Archive for the ‘Weddings’ Category

When Nassar first contacted me to do a day after/engagement session, I was so excited! Wait, how can it be a day after AND an engagement session? Okay, let me explain. In Asian culture, it’s typical to wear formals during your engagement session, and they’ll typically call it a pre-wedding session instead of an engagement session. So in that sense, it was their engagement session. But it’s also their day after session because they went to the Las Vegas city hall the day before to get married, and then have a formal ceremony/reception later both in Taiwan and North Carolina, where Nassar is from. So yes, two sides of the same coin!

Alice and Nassar wanted a scenic place since they both love the outdoors. Alice actually worked at Yellowstone for a summer. So after a lot of research, we decided to that Red Rock Canyon would be the perfect place. And it was a great decision because the photos turned out beautifully!!

Daileny of Daileny’s Hair and Makeup did an amazing job on Alice’s hair (highly recommend her for her services!), and woke up at 4 am so we could finish the session before it got too hot. Yes, 4 am, that’s how we roll in Las Vegas! Sadly, the weather didn’t really cool down so it was already hot at 6 am. But I still considered ourselves lucky despite because it rained the day before and all day the day after. I definitely did not to get Alice’s dresses dirty!

They are such a beautiful couple that I would have photographed all day if I could!
Las Vegas wedding portraits by Emily Ku Photography

Stunning couple + stunning background = stunning photo.
Bridge and groom portaits at Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas

I posted this preview on Facebook and it’s been my most popular sneak peek so far!
Las Vegas wedding photography

These little scooter cars from Scoot City Tours are adorable! You can take tours in these scooter cars around Red Rock Canyon.
Bride and groom in mini car

Love these mountains in the background.
Day after session at Red Rock in Las Vegas

Oh I love how the ruffles are flowing in this image. I have a new found love for ruffled dresses now!
Wedding photos by Las Vegas wedding photographer

Such a pretty, happy bride. And a groom laughing. :) These candid moments are my favorite types of images to capture.
Smiling bride and groom by Las Vegas wedding photographer

I think Alice and Nassar must like to do a lot of jumping pictures because they are pros at this! This is on the first try.
Bride and groom jumping at Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas

Las Vegas wedding photographer shooting at Red Rock Canyon

There are so many beautiful images from this session, so I created a slideshow for you to enjoy! You can also view more images on my Facebook fan page.


Congrats to Kerry and Matt, who just got married last weekend! You may recall their baseball themed engagement session last fall. I am so giddy about seeing their picture that I took in in the New York Times! The Times is one of my favorite newspapers, and every so often I will read the featured celebration in the Weddings section because I love to read about how they met and how they overcame the bumps they experienced in their relationship. Sometimes when there’s a lot of depressing news being reported, it’s nice to flip to the Weddings section and read a happy ending.

Photo in the New York Times wedding section

Brides, if you are planning to submit a wedding announcement in any newspaper, read their guidelines carefully before your engagement session so you know exactly what they want. You don’t want to risk rejection just because your picture does not fit their standards. The New York Times has a set format and very specific guidelines. For example, the eyebrows of the couple are supposed to be on the same level (I kid you not! It actually says that!). So it’s difficult if one person is taller than the other! I had them sitting down, which helped some, and it took a few tries to get it right but we did it!

What makes it extra special is that their wedding announcement is featured prominently with their photo and not lumped into the “More weddings and celebrations” section that you see below in the bottom left (there were more but I cut it off in the screenshot). It is quite an honor to get featured, especially in June which is one of the busiest months for weddings! Here is the link to the original article.

Wedding announcement in the New York Times

Colleen + Paul married!

June 15, 2011

Last month, Colleen and Paul flew in from New York to get married here in Las Vegas. I didn’t meet them until 2 days before the wedding, and we only talked on the phone until then. But Colleen was really sweet over the phone, and they sounded like a very laid back couple. When I met them in person, I got to know them a little more, and they were so calm when I met them. There were no jitters that I could see, but maybe because they have been dating for over a decade!

Forty of their closest friends and family flew out to celebrate their wedding day with them. It was a beautiful, intimate wedding held at Caesar’s Palace.

I loved Colleen’s flower girl! She was so precious and had on the cutest flower girl dress! The wedding gazebo is out by the pool so that’s why we are passing by the towel station.
walking through Caesar's Palace

Caesar's Palce wedding by Las Vegas wedding photographer

The gardens at Caesar’s Palace is gorgeous! They recently changed the rules and no longer allow brides to bring outside photographers, so this may be my first and last time photographing here! So sad!
Outdoor wedding at Caesar's Palace Las Vegas

I found out Paul absolutely hates taking pictures, so I tried to do the bride and groom portraits as fast and painless as possible. I am not sure if Paul would agree, but he looks happy that I’m taking his picture here!
Las Vegas strip wedding photography

While waiting for the limo, I was able to sneak in a few more portraits by the front gardens of Caesar’s. Such an adorable couple!
Couple kissing outside of Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas

Couple strolling around gardens at Caesar's Palace

Colleen ended up hiring a limo to take them to the reception at Maggiano’s. Originally she wanted to walk since it’s only a block, but it is one very looong block, especially when it is hot outside and you are in a wedding dress!
Couple walking to limo in front of Caesar's Palace casino

Couple making their entrance at their Las Vegas wedding reception

Paul used to compete professionally in motocross, and so Colleen surprised him with a motocross cake! I love the originality of the cake and how the tires make up the layers of the cake, and was really well designed.
Couple having their first dance at Maggiano's in Las Vegas

Colleen had pink uplighting, which was a great touch to the dance floor! And yes, that is the flower doing “the sprinkler”! Love it!
Couple cutting a motocross cake at their Las Vegas wedding reception

Dance pictures covered by Las Vegas weddding photographer

You can view more pictures on my Facebook fan page or portfolio site!

This is my last New England wedding left to blog! Emotionally it’s been very hard to blog this wedding, because this really signifies the end of my time in New England. Literally right after I shot this wedding, my husband and I packed up the car with our belongings and drove across the country to Nevada, where we now live. I really enjoyed living in Boston despite the long winter, meeting amazing couples, and photographing at equally amazing locations and venues. Jeanette and Steven are no exception! They had a beautiful wedding in picturesque New Hampshire, where the leaves were changing to stunning reds and oranges, then a reception at the Marriott.

Jeanette and Steven were planning their wedding from DC, so they booked me over the phone. I like meeting my couples before the wedding so I can really get to know them, but it’s not always possible, especially if they live in another state. But luckily I was in DC for a weekend for a friend’s wedding and was able to meet with both of them despite both of us having really crazy schedules! We had talked a bit over the phone already, so by the time we met in person, it was almost like meeting old friends for coffee. I found out that they met while both conducting research at the National Institutes for Health…then one thing led to another! Now Steven doing his residency anesthesiology while Jeanette pursues a MD/PhD. Talk about one smart couple!

This wedding touched my heart in so many ways. I thought that after photographing a certain number of weddings, they wouldn’t affect me as much, but I still get that warm fuzzy feeling during ceremonies. And this wedding was no different. I could really see and feel the love that Jeanette and Steven have for each other and for God. And I don’t Steven took his eyes off Jeanette the whole day! I have so many pictures that I want to share, so here goes!

My second shooter Karman Lee and I got up bright and early and started shooting at 8 AM since their wedding ceremony was in the morning. I started by taking getting ready pictures of the bride getting her hair and makeup done by her mother, who did a phenomenal job on her hair.
bride applying makeup

bride getting ready

Meanwhile, Karman took pictures of the boys getting ready.
groom getting ready

Jeanette and Steven decided to do a first look before heading off to the church, which I love! The fall leaves in the background were the perfect backdrop.
bride and groom first look

wedding portraits with changing leaves

Jeanette looking and feeling so happy as we walk to the church!
walking to the church on a windy day

I was hanging out with the bride before the wedding, while Karman went around to get some other shots, like of the cute flower girls and ring bearer. Aren’t they so cute! Everyone was really relaxed and having fun right before the ceremony.
having fun before the ceremony starts

bride walking down the aisle

I love getting a photo of the back of the dress as the bride walks down the aisle, but this can only happen with a second shooter!
second shooter view of father escorting bride

bride and groom honoring parents

exchanging of rings

bride and groom first kiss

Karman’s view of the first kiss
bride and groom kiss

bride and groom portraits by Las Vegas wedding photographer

It was really windy and Jeanette’s veil was flying everywhere, but it can be really cool, like in this image.
veil masking the bride and groom as they kiss

Jeanette changed into a purple sash for the reception, which I thought was a great idea!
bride and groom entrance

Speeches from the best man, maid of honor, and father of the bride.
speeches from bridal party and father of the bride

cutting the cake

Jeanette changed into her qipao (Chinese dress) for the first dance. Her qipao was made by her very talented aunt! I really like the color of her qipao too.
dancing pictures

Having fun on the dance floor with the ring bearer!
groom dancing with the ring bearer

Congratulations again Jeanette and Steven, and I can’t wait for your new little addition to your family!

LeAnne and Blake were my 10.10.10 couple, which is probably the coolest date for a wedding! Not to mention it’s all binary, but I will stop before some readers think I am dorky for for mentioning that! You may remember them from the engagement shoot we did back in May. We actually did their engagement photos at the same place as their wedding, the gardens of Arlington City Hall! If you drive down Mass Ave, you can see the sides of the park, but most of it is hidden behind City Hall. It’s a hidden treasure! Then we walked a few yards over to their reception at the Whittemore-Robbins House, which is a beautiful, historic house owned by the city of Arlington. I get anxious sometimes with outdoor weddings because it rains a lot in Boston, but the weather was perfect fall weather. I had a ton of fun photographing their fall-themed wedding, and they really know how to party!

LeAnne getting ready with her bridesmaids. I love the back of her dress.
bride getting ready

The bouquet was a mix of sunflowers and succulents, and Blake sported a really cool boutonniere! I don’t know what they are called, but they look like mini pumpkins!
wedding bouquet and boutonniere

bride and groom exchanging rings

It was extremely sunny, and the bridal party was facing the sun as they walked down the aisle. This also meant I am shooting into the sun and getting lots of lens flare. It has a cool effect though!
wedding ceremony by Las Vegas wedding photographer

We walked around the gardens and took some relaxed portraits. They were eager to get back to their guests and enjoy their cocktail hour, and I can’t blame them! They had a jazz band, warm soft pretzels, and apple cider!
bride and groom walking

bride and groom hugging

Some of the details at the Whittemoore-Robbins House.
details inside Whittemore-Robbins house

The room was very long and narrow, so it was hard to capture the bride and groom with the best man while he’s giving his speech. So I used the mirror behind them to my advantage!
best man toast

Best man speeches always make guests smile!
guest applause

Ice cream buffet station. Can we say yum?
bride at the ice cream buffet

LeAnne and Blake had a great choreographed dance. It was a very complicated dance, and I love when the whole crowd is mesmerized!
bride and groom dancing by Las Vegas wedding photographer

And lastly, some photos of guests dancing their hearts out at the end of the night.
bride dancing by Las Vegas wedding photography

LeAnne knows how to party!
dancing at the reception

Ok my first post of the new year! Jen and Ben got married back in September at the beautiful Henderson House in Weston, MA. You may remember their cuteengagement session back in June in Boston Public Garden and Beacon Hill. I absolutely adore this couple! They are both really good-natured and fun to be around. I had a blast getting to know them from the time they booked me to their wedding. I like getting to know my couples and having them trust me as their photographer. A couple of days before the wedding, we decided to move the wedding outdoors, and I couldn’t have been happier! It was a gorgeous wedding and the weather cooperated very nicely!

A few photos of Jee and her bridesmaids getting ready and relaxing before the ceremony.
bride getting ready

Meanwhile, the groom is getting ready at the other side of the house.
groom getting ready

Following traditional Jewish customs, Jee and Ben had the ketubah signing before the ceremony.
ketubah signing

All the family members held hands as the rabbi said a blessing. It was very touching!
Family holding hands for blessing

We were able to sneak away from everyone else for some bride and groom portraits before the ceremony. Every couple should schedule some time alone because your day will be so hectic! It is nice to have some peace and quiet, and you can just pretend I am not there too. :)
bride and groom portraits

This kid stole my heart! So cute!
ringbearer walking down the aisle

Jee walked down the aisle with both her parents! Genius! Seriously, why did I think of that? :)
bride walking down the aisle at Henderson House

The chuppah held by 4 good friends.
Jewish wedding by Las Vegas wedding photographer

Jee and Ben have a great sense of humor, and let their story unfold of how they met at the ceremony. They met through a mutual friend, and verbatim quotes of chat conversations were read aloud during the ceremony of what they first thought of each other. It was hilarious and no one could stop laughing! I know I am not showing many pictures of the wedding guests cracking up but just trust me on this one! :)
mothers of the groom watching the ceremony

Mazel tov!
Breaking the glass

bride and groom are walking down the aisle

bride and groom first dance

My first time at a Jewish wedding with the hora! Jee is holding on for dear life! It was so fun but I admit, it looks pretty scary!
bride and groom lifted up in chairs

Posing with their adorable cupcakes! They cupcakes were beautifully laid out.
bride and groom posing with cupcakes

Everyone got out on the dance floor and had a great time! This is how I like to end the night..and the blogpost!
dancing the night away

Congrats Jee and Ben!! More pictures are over on my Facebook fan page!

I am officially living in Las Vegas now! Frank and I drove 3,000 miles in 3 days, but we did make a pit stop in Chicago to visit friends and family for two days. I am exhausted! I’ve unpacked most of my belongings but there’s still a lot of errands I have to run like stock the kitchen and the dreaded trip to the DMV. But this week I promised myself I’d start blogging and editing weddings for my clients! I am thankful to have clients who are really understanding. :)

Anyway, onto the blog post! I was excited to photograph the pre-wedding festivities of the groom’s family because I’ve never actually been to one before! It was a lot of fun, and I was touched at how much I was treated like family even though they hadn’t met me until that night. Ricky’s family is very warm and full of smiles, and fed me lots of good food. I love how Indian festivities are all about the food, because I was shocked when they told me what I ate was just the appetizers! I hadn’t even gotten to the real food yet!

I don’t claim to be an expert at all of the Indian wedding traditions, but I will explain it the way I understand it. Please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. The night started with the holud, or tumeric cermony, followed by the sangeet, which is a lot of dancing. First, the women prepare like a picture which colored rice.
indian wedding ceremony by las vegas wedding photographer

indian wedding ritual

Then the groom sits in front of the picture, and the women come up to him one at a time and they perform a ritual where they take these plant wisps (for lack of a better term) and anoint the groom with it.
indian holud ceremony

Then they rub the turmeric on the groom. It’s supposed to make the skin glow for their wedding day! The bride usually has a similar ceremony with her side of the family.
turmeric rubbing at indian holud ceremony

They held the ceremony outside, late at night, at the aunt’s house (pictured here- she is very happy and proud!), since his parents are still in India. Taking pictures outdoors was quite a challenge, and the deck we were on was tiny! Everytime I took a picture, I literally bumped into someone. Thankfully no one cared. :)
indian pre-wedding festivities

This part wasn’t explained to me beforehand, so I don’t know the significance of the headscarf, meal, or money. But I like the pink scarf. Nice touch. :)
wedding event by las vegas wedding photographer

Then we moved to a reception hall for the dancing part of the night, called the sangeet. Everyone’s saris are so colorful! Maybe I should have worn something besides all black to blend in! :)
sangeet by Las Vegas wedding photographer

Dancing the night before the wedding ceremony

Indian sangeet with groom's family

Keep your eyes peeled for more posts coming soon!