I’ve been looking ahead to this day when I’m going to feature this momentous – in fact unprecedented – wedding of Lyn and Thyne. I’ve been thinking of what else to say or how else to try to tell people that what they have here is different but it’s ok. I was bracing myself to reason out and fight for this post similar how Lyn and Thyne have been fighting for it and similar to how I sort of defended it in my last post on their e-sesion photos.

But you know, as I went through the photos while I prepared them for this post, I remember how I felt shooting it – I felt how special it was, I felt how happy I was for them, and I felt the celebration of love al throughout the day – all of these are no different from any other wedding I witnessed. I didn’t think the entire time that this is a lesbian wedding; that there are actually two women who are vowing to love each other forever. That made me realize all the more that, strip this of the issue of gender including all the prejudice that comes with it, this wedding is as normally wonderful as any other wedding. So I’m not anymore going to go through much tying justify it – because any union, clear it of the discrimination of gender, much like age and race is a love as pure as any love there is out there. Enjoy the photos.

Don’t miss their one-of-a-kind engagement photos as well.

Here is part two of our back-to-back feature of Aileen and Byron’s e-session and wedding. As beautifully tranquil and soothing their e-session photos were, it is a big contrast to what their wedding was all about – crowded, non-stop, and very much festive. It also adds to the excitement that it was held in Bacolod, one of my favorite places to visit and shoot.

Bacolod is the hometown of Aileen. Needless to say, we expected quite a big turnout of guests and more importantly, we felt we’re home. The people are very nice and we had access to pretty much anything we needed – for the shoot and everything else.

Aileen and Byron are probably the most preoccupied couple I’ve had. Incidentally, the timelines of them opening-up the first Broasters franchise outside the US and their wedding aligned with one another and obviously that would entail some compromises. Nonetheless, both were successfully dealt with and they had such a beautiful and unforgettable wedding and now an equally successful store in Robinson’s Magnolia (you have got to try it).

So please do enjoy the second part of our back-to-back posts and if you’re craving for some healthy fried chicken, you know where to go. ;)

Supplier line-up:
Make-up: Julius Dinorog
Wedding Gown: Veluz Reyes
Entourage Gowns: Rosalyn Lagdameo
Coordination: Vivien Sheryl Villanueva
Videography: Bob Nicolas
Florist: Picart Flowers / Beng Villanueva
Reception: L’Fisher Hotel Bacolod City
Emcee: Bobby Yan

Metrophoto as an entity is inspired by many things and by many people. These compelling elements are the foundation on why we exist. Greatness, longevity, a deep commitment to customer service, are some of the attributes that we see in other companies or people that keep us passionate in doing what we do. Aside from these, there is a an intrinsic motivation that is also driven by people who continue to write us off, people who discredit us, and people who await nothing but the moment we would stumble. But really, these are the very things that push us further and motivate us to do nothing else but prove them wrong.

In a very fascinating way, what I just mentioned is similar to what we’re posting about today. Lyn and Thyne is not your conventional couple, similar to others they are over much in love with each other, but unlike many others they are of the same sex. Yes they are lesbians. And even in this day and age, many still consider that taboo, ungodly, and shameful. It is this underlying struggle, that Lyn and Thyne have to continue to overcome, that allowed us to see pass what’s on the outside and completely embrace them for their commitment to one another. More than anything, it is the people who question them, look down on them, and dismiss them that made their bond stronger, and while there could be so many things that one can negatively see in the situation they’e in, we choose to look at the triumph of their love.

As a very apparent example of what I’m saying, I posted a photo as a teaser of Lyn and Thyne’s engagement session in Boracay a few days ago, and expectedly it was greeted both with positive and negative reactions. But like what I said, if you already knew how to win over such negativity, the only thing it can do to you is make you better. I just take pleasure on how Thyne puts it in her comment to all of them “Wow.. just as we expected… pero damn right.. we had so much fun on our wedding day!!! Thank you Lord, for giving us the best time on our BIG DAY!!! Thank you also for the nice comments and the negative ones… you are the reason why we are here…. :))) CHEERS!” I guess No one relishes it like they do.

Now, I know she mentioned wedding day, but first off let’s look at the photos from their preceding shoot done a day before the wedding in Boracay. And please do stay tuned for the feature of their most lovely wedding ceremony. Enjoy.

I love the Philippines, in fact I feel that there is no place better to live in than in Manila which is my home. But the city is just a b*tch when it comes to being a wedding photographer. Not only is it one of the least picturesque city I know, it is also the littered with security guards in almost every corner – all of which are instructed to oppose and seize people shooting with their SLR cameras. Sometimes it’s an advantage to those who really take the time to get a permit to shoot or has the right ‘connections’ to be allowed to shoot, but most of the time it’s a pain in the butt.

All these are a stark contrast to another of my favourite city, Singapore. In this small country, not only are people very tolerant of such shoots, the place is also astutely constructed to be conducive to shoot great compositions. And amazingly, when I already felt that I have shot in its nicest places already, they built something nicer to shoot at.

Today’s photos are from the pre-wedding shoot of Jen and Vergel. Shot this inside the newly opened Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, it is a marvel to behold. With a lot of provisions for creative angles that we really love and night lights that really take you. Given the attractive nature of this new location, a lot of shoots are happening simultaneously everyday, but we take that as a challenge and create shots that are different from what anyone else would expect.

So please enjoy these photos from Singapore while we go back home to Manila and take a different challenge – getting to actually shoot. hahaha!

Happy Easter everyone! :)

I’m excited to share the wonderful wedding of Amanda and Chris Schoof. Held inside Chris’ family estate in the town of Baclayon in Bohol, both the ceremony – held at the backyard of the mansion, and the reception – took place at the Peacock Garden Resort, were breathtaking. Technically, this is a destination wedding for Metrophoto but since Amanda and Chris reside in this beautiful province, it’s not much so.

For those of you who visit this site frequently, I’m sure you’ve chanced upon my previous post of Amanda and Chris’s e-session shoot that we shot in same place. Then I had quite a long and fascinating write-up on how these two amazing people and me seemed so meant to be. It’s very much worth a visit so please click here to see that entire post.

The wedding was nothing short of what anyone would wish for, extraordinarily beautiful. The details, the colors, the locations, the people – everything felt like being in a movie, a great feel-good movie. The color schemes and landscape makes you feel that you are in Tuscany then there is that Filipino rustic appeal of the vintage wooden chairs used during the ceremony, it was definitely one-of-a-kind. In fact, a big fountain was actually demolished in order to pave the aisle that Amanda will walk on. Nothing was really ‘untouchable’ in order to make the dream wedding a reality. And I love it!

So please allow us to share with you the photos from this wedding of Amanda and Chris, a testament to an undying love that unconditionally overcame any challenges that stood its way. Truly a wedding unlike any other.

Supplier Line-up:
Make-up: Madge Landrito-Lejano
Coordination: Ernest Pascual of Bespoke Manila
Gown: Veluz
Videography: Bob Nicolas
Florist: Vatel Manila (bride & entourage) / Bluegrass Project (event styling)
Caterer: The Peacock Garden
Cake: Peachy Juban
Emcee: Atom Ungson