If someone had told me before this past Saturday that every one of my weddings was going to be 15 hours long, with two ceremonies, 3 dresses, 2 sets of portraits and 500 guests I might have lost my nerve, but after Tina and Hung’s amazing Vietnamese Wedding in Denver this past weekend, I almost wish they were!
Complete with a trip to a local Amusement Park for portraits, this event had IT ALL, including a gorgeous, fun, laid back couple whose only priority on the day was to make the most of every minute… and maybe snag a few amazing photos in the process 😉
I’ve never had a 7am show time for a wedding before, but when I arrived at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver to shoot the girls getting ready and saw that beautiful morning light streaming into the windows, I was hoping I have more early start days in the future.
A big thank you to Jim Heine for being my second shooter for the day – he did a great job with the guys getting ready.
You didn’t need to be able to speak Vietnamese to be able to tell how much the traditional tea ceremony meant to the couple and their honored guests. The vibrant colors you see at these cultural events are an absolute pleasure to photograph.
The first set of portraits was done at quite possibly the smallest park ever just outside St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Denver where the couple was slated to have their American ceremony following a quickie dress change.
Tina looked as stunning in her white wedding gown as she did in her pale blue Áo Dài.
Finally came our favorite part of the day; a trip to Lakeside Amusement Park in Denver! After a rocky start dealing with a power-tripping theme-park chaperone with no soul who wouldn’t let me on any of the rides and almost didn’t even let the wedding party on them, we finally got into a good groove and had a blast utilizing this unique setting. Tina and Hung had so much fun, I could have sworn they completely forgot they were dressed to the nines!
Last stop of the day was the Queen of Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church (Parish Center) in Wheatridge. I had seen photos of the venue previously, but was shocked when I saw it all decked out with couple’s carefully planned decor. There wasn’t a wall that wasn’t draped and lit, creating an inviting atmosphere for the table toasts, games and finally, lots and lots of dancing!
To Tina and Hung: I can count on one hand the number of couples we’ve had who would be up for even half of the fun, unique things we did on your wedding day, but I wish there were more. More people who remembered what the day is REALLY about, and that’s not keeping your dress clean or every hair in place. It’s not about having every event run on time, or go perfectly as planned. It’s about celebrating the idea of spending the rest of your lives together. I saw that in your smiles at the theme park (giddy almost), and in your body language during your first dance. I saw that connection through the very end of the night when you completely forgot there were cameras watching, and that’s really something special. So Congratulations again, and thanks for choosing us to tell your story!