I had the absolute pleasure of going back to one of my favorite destination venues, Cabo Azul Resort for Monique and Mickey's wedding. A huge, special thank you to Sergio and Larissa for planning and coordinating this amazing event! Congratulations Monique and Mickey, and thanks for letting me be a part of your amazing weekend!

Ann and Steve got married at the venerable and historic (and haunted, I found out) Claremont Hotel. It was raining the entire day and night, but the clouds parted just enough for us to walk the grounds. What an amazing way to start the wedding season. Congratulations to you both!  A special thank you to Sarah Cross for shooting with me.

Sarah's Image:

Sarah's Image:

Wow. Thank you SAWP! Quite an honor.

I'm very honored to accept international recognition for these images and very proud of my clients! Congratulations to Lilian & Scott, Lindsey & Brandon, and once again Arlene & Javier.

 

A special thank you to the ISPWP and the WPJA.

I have been asked by many people on how to purchase my work as art, even if they are not a client of mine. The idea seemed sily to me at first-- why would anyone want wedding photos of other people?  And why would they want them from me? But after some thought, I decided that this could be an opportunity for something bigger than the myopic drive of running a business. I wanted to do something that was more significant than me or my studio. 

In 2007, I was touched in a very personal way by cancer.  My mother, who had been fighting the disease for over 3 years, succumbed to it.  The mental and emotional toll from a disease like that on a family is unspeakable.  Truly, no one should ever have to go through it.

I knew I wanted to do something for cancer charities, but I had no idea what to do, and no idea how to go about it.  I had heard about The Jimmy V Foundation from a good friend who had also dealt with losing a family member to cancer.  I was just a kid when Jim Valvano lead North Carolina State (who??) to the '83 National basketball championship against all odds. But I remember how inspiring he was when he won, and also how inspiring he was when he was afflicted with cancer shortly thereafter. He lost that battle, but he never changed or waivered in his approach to life:

"Don't give up. Don't ever give up."

The speech he gave prior to his death never ceases to give me chills.

 

 

As a wedding photographer, I am a tiny part in the making of a new family.  But I can do more than snap a few photos.  We can all help in making sure that cancer becomes less and less a part of the American family.

We are proud to present the first annual collection of 100 Images of the Year from F.C. Wong Photography. All of these images were taken from an amazing 2009 wedding season. All of the subjects are real-life brides and grooms, and that is partially to whom this book is dedicated. We could not have done it without you!

This book is not about weddings or engagements per se, but rather about people at their best, on their most special day. It's about their hopes and their dreams for each other. It's about how they interact and celebrate with their loved ones. It's about tears, laughter, and love-- all spoken in pictures.

Every image is taken with organic lighting. Rarely is artificial lighting ever used. The images are pure in tone and mood, and look exactly as they did through the eyes of the guests. Little, if any, Photoshop was used in the images. We believe in the astonishing beauty of realism. These images were chosen because they represented a perfect moment, an experimental technique, a stunning composition, or unadulterated emotion. Many of them have won international awards. They are the most important images of the year, from F.C. Wong Photography.

We would like to thank our wonderful industry partners who help us make this possible. Most of all, congratulations to all of our brides and grooms of 2009! We at F.C. Wong Photography are so honored and proud to have had the privilege of serving you. May you live up to all of your dreams. Thank you again.

The proceeds from this book will benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research, one of the premier 4 star charities in the world.

The goal is to raise $10,000 for cancer research in 2010. If the book is not an option, you can still donate directly to The V Foundation or another cancer charity at any amount you choose. Thanks so much everyone, and have a great holiday season!

This was the perfect end to an amazing 2009 wedding season. Lauren and Mike chose the magnificent Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn for their beautiful intimate wedding. The modern Inn was built in 1927, and is one of the only resorts in Northern California with its own mineral hot spring. And, one of the attendants told me, the first water tower in the state of California also skies majestically over the resort. History aside, the sheer beauty of this place made it the perfect venue for Lauren and Mike. We had a great time with you two. Thank you again and congratulations!

Stanford Memorial Church is everything a classic wedding venue should be. It was built at the turn of the last century and is the architectural heart of the University. There was really no better place for Diane and Adam to spend their wedding day. And what a way to show off the Bay Area to their friends and family from London and around the world! We then spent time at The Embarcadero, ending at the fabulous Terra Gallery for the amazing reception. Congratulations Diane and Adam!

The Clift Hotel in San Francisco is one of a kind. Built at the turn of the last century, it has the perfect location in the heart of San Francisco's Union Square and Theater District. It's also walking distance from the Financial District and the Moscone Convention Center. Emily, Devon and I took full advantage of the amazing lighting and angles that the interior of the hotel provided us. It was such a beautiful, intimate wedding-- my favorite kind. Emily and Devon picked an exquisitely sophisticated and classy venue that perfectly fit who they were. Congratulations you two!

Forrest and Sabrina got married on Halloween Night in one of the most unique weddings that I have ever been a part of. They chose the gorgeous Preservation Park in Oakland for their venue.

Preservation Park is a 125 year old restored neighborhood in the heart of Old Oakland (my 'hood). It used to be an upscale residential area in the late 19th century, and now houses non-profit and small businesses that "further cultural, social and environmental aims." Awesome.

When we arrived at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, i was a little bit worried. The entire area was covered under thick, dark fog. So much so that neither the waves, nor the magnificent cliffs were visible. To our surprise, about an hour before the ceremony, the fog just disappeared. Not dissipated, but just vanished as if someone had taken a gargantuan blower and gone to work. We ended up with a gorgeous sunny day, and a breathtaking sunset. Definitely a sign of good things to come for Catherine and Sherwin. Congratulations you two!

We're all connected by a few degrees of separation, and that was definitely the case with Elli and Geoff. They initially met in graduate school at Berkeley. Then they kept meeting over and over again through an uncanny string of mutual friends, until they finally started dating. As Elli puts it, they almost had no choice but to start dating. Elli also just happens to have been the officiant at one my weddings last year (great seeing you both again Brooke and Jimmy)!

They chose the beautiful art gallery at Terra as their wedding venue. What really struck me about this place was how simple and elegant it was-- white walls with fine art hanging. Perfect. We also found a gorgeous, dimly lit (you know how much I love low-light) staircase that we had a lot of fun with. Congratulations Elli and Geoff!

This definitely wasn't your typical backyard wedding. Lindsey and Brandon got married at their aunt and uncle's hilltop mansion in Sonoma- one of the most spectacular "venues" I've seen. It's fully equipped with its own wine cellar, a guest house, a beautiful courtyard and miles of lush, green scenery. For their aftershoot, we headed to the Benziger Family Winery. Lindsey and Brandon were both film buffs at Loyola Marymount, in Los Angeles. They met when Linz went to pillage Brandon's impressive film collection. You know it's meant to be, when a film like "Enemies at the Gate" brings two people together. Congratulations Linz and Brandon! It's been wonderful working with you! Special thanks to Brian Fleck for helping out with this wedding.

Lilian and Scott's friends and family know how to party. So much so that an actual firetruck was called in in the middle of the reception on account of an overworked fog machine. But more than that, this was one of the most raucous, most fun weddings I've experienced. Not to mention one of the most beautiful. Much of that credit goes to their wedding planner, Kathryn Kalabokes of Dream a Little Dream Events, who did an amazing job of transforming the Legion of Honor (one of the most gorgeous museums in the country) into a wedding fantasy land. Congratulations Lilian and Scott!

They say never date co-workers, but it's a good thing Carmina and Vincent never listen to what "they" say. These two met years ago in Vancouver (one of my favorite cities) when they worked part time at a call center. They've come a long way since sneaking out of work to make out in the parking lot (sorry you two, that was awesome). Carmina and Vincent really outdid themselves when choosing their venues. St. Albert's Priory Chapel, in Oakland, is one of the most elegant churches in the Bay Area, with a red gravel road leading up to the door and a lovely quaint courtyard in the center. We finished the evening at the incomparable Cliff House in San Francisco, right on the waters' edge. If you've never visited the Cliff House at sunset... well, few things are more "San Francisco." Congratulations Carmina and Vincent!

It's pretty special to meet your future spouse before you're old enough for middleschool. Heidi and Mike met as fourth graders, and started dating their senior year of high school. That's part of what makes Heidi and Mike's marriage so special. They have been together for so long and know each other so well. Getting married was only natural. One of best parts of the evening was the amazing slideshow that took us back to their school days. Not easy years to relive! They fell in love with the spectacular Resort at Squaw Creek in Tahoe, when they skied it last winter. It was the perfect choice for a getaway mountain wedding. Congratulations Heidi and Mike!