Zaha & Magdy | Cupertino Backyard Wedding
With each knock on the door, greetings of salam resonated through the home. Each family entered the house and stepped through to the backyard, transformed by beautiful floral arrangements, hand crafted by the bride's mother. The warmth of the occasion blended seamlessly with the late afternoon sunshine that lit the space.
Magdy entered the backyard, cheerful as he engaged the other men in conversation. Meanwhile, Zaha and the other girls ran around upstairs, getting ready for the ceremony. Zaha looked beautiful and held an understated elegance about her even amidst the frenzy.
Zaha and Magdy were joined in marriage before an intimate gathering of friends and family. Their small ceremony in California was just a prelude to the rest of the celebrations that will continue with the full wedding in Egypt. I only wish I could be in there for the rest of it too! But I am so thankful to have been a witness to this beautiful ceremony.
There were so many beautiful little vignettes all around the backyard. Zaha's mother is quite the gardener, with a wonderful artistic eye!
They had very traditional wedding favors: dried dates, almonds, and unrefined sugar.
Zaha's mother brings Magdy into the backyard and shows him the layout for the ceremony.
I love capturing men looking dapper in candid moments.
Zaha prepares upstairs.
The nikah ceremony is the part of an Islamic wedding where the marriage contract is set out. Both Magdy and Zaha are joined by male witnesses to the contract, as the imam leads in a sermon. Zaha even had one more witness not shown in this photo, but you'll see later...
The imam speaks of Allah and what is asked of men and women.
Zaha's cousin and childhood friend look on.
Magdy and Zaha repeat their consent in Arabic and English three times each.
They exchange the rings
And the marriage license is signed, next to a beautiful copy of the Qur'an.
The witness I previously alluded to! Zaha's father was unable to attend the nikah ceremony, as he was already in Egypt. But Zaha's cousins helped out by skyping him in as a surprise!
He watched the whole thing, and had to keep admonishing Magdy for taking off his floral necklace after the ceremony.
As soon as the ceremony was completed, the sun went down, and the celebrations were just beginning. Not only was this a special occasion, but it fell during the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. It's tradition to break the fast with a date, as shown on the right, and prayer.
The food was absolutely amazing, a combination of homemade Egyptian and Pakistani food. And these were only some of the appetizers. There was so much wonderful food for dinner and dessert too.
Zaha and Magdy steal away for some photos just after sunset. I love the stringed lights she put up all around the yard.
And at the end of the night, a variety of desserts and a delicious slice of cake.
Congratulations, Zaha & Magdy! Wishing you all the best in Egypt and beyond.
Kristen & Matt’s Wedding | West Hartford, Connecticut
He stood in the reception hall surrounded by his friends and family and spoke of his new wife, his new marriage. He referenced wedding planning, often a notoriously stressful experience. But he smiled his passionate smile and declared, If wedding planning is a glimpse into the kind of marriage we'll have, I'm going to love it.
Matt and Kristen met in college at Duke, where they lived in the same dorm and were both involved in the same Christian organization. They were friends, but they didn't quite start dating then. Matt was moving across the country for grad school at Stanford, so they agreed to put it off. Of course, they then found themselves 3,000 miles apart and decided to start dating anyway.
True to Matt's words, all of the little details and elaborate excel spreadsheets that they labored over came together in a wonderful celebration of friends, family, and love. Kristen and Matt are simply adorable in their open affection for one another. They have been united in their love for each other and their love for God, and they will doubtlessly grow together in both.
I absolutely love Kristen's engagement ring: sapphire, diamonds, and gold, passed down from Matt's grandmother. And I love the band they had custom designed by Topper Fine Jewelers to pair with it too.
I began my day with the very good looking group of men getting ready at the hotel.
Such piercing blue eyes!
Then I photographed Kristen at her childhood home in West Hartford.
Gorgeous.
The ceremony was held at the very New England-style Covenant Congregational Church of West Hartford.
The programs were printed by Cricket Press with all the ribbons hand tied by Kristen and her helpers.
Kristen is absolutely glowing, walking down the aisle with her dad
Matt and Kristen sat down in the front pew for a special part of the ceremony as their friend perform a liturgical dance.
Beautiful detailing on their cake by Creative Cakes by Donna.
Kristen's grandmother was inspired by one of my photos from their engagement shoot and painted the beautiful painting of them on the left.
I love the soft flow of movement in her dress. They really had a beautiful first dance.
Kristen's sister Laura delivered a funny, moving, and emotional toast.
Newlyweds Addison and Julie-- I have to give Julie a huge shoutout, because she helped to coordinate everyone for all of the different group formals. I wish I could bring her with me to every wedding!
Birdseed grand exit!
Vendors:
Church: Covenant Congregational Church, West Hartford, Connecticut
Reception Venue: Birch Meadow Banquet Facility, Bloomfield Connecticut
Florist: Sharon Elizabeth's
Cake: Creative Cakes by Donna
Jeweler: Topper Fine Jewelers
Programs: Cricket Press
Salon: Acure Eco Salon
DJ: Dave Giani
Photographer: Anna Wu Photography
Jenny & Kevin | LACMA | Los Angeles Engagement Photographer
They met through Craigslist!
When Kevin was looking for housing for a summer internship in San Francisco, he came across Jenny's apartment, which was being sublet for a summer. He didn't end up living there; he didn't even really get to know Jenny that well right away, but the connection was made.
A couple years later, Kevin was living in San Francisco, and Jenny back in her home town Los Angeles, when Kev started traveling to LA for work. He called up Jenny, and they got to know each other over greasy Chinese food. Kevin ended up traveling to LA a lot, and he ended up seeing Jenny a lot. And well, the rest is history!
We met at the absolutely delightful Los Angeles County Museum of Art, better known as LACMA, for an evening engagement shoot. It was such a wonderful place to explore; I could've stayed all day and still found new interesting nooks and crannies to photograph.
Love this awesome neverending escalator. Love the reflections on the glass-- three Kevins and three Jennys!
And at the top of the escalator? This amazing view over LA. Love.
The iconic lampposts in front of LACMA. It's such a wonderful installation, with such pretty, soft lighting too.
Like a forest of lights. I just love how blue that sky stayed, long after the sun had gone.
Jenny & Kev, I am so happy to be a part of this with you. It's really an honor to photograph a friend's wedding, and you've both been so wonderful to work with through this whole process. Can't wait to see everything come together in October!
Audrey & Aaron | Grace Cathedral | San Francisco Wedding Photographer
He is her rock. He has a commanding presence, matched with the kindest eyes. She's the spontaneous, rambunctious, playful one. They knew within four months of dating that they wanted to get married, but their families insisted they were too young, and so they've put it off for six years, keeping their relationship going across the oceans, spanning the US, Japan, Philippines, England, now Germany, and soon Afghanistan.
Aaron is in the Army, stationed in Germany now, but deploying deployed to Afghanistan in a couple months. He and Audrey have plans for a full wedding when he gets back from his tour in Afghanistan, but really, they knew that this was the time. Aaron flew back to California from Germany for just three days, with one goal in mind: marry his girl. And with that, they eloped in San Francisco.
We met in front of the iconic Grace Cathedral on a gray day. It was overcast and chilly-- the kind of weather that often envelops San Francisco but shocks tourists dreaming of Southern California sunshine and beaches. These two were unfazed by the cold, especially Audrey in her stunning vintage lace dress and those gorgeous peep-toe pumps.
Starting off strong in the middle of those beautiful steps.
In front of the famed Ghiberti Gates of Paradise, an exact replica of the Duomo doors in Florence.
Gorgeous!
Already said it once, but I love her shoes. And Aaron's are shiny enough to see yourself in them.
There are no words.
Love this! There was a meeting going on in the room right next to where they're standing. But they went ahead and pulled this off anyway.
Love the natural vignetting of this one.
Congratulations to you both! I wish you only the best in the year to come.
Kristen & Matt | Stanford Engagement Photographer
Their love is sugary sweet, a simple syrup poured out to melt your heart. Kristen is gentle, supportive, loving, reserved. And Matt is open and earnestly romantic, passionate about everything he loves. They have an unbounded excitement for each other, constantly finding reassurance in each other's arms.
We all went to Duke University together, where we were all part of a selective house called Brownstone. Matt is a talented photographer in his own right, and we'd connect over talk of galleries and darkroom and the photo group. He simply adores Kristen, and she him.
On a Sunday evening, we met for their engagement session at Stanford since Matt is now a Ph.D. student in engineering there. Kristen had just moved from the East Coast to California just a few days before. I love the California sunshine, but I can't wait for their Connecticut wedding in August!
He's a natural.
Stunning!
Finally, a shout-out to Ed and Bart who tagged along as assistants. Thanks for your help!
Junghwa & Brandon | Cincinnati Wedding Photographer
There was no way around it. She was becoming anxious. They were running behind, and all the logistics of pushing back her hair appointment, changing locations, and moving people around were starting to overwhelm her. Junghwa made it through her makeup session by sneaking in phone calls between brushstrokes, and then she rushed off to the salon.
He met her there, the fair-headed boy with a super sweet smile. Brandon stepped into the buzzing salon to bring Junghwa her dress and all her sparkling accessories. They shared only a momentary exchange before she had to rush off again to get changed. It was as if the world was spinning, and they could only spin so fast to keep up.
It wasn't until the car ride that all that spinning stopped. Or rather, the world was still spinning, but it was they who were still. In that brief trip from the hair salon to the church, Junghwa found her center of gravity again. With his warm, gentle presence and his boyish charm, Brandon soothed away the weight of her anticipation. By the time they arrived at the church, she was a completely different person. Calm. Whole. At peace. Ready to walk down the aisle with the man she loved.
Junghwa & Brandon, thank you so much for inviting me back to Ohio to be a part of your beautiful wedding day. I can still feel the love from your friends and family surrounding everything and everyone. And of course, I wish you all the very best as you continue to center each other in your new life together.
Multitasking as Jean Folchi does her airbrushing magic.
Junghwa's aunts and mom help her get dressed downstairs in the salon...
...as the men sit around waiting upstairs.
This conscientious videographer (the boyfriend of one of the bridesmaids) could be seen faithfully recording everything throughout the entire day.
My really awesome second shooter Elliot captured the guys getting themselves together. It was about an hour into the shoot that Brandon recognized Elliot from junior high. Later, I recognized Brandon's sister Meredith from junior high as well. Small world-- and it all ties back to Sycamore Junior High!
Junghwa and Brandon are both musicians-- Junghwa the pianist, and Brandon the conductor. It only made sense that music would figure largely in their wedding too. Guests could be heard commenting throughout the rest of the day how beautiful it was.
A quick prayer before the ceremony.
The guests fill the seats at St. Saviour Church.
Mom and dad give Brandon a final go-over.
The wedding was officiated by Father Bernie McAniff, S.J. who traveled to be there.
After a nice midday break. The guests headed over to Brandon's family's home for the wonderful backyard reception. The cake looks divine!
A nice detail from the bride's parents. Junghwa laughed when she saw it, explaining something about them and pandas.
Junghwa changed into her second outfit for the reception-- a beautiful Korean gown.
What a good looking family! Brandon looking strapping on the left, and his cousin Chris looking, well, like he belongs in a magazine, on the right.
Brandon's father enveloped in conversation with Bethany, another girl I knew from high school.
Jason gave a hilarious toast-- short and sweet.
The maid of honor spoke first in Korean and then translated to English. While she was speaking in Korean, she had a momentary lapse, and she paused mid-sentence, trying to remember what to say. Someone from the audience generously offered, "Brandon?" as she broke out laughing, saying, "I know his name is Brandon!"
The bride's mother and aunt, and Brandon's mother looking on.
A great sequence captured by Elliot: the funniest bouquet toss I've ever seen. Notice how the bouquet goes in a direct path, right to the bridesmaid. Now, notice how Junghwa is turned around looking straight at the bridesmaid. The other girls never even had a chance!
Junghwa is getting a kick out of this. They even practiced the toss beforehand. Hahaha.
Their very sweet first dance, to Claire de Lune. Elliot's angle from above.
And my angle. Like little wings taking flight.
Vendors:
Makeup: Jean Folchi
Hair: Le Salon Hair Salon, Montgomery, Ohio
Wedding Coordinator: Jan Ortman
Ceremony Venue: St. Saviour Parish, Cincinnati, Ohio
Celebrant: Father Bernie McAniff, S.J.
Musicians: Friends of the bride and groom
Reception Venue: Private home, Blue Ash, Ohio
Catering: Garnish Catering, Blue Ash, Ohio
Photographer: Anna Wu Photography, with thanks to my second shooter, Elliot Kim.
Gina & David’s Engagement | Cincinnati Engagement Photographer
Summer in Cincinnati really feels like summer. The air is damp with humidity, the temperature already 85 by May. Knowing all this, we set out nice and early at 7am to avoid the heat and take advantage of the delicious early-morning lighting. The one thing I had forgotten about was the mosquitoes. They had a little buffet, leaving 5 or 6 grossly swollen bites on my legs. But it was so completely worth it.
I've known Gina since my middle and high school days growing up in Cincinnati. She lived next door to my piano teacher, and her younger siblings Kristin and Steven were my rambunctious little campers at summer camp. We've all come a long way since then. Part of me is still shocked that Gina is getting married already, but I'm so honored to be a part of it all. David is a really sweet guy, and the two of them together are just such warm, humble people with a knack for making those around them feel just wonderful.
One final side note before I leave you to the pictures-- I'm beginning my business transformation with a whole new infrastructure and rebranding. So as the first visible sign of this transition, I'm trying on new watermarking that I may or may not keep. Leave me a comment if you have any thoughts! More changes are yet to come.
This next photo could use some explanation. Their fellow Kentucky Wildcats might get a kick out of it, as this is the "John Wall dance" which is inexplicably popular. I can't explain. Just google it if you'd like to know more. These two are adorable doing it though. =)
Melissa & Nori | Berkeley Engagement Photographer
Their courtship began in the middle of winter in upstate New York with a story complete with cute coffee shop, Nori trekking (on foot) across town and Melissa with a terrible cold, red nose, and high fever. Of course, from that cold, blustery beginning blossomed their immeasurably warm, loving relationship. And now they're getting married! Both Melissa and Nori's families are in California, and so they came here to shoot their engagement session and will be back to have their wedding in the fall.
Together, we explored Berkeley and all its wonderful little nooks and crannies-- a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Margaret & Eric’s Engagement | Berkeley Engagement Photographer
Their relationship is quiet but insistent, punctuated by laughter. It's built on a deep caring for one another. Simple tasks and quiet discoveries. Long conversations and simply watching television together. It's not flashy. It's not a show put on for others. It's love. Pure, simple, beautiful. No bells and whistles needed.
I've known Margaret since we were in junior high at summer camp. She might not know this, but I've always admired her from afar. She's a brilliant person with the strongest of convictions, and passion for working toward a better world. And even though I've only known Eric briefly, I can just feel the beauty in their lasting connection. Margaret and Eric have a very sweet story of courtship and an engagement involving ring pops, but I will save the full story for their wedding.
For now, their engagement session: we headed to the Berkeley Marina on a very sunny day, right after daylight savings kicked in.
This squirrel was really funny running around with its leafy greens. I just had to let it into the blog post somehow.
Gorgeous.
Loved Margaret's dress and the colors in this. No enhancements needed- basically straight out of camera.
I'm already looking forward to their September wedding! And excitedly keeping up with the planning details along the way.
Bridal Shoot at the Bellevue Club | Oakland Wedding Photographer
A beautiful venue, a talented floral designer, three models, three hair/makeup artists, two photographers, and two assistants. What a dream shoot!
We had a wonderful collaborative bridal shoot at the Bellevue Club by Lake Merritt in Oakland, with all twelve contributors donating their time and services toward the project. My hope was to get some great portfolio shots for everyone and also to work with other local wedding vendors. I was especially excited to connect with Ellen Kim from Gingerleaf Floral and Angel Saldaña from the Bellevue Club, since both amazing women are based right here in Oakland. I had a great time working with everyone though. It was really a treat since I'm usually out on my own.
The Bellevue Club sits right across from Lake Merritt, nestled inconspicuously in a residential neighborhood. It's a great mansion that's been around since 1929, but I've driven by it many times without even suspecting the grandeur inside.
I've now worked with several makeup artists from A-List Makeup based in San Jose, and they've all been wonderful. We had three makeup artists, originally intended for three female models. But sadly, one model simply never showed. We adapted and made the most of it!
The ring is from Dianne Jago, my wonderful second shooter. I'm looking forward to more collaborations in the future.
It's a fun challenge to create work for clients, but it's whole different experience to be able to create whatever you want for yourself. Ellen really ran with the opportunity and did an amazing job with the florals for this shoot. We created two looks for the shoot. The first was white and purple, with over-the-top elegance fitting of the venue.
Sarah was a stunning bridesmaid for our shoot. In real life, she's a martial arts instructor.
Puneet just moved to California recently, but he was previously modeling, acting, and dancing in India. Yes, he's a natural.
And playing the role of bride is Autumn Pricolo, looking beautiful in her wedding dress.
Switching to our second look. Hot pink, modern, chic.
Many thanks again to everyone who participated in the shoot! It was such a great experience, I'm already dreaming up what we can do next time.
And that's not all! View much more of the shoot on the Anna Wu Photography Facebook page.
Venue: Bellevue Club, Angel Saldaña
Floral Design: Ellen Kim, Gingerleaf Floral
Models: Puneet Aneja, Autumn Pricolo, Sarah Marleau
Hair/Makeup: A-List Makeup: Kansinee Adsanatham, Kathy Ly, Emily Nguyen
Photographer: Anna Wu, Anna Wu Photography
Second Shooter: Dianne Jago, Jagophoto
Assistants: Lucy Saephan, Vay Hoang