All the hard work that went into this wedding is just jaw-dropping amazing! The entire wedding reception was held indoors to keep everyone cool on this hot summer day.

Carlos Gonzales with i2 events also oversaw the event design of Nicole’s 300-person wedding reception at the San Juan Marriott Hotel Puerto Rico. Orchids and hydrangea were submerged and piled high on top of the tables. Emily was able to get these photos at the same time I was photographing the wedding party

The candy buffet was a huge hit amongst the guests

By the time I returned, most of the escort cards were gone, so thanks again to Emily for catching this! The calligraphy is very elegant

We began the night with toasts

As Nicole and Lino met while salsa-ing, they had a spectacular, choreographed first dance that started off with Etta James’s “At Last” and then moved into a salsa number that had everyone asking for an encore! Nicole had changed into a ruffled Pronovias gown for the night

Their 4-tiered wedding cake was adorned with orchids. Also hanging off the blue drapery all around the hall were these LED-lit orchid strings

2 cool things – the wedding’s signature cocktail drink, and the between-course sorbet, which was served with LED-lit ice cubes

I was at this party until 2AM!!!! 2 musical groups, a singer, and also one of the most popular DJs in Puerto Rico kept everyone dancing all through the night – and boy, everyone here can dance!

The parents of the bride and groom tearing up the dance floor!

And also the grandmothers

Everybody had such a blast at this wedding

Nicole’s brother, Roberto, who I thought was a pretty quiet guy, had some awesome moves of his own! he also presented a choreographed dance with his girlfriend for the bride and groom

Bouquet and garter toss

One of the bridesmaids, Maria, presented a very sweet song

After midnight, this performing group surprised all the guests! Everyone donned glittery hats and masks and props

They had Nicole and Lino do a dance-off

One more inspiration board! Row 1: candy buffet, and table number labels and escort cards. Nicole hand-glittered all of the paper in this wedding!
Row 2: Cufflinks, escort cards
Row 3: Disposable cameras for each table, and the favors (hand-made soaps!). Flower detail
Thank you, thank you so much to the families for trusting me with your memories. This was an experience that I never thought could happen to me – my very first destination wedding as a wedding photographer. Nicole and Lino, whenever I look at the photos of you two, I know that you guys share something special. I wish you two nothing but the sweetest life together for years to come. Thank you for letting me be a part of it!

Vendors in this post:

Hotel: San Juan Marriott Hotel Puerto Rico & Stellaris Casino
Make-up: David Lang
Dress: Monique Lhuillier, Pronovias
Bridesmaid dresses: Vera Wang
Mother of bride dress: Pronovias
Tuxedo: Leonardo’s
Wedding planner: Viviane Fortuno
Florist and event design: Carlos Gonzales with i2 events ! inc.
Second shooter: Emily Ku Photography

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The orchids that cascaded down bridesmaids’ arms? Breathtaking. Courtesy of Carlos Gonzales with i2 events

Emily caught this beautiful moment between Nicole and Mom before she walked down the aisle. This is really the advantage of having a second shooter – getting some more of those special moments

And also the cute flower girls

While I was inside, making sure I got this hug

I think the ringbearer got a bit tired

It’s hard to convey the sound of Lino’s hearty laugh with a photograph, but here’s a try

GREAT hug shot, Emily!

I think one of my favorite parts of a Catholic wedding ceremony is when the congregation prays over the couple

Great bouquet shot by Emily before they all jumped in the car

Nicole and Lino and I rode back to the San Juan Marriott hotel first to get the couple portraits done on the beach before the wedding party arrived. We also retrieved Violet for some family photos!

It was probably 100 degrees and 100% humidity that day – so hot that my lenses fog up when I move from indoors to outdoors! We were very grateful for the less intense sunset light and sea breeze

And the wedding party arrives! I’m sorry I made you guys run a little, just wanted to make sure we were keeping the wedding as on time as possible ;)

I know this is not a traditional wedding party pose.. in fact, most of the wedding party, like Nicole and Lino, are salsa dancers, so I had to factor in some dancing!

Stay tuned for Part 3!

Vendors in this post:

Hotel: San Juan Marriott Hotel Puerto Rico & Stellaris Casino
Make-up: David Lang
Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Bridesmaid dresses: Vera Wang
Mother of bride dress: Pronovias
Tuxedo: Leonardo’s
Wedding planner: Viviane Fortuno
Florist and event design: Carlos Gonzales with i2 events ! inc.
Second shooter: Emily Ku Photography

These shoes are just so inspirational!

Nicole’s wedding dress was a gorgeous Monique Lhuillier

All the paper for this wedding had a navy blue and white theme

Nicole was one of the first brides of mine to heavily utilize an iPad for planning her wedding. I thought it was really great because she could bring it to all of our meetings and we can quickly review photos and other material. Her mother and bridesmaid Shirley are probably looking at pictures in this one (photo by Emily)

Nicole’s makeup artist, David Lang, was truly an artist, it was as if he was painting her face. Her makeup was flawless and lasted the entire day (which was until 4AM!)

The woman in the middle here is Belkys, one of Nicole’s mother’s good friends and a super-sweet woman who has been an incredible supporter of my work! I love you Belkys!

Cute t-shirts!

This entire group of bridesmaids is one of the most incredible, responsible, and sweet group of bridesmaids I’ve ever met. You guys all rock!

Nicole and Lino’s little baby Violet also came down for the wedding! Other than Nicole she was the center of attention

Story behind this picture – as the bridesmaids were letting out the crinoline, Shirley accidentally ripped it! Being the amazing woman she is, she sewed it back in under five minutes flat!

The light we got in the penthouse suite at the San Juan Marriott was so so gorgeous for bridal portraits!

LOVED her hair piece

Meanwhile, Emily was with the men. Lino is clearly very happy to get married

Nicole’s mother’s dress is from Pronovias. It’s a full-length dress with scalloped ruffles, it reminded me of the ocean. Gorgeous!

Nicole’s father is an absolute sweetheart who had everyone laughing and celebrating the entire day with his warm and loving personality. I might be a little biased but I think he’s one of my favorite fathers of the bride

Nicole’s orchid bouquet incorporated some lace from her mother’s wedding dress

While we were waiting to go to the ceremony, Nicole’s parents broke into dance

I wanted to add this note – I really felt like part of the family the entire weekend. Thank you guys so much for letting me into your lives and for making me feel like the weekend was just like being on vacation with you

Stay tuned for more!

Vendors in this post:

Hotel: San Juan Marriott Hotel Puerto Rico & Stellaris Casino
Make-up: David Lang
Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Bridesmaid dresses: Vera Wang
Mother of bride dress: Pronovias
Tuxedo: Leonardo’s
Wedding planner: Viviane Fortuno
Florist and event design: Carlos Gonzales with i2 events ! inc.
Second shooter: Emily Ku Photography

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This one is probably my favorite!

Bena and Ruoshi have this respect for each other that I think runs deep. They are young, but they are very wise!

And they’re also playful at the same time!

When asked what made them work well as a couple, they emphasized simplicity, compatibility, and similar faiths and cultural backgrounds

We also had some portraits by the Charles river, which was where Ruoshi proposed

You guys are just so wonderful and laid-back, I’ll see you very soon!

Thank you Kendra for helping out!

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Luci and Owen’s fabulous Harvard Faculty Club wedding is on La Belle Bride

The intimate and tender Boston Public Garden wedding of Nicole and Lino is on The Elegant Owl (hoot hoot!). I’m going to blog their Puerto Rico destination wedding soon!

Monica and Andrey’s UMass Club of Boston wedding with adorable pink personal details is on Beantown Bride!

And Linda and Daniel’s detail-rich Provincetown / Cape Cod wedding is on Destination Inspirations!

Thank you everyone!

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First off, mad props to my friend Emily Y. for being the best hostess ever! This girl makes some of the cutest handmade Christmas cards ever

I also met up with a great photog friend of mine, Anna Wu, and we promptly jumped into photoshoot mode

(photo below taken by Emily while Anna was also shooting. I kept this serious face for max of maybe a couple of seconds)

We also had lunch with one of Anna’s friends, Alan, and visited his startup, which has something to do with energy storage and carbon particles. All very materials science engineering stuff.
They had a balcony. The only thing is, you have to climb out a window to get to it. When they make bank, there will be a door

When I was really young I’d been to Seattle and did the touristy thing. This time I did not want touristy thing. Instead we found these awesome photo spots

We had happy hour oysters at Elliott’s Oyster House. One dozen each

The second day, I went by myself to Mt. Rainier where I got all the awe-inspiring scenery I could ever wanted. Every time I saw the gorgeous peak I couldn’t help but sing praises to the Maker of such beauty
You don’t have to believe in a god to appreciate the majesty of such scenes
It’s moments like these when I realize how small I am, how great each day can be, and that each day is a gift. I’m so grateful for my life, and though it is rife with uncertainties,
these moments can never be forgotten, and I am inspired and energized to continue trying to be a better person

(P&S photo below)

The last day was a little bit more laidback. Emily took some time to take me to a great park on Mercer Island called the Luther Burbank Park. I really think it’s great how much Seattle invests into their green spaces

I also met up with a great friend I’ve had since middle school, Yuan, who happened to also be trekking up! We spent quite some time in a very large Japanese grocery store. Also, thank you for introducing me to the Daiso store – where almost everything is $1.50! (P&S photo)

For photogs… whenever I travel, I travel light. Most photos were taken with a 50mm f/1.8 mounted on a D700. Some of them with a point and shoot (Canon SD800, not the greatest model but usable). Eventually I’m thinking of eliminating a DSLR altogether when I travel – especially when doing stuff like hiking – and carrying one of the excellent cameras in the Canon G-series

Flying back to Boston today, and then getting ready for another busy busy week of shooting!

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We began the day early, but have no fear, groomsmen Dean and Alex delivered breakfast!

Karina and Bryan’s elegant and classy invitations were designed by my friend and also former bride / client, Becca of Lavender’s Blue!

Can you spot Karina’s wedding shoes? Our getting ready hotel, the Hyatt Place at Fair Lawn / Paramus, had some great modern touches

We all thought Karina’s mother had an amazing dress for the wedding as well. Is she not gorgeous?

Getting into the dress took a while… After all, it had to be pulled tight and buttoned up!

Karina’s older sister got married at the same church – Hawthorne Gospel Church

The wedding party worked so hard all weekend – including this awesome getaway car decor!

The reception was held at The Tides, which had a gorgeous garden for photographs

This is called going all in for your photographs! Love!

Seeing their reactions to each others’ answers during the shoe game was pretty priceless

There was so much food at the wedding. This viennese table was particularly awesome

We were quite schooled by the parents, who were much more lively on the dance floor at times than we were. This is Bryan’s beautiful mother, circling the dance floor in a traditional Korean hanbok

Some of our friends were talented too. Albert here used to be part of the breakdancing crew back at Harvard

The bridal party had two salutes. This was a really sweet one with roses greeting Karina and Bryan on the way out

Annnd one more portrait at The Tides

I didn’t miss these two too much though, because I got to see them again two weeks later at another friend’s wedding. Okay, I do miss them. God bless everything with you guys!

Venue: The Tides
Hair: Mary McCoughlin
Makeup: Danielle Smeraldo
Dress: David’s Bridal
Invitations and program: Lavender’s Blue
Shang’s assistant: Ted Nghiem Photography

By the way, if anyone has made it down this far, THANK YOU GUYS, I now have over 600 people who like my page! What a way to be loved, in time for my birthday!!!

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If I had to take a guess, I’d say that a large number of my blog readers probably are not married, engaged, or even dating… single like me! I realize that for a blog that is so focused on weddings, it can be quite a turnoff, or it might even make one feel bad. Most wedding photographers I know are either engaged or married, I myself sometimes feel a little overwhelmed with emotion as a single person at a wedding. Should there be one lesson I want to share you guys from the past couple of months of my life, it is this: Love yourself. It is when you learn to value yourself that you will truly attract someone who values and honors and respects you.

I want to address mainly the women who read my blog, who may think that this is not something for you, that there’s no way this could happen to you. A couple of my close friends just came out of relationships recently as well. Take heart, ladies, and don’t give up. Don’t settle on what is important. Those of you who I’ve known personally, I know that you made choices that in the long run will be better for you, stay strong! Don’t give up your ideals for another person’s promise of love. Someone who truly loves you will not make you give up what you treasure. If you give up on those things now, you will continue to sacrifice throughout your life on other things. That is not a happy marriage.

I do believe that marriage is an important part of relationships, and I’d like to see people who are in love, compatible, and oriented to a similar future, to move towards marriage. I also believe that each woman deserves at the very least a lifetime companion who loves her for who she is, who would not cheat or treat her like she is disposable, who is willing to share their life with her.

One of my favorite movies is called In Her Shoes. The main character basically undergoes a metamorphosis from a shy, awkward, career-driven woman to someone who eventually abandons her stressful law job, takes up a temp job to walk dogs, while she re-evaluates her life, her relationships with her sister, grandmother, and eventual husband. (By the way, the above pair of shoes are ones I just treated myself to a shoot I’ll be doing later this summer with Emily, so excited! :D) If you ever want an inspiring but light-hearted chick flick, I actually really recommend it, has a great cast of actresses, and ladies, there just aren’t enough movies these days that feature amazing female actresses in substantial roles.

Embrace yourself – all of yourself. Recognize that you’re always going to have good parts and bad parts of yourself. Focus on making your good better, and improve your bad parts but don’t beat yourself up about them. Put down those fashion magazines with photoshopped images, bury your tabloids rife with stories of unfaithful and messed up movie and entertainment stars (they really are quite poor role models when it comes to love), put on your favorite pair of jeans, and look in front of the mirror and say “I look super-good today and I am extraordinary”, and don’t let anyone tell you any differently.

We women are perfectly capable of earning a full-time salary. You should always know how to sustain yourself through life. We all can learn how to screw in a lightbulb, hammer a nail, and if all else fails, hire someone else to do a job. (In one year alone I’ve called a plumber, electrician, and locksmith to help me around my home). Understandably when one has kids that may change should you choose to spend more time with your kids, but for this period of your life – learn to be self-sustaining

We all have an obligation to serve others. The best way to get over feeling bad about yourself is to make someone else happy. Get involved in your community and see the world beyond your front steps.

Just because a lot of my clients and a lot of my friends are young and getting married, does not mean that is the same timeline for everyone. With my birthday coming in just over a week, I’m clearly not going to get married at the age of 25, but I also don’t think that would have done any good for me. Every person will have their own time. Besides, life really is not a sprint to getting married. It’s more like an marathon to stay married!

Pursue your passions and really go for something that makes you happy! Until you have the obligation of a boyfriend / fiance / husband / family, this is as free as you are going to be. Now is the perfect time to figure out things you want to do, risk it all for a project, move to a new city. You can do it! Do it before other things tie you down!

This is an image Emily captured during the getting ready segment of Nicole and Lino’s wedding down in Puerto Rico, chatting with Nicole’s Mom and her good friend, Belkys. I love this image because it really shows you how happy I am right now. I’m so content with my life, no matter how uncertain it is, I’m loving waking up every day and experiencing a new adventure. I made several choices in recent months to focus on my own personal, spiritual, and mental wellbeing and I’m so glad I did.

You’ll never find me participating in a bouquet toss at a wedding, but you will find me striving to live every day to the fullest. All you single ladies, I have high expectations of you guys. I expect that you will always hold your head up high, above rough waters, above those days when all you want to do is cry and eat a pint of ice cream, because I know you can do it. Stay fabulous!

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Lauren simply radiates energy. During our shoot she was running around and climbing trees, up to many ideas! Lauren and I actually attended middle and high school together. She was an athlete then as well

Blue. Skies.

Lauren and Pranay met in college, and Pranay actually spent the bulk of their engagement working in London, England, so it was really great for him to be back here

I really like the way these trees divide. I wonder what kind of trees they are?

There was also a wonderful garden with colorful flowers

Lauren snuck a sneaky one in there

We also have a picture of Pranay piggy-backing Lauren. Lauren returned the gesture

I love this picnic table!

Thank you to Karman for assisting!

I’ll see you guys very soon!

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Two generations of sisters =)

I with her daddy

Mom and Dad with Z

I really like the feather hair accessory Bonnie chose

Eveleen being the big goofball she is

Precious!

These photos were taken in Bonnie’s gorgeous backyard. The sun was just right (there was a threat of thunderstorms but they held off!) and it was just magical!

So much fun! Thanks guys!

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