Tag Archives: wedding

Yuki and Simon’s Wedding in London

destination wedding in london, bride and groom formal portrait with sun starburst

Last April I flew to the United Kingdom for a few shooting assignments. This was only my second time in London, and the town was absolutely buzzing with energy in anticipation of the Royal Wedding that same weekend. OK, so I wasn’t there to photograph Kate and William (I guess my application must’ve gotten lost in the mail) but I was going to shoot my equally beautiful friends Yuki and Simon for their wedding at The Grove in the south of England.

Yuki and I met eight summers ago in New York during our old firm’s analyst training program – I was to be based in New York and Yuki in Tokyo. Years later, we both coincidentally transferred to Hong Kong and found ourselves sitting two office rows away from each other. Shortly afterwards, she introduced me to Simon, a banker she had met while working on a deal in London. I admittedly was skeptical of anyone finding romance in the investment banking world, but Simon was one of the most kind and genuine persons I’d ever met in Hong Kong. Yuki and Simon later moved back to London but I was lucky enough to shoot a portrait session with the two of them around Hong Kong – as a keepsake before they bid farewell to the city. They loved the photos we took that afternoon but the greatest compliment came over a year later when they graciously asked to me to be their wedding photographer as well.

Simon is from Northern Germany and Yuki from Tokyo, so the guest list had an eclectic mix from all around the world. I also picked up a handy German phrase – Wunderbar! – which means wonderful!

 

Bridesmaids morning prep
japanese bride wedding morning prep
japanese bridesmaid wedding morning prep
japanese bridesmaid wedding morning prep B&W with mother
japanese bride bridesmaids group formal portrait
Groomsmen morning prep
german groom wedding morning prep B&W
german groomsmen wedding morning prep B&W
german groom groomsmen group formal portrait

Wedding Ceremony
japanese bride father walking down the aisle
japanese german wedding london wide shot ceremony
japanese german wedding london best man
japanese german wedding london closeup ceremony
london wedding japanese bridesmaids ceremony
london wedding japanese bride german groom kiss the bride
london wedding japanese bride german formal portrait doorwaylondon wedding japanese bride german formal portrait doorway kissing
london wedding japanese bride portraitlondon wedding japanese bride german groom formal portrait staircase
london wedding japanese bride german groom formal portrait grass benchlondon wedding japanese bride german groom formal portrait walkinglondon wedding japanese bride german groom formal portrait walking kissing

English afternoon tea
london wedding afternoon high tea stacked plateslondon wedding afternoon high tea scones
london wedding afternoon high tea sunglasses

Yuki’s adorable mom comes to the realization that her daughter is all grown-up =)
london wedding afternoon high tea bride mom crying

Cocktail and Reception
london wedding cocktail reception wide fisheye
london wedding cocktail reception japanese boy tuxedolondon dinner reception japanese father speechlondon dinner reception japanese bride german groomlondon dinner reception japanese bride german groom first dancelondon dinner reception german groom dancing YMCAlondon dinner reception japanese bride german groom laughing dance floor

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Natasha and Ben’s wedding on the HK Star Ferry

wedding bridesmaids and groomsmen walking and laughing on top of IFC

I first met Natasha and Ben over drinks in Central, nearly a year ago. Even for a Friday at the end of a long work week, Natasha was overflowing with energy which I later learned was completely normal. Ben, who is from the Midwest, told me about how Natasha, who is from HK, and his career path had lead him back to Asia years after they had first met as students in Inner Mongolia – first Singapore, Vietnam and eventually Hong Kong. Its crazy the stories that are behind how many of us find our way here.

Natasha and Ben LOVE Hong Kong, so last year when we planned their engagement session it wasn’t hard to come up with some locations.
 

Here are some shots from the Whitty Street Tram Depot, Central’s wet markets and SoHo..
Pre-wedding in Hong Kong's Whitty Street Tram Depot
Engagement session in Central, Hong Kong fish market
Engagement session photo of couple sitting on steps under bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong

Fast forward to their wedding morning last April…
Wedding detail shot of engagement and wedding rings
Bridesmaids wedding prep in Hotel LKF Hong Kong
Hong Kong wedding bride putting on wedding dress inside Hotel LKF

Scheduling forced us to break away slightly from tradition by meeting before the ceremony – but that didn’t seem to take anything away from the moment.
Groomsmen take taxi to Hong Kong wedding in Central
HK wedding groom first sees bride inside Lily restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong
Hong Kong wedding bridesmaids laughing inside Lily restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong

It had been raining all morning but we pushed on and with some luck we got some great group formals on top of IFC.
Hong Kong wedding party laughing together on top of IFC Mall
Bride and groom formal portrait on IFC rooftop

The ceremony was inside the Golden Star ferry!
wedding flowers on Hong Kong star ferry
wedding guests and band on hong kong star ferry
groom awaits bride at the altar on hong kong star ferryfather walks bride down aisle on hong kong star ferrybridesmaid cries at a hong kong wedding on the star ferrybride and groom laughing at altar wedding on HK star ferry
bride and groom walk up Hong Kong ferry pier

Dinner was at the Watermark and the first dance was to Dirty Dancing (no one puts baby in a corner!)!
wide overhead shot of wedding at the Watermark in Hong Kong
Watermark Hong Kong wedding first dance shot with lens flare
Watermark Hong Kong wedding first dance in B&W

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Wendy and CK’s wedding in Hong Kong

HK wedding bride in white dress

Last November, in the middle of last year’s Hong Kong wedding season I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Wendy and CK. Wendy and I first met over drinks – we were introduced by her piano teacher who is also a good friend of mine. CK, the groom, has been a film photography enthusiast for years, but now he shoots with a Nikon D700. So yeah, we get along well =)

Wendy has been one of those invaluable supporters of mine that I mentioned in an earlier blog post, particularly with tidbits of legal advice as I was rummaging through paperwork to get my business started. So I really wanted to get a ton of great shots on her wedding day. Fortunately, the bride and groom choose some beautiful venues for their wedding day: prep at the Upper House, ceremony at Union Church and reception and tea ceremony at China Club.

 

The Upper House, Pacific Place
wedding prep at Upper House in Admiralty, Hong Kong

Hong Kong bride getting readyHong Kong groom getting ready

Hong Kong wedding bride wedding shoes under dressChinese bride putting on wedding dress
Hong Kong wedding bride leaving to chapel

Union Church, Midlevels
Hong Kong wedding flowers at Union ChurchHong Kong wedding program at Union Church

Pre-Wedding prayer at Union Church
Hong Kong groom waits for his brideHong Kong wedding, father gives away daughter

Hong Kong wedding exchange of ringsUnion Church wedding in Hong Kong, Pastor Greg Anderson

Union Church wedding, group photo

China Club, Central
China Club, Hong KongChina Club staircase in Central, Hong Kong
Bride and father at China Club wedding banquet
HK China Club wedding banquet, family smiling
Chinese wedding couple at Hong Kong banquet
HK wedding couple at China Club, in front of stained glass 1HK wedding couple at China Club, in front of stained glass 2
Hong Kong newlyweds kissing in the library room of China Club

…and one more portrait at Upper House before the night ended.
HK wedding couple kissing at Upper House boutique hotelHK newlywed couple kissing at Upper House boutique hotel

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Stéphanie and James’ wedding in Hong Kong

photo of bride and groom dancing with a spotlight backlit lens flare

The first time I saw James was in 2008 when he was performing “hand filter” jokes on the stage of Hong Kong’s TakeOut Comedy club. He was one of several awesome comedians that night serving up good old fashioned American humor. Little did I know that behind the funny man was an equally hilarious girlfriend named Stéphanie, and that they would eventually ask me to photograph their wedding which was last October. I also later learned that James is not only quite the romantic, but he does not easily shy away from public singing or lewd dancing.

You’ll see what I mean in the shots below from their wedding day, which conveniently started down the street from the studio in their Causeway Bay apartment before moving to the American Club in Tai Tam for the ceremony and banquet =)

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James proposed at an art class with this painting
painting with marry me proposal and wedding bands

Chinese bride putting on make-up in mirror

Chinese bridesmaid putting on make-up

the wedding party walk from Victoria Park
Wedding party crossing street in Causeway Bay

James sings “Nametag,” a song he wrote for Stéphanie
Chinese bride in her bedroom waitingChinese groom singing and playing piano

The American Club
Bride and groom at the American Club, Hong Kongbride and groom in the mirror at the American Club Hong Kong

Wedding at the American Club terrace

the cracker jacks wedding ring box
the cracker jacks wedding ring box

Kissing the bride

tea ceremony
Chinese wedding tea ceremony at the American Club

wedding cake
wedding cake shoved in groom's mouth

first dance
wedding first dance at American Club, Hong Kong

wedding family's dance at American Club, Hong Kong

best striptease at a wedding ever
wedding groom striptease at American Club HK

dance floor is open!
wedding dance floor, bride and groom

Officiant Thomas stocks his shopping cart
wedding dance floor shopping cart

mini slideshow of the wedding photobooth!

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Yvonne and Michael’s wedding in Montreal, Canada

interracial wedding couple holding umbrella on docks

As part of my trip back to the US earlier in the year, I drove up to Montreal to photograph a wedding for Yvonne and Michael (you can see shots from the engagement session in New York in an earlier post). Yvonne and I first met when we were both young, bright-eyed and bushy tailed interns at the NY firm that would eventually hire us for our first full-time jobs. Several years later, she left the firm to pursue education and eventually teach grade school in the South Bronx. She has been an absolute inspiration to me.

So I was excited to be able to shoot her marriage with Michael, while also being able to revisit one of my favorite cities in the world, Montreal. The rehearsal dinner was held at a traditional Quebec maple sugar shack. The following day we shot some prep and portraits at the Chateau Vaudreuil before driving to Au Vieux Moulin for the reception and dinner.

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rehearsal dinner at the Sucrerie de la Montagne
Sucrerie de la Montagne in Montreal

Wedding bride and groom at rehearsal dinner

sugar shack wedding rehearsal dinner at the Sucrerie de la Montagne

wedding morning
wedding shoeswedding bands

bride holding her hands over her wedding dresswedding bride dress

bride in the hotel room mirror with wedding dress

Groom getting ready in hotel room

Wedding couple walking in the grass

the Vietnamese áo dài
bride changing into Vietnamese áo dài dress

yvonne and michael wedding photographed

Michael’s friends show us how its done in Germany
wedding german dance

wedding guests dancing

the “Shoe Game”
yvonne and michael wedding shoe game brideyvonne and michael wedding shoe game groom

proud parents of the bride
bride parents snap a camera phone photo

interracial bride and groom wedding dinner kiss

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