The Most Unique Wedding Ever. Dani + Gabriel
Dani: I think in the face of it all, maybe love and compassion aren't luxuries, but necessities. With love, we're no longer alone in these vastnesses, and we can face them not with fear, but with humility and gratitude.
Gabriel: And with you, the vastness isn't just bearable...
Dani: What is it, then?
Gabriel: It is beautiful.

This beautiful Long Beach wedding had lots of happy tears, laughs, and a rock climbing wall as one of their surprises that knocked everyone’s socks off.

Dani and Gabriel met at Cal State University Long Beach, and I never get tired of hearing how they met; she fell into his lap while rock climbing indoor. "I totally caught her," Gabriel said.

Everything had a meaning in this wedding. I mean, e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. Gabriel MADE their own wedding rings out of wood panels. He was polishing them even on the day of wedding - because he's just an awesome perfectionist. The couple decided to donate their partial wedding funds to 3 different charity organizations as guests got involved with depositing the DIY wooden tokens into a charity jar of their choice. As they volunteer to raise guide dogs for the blind, we had about 10 guide dogs as wedding guests.

The entire wedding was simply all about love, joy of life and celebration. I was so blessed to observe and feel all the love everyone was pouring, and this most-unique-wedding-ever definitely brought together all their closest friends and family for a celebration everyone will remember forever.

Cheers!

My love for The Lims
"The life and love we create is the life and love we live." - Leo Buscaglia

We know that there are so many moments in life fleeing away from us instantly, and it is my absolute (strange - maybe - but strong) obsession to preserve those moments every single day. I have a HUGE love affair with life.

New Yorkers in Cali
“I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea. Nothing else.” - Nikos Kazantzakis

Soomin and I used to work for the same newspaper in Seoul at different times; we've read each other's bylines and perhaps that was about it. Life is a funny thing. It's funny how and where it leads us to - like my relationship with Soomin and her family. We didn't know much about each other before, yet immediately connected when she visited Los Angeles with her husband, who is a journalist in New York, and their omg-too-cute-I-could-squeeze-him-all-day son.

As spending some high-quality time with her family, I've realized that the stories of those I photograph make me more aware of my own place in life, my own path, and my own joy. I meet so many amazing spirits and see how they're experiencing this wonderful world, and I think about where I am and where I want to and will be in this day-to-day strangeness of it all. I'm constantly inspired by what I'm surrounded and feel so grateful.