The best part about this wedding was how laid-back and fun this couple was, which made my job as photographer so enjoyable. We didn’t have time to take outdoor photos, so I stole them from the reception to catch some golden hour rays in the alleys behind the Bottom Lounge.

I traveled all the way from ‪Southern California to Chicago to‪ Columbus, Ohio for this wedding, but it was worth it because I loved everything about it –and no, it wasn’t just because of the Starbucks photoshoot (although that helped). It had a lot to do with the break I got from SoCal’s monotonous 72 and sunny plus a heaping platter of good old Midwestern charm that I missed so much! Keep scrolling to find out why this is one of my favorite weddings ever! And be sure to check out the gallery here: janesocal.com/gallery/ohio-fall-wedding

Gorgeous fall colors

You definitely don’t see anything like this in California! Autumn is my favorite season, and I thought I’d miss out on the crunchy leaves and bright, vibrant colors this year while I was stuck on the west coast. So imagine my childlike delight when this magnificent scene greeted me!

traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony held at the bride’s home where family members are honored with offerings of tea

Starbucks!

Because even a bride needs her coffee fix. I felt a tiny bit bad for the Starbucks baristas who were inundated by a full wedding party, but they probably didn’t mind when they saw the bride’s beautiful red ao dai (Vietnamese dress). Seriously, who knew the interior of a Starbucks could look so photogenic on camera??

Perfect weather

Fall weddings always sound like a good idea, but in reality, they’re often miserably freezing affairs. Luckily for us, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect on this day. With rain in the forecast, I resigned myself to shooting entirely indoors. But not only did the rain hold off, it was an unseasonably warm day with temperatures in the 70s!

Beautiful decor

I gotta give credit to Chicago-based wedding decorator/MC/DJ/everythingyoucanthinkof, Kenny Hon, for transforming this unassuming Chinese restaurant into a super glamorous experience.

Aside from the fantastic photo opportunities, this was just a really fun wedding overall. Everyone I encountered was so sweet and down-to-earth. The couple, Hong and Phuoc, looked so happy and smitten with each other –I’m honored to have captured their first moments together as husband and wife.

Don’t forget to check out the gallery: janesocal.com/gallery/ohio-fall-wedding