2011: A Memoir - Our Wedding

Looking back, 2011 was huge. This year saw a new business relationship, some exciting partnerships, and my marriage to my wonderful wife, Sooji. I am continually challenged and humbled by her - a loving companion, a creative yet pragmatic advisor, and a darn good cook. Her qualities shine in the areas I lack, and each day brings forth a greater appreciation of the woman she is. Our wedding was a reflection of the adventures we had during our travels. Sooji and I found Liberty View Farm, a charming organic apple farm near New Paltz in the Hudson Valley - an area we spent many weekends at. Billiam, the founder, is a beloved figure known in the area for his sustainable farming practices and stand-out marketing, helping him earn the title of "America's Top Ten Apple Picking Farms" by Travel & Leisure Magazine.

Billiam's minute attention to architectural details completely captured us on our first visit. Each room in the farmhouse was painted a different color and garnished with reclaimed details atypical of your typical hay-ridden farm. We were surprised that the grounds hosted only a handful of weddings beforehand because it was so feature-rich - a haven for any design-inspired planner.

Finding the right photographer to capture the bucolic nature of the grounds was our next challenge. We brought on Joshua Brown Photography and his motion picture crew to document the day. His natural photojournalistic style and vibrant representation of colors married well to the multi-colored pastel theme, which carried through from the bridesmaid dresses to the colored ceremonial Korean han-bok attire. With the help of our planner, Talida Bakes, we kept the wedding as DIY as possible. Sooji painted the invitations and fan programs herself, and our flowers and bouquets were arranged by our own friends. We adhered to the locavore theme with varietal jam-favors and desserts from Sugar Sweet Sunshine, NYC.

In good character, a farm wedding must have great food, and Bridge Creek Caterers did not disappoint. The award-winning culinary team served up equal parts Korean BBQ / Southern-style ribs, topped off by their distinguished lemon meringue cake, all presented amidst a 7-piece live band made up of our talented friend, Victor Lin and his crew of wonderfully gifted musical friends.

 It's taken me a while to reflect on what an incredible year this has been, and to know that through faith there is an adventure waiting ahead for us. Thank you, friends, family, and my photography community for a wonderful 2011!

Wedding Photography: Joshua Brown Photography / Planner: Talida Bakes / Floral Design: DIY / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Make-up + Hair: Blush / BBQ Catering + Wedding Cake: Bridge Creek Caterers / Stationery: Paper Boutique NY / Bride's Earrings: Givenchy / Bride’s Rings: Jules Fainberg NY / Bride’s Shoes: Ralph Lauren / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Custom Suits: BlackLapel / Ties: Tommy Hilfiger /  / Musical Guests: Victor Lin, Jennifer Shue Lin, Charles Bryant, Alicia Olatuja, Robin Lai, Kevin Farrell, Aaron Mclendon, Jon Ho, Jae Ko, Cate Song, Minnow Park

Sooji + Albert's Wedding Teaser (Same-Day-Edit) from Joshua Brown Photography on Vimeo.

Jayne + Noah | Liberty View Farm, NY | Hurricane Irene Weekend

This is a special wedding post for me, because Jayne and Noah got married on the same farm I got married at!

On August 27th, Hurricane Irene decided to attempt to spoil all the fun that Jayne and Noah had planned, with zero success. I packed my car with extra supplies to weather the storm, including Kata raincoats for my cameras, tarp, and an overnight bag. Good thing, because I was stuck upstate for 2 days after Irene flooded roads back to NYC. Jayne and I kept touch through the week monitoring the storm, but both her and Noah were so carefree that the forecast did little to contain the optimism they had for their big day!

They chose Liberty View Farm for the same reasons we did - it is a charming, unpretentious organic apple farm by New Paltz packed with so much vintage adornment already on the grounds that there was little need for any additional decoration. Billiam, the owner, is a beloved and active figure in sustainable farming techniques, and kept the farm in an incredibly tailored fashion. His farmhouse and residence served as the preparation house, while an old barn awaited to serve as the rain option for the wedding ceremony.

Hurricane Irene decided to crash our party late in the evening, but the partying went on, complete with a honeybee cake and sparklers! Their guests stayed past midnight, well into the brunt of the storm - a testament to the love and devotion they had to the promise that Jayne and Noah professed to each other. I spent a great weekend with them in the farmhouse, battered in by Irene but encouraged by their positive spirit and the support of their close friends and by Billiam the owner.

What a weekend to remember!  - Albert