A Princeton University Chapel Wedding in Autumn | Peter & Fangli


An October wedding at Princeton University Chapel and Prospect House, where two years of thoughtful preparation, Chinese traditions, and a deeply personal commitment came together.


Some weddings are planned around a particular aesthetic. Others begin with a much more personal idea of what marriage means.


For Peter and Fangli, the two were inseparable.


On October 24, during one of Princeton's most distinctive seasons, they celebrated their marriage at Princeton University Chapel, followed by a reception at Prospect House. The day brought together Gothic architecture, intricate Chinese wedding attire, handmade details, and a restrained palette of black, white, and gold.


What stayed with me most, however, was the extraordinary amount of thought behind it all.

Backlit bride in profile wearing a lace off-the-shoulder wedding gown and sheer veil, holding a bouquet in glowing golden sunlight.
Bride in a flowing white gown and long veil stands close to her groom on a lawn as golden sunlight streams through the trees.
Bride and groom share an intimate moment beneath a sheer wedding veil, softly lit by golden sunlight with eyes closed and faces close.
Bride in a long white gown walks down the aisle of a grand Gothic chapel toward the altar, beneath a glowing blue stained glass window.
Bride in a white gown with a long lace-trimmed veil stands in the aisle of a grand Gothic church with a stained glass window.
Overhead view of a bride in a white veil and a groom in a dark suit kissing on a wooden church pew, her long train trailing beside them.

An Editorial Wedding Reception at Prospect House


Following the ceremony, the celebration continued at Prospect House, a historic property on Princeton University's campus.


The interiors have a distinctive, almost museum-like quality, with architectural details and rooms that lend themselves to an editorial approach.


In the afternoon, natural light brought a particular softness to the space.


Before focusing entirely on the reception itself, I wanted to photograph the rooms and their atmosphere.


These quieter architectural images matter in a wedding gallery. They establish where the celebration took place and preserve the environment the couple spent so much time creating.


One of my favorite portraits of Fangli was made in a small upper-level space, where a single beam of light fell across her.


The photograph needed very little direction.


The light, the architecture, and her presence were enough.


Working with Natural Light at Prospect House


For this wedding, I was especially drawn to the natural light inside Prospect House.


Rather than introducing additional lighting into every scene, I wanted to preserve the existing atmosphere of the interiors.


The softer afternoon light created depth and separation, allowing the architecture and the people to occupy the same frame without competing for attention.


This is an important part of my approach to wedding photography.


Editorial photographs do not always require elaborate posing or constructed lighting.


Sometimes the strongest image comes from recognizing what is already there.

Black and white photo of a bride in a lace wedding gown kneeling beside a beam of sunlight streaming through a window.
Tan leather bench against a dim gray wall in a minimalist room, with bright sunlight casting geometric patches across the dark floor.
Two hands with a diamond engagement ring rest gently together in a dramatic beam of light against a dark, moody background.
Black and white overhead photo of a bride in a long white gown descending a staircase beside a groom, with a checkered marble floor nearby.
Bride in an off-shoulder white lace wedding gown with a long train descends a staircase beside a groom in a black tuxedo and bow tie.
Black and white photo of a dim room where diagonal sunlight beams across the walls and floor, casting bright shapes beside a lone bench.
Upward view of an ornate domed ceiling with a circular stained glass skylight and a vintage gold chandelier with glowing globe lights.
Black and white overhead view of an ornate chandelier hanging above a checkered marble floor in an elegant, sunlit foyer.
Sunlight streams through a tall window, casting bright patterns across wooden chairs and a white table in a dim, moody room.
Three cream upholstered armchairs around a round wooden table in a sage green corner, beside a white lattice floor lamp and a paned window.

Two Years in the Making


Peter and Fangli spent nearly two years planning their wedding.


Not simply choosing colors or collecting inspiration, but researching the wedding industry in remarkable detail. Weekends, commutes into New York City, and whatever spare time they could find became opportunities to learn about photographers, filmmakers, florists, and the people who would help shape their celebration.


Fangli, who studied design, took on the role of her own wedding planner. Peter, with his interest in photography, was equally invested in the visual side of the day.


Their decisions were deliberate. Every vendor was carefully considered, every detail researched.


It was less about creating an elaborate event than creating something that felt entirely their own.

Floral-print wedding favor bags tied with green ribbon bows arranged on a round table beneath a gold branch centerpiece.
Pear decorated with pearl beads on a wedding table beside blue hydrangeas, a halved lime, a champagne glass and flameless candles.
Green gift box with a rope handle and four small illustrated windows, displayed on a white table against a dark background.
Green gift box with a translucent label showing Chinese characters, open to reveal small tins and packaged items inside.
Glittery white bridal heels with red soles beside two wedding rings and floral invitation cards with greenery on lace fabric.
Handmade paper wedding invitation with rosemary sprigs and small pearls surrounding the handwritten text A solemn pledge of love.
Small patterned fabric favor pouches with drawstring ties hang from a wooden board beneath handwritten name tags at a wedding reception.
White floral tote bag with green handles and a decorative bow, resting on a reflective surface in dramatic sunlight and shadow.
Framed wedding seating charts displayed on a round marble table around a vase of bare golden branches near a bright window.
Elegant wedding table setting with tall taper candles, white floral centerpiece, wine glasses and place cards in warm golden sunlight.
Overhead view of beige pointed-toe heels, a ring box and sprig-adorned wedding stationery on a teal carpet with dramatic shadows.
Yellow black-eyed Susan flowers with bees resting on their centers, arranged beside white fabric and a delicate pearl bead strand.
Two white ceramic tiles with sculpted flowing ripples and small gold accents rest on a wooden surface in dramatic shadow.
Two white sculptural relief panels with flowing draped forms rest among bright yellow black-eyed Susan flowers in dramatic shadowy light.

A Princeton University Chapel Wedding in October


Princeton University Chapel is an extraordinary place for a wedding ceremony.


Completed in 1928, the Gothic Revival chapel is known for its soaring arches, intricate stonework, and remarkable architectural scale.


For Peter, a Princeton alumnus, the setting also carried a personal connection.


Inside, the architecture is monumental. Tall columns draw the eye upward, and the long central aisle creates a powerful sense of perspective.


But photographing a wedding here requires more than showing the scale of the building.


The challenge is to preserve the relationship between the architecture and the people within it.


A wide photograph can reveal the extraordinary space. A closer frame can hold a glance, a hand, or an expression that might otherwise disappear within it.


The architecture establishes the setting. The people give the photograph its meaning.

Smiling bride in an off-shoulder lace gown holding a white bouquet leans in to kiss her groom beneath Gothic stone arches.
Bride in a white lace gown and groom in a black tuxedo hold hands while walking down a church aisle lined with wooden pews.
Bride in a white dress and sheer veil with hair pinned up, seen from behind as she looks out through a wooden doorway into soft daylight.
Bride in a long white gown and veil kisses the groom at the church altar as bridesmaids and groomsmen applaud beneath stained glass windows.
Black and white overhead view of an ornate chandelier above a checkered marble floor in an elegant interior with framed art.
Black and white photo of a bride and groom kissing on stone steps surrounded by smiling bridesmaids and groomsmen in front of tall columns.
A smiling bride in a white strapless gown and groom in a black tuxedo walk down stone steps as joyful guests cheer with bouquets.
Bride in a white gown with a long veil walks up stone steps as the groom in a black suit opens the wooden church door.
Bride in a white gown holding a bouquet kisses the groom in a black tuxedo on stone steps as blurred wedding guests walk past.
Bride and groom pose on grand stone steps with bridesmaids and groomsmen in front of a columned building with tall wooden doors.
Bride in a white gown with a long lace-trimmed veil holding a bouquet, standing in the aisle between rows of wooden church pews.
A bride and groom share a kiss inside an ornate Gothic stone window arch, with the bride holding a bouquet.

Chinese Wedding Traditions, Reinterpreted


Another defining part of the celebration was Fangli's Chinese wedding attire.


Her traditional Xiuhe wedding ensemble, custom-made and brought from China, featured intricate embroidery and elaborate craftsmanship.


The richness of the fabric, the density of the detailing, and the precision of the tailoring were extraordinary.


It suited her beautifully.


The contrast between the traditional Chinese attire and the Gothic architecture of Princeton gave the photographs a distinct visual character.


Rather than treating the Chinese and Western elements as separate themes, Peter and Fangli allowed both to exist naturally within the same celebration.


It felt personal rather than performative.

Hands in white sleeves with floral embroidery hold a delicate beaded pearl tassel ornament beside an ornate embellished bridal garment.
A smiling woman in a white embroidered blouse adjusts the ornate beaded gown of a bride wearing a floral hairpiece beside a sunlit window.
Smiling bride in an ornate embroidered Chinese wedding gown laughs with four bridesmaids in white dresses beside red paper flowers.
Smiling bride in an embroidered traditional Chinese wedding gown holds a glowing red lantern beside a sunlit window.
Close-up of a bride in an ornate beaded and embroidered ivory wedding gown, holding a long pearl strand in dramatic side light.
Man in a navy blue embroidered traditional Chinese jacket with gold dragon motifs holding a pink folding fan with calligraphy outdoors.
Bride in an ornate beaded gown and gold floral hair accessories looks downward in soft light against a dark red floral background.
Back view of a bride in a lace gown with silver beaded embroidery and pearl tassels, her hair in an updo with a gold floral hairpiece.
Smiling groom in an embroidered dragon jacket plays a wedding game as the bride and bridesmaids watch during a traditional Chinese ceremony.
Guests toss red confetti over a smiling bride and groom in traditional Chinese wedding attire at a lively celebration.
Red paper lanterns with the Chinese double happiness character sit in a black bowl on a table, with a blurred wedding couple behind.
A bride in an embroidered beaded gown writes on a red envelope as a smiling groom in a navy dragon-embroidered tangzhuang looks on.
Red paper honeycomb lanterns with double happiness characters sit on an embroidered cloth at a Chinese wedding, guests blurred behind.

Documentary Emotion, Editorial Composition


Peter and Fangli's wedding brought together two qualities I am consistently drawn to: a strong visual point of view and genuine emotional openness.


The architecture of Princeton University Chapel called for careful composition and attention to scale.


The Chinese wedding attire invited a more detailed, editorial approach.


The handmade reception elements deserved to be photographed with the same consideration as the portraits.


And throughout the day, the documentary moments remained essential.


Peter's tears during the ceremony.


The exchanges between the couple.


The quieter gestures that existed between the larger events.


For me, documentary and editorial photography are not competing approaches.


One responds to life as it unfolds. The other brings intention to how that life is seen.


Together, they create something closer to a cinematic narrative—one that can move between architecture, detail, movement, and emotion without asking every photograph to do the same thing.

A bride in a white lace gown stands outdoors beside a groom in a gray suit while a woman helps adjust her dress near a brick building.
Bride in a long white veil walks down the aisle of a grand church toward the altar as wedding guests look on.
A smiling bride in a white lace gown and long veil embraces a man in a dark suit inside a church with blue stained glass windows.
Bride in a lace gown and veil smiles as the groom in a black tuxedo wipes a tear while reading vows during an indoor wedding ceremony.
Little girl in a white tulle dress and white shoes stands on tiptoe, peering out a tall paned window in a stone-walled room.
Smiling bride in an off-the-shoulder lace wedding gown with a long veil and pearl necklace, hands clasped during the ceremony.
Smiling couple at a candlelit table forming a heart shape with their arms, she in a sequined dress and he in a bow tie and vest.

Photographed by Momo Shot Studio.


As a New Jersey and NYC wedding photographer, I approach weddings through documentary observation, editorial composition, and cinematic storytelling—paying attention to the relationship between people, architecture, light, and the moments that unfold naturally.


If you're planning a wedding at Princeton University Chapel, Prospect House, or elsewhere in New Jersey and New York, I'd love to hear what you're envisioning.