Adam & Fernanda's Beach Vow Renewal

Adam and Fernanda are a couple I met randomly through networking who were looking for a photographer to shoot their vow renewal ceremony and home reception at North Shore. I was thrilled when they decided to hire me and I began communicating with Fernanda, whom I found to be extremely sweet as we discussed the details of the event, her desires for photos and processing style, and logistics. The beach where the ceremony was held was a gorgeous local spot, made famous for the filming of the television series LOST! I was a little nervous because I had never been to that location before and due to her hectic schedule of planning the ceremony, the 2X bride was also 16 weeks pregnant and amidst the short 3 weeks between when I was hired and the event took place, we had yet to find a time to meet!

On a beautiful evening right before sunset, a ukelele strumming in the background,  a small group of family and friends gathered along the shore as Adam and Fernanda repeated their vows to one another. It was short, sweet, and intimate, but the love was still surely present.
It was during the after-ceremony pictures with the bride and groom that I experience my first injury on the job, a nasty fall on some slick rocks that left me with a nasty headache, bruised tailbone, and bloody elbow. Luckily I saved my camera from the impact, (my biggest concern) and we continued on as usual. I was determined to keep the joy!! Thanks to my trusty best friend, Rachel, who was visiting from the mainland and assisting with this shoot, and a first-aid-prepared soldier/groom, I was bandaged back at the cars and ready for the reception!

The reception was held at a residence located nearby, atop a hill with stunning yard and views of Pupukea and the North Shore beaches. A white tent donned the lawn with sparkling lights, Japanese lanterns, and colorful hibiscus decorating the space among several round tables. Guests were treated with an authentic meal of local Hawaiian favorites as well as a personal hula show! Those daring enough to try, even learned a few hula moves, themselves! It was a beautiful night celebrating a truly kind couple, their love, and their future together. Thanks so much to Adam and Fernanda for letting me capture all of these special moments and memories.

Princess Haley

Each shoot is it's own memorable experience. The subjects are always unique and teach me something new about myself and my work. But I am confident that this particular event made an impression on me that will always have a place in my heart. It's my joy to introduce a very special little girl, 9 year old Haley.

Haley was diagnosed with a highly malignant brain tumor at age 5 1/2 and was forced to go through the painful treatments that come along with cancer. She fought through, though, and finally made it to remission where she had to relearn speech and conscious movement. For a reason only God knows, after 3 years in remission, the family recently discovered that Haley's cancer has relapsed and they have been given months left with their baby girl. When I heard their story through a friend at church, my heart ached and I remembered that our gifts and talents are the best ways we can show support and care. Haley was having a birthday party in the Hale Koa park the following weekend so I  volunteered to document the day. These are just the kinds of occasions that we treasure, and I wanted the parents to not have to worry about capturing the details, but just enjoy the joy of the day.

It was a sunny afternoon of laughter, childhood, games, balloons, spray tattoos, pizza, cake, pin the tail on the donkey, and tons of crafts to keep kids entertained for hours! The smiles of this little girl and the friends who attended her party were magical and contagious. Family and friends have rallied around Haley with support for "Princess Haley," raising money and providing love through the whole process, so it was fitting that the theme of the party was "Princesses"(and Princes!). A particularly special moment was the butterfly release. As the kids sat in anticipation in a circle for the "surprise," Wendy, (mom) put a drop of juice on their little hands and placed a butterfly to share between two. She told them that butterflies can carry a wish on each wing, so if the partners whispered their wishes into their wings and let them go, the butterflies would carry them up to Heaven to come true. What a beautiful symbol of hope. This family and their whole army of support was such a testament to the strength of many. I was certainly blessed and inspired by their bravery, fight, and unconditional love, especially through the innocent eyes of a 9 year old named Haley.

Thanks to the Tyrell family and friends for letting me capture this day for you. My best wishes  to you all.

Mike, Ashley, & baby Kenna!

I met Ashley through church and we quickly became friends. Her husband Mike, a US Marine, was on the mainland for training and she'd been experiencing a troublesome pregnancy, but always had a smile on her face and a positive attitude. I was so happy to be able to shoot her maternity session and finally meet her hubby! We hit a minor glitch when we realized the original location for our shoot was across the flight line on base, and with the open Airshow scheduled for that day, it was impossible to get there. I'm willing to do a lot for a good photo, but driving on an active military runway wasn't really on the agenda. We relocated to another beach and had a blast exploring and experimenting with the scenery to give them a wide variety of pictures to remember this special time in their lives.