture some details. Love the bow on your shoes, Joyce!

Time to put them on! : ) It was so meaningful for Joyce’s older sister to help her into the wedding dress because this was once her sister’s wedding dress! Very special : )

I love these sweet moments of Joyce and her Daddy right before the wedding began. And now, the ceremony!

The reception followed shortly after where they had a shave ice bar!! I was so excited with the idea I decided to take some ring pictures with it! : )

While all the guests were still inside for the reception I stole these two out for a few quick photos and some time for just themselves. 

Brian and Joyce, thank you for allowing me to share this special day with you. Bless you as you begin your new lives together in Chicago! : )

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It’s been a little bit over a month since Hanalei and Austin got married, but I still have people asking me how it was being their photographer for the day. I absolutely loved it and really enjoy telling people about their very intimate homemade wedding. I think this last part of their special day is my favorite- if you missed the first two parts, here’s part 1 and part 2.

The wedding banquet was held at a good friend’s backyard in San Marino. I arrived before the festive night began and just loved the way everyone was helping out- some were cooking and cutting fruits in the kitchen, others setting up tables and decorations outside. Here’s a look at some of the details..

I love this next picture that Loretta snapped while people were beginning to trickle in- 

and before the sun set, we stole the wedding party away from the guests for some fun group shots. They had such a fun wedding party!

now let the festivities begin!

All of Hanalei’s aunties! Her grandma has THIRTEEN kids and EIGHTY grandchildren!! And can you believe these cute little wedding toppers were made by H+A’s friends?!

(Loretta captured the perfect moment! Hana was so determined to get that cream on Austin’s face! haha)

(a few more dancing pictures from Loretta)

after all the fun, everyone gathered around the front door to send Hanalei and Austin off. This was such an exciting part! Bubbles and joy filled the air as we waited and waited….and finally, the door creaked open and the newlyweds dashed through their loved ones one last time before driving off. 

Oh Hanalei and Austin, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your special day. We all love you guys so much! Blessings to your new life together! : )

If you missed Part One of Hanalei an Austin’s wedding, you can view the blog post here!

Now, where did we leave off? Oh yes! : ) While Hanalei and Austin exchanged their wedding vows inside the temple, we waited and waited, excited for what was going on inside and super excited for when they were going to make their grand exit. It was so great to see family and friends waiting with anticipation and with so much joy for the coming together of these two. Guests chatted amongst themselves, children played, and I had a mini photoshoot with the bridesmaids! hehe : ) Everything was perfect!

Don’t you love all their different dresses?! They are too cute! 

Above, Hana’s daddy and brothers. And here, the bridesmaids with the bride’s mommy! They adore her : )

and now, the moment we have all been waiting for… MR. & MRS. GENE!! So cute, they totally danced their way down the stairs!

Hana, you’re beautiful! 

What a fun bunch! All the groomsmen were Hana and Austin’s brothers- can you tell which ones are hers and which ones are his? It’s hard- I totally think Hana and Austin could totally pass for brothers and sisters, too! haha : ) And don’t worry, there are lots more to come! Stay tuned for part 3 of H+A’s wedding, the beautiful backyard banquet!

It was the best Christmas gift ever. Hanalei Ho, the prettiest girl he knew and the only one he ever felt shy around, emailed him with her phone number and an invitation to hangout. The weekend before school started again Austin took up Hana’s offer and called her to hang-out.

Hanalei and Austin first met the summer before their senior year in high school; SOAR, a recruitment camp for BYU brought them together. Hana remembers sitting next to him during one of their orientation meetings and was immediately attracted to him. Realizing how much their families were alike she kept him in the back of her mind, but it wasn’t until halfway through freshman year when Austin and Hana finally started dating each other. Although the two were soon separated for two long years for Austin’s mission and then another two long years for Hana’s mission, these two kept growing their relationship through written letters despite being halfway across the world.

I wish you all could have witnessed this beautiful “handmade” wedding. It was perfect in so many ways and I love how everything from Hana’s dress to the flowers to the details on the cake (..and photography!) was made and done by close family and friends. Here is part one of A+H’s wedding! : )

Hana, you are SUCH a beautiful bride! No wonder Austin was shy around you : )

Beautiful detail shots that Loretta Wang took! Thanks for being such an awesome 2nd shooter! : )

Hana’s wedding dress was handmade by her aunt-the delicate details and lacing were just breathtaking!

Austin’s turn! hehe . He was VERY nervous…

and now, off to the temple (they are so cute!).

byeeee! The last picture before Austin and Hanalei became Mr. and Mrs. Gene!

Stay tuned for part 2 and 3 of A+H’s wedding day!