Shang Chen Photography, jetsetting wedding photographer based in San Francisco bio picture
  • Welcome to the website of wedding photographer Shang Chen Photography. Enjoy your stay, I'm glad to have you visit! I photograph couples who love life, each other, and express it through genuine, energetic personalities.

    Don't know where to start? Read more about me, see more wedding photos in my portfolio. Want to say hi? Drop me a comment or email me!

2011 Best of Wedding Details

This post is part 2 of 5 posts highlighting some of my favorite images from my 2011 season. Keep updated with this blog from now until Christmas for more posts with photojournalistic highlights, gorgeous portraiture, all in honor of the best clients in the whole world – mine. As always, click on the individual images to see more from that wedding. Other posts: Best engagements, Best Wedding Parties

Details, details, details. Now, I’m not one to drink the wedding blog kool-aid and believe that details make a wedding. Sure, a wedding where the details are creative and matching will lead to photographs with more consistent aesthetic appeal, but I think it’s terrible what some wedding blogs have done to set expectations for what a wedding should be like.  It’s the love of the couple that makes the wedding, remember that!

Nevertheless, your details are personalized, and if a piece of jewelry means a lot to you, if you took time in the design of your wedding and it reflects who you are, if there is a story, then those are details worth capturing. Detail shots also allow me to push my creativity – and they make for some great spreads in the wedding album!

This is one of my favorite ring shots of the year – Malik proposed to Amy by tying her engagement ring to this rock and hiding it at the bottom of the (shallow) ocean as they went diving (see more from this intimate wedding)

San Francisco wedding photographer boston public garden wedding 01 2011 Best of Wedding Details

It’s no secret I love color. Color, color, color. Alyson and Allan used ribbons that matched their wedding colors for their exit bubbles. And one of the guest ushers happened to wear a matching dress and shoes! (see more from this colorful Plimoth Plantation wedding)

San Francisco wedding photographer boston wedding photographer aa0723 28 2011 Best of Wedding Details

I think most ring shots done on people’s hands don’t come across that well. However, I loved the attitudes displayed by Jen and Joel in this photo – it truly reflects Jen’s sassy attitude and Joel’s steadfastness

San Francisco wedding photographer gibbet hill boston wedding photographer 32 2011 Best of Wedding Details

Felt flower bouquets, wildflower centerpieces, travel-themed escort cards, cupcakes (some of which are gluten-free), and homemade Boston cream pie in jars for guests to take home (see more from this Gibbet Hill wedding)

San Francisco wedding photographer gibbet hill boston wedding photographer 06 2011 Best of Wedding Details

This high-contrast shot of the rings really shows off the brilliance of the diamonds (see more from this Seaport Hotel wedding)

San Francisco wedding photographer boston seaport hotel wedding photographer lisajeff 01 2011 Best of Wedding Details

Did I mention that I agonize over setting up the dress shot? I really take a lot of care photographing the dress because it represents the bride’s style. For this one, the location really, really made it even more awesome (see more from this DeCordova wedding)

San Francisco wedding photographer decordova museum wedding photography JC0813 33 2011 Best of Wedding Details

Some more shoes. Gosh, I love shoes (Lisa – great pedicure!)

San Francisco wedding photographer san francisco wedding photographer blue shoes 2011 Best of Wedding Details

This bride had a beach wedding. I wrapped her foot jewelry for the beach ceremony around her fabulous Badgley Mischka shoes which she wore during the reception (see more from this Jamaica destination wedding)

San Francisco wedding photographer san francisco wedding photographer pinkshoes 2011 Best of Wedding Details

In fact, if you are a shoe fanatic, check out this post I wrote last year on how to pick shoes for your engagement shoot or your wedding

San Francisco wedding photographer boston four seasons hindu jewish wedding aa 1111 021 2011 Best of Wedding Details

Your wedding guests experience mainly the food, and it’s even cooler if you can personalize the food! For this State Room wedding, Nicole and Jonathan chose to add in British elements to reflect Jonathan’s British heritage

San Francisco wedding photographer boston state room wedding photography NJ 031 2011 Best of Wedding Details

For Indian weddings, I just love the color in the saris and the delicate henna / mehndi on the bride’s arms (see more from this Chicago Public Library wedding)

San Francisco wedding photographer indian wedding photographer sari mehndi 2011 Best of Wedding Details

I loved how a paisley design was worked into her escort cards and cake decor, and bright colors continued into her centerpieces and linen

San Francisco wedding photographer chicago public library wedding photography 20 2011 Best of Wedding Details

This wedding favor (personalized with a sailboat – a repeating motif in the design of Jill and Than’s oceanside wedding) got backlit by candlelight

San Francisco wedding photographer ocean wedding photographer favor 2011 Best of Wedding Details

It’s not uncommon to display wedding photos from your family. However, Marisa and Evan got married on the same date as both their parents did. Now THAT is unique (see more from this New Haven Lawn Club wedding)

San Francisco wedding photographer 110710 511 2 2011 Best of Wedding Details

And for indoor weddings that go well into the late night, extra lighting design really makes things pop! (see more from this Boston Indian wedding)

San Francisco wedding photographer boston indian wedding photography SA 38 2011 Best of Wedding Details

Shang is a wedding photographer known for imagery that pops with color, personality, and energy. Shang hopes that you make your wedding details personal – let them tell a story about yourselves
hear the news first - like her work on facebook . follow her thoughts on twitter

December 19, 2011 - 8:54 am

Kathy - Shang, I love these! Part of it is the details themselves (so colorful! So fun!), but a larger part is definitely your eye. BTW, I just got/re-got 10 or so posts in Google Reader–did you change your RSS feed or something?

December 19, 2011 - 2:07 pm

Jessica M Tsoi - My fiance and I are looking for a photographer for our wedding in September 2012. Would you please provide me with your pricing rates for your wedding packages and what they cover? Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks!

February 18, 2012 - 4:04 pm

Kate - I came across your site through pintrest – absolutely beautiful photos! You’re very talented

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