Dao and Minh’s Gray Gables Estate wedding was nothing short of a full-on cultural adventure. These two carry some of the most beautiful grace, fun-loving charm, deep loving care, and fashionable elegance we’ve ever come across. Such rare combinations of character are so powerful to witness.
Creatively documenting their 15 hr Gray Gables Estate Wedding celebration was pretty much an odyssey of every emotion-filled with unique rituals and vibrant colors and that fueled our non-stop curiosity. Over 200 friends and family surrounded them with endless joy, love, jokes, hugs, handwritten notes, presents, gifts, tears, and laughter than our 12k photos could ever possibly capture. We tirelessly photographed non-stop late into the night and every moment fed us with great energy and joy.
We began their celebration at Dao and Minh’s soon-to-be home. Originally they were going to have upwards of 350 guests, still, over 200 people attended. Their traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony is where Minh’s family provided fine offerings and a whole roasted pig to welcome the Bride into the family. A colorful “lion dance” symbolized the removal of negative energy as the lions brought prosperity, good luck, and health. This is when Minh saw Dao for the first time dressed in her stunning traditional Vietnamese red dress. His eyes were glowing.
Their Gray Gables Estate Wedding ceremony took place outside in their “whimsical garden.” This space offered a large outdoor seating area for up to 300 guests surrounded by beautiful water, lush gardens, and beautiful outdoor lighting. This was the perfect spot for everyone to enjoy their outdoor wedding with social distancing and the beauty of the natural gardens.
Besides the food, photography was on the top of their list. Dao found our profile on Fearless Photographers and was drawn to our cinematic “in the moment” captures. They said “when we look back at our wedding photos, we want to feel like we’ve traveled back in time to the most important and beautiful day of our lives where our most important people are there happy and celebrating with us.” When a couple tells us how much they value photography we appreciate it so much. It gives us extra energy to capture every possible moment. Gestures that express their unique personalities. Subtle emotions reveal the depth of their true feelings. Transitional actions that help stitch the events together. Bursts of laughter that open people up and allow them to cry together. Dancing unleashes joy that will be remembered for years. These are the moments we seek to capture. Tree and I including the exceptional help of our dedicated off-camera lighting assistant (Hektor Salazar) immersed ourselves into the currents of their celebration. Dao and Minh took us on a journey we will never forget.
Photographers: JOS & TREE | Venue: Gray Gables Estate
Wedding Coordination and Planning: Jennifer Agard – site owner and planner at Gray Gables Estate
Dress: Traditional Ao Dai Dress | DJ: SeattleDJPRO
Desserts: Delicious Donuts | Wedding Cake: Sugar Blooms Bakery
Mobile Scoop (ice cream) | Videographer: John Gustin
Dao IG: Dining w/ Dao | Lighting Assistance: Hektor Salazar
Be sure to see their Lavender Valley Engagement photo adventure here.
Recognition: Dao’s emotional photo while receiving a letter from one of her best friends received a Fearless Photographers Award for their Winter 2022 contest.
Ambassadors & Affiliates: MagMod | Holdfast Gear | Visual Flow Lightroom Presets | SLR Lounge | Superfeel | Fundy Designer | DVLOP | Fearless Photographers | International Society of Wedding Photographers | Worlds Best Wedding Photos