Happy Thanksgiving!!!...even though it's Saturday. I hope everyone thanksgiving went well. I know I had a pretty good time watching football, eating turkey, and sleeping! Did anyone do that Black Friday thing? I didn't. I couldn't wake up too early. I heard Walmart had HP laptop fo 389 dollars. Can you believe that? Anyway, personally, fighting those crowds isn't really for me.

I'll talk to you all soon and take much care of yourself.

Steve

Willie and Laura
St. Andrew's Cathedral
April 30, 2005

I don't usually do indoor weddings, they are definitely not my favorites. But I can do them if needed. I know there are a handful of brides who are asking themselves...needed. Why would it be a need? Well, to sum it up, 100% of all Catholic weddings must be done in a Church recognize by the Catholic deity. The Catholic rules of marriage, are very very strict. Those who are Catholics, know what I mean. Second weddings are even more difficult as divorce is very much frowned upon in this religion. There are off shoots of the Catholic religion, where the strict rules are little more relaxed. Priest are allowed to get married, but most ceremonies of this nature are pretty much he same, consisting of the same rituals. For any of those who are curious about my beliefs, I myself have no religion, but I am a Christian. Without getting too deep into it, religion or religions are basically man made, and the message of Christ can easily be skimmed or even skipped over, or misinterpreted very very easily. Theologians are great at studying religion, but studying the word of god...They still need help. I saw a Discovery Channel where one theologian actually thought god was some sort of Alien who caught a comet here to teach us how to make sand castles. Now that requires a lot of blind faith, more than the regular bible..haha... I have no denomination, don't belong to any church, but truly believes J.C. died on the cross so sinners like myself would not have to burn in hell. I don't push my beliefs on anyone, and I don't judge anyone. I do though, use my beliefs as my moral compass in governing my life and my business.

Okay, so onto the wedding...finally.

Laura and Willie met with me about a year before their wedding to "test me out." Some couples do this make sure that their dealing with someone sane, most of all to make sure that the quality they were looking for matched what they were dreaming. Wilie and Laura actually booked me for an engagement session, and if I passed their test, I would be booked for their wedding.

Well, lets just say that the engagement session went well, and I ended up shooting both photography and video for their wedding. I'll tell you what's hard about shooting both the engagement session and their ceremony. Basically you, or me in this case, well, I didn't want to recycle the same poses from their engagement session. There were other challenges here as well. Their ceremony location was indoors, and I couldn't use any flash. So I had to use high speed film and I had to open the iris rather wide. This is something you really don't want to do as you really run the risk of getting blury pictures if you're not careful. The other challenges...shooting or using St. Andrews as a backdrop. Needless to say, I thought up of a few cool ideas...got some great shots, and had a lot of fun doing it.

Willie and Laura's ceremony was really cool. It ran a little long, so long I had to change my mini DV tapes in the middle. But there was a hula dance performed by their friend, mass, communion, and the usual ceremonies. After the ceremony, we shot around the property, then headed to Kaka'ako to take pictures. Yes, we headed to one of my favorite locations. I thought we already got beach pictures for their enagement shots, why not get some nice palmtree ocean shots for their wedding.

I really have to stop eating out like this with my dad. It's not a healthy way to lose weight. The Chinese snack, meal, at Hong Kong Cafe was great. I had a Won Ton Mein, and it hit the spot just perfect. I'm not sure if I'll attempt to do any more blogs tonight. I'm pretty tired.

Just to let you know, if I skipped over your wedding, it's most likely that your folder is misfiled in the wrong date. As you can see, I skipped back to my April weddings. I just have a few more, then I'm back to May!!! Am I back logged blogger or what!

So what's on my agenda this weekend? We'll, I have a wedding at Ko'Olina at 11am, then basically I'm free until the 10th. Meaning I have no weddings until the 10th. I will still be working in the office though :) November and December always tend to be slower months. I actually love the break from doing 1 to 3 weddings per day from May to August. Well, people, talk to you soon!

Secret Cove Ko'Olina
April 29, 2005

So this is the power of the internet. I'm actually typing from the backseat of my Uncle Herman's rental car at 12am in the morning. My dad is in the front, we're all in route to snack on a great Chinese restaurant in downtown. It's a cheap good Chinese restaurant, actualy great Chinese restaurant, that you should all check out. It's called HONG KONG CAFE. I'm actually accesing the internet via my SPRINT wireless card which enables me to access the internet wherever I go! On top of that, I am also a user of GO-TO-MY-PC. This allows me to remotely access my office computer. This is the best investment I have proably ever made as it literally allows me to work ANYWHERE. And I mean anywhere. About two weeks ago, I was booking weddings from the lobby in the Venitian, and cutting invoices. Reconfirming with couples from the beach...oh man, it's awesome. If any of you want to be a bit more mobile, check it out!!!

Okay so onto the wedding!

Sanya actually met with me before her wedding unlike most wedding couples. Her job as a regional representive for Lowes lets her travel to Hawaii quite a bit. During our meeting, she expressed to me her need of great photos because she was a hardcore scrapbooker (LIKE MOST BRIDES). I really didn't have any contact with Justin, her fiance, until the day of their wedding.

I love this shot.....

Their wedding went very very well. They ordered the most expensive package from me, my cermeony package...so they the big thumbs up!!! Hahaha. Again, I'm just joking. Cheap couples are fine with me as well! Photographing Justin and Sanya was quite easy. They were both very photogenic. Sanya had those high cheekbones, fit body, that at almost any angle is perfect. And well Justin.... Justin pulls off the bald look really well for a white guy doesn't he? There's not many white dudes who can do it.

They do have a regular smiling photo of this one, but I like the energy in this photo much better...

I really loved their photos, they were by far some of the best I took. Justin, Sanya, I wish you my very very best!

Well everyone, Brides in particular. It's 3:23am here in Oahu. And lookie me. I updated my blog. Surprised! Boy, was I on a role. So I'm about to go to sleep. But before I do, I just want to enter in a non-wedding blog here for a second.

Lindsay and Richard's Wedding!!! May 14, 2005 Secret Cove at Turtle Bay

I got Lindsay's inquiry about 4 months prior to her wedding. She wasn't sure when her wedding was going to happen because her fiance, Richard, was in Iraq, scheduled to return. His return I believed had been delayed, so consequently, so were her wedding plans. I couldn't imagine being in her shoes. She was also planning to move to Hawaii, where her future husband was stationed, and planning to attend our local community college. Somehow, we got into a conversation about scheduling classes, and her trouble to find coherent online. I told her that I would pop into my car our conversation and to pick up some college planning things from our college, which was right down the street from me. I did so, mailed it right to her the next day.

A few months passed and Lindsay got word that Rich was headed down. I was really relieved that he was back, safe, and that we could go on with wedding. Lindsay chose to get married at the Secret Cove at Turtle Bay, my most favorite location. Offically, it's called Kawela Bay. There's a huge array of things to shoot by, on, or around at that area. There is also very little wind there, which is perfect for brides who wish to do the hair down, long train thing.

The wedding went great, as with the picture taking.

Jeff and Barbara Dase
May 12, 2005
Moili Gardens

So where in the world is Moili Gardens? It's actually on the windward side of Oahu. Just to let you know, that's the RAINY side of Oahu. Book this place only in the summer when it's nice and dry, or else you will pay. There is not much I can do if it rains on this side of the island as far as pictures go since the sun doesn't sent on this side of the island. You will get rainy pictures.

Okay, so onto the wedding!!!

Jeff and Barbara were really cool. Or are very cool. They met on the internet! Now before you laugh, or poke fun, let me tell you that over 50% of my wedding couples have met on the internet. I know there are guys who just love to pick up women the old fashion way, in the bar, or night club....but let me just say that there are tons of hot women on the net guys. TONS. And they are the smart beautiful ones too. And women, just be careful, because there are a lot of pervs out there and dorks.

So Jeff was this single guy, never been married, and then...he met Barbara online. They took to each other very quickly, and fell in love, very quickly. Their passion, funness <---if that's a word, is right here in the pictures.

Can't pull these two apart...I did have to yell "No Tounge!"

Moili'i Gardens....quite nice when it doesn't flood.

Taken at the pier. I really liked this couple. They're coolness factor is up there.