HyStudio – Life Behind the Lens

Hy went to Yosemite with Hy’s family yesterday. I taught Sunday school in the morning and spent time with my best friend from London for a late lunch. Then, laboring through the rest of night at home catching up with some work.

Hy came home very early this morning, with a camera full of joyful family photos and amazing scenery shot of Yosemite National Park. He handed me a bunch for blogging purpose. I, hopefully will be posing them through 2008. This one is my favorite.

I’ve been at home for the past 10 days. Even though I’ve been working through the holidays, these 10 days has been quite rewarding. I got to eat well & caught up with some sleep. Got lots of reading done (mostly emails). Most importantly, got to spend time at home with Hy and friends from afar.

Today, I spent some time to think about 2007, it was a very eventful and tough year for me personally; new assignments/role from work was really challenging, couple health issues that I had to suffer through(a sign of getting old) , and the latest emotional event of Hy’s mom passing. Regardless of challenges from everyday life, I was surrounded with prayers, tender cares, loving emails and encouraging notes from my dear hubby, coworkers, friends, and brides online. HyStudio was also really blessed with friendships we made and wonderful brides, grooms, and vendors that we journeyed with.

Due to challenges in 2007, I’ve been searching for books that can help to improve the short comings that I identified. Tonight, I bought couple books from Amazon. I was hoping it will provide me broader perspective and fun during my weekly business flights. My work provides Oreilly’s Safari books online, which is a wonderful tool for employees to continue to grow 24×7. So, I got a head start on readings tonight. Tonight, I learned about Shoshin.

Shoshin, which means beginner’s mind, or open mind, an essential part of many martial arts disciplines. Staying curious and open is what makes growth possible, and it requires practice to maintain that mindset. To keep learning, we have to avoid the temptation to slide into narrow, safe views of what we do.

Thinking about HyStudio, I believe the open mind set is exactly what we aim for. Looking at a list of weddings we scheduled so far in 2008, I know it will be another exciting year upcoming. We are looking forward for continuous growth with respectful vendors in our industry.

Happy New Year!

Venue: Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards, Woodside, CA
Cater: Le Papillon
Cake: The Cakery

Annie has a classic elegance taste. It demonstrated well through out all the details in her wedding.

I am a shoe girl. I love to see the designer pairs. Annie paired the Vera Wang heels for the wedding gown.

Which gal can resist the beauty of Jimmy Choo?! Annie wore the pair with her red Dolce and Gabbana dress.

The beauty of Thomas Fogarty Vineyard in fall.

The ceremony location, overlooking the silicon valley.

Love this cute little cake from the Cakery.

Vera Wang Love Knots Toast Flutes.

Besides being a shoe girl, I am also a foodie. This is the 2nd wedding we’ve been with Le Papillon. Le Papillon is a well known fine dining French restaurant in the Silicon Valley. I am posting so many photos about food, I just can’t resist.

The dining hall for lunch. The guests gets to overlook the vineyard while dining.

The soup course. Best looking mushroom soup.

The entree, beautifully crafted.

Merry Christmas to you all ~

Venue: Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards, Woodside, CA
Makeup & Hair: Sherrie Long Makeup
Designer dress: Dolce & Gabbana
Floral designer: Wendy Huang

Annie and Seiki hosted a wedding reception in the elegant Thomas Fogarty Winery up in Woodside. Annie and Seiki are both very successful people in their career. Success also means busy life style. We first met them at our home with 9am appointment. Hy and I are both night people, so we invited them to site at our kitchen counter and talked over coffee. Hy and I learned so much from both of them about business, execution, and leadership in our conversation. It was such a pleasure working with top notch people in Silicon Valley.

We are honored to work with one of our favorite vendor Sherrie Long again in this wedding. I always love the elegance Sherrie delivered for our clients. I highly recommend her! Here’s a photo of Sherrie in action in the background.

Seiki playing guitar in the background while Annie was getting ready.

I love her earrings.

Annie and her baby, Nicolas. I love the tender moment Hy captured. Can you believe Annie just gave birth couple months before this reception? She got back in shape amazingly.

The couple decided to walk the aisle together.

Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyard is such a beautiful ground. It’s so easy to capture beautiful photos.

Annie looking stunning in her Dolce and Gabbana gown. I thought it was a good play on east + west. As for Chinese tradition, red is essential color in a wedding, while the white laces represents the west.

I want to take this chance to thank all of you who sent us Christmas cards this year. We felt very warmed with your continuous support especially during this difficult time in our life. Tonight, Hy and I hosted an early Christmas dinner at our house for the family. Though we are missing a key member, she lived in our heart. We had a good time celebrating Christmas. Hope all of you get to enjoy this holiday season with your love ones.

The details in this wedding is amazing. Come back tomorrow for more photos. Congratulations Annie & Seiki!

What a day.

Early morning 8am, I had a phone conference with folks in India. Had breakfast in Southern California. After a whole day of meetings and negotiations, jump up on the plane as the ‘last one’ that delays the flight. Write up my first draft of shopping list on the 1 hour short flight. Meet up with Hy at 8:30pm. at Northern California, drive to the mall, executed our holiday shopping list, literally running back and forth in the mall. 11pm., had a romantic coffee/cake date with Hy at Cocola bakery in Santana Row. midnight, answering more emails from work. 1:40am, finally have time to do my favorite thing, keeping in touch with my virtual friends here.

Many exciting news today. First, back in summer time, we’ve been selected as the preferred vendor for Mountain Winery, a place we got married at. The on-site coordinator has since asked us to help them decorate their show room with Hy’s photos. We were busy since summer. Now, Hy finally had time. Look at what Hy created. 🙂 I am so excited that future Mountain Winery brides will be able to view Hy’s work at the site Hy and I got married at. I am loving the poster so much!

Second, we are blogged today! Check us out at Cards de luxe blog site. Thank you Susanne for all your sweet words.

Susanne had been reading our blogs for a while. She recently contacted us. I know there are many of you great vendors out there reading this blog. Thank you my dear readers 🙂 Drop a note to me sometimes, the messages really encourage me to write on.

BTW, we still have couple weddings in the queue waiting to see the light. Check back with us during the holiday season. I will post them one by one. Happy Holidays! Hope you got your shopping done and not rushing through last min. like me.

Venue: Ranch Golf Club, San Jose
Event Coordination: Jammin Events
Florist: Rosies and Posies Downtown Florist
Makeup: MakeupNV by Nam Vo
Hair: Tangerine Hair Studio by Cynthia Mune
Cake: Linda’s Bakery

Ranch Golf Club was a really beautiful reception location. At night, you get to see the view of silicon valley.

Tammy getting ready for the reception.

While the boys enjoying the good bottles 😉

One of Hy’s favorite. Hy likes the lighting here.

I love the dimension of this photo. The foreground and background.

A sweet intimate moment.

Tammy changed into another dress before cake cutting.

The Cake

A collection of tattoo photos on the guests. Super cool.

Ceremony: Private Residence, San Jose
Event Coordination: Jammin Events
Florist: Rosies and Posies Downtown Florist
Makeup: MakeupNV by Nam Vo
Hair: Tangerine Hair Studio by Cynthia Mune

Brian’s the little brother of HyStudio 2006 cover bride, Terri. We loves to photograph weddings where we get to see old clients and their families. The party is by far the hippest we’ve been to. I will show case the wedding in 2 parts. The photos here today are from the ceremony. I will show the reception photos on my next post.

Hy photographed this wedding by himself. It was fun to see different type of angels coming out of Hy.

I love this capture.

Yes. This is part of the private residence. It was beautiful.

The florist did an amazing job with color coordination.

The girls. Yeah.. work it girls 🙂

Hip party starts off with cool bride 🙂

Seriously though, I think Tammy got that high fashion look. I think that’s what Tyra would say.

HyStudio Version of “Got Milk?”

Still part of the private residence.

Ring shot 🙂 You can tell Hy loves nature.

Congratulations Tammy and Brian!

December had been a quite eventful month for Hy and I. Last Friday, I had my first not mis-dialed 911 call due to food poisoning in the hotel I stayed at for my business trip. The hotel security called 911 for me because I was going through dehydration due to series of vomiting and diarrhea. The paramedic came, I think a team of 7 or 8 big strong men, filling the room I stayed in. They asked my age, couple other questions on my theory behind my sickness, measured my blood pressure, then told me, “At your age, you will be fine. You just need to suffer through this. Drink some Gatorade, take some Advils.” .. Urg .. ok .. In the end, I did suffered through. It was painful. Since I was on business trip, I was alone. But I did pick myself up, be strong, and flew home. Lesson of the story, gotta exercise and keep my health up. Sometimes, even 911 can’t help you .. Hy was a sweet heart though, came pick me up in the airport, took care of me over the weekend. I guess I am ready for what’s coming this week. I am praying for a slow and peaceful week. So looking forward for the holidays.

Frank has joined HyStudio since Sept last year. Frank never shot wedding or engagement photos before he joined HyStudio. He does lots of landscape, nature, architecture photos, but rarely photographs people. Nevertheless, I saw talent in Frank after he tagged along to shoot his first wedding with us, as a trial. Since then, Hy has been mentoring Frank with no reservation.

Photos below, speak for themselves. Sarah and Hamish, thanks for giving faith to Frank. I am so looking forward for your wedding next year.

So, above is Frank’s first year. I can see a bit of his own style coming out. I can’t wait to see what Frank can produce in 2008.

BTW, we start getting inquires for 2009. Yes 2009. Talk to us early!

This week has been a week of sorrow for Hy and I. Hy’s mother had left us into God’s hand Monday evening. We rushed to the hospital when we got a call. When we saw her, she was already gone, with a peaceful look on her face, as she was fallen asleep in God’s arm.

We’ve been expecting not having her with us for long, but were still shock when it happened so quickly. In the past 12 years, she’s been battling kidney issues. She had to go through dialysis 3 times a week, every week. In the past 6 years, the family gone through many ER and hospital stay overs. The Vu family, her husband, children, grandchildren, loved her a lot. They were always by her side through this long journey. There were many nights when her children would take turns to stay over night with her in the hospital. There were times doctor told us she wouldn’t make it. But miracles happened so we got to have her with us a little longer.

My mother in law, Mrs. Vu, was a really caring mom. In the past 11 years, she has treated me as her own daughter. Even though we don’t have a common language other than body languages; she doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak Vietnamese; when I was around her, I always felt loved. When Hy and I were in college, while she prepared food for Hy, she always prepared a portion for me as well. She lived a very simple life; she lives for the Lord and her family. She was such a lovable lady with simple and pure heart. The priest of church said it well in her farewell mass, “Mrs. Vu was like a simple clay pot, by itself, the clay pot seemed worthless. But with her pure heart, just like a clay plot with treasure inside, it’s precious”.

This week, being the Christmas season, I’ve experienced the meaning of Christmas in a whole different way.  Mrs Vu was a woman of faith. She has been preparing the family for more than a year that she wanted to go home, back in God’s home. She told us that she has been suffered enough and she wanted to leave. I can see the peace on her face when she left. And it was because Christ shed His blood for us, so we, the undeserving sinners, can be at God’s presence. Jesus’ birth, this Christmas, is especially precious to me. Jesus’ birth gives us hope for the eternity. The bible told us in Revelation 21 about a new world: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

I took this photo at my mother in law’s burial site during the burial ceremony. We had couple days of rain this week. During the burial, it didn’t rain, but it was quite cloudy. Hy has been listening to this song, “On Your Porch”, by “The Format” for couple months. The lyric was about the singer’s father being in a long illness and their experience through the journey. In the song, the singer’s father grabs his shoulder before he left the home and told him:

He grabs me by the shoulder and he tells me,
“Whats left to lose? You’ve done enough,
And if you fail then you fail but not to us,
‘Cause these last three years,
I know they have been hard,
But now it’s time to get out of the desert and into the sun,
Even if its alone.”

During the burial ceremony, each of the family members and friends dropped a flower into the grave as our last goodbye. Hy’s dad hold a red rose and was waiting for us to finish so he can be the last one to say goodbye to his dear wife. The whole morning was cloudy and chilly.

When Hy’s dad dropped the last red rose, on the moment it touches her coffin, the sun came out. It shined warmly on our body. We were all wrapped in the warm of the sun. It felt like God has wrapped his arm around us.

I can almost hear Hy’s mom’s loving voice whisper to us,
“Yes, though you are now alone, you’ve done enough. It’s time to get out of the desert and into the sun”.

Goodbye, dear mom.

We miss you.