Last Saturday, Henry and I had the opportunity to document Hoai and Huynh’s wedding day celebration. It was a really long day for us, 15 hours to be exact. We started at 7:30AM at the Courtyard Marriot in Richmond where the bride and bridesmaids were getting ready. Even though it was so early, everyone was up, chatting away and smiling while getting their make up and hair done.
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I instantly feel in love with Hoai’s wedding dress. It reminded me so much of mine: ivory white satin and ruffled chiffon to add texture and interest to the final look.
Their day started with a Vietnamese tea ceremony at Hoai’s parent’s home in Richmond. For the tea ceremony, Hoai wore the traditional red ao dai and headdress. To finish the look, her bridesmaids wore matching coral ao dai. As you might notice below, the bridesmaid’s ao dai is the more contemporary version (hence the open neck).
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In the Vietnamese culture, red is the color of happiness and luck. So for weddings, the bride always wear red (though nowadays, you might find some brides wearing white ao dai to match the American white wedding dress.)
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Huynh, opted to go with the more contemporary look and went with suit and tie. And he looked pretty darn good in it, wouldn’t you say?
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Then in front of their parents and relatives, Hoai and Huynh exchanged wedding rings. Usually at this time, the groom’s parents would gift their new daughter-in-law jewelries and the bride’s relatives would take turn giving them gifts (usually money to help them start their new life together).
After the ceremony at the bride parent’s home, the groom would escort his new wife home and they would have another celebration ceremony at his parent’s house.
So off to Stockton we went. After the tea ceremony and lunch, we stole the bride and groom for a bit to do some formal photos while Hoai is still wearing her ao dai.
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Since the bridesmaids will be changing out of their ao dai too, we asked them to join the fun too. And of course we can’t leave the groomsmen out.
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These guys are seriously some of the coolest people we’ve photographed. They were up for whatever, even doing ninja kicks in their suits. Of course, I was yelling the whole time, “Don’t kick the bridesmaids! Don’t kick the bridesmaids!!!” LMAO
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While waiting for the bride to change into her white wedding dress, I took the opportunity to grab some detail shots in front of the garage.
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Then we are off to the University of the Pacific for formal bridal photos. (As you can tell, they might have had a little bit too much fun in the limo).

We started with photos with the whole bridal party first: some formal, lots of fun ones, then finished it with just the bride and groom.
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After the bridal photoshoot, we are off to the Wedding Reception at Happy Garden Seafood Restaurant in Sacramento, CA. Yup! In one day, we went from Sacramento to the Bay Area, then to Stockton then back to Sacramento again. It was a lot of driving for everyone but hey! A day like this only happens once!!!
As for the photos at Happy Garden, I am going to let you see and interpret them for yourself. I will say though, WHAT A WAY TO CLOSE OUT 2016 FOR US. This was one of the classiest, most fun and butt wild weddings we have ever shot!!!!
GUYS, I have never seen the groom stripped so many times before or so many dollar bills flying around when they didn’t even have a money dance. bahahahaahha…
Congratulations Hoai and Huynh! We are so happy for you! Henry and I are so grateful for the opportunity to be there to document your fun, tearful, crazy, wild, happy and memorable day! We love you so much!!!!
xoxo, Tra
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