This day was filled with an overwhelming amount of love.

My guess is that as you go through these images, you might not be able to tell who is whose father, mother, grandmother – because the connection between these two families is so beautiful and strong. As much as this wedding was about Rachel & Chris coming together, you could really see both families embracing the other as their own, celebrating wholeheartedly together. It was an amazing thing to witness.

Rachel is currently getting her PhD in East Asian studies, and she incorporated a lovely subtle Asian theme into the day. The girls of Fleuretica did a wonderful job as usual creating lush florals to match this vision – I literally could have shot Rachel’s bouquet all day! To add to the fantastic team of vendors, one of my favorite DJs/MCs, Jason of 11H Entertainment was on hand to keep the fantastic party going!

Thank you to Ayumi Pantell for shooting with me that day!

It is 7 am, bright and early in Cathleen’s bridal suite. Victor, accompanied by his groomsmen, arrives at her door, eager to see his bride. But he is met with a barricade of bridesmaids, armed with a list of demands should Victor want to make his way to Cathleen. And so ensues a series of cruel and unusual tasks, right in the hallway of the Pasadena Westin, not limited to removing a garter from one of his groomsmen’s legs and a slew of post-wedding push-ups. But the best & final task is a song – a song of all the reasons he loves Cathleen. And through all the laughing, and the erratic dancing of his groomsmen, and the silly fun atmosphere, Cathleen sat hidden in her bridal suite listening to Victor’s makeshift song. And you could see from the shining glimmer in her eyes, that though his song was silly, his words rang true, and they resonated in her heart.

It was our longest wedding of the year, and though I can’t lie and say I wasn’t slightly terrified of what might become of my feet, the day flew by due to the perfect flow and the relaxed atmosphere that filled every moment. We moved from a tea ceremony at the Westin, to another tea ceremony at Victor’s parents’ home, to Caltech for photos, to a beautiful backyard ceremony, and finally a lively reception.

In between we got tons of portraits, and it made me so happy that Cathleen and Victor put such trust in us for their photos. They were on board with all the ideas I had – many of which included a bright red umbrella that I was itching the use the moment I laid eyes on it!

Cathleen & Victor – thank you so much for inviting us to share in your wedding, for your extreme kindness and hospitality, and for the Lupicia teas! {how did you know they are my favorite?} We are so happy for you & this new chapter of your lives together!

I LOVED the colorful pops of color that adorned the ceremony:

This kid was absolutely AMAZING. He was the most adept & coordinated picture-taking-toddler I have ever seen.

And apparently he wasn’t the only one! More child prodigy photographers at this wedding than I’ve ever encountered!

When I first met with Joy & Richard over a year ago, in just the baby stages of their wedding plans, they excitedly described to me their vision for their wedding. A hip and stylish urban venue. Lush and modern details. Joy explained that she wanted her wedding to be completely unique, a sensory delight for the guests, and laden with personal touches. When she explained that she was looking for a photographer who shared an equal love for details and would be able to capture every last bit, I nodded knowingly, even though I secretly wanted to throw my hand up in the air, wave it wildy, and shriek “me! me!! ooh! pick me!!” :) I was of course, more than a bit excited when they booked us, and loved having the opportunity to get to know this amazing couple and see their visions come to fruition!

They ultimately chose Box Eight as the backdrop for their special day, a downtown LA loft which was transformed into a metropolitan paradise. Lush florals were draped in the most unique and inspired ways, courtesy of Le Petit Gardenia’s creative genius. All of the above was coordinated by Amanda of Fresh Events Company, who brought Joy and Richard’s ideas to life and put on one of the most smooth-sailing and artistic weddings I’ve seen to date.

Joy & Richard -thank you so much for the chance to be a part of your amazing wedding!  You both radiated so much love and happiness the entire time and it was such an honor to capture the moments that filled your day!

After a sweet first look, we headed to Cal Tech for some portraits!

In case you couldn’t guess, I was absolutely infatuated with Joy’s dress. I’m a sucker for dresses with loads of soft airy layers!

And then it was on to Box Eight. It has a feel similar to the Marvimon House and is definitely one of the most hip and modern venues we’ve shot at to date. Alison of Le Petit Gardenia did a beyond amazing job creating floral art pieces that fit perfectly with the vibe of the venue.

A couple more portraits just after the ceremony…

And now.. *deep breath*… the details! Not a corner was left undone! I was especially giddy about the birdcage coupled with this beautiful arrangement…

The tables were named after various wines and a beautiful and mod seating chart was created to guide the guests to their seats:

The girls taking a quick breather right before the grand entrance…

As a special surprise for the guests, Joy & Richard had a taco truck arrive at the end of the night! Coolest (and yummiest) idea ever!

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