I have recently photograph Cherrie and Frederick’s wedding.   It was a nice wedding and it went smoothly for them.  I, on the other hand, got a big scratch on my face from the limo grab handle.  As I was getting out of the limo, I grab the handle to pull myself out when it came off and hit me in the face!   Luckily, it was superficial and I did not get KO.  It is still healing but I’m crossing my fingers that it will not leave a bad scar.  I just can’t believe a limo company that doesn’t check their cars for repairs before going on on a gig.  Imagine if it was the bride or groom with a big scratch on her or his face, it would have ruined their day!  Anyways, I got the occasional look from the guest since it was bleeding a little bit.  Good thing the rest of the day went well.  Awesome Disc Jockey / MC was by Dan Kennedy of  Elite Entertainment and videography by Eric.

Cherrie and Frederick was  married at Saint Victor Church in San Jose.  Their reception was at Freedom Hall and Gardens in Santa Clara.

Please enjoy the wedding photos.

Filipino Wedding Photographer

Benipayo Photography

San Jose  | Wedding | Photographer | San Francisco

Contact: Michael at michael@benipayo.com

(408) 717-3670 ********** (415) 763-7643

Pulgas Water Temple is located in Redwood City,  just south of San Francisco.

“San Francisco built Pulgas Water Temple as a monument to the engineering marvel that brought Hetch Hetchy water more than 160 miles across California from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay Area. The Hetch Hetchy Project had taken 24 years to build through the Great Depression at a cost of $102 million.”  Click on the link to read more about it.

Pulgas Water Temple is not your usual garden but better.   The water temple is made up of a number of fluted columns arranged in a circle, upon which a large stone masonry ring with the words “I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people “ [from Isaiah 43:20] are inscribed. There is a large tree-lined reflecting pool to the east.

The fantastic Bride and Groom were Lovelyn and Paul.  Both lives in Daly City just south of San Francisco.  Their reception was at the Hilton Hotel in the City of Burlingame.   It was a long (ceremony and reception was 3 hours apart)  but a wonderful wedding since it was a 12 hours of wedding photography coverage.

Enjoy the following samples of their wedding.

San Jose Photographers Main website.

Benipayo Photography

San Jose  | Wedding | Photographer | San Francisco

Contact: Michael at michael@benipayo.com

(408) 717-3670 ********** (415) 763-7643

Leah and Shane are  the nicest couple I’ve met so far.  They had their ceremony and reception at the only mansion in San Jose – Hayes Mansion which is operated by Dolce International.

Hayes Mansion:

“The Hayes Mansion is a hotel resort in San Jose, California, United States. It was originally constructed as a mansion and has been referred to as one of the finest examples of late 19th-century architecture in the Santa Clara Valley.

Originally the sprawling estate of the Hayes family, it replaced the family’s wooden Queen Anne style house that burned to the ground in 1899. The matriarch of the family, Mary Hayes Chynoweth, commissioned her architect in 1903, George Page, to build, if not a fireproof structure, one featuring the latest fire safety features of the day. This mansion was intended to provide a triple residence for Mrs. Chynoweth and the growing families of her two sons”

Here are some of their wedding photographs.  Please enjoy.

Hayes Mansion Wedding main website.

Filipino Wedding Photographer

Benipayo Photography

San Jose  | Wedding | Photographer | San Francisco

Contact: Michael at michael@benipayo.com

(408) 717-3670 ********** (415) 763-7643

Hello.  I am a wedding photographers in the San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Monterey, and the rest of Bay Area.  I offer save the date the card with any client that includes engagement session with me.  Save the Date Cards, also known as STD, are a good way to tell your friends and families when you will get married in advance of the actual wedding invitation.  I offer cards or save the date magnet cards.  The STD magnet cards are a good way to send your potential guess so that they can stick it up on there fridge.  STD cards are usually opened and put away somewhere safe, never to be  seen.  However, a magnet on a fridge will remind them of your wedding date on a daily basis.

There are many factors that need to be considered when it comes time to plan your wedding. Weddings can be viewed as one big party celebrating the unity of two people madly in love. Weddings can also be difficult to plan as they take a lot of work, time, and effort on the part of the bride and groom, as well as their families. While every aspect and detail dealing with planning the big day is important, one of the most important and critical tasks is making sure all of your family and friends are able to attend.

Below is a sample of a save the date card magnet.  Of course, these cards are designed with your input in mind.

Save the Date Card - Magnet

Weddings which are smaller events should be easier to ensure that everyone knows when and where the wedding is going to be held. Also, in the past, people were not constantly busy working multiple jobs to be able to support their family, giving them more free time to attend events like these. Also different from the past, current weddings are often planned at least a year, sometimes two, in advance of the actual wedding date, whereas in the past they were planned only a few months ahead of time. With that much time before the wedding, and with how large weddings can get, and how busy people can be, it is very important to make sure that your guests know about the wedding well in advance.

Typically, wedding invitations themselves are not sent out sooner than six to eight weeks before the actual wedding date. While many aspects of wedding planning have taken a turn away from the norm over the past years, this is a tradition that has not changed according to proper wedding etiquette. The problem, therefore, becomes how you can possibly notify all of your guests of your wedding date and time without sending out your invitations too soon. The best way to do this is with save the date cards.

Save the date cards have become more popular in recent years due to the increasingly busy lives that people are leading. Save the Date cards are cards that have a small amount of wedding information on it, namely the date of your wedding, which is sent to the family and friends who will be invited to join you on this joyous occasion. This is a great way to notify them of the date, while keeping any other exciting information under wraps until the day gets closer. Most save the date cards simply have the date and a note stating that the formal invitation will follow the card in weeks to come.

Today, there are many different save the date cards that are very popular. It is very important that you take the time to decide which save the date card is perfect for you. Choosing a save the date card is a great way to begin the wedding planning process while locking in your date with the location of your choice. A great save the date card will also encompass your overall wedding theme and color scheme, although at the time that these cards are sent out, you might not know that information yet!

Many couples choose to use a traditional card for their save the date notice. Even if you have not yet chosen a theme for your wedding, you can pick a few general colors that you think you will be using along with a general design that is sure to impress your guests. The best part about save the date cards is that they often go out so far in advance from your actual invitations that most of your guests will not even realize if they are completely different. Choose a one-sided card with the date of your wedding along with a picture of the two of you that can be sent easily to friends and family.

Another way to utilize unique save the date cards, is to opt for a postcard. By using a postcard, you do not have to worry about envelopes, and the postage might actually be less expensive. You can easily have a picture of the two of you along with the date that your wedding will be on the front and your guests address on the back. Many couples also choose to add their own address to the save the date cards in case people want to send them engagement gifts.

There are some other great styles of save the date cards that are very popular today as well. One of the most popular styles of save the date cards is cards that are magnets. These are popular because there is a good chance your guests will put them on their refrigerator, and look at it every day as they anticipate the arrival of your big day. Sometimes save the date cards can get lost, and dates can be forgotten, so putting your card with your date on a magnet that can go on the refrigerator is a great way for your guess to make sure that they will not forget. With so many wonderful save the date card options available today, you can be sure to find one you like.

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Benipayo Photography

San Jose  | Wedding | Photographer | San Francisco

Contact: Michael at michael@benipayo.com

(408) 717-3670 ********** (415) 763-7643

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By: nicefashion

When my son’s senior therapist, from ELCA, told us that there was a SCUBA diving program at Monterey Aquarium, we took the opportunity for my son to get into it.   It’s free for those who has physical handicap and learning disability.

We prepared our son for a good week telling him about SCUBA diving and what he will expect.  He was noticeably a little excited, which he doesn’t get excited that often unless he is watching Marvel cartoons.  He was very patient, sitting still and listening attentively to the three SCUBA instructors.  I think that he was excited partly because once he had the SCUBA dry suit, he looked like a super hero.

I was a little concern about him going underwater but the three SCUBA instructors assured me that he will be safe.  Monterey Aquarium provided 3 SCUBA instructors per special child which made me feel good that nothing bad will happen. Furthermore, they were not really going underwater and that they were diving into the tide pool portion at the aquarium.

To find out more about their SCUBA diving by calling Monterey Aquarium Underwater Explorers program staff at (831) 647-4532.    Lastly, SCUBA diving at Monterey Aquarium is only offered during the summer time.

Enjoy the following photos:

Michael Benipayo

Benipayo Photography

email: michael@benipayo.com

San Jose  | Wedding | Photographer | San Francisco

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The Engagement

After the couple has decided to marry, the first order of business is the pamanhikan, where the groom and his parents visit the bride’s family to ask for her hand in marriage. Wedding plans are often made at this time, including a discussion of the budget and guest list. Don’t be surprised if the groom-to-be is expected to run some errands or help out around the bride’s house. This tradition is called paninilbihan, where the suitor renders service to his future wife’s family to gain their approval.

The Wedding Outfits

The white wedding dress has become popular in the last hundred years or so with America’s influence in the Philippines. Before that, brides wore their best dress, in a festive color or even stylish black, to celebrate a wedding. Orange blossom bouquets and adornments were a must during the turn of the last century. For men, the barong tagalog is the traditional Filipino formal wear.

It is a cool, almost transparent, embroidered shirt, made from silky pina or jusi, two native ecru fabrics. It is worn untucked, over black pants, with a white t-shirt underneath. These days, a Filipino groom might wear the conventional black tux, but Pilipino male wedding guests will usually show up in their finest barongs.

The Ceremony

In pre-colonial days, a wedding ceremony lasted three days. On the first day, the bride and groom were brought to the house of a priest or babaylan, who joined their hands over a plate of raw rice and blessed the couple. On the third day, the priest pricked the chests of both bride and groom and drew a little blood. Joining their hands, they declared their love for each other three times. The priest then fed them cooked rice from the same plate and gave them a drink of some of their blood mixed with water. Binding their hands and necks with a cord, he declared them married. The majority of Filipino weddings are now Catholic weddings, but some native traditions remain. Most have special “sponsors” who act as witnesses to the marriage. The principal sponsors could be godparents, counselors, a favorite uncle and aunt, even a parent. Secondary sponsors handle special parts of the ceremony, such as the candle, cord and veil ceremonies. Candle sponsors light two candles, which the bride and groom use to light a single candle to symbolize the joining of the two families and to invoke the light of Christ in their married life. Veil sponsors place a white veil over the bride’s head and the groom’s shoulders, a symbol of two people clothed as one. Cord sponsors drape the yugal (a decorative silk cord) in a figure-eight shape–to symbolize everlasting fidelity–over the shoulders of the bride and groom. The groom gives the bride 13 coins, or arrhae, blessed by the priest, as a sign of his dedication to his wife’s well-being and the welfare of their future children.

The Food

The Pilipino wedding feast is elaborate. One feast celebrated at the turn of the last century involved these foods: First was served cold vermicelli soup. The soup was followed by meats of unlimited quantity–stewed goat, chicken minced with garlic, boiled ham, stuffed capon, roast pork and several kinds of fish. There were no salads, but plenty of relishes, including red peppers, olives, green mango pickles and crystallized fruits. For dessert, there were meringues, baked custard flan, coconut macaroons and sweetened seeds of the nipa plant.

Filipino Wedding Photographers home page

Michael Benipayo

Benipayo Photography

email: michael@benipayo.com

San Jose  | Wedding | Photographer | San Francisco

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• Hayes Mansion Wedding: Leah and Shane

by Rafi Michael

As a San Jose Wedding Photographer, I have to market my business.   I just finished a bridal show and it was a lot of work and very expensive.  I had to spend so much for 3 hours worth of show but I hope it pays off.  Unfortunately, it rained like crazy and not to mention, cold.  However hard it was, I just hope it pays off. I might just do another one late this year…..then again maybe not

My samples

Me standing in front of my booth.

Fashion Show During the Bridal Show

Vanessa & Jon’s Wedding Rehearsal at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Gilroy, California

It was a beautiful day considering it was freezing cold one to two weeks prior to today.  Lucky for everybody.  The wedding venue was not too busy for a Saturday.  Sunny and it is a perfect day to be out.

Enjoy the wedding rehearsal photos.

Gilroy Wedding Photographers.

Thanks for looking at this wedding photography rehearsal.

Benipayo Photography 408-717-3670

A little quasi black & white photo of them.

Filipino Wedding Photographer