A few weeks ago, I traveled to the west coast to photograph Randy and Kendra's wedding, held in a Buddhist Temple smack dab in the center of L.A. Big thanks to Laura Evans for making the trip with me and second shooting! The temple and its gardens were amazing to photograph.
The Japanese garden surrounding the temple was filled with color and texture and beauty.
I was particularly drawn to the big gong outside the entrance to the temple.
The ceremony was one of the most moving ceremonies I've ever photographed. I asked the Sensei for a copy of his words. I loved his wish for the couple:"We wish for you a home...not a place of stone and wood, but an island of sanity and serenity in the frenzied world. We hope that this is not just a place of private joy and retreat, but rather serves as a temple wherein the values of your life are generated and upheld. We hope that your home stands as a symbol of humans living together in love and peace, seeking truth, demanding social justice. We hope that your home encompasses the beauty of nature...that it has within it the elements of simplicity, exuberance, beauty, silence, color and a concordance with the rhythms of life. We wish for you a home with all the things which represent the highest strivings of men and women. We wish that at the end of your lives you will be able to say these two things to each other: Because you have loved me, you have given me faith in myself; and because I have seen the good in you, I have received from you a faith in humanity."
During the ceremony the Sensei presented Randy and Kendra with meditation beads.
The bridal party was a lively, happy group.
Jumping was their idea. I promise. Randy's best man was a particularly enthusiastic jumper.
Laura photographing Randy in GQ mode...
One of the things Randy loved about the temple was how it was surrounded by all of the buildings in downtown LA. I thought it would be cool to get a serious photo of the couple--but Randy was such a happy groom, we had a very very hard time catching his serious face.
Laura and I had fun using the cool gardens as background. I love the way Kendra's bouquet looks against the rocks... Laura's shot of the rings on the stem rocks--thankfully the rings didn't blow off and get lost!
Thank you Randy and Kendra, for an amazing experience. I loved photographing your wedding!
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