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Home
Portfolio
- Wedding
- Engagement
- Family
- Portraits
- Lifestyle
- Travel
Blog
- Wedding
- Engagement
- Maternity
- Family
Info
- Investment
About
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Gallery archives

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(3/3) On the morning of her wedding day, Caroline

(3/3) On the morning of her wedding day, Caroline gave me a gift. ME! A gift. On HER wedding day. She brushed it off as “a little tchotchke” (what a fun word, haha) and I put it away for safekeeping in my car.

It was a beautiful and emotional day. I cry easily even when not pregnant, so being pregnant probably unleashed the waterworks in full force. Every aspect of the wedding centered around the marriage of their families and blending of cultures. My favorite part of the day was during their Vietnamese tea ceremony, when Minh’s mother welcomed Caroline into the family with open arms (and lots of happy tears). With the help of my team, I was able to make it through my first day back on the job since becoming pregnant.

At the end of the night, I went up to Minh and Caroline to say goodbye. They hugged me and expressed their appreciation for my team’s hard work... then pressed a wad of cash into my hand. “Diaper money,” Minh said with a smile.

I lost it. Straight up ugly cried in the middle of the dance floor. All the worry and anxiety leading up to the day was washed away with relief and overwhelming gratitude for this incredible couple. My second shooter @saphoto snapped a photo of us in that moment and I’m so glad he did. Even if it is the most unflattering photo of me in existence (I wasn’t kidding about the ugly crying!! 😂😭).

Later on when I got home, I opened the gift Caroline had given me that morning. Every time I use it I feel a tinge of guilt, knowing it’s a title I don’t deserve. But it also fills me up with love to think that even one client deemed me worthy of it. ☕️❤️

(2/3) Three days prior to that shoot, I had walked

(2/3) Three days prior to that shoot, I had walked out of my first prenatal appointment in tears. The doctor told me I was carrying an empty yolk sac. It was still too early to tell if this was a viable pregnancy, so I was instructed to wait a week before going in for another check up. Seven agonizing days of being pregnant, yet not knowing whether or not I would have a baby. Work was a great way to distract me from the emotional turmoil, especially when my job involved meeting such warm and kind-hearted people.

The day after Caroline & Minh’s engagement shoot, I ended up going to the ER for abdominal pains. More ultrasounds (and tears) followed... along with a heartbeat. 😳 In that single week between appointments, an embryo had formed. I was indeed having a baby. 💓

The first trimester of pregnancy knocked. me. OUT. The nausea was unbearable; I could hardly walk or breathe without gagging. How could I possibly shoot a wedding? 😰 While preparing to shoot C & M’s upcoming special day, I hired a third shooter for extra support and prayed I would make it through the 12 hour day without fainting or throwing up. (to be continued)

(1/3) Two years ago (thanks to my friend and fello

(1/3) Two years ago (thanks to my friend and fellow wedding vendor @tickled_events), I met this incredible couple. We had been in touch via email/phone for just over a week; 10 days after Minh’s initial email, they were on a flight from Louisiana to California and ready for their engagement session. I remember Caroline rolling her suitcase along for part of the shoot! 😂✈️

The usual fog surrounding the bay was nowhere to be seen - just lots and lots of warm, glorious sunshine. ☀️ It was a perfect day for Minh and I to introduce his Southern bride-to-be to some of the best scenery the Bay Area has to offer! We explored Crissy Field, hiked along the coast, captured the Golden Gate Bridge from two different viewpoints, and laughed from beginning to end. ☺️ Spending the evening with this sweet, goofy couple brought me joy during an extremely difficult week. Unbeknownst to them, I had just begun my pregnancy journey... and it was off to a rough start. (to be continued)

Hey there Bay Area - spring mini sessions are HERE

Hey there Bay Area - spring mini sessions are HERE! 🌸 For the month of April only, I will be offering a limited number of mini portrait sessions. Kids, families, couples, people whose LinkedIn photos are 10 years old (you know who you are 😏) are all welcome! And if you know a mama who would love beautiful photos with her little one(s), this would make the perfect Mother’s Day gift. 🤗 For more details, check out my stories or send a DM. Can’t wait to see you! 💕

Hi friends, it’s been a while. With all the trag

Hi friends, it’s been a while. With all the tragic and upsetting news these days, especially as an Asian American woman and mother, I’ve been trying to find glimpses of hope... of reassurance that my family is safe. That we belong. That we are just as human and deserving of respect as any other American.

I hope that when my baby girl gets older, she will be proud of her Chinese-Japanese heritage. That she looks forward to cultural traditions like receiving ang pows (red envelopes 🧧) for Lunar New Year and finds comfort in her poh poh’s (grandma’s) home cooking. We’ll take her to the local Japanese Obon festival in her yukata and teach her to dance the Bon Odori. 👘 I hope she enjoys eating our favorite Japanese dishes like sukiyaki & gyudon (& maybe even our not-so-favorites... like natto! 😝). Most of all though, I hope she will feel like she belongs in this country. Because she does. 🇺🇸❤️ #stopaapihate #asiansbelong

Shown above: My sweetie in her cheongsam-inspired outfit for Lunar New Year, plus a bonus video of her running around in her auntie’s yukata during Hinamatsuri (Girl’s Day in Japan). 🥰

- - - - - -

I’m so grateful for those who are more outspoken than me and those who have quickly moved to action to #stopasianhate. Not sure how to support the AAPI community? Here are some ideas:

+ Share news to raise awareness of anti-Asian hate crimes and attacks
+ Report anti-Asian hate incidents at stopaapihate.org
+ Volunteer to escort seniors in Oakland’s Chinatown via @compassioninoakland
+ Support Asian-owned businesses & artists
+ Donate/follow: @asianmentalhealthcollective @welcometochinatown
@stopaapihate
@nextshark
@goldhouseco

There are so many more resources to share, but the accounts linked above are a good place to start! Sending virtual hugs to my AAPI community. Stay safe out there 🤍

Copyright © 2021 Fern Lee Photography