“I’m a photographer myself and felt very invested in picking the right person. I was drawn to her documentary style and way of creating a sense of place and time that felt both authentic and magical. We didn't want photoshopped or airbrushed, we just wanted us, in love, having a great time.

I look at our photos all the time and they bring me right back to that weekend. She captured us as we were—the energy, the in-between moments, the overwhelming feelings of joy.

Vivian’s photos created the perfect memories to help us relive it all over and over. Our family portraits were so smooth and throughout the night we barely noticed she was there, yet she captured micro-moments we wouldn't have remembered otherwise. 

Even my mother-in-law said they were some of the best wedding photos she’d ever seen.

If you want photos that capture you at your best, while also feeling very much like yourself, I couldn't recommend Vivian enough.”

—Becky + Sam

“Working with Vivian was fantastic! First off, her photos are absolutely stunning. She shot at many different sites across our Santa Barbara wedding day—hotel, beach, two different parks—and what stood out is how diverse and yet complimentary the whole album is. All the shots are wonderfully composed and highlight the natural beauty of the place.

Vivian is also a dream to work with. She is super warm, chill, and made us feel comfortable for all the staged photos. She also has just the right amount of assertiveness to make sure the day stays on track and you get all the shots you want. Throughout the process she was very responsive, on top of everything, and helped us think through various locations for our first-look and portraits.

We’re so happy to have gotten to work with Vivian. Thank you for capturing our wedding as beautifully as we remembered it!”

—Erica + Kenneth

“Where do I begin? Vivian photographed our September wedding in Sonoma and every picture is STUNNING! We love the portraits, but her candids are what really took things over the top. All of our guests look like they’re glowing in her photos! She truly captured the joy of the day. I could not stop smiling-scrolling through our gallery. She went above and beyond to include a photo of all of our guests.

Vivian is super cool, she made sure everyone was comfortable and she kept things on time on the wedding day. We were tight one time, but she got my “getting ready” pictures done in minutes. You would never know by looking at them what a short timeframe she had.

Vivian already had a strong working relationship with our wedding videographer. That partnership made things run smoothly from a logistical perspective, but more importantly showed how respected Vivian is in the industry. We’re so happy we booked her for our big day!! You won’t be disappointed working with Vivian.”

—Jobina + Bradley

“Vivian Chen is a fantastic photographer and truly an artist.  With professionalism and grace, Vivian was able to capture the true essence of our wedding day and, more importantly, who my husband and I are as a couple. She also put us at ease on the big day and captured so many great, genuine moments of us and our guests. We couldn’t be more pleased with her work and we will cherish the images she delivered for the rest of our lives. We can't thank her enough!”

—Nick + Ted

“We knew we wanted to work with Vivian when we saw her work. Her photos are natural, capture movement, the emotions throughout the day and natural beauty perfectly. We knew all of this going in, but somehow the photos still exceeded our expectations! She is also so easy to work with, so flexible, accommodating and easy going. She balanced our vision for the day with her expert recommendations perfectly and most importantly, made us feel comfortable and calm throughout the day.”

—Sachi + Alden

“Vivian shot my engagement and wedding photos for my destination wedding in Iceland. I’ve heard many stories from friends who spent HOURS stressing over photographers. For me, I knew from my first call with Vivian that I’d be in good hands. Vivian’s photos are serene and dramatic at the same time. Getting married in Iceland (a country I’ve never been before) meant trusting your photographer completely. I can tell you about how easy it is to work with her, how timely she is in her communications, how kind and spirited she is, or you can just go on her website and look at her stunning photos. Every time I look at the photos from my wedding day, I still feel butterflies in my stomach.”

—Vivian + Dragos