As a wedding photographer, it was a great experience to have my own wedding to experience what it feels like to be a client/groom. I actually had a lot of fun and enjoyed almost all the aspects of a wedding, planning, looking for vendors, etc. I know how it feels like now for brides and grooms to go through all the effort that goes into planning a wedding. Our wedding took place in Livermore at Wente Winery and even though it rained for most of the day, everything went well with some minor adjustments. The rain stopped right in time for our bridal party portraits and the ceremony which was really nice.

In the beginning, choosing a date, choosing the venue, can be a big headache as theres so many choices. As the date gets closer, I basically just wanted to get it all over with but now that its all done, I do have to say it was all worth it. Since it is usually a once in a lifetime event, it is well worth everything that goes into the event. We tried to keep the wedding simple yet elegant and all within a reasonable budget and I would say we did pretty well.

Stay tuned for pics from the wedding as well as a detailed writeup about all the vendors, websites, and tips that I used to help me plan my wedding that can hopefully help others in planning their special day.

Here are some detail shots of the ceremony and reception areas of Hotel Sofitel in Redwood Shores. This is a great location to have a wedding at as it has a great location in the peninsula and is super convenient. The outdoor area for a ceremony was beautiful. There were also plenty of spots inside and outside for photos. There are also good banquet hall options whether you want to have a big or intimate wedding reception.

Jackie and James had their wedding ceremony at the All Saints Catholic Church in Hayward and wedding reception at Hotel Valencia in Santana Row in San Jose. The bride and groom got ready at the Hotel in San Jose but the ceremony was in Hayward but I think the day was planned very well because it was not rushed at all. The church was huge and beautiful which made the drive back and forth from Hotel Valencia worthwhile!

The dinner reception at Hotel Valencia was quite beautiful and elegant. I assisted Michael Soo of Capture the Love and below are some of the detail shots that I focused on for the wedding.

Yummy candy and sweets!

The bride had two beautiful wedding dresses!

The All Saints Catholic Church in Hayward

This is a great reaction expression to a wedding!

The decor and decoration of the reception dinner were super nice