Vietnam | Thailand | Bali | Wedding Photographers » an hoi

VWP, another year older….

doctor447 — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:06:52 +0000

It is just over a year since we photographed together as VWP, and to celebrate this we have a wedding photography exhibition at Highway4 Restaurant and Bar, 5 Hang Tre, Hanoi. Running from 7th to 28th October we are displaying hundreds of images in collages on their ground floor.

Every single wedding has been a pleasure to be involved in, from China Beach in Danang to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Hoi An, Halong Bay and Luang Prabang; The Metropole and Inter Continental Hotels in Hanoi and the privilege of photographing The Prime Minister’s daughter’s wedding at The Caravelle in Ho Chi Minh City.

Upcoming dates include new venues for us; Khao Lak in Thailand, Siem Reap in Cambodia and the stunning Six Senses Hideaway near Nha Trang, Vietnam. This month we will be at The Park Hyatt in Saigon and The Sheraton in Hanoi.

Marc & Hien : Hanoi An Hoi and Wedding

doctor447 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:29:15 +0000

Marc and Hien’s An Hoi was hosted in her family’s house in the Bach Dang area of Hanoi, a great neighbourhood along the riverside, behind the Opera House. I love shooting An Hoi, because it is the traditional Vietnamese element of weddings here: the groom’s entourage arrives in cyclos bearing gifts, to ask permission for the bride’s hand in marriage. Hien’s family have a lovely house, but it got cramped pretty quickly with 40 people crammed in the narrow living room. Not an easy environment for pictures, but definitely fun.

Their wedding, a week later, was split between Hien’s house and a swank restaurant in town. By the end, the ruou was flowing (thanks to Marc’s stand-in dad, Jeff), and everyone had a great time. The images below are a selection from both weekends.

Steve and Hanh : Hanoi Wedding

doctor447 — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 09:30:31 +0000

We’ve all been waiting for this one for a while here in Hanoi, and it didn’t disappoint. Steve and Hanh married this past weekend – though in Vietnam the wedding reception is a mere formality, the real nuptials are during the an hoi and then registering with various stamped papers with the government.

We all met at a cafe on Tran Hung Dao, and then hit the road for a motorbike motorcade out to Hanh’s parent’s house, as we did for the an hoi. After a little tea and a few cigarettes were passed around, we were back on the road for what has become a tradition in recent years amongst Hanoi newlyweds: pictures of the happy couple in front of the historic Opera House. Looking for something a little different, we went out back, and shot a few frames by a tea stand and outdoor pool table, images I think capture Steve and Hanh’s personalities much more than the front of the building. We also managed to sneak inside the basement of the Opera House for a few shots along a beautiful old wrought iron staircase with sunlight streaming in the window.

Finally, before heading to the Melia Hotel for the reception, we snuck in a cheeky bia or two at our favorite bia hoi on Quan Su. Though already regulars, I think we’ll win points with the proprietors for bringing a wedding party to their bia hoi, possibly a first. Maybe they’ll be a bit more forgiving next time we’re there until midnight.

It was a beautiful, beautiful day, and even though a Sunday, it lasted well into the night as everyone wanted to keep the celebration going. Big thanks to Steve and Hanh for inviting all of us.

More pictures coming from Aidan soon, after he gets back from assignment in Nghe An province later this week.

Steve and Hanh : Hanoi An Hoi

doctor447 — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:17:25 +0000

Steve and Hanh are two of our oldest friends in Hanoi. Hanh made an honest man of Hanoi’s premier punk rock wheelie-poppin’ bassist this weekend during a beautiful (but stifling hot!) an hoi ceremony at her parent’s apartment. I was part of the groom’s entourage who bore gifts of rice cakes, wine and cigarettes to Hanh’s family, and Hanh had her own group of girlfriends waiting to receive us in red and gold ao dai. After the ceremony we headed down to Highway4 for lunch, followed by one of the longest bia hoi sessions in recent memory. It was kindof like a “Best of Hanoi” all packed into a single day.

Not too many pictures from this one as we were all just enjoying the moment with our two good friends. The wedding’s coming up this weekend, and promises to be a great one.