NIKKI & PAOLO. BAY AREA ENGAGEMENT

"San Francisco has one drawback, 'tis hard to leave.". - Rudyard Kipling

---

As I'm writing this, my wife and I are actually on our way to Napa Valley for Nikki and Paolo's wedding. Not to cover their wedding but to attend as their guests. And it's been awhile. So we're pretty excited. Since my wife and I can dress up without having to haul 100 lbs. of camera gear. Plus, we can drink, relax and actually enjoy ourselves at this wedding. No timeline to follow or  to contend with. No fighting for time with the bride and groom. We can just drink and be merry. I mean, we are in Napa Valley, where the wine is begging to be consumed.  

Prior to this enagement shoot, the only time I had contact with Nikki was through back-and-forth messages in Facebook regarding their wedding. She saw Rubie and Jun's engagement session in Yosemite Valley, loved the photos and wanted us to cover their wedding. Although things didn't materialize as planned, Nikki still wanted us to do their engagement shoot. So I was still happy and was more than willing. And after months of being friends and "connected through Messenger" we finally met in person during Rubie and Jun's wedding.  I spoke to them for a bit since there was some downtime during the cocktail hour. Pretty down-to-earth couple. So the day after the wedding, we headed off to their shoot at Point Reyes and the Golden Gate Bridge. 

I think every photographer can relate to this. There's a moment when you first meet your clients for a shoot, where everyone is still uneasy and cautious. The uncertainty of whether they're going to like you as a photographer. Or whether the clients will  enjoy themselves during the shoot. Or being able to pull off the shots that you have visulaized in your head. Well there was none of that on that day. Paolo, Nikki, my wife and I all got along the minute we sat in the car that it felt like we've all met before in the past. To be honest it didn't even feel like a shoot. More like friends hanging out. Except that Paolo and Nikki are dressed up and I'm bossing them around: telling them what to do, how to pose, where to look, while I point a big camera in their faces. 

But in all seriousness, for my wife and I to have such great connection with a couple that we just met is awesome. And for them to even consider us as more than vendors, but as close friends, that they invited us to be guests at their wedding, well, that's just the icing on the cake on top of a faboulous engagement shoot in San Francisco. A city we love and we keep coming back to. And two months later, here we are again. Back in Northern California. I guess home is where the heart is.

RUBIE & JUN. ORINDA COUNTRY CLUB WEDDING

“For the two of us, home isn't a place.
It is a person. And we are finally home.”
- Stephanie Perkins

---

The raucous crowd grew quiet while a soft guitar melody gently filled the room. The song is beautiful in it's simplicity but yet, hauntingly familiar as well. "Hold me close and hold me fast...", the song began. Rubie and Jun walked over to the dance floor, their eyes locked onto each other while their bodies began to sway in time with the melody of the song. And I think from this moment on they were in their own little world. 

"La Vie En Rose"

It's the song that Jun and Rubie chose as their first dance.  Rightfully so, since if I were to go by the photos that I captured of Rubie and Jun, unfiltered and being vulnerable, to their kids, to each other, then they are probably living the life that is sang through out the song. 
My wife and I, having spent enough time to get to know them, can relate to their everyday struggles of being parents and trying to maintain a healthy marriage. I understand why they chose this particular song. Because there are times when life gets so hectic, so tumultous, that the only thing you can look forward to is seeing each other. The idea that love is all you need may be naive and simple, but for some people,  it's probably the only thing that gets them through the day.

While some couples with children will just forego the whole wedding celebration since they think it's too late, for Rubie and Jun, celebrating their love with their two children and in front of their  family and loved ones was still important. And the look that their daughter gave them while they were dancing with her, as if she was looking at a real life King and Queen, will be beyond priceless. Just the image of how much her parents loved each other, I'm sure, will be forever etched in her memory. It's a day only a few kids will get to say to their friends: "I saw my Mommy and Daddy get married." And I don't think Rubie & Jun would have it any other way. 

Enjoy the photos.

"And when you speak Angels sing from above
Every day words Seem to turn into love songs
Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be La vie en rose"
 

VENDORS:

Ceremony: Cathedral of Christ the Light
Venue: Orinda Country Club
Videographer: Collidescope
Florist:  Mints & Honey
Hair/MUA: April Joy Victorino from A-List Makeup
Cake:  La Vie Douce Design
MC/DJ:  Robert Tinoco from Ace Entertainment

TATIANA & JEREMIAH. LAGUNA BEACH

"May your adventures bring you closer together,
even as they take you far away from home."
- Trenton Lee Stewart

---

I knew Jeremiah from when we shot his big brother's engagement photos six years ago.  We were shooting in one of the grassy fields scattered in and around Laguna, when on a whim, I asked Vino if they had a ladder at home, just so I can get a higher perspective for a shot that I had in mind. To be honest, I think this ladder was the begining of my many climbs atop of random things. He texted Jeremiah, and within minutes he was walking towards where we were shooting with a 6-foot ladder in tow. I mean, the walk from their house wasn't that far, but having to carry a 20lb. ladder is never fun. Which is what struck me the most, is how close the siblngs are to each other. Because if  that was my own brother, who told me to go grab a ladder for his engagement shoot, I would've told him to get it himself so he can stick that ladder up his hole.  

But as much as he is a nice guy, he's also a bad-ass when it comes to landscape photography. You can check out his IG handle (thecraziethewizard) for proof if you so incline.  And a shared interest in photography is what started this whole"bromance" thing between Jeremiah and I. And it all started when he slid onto my DMs. Well more like he Facebook messaged one night while I was editing. This was before the app became hitler-ish, named itself Messenger, and forced you to download it as a separate app. But I digress. Back to the story where he slid into my DMs. He started asking about photography related stuff. And what started as innocent conversations about cameras, blogs, photographers, and The Walking Dead, for some reason snowballed into something else. All I can say is that there were tons of texting between each other where my wife will find me giggling at the phone.  

But all good bromances must end. (Sad Face). I know. Because we all have to grow up someday, right? And finding the right girl, and deciding that this IS the girl that you want to marry is what grown ups do. Maybe I am a little salty, but  I am truly happy that he found someone as adventurous, as daring and as bold as Tatyana. They both love the outdoors and photography. Like a  love story that's set in nature. And as they stand on their next platform, or boulder 6,000 feet above the ground,  I hope that moment paints a picture of their future as a married couple - looking out at the world, filled with love, beauty and adventure.  Lots of adventure.

NATALIE & IAN. PADUA HILLS WEDDING

“You wouldn’t train for a marathon
& then give up a mile before the finish line.
Same goes with your life & dreams.”
- Dawn Gluskin

---

Marriage. I guess you can say it's the ultimate marathon. But here's the thing, marriages and marathons share a connection that one may overlook. It's certainly not for everyone, that's for sure. Both require passion and commitment. Lots of it. Passion to keep getting better and stronger at what you do; and commitment to reach that extra mile, even though each step will be tested by steep hills and choppy terrain. 

But Ian and Natalie are both passionate people who both work and serve their community well. Ian works for School on Wheels, a non-profit organization that provides tutoring and education to homeless children. While Natalie is a 2nd grade teacher who is devoted to teaching and also loves to volunteer as an art teacher for homeless children living in L.A.'s Skid Row. And one thing that connects them both is their love for running.  Both have goals and aspirations. Because deep inside, they know life is better when you have someone guiding you with each step you take and each mile you reach, until you reach the finish line. And wouldn't that be the ultimate accomplishment? To know that you and your significant other pushed through each obstacle, cemented in your commitment, and coming out of it with your passion for each other stronger than before? 

AMBER & JC. DTLA ROOFTOP ENGAGEMENT.

“The greatest love stories are not those in which love is only spoken,
but those in which it is acted upon.” - Steve Maraboli

---

When we first started A Sight of Love, most of the couples that we photographed were either friends or acquaintances that we knew in the past. So when "client meet-ups" happen, it's usually a case of talking about their wedding plans for a couple of minutes and the rest would be spent on talking about more personal matters not pertaining to the actual wedding. Usually topics regarding people that we knew or we talk about school or work. Pretty much, life in general. But lately, the couples that have been booking us have been either referrals or people that happen to stumble onto our website and fell in love with our photos. Total strangers. Which is great. Since they don't know a thing about me, there is no bias when they look at our photos. Amber and Jean-Claude, or JC for short, met up with me at a coffee bar in Pasadena. I was pretty nervous since meet ups is a way for couples to size you up. To see if there is chemistry and/or to make sure you're not a serial killer on the FBI's Most Wanted List. Surprisingly, for Amber and JC, it was the latter. They were pretty much sold on the photos that I don't think it even mattered if I showed up in a clown suit. But first impressions are still important, so I always try to put my best foot forward. 

Since Amber and JC are Cali-kids born and bred, they wanted an urban shoot. I've always liked shooting in or around nature. Trees, foliage and what-not. But I know going outside my comfort zone will only benefit and help me grow as an artist. And I have to thank Amber and JC for wanting to shoot in an Urban setting. Shooting in Downtown L.A. will always be a challenge since it's been photographed to death. One can just scour the internet and you wil see countless engagement and wedding shoots in Downtown L.A. And coming up with fresh and new ways to shoot in or around a famous building will always require some imagination. So even shooting on a rooftop, which was a first for me, still required me to think outside the box. But ideas can only go so far without the couple buying into it. Which Amber and JC did. In bulk. And I love them for it. They even ended up making an otherwise dull, lifeless ladder that I used to get a different perspective, so sexy and appealing.  💛💛💛

Big thanks goes out to Amber's cousin, Aaron, for letting us use the rooftop in the building that he manages. Super  chill guy. I've always wanted to shoot on top of a building and he definitely scratched that off my bucket list. Thanks man!

NATALIE & IAN. NEWPORT BEACH ENGAGEMENT

“your hand touching mine.
this is how galaxies collide.”
― Sanober Khan

---

Three outfits. Three cities. Three crazy kids. From Downtown Los Angeles, to Irvine City  then ending with a beautiful sunset shoot in Newport Beach, where Ian first asked Natalie to be his girlfriend. Pretty much every city we shot at has some significant importance for them. I honestly thought they would get tired and call  it a day by outfit #2. But Ian and Natalie kept up with every crazy idea I threw at them and kept going along. Even scaling some rocks to get to a cave. Though Natalie had reservations about going inside that  cave, since high tide was coming. Ian, ever the optimist, just reassured Natalie and gave her that much needed push to just go through with it . Which even surprised me. Since, I myself, was worried that if we were to get caught during high tide, we would definitely get soaked. And just thinking about damaging my equipment and the images that was already captured could be lost. And that  would be just heartbreaking. But luckily we got out in the nick of time. Since after just a few minutes, we saw the same kids that were still inside the cave when we left, was soaking wet when they got back to the beach. 

Although it's always in hindsight when I tend to think about some of the things I tend to do during a shoot and the things that can or might go wrong. But if you have an awesome couple such as Ian and Natalie,  seeing the captured images makes the risks so worth it. Enjoy the photos!

CHAI & RAF. THE BROAD TTD SESSION.

“Loving someone and having them love you back
is the most precious thing in the world.”
― Nicholas Sparks

---

Inititally I wanted to do their Trash-the-dress session in Joshua Tree. Not because it's the hip thing to do, but for some reason, that place escapes me still. Although I have shot at Joshua Tree twice now, I still feel like I barely scratched the surface of what that place has to offer. Someday, I suppose. But I was pleasantly surprised on how much fun I had shooting at the Broad. Credits go to Chai & Raf, for suggesting to shoot at there. But it was a bit of a challenge to shoot inside the actual museum. There were rules and regulations that we had to strictly follow, since disturbing the flow of foot traffic can get you kicked out of the place. So planning and envisioning the poses and the shots beforehand was a must. Prety much, there was a lot of standing around, me looking intently at a random spot and then, hurriedly telling them what to do before a crowd starts coming in. But it all worked out in the end. Chai & Raf's upbeat attitude helped with the flow of the session. I was even more surprsied how Raf, who is the most quiet and reserved of the three of us, never shied away from the poses I told him to do. I honestly think that, secretly, he actually enjoyed the attention and the compliments that were being given to them by the people at the museum. Well, they are deserving of such praise. 

SHERYL & SHAUN. CRYSTAL COVE ENGAGEMENT

“One transcendent kiss that later makes lovers
take soft breaths, holding hands”
― Lori L. Otto

---

California is always up to something unusual. One day it's 90 degrees outside, then the next day it's a cloudy 70 degrees, with a chance of rain.  Except "chance" becomes "reality" since  the photo gods know that your outside shooting an engagement session and they decide to be comedians on that day and play a joke on you. But that's the way California is. You just gotta be ready for anything. But even if it was raining on and off, I was just lucky that I was with good company. Sheryl and Shaun were so patient that I was glad that they didn't let the unpredicatble weather get to them.  Especially after driving 2 hours just to find out that the the first location we planned on shooting in was closed due to rain.  And even when it started to rain and we had to wait in the car,  they did what every bored couple would do. Bust open some snacks and get your munch on while waiting for the rain to stop. But the rain did stop, then the clouds opened up and gave us some moody and dramatic lighting, contrasting the bright and blooming sunflowers carpeting the floor.  Well if you live here in California, you just know what to expect. You just have to be up and open for anything. 

*I wanted to post more photos from this session but I have to respect Sheryl's decision on their privacy. *

CHAI & RAF. LOS ANGELES WEDDING

“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.” ― Allen Saunders

---

I never have to cover a wedding by myself. But I knew one day it was bound to happen, I just wasn't expecting to do it in such a short notice. So I had to cover Chai and Raf's wedding by myself. I was excited but at the same time, nervous. Nervous, because as my wife can attest to, I'm prone to absent-mindedness. Moving from one shot to the next, I tend to forget lenses that I set on the ground just a few seconds before. Or being too . So that's why my wife, who second shoots for me, is also a walking planner of sorts. She's there to keep me in line, and make sure I don't have to worry aboutt forgetting the lenses  or even (GASP!) misplacing the rings.. If the iPhone has Siri. Or if Android has Google. I have my wife. 

But no lenses were lost during the wedding. In fact, as challenging as the day was, Chai and Rafael's bridal party was a blast to hang out with, which made my day easier.  Sore feet aside, it's a fullfilling experience that  is humbling at the same time.  

MARY & JOSEPH. SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS WEDDING.

“True love is not a hide and seek game:
in true love, both lovers seek each other.” ― Michael Bassey Johnson

---

His name is Joseph. Her name is Mary. So during the best man speech, his little brother made a quip about how they will become a holy family once they have a child and names it JESUS. The room erupted in laughter. Best. Joke. Ever. 

Here are some highlights from their wedding. Enjoy!

TRAVELOGUE: BIG BEAR

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel
until he comes home
and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. ”
― Lin Yutang

---

So I finally turned 38 years old. And the one thing I've been wanting to do is to just go take the family and play in the snow. Easy enough right? But not so much when my wife and I are in the same nursing profession and work in the same facility. When we ask for a few days off, that by itself, will cause major problems with staffing. So December and January came by and our requests for a vacation got rejected. We also didn't get approved for a weekend off in February. Which would have been a perfect time to go to Big Bear since the month of February, it was still unusually cold and rainy here in California. March finally came, and good thing California's weather is so unpredictable that luckily there was still some snow left. I guess we will just try again next year. 

MARY & JOSEPH. GRIFFITH PARK

“I need the starshine of your heavenly eyes,
After the day's great sun.”
― Charles Hanson Towne

---

Mary & Joseph. I swear to God (pun intended), those are their real names. Mary is my wife's cousin. We haven't seen them in years ever since Mary moved to Seattle to finish her school and become a pharmacist. Joe then quit his IT job in California and moved to Seattle. "Depressing." is what they answer when I ask why they decided to move from the city where grunge music, "Gen X" and Starbucks originated from. Where 90% of the time, it's cloudy and gloomy. Which would be awesome if you do photography. No more fidgeting with the controls and buttons. But now they are back in California and living in San Francisco. Another city that I love. Anyways here are some highlights from their session in Griffith Park. Enjoy!

TRAVELOGUE: DEATH VALLEY

“I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out
whether you like people or hate them
than to travel with them.”
― Mark Twain

---

Vino texted me from out of nowhere and persuaded me to come with him and his family to Death Valley. Particularly to a location called Badwater Basin. He then DM'ed me this image of this lady in a white dress, standing on water in the desert. The contrast intrigued me enough to the point where I had to come up with an excuse to call in sick to work.  A few fake coughs and sniffles later, I found myself waking up my toddler at 6 in the morning and heading to Death Valley.  Badwater Basin to be exact. The lowest point in the US of A. The goal was to take some photos of Vino and his family and recreate the image that he had sent me on Instagram. But with anything, timing is key. And our timing was off. What we ended up seeing was just a dry, arrid, desert landscape. Which is still beautiful in it's own unique way. So we still decided to continue on with the shoot. We also headed to Zabriskie Point and get some shots there also. Now this is a place where I would want to shoot again. The different textures, height and color contrasts of the unique rock formations is just eye candy. Xander, Vino and Melissa's youngest was in no mood for photos. But not t waste a trip, we just decided to do a quick shoot between the husband and wife of 5 years. And although it's been awhile since we last took portraits of them for their trash-the-dress session in Big Sur, well, surprisingly they still got it. 

COCO & JOHN. LAS VEGAS, NV

“In your light I learn how to love.
In your beauty, how to make poems.
You dance inside my chest where no-one sees you,
but sometimes I do,
and that sight becomes this art.”
- Jalaluddin Rumi

---

Of course there was an air of intimacy once we entered Coco's room. To see familiar faces greeting us was both heart-warming and much needed, as Las Vegas was unusually cold on that particular day. Coco, her friends, and her family brought out a certain feeling of déjà vu. Everything seems so familiar, yet different at the same time. I met Coco when we covered Melissa's wedding, who was also our very first client. She was a bridesmaid and also a cousin of the bride. But what struck us the most about her is that she was always so sweet and kind to us. Being nice just kinda comes naturally for her. We then saw her again two years later at her good friend, Sheila's wedding. This time she was a guest who, to our delight, brought along a date. Her and John were still in the early stages of their relationship but I remember saying, jokingly, that if the stars aligned, I will be shooting their engagement session in Seattle. That particular location never materialized but their engagement photos that we shot in Red Rocks, Nevada was pretty awesome to say the least. Although they laughed at my joke back then, and probably thought nothing of it, I could instantly tell there was something special when I saw them together three years ago. Maybe it was the way they were holding each other's hands. Or the way they were standing so close together that even a few inches away from each other was too much to bear. Or the way John found time to go with Coco to the wedding. Since during that time, I could only imagine it being very difficult for him since every aspect of his life was wrapped up in medical school. But us guys, what can I say? When we find that special someone, no distance is too great and no challenge is too difficult. We always seem to find a way. But even after noticing all those obvious, yet subtle signs, I think there was one thing that clearly stood out for me. One tangible aspect that clearly defined how their relationship was going in the right direction. It was their outfits. You know that expression "you wear your heart on your sleeves"? Well I think they wore their hearts on their sleeves when they color-coordinated their outfits. His green tie to match with her green dress. That was a dead give-away that they were meant to be together. They probably thought nothing of it at that time. They were just "being cute" is all. But a japanese poet, Izumi Shikibu said: “In this world, love has no color-- yet how deeply my body is stained by yours." 

VENDORS:

Ceremony & Venue: Las Vegas Golf Club
Florist: VIP Floral Designs
Hair/MUA: Jessica Martinez and Phoenix Sparks
Cake: Milos Babic
Pastor: Neat Randriamialison
DJ: Tommy Langsang

CHAI & RAFAEL. VASQUEZ ROCKS ENGAGEMENT

"The greatest danger for most of us
is not that our aim is too high and we miss it,
but that it is too low and we reach it.

- Michelangelo

---

We did this shoot back in November while there was a short heatwave here in California. While the rest of the country was enjoying a more winter-like weather, back here in Cali, locals are still going to the beach and soaking up the sun. So we decided to shoot in El Matador, a place where I've shot numerous times before. It's actually amusing how, as I'm writing this, it's now a nippy 46° here in So. California. A far cry from when we shot this sunny engagement session. And looking at the photos makes me appreciate how lucky we are to live in California. But there's another emotion that washes over me when I look at the photos as well. And that is nostalgia. You see, Chai is the sister of an old co-worker of mine that has the same last name as I do but not related. Her and her older sister would sometimes come by during work to visit their brother. And mind you, this was around the early 2000's (when Fall Out Boy and Dashboard Confessional ruled the airwaves). I'm guessing she was around thirteen years old back then. So imagine my surprise when we did a client meet up and I found out that this young lady who is about to get married was the same teeny-bopper that used to visit her brother ages ago. *Insert surprised/shock emoji here*

We also decided to forego shooting in Descanso Grdens and instead went to Vasquez Rocks. Which worked out for the best since we had a great view of the sun setting and the "supermoon" rising in the backgound. Enjoy the photos!

DARYL & STEVEN. LOS ANGELES WEDDING

“Love, real love,
the kind that you fall in, isn’t like Corinthians.
The “suffereth long” and “is kind” nonsense.
It’s like the Song of Solomon. It’s jealousy and fire and floods.
It’s everything that consumes.”

- Julie Anne Long

---

It's been a couple of months since we saw Daryl and Steven. Our short trip to Portland, Oregon with them will always be one of the more memorable shoots we've done. Aside from finally shooting in the PNW, and crossing it off my bucket list, another highlight was getting to know them as friends. Daryl and Steven are the type of couple that are so laid back and easy going that you forget that they are even clients. I will always appreciate their pleasant disposition. And their love for adventure and for new experiences is pretty contagious. 

And now seeing them finally, as husband and wife, is nothing short of sweet. This new adventure for them will surely keep them occupied until their next one. Diaper changing. 😊😃😃 Enjoy the photos. 

VENDORS:

Ceremony: St. Basil Catholic Church
Venue: Doubletree by Hilton
Coordinator: Burgundy Events
Florist: Remy Calub
Hair/MUA: Jocelyn Ferran
Cake: Takes the Cake
MC: Mitchell De Guzman
DJ: DJ Wrex

TRAVELOUGUE: HAWAII

"For me, the magic of Hawaii
comes from the stillness, the sea, the stars."
- Joanne Harris

---

I've been meaning to blog our family trip to Hawaii for a long time now. Besides procrastinating, there was just a lot of photos to go through. Some are meaningful, while some are just random images that were shot from the hip. To be honest, days prior to the trip I wasn't expecting much from going in. I mean, I grew up in the Philippines, which has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. And is also very tropical. But there was just something in Hawaii that captured us. I think a client said it best: "It's the closest to home you'll find in the US!"

CELESTI & JASON. JOSHUA TREE.

"The path of love is not a tedious path.
It's a Path of Joy.
It's a path of singing and dancing.
It's not a desert. It's a valley of flowers."
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

---

There's excitement in photographing someone who's a photographer. From one creative to another, I guess it's comparable to musicians playing with other musicians. It would be like if you were a guitar player and then another guitar player would ask you to play guitar on one of their songs. Although, it wasn't your song in the beginning, but as the recording progresses, your ideas and input will start taking shape and coalescing itself to the song. Which at the end of that recording session, that particular song will have imprints of your art and soul. I think the same goes for photogs who asks another photographer for a photo session. Besides the fact that it's completely possible for a photographer to do their own sessions using just a combination of a tripod and a wireless remote, it's the vision of their fellow artist that is more difficult to obtain.  I mean you can have a group of photograhers taking photos of the same subject and I can guarantee that each shot will be dfferent from one shot to the next. Which shot is the better one will surely be based on the eye of the beholder. And that is the beauty of photography. An image from a particular photographer will unknowingly just speak to you in a way that you can't really explain.

Although Celesti and I have have been talking for a couple of months prior to this shoot, I've always tried to push the idea of shooting in Joshua Tree to her. The beach is always the "safe" choice, since living in the west, we will always get the best sunset. I mean, if we were at the beach, of course I would've made them sit on a rock or lay in the sand. Just wait for the sun to set, then BAM. There's your money shot. But there is always a certain "uncertainty" in shooting in the desert. You can never know what you can utilize in an unfamiliar environment. So here is where one's creative vision and art comes to play and benefit a client. Besides the familiar let's-hug-and-get-cozy-behind-this-rock shots that is commonplace in every Joshua Tree engagement session, the one thing I haven't seen is the actual yucca palm tree being utilized to it's full potential. Yet. And yes I've Googled it. So a big S/O should go to Celesti and Jason for being adventurous enough and trusting in my vision and art. It was difficult and a litte bit dangerous, but if you're going to be in Joshua Tree, might as well be ON a Joshua Tree.

STACI & COY. MAKAPU'U LIGHTHOUSE. HAWAII

"For the two of us,
home is not a place.
It's a person.
And we are finally home."
- Stephanie Perkins

---

With all the photos we took in Hawaii, I might have to do a separate post about this beautiful island. But since I have another CF card to cull through, I might have to share this short, but sweet session with Staci and Coy first.  I do regret not being able to plan this shoot in more detail. This shoot was so off-the-cuff that we pretty much only had about 45 minutes in total to shoot. And the hike to the Makapu'u lighthouse, although beautiful, was a disappoinment since we came to find out that the lighthouse was fenced off from the public. Thanks Google images. But with anything, I'm just happy that I was able to shoot a lovely couple in Hawaii. And these two are just that. Sweet and lovely. They totally reflected the island vibe. And just like my sister, who recently moved to Hawaii a year ago, they too, are from Southern California. Simply put, after visiting the island a couple of times, they just fell in love and decided to move to Hawaii permanently. Which begs to ponder, if they can do it, so can we. Maybe? No, definitely.

Oh by the way, Happy 10th wedding anniversary to these two. The hashtag "relationshipgoals" should be dedicated to them. 

SHEREE & JUSTIN WEDDING. THURSDAY CLUB, PASADENA.

"No woman wants to be in submission
to a man who isn't in submission to God.”
- T.D Jakes

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This narrow hallway where I positioned myself wasn't the best idea. Amidst all the people walking past, trying their best not to bump into me, there was really nowhere else to go. So I did my best to hug the corner of the lobby while at the same time, trying not to break any of the old photo frames that's hanging on the wall. From where I was kneeling down, the door where Sheree was getting ready was cracked open. Enough that I can see her endlessly pacing back and forth. But then she would sometimes pause for a minute, her face clearly in deep thought and then laugh. Maybe one of her bridesmaids said something funny. Maybe her anxiety became excitement. Her body language said alot about how she was feeling that day. I could tell she was nervous. But at the same time, she was excited. She cracked open the door some more, just enough to let her head out and have a peek outside. At the same time, she was careful not to let Justin see her. In a few moments, she will say "I do" to the man of her dreams. And the best part is, she will be in front of her family and loved ones. To celebrate and to finally, share the love she has for Justin.

Justin finally walked in and made his way to the room where Sheree was staying in. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as he walked the hallway strewn with photographs of weddings past. With his back against the wall, he  knocked on the door for her to come out. Sheree, opened the door wide enough that you can finally see her in her wedding dress. She slipped her hand out and grabbed a hold of his. With only a thin wall separating them, they started to pray. They prayed for each other, for their loved ones and for their future thats about to unfold in front of them. 

I'm actually glad that they decided to forego "the first look", and opted for what they felt in their hearts, is right for them. They have always put God at the forefront of their relationship. He is their foundation. Their pillar. And one of the things that grabbed a hold of Sheree's heart is that Justin is a man of God. The fact that Justin asked Sheree to pray with him right after having their first boy-girl conversations, when their relationship was still barely in its infancy, speaks volume to what kind of man Sheree will be marying. And after 11 months of dating, even before they will say their vows, before they even kiss for the first time, one thing is consisent about their relationship and that is prayer.