Hom + Van's Wedding

There are several things you can count on at an Asian wedding: it’s going to be really detail oriented, colorful, and fun; it’s going to be a huge affair with a ton of loved ones; and, it’s going to last for many hours. Hom and Van’s wedding was all of that and more, and it was an honor to document their love.

Knowing how fast paced an Asian wedding can be, Hom and Van decided to have me photograph their First Look session a couple of weeks before their big day. I couldn’t be happier when Hom chose the beautiful grounds of the Ashley Castle in Chandler for their First Look! Hom had two wedding dresses – a princess style American dress and an intricate Cambodian outfit befitting a royal, made lovingly for Hom by the groom’s mother.

From the festivities to the unquestionable love between the bride and groom, from the overflowing support from family and friends, to the delicious Asian food and desserts that I got to try a bit of, it was a gorgeous celebration! Congratulations again, Hom and Van!

There are tons of photos from their First Look session and wedding day, and I am honored to share some of my favorites with you all today. Enjoy!

The wedding was held at the American Royal Palace Banquet Hall in North Phoenix and involved the bride and groom’s extended family and loved ones. As with most Asian weddings, it’s a community affair and this one was no different. The delicious Asian food and desserts were made by the bride’s sister and friends; the beautiful florals were provided by the bride’s cousins from Texas, who own Haute Chic Designs; and, the cupcakes and wedding cake were provided by the bride’s friend, Y-Vi of Y-Vi’s Artisan Sweets.

You can expect a lot of gold at a Cambodian/Laotian wedding, especially since the theme is vintage elegance. The bride wore a gold belt, bracelet, earrings, ankle bracelet, and body chain.

The ceremony started at 3pm and lasted until a little after 4pm. The bride and groom are led to the ceremony space by their family, bridesmaids, and groomsmen.

During the ceremony, the blessing ritual is performed by monks, a priest, or a respected elder of the community. To show respect, prayers were given to deceased ancestors, as well as living grandparents, in order to receive their blessings for a happy and joyful life.

The final stage of the wedding involved family members and friends tying the bride and groom’s left and right wrists with blessing strings, offering praises and well-wishes of happiness, good health, success, prosperity, and long-lasting love.

I loved when the bride sang to her groom during their first dance, and when the groom broke out with his amazing dance moves (Chris Brown has nothing on Van)! Just goes to show that fun and love go together really, really well.