Orlando Wedding and Portrait Photographer Kim Chau

Follow me on Facebook!

2011-01-29T00:40:00.003-06:00

This blog will no longer be updated. To get the latest news and see the most recent photos, please "like" Kim Chau Photography on Facebook. I look forward to connecting with you there!

Kathryn and Jake - July 17, 2010

2010-09-20T10:21:00.003-05:00

Hello, blog! I'm not sure if I will continue to blog here or not. I'm leaning towards making my facebook page like a blog and posting my most recent work there. That way you won't have to visit an extra site to see it. You will automatically see it in your news feed when you log in to facebook. What do you think?

Here is a slideshow from my most recent wedding. Kathryn and Jake were married at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Orlando in Maitland and the reception was at Highland Manor in Apopka. What a beautiful and fun wedding! Kathryn and Jake are high school sweethearts and beautiful individuals inside and out. It was my first Greek Orthodox wedding and I had such a great time! Kathryn and Jake and family, thank you so much and congratulations!

Brittany and William - Engagement/Family

2009-11-21T23:14:00.006-06:00

Brittany and William were actually married last month (another blog post I am behind on) but back in August, they traveled from Tampa to Winter Park for their engagement session. We shot at Mead Garden and Rollins College. We wanted to include William's daughter, Maya, so we made it an engagement/family session. They were so sweet and so much fun that I couldn't wait for the wedding, and of course, the wedding was fabulous - more to come on that later!

We encountered a lizard friend!

This is a little fountain at Rollins College that we had been looking forward to splashing in. Apparently someone decided to soap it, but it didn't bother this family at all - they jumped right in anyway!

Elisa and Landon - Wedding

2009-11-11T11:08:00.012-06:00

Finally! Continuing with my catch-up blogging, I am so proud to present the pictures from Elisa and Landon's August 1, 2009 wedding at Star Hill Ranch near Austin, Texas. If you recall, I shot Elisa and Landon's engagement pictures last summer and they are very dear friends of mine. In fact, they have had me booked for years - this wedding was the very first wedding that I ever booked! Elisa's aunt Linda was the wedding planner and she did such a good job. I loved every little detail! To the families: Your closeness and love for life was very touching. It was my sincere pleasure to work with you. To Elisa and Landon: I am so very happy for you. I know you have been waiting for this day for a long time. You will never know how much this day meant to me. (And you had better keep in touch!)

Star Hill Ranch - what a great venue!

This is the building where the ceremony took place

They had these cute little signs to direct guests to the drinks and reception area

The perfect accompaniment for the new Mr. and Mrs. Sommer!

I just learned that Elisa's grandmother passed away last week. I am so glad that she was able to make it to the wedding and that I could capture some of these memories for the family.

My first grand march!

...which led into the first dance...

Erin and Brian - Wedding

2009-10-28T12:32:00.005-05:00

I was thrilled to be invited to photograph Erin and Brian's wedding in Lubbock, TX. The wedding was on July 25, 2009 at the Texas Tech University Frazier Alumni Pavilion which has great windows to let in lots of natural light. I loved the combination of teal, white, and pink, and the flowers were just perfect. I was definitely touched by the joy and love shared by Erin and Brian's family and friends.

The afternoon started off at Gilberto's Hair Salon

The flowers were so perfect that they almost looked fake

I loved this moment with the kids

The Harrells

2009-10-20T11:47:00.008-05:00

Back in May when I was in Lubbock for a couple of other shoots, I took a few pictures of my friend Tina's children. Emmett is 3 and Ayla is 1 now and they are both sooo cute! We played around in their front yard and they did such a good job considering it was cold and sprinkling on and off. We couldn't get Emmett to sit down next to his sister as he was much more interested in running around the yard in circles so I just photographed the scene as I saw it!

Jean and Matt - Wedding

2009-10-18T19:27:00.009-05:00

Catching up post #1. Jean and Matt were married on June 25, 2009 at The Racquet Club in Midland, TX. It was a beautiful day for an outdoor wedding and although it was hot, it cooled down by the time of the ceremony and the evening light was beautiful. Also during the ceremony, the wind blew in some tiny flowers off of the trees for some extra magic. (I have no idea what kind of trees they were.) Let's start with some details -

Jean's wedding band has little sapphires and goes so well with her engagement ring without perfectly matching it - love!

Hair and makeup at Salon Tolani. I didn't think it was possible, but they did an even better job on the wedding day than on the day of Jean's bridal session.

Jean and Matt opted to see each other before the ceremony so we had time for a lot of portraits.

Gorgeous bouquet!

Jean and Matt each carried a lei to exchange during the ceremony to honor Jean's Hawaiian heritage.

See? Beautiful ceremony light!

I love that grooms always look at their brides like this even if they have already seen them earlier.

See those big trees? Those were the ones I was talking about earlier with the little flowers.

Love this moment between Jean and her mother-in-law.

The song that the band played for the first dance was so cute and funny!

The guests threw lavender and it smelled so nice!

Oh (Little) Boy

2009-10-17T17:56:00.004-05:00

The past couple of months have just been crazy and I'm horribly embarrassed to say that the blog has been neglected as a result. Too many trips to Texas + a busy summer + moving into a new house + pregnancy = a very exhausted Kim. I do plan on catching up and owe the following blog posts:

Jean and Matt - wedding
the Harrell family
Erin and Brian - wedding
Elisa and Landon - wedding
Brittany and William - engagement
Tiffany and Corey - engagement

Boy, that is a long list! Come back tomorrow for the first installment of overdue blogging but in the meantime, check out my little guy:

Out of Office

2009-07-23T00:29:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I'll be "out of the office" July 24-27 (Erin and Brian's wedding in Lubbock, significantly cheaper flight by staying an extra day) and July 30-August 3 (Elisa and Landon's wedding in Austin plus a few days with family and friends). I will still be able to answer phone calls, but emails will only be answered at night. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything!

phone 407-362-1916
email kim@kimchauphotography.com

Mattie - Class of 2009

2009-07-11T17:27:00.006-05:00

My friend Mattie graduated from Texas Tech this May with a degree in Cell and Molecular Biology and she asked me to take a few pictures of her around campus. Despite wearing pants and a jacket, I was still f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g cold and the drizzle did not help, so I can only imagine how cold Mattie must have been in her really cute dresses. She was an excellent sport and didn't complain at all. We had a great time! Boyfriend Matt showed up with his umbrella and even jumped in for a few just-for-fun pictures as well. Mattie is super smart and will be staying put to pursue a Master's degree in Microbiology. Mattie, I love you and let's do it again real soon!

UPDATE: Matt proposed to Mattie on July 4th on an Australian beach! Can't wait for the wedding (and ahem, hopefully more pictures)!

Adrianne and Shaler Featured on Stylish Events Blog!

2009-07-09T23:45:00.002-05:00

Thanks to April at Stylish Events for featuring Adrianne and Shaler's wedding on her blog. Ladies, this site is a great wedding resource and is fun to read even if you are not getting married! Click here to see the post.

Jean's Bridals

2009-07-04T21:37:00.007-05:00

Jean and Matt were married last weekend so here are the bridals we took the previous month in Lubbock, Texas. Check out the amazing engagement ring! I love little detail shots like this one!

Jean looked amazing in her gorgeous Maggie Sottero gown. Here you can see her Southwestern University class ring which is a new tradition that they didn't have when I was a student there.

Hair and makeup by Salon Tolani in Midland, Texas. Definitely worth the drive, don't you think?

It was gloomy and threatened to rain all day but the sun finally came out at the very end of the day!

Jean and Matt - Engagement

2009-06-09T17:09:00.006-05:00

I traveled to Lubbock (again!) a few weeks ago for Jean and Matt's engagement session and for Jean's bridal session. I can't show the bridals yet, but here are some of my favorites from the engagements. Jean and Matt are high school sweethearts and totally in love. Amazingly, Jean and I graduated from the same college, Southwestern University, which is a big deal when the school only enrolls 1250 students at a time. Jean is now a law student at Texas Tech and Matt just moved to Lubbock last month after completing his military service. I can't wait for the wedding in Midland in a couple of weeks!

Erin and Brian - May 2, 2009

2009-06-04T14:03:00.003-05:00

I traveled to Lubbock, Texas last month to shoot Erin and Brian's engagement pictures. We started on the campus of Texas Tech University, Erin's alma mater, and visited another couple of spots around town. They are getting married in July at the Texas Tech Frazier Alumni Pavilion and I expect the wedding to be tons of fun!

Brian built this bridge!

Andrew Ian - Born April 25, 2009

2009-06-02T00:26:00.004-05:00

I can't believe I forgot to mention this, but while I was in Texas for Angela and Justin's wedding, my friends Sarah and Ryan welcomed a beautiful baby boy into this world! Knowing that Sarah's due date was April 24, I had secretly been hoping that I would get to meet Andrew while I was there since I won't be in that part of Texas again until August, but what are the odds that she would actually go into labor on her due date?? Big sister Kathryn is adorable as always. TWO kids with red hair! I am so thrilled I got to see the happy family. Congratulations!

Angela and Justin - April 26, 2009

2009-05-31T13:27:00.011-05:00

Angela and Justin are such sweethearts! I really enjoyed spending time with them and their families and friends. The wedding was in Pflugerville, TX at The Plantation House. I think I say that every time but it is always true. I love my job - I get to work with such great people! Thank you to Nicci Haynie from Party Artistry and Luanna Cole from The Plantation House for coordinating and keeping everything on schedule. And as always, thank you to Julie for shooting with me!

Some details:

It was a gray cloudy day, but The Plantation House was as beautiful as ever:

The beautiful cake room:

Justin's mom, Carol Hirsh, made these beautiful ceramic stars that decorated the reception tables. I have mine on my refrigerator and I love it! I did a quick Google search and I think this is her website: Cone 10 Studio

My view...

Julie's view

Justin and Angela wrote the most beautiful vows to each other. I almost cried which is rare for me at weddings.

Julie's view...

My view

Some portraits after the ceremony:

These next two were taken by Julie and I happened to like them better than my similar versions:

Julie, I think this is my most favorite picture ever that you've taken:

Angela and Justin thanked their guests before they left:

Coming Soon

2009-05-28T19:41:00.003-05:00

Come back in June for:

Angela and Justin - wedding

Erin and Brian - engagement

Jean and Matt - engagement

Jean - bridal (to be shown after the wedding)

Mattie - senior

Emmett and Ayla - children

Angela's Bridals

2009-04-29T18:33:00.007-05:00

Angela and Justin were married this past weekend so I am excited to be able to post her bridal pictures from last month. We shot at Querencia and the University of Texas. What a beautiful bride!

Erika and Joe's Baby Shower - March 15, 2009

2009-04-10T19:25:00.007-05:00

My friends Erika and Joe are expecting their first little one in June! The baby's gender will be a surprise so we had a duckie themed shower. Here is Erika's famous punch fountain that must appear at all showers:

Beth and Stephen BBQ'ed but I forgot to get a picture of the meat. Here are some of the other beautifully presented foods served:

Sarah made duckie cookies and candy

and Beth made an amazing cake

Kathryn enjoying her sausage

Baby Christian certainly has grown!

Opening presents:

And, of course, a mini portrait session:

Erika and Joe, you will be such great parents. I can't wait to meet your baby!

Adrianne and Shaler - February 14, 2009

2009-03-27T23:31:00.021-05:00

I had the great pleasure of photographing Adrianne and Shaler's Valentine's Day wedding. Adrianne is a college friend of mine and Alpha Phi Omega buddy. Adrianne was an Environmental Studies minor in college, so of course the wedding was "green". I loved all the little DIY (do it yourself) touches starting with this handmade invitation on recycled paper:

The cute programs!

Each bridesmaid had a unique bouquet:

I think orchids are my new favorite flower!

The ceremony was held at the beautiful Pflugerville First United Methodist Church:

Then we headed outside into the COLD for some fun portraits:

Adrianne and her sisters used to play soccer:

The proposal location!

The reception was held at the historic Page House in Georgetown:

The tables were named after plays, shows, and bands they had seen:

The placecards were little pears (mine was super tiny!):

Seeds as favors!

Best man toast:

First dance:

Father-daughter dance:

Adrianne and Shaler chose to have a cake buffet instead of a traditional tiered wedding cake:

Winners of the anniversary dance (married for over 50 years, I believe):

Everybody was kung fu fighting:

Sister/cousin dance:

Mike doing the sprinkler:

Arrrr! A Southwestern University tradition:

Last dance:

Thank you Adrianne and Shaler for letting me be a part of your day! I had a blast! And super thanks to Julie for second shooting!

New Phone Number

2009-03-22T18:20:00.002-05:00

We are still keeping the same 512-789-8625 number which is my cell phone, but we have added an Orlando number: 407-362-1916. This number will ring twice in my home office and then automatically transfer the call to my cell phone for your convenience (and mine!).

Sale!!

2009-02-03T22:03:00.002-06:00

In honor of a few special February events, including Valentine's Day, Adrianne's wedding, and Rhonda's one-year anniversary, we are having a special promotion. Book a wedding photography package by February 28 and get the digital files (normally $400) for free! Please email kim@kimchauphotography.com to reserve your date today!

Wedding Chicks

2009-01-25T16:18:00.002-06:00

I was just invited to be a Wedding Chicks preferred vendor! Head over to their blog for some great wedding ideas and inspiration!

Kelsey

2009-01-16T00:07:00.008-06:00

My beautiful friend Kelsey graduated from Texas Tech in December and is now in business school to get her MBA! Here are some of her senior pictures:

Monea and Kent - October 18, 2008

2008-12-09T19:55:00.014-06:00

Yes, a much overdue post...I can't wait to show what else I have been working on these days. Back to Monea and Kent's wedding. I had the pleasure of shooting with Shan again. These two were married in a unique ceremony at the Stonegate Fellowship in Midland with a lovely dessert reception afterwards (the name of the place is escaping me at this moment!) Kent's (and now Monea's) son was just the cutest! Here are some images:

Brandy and Brad - October 10, 2008

2008-11-11T23:19:00.007-06:00

I was honored to be a guest at Brandy and Brad's wedding! I took a few pictures but I can't wait to see the official ones. The ceremony took place at Historic St. Paul's on the Plains and the reception was at the Red Carpet Restaurant in downtown Lubbock.

Brandy's Night Out - October 4, 2008

2008-11-11T22:42:00.007-06:00

The week before Brandy's wedding, some of the girls from work took Brandy out for a "grownup" semi-bachelorette party. We painted pottery at Art Avenue and then we had dinner at Abuelo's.

Brandy's Bridals

2008-10-28T21:05:00.011-05:00

Brandy and Brad got married recently (more pictures to come soon) so now I can show her bridals! What a beautiful bride!

Becky and Josh - September 27, 2008

2008-10-19T20:34:00.009-05:00

I second shot another wedding with Shan a few weeks back. Becky and Josh were such a delightfully cute couple and I absolutely adored the color scheme of their wedding. They were married at Southcrest Baptist Church and the reception was at the Baker Building. Here are a few images:

My flash didn't fire for this image but I thought it was kinda neat:

Kara and Ryan - September 13, 2008

2008-10-11T19:46:00.009-05:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while! I've been busy with a bunch of new stuff so hopefully there will be many new entries soon! I second shot a wedding with my friend Shan last month at the gorgeous Amarillo Botanical Gardens. Kara, Ryan, and their families and friends were great people to spend a day with. Love was definitely in the air! Here are the favorites:

Lidia and Sroun - August 9, 2008

2008-08-30T17:42:00.013-05:00

I had the privilege of documenting Lidia and Sroun's wedding a few weeks ago. I loved the uniqueness of their day and how they were able to combine multiple cultures together. The ceremony was at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Arlington and the reception was at Hackberry Creek Country Club in Irving. Lidia and Sroun, thank you for your kindness and your hospitality. I have really enjoyed working with you. And thanks to Julie for coming as my assistant!

Gorgeous!

Front view...

Back view! I thought this was so cute and funny.

The reception was decorated with paper cranes!

Rings:

Thanks to Julie for getting this shot of the cake that I couldn't reach!

First dance:

Sroun played a game where he was blindfolded and had to figure out which hand belonged to Lidia. It was pretty hilarious.

Unconventional garter toss:

Bouquet toss:

We did most of the portraits at the reception site:

Ready, set...

...jump!

Elisa and Landon - Julie's Pictures

2008-07-29T22:10:00.005-05:00

I would like to debut my fabulous friend Julie who is becoming an excellent photographer. Julie is creative and has a great eye as you can see here. Julie came along for Ed and Landon's session and I am so proud of her!

Check out the bee!

Here are some shots that Julie captured of me in action:

Elisa and Landon - July 5, 2008

2008-07-22T22:36:00.013-05:00

This is a very special post. Elisa, also known as Ed, is my littlest little sister from Alpha Phi Omega, the national co-ed service fraternity that we were a part of in college. Ed was also one of the very first people that I told about my interest in wedding photography, and it really meant a lot to me that she believed I could pursue this new career. When I met Landon, I could see immediately how perfect the two of them were together, and I am so excited that Ed and Landon are going to be married next year! We started off pictures at Star Hill Ranch, where the wedding will be, and also, my new favorite location! Then we moved to San Gabriel Park in Georgetown which is a favorite college hangout and a location special to Ed and Landon. We finished off the morning at Southwestern University, our alma mater, which I miss dearly. (Anybody going to Homecoming this year? It's my 5 year reunion!) Ed and Landon, thank you so much for believing in me. It was an honor to take your engagement pictures and I'm really looking forward to the wedding! Also, thanks to my friend and assistant photographer Julie for coming out and shooting with me! Here are the favorites:

Lidia and Sroun - July 4, 2008

2008-07-13T09:40:00.011-05:00

BTW, to anyone looking for Hawaii pictures, I was in the middle of an entry last week when the power went out and I lost my entry. Maybe someday...

Anyway, Lidia and Sroun came down to Austin last weekend for their engagement pictures. We walked down South Congress, went to Mayfield Park, and hiked up Mount Bonnell to catch the gorgeous golden sunset light. They are so sweet and cute and I can't wait for their wedding next month in Dallas!

Baby Christian's Shower - June 14, 2008

2008-06-23T21:52:00.012-05:00

Okay, so I'm going out of order for just a little bit, because I can't wait to show you this precious little baby boy! Hawaii pictures will just have to wait.

My favorite of the day

Of course, you remember my obsession with fruit?

What an amazing cake!

Isabel, Kathryn, Madeline

Pigtails!

Erika with baby

Joe and baby

And more of Christian...

Mommy and baby

The book matching game that Erika and I rocked

It was a children's book-themed shower:

And, of course, there are no pictures of me with Baby Christian, so here is the only evidence that I was actually there:

Brandy and Brad - May 18, 2008

2008-06-12T23:06:00.011-05:00

I had the itch to take engagement pictures a few weeks ago, so I asked my friends Brandy and Brad to model for me. They are getting married in October so this was the perfect opportunity. Brandy and Brad were great models and willing to do anything - I had a lot of fun! And then when I saw their dogs, I couldn't resist squeezing in some family portrait time as well.

I'm Back

2008-06-06T13:13:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I've been really busy lately but I have a super fun Lubbock engagement session to show you soon. I also went to Hawai'i for 9 days so stay tuned for those pictures as well.

WPJA!!

2008-03-30T21:50:00.002-05:00

I am very excited to announce that I was accepted into the Wedding Photojournalist Association last week. I am especially honored because the photojournalism part - documenting real moments and capturing memories - is my very most favorite part of photographing weddings. I love a good portrait and I think that creating portraits can be really fun, but my first love is to blend into the wall and capture those real moments and emotion.

More about the WPJA from their website:

"The Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) is a professional organization composed of photojournalists and wedding photographers from around the world. What sets our members apart in the industry is their candid, documentary approach – a distinctly artistic vision toward wedding photography."

"Leading the way in Wedding Photojournalism, WPJA represents the most discriminating talent around the world technically, creatively and visually. Qualified members hold industry-leading standards, skills and business integrity."

"The Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA), an International, membership-based organization, represents professional photographers skilled in the documentation of weddings and events in a candid, unobtrusive style. The WPJA was founded to uphold excellence in the area of wedding photojournalism."

Rhonda and Jacob - March 8, 2008

2008-03-27T22:02:00.010-05:00

Rhonda and Jacob were married on February 29 in Playa del Carmen in an intimate family ceremony, but had a big Austin reception the following week at Carlos 'N Charlie's. It was so much fun and I was incredibly honored to be the photographer! I've known Rhonda and Jacob since 9th grade and I am so happy that they finally tied the knot! Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your day! Here are some pictures:

I loved Rhonda's hair!

Ashley and Brian - August 6, 2007

2008-02-10T21:47:00.000-06:00

I have to thank my friend Shan for letting me tag along on this Trash the Dress session. Ashley and Brian were so much fun and I'm so glad I got to meet them. I am not a big fan of those TTD sessions where you totally destroy your dress, but I love the idea of going around town and capturing fun and creative portraits without worrying about keeping yourself spotless. Besides, dirt will almost certainly come out at the cleaners. The bottom of my dress was absolutely filthy at the end of my wedding day and my mom managed to clean it off.

Diana and Jason - August 4, 2007

2008-01-31T23:22:00.000-06:00

Here's my final 2007 wedding that I hadn't posted yet! Diana and Jason were another great couple to photograph. They also chose to see each other before the ceremony (actually, even before that) so we had plenty of time for pictures. I really liked the reception room - it was the perfect little spot for creative portraits. I loved the colors (in case you haven't figured out, I love color). The reception was in the afternoon with amazing snacks - I could live off of the fruit and cheese alone. Both the wedding and reception were at First Baptist Church, and the coordinator whose name I can't remember at the moment was extremely helpful.

I was located behind the stage during the ceremony. It was quite a workout to get these shots.

The punch was soooo good after that ceremony workout by the way...

Again, my beloved fruit pictures...

So cute!

Allison and Jordan - July 14, 2007

2008-01-31T22:40:00.001-06:00

I'm actually close to being caught up on posting my 2007 weddings! Can you believe it? I had a great time at Allison and Jordan's wedding. They are such sweet people and their guests were such fun. I especially loved the colors that they chose, but of course, I'm not biased or anything ;) Allison and Jordan chose to see each other before the ceremony which I thought was great and made for some great relaxed portraits. Plus, we got to go to the reception immediately after the ceremony where they threw one heck of a party. The wedding was at First United Methodist Church and the reception was at the beautiful Lubbock Country Club.

I am obsessed with fruit pictures! Boy, this is making me hungry...

Fun with Julie - December 24, 2007

2008-01-06T12:32:00.000-06:00

One of the drawbacks to being a photographer is that all of your friends get great pictures of themselves, but there is no one to take a picture of the photographer. So when I was in Austin for Christmas, I made my friend Julie take a few pictures of me downtown. For fun, I took a few of her too.

We wanted to shoot in this restaurant, so we ordered some coffee and dessert

Mmmmm, tiramisu

And here is my panna cotta

Seethal - December 20, 2007

2008-01-06T12:15:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I had a session, so right before Christmas Shan and I took my friend Seethal out for portraits just for fun. We caught some beautiful light just before sunset. She's an amazing model, don't you think?

Amber and Kyle - July 7, 2007

2007-12-17T21:39:00.000-06:00

Yes, I am still blogging this summer's weddings. My goal is to finish them all before next summer ;)

Amber and Kyle - what a great couple for the most popular wedding date of all time, 7-7-07! You may recognize Amber from a previous entry. Her sister Brandi and Keith were married back in February. It was my first time to visit Oakwood Baptist Church which is a beautiful church with lots of great locations outside for portraits. The reception was held at the historic Baker Building downtown. I had such a fabulous time and didn't want to stop taking pictures!

Pam and Jason - September 1, 2007

2007-10-28T19:34:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in like a zillion years, but I have been busy with school and I have also been out of town several times. My amazing friend Julie arranged this shoot for when I was down in Austin during Labor Day. Many thanks to Pam and Jason for waking up early and dressing up at the last minute! We went to Zilker Botanical Gardens and then walked around downtown for a little bit including a pit stop at Halcyon where they were super nice and let us rearrange the furniture. Pam and Jason, you guys were so much fun and I hope you like your images!

My favorite

Julie, I know you hate this picture, but I just love it. You're awesome!