“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” - Ruth 1:16-17

I loved that Patty used those verses from Ruth in her vows to Oscar. I say it every time, but I continue to be in awe of God’s work in people’s lives each time they share their wedding day with me. If you remember, I shot Patty and Oscar’s engagement session in Balboa Park last fall. Patty just shined on her wedding day in her gorgeous gown and Oscar couldn’t keep his smile off his face. They share such a beautiful, pure love and I am truly honored that they allowed me (7 months pregnant and all) to capture their very special day. Their ceremony and reception were at the Riverwalk Golf Course.

Does she just look radiant?

Patty and Oscar, I wish you all the best. I am excited to watch God continue to work in your lives together. Thank you so much for having me.

Special thanks to Marlo Yoshimoto who came along to assist me. You were such an amazing help!

Barb and Rowell’s wedding day started at the All Hallows Catholic Church in La Jolla. We took photos at Mt. Soledad and Harbor Island. Their reception was held on The Island Club on North Island Coronado Base. They celebrated their special day surrounded by so many friends and family. It was such an honor to be able to capture their special day!

I LOVED these red heels!

Loved the big window in the church.

Then we headed to Mt. Soledad to get some photos. This was the first time I’ve been back here since Adam proposed to me back in 2007. It was definitely a sentimental moment for me.

On the same spot Adam got down on one knee to propose to me. It gives me so much joy to be able to capture the love of another couple in the same location. Gives me goosebumps just thinking about it!

After Mt. Soledad, we headed down to Harbor Island back to the spot where Rowell proposed to Barb.

This was also my 1st wedding shooting with Adam. He came along to help with the photobooth and I think he did a fantastic job! Here are some of the shots:

Barb and Rowell, thank you so much for sharing your day with us! Special thanks to Daniel Galang for his help again!

We started the day off early for Sarah & Greg’s wedding. The ceremony was held at The Chapel of the Roses in Bonita. It was such a beautiful chapel with colorful stained glass windows. Not only was it beautiful and intimate, it was the same place where Sarah’s parents were married so it had even more special significance. Sarah and Greg have such an amazing love story so far and they have impacted so many people’s lives so far with their love for Christ. I am so excited to see what God has in store for them as husband and wife and how He is going to use their marriage to impact more lives for Jesus.

Sarah’s shoes! I think they make the best bridal shoes EVER. Comfort AND style?! Can’t get any better than that!

Greg’s daughter, Melissa, was stunning.

Sarah and her mom.

I loved how these signs made little crosses. They were the dressing rooms for the guys and girls.

The amazingly talented Mike Clark performed worship and this is Sarah at the door when Mike started to play. Definitely one of my favorite moments captured from the day.

The Mike Clark Band.

Sarah’s son, Clayton, walking down the aisle. Doesn’t he look so handsome?

I don’t know what I love more… the look in Greg’s eyes, or Clayton looking at Greg’s reaction to Sarah walking down the aisle.

The kiss!

This just melts my heart.

Grand entrance.

A quick prayer.

First dance.

Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dances.

Sarah and Greg, I hope you are having a blast on your honeymoon! Thank you so much for sharing your day with me! Special thanks to Daniel Galang for helping me again and also to Jill for being your “gift” to Sarah.

“Lessons about love that I’ve learned from Sarah and Carlo: Find an armpit, be adventurous and love with all your heart.” - Jayne’s Maid of Honor speech.

Sarah and Carlo have such an amazing love story thus far and I can only imagine how rich the subsequent chapters will be as the years grow in their marriage. They met in Australia, got engaged in Costa Rica, and currently live in Germany where Carlo is from. Long distance could not keep their love apart, but in fact helped their love to blossom! The love that poured out from friends and family was overwhelming and such a treat to be a part of as a photographer.

I’ve had the honor of photographing several special family events for Jayne and Sarah’s family in the past couple of years, like Sarah’s Graduation Party and Jayne’s 30th Birthday Party. Even still, I was incredibly blessed to be asked to photograph Sarah and Carlo’s Wedding last week in Monterey and Carmel.

We started the day at Oya Salon in Monterey where the girls got their hair and make-up done. We headed over to Pt. Lobos Reserve to get bridal party and family photos. The ceremony was at Stewart’s Cove at Carmel State River Beach and the reception was at a family home in Salinas.

Sarah’s beautiful dress.

The rings.

The salon was so much fun to shoot in.

The necklace the girls bought for Sarah. It has 9 diamonds in it; one for each of them!

Jayne, Mom and Sarah in curlers. Love this shot.

The beautiful bride-to-be.

Loved the old mirror in the getting ready room.

Nora, one of the flower girls, listening in the conversation.

Doesn’t Sarah just look AH-MAZ-ING?! Greek goddess, anyone?

Here is Sarah and Carlo’s first look. Aww!

The wedding party getting ready for the ceremony to begin.

And even though Monterey is notoriously foggy, it just so happened to clear up in time for bride and groom photos!

After the ceremony, we headed over to family home in Salinas and the view was amazing!

I could NOT get enough of the beautiful details in their wedding. I love every little special touch!

Love the different levels in the glasses.

First dance and Father/Daughter dance.

Sarah and Carlo, your wedding was so amazing! Thank you so much for bringing Daniel and I out there to capture your special day!

And Daniel Galang, thank you so much for your help. Couldn’t have done it without you!!!

Janice and Stephen serenaded their guests with a song titled, “Undeserved Love.” It really stuck with me and made me think a lot about how much God loves us and just how incredibly undeserving we are of that. Unconditional love is a concept I think I’ll never fully understand, but I’m glad that God loves us unconditionally.

As a photographer, it was beautiful to see the love between Janice and Stephen on their wedding day and the love that poured out from their family and friends in fellowship. They had already had their formal engagement photos taken in Hong Kong, but I was very flattered when they asked me to capture their Western-style wedding in Los Angeles.

Proof that UCLA and USC can love each other! Janice went to USC, Stephen went to UCLA and they still got married!

The wedding was held at the Chinese Bible Church of West LA. A beautiful, old church with lots of history and character.

I loved the peonies!

Janice and her mother.

Stephen practicing pulling the veil over Janice’s head.

Such precious and CUTE flower girls. I couldn’t help, but follow them around with my camera. Can’t help but be drawn to kids!

Easily, the most organized and biggest group shot I have ever taken.

The Chinese character for “double happiness.”

I always love me some Chinese food. In fact, I often crave home-cooked meals. Total comfort food. Janice and Stephen brought the idea of “Chinese buffet” to a whole other level. Kevin and I were just drooling while taking these food shots!

The serenade from the bride and groom.

Thanks Janice and Stephen for sharing your special day with me! Thanks Kevin for coming out and second-shooting with me! And a special thanks to Cindy and Daniel of Orange Turtle Photography for referring me!

Drink in the grace today.

Pastor Ed Noble said this during Sarah and Daniel’s ceremony. Drink in all the grace today. And boy, was there a LOT of grace delivered on this particular day! God came through in such huge ways and it was such an honor to bear witness to God bringing Sarah and Daniel together in the covenant of marriage. God kept the drizzling rain away during the ceremony and even though it drizzled throughout most of the reception, spirits could not have been any higher despite the rain! Sarah even said that cloudy weather was her favorite weather - God knew it’d be fitting for her wedding day.

You might remember Sarah and Daniel from their engagement session downtown about a month ago. I feel blessed to be able to call them friends. They are such a wonderfully creative and artistic couple and it really showed in all the intricate details of their wedding.

The day started at the Hilton San Diego-Gaslamp hotel. The ceremony at Embarcadero Park and was in the shape of a circle, like the art in the middle. They had a mini-reception following the ceremony and I honestly have NEVER seen such a long receiving line full of people waiting to bestow their best wishes upon the bride and groom. It was such a treat to see just how many lives they have impacted thus far and it excites to think how many more lives they will touch now that they are a married couple. Wow.

The after-party was beautifully set up in a home in La Mesa and I loved everything about it. From the strings of sparkly lights to the many, many candles that just lit up the whole backyard… it was so romantic. The food from Kaelani Catering was ah-mazing! Daniel and I were talking about the short ribs for hours!

I really had a difficult time narrowing down my favorite shots, but here you go. For more, click the slideshow below!

Sarah with her sisters, Emily and Megan. Aren’t they gorgeous?

Sarah caught a look at Daniel before their “official” first look. Isn’t she cute?

The “real” first look.

One of my favorite people on a wedding day is the father of the bride. Sarah’s dad was hilarious!

The bridal party.

Sarah and Daniel were SO amazing and they were cool with letting me be creative with them. Fun!

It was Sarah’s turn first with the boys…

… and then it was Daniel’s turn! I love his facial expression in this shot.

A family prayer circle.

A quiet moment post-ceremony as husband and wife.

Sarah and Emily are sisters. Daniel and Jarred are brothers. Emily married Jarred. And on this day, Sarah married Daniel. Emily and Jarred gave a very heartfelt speech.

The cake from Crumbs of Paris was delish!

They also had a snack bar with all sorts of fun snacks.

The reception was so creatively decorated. I was really floored by the attention to detail.

The rain made for a nice reflection on the dance floor.

Sarah and Daniel, thank you SO much for sharing your special day with me. I am truly honored to be your friend. I hope you are having a wonderful honeymoon in Europe!

Also, special thanks to Daniel Galang for being an amazing friend and 2nd shooter! Thanks to Sarah Tolson for referring me to Sarah and Daniel!

Check out the slideshow here!

I love a couple that smiles. Joy just oozes out from them and you can’t help but catch it yourself. Elaine and Scott were all smiles all day long and it was such a fun day to capture.

When the bride and groom take a pho lunch break in the middle of their wedding day, man… you’ve hit the jackpot. I texted Adam to make him a little envious of our pho break. In case you don’t know, my husband loves pho and all things noodle and soup. He clarified for me yesterday that he loves me more than noodle soup. Who knew I was such a lucky girl?

The Galangs and I started our day at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Rancho Penasquitos, took some shots at Oceanside Pier and then ended up at a beach house in Oceanside.

This dish was from her parents’ wedding.

Pho break!

Marilou and Dan are so cute. I love a man who isn’t afraid to carry a purse.

Oceanside Pier.

Can you say, “CARNE ASADA”? Mmm….

Of course, I couldn’t help but want this cutie to smile for me. He was reluctant so I asked him to make some funny faces and then he smiled. Look at those eyes!

I love how Dan matches Marilou with his purple shirt and tie.

First dance.

Another special thanks to the Galangs for having me again! Check out Daniel’s new blog at http://www.danielgalangblog.com

Digital awesomeness does not do justice to just how digitally-awesome the guys behind Tofurious are. Lawrence and Doug are two of the Furious Photographers. The funny thing about our friendship is that they actually graduated from my same alma mater, Rosemead High. Go Panthers!

Above is a from photo from the photobooth software that they introduced at WPPI this year. [b]ecker even managed to appear in one of the shots if you look carefully! Their booth was right next to the Shootsac booth and while I was volunteering for Shootsac, I had the chance to chat with them and play with their new photobooth software.

They are amazing photographers who want to help out other photographers and one of the many ways that they do that is through their site Tofurious. The blog template that I’m using is made by them.

Here’s a photo of my new blog layout for those of you, like myself, that only read blogs through Google Reader. I just revamped it with a new background and colors.

They have lots of SEO resources available too. If you watch their videos, they are very self-explanatory and easy to understand. I am excited to see what else they come up with and honored to call them friends of mine. Go check them out at their site http://www.tofurious.com!

Zandi is an amazingly talented singer and performer and I have always admired her from afar ever since the first time she blew our minds at UCSD APSA’s Talent Show. I also regularly follow her YouTube video series and continue to be in awe at the voice that God has given her. (Check them out: zsos music). Some musical artists out there can sing and then there are those that can SANG! And Zandi is one that can SANG. Really. I’ve always loved listening to her and watching just how God works in her life.

Not surprisingly, she comes from a family of songbirds - five sisters actually, and their Mom is also a songbird herself! Zandi and Rich were blessed with a special performance from so many loved ones and I was floored by all the talent overflowing at their wedding reception.

After shooting her wedding with the Galangs (Daniel and Vaness), I was also not surprised to learn just beautiful Zandi really is, inside and out.

Weddings are SO much fun when the couple loves to ham it up for your camera. I love it when people act silly and goofy for me and it just makes the whole day incredibly fun to shoot. And then before you know it, you’ve shot 2000+ photos and can’t pick your favorites!

Zandi wore her mom’s wedding dress.

So beautiful. Gosh, I love brides on wedding days… they just glow!

Their impromptu “first look”

Don’t they just look so bad ass?! I love it when clients let go of all inhibitions!

I LOVED these cranes decorated all throughout the backyard.

Rich’s vows were so touching and straight from the heart. I couldn’t hold back my tears!

And then Zandi’s were so pure and genuine. These two were meant for each other!

I loved the cherry blossoms in this tree - so delicate, yet romantic.

They’ll be welcoming a baby boy in August! Can you believe how cute Zandi is? God willing, when I get to be preggers, I KNOW I won’t be small and cute… at all.

They’re going to have such beautiful babies.

The couple during the maid of honor speech. And to honor Rich’s heritage, they dressed up in traditional Korean wear. Such bold colors and perfect for pictures!

Cupcakes!

More paper cranes…

Thank you Zandi and Rich for allowing me to share in a little morsel of the love story God is writing for you and your family. It was such a blessing to be a part of your special day! Can’t wait to meet your little boy soon!

And a special thanks to the Galangs for having me come along! It was fun shooting with you BOTH!

Check out the slideshow!

Location: North Chapel at NTC Promenade and The Rock Church in Point Loma, San Diego

God has an amazing, intricate way of working in our lives and I continue to be in awe of all that He does and plans. Kevin was in Ironmen at the Rock with Adam, which was a one-year discipleship program for men. While I was involved with Sisters at the Rock, Tamera taught a prayer class that completely transformed my prayer life. When we found out they were getting married to each other, we were surprised but also felt extremely blessed to be friends with them.

Kevin and Tamera had been praying for a photographer and I just so happened to be one that was available on their wedding day! It was such an honor to be able to capture their special day for them. As the day went on, you could tell what a wonderful impact these two individually had on their friends and family. I can only imagine and look forward to how much Kevin and Tamera can do for God’s kingdom together.

Tamera’s daughter, Carissa, was the matron of honor.

Tamera wore a beautiful purple gown.

Tamera’s mom and dad.

The uber-talented Mike Clarkplayed worship during the ceremony and reception.

Tamera and Kevin had never kissed before this day so this was this first kiss EVER.

The bridal party and Tamera’s accountability partners.

The groomsmen.

Thanks so much for having me, Kevin and Tamera! Adam and I feel so blessed to have been able to share your special day with you and other brothers and sisters in Christ. Hope you are enjoying your honeymoon!