Korean Wedding Photography in Los Angeles

2,200+ weddings photographed · 35+ national awards · 350+ five-star reviews — Cinematic on Film

Los Angeles is home to the largest Korean community outside of Korea, and its weddings blend two worlds in a single day — a Western ceremony and reception woven together with the paebaek, hanbok, and family traditions that carry generations of meaning. Lulan Studio photographs Korean weddings across LA and Koreatown with photographers who know each ritual, so no bow, date-throw, or piggyback ride gets missed.

The Paebaek Ceremony, Photographed Properly

The paebaek is the emotional heart of a Korean wedding day — and the easiest part for an unprepared photographer to get wrong. Our coverage plan:

  • The deep bows (keunjeol). We position for both the couple's form and the parents' faces — the reactions are the photograph.
  • Jujube and chestnut toss. The couple catching dates and chestnuts in the bride's skirt is the frame every family asks for — we shoot it from the parents' side, wide enough to catch the laughter.
  • The piggyback ride. The groom carrying the bride (and often his mother) around the table ends the ceremony on a laugh — we keep a clean background ready for it.
  • Details first. The wedding ducks, silk screen, tea set, and food tower are heirloom-level details — photographed before the family enters.

Hanbok Portraits Worth Framing

The hanbok's colors — deep reds, jade greens, royal blues — photograph unlike anything in Western wedding fashion. We schedule 15–20 minutes of dedicated hanbok portraits: couple, each family, and three generations together. If you are changing between a Western gown and hanbok, we build the changeover into the timeline so neither look feels rushed.

A Timeline That Honors Both Halves

Most LA Korean weddings run a Western ceremony and reception with the paebaek in between — usually during cocktail hour in a private room:

  • 2:00 PM — Getting ready (gown first), details, letters.
  • 3:30 PM — First look and couple portraits.
  • 5:00 PM — Western ceremony.
  • 5:45 PM — Change into hanbok; family gathers for the paebaek.
  • 6:00 PM — Paebaek ceremony (30–45 minutes) while guests enjoy cocktail hour.
  • 6:45 PM — Hanbok family portraits, then change back for the reception entrance.
  • 7:15 PM — Reception — toasts, dancing, and often a noraebang-worthy dance floor.

Five Tips from Photographing Korean Weddings

  1. Give the paebaek 45 minutes. Rushed bows photograph like obligation; unhurried ones photograph like love.
  2. Assign a paebaek coordinator. An aunt or family friend who knows the ritual order keeps the room calm and the photos clean.
  3. Window light beats ballroom light. If your venue offers a room with natural light for the paebaek, take it.
  4. Brief us on family names and order. We photograph each set of parents and grandparents in the bowing sequence — a name list guarantees nobody is missed.
  5. Keep the hanbok on for portraits. The 15 minutes after the paebaek, while everyone is still dressed, is a portrait opportunity that never comes back.

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Korean Wedding Photography FAQ

Do you know the paebaek ceremony? Yes — we have photographed it many times and plan positions for each ritual moment in advance, from the first bow to the piggyback ride.

Can you photograph the paebaek and cocktail hour at the same time? Yes — with multiple photographers, one team stays with the family ceremony while another covers your guests.

How much time should we set aside for hanbok portraits? 15–20 minutes right after the paebaek, while both families are dressed and together — we build it into your timeline.

Do you photograph Korean-fusion weddings where only part of the day is traditional? Most LA Korean weddings are exactly that — a Western ceremony with the paebaek woven in. It is our most common format.

Does paebaek coverage cost extra? No — it is part of your wedding-day coverage hours in every collection.

Keep Exploring

Check Your Date

From Koreatown banquet halls to estate weddings with a paebaek room, we photograph Korean weddings across Los Angeles and Orange County year-round.

Check your date — contact us · View collections · Multicultural weddings