I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it’s often a bride’s fashion choices, or the delightful reception details that grab my attention more than others. Well, not here. Simply put, this ceremony rocks. Our creative Groom and his future father-in-law created one amazing backdrop that his beautiful Bride didn’t see until she took that walk down the aisle. Aria Studios captured every bit – all in our Vault this way!
From the Bride… George and I first met in Los Angeles in 2010. George is a typographer and I’m a photographer. After many years of seeing each other’s imagery, we finally put together our first art show, “Passage”, in 2013. It was within the process of creating together, that our love grew. Collaborating is still very much a part of our relationship, so planning a wedding together was something I knew we would both enjoy!
When my parents asked us what we wanted our wedding day to be like, we told them we wanted to bring our family and closest friends to enjoy the beauty of Maui. I used to live on Maui when I was a young girl, so it has, and always will be, a second home to our family. Once we set the beautiful location at the Royal Lahaina, our entire family got to creating! Another great part of planning was finding my wedding dress with my mom in Colorado. The amazing staff at Emma & Grace Bridal put together all my wedding dress wish list items with their in-house designer! From start to finish, it was one of the most unique and memorable experiences for a bride to have! It was truly my dream dress.
Planning a wedding can be a very daunting task. There are so many essential items (Save-The-Dates, invitations, RSVP cards, ceremony/reception decor, favors, etc). In browsing endless websites, we gathered as much inspiration as we could and decided to make everything we needed instead! Invitations, Save-The-Date postcards, RSVP’s, ceremony programs, reception signs, wedding favors, etc. All were conceptualized and created by George and I.
One of the most special pieces created at our wedding was our ceremony backdrop. George and my father worked on this for several months in secret, and the first time I saw it was when I was walking down the aisle. George drew the canvas and my dad built the entire structure and stand. It was a breathtaking moment. To have that as a backdrop to our entire wedding, is something we will remember forever.
Our incredibly talented friends also lent their crafts to making our day a true celebration. Sorah Yang is a dear friend and the first time we ever heard her sing was when she graciously volunteered to perform at “Passage”. We were immediately moved to tears. Having her sing our wedding entrance and first dances was a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Also, present at “Passage” was our MC, Amanda Suk. Sukie is one of my best friends and having her MC our wedding was such a natural fit. Pukalani Hula Hale (the group I danced for as a young girl) performed. The Company (Daly City, CA), a dance crew George was apart of for nine years also performed. DJ Druskee, a dear friend to both of us, brought our reception to life. Adam Vida also blessed us with a surprise performance.
Capturing all the handmade details, performances, and moments in between was no easy task. A family friend recommended Aria Studios and we couldn’t be more happy with the imagery taken by their remarkable team. Holly and Jonas are a dream team. They moved seamlessly through a few schedule changes and truly captured the feeling of our day. As a photographer, I know weddings can be stressful and difficult, but I am so blown away with their team’s talent!
We can confidently say that we made our wedding a true celebration of who we are as individuals and together. Nothing at our wedding was pre-packaged for us. We enjoyed having a hand in creating art pieces for all aspects. So much of our union is a testament to the support of our friends and family, and we were honored to have them there to celebrate with us!
Photography: Aria Studios | Floral Design: A Special Touch | Wedding Dress: Emma & Grace Bridal | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | DJ: DJ Druskee | Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss | Groomsmen Attire: 7 Diamonds | Ceremony Music: Sorah Yang | Venue: Royal Lahaina Resort | Ceremony Backdrop: George Anzaldo Productions | Film Processing: Indie Film Lab | Invitations, Programs + Signage: George Anzaldo Productions | MC: Amanda Suk