Jialing and Lenny were married on Memorial Day weekend at Verandas in Manhattan Beach, California. Some of my favorite weddings that I’ve photographed over the years have been at Verandas and last Saturday was no exception. We started the day with the girls getting ready at Jialing and Lenny’s home in Manhattan Beach. The boys got ready at the Hilton Garden Inn in El Segundo. We had them meet up for the first time at the Manhattan Beach Pier for their first look. And the rest is history. If you’re interested in seeing more photos, click here to view the entire wedding gallery.

One of the groomsmen helps Lenny with his cufflinks.

These space ship cufflinks were a gift from Jialing.

And yes, they look really nice when photographed in pretty window light.

The wedding bands. More action from them later.

Shoes by Stuart Weitzman

Pearls and Diamonds

The bridesmaids (and Jialing’s mom) help with the dress.

Manhattan Beach Pier

Jialing and Lenny saw each other before the ceremony. Lenny is about to turn and see his bride in her gown for the first time.

The light is so pretty underneath the Manhattan Beach pier. And so are the bridesmaids.

It’s hard to make groomsmen look tough in bare feet.

The bride and groom. Oh, wait a minute …

madhotsexy®

You know he’s whispering something naughty right?

Oh goody! She’ll marry me!

As you might imagine, since it was Memorial Day weekend, the beach was SUPER crazy. There was no
hope of a solitary wedding day walk on Manhattan beach so I went for this look instead.

Things are better in threes … at Verandas in Manhattan Beach

Work it!

The groom’s father gazes out a window at the wedding guests.

The father of the bride walks Jialing down the aisle.

Lenny looks awfully happy watching Jialing walk down the aisle.

The wedding ceremony at Verandas in Manhattan Beach, California

Another view of the wedding ceremony at Verandas

During the wedding recessional Lenny looked … well he looked kind of apprehensive.

Everyone

I love it when wedding guests dress to impress!

The first floor reception tables at Verandas in Manhattan Beach

Flowers by My Wedding Blooms

Bling

Cake by Let them Eat Cake

I usually only feature a single wedding cake photo on my blog posts, but this cake
was so awesome I felt that I had to break my own photography rules!

And another view of the wedding cake.

Last one … I promise.

Cutting the wedding cake doesn’t count as another cake photo does it?

The bride’s father delivers a humorous and touching speech during the wedding reception.

I don’t often show food on the blog, but since Jialing and Lenny
had us served with the same courses as the wedding guests, we took
the time to take some nice photographs of the small feast. This
particular dish is seared duck salad. Quack, quack!

Pea Shoot Soup
(and it was spectacular)

Cold Soba Noodles and Vegetable Tempura
(I really liked the Tempura)

Raspberry Sorbet

Mesquite Grilled Flat Iron Steak

The Band

These girls could dance!

This dance move has a name right?

Dana and Ken live in New York City (although Dana is from Los Angeles) but since they’re having a Pasadena wedding later this year, they wanted a beach engagement session–and what better place than on and around the Santa Monica Pier!

In case you were wondering, Ken is a boy and Dana is a girl …

… and sometimes like like standing next to each other …

… or staring moodily off into the distance.

 

The eyes have it!

They make each other laugh … or perhaps that was me saying something funny.

 

I chopped their heads off! I need to get better control of my camera!

My new favorite sign around the pier. I never noticed it until this trip.

Dana requested swinging … and so she got swinging.

Walking on the boardwalk is always a good way to pass the time …

… as is standing under the pier.

Did you find something Mister?

Apparently the water is awfully cold in May! And look at Dana’s crazy jumping skills.

Katie and Evan had a small, intimate wedding for friends and family on a bluff overlooking Paradise Cove in Malibu, California. They are Los Angeles area natives but now live in Chicago so this was a great location to celebrate their marriage. Friends and family stayed at the Malibu Country Inn  and that’s where the bride and groom got ready as well. If you’d like to see the whole gallery and you know Katie’s maiden name, click here to view all of their wedding photos.

The girls get ready before the wedding at Malibu Country Inn. Katie’s reading my notes
about wedding day planning. I told her it was too late for that!

The Dress

The Rings

 

The Booze and the Boy

Fierce!

madhotsexy®

 

Sweet

Pretty Bouquet

Groomsmen Gifts

Boutonnieres is a difficult word to spell correctly.

I asked the Coast Guard to do a fly-by.

Smoochie!

Evan was really thinking about it …

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The future’s so bright, they gotta wear …

There are some other photos from under the pier but this is a PG blog.

Wedding details are always nice.

My camera’s lens hood malfunctioned when I took this photo–but I kind of
liked the effect. Besides, I’m sure the bride’s mother got the shot anyway!

Now where is the bride’s left hand?

Uncle "Bob" with his camera …

I never tilt photos because I hate tilted photos. But this one time I’m going to post one on my blog. It was
the only way I could have the bride’s mom, the groom’s grandmother, and the ring bearer in a single frame.

 

Daddy’s little girl.

The setting was pretty spectacular. I’m really surprised that more brides don’t know about this awesome wedding venue!

Oh yeah!

I can’t remember the last time I saw a groom bustle a dress.

I love this photo mostly because of the Fonz (who was standing to my left).

 

For some reason, they liked to kiss an awful lot. But who am I to judge?

Unlike Jennifer Anniston in Office Space, I love good flair! [sic]

Jess and Chris worked extra hard to make their engagement session special. They picked great locations, brought tons of cool props, and dressed to impress! It was almost too easy to take some great photos of these guys! We started the day at the Santa Monica pier in Santa Monica, California. Then we moved on to the strand in Venice and then finally back to the Santa Monica pier to pick up their bikes. You’ll see more of these guys later this year as I’ll be their wedding photographer at the Stone Manor in Malibu in September.

The engagement session begins at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California.

Jess and Chris rode their bikes down to meet me at the Santa Monica pier.

Holding hands while riding a bike is much harder than it looks!

Chris had a cameras so Jess brought them
to help illustrate their love of photography.

I couldn’t decide which camera photo was my favorite so I included both!

Jess and Chris brought their favorite magazines. Jess picked that particular edition because of the George
Clooney cover. Personally, I like the photo of Chuck doing a ninja move on the back cover.

Who is the prize in this relationship?

The make such a perfect couple!

That box Chris was standing on was kind of rickety.
I should have had offered him a stunt double.

Silver Wall. Check!

Jess’ shoes were madhotsexy™!

I might be wrong, but I think Jess wanted to give the message that Chris was sometimes full of hot air!

Green Wall. Check!

Shops open kind of late on the Venice boardwalk.

These guys are rock stars!

We found this cute cartoon on the side of an apartment building in Venice, California.

They went crazy with their tiger claw karate moves. They
must have just watched The Last Kingdom on DVD.

They’re standing against a wall looking unhappy. This is a must have shot for any
modern wedding photographer. And yes, there’s a hidden meaning to this caption.

I’m pointing out Jess’ madhotsexy™ shoes again–but I’m disguising it with this nice photo of Chris!

No engagement session is complete without an alcohol advertisement.

Yellow Wall. Check!

And now we have a "we’re walking on the beach" photo. Hrrrrm. Now wait a second …

 

So are these porpoises or dolphins? Who can tell?

The porthole under the Santa Monica Pier.

Who would win this race?

We know who’s in the driver’s seat of this relationship!

Cute shoes, cute clothes, cute bikes.