Minhchau & Peter | Pleiku Vietnam x Windsor Canada

Vietnam Wedding Photographer

Minhchau & Peter’s beautiful photoshoot in Hue & Lang Co and their incredible wedding in Pleiku Vietnam

I’m loving multiple-day wedding shoots! It really gives me a chance to get to know the couple and spend time with their family. Anyone planning a destination wedding, don’t think of it as The Big Day, think about The Big Week! I met MinhChau and Peter in the old capital of Hue where we had a morning for a photoshoot around the old citadel. We also had a chance to stop at the beautiful Lang Co Lake, 30km north of DaNang en route to the airport.

That evening we flew to their hometown of Pleiku in the central highlands. But this was more than just a wedding, MinhChau left Vietnam when she was just 4 years old and this was the first time the whole family had been together for 26 years! It was a beautiful, emotional time for everyone. The whole family was wonderfully accommodating and the next day we had a chance to explore their countryside. Many might think of Pleiku as a big industrial town, but just outside the city are stunning countryside, lakes, and coffee and tea plantations.

Chua Minh Thanh Pagoda

The wedding day itself was spectacular. MinhChau’s cousin, and owner of the spectacular Chua Minh Thanh pagoda in Pleiku, opened the doors for their first-ever wedding there. The temple was founded by his master as a small little humble temple on the family’s coffee farm and he started to study to be a monk there at age 6. After the master passed and when MinhChau’s cousin finished his doctorate in fine Asian art in Taiwan, he started expanding on the original temple based on influences from temples around Asia that he had visited.

Every small detail of the temple has been designed by him. Beautifully decorative and ornate, it was the perfect location for exchanging their vows. After the wedding, we had the chance for a quick photoshoot around the countryside before the reception at their family home which went on long into the night.

Thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome and letting me be part of your celebrations, it is a week that will stay with me for a long time.

Canada Wedding Photographer

We all got on brilliantly, MinhChau & Peter loved the photos and invited me to Canada to photograph their wedding in Windsor, Ontario. How could I say no?! So I set off on an epic 43-hour journey from Bangkok to Windsor with a layover in Delhi. I last went to India’s fascinating capital nearly 10 years ago and it’s still an amazing city (even carrying around 20kg of photography equipment!).

Jet-lagged and dazed I arrived in Windsor in the afternoon and promptly went to bed at 5 pm. After living in Asia, the air in North America is so clear, the sky so blue and the streets so quiet! I met with MinhChau and Peter at Caesar’s Casino where they are staying for their wedding day and discussed the next day whilst feasting on some of the best middle eastern food I have tasted (you’ll get to know that they both seriously love their food)

On their wedding day, we started with an early morning photoshoot before everyone got ready (fresh croissants, Danish pastries) and a late morning photoshoot with the bridal party. After lunch, the ceremony and reception were held at Windsor Art Gallery with a stunning view overlooking Detroit’s skyline. Again the menu, carefully selected by the couple after numerous tasting sessions, was to die for.

Chinese Tea Ceremony

The morning after, I cunningly skipped eating breakfast in anticipation of a magnificent traditional Chinese banquet and Tea Ceremony that awaited. The banquet was a feast for the senses, with a plethora of dishes adorning the table. Amongst them, a mouth-watering lobster soup stood out as one of the highlights, bursting with rich flavor and delicate spices.

After the lively celebrations, MinhChau and Peter generously took me on a road trip to Toronto, passing through the breathtaking Niagara Falls. The falls were a sight to behold, and we took the Maid of the MIst right up to the falls. We continued our journey, indulging in some delectable food and visiting the iconic CN Tower, which offered stunning panoramic views of the city.

Our culinary adventures did not end there, as we savored the famous Canadian dish, Poutine, which is often considered the national dish of Canada. The combination of crispy fries, rich gravy, and cheese curds was an explosion of flavors in my mouth, leaving me craving for more.

MinhChau & Peter are two of the kindest, friendliest, and most genuine people I have met and I only hope the slideshow captures the fun and happiness from the long weekend. I’ve included travel shots from Delhi, Niagara, and Toronto as that was all part of the experience.

I would love to welcome you guys to Bangkok one day. The food here is really, really good here too x