A Thousand Words

With our venue booked and a date set firmly in place, Victor and I without hesitation booked our photographer! Though we have yet to sign a contract or put down any moolah, I have contacted and made plans to do so with my sister's ever-so-dear friend, Jon Chan.

Now let me tell you how Jon Chan got into this wedding photography business. An old friend of my sister's, they were hanging out one day way back in 2006 (2005?) before my sister became Mrs. Victor Chiu, and Jon mentioned his secret longing to become a wedding photographer. Well, longing might be too strong of a word. Let's say interest. My sister encouraged him to try it out for once, and volunteered her own beautiful wedding as his first prototype. He agreed and, along with two of their other friends, happily captured many snapshots of Victor and Daphne's nuptials.

It turns out that he LOVED it. And I mean LOVED. He now does a few weddings a year and is an avid student of the photographic arts, attending classes and shooting everywhere and everything (with his camera, of course). So three short years later, there I am, sitting in my parents' dining room, looking up a variety of photographers, when my sister mentions that maybe I should check out Jon Chan's photos.

Not being nearly as silly as my family seems to think I am, I had already thought about it but then felt weird hiring someone who was more like an older brother than a wedding vendor. But after some prompting, I decided to AT LEAST check his photos out. I wander over to http://www.jonchanphotography.com (shameless plugin), and



WOW. I am blown away. His use of vertical space and color amazes me, and even in that lame, quality-less blog insert, I still see a photojournalistic quality that I would love to have in the photos that I will one day show my grandchildren. So of course, I email him, and tell him he is going to photograph my wedding. He, of course, complies.

The Watering Hole

After much exploration on the internet and a couple of drives here and there (though not nearly as many as some other couples I know of...) Victor and I have finally found our almost-dream venue for our reception. That's right, folks, it's the SUNNYVALE COMMUNITY CENTER.

[boos, hisses, and tomatoes get thrown at me]

NOW. Before you completely sweep us aside and call us cheap or unclassy, I think it might help you understand why we decided to go with someplace like this if I explained a bit. First of all, it's not UGLY. I mean, I've seen some pretty butt ugly places, and I think this one has just enough class to be, well, not bad. Second, the reason I say almost-dream venue is because Victor and I love, love, LOVE the idea of being able to customize this place to our hearts' desires with the exclusion of tacks and nails on the walls, all in an effort to realize the vision that's in our heads. My parents tried to convince us to go another route where weddings come boxed up in a package, and I have to say neither of us were too ecstatic about that venue (harhar, get it? venue?). We liked the idea of being able to have a choice in what our guests will eat and drink, the feel they could receive upon entering the room, the colors and decorations that they gaze upon as they listen to the music that we choose, and other things like that. We like projects, and dare I say, a little bit of hard work, to achieve that just-right sort of touch that I've always wanted for our wedding, and I'd have to say he's probably the best person to partner with me on this kind of thing.

So if anyone is interested in helping me brainstorm and decorate this place, be my guest and tell me. Harhar.