I won’t be at the Philippine Wedding Summit this weekend, but I’m pleased to announce that ALL MY WEDDING PACKAGES NOW COME WITH A PRENUP SHOOT & SLIDESHOW at no additional cost. Book now! Offer good while it lasts.

UPDATE: Promo officially ended August. For standalone prenup rates and wedding bookings, please contact me.

I’ve been meaning to post one of the most memorable shoots I had late last year, which is Audrey and Cesar’s wedding. As the saying goes, there’s a right time for everything. From where I left off from my previous post, this time, it’s a touch different. Just this year after, they recently had a new baby boy, Lucas (sounds familiar?). Congrats yet again!

We had a chance to finally visit this picturesque Filipino restaurant when we went up in not-so-chilly Tagaytay last month with our close friends. We enjoyed their wonderful Chicken Binakol and the legendary Ilocano Bagnet. The place was both a feast for the eyes and our palates.

Pamana Restaurant is along Aguinaldo highway just right after the Tagaytay rotunda.

We attended a family friend’s granddaughter’s birthday party (whew) recently at Eastwood’s Something Fishy. The food there was surprisingly good. Didn’t expect though I’d be taking a boatload of shots here and there, it was a pretty fun and colorful occasion nonetheless, as the pictures would speak for themselves.

When I first shot Cecille and Edgar back in December, they admittedly weren’t really the affectionate, ’sweet type’ of couple. But I came around to snapping moments revealing an otherwise soulful twosome – now more deeply entwined with a wonderful mix of gratefulness, joy, and warmth, in a simple, lovely affair that was their wedding.

My good friend Brian (Cecille’s brother who came all the way from the US just to be there) requested that I personally shoot her younger sibling’s wedding, and I was all happy to oblige.

Photos by J Lucas Reyes
On location at San Fernando, Pampanga

Shot for Nelwin Uy Photography
Preps: East Royale
Ceremony: Virgen Delos Remedios Chapel
Reception: Villa Conchita

Annie and Omar’s wedding was actually my first out-of-town wedding shoot last year. It was a nice breather from city-based weddings, I got to shoot with good friends Robert and Joel, as part of Nelwin’s backup team. Coincidentally, this was also the first time I shot using all-Canon gear, which honestly, gave me a very hard time because I still wasn’t totally familiar with the controls (and the added bulk of heavy zooms). Nevertheless, the effort paid off and I’m now extremely satisfied with the creative possibilities of my new output, now re-embracing the delicate, magical film look I cherish years ago when all that I shot was in film I developed and paper I printed myself.

Speaking of film, one interesting thing to mention is that the couple had their engagement shot by MangoRED (which I’m a fan of) – some using 120 format film and polaroids. Annie shared their prenup album with us, it was a little bundle of wonder seeing other photographers still embracing the look and charm of the old world. I am one with the people who want to bring on the old with the new.

The couple are a beautiful, wonderful duo to shoot, which thankfully made me forget about my struggling with my gear hehe. They prepared a very lively party for everybody with lots of dancing…I mean, really LOTS of dancing :) Cheers Annie and Omar!

On location at Clark, Pampanga
Shot for Nelwin Uy Photography
Preps: Hotel Vida
Ceremony: Holy Rosary Cathedral
Reception: Fontana Leisure Park
Video: MG Video

My first post for 2010 marks some new beginnings for me, with late last year being a successful time for new things. I was able to set up my own team, fully shift from Nikon to Canon and complete my shooting gear, got to order my first albums, and of course, got to surprisingly book couples left and right – one of which was Ria and Dwight. It was the first time a couple actually booked me a week before their wedding! (even after already having booked another studio)

Having just opened my services as a backup team then, I couldn’t be more stoked at the opportunity given to me by the couple to provide them with honest and radiant images for the day. Thank you Ria and Dwight, for your appreciation and trust, and for your tender celebration of your love.

I’d also like to thank and introduce my bro-in-law Paulo Magsaysay, my official right hand man, for delivering tasteful and powerful images. You’ll be seeing his work often here along mine.

Happy New Year everyone! Cheers to more weddings, the colors of life, and forever love!

Preps: Edsa Shangri-la
Church: Holy Cross
Reception: Grand Terrace
Make-Up: Lanie Acedillo
Flowers: Flowers Unlimited
Coordination: Grand Weddings
Music: Appetite Music
Main Photo/Video Studio: Smart Shot
Video: Rupert Nicolas

What better way to spend Christmas than with family? Me, my wife, and my siblings got together this recent holidays and trooped back to our lola’s house at our hometown, Malabon. We grew up playing and kite-flying at the Rufina Patis compound (which the Lucas family runs), just a stone’s throw away from our ancestral home. Since our wives haven’t seen the abandoned-looking, salt-laden, patis-brewing factory, we had the pleasure of revisiting and touring them in our old rusty playground – that instantly served as a backdrop for an on-the-spot photoshoot.

From our families to yours, Happy Holidays everyone!