Posts tagged los angeles wedding photographer
VALENTINE DTLA WEDDING PHOTOS - AKIKO + SEBASTIAN - LOS ANGELES DOWNTOWN WEDDING

“I knew to expect something special when we hired two former news photographers for ur day - but I’m seriously blown away by their work! Thank you Annie and Brett for documenting this day as only you two can.” - Akiko

Akiko and Sebastian’s wedding at Valentine DTLA was filled with love and celebrations with people who hadn’t been able to see one another since the pandemic started.

Akiko is a TV journalist - sounds familiar? yes, I was a journalist too! hehe, and Sebastian is a DP (director of photography). They met online back in 2015, when they were both living in LA. Akiko didn't have a profile photo set up - so Sebastian took a leap of faith in reaching out. They met up for lunch in downtown first and spent the first 6 months of our relationship in LA. Then, Akiko decided to take a job in Singapore, and they began a near 4 year long, long-distance journey. Sebastian works freelance as a DP, he was able to fly in for several weeks to a month at a time. He also took up some jobs in Southeast Asia so they could be in the same city for longer. After 2.5 years in Singapore, Akiko decided to move to Hong Kong with the same company (the opportunity was just too good to pass up!). So they spent another year of long distance, this time between Hong Kong and LA. The plan was to eventually move back to LA (where Sebastian is based), but when another job opportunity popped up in New York in 2019, he encouraged her to take it. For the last 2+ years, he has been splitting time between LA and New York, where Akiko is currently based.

“Put simply, our relationship has been all about managing different cities and travel, and finding a way to stay in the same city.”

LOS ANGELES BACKYARD WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY - ASHLEE + TYLER
 

As much as COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful, this experience has actually given us reevaluate our previous plans and our values and what’s important in life. The backyard wedding of Ashlee and Tyler just did that (at least for me.) We talked about whether or not we should postpone the wedding. With daily changes of city/state’s restrictions and the virus spread, Tyler’s mom Suzanne and I exchanged many emails and multiple phone calls, and ultimately, it came down to be still thankful for what we have and the ability to celebrate this amazing life event, so it was a GO with just immediate family members and a couple of friends.

Tyler, who’s the biggest fan of LA Dodgers, wore blue suits and we watched LIVE World Series that evening after the wedding.

My ultimate favorite moment of this wedding, which exactly tells their/our story of this time of crisis, was when more of their friends and family members did a “drive-through” in front of the house and congratulated Ashlee and Tyler.

I’m sure all of us will never forget this day.

 
 
 
The York Manor in Highland Park Wedding - Ashley and Matt

Happy belated anniversary, Ashley and Matt! <3

Honestly though, I don’t want to write anything for their wedding - ONLY because their photos came out as raw as a wedding day could get, representing exactly who they are and how many awesome people they’re surrounded by. Ashley and Matt met in 2011 while working at Apple store of Galleria, and the way Matt proposed to Ashley is beyond amazing. I literally screamed! They dance (or used to?) with a wild group of go-go dancers, called Random Acts of Irreverent Dance (aka RAID) and basically at midnight of Sept. 24, 2016, he threw a mashup show surprise proposal to Ashley in front of friends and many many screaming fans. I hope they don’t mind sharing the clip here.

Matt is super talented working in film industry (also as an actor) and is only child while Ashley is the laidback yet more organized brain (than Matt, I think?) working as an account manager and has an emotional relationship with her mom. Her man of honor was also Matt (this gotta be her favorite name!), and it was my first time witnessing the man of honor helping the bride with her wedding dress. They had a Kogi taco truck for dinner then ice cream sandwich for dessert; it was so fun! We walked around the block and inside of the venue at The York Manor in Highland Park to make a few portraits with my amazing help Brett. Their day I remembered and witnessed was complete with so many moments of euphoria and celebration of their amazing love.