Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Happy New Year!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

The Kids Make It



I am sure that some parents would really love it if they had a babysitter for the resort wedding on Maui but it usually doesn't happen that way. I see lots of weddings where the parents are running around trying to keep the kids clean and out of the cake. As a photographer, I look forward to capturing children...lots of children. They are great for the shoot because they always bring out laughter to group shots and sweet moments with their moms. They are a lot of fun when they are with each other playing pretend or getting into the flower petals. These are the times that I give Paulo the eye & let him know I'm going to go play too. I have had a great time getting cute flower girls to play in petals & handsome little devils (the boys) to pose with their shades. Even the kids that start out shy usually warm up to the camera before the shoot is over. So even though the kids can be a handful, I ask you all to keep bringing them with you to the family events including weddings because they do bring great joy to the gathering. I love showing these moments to you when it is all said and done...



Here is a slideshow..










Aloha,
Desiree

The Other Romantics



I think that between the both of us, Paulo & I are hopeless romantics. It comes out in our work in what we do with the moments between we capture with each couple & all the moments in between those moments. I am always looking for an opportunity to capture simple expressions of love in small details & I notice that Paulo always gets these kinds of shots. He has a great eye for body language & colors to make a very unusual shot a romantic one. He can look at a cuff link or a beautiful bouquet and capture its warmth or mood. It is awesome to be able to offer great moments between newly married couples & get the details that might have been overlooked. Some of my favorites are the way they hold each others hands, how the subtle light will hit the back of the dress, or Paulo's favorites which are feet & shoes. I gathered some of my favorite "other romantic" so you can see what I am talking about.

Here is a slideshow..









Enjoy,
Desiree

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Resort Coverage

As destination photographer specialists, we spend a lot of our time pulling up to some of the most beautiful resorts on the island for wedding shoots. Paulo & I usually brainstorm on our way about the romantics spots around the hotel and what we can do with them this time to make & capture a love story. Paulo never seizes to amaze me with how comfortable he is on these huge properties. Every bride imagines how they want their wedding day to look in their photo album and I am sure it is does not include all of the layers of tourists against huge concrete buildings created by being in the resort. So I think it is pure experience to be able to capture magical moments between two people on a busy day at the Westin or Hyatt. It takes a sharp eye to make a buzzing resort disappear into a quiet beauty of the background as we work with newlyweds in their first moments together as husband & wife. We hear from so many of our brides that they are blown away by how amazing the photos look because what they saw of the hotel & what we captured were two different things. So we want all of you brides to know that no matter how busy the hotel may seem, we will find the spot that works for you. Paulo & I will continue to work our way around these huge resorts & tell more love stories because this is our passion. We hope to be telling your story next...

Here's a look at some of the best secret spots on the resorts in Maui.
Here is a slideshow..







Friday, August 29, 2008

Wow...The Editor's Blog!!!


Paulo & I work pretty hard all year perfecting our work & always trying to create beautiful images. We both were really excited when we recently found out that we made the Editor's Blog for Pacific Rim Wedding Magazine. This is a high-quality destination wedding guide which is respected among the industry & many of the best photographers we know of as well as ourselves, publish their work in here. Paulo was causal with me the other day as he glanced over and said, "yeah...Pacific Rim just published the story on Oahn & Phong wedding we shot last year...check it out". I was so honored to see some of our best shots from the day with this beautiful story about their wedding attached under the "Editor's Blog"...Pretty Cool. So to all of you brides who are just starting your research, check out Pacific Weddings Magazine. It's a great site with a lot of great information about us and destination weddings in Maui.


Aloha,
Desiree

Friday, August 22, 2008

A Unique Blend


So Paulo & I were once again getting ready to head off Maui to Kauai. We were both really excited because the wedding was going to be held at the beautiful Waimea Plantation Cottages. The grounds still resemble old Hawaii with cute little cottages tucked behind huge coconut palms. We knew that Biren & Jane were hanging out when we got there so we tracked them down to meet them & go over last minute details. Now Paulo & I have seen lots of different families come together but this was one to remember. You see Biren's family was traditional Hindu Indian and Jane's family is a tight Filipino bunch. There was a lot of beautiful people from both sides of their families & it was amazing to see them blend together so well. As one time I caught a glimpse of Biren's mother in her stunning sari & jeweled in bindhis, chatting with Jane's dad as he spoke with his thick Filipino accent. It was truly an amazing ceremony and the couple integrated traditions from both sides. The highlight was when Jane entered the reception in her handmade red sari decked out like a beautiful Indian woman. We had such a great time capturing the unique moments. This wedding will be remembered for a long time.



Here is a slideshow..








Congratulations on the most beautiful blend of families I've seen thus far....

Aloha!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Maria Lanakila Church Maui



It was a beautiful rainy day, I call it an "Indian Summer." Not your typical day for a wedding in Hawaii but legend says rain is a blessing and good luck... Personally I really enjoyed photographing it. We got lots of rainbows due to rain, at times very challenging to shoot but Richard and Michelle had a great energy and lots of friends and family to share it with. They did not mind getting wet and for the most part I was the one having to hide from the rain so my lenses would stay dry.
The ceremony took place at Maria Lanakila Church in Lahaina then moved to Kaanapali Beach Hotel for the reception. There we had a beautiful setup under a tent, the theme was lime and yellow orchids a perfect contrast with the blue ocean.
From the walk on the beach to their first dance unforgettable moments revealed themselves.






Here is a slideshow..








I had a great time.
Congratulations Richard and Michelle!

Aloha,

Paulo

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Oahu North Shore Engagement shoot


Last Sunday I met Travis and Nichole on the famous north shore of Oahu to photograph their engagement photos.
We started with an idea I had, to touch the icons of Haleiwa. A town famous for the surf lifestyle, classic surf-shops like "Surf & Sea" and the famous shave ice boutique "M.Matsumoto."
They were very much into the idea and made the photo-shoot full of excitement. "Thanks guys it was a blast!"
Travis and Nichole had a great sense of humor and were always ready to make the photos fun.

So we went for a walk around town.

Maybe not all of you know but here is the famous Surf & Sea. A surf shop that was featured on a couple classic surf movies.
Next to it a rusted woody with two old school surf planks on the roof rack.
It gave us a great prop for some fun.

Want to get a surf board? Here is the place, peek around.


After our walk we ended up going to a secret spot (that I won't mention) to photograph the sunset.
Plenty of beach with nobody around. It was a great day.
With a few different angles we made the last part of the shoot very intimate and fun.

Here is a slideshow..









Our next shoot will be on a very special date. Travis and Nichole will be getting merried 8.8.08
Congratulations and I will see you soon.

Aloha,

Paulo

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

An A-List Invite

Paulo & I keep very busy with weddings and we always look forward to events that are customized to the heritage of the couple. It is great when we get a wedding in which the culture of the family shows through on the wedding day. We are really excited about on our shoot coming up in Kauai the first of the month. We received a beautiful invitation welcoming us the the grand event for Jane & Biren at the historic Waimea Plantation Cottages. The textured invite came in a bright tangerine envelope with an oversized bindi framing the maroon & gold enclosed card. The double paged inserts gave us the details of the day as well as the run through of the reception. We felt pretty special knowing that we were going to cover a distinctive ceremony on another island & we made the guest list. As we are preparing for yet another adventure, I noted on my packing list to make sure to include the thoughtful A-List invite.

Mahalo to Jane & Biren...
We will see you soon in Waimea...

Desiree

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Old Hawaii Style

I have been meaning to write about the beautiful Olowalu Plantation House for a while. Since the first time I laid eyes on the property, I have always enjoyed photographing weddings there. It is an old 1900's plantation house that happens to sit ocean front at one of the most breathtaking spots on the west side. It is a convenient place for a wedding because you can have the entire event hosted there. The guest house is situated perfectly for the bride to get ready and a few steps away is a gorgeous lawn to have the ceremony. The main house is usually bustling with family, friends, caterers, bartenders, musicians and event coordinators but I have to say the wrap around deck is a great place to hang out and feel like you are back in old Hawaii. The best part is that the sunsets here are absolutely amazing year around. There is plenty of room if you have lots of family & friends joining you and the property also has its very own dance floor so you can get your boogie on. I highly recommend this spot and you can take a look at the slide show and see it for yourself. Happy Wedding Shopping...

Aloha,

Desiree










Friday, July 4, 2008

A Family Affair

On Friday we arrived at the Olowalu Plantation House to photograph the wedding of Melissa & Ronel here on Maui. As we arrived, I noticed that the house was already buzzing & there was a high level of excitement in the air. It was quite the bustling property full of grandparents, grandchildren, aunties, uncles, lots of cousins and of course the beautiful bride tucked away getting ready for her big day. The groom showed up with all of his immediate family & close friends and they kept him company as he nervously awaited the ceremony. It was great to see everyone with lots of joy in their faces as these two huge families became one. Both sides were so supportive of each other and it seemed as though they had been a huge family all along. Paulo & I had such a great time capturing all of the love expressed that day.

Melissa & Ronel..we want to say Congratulations & enjoy your life together...you have many wonderful people to share it with.

Aloha,
Desiree










Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Gift of a Song

We were off to the Westin Maui to cover a wedding for Brandy & Ryan in Kaanapali. It was one of those perfect summer days and as soon as Ryan came to meet us, we knew it was going to be a great shoot. Everyone was very playful and this allowed us to have a more interesting coverage. One of the highlights of the day was shooting Brandy in her dress. It had this modern renaissance feel to it and when she walked the dress showed off her stunning figure. She loved the little bussell in the back and all of her bridesmaids made sure everything was perfectly in place. During the reception, it seemed as though all of the toasts were going to be quite traditional until one of their relatives gave them a gift of a song. He had taken the song "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and changed the words so it told their story. It was the hit of the night and as we said good-bye, we looked back at another great success.

Aloha to you Brandy & Ryan...

Congratulations!!











A Cake to Remember

On the pristine grounds of the Plantation House in Kapalua, beautiful flowing fabrics of blue and green swayed in the breeze. This quaint yet stunning site gave us the chance to capture all of delicate details before anyone arrived. A breathtaking view of the dramatic sea cliffs of Maui and Molokai set the backdrop for the wedding day of Jeffery & Rhonda. The couple had this sweetness and beauty between the two of them that showed in each moment and to our surprise they had met on a blind date. Their family & friends offered them kinds words and support and in return Rhonda had requested that each guest receive their own wedding cake to enjoy. You should have seen them, tiny and decorated with the same beautiful blues & greens..."it's like Christmas" the bride said.

Mahalo Nui Loa Jeffery & Rhonda from Paulo & Desiree...
Thank you EventsbyEvonne for the great decor!

Your wedding day was truly a special one.