Wedding Photography | Michelle and Khoa

Michelle and Khoa

Photographing a Vietnamese/Chinese wedding is quite different than Western weddings, and we always look forward to the variety. One of the main difference is the time involved due to the intertwining of Western and Eastern traditions. Often most wedding preparation start at around 4:30am and continue until midnight. Lucky for us we don’t normally have to start till 6 or 7am :). For Michelle and Khoa’s wedding, we arrived at Michelle’s parent’s place at 7am to photograph the girls getting ready.

Soon after, Khoa and his family to arrive to pick up his bride Michelle. Khoa and his groomsmen presented his gifts covered in red cloths to the bride’s family and was given permission to greet the bride and whisk her away for the tea pouring ceremony which was held back at his parent’s house. Traditionally the groom’s family gives gifts covered in red cloth, as the colour red is considered to be lucky in both Vietnamese and Chinese traditions.

Once we were back at the groom’s house a tea ceremony took place in front of the family altar. Michelle and Khoa bowed their heads to the altar asking for their ancestors’ blessing before taking part in the tea ceremony, where Michelle and Khoa served tea to their parents and relatives. In return their family presented them with gifts and gave their guidance to the soon to be newlyweds.

We then had a short break for lunch before Michelle changed into a beautiful layered wedding dress. Next we headed to St Michael’s Church in Leederville for the Catholic ceremony. After the formal ceremony we went to John Oldman Park on Mounts Bay Road and the Crawley Edge Blue Boatshed to photograph some bridal party shots. With plenty of time left we tried to sneak to the roof of a car park to take sunset photos but were foiled by security. But we had managed to take some stunning cloud pattern photos during the day which more than made up for it.

After sunset, we drove to the reception which was held at Xintiandi Restaurnt in Northbridge, formally known as Old Jade Northbridge. Michelle changed into a third outfit, a stunning red dress. The guests were treated to a 10 course meal and then celebrated the night away.

Michelle walks the timber jetty toward the blue boatshed, veil drifting over the calm water. Close-up of Michelle's diamond engagement ring balanced on Khoa's engraved wedding band in soft window light.
Bride Michelle in a blue robe laughs at her phone and smiles as her hair and makeup are finished at home. A smiling bridesmaid in a red cardigan waits in the living room during wedding morning preparations in Perth.
A bridesmaid in red smiles as the stylist curls Michelle's hair in a warm living room before the ceremony.
Vivid eyeshadow palettes in blues and greens wait in soft focus during Michelle's morning makeup session.
Khoa in an embroidered blue ao dai prays at the family altar before red gift trays during the tea ceremony.
Groomsmen in dark suits stand behind red ceremonial gift trays in a bright home ahead of the tea ceremony.
Khoa in his blue ao dai walks past red lanterns to Michelle's home, where a relative greets his party.
A young page boy clutches a phone on the couch while Michelle checks messages in the kitchen nearby.
Michelle's parents pose in their finest, her father suited and her mother in a shimmering blue dress.
Bride Michelle beams in an embroidered red silk ao dai for her portraits before the tea ceremony.
Michelle in red ao dai leans on her maid of honour, then poses with her smiling parents in the sunshine.
Khoa's party follows a ribboned convertible as his parents in ao dai lead the procession on a sunlit street.
Relatives carry red-draped gift trays toward Michelle's home, sun flare warming the groom's procession.
Khoa laughs at the door in his dragon-embroidered ao dai, then embraces Michelle by the bed.
Michelle and Khoa in red and blue ao dai pose with both sets of parents beneath a crucifix at home.
A black convertible wedding car gleams on the paver driveway under a bright, sun-streaked Perth sky.
A bridesmaid rides the open-top wedding car in sunglasses, grinning as sunlight flares across the street.
Four little flower girls in white and cream dresses huddle by a lattice gate, the shy youngest held close.
Michelle and Khoa in red and blue ao dai stand beneath wispy clouds in a sunlit outdoor portrait.
The bride and her maid of honour share a laughing moment outdoors, forehead to forehead in soft backlight.
The wedding procession gathers on a suburban Perth street, red gift trays and palm trees in view.
Khoa's parents pose by a sunlit bay window and beside the altar draped in red with double-happiness banners.
Khoa's father lights red ceremonial candles as his mother prays before the gift trays.
Close-up of Michelle and Khoa's clasped hands against the red and blue silk of their ao dai.
Incense and candles burn before a gold double-happiness banner as Michelle and Khoa bow at the altar.
Black-and-gold tea sets on bamboo trays are carried in for the couple's traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony.
Three young guests squeeze together for a playful selfie in the sunshine during the wedding celebrations.
Twin portraits of Michelle in a red floral ao dai, all smiles with orchids in her long dark curls.
Diptych of Michelle in her red ao dai: eyes cast down shyly, then beaming at the camera in bright daylight.
Michelle and Khoa sit close on the stairs in blue and red ao dai before he tenderly kisses her cheek.
Studio-style diptych of the couple in ao dai, grinning at the camera then exchanging an affectionate look.
Ornate crucifix mural and stained glass inside the gothic church while a pianist plays before seated guests.
Flower girls with pink bouquets rest by the church door, then bride Michelle twirls in her veiled gown.
A priest faces the packed church, then a portrait of groom Khoa smiling in his black suit.
Flower girls wait by a colourful mosaic as a red-haired bridesmaid holds her pink rose bouquet nearby.
Michelle walks the aisle on her father's arm, beaming past guests, then kneels with him before the altar.
Bridesmaid in grey with a red rose bouquet waits at the front as the veiled bride faces the sanctuary.
The priest speaks at the lectern, then Michelle and Khoa sit together before the altar steps.
Michelle with her red bouquet sits beside Khoa, then they stand hand in hand before the priest.
The priest blesses Michelle and Khoa's joined hands at the altar while a bridesmaid in grey looks on.
Wide view of the sandstone church as guests rise around the couple exchanging vows beneath the crucifix.
A small boy in grey stands alone on the parquetry, and hands play hymns on the piano facing the wedding mass.
Michelle signs the marriage register in a tiara and veil as the priest and Khoa lean in close by candlelight.
Newlyweds Michelle and Khoa walk arm in arm from the altar, the priest smiling as they pass.
Close-up of Khoa's soft smile across the aisle, red roses blurred in the foreground of the church light.
Michelle embraces her father and mother at the church front, joy on every face, her bouquet resting nearby.
The couple grins down the aisle between guests, then strolls hand in hand toward the bright church doors.
A laughing guest in a trench coat and black feathered hairpiece mingles outside after the service.
Sunlight fills the timber pews as Michelle and Khoa walk together toward the church altar.
Eight groomsmen in suits line up beneath a stained-glass window on a rough stone church wall.
Michelle kisses Khoa beneath a spreading tree on the lawn of a sandstone cloister courtyard.
Laughing, Michelle twirls her ruffled gown in a dim stone archway, red rose bouquet in hand.
Michelle poses with her red bouquet under the stone arches, veil catching soft window light.
A bridesmaid in a rosette gown smiles beside a stone wall before joining Michelle.
Bridal party in grey and black share a laugh inside the sandstone colonnade.
Michelle rests her head on Khoa's shoulder, both laughing under a clear blue sky.
Michelle in red and Khoa in blue traditional dress stand together beneath brooding clouds.
A bridesmaid in grey poses beside Michelle in the stone corridor, arm linked warmly.
Michelle holds her pose on the lawn as wind sweeps her veil against a bright sky.
Bridesmaid and bride laugh on the grass as a gust lifts their skirts skyward.
Michelle poses on a mossy rock by a fern-fringed waterfall, Khoa waiting close behind.
Seated on a mossy log under a broad tree, Michelle rests her hand on Khoa's chest.
Michelle stands mid-jetty gazing at the boatshed under a vast streaked sky.
Seen from behind, Michelle's tiered train spills down the jetty boards toward the boatshed.
Michelle and Khoa stand arm in arm on the jetty, the blue boatshed beyond them at dusk.
Michelle walks the timber jetty toward the blue boatshed, veil drifting over the calm water.
A guest in red raises the rose bouquet triumphantly on the parquet dance floor at the reception.
Michelle in red dances with Khoa across the parquet as fog rolls through the ballroom.
Michelle turns on the jetty to smile, boatshed and darkening water behind her.

This wedding, in context

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