Becca & Luke's surprise Proposal (AND WEDDING!)
/In our almost decade of experience working in the wedding industry, we have never before been a part of anything quite like Becca & Luke's wedding. Simply put, we made history this day!
Luke contacted us a couple weeks before his wedding date to tell us about his BIG plans: To propose to his girlfriend Becca on May 3, and to have a surprise wedding immediately after on the same day! Luke had everything planned out in critical detail. There were huge plans in motion that Luke was handling, like flying Becca's family and closest friends in from overseas to witness everything. And then there were also the smaller (yet still important) details and logistics to take care of, like setting up hair and makeup appointments and making sure the guests were in the right place at the right time on the day of the wedding. Luke even worked with Becca's mom in advance to make sure Becca had a Wedding dress lineup to choose from. After seeing how well-thought out everything was, and how sincere Luke's intentions were, we were totally locked in and ecstatic to be a part of it.
On the morning of the proposal we showed up bright and early to Lanikai Beach, which was beautiful and couldn't have been more perfect. We posed as beach-goers, hiding our cameras from plain view and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Luke and Becca showed up with their snorkeling gear, and funny enough, Becca unknowingly sabotaged our plans by being too nice and making Luke setup camp away from our pre-planned spot, as to not block our view of the water. Needless to say, everything went awesome anyway: Luke dropped the ring in the sand while they were out snorkeling (which was attached securely to a fishing line), and Becca found it. She said YES of course, and the rest of the plans for the day unfolded on schedule with absolute ease. Luke's intuition that Becca would go all-in on a whim without hesitation was spot on.
For a day where almost anything could have potentially gone awry, we were so happy when the stars aligned and everything fell into place. That said, we also do feel that even if something did deviate from the plan, everything would have been okay in the end-- Becca and Luke are just that kind of couple. They aren't JUST good together, they are pure and genuine, and completely in love with each other and the moment. It was incredible to see such a whirlwind of emotions in the span of one day. We are so impressed that Luke pulled it off, and feel super lucky to have been a part of this once in a lifetime experience.
Jasmine & Jake's Wedding celebration at Turtle Bay / Kamehameha School
/In the midst of a pretty hectic weekend of back to back shoots, we truly got lucky with our amazing April 30th couples. Jasmine and Jake were so chill-They weren't nervous or stressed out, they were relaxed and enjoying their time with friends, and all day long they created an atmosphere of fun, upbeat energy that really made their wedding feel special. These two are super down to earth. They don't take themselves too seriously and they know how to live in the moment. We had such a hilarious and fun day getting to hang out with them, and capturing some awesome footage along the way.
Side note. This could be its own hashtag: Wedding "Firsts". Definitely the first time we've had a couple make a McDonalds run in the middle of the day with their bridal party. Cheeseburgers for everyone! Hey, we don't blame them. Wedding days are long and we get hungry too!
In the end, although it was a long day, it just flew by! Jasmine and Jake really did leave a lasting impression on us, and we are forever grateful for their great attitude and fun-loving spirits. We are super excited to see what the future has in store for them. Much love friends!
Nice working with Keoni Kitagawa at Kpix Photography and Morgan Nii!
Lauren & Kaipo's Hale Koa Estate Wedding
/We’re back at one of our favorite wedding venues, the Hale Koa Estate in Hau'ula! Intimate, lush, and full of color, the Hale Koa Estate never fails to impress us whenever we film here. Lauren and Kaipo chose the perfect location for their wedding, as it really did reflect their personalities and dynamic as a couple. Though they kept reminding us that they’re not used to being filmed, their camera-shyness only made their screen presence even sweeter and more candid, and by the end of the day, being in front of the camera seemed second-nature to them! From the laid back getting ready, to the upbeat party at the reception, we really enjoyed getting to know them and their warm and loving families. Thank you guys for letting us be a part of such a personal wedding, for being so warm and hospitable throughout the entire day, and for being so easy to work with!
And of course we could not have had this experience without the help and referral from Kristin & Chad, who since getting married in January, started their very own wedding business as well! All the decor and setup from Lauren and Kaipo’s wedding is all thanks to Kristin & Chad’s amazing dedication and creativity. When you have the chance, check out their beautiful work: HNL Events!
Germaine & Gerry's Wedding at Waimanalo Bay
/Germaine & Gerry travelled from San Francisco to run the half marathon on Oahu last week, and decided to end the trip with a beautifully intimate beach wedding. For us, taking part in any wedding is always a meaningful and unique experience, but there's always something especially sweet about a couple deciding to elope, and focus all of their attention and energy on being with only each other for the entirety of their wedding day. We knew from the moment we spoke with them on the phone only a month ago, that we were gonna have a really fun time capturing their special day.
Germaine and Gerry are AMAZING! They are the kind of sweet, humble and good-natured people that we love to surround ourselves with and call friends. We immediately felt at ease with them, and capturing their wedding all day just felt like we were hanging out with long-time buddies.
After a quiet sunset wedding at Waimanalo Bay, we returned back to the room at the Ilikai hotel for a champagne toast and cake! The only thing that could have made everything more perfect was the Hilton fireworks show as a backdrop, which we missed by a hair because of one slow driver by Makapu'u lighthouse. Germaine and Gerry were still in good spirits though, and we had fun anyway hanging out in the room and eating wedding cake.
One of the coolest takeaways from the whole experience was getting to know Germaine and Gerry, and learning about their newly developing business in SF! We're super excited for these two. We know that they will be very successful because they already carry all of the best qualities of what it takes. Check out their website if you need a style, trim, treatment or color. They're expanding their business to also do specialized stylings for weddings, so you MUST check them out if you're in the area! www.haircandySF.com! Until we meet again Germaine & Gerry, take good care and congratulations on this big new step!
Special thanks also to Frank Amodo, who it's impossible not to like and have fun with.
Kai & Alex make it official at La Pietra
/We met Kai and Alex through a mutual friend, and were super happy to hear of their engagement. We had the chance to spend some time with them prior to the wedding, which got us extra excited to take part in the celebration. They were fun, funny, charismatic and had really amazing chemistry. After hearing about their plans for the big day, we went in with high expectations, and ended FAR from disappointed. This was one for the ages!
This was actually our first time shooting at La Pietra, and it was terrific! There were so many cool spots and sites to scope out for different shots. It really felt like we were transported to another world. Beyond that, there was such a good energy in the air. All day long we were reminded that you can really tell a lot about a person by the friends he/she keeps. Kai and Alex have some genuinely amazing friends, and we had a great time celebrating the day with them.
After the formal celebration, some truly epic things went down on the dance floor; Including (but not limited to) a Jurasek family tradition, glow sticks, a rap duet(?), and some other things that you'll have to wait to see. Congratulations Kai and Alex on taking the big leap. We are very happy for you and wish you a lifetime full of joy and love.
Always great to work with you, DJ Troy Michael.
