While Kim Le and I were in Paris for Huong and Ben’s session, Albert and Tiffany contacted me and asked to meet us for a nighttime engagement session in the city of love and lights. The plan for Albert and Tiffany was to visit some places that offered unique viewpoints at night – Montmarte, the Louvre, and the Eiffel tower. The first time I visited Paris, I rented a bike and rode around the city at 11pm with some friends – it was full of life and lights, though a bit different than the day time experience. It felt magical biking down Champs Elysees from The Louvre to the Arc, then finally back to the Eiffel tower. The city lit up with a warm hue and left a feeling of serenity as we people watched from the Champ de Mars lawn. I knew this experience would make for some incredible photos one day and along come Albert and Tiffany.
Needless to say, we had an incredible time with Albert and Tiffany, eventually winding down with wine, cheese, and crepes at a very Parisian (read: non English speaking) cafe.
If you’d like to join me and Kim Le on one of our next trips, send me an email!
One morning I received a call from an international number. After staring at it for three rings trying to figure it out…
“Hello, this is Jason.”
“Hi Jason! My name is Huong and I’m calling you from the Netherlands!”
“Whoa. {awkward pause} How can I help you?”
“I’d like some more information about doing an engagement session in Houston.”
Perplexed, I explained the engagement session process to her – locations, times, outfits, posing, etc…but after our conversation, I had to ask her one more question. ”Can I ask…what are you doing in the Netherlands?”
She explained that she and her fiance now lived in the Netherlands for work. The company he works for has an office in the Netherlands and hired the company that she worked for, who also had an office in the Netherlands. I asked about their relationship, how they met, and how they got engaged. After telling me their story, Huong said they were actually engaged at the Eiffel tower in Paris! As a smile came upon my face, I said, ”Then why not shoot your engagement in Paris? It seems it has more significance than Houston for you guys…” She said she never thought of it, but would talk it over with her fiance and call me back.
<insert longest 3 minutes of my life>
A call from the same number comes in and within the first ring, I pick up – maybe a little too excited. Huong tells me she and Ben would LOVE to fly me out to Paris to shoot their engagement session. <high fives all around!>
It’s always a wonderful opportunity to shoot in unfamiliar and new settings – both as a photographer and as a wannabe world traveler. I feel so blessed to have couples want to take me on trips with them so we can create unique and stunning photos together. I indulge in the creative challenge of new places, cities, and rules. If you’ve been on an engagement shoot with me, you know I like to wander around aimlessly, looking for spots and inspiration. While I love discovering locations and seeking light, I think my couples find wandering a little more relaxing and laid back since there’s no set plan for us to stick to – each session is truly unique. For Huong and Ben, we knew we wanted to photograph the iconic Parisian spots – Eiffel tower, The Louvre, and Champs Elysees. Along the way, we found a few hidden gems, which isn’t too hard in a city like Paris!
This shoot was especially fun because I got to bring my girlfriend (and photographer!), Kim Le with me to spend a few extra days eating, cheesing, and relaxing in Europe. We also visited Budapest and London on this trip, but Paris is definitely one of our favorite destinations mainly for it’s charm (me) and macaroons (her). It’s a perfect city for people watchers, history buffs, foodies and photographers. And since Paris is such an international city, you don’t need to know much French to get by – though it might be helpful to learn merci (thanks), deux pan aui chocolat (2 chocolate filled croissants!), crepe, nutella, baguette, and vin (wine!). We urge everyone to visit Paris at least once in their lifetime – so much that we’ve thought about hosting a photo walk/workshop in Paris just to share our love for the city. FYI – if you ever find yourself planning a trip to Paris, we’ve found some hotel alternative gems via Airbnb.com (this is by far our favorite).
Leave me a comment with where YOU’D love to have your destination engagement session! And if you want to take me (and the cute girl above) with you, send me an email. 
P.S. Check back in a few days for a magical night time Paris engagement session!
Kimberly and Jimmy are truly a gracious and gorgeous couple. They are incredible people surrounded by incredible friends and family. Their wedding at St. Vincent De Paul and the Bell Tower on 34th was one of my most enjoyable and set the bar high for the rest of 2012. I’m excited to share their images and to capture many more caught-in-betweens for my future couples. Thanks to my friend Marco for second shooting with me and to Agnes for assisting. Special thanks to Mai and her team at Honeydew Events for keeping things on time and in line!
If you were at their wedding, check out more of their photos as a slideshow!
Ingredients:
Wedding Guidelines for St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church - 6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX 77025 - (713) 667-9111
Reception at the Bell Tower on 34th - www.thebelltoweron34th.com - 901 W. 34th Street, Houston, Texas 77018 – (713) 868-2355
Contact Mai Dang at Honeydew Events – www.honeydewhouston.com – (713) 401-9504
Bouquets and boutonnieres created by Flowers by Lisa - www.weddingflowersbylisa.com - 1510 Delano Street Houston, TX 77003 – (713) 398-3633
Makeup provided by the reliable Debbie of Pink Palette Artists - www.pinkpaletteartists.com
Non stop party catered by DJ Super T – www.djsupert.com
Videography by Keith at Inspired Effects - www.inspired-effects.com – (817) 705-2352
Photography by Table4 – Contact me for your own wedding! – info@table4weddings.com – (214) 444-8422
I’m proud to announce the growth and expansion of Table4Weddings into the west coast! Table4 has been available for destination weddings worldwide, but starting March 1st, 2012 will be accepting LOCAL commissions for Texas AND California* (Dallas and Los Angeles, specifically). What this means to Dallas and Los Angeles wedding couples is NO TRAVEL FEES for their Dallas or LA weddings, and what this means to wedding couples outside of the immediate Dallas or Los Angeles areas is LOWER travel fees.
My love for travel and California has led to this expansion, giving me a unique opportunity to expand my creative sensibilities and work with a wider variety of couples in love. It’s an exciting time and I can’t want to embrace this opportunity for Table4!
As always, any questions or inquiries can be asked via my contact form.
The intimate, romantic, caught-in-between moments of love are some of my favorite and most challenging images to take. They happen so fast and sometimes so seldom, an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction and relief comes over me whenever I’m lucky enough to capture one of those moments. Below are a few of my favorite caught-in-betweens from recent months. In celebrating Valentine’s Day today, I hope to be a part of and capture many more caught-in-betweens this year.
I’d love to be part of your day, telling your unique story through my images. If you’re interested in sharing your day with me, please use the contact form to reach me.
