Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding, Beverly Hills City Hall Wedding, Beverly Hills Wedding Portraits - Emily + Chris

Emily and Chris decided to elope. The reason? “We just want to be married!”

They first met in 2013, and their first date was at Westfield Century City Mall where they watched the movie “Her” - and OMG, this is one of my absolute favorite movies!

Emily is from China but grew up in Los Angeles. They’re artistic, working in the film and design industries, and it was a great honor to be able to document their civil ceremony at the Beverly Hills Courthouse, filled with genuine moments as they exchanged vows.

Following the ceremony, we originally went to go to Greystone Mansion to make some portraits, but when we applied for a photo permit for their wedding day, the area was closed due to an event… So we ventured around the stunning Beverly Hills area, capturing the essence of their joy in portraits. The architecture of the courthouse and Beverly Hills City Hall provided a picturesque backdrop, allowing their personalities to shine in every frame. We’re blessed to have captured their unforgettable memories.

Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding, Beverly Hills City Hall Wedding, Beverly Hills Wedding Portraits

WeddingAnnie BangDecember 11, 2024beverly hills wedding, beverly hills courthouse wedding, beverly hills city hall wedding, beverly hills wedding photographer, beverly hills wedding photography, beverly hills wedding portraits, documentary wedding photography, documentary wedding photographerComment

Durango Colorado Wedding, The Black Diamond Lodge Wedding - Crystal and Hunter

Crystal and Hunter’s wedding was our LAST wedding that was postponed and rescheduled from the COVID pandemic. I believe their date has changed at least 4 times, and a couple of location changes as well. Crystal and Hunter are very spiritual, so of course they wanted something simple and unique and gathered their beloved ones to celebrate their “overdue” wedding. Oh, and Brett and Crystal have known each other for many years when Crystal was a musician back in the days. I believe Brett photographed Crystal when she was in California.

Their wedding at The Black Diamond Lodge in Durango, Colorado offered a stunning backdrop, celebrating the couple’s love amidst the mountains. Nestled in the San Juan National Forest, we took a short car ride into lush aspen and pine trees. It definitely provides a picturesque setting that was ideal for their celebrations.

Their day was “perfectly” coordinated by Amber from Perfect Day Co., and the lodge offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with rustic decor that complements the stunning scenery outside. As the sun sets, the lodge transforms into a cozy retreat, where everyone can celebrate into the evening. They created a truly memorable experience, including a candy piñata for children, a kid’s room, pizzas, fires pits, and sparklers send-off to end the night.

Durango Colorado Wedding, Black Diamond Lodge Wedding

WeddingAnnie BangDecember 10, 2024The Black Diamond Lodge wedding, durango wedding, destination wedding, destination wedding photographer, best destination wedding photographer, candid wedding photo, natural wedding photography, documentary wedding photography, documentary wedding photographer, documentary photographerComment

Los Angeles Documentary Family Photography Session - The Serranos

Honestly, I’m getting a little emotional writing this… I’ve known Aileen and Jaime for a while - yearssss. We planned their wedding together for a couple of years together, getting super excited with all the details. We flew to Mexico - Guanajuato city - to do their engagement session; we had so much fun hanging out. Then Covid pandemic happened. We were carefully watching what was happening and what the rules were during the lockdown. They decided to cancel the wedding. But then, they wanted to just get married. So they came to us (we’re also based in Carlsbad, CA) and eloped in Balboa Park in San Diego with masks on and the 6 foot social distancing rule. Nothing was going to stop their love and their plan to build a family together. During the pandemic, they welcomed Nicolas who turned 3 years this year. When Nicolas was an infant, I went to visit him, hand-delivering their wedding albums, and I still have photos of me holding tiny Nicolas.

The Serrano family recently bought a house in lovely area of Woodland Hills and has invited me to come over and document their typical afternoon with the highly energetic toddler boy and a new puppy. It was so much fun - a lot of running around, and I always like to end the session with a lovely portrait of the family.

(Oh, yes, I’m overdue to post their elopement and engagement portrait photos. I hope to get to them eventually!)