A few years two back, we photographed a huge group of Whole Foods Market employees in their Cupertino branch at Stevens Creek Blvd. Boy, it was a challenge especially the shot was backlighted and we had to raise to 5 stories high to take that shot for over 350 employees! The good part is that since the store was not opened to the public yet, we can photograph outside the store without having to disrupt the flow of business.

However, this year is different. Whole Foods Market raised the stakes on me on multiple fronts! Switching out hundreds of employees during business hours require significant coordination and they can only do it in the late evening.

Not only do we have to content with horrible light, we had to work in the the loading dock. This time, a rickety ladder became my only source of support that I hold on to my dear life. Beneath me, a large garbage container filled with organic fish, meat, vegetable and eggs, ready to sniff my non-organic diet. Yes, it probably wouldn’t surprise you that I have only 15 minutes. You really don’t want to photograph a large group in more than 5 minutes anyway as people do get restless. And you’d think a photographer’s work is glamourous.

Now, did you think we are done? Would corporate want a photo of their employees in a loading dock? Here’s the final shot after hours and hours of photoshop, removing the rails at the bottom and the background. Groan, I hate fingers…

Mark practices his first dance with his groomsmen in the Four Seasons Hotel of Palo Alto / Silicon Valley while Janet practices her walk up the stairs in the prestigious Stanford Memorial Church in Palo Alto. Their beautiful first dance in the Palo Alto Golf Club is a small part to what makes this wedding so elegant.

The wedding photos in the Four Seasons, Stanford Memorial Church and Palo Alto Golf Club are a real match to Mark & Janet’s style.

We chose a cinematic musical piece with Scottish intonation and blend to showcase Mark and his cool British accent (when they are entering the church). Check out their cinema!

What I found endearing is how Mark holds Janet’s Victoria Secret’s bag proudly as he exits the ceremony with her into their Rolls Royce.

Each wedding is marvelous, with its own behind-the-scenes stories to tell. As major lifecycle events within individual cultures, the traditions and styles of every wedding vary, too. It’s the excitement, smiles, and tears of happiness that are universal.

This wedding includes a story that was a real nail biter. Their wedding day gave me my first glimpses into the vibrancy and customs of the Assyrian community. And this community is large. The church and reception hall for this event are in the Central Valley. This meant a caravan of limousines and cars making the trek over the mountains out of Silicon Valley. Their guests numbered over 700! Awesome!

Now, on to the tale that will become family legend for the Assyrian couple. With the long distance to the church, there was no chance to run home and back for anything forgotten. And the paperwork for the priest got left behind.

This is where the charm, talent…and persistence of the groom snatched victory from the jaws of wedding ceremony defeat. Against the odds and while the guests and bride waited outside, he persuaded Father Auchana Kanoun of Saint Zaia Church, Assyrian Church of the East in Modesto. (The couple returned the next day and fixed the paperwork problem. Whew!)

After the successful wedding ceremony, the 700 plus guests and I traveled on to Turlock to and enormous reception hall, The Babylonian Room, at the Assyrian American Civic Club. As you’ll see from the photographs, this was a very happy ending!

So, there is no chance this couple won’t succeed after a start like this, not to mention—as you can see—their start also includes a GREAT collection of pictures.

- Michael Soo