It was a beautiful spring morning when Natalie Wi and I met at her brand new studio on Union Street. Attractive and full of energy, Natalie told me about her studies in fine art photography at George Washington University in DC, where she met her husband, Jung. Natalie who was born and raised on the East Coast, and Jung, a West Coast native, combined their talents and opened the wedding photography studio Allure East in Washington, DC. In 2008, the couple opened Allure West in San Francisco.

"We love working together," Natalie told me. "I am more of a fine art photographer, while Jung has a documentary style. He is very technical and has taught me to integrate technical aspects into my work, which has enhanced my artistic skills immensely."

Catering to both the more traditional East Coast client and the more contemporary one of the West Coast, the couple offers various styles. The same is true for the album styles. I loved a particular one from New Zealand, with folding pages on both sides. Jung and Natalie used them to mount pictures of the families watching the ceremony. For daily use they offer a smaller coffee table book.

Like all the excellent wedding professionals, Natalie and Jung will spend a lot of time with their customers. "I don't want to impose our views on them; we want them to use my art to their advantage," she told me. They can bring a full studio set to the wedding and also offer different techniques: black & white, sepia, sharp or grainy prints. There is no limit to the number of shooting locations for one event, and they will visit the sites beforehand with their clients. If possible, they will attend the rehearsal dinner.

While still in Washington, DC, Natalie received several awards, and her work was displayed in galleries such as the Dimmock Gallery, the Conner Gallery of Contemporary Art, and the Eclipse Art Center in Arlington.