 |
|
Danielle and Edwin : Wedding
|
© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
|
Do I need to update my Excel spreadsheet, Danielle jokingly asked as she was being put into a traditional Korean hanbok for her second wedding ceremony. Being ever the planners, Danielle and Edwin created a spreadsheet timeline for everyone to ensure the day flowed smoothly—especially because they had three ceremonies in store: American, Korean, and Taiwanese. As guests mingled and nibbled on appetizers, the bride and groom were quickly changing for their grand entrance.
With each ceremony, they committed their lives to each other again, both making a public declaration of their promise to love, honor and cherish. They vowed to each other in the American ceremony, they bowed in their Korean ceremony, and they sipped on soup for their Taiwanese ceremony, showing their friends and family that if third time is a charm, then they’re set for life.
Danielle and Edwin, thank you for inviting me and JD to share in your cultures, your families, and, more importantly, your love. I wish you the best as you begin your lives together back in New York City and can’t wait to see what the future holds for you!
Here are a few of my favorites…
|
| To view more of their wedding, CLICK HERE for a slideshow! |
    
I ’ve always loved Memorial Day. It makes me feel patriotic and appreciate the sacrifices the armed forces have made to preserve the rights and freedom I cherish.
For as long as I can remember, my father has always flown the American flag with pride…even when we didn’t have a flagpole. While living in our small flagpole-less childhood home, he’d somehow manage to hang his HUGE flag from Vietnam on our small porch, making guests limbo underneath it or push it aside. And to make the cramped situation worse (or better, if you’d ask my dad), he’d also manage to hang the United State Marine Corps flag. Sweaty from his flag-hanging handiwork, he’d step back and admire the two flags wobbling from our porch. And—without fail—he’d belt out to no one in particular: HOO-RAH…Semper Fi! Which I’m guessing is loosely translated from Marinese to be something like: Once a Marine, Always a Marine and I Love this Beautiful Country to Sacrifice My Life to Protect and Serve Her…Bulldogs, Baby! Or something like that.
I like spending Memorial Day with my father. He’s engrained how blessed we are to live in this amazing country and how our lives are exponentially better. My father illegally immigrated to this country as a child with his mother and siblings. My grandmother worked in underground sweatshops, as a maid, as a cook, as pretty much anything to survive…and my father somehow managed to trickle into mainstream America unnoticed. Almost eight years after their immigration, they still could not get citizenship, so my father decided to voluntarily join the Marine Corps during the height of Vietnam. If he came back alive, he was guaranteed citizenship. Four years later, my father stood with a tiny American flag in his hand and said the Pledge of Allegiance in Los Angeles County City Hall as a citizen. Shortly thereafter, because of my father’s legal status, the rest of his family became American citizens as well.
So that’s why he still hangs his flags with pride. And although he has less hair, and a larger waistline, he’s still a Marine…and one of the proudest Americans I know.
|
|
Jen and Greg : Engagement
|
T he sounds of traffic along the 405 freeway became muted once they reached the Getty Museum, perched high in the Bel Air hills. Jen and Greg strolled along the marble walkways while the wind rustled through their hair. On the lush green grass was where they studied for finals, and now, as they are preparing to graduate from UCLA and marry next month, they sat and spoke in hushed tones. Whether they were speaking about moving to Berkeley this summer (where Jen will earn her Master’s Degree from UCB), or speaking about their work with Campus Crusade for Christ, or simply whispering sweet nothings to each other, they looked happy to be there. On the emerald grass with the citrine sun behind them…they looked happy to be there, in that moment, together.
I met Jen and her amazing family a few months ago and I’m excited to reconnect with them next month for the wedding. To make things even better, I’m working again with Courtney Toney and Joyful Weddings and Events, so I’m sure the event will be lovely and flawless!
Here are a few of my favorites…
|
| To view more of their engagement session, CLICK HERE for a slideshow! |
Argentinean or Brazilian? Brianna called me as she walked off the UCLA track and asked what I was in the mood for dinner. Having moved from the USA Olympic Training Center in San Diego to train in Los Angeles last year, she's my personal restaurant connoisseur when I'm out on the Westside. We've been best friends since we were fourteen and we were meeting the rest of our best friends from high school at LaLa's Restaurant on Melrose later that evening.
As we dipped the soft pieces of bread into the green chimichurri, we caught up on each other's lives. Brianna will be spending the summer in Europe competing in track and field (and earning a spot on the Olympic team!), Jennie talked about her adorable son, Ace, and her balance between motherhood and being the nation's leading softball pitcher (she'll be going to the Olympics again and hopefully add another gold medal to her collection!), Bianca just completed her Master's degree and is a free lance writer (she's currently working on a new translation of the Bible...she's amazing!), and Melanie just completed touring with American Idol's Taylor Hicks and is now working on Disney vocal productions. I'm so incredibly blessed to have such phenomenal friends...so much, yet nothing has changed and we're still each other's most favorite people. Sitting around the table last night filled me with such joy because there is no luckier person to have found a true friend...and I've found four. My cup truly overflows.
I want to thank them for the memories, the laughter, and the button-popping food fest last night...I'm nothing without them. |
|
The Pinky Promise
|
© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
|
T hey made a promise to each other. To remain by each other's sides regardless of time, distance, and life changes. And, very much like what she did in the fourth grade, she made him pinky promise to love her for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, and in sickness and in health. Even before a proper engagement was on their minds, they symbolized their love and committment by wearing platinum rings on their pinky fingers. So, if ever doubt or insecurity crossed their hearts, the pinky promise was always visible.
|
| A few days ago, I met with my clients in Los Angeles and although we're going to keep their bridal pictures private until their wedding day, I just had to blog about their rings. They're an amazing couple and I can't wait for their wedding! They rented a wedding dress and tux for the photoshoot just to ensure they'd have the type of pictures they wanted if they didn't have time on their very busy wedding day. I was honored to spend the afternoon with them! |
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
