Here is a clip from one of our favorites: Ben Vegas and Maila Gibson. If you’re not aware, Ben and Maila are available to perform at your wedding. And they have been a BIG HIT at every wedding I’ve seen them at. The following video is of a original song that they wrote themselves.
About a year and a half ago, a great friend in the wedding industry decided to make a move back to her hometown of Seattle. I had the great opportunity to get to know her during her stay in Hawaii. While in
Hawaii, she worked with Sandra Williams of Finishing Touch as a wedding planner. So we got to know each other on a personal and business level. When she left, I told her that I predicted that she would be engaged within 18 months. And why not? She was smart, ambitious and beautiful - a major catch for any guy. She dismissed my premonitions as silly banter, but guess what? 18 months later, I get a joyful email from her saying that my prediction came true…almost to the exact date.
Rebecca Bradley is now a soon to be bride and owner of New Creations, Wedding Design and Coordination. And I am fortunate enough to be asked to shoot her wedding. Of course, Sandra will be flying up as well to witness the event. Here is Sandra’s blog about it.
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Aloha Seattle!
(originally posted by Sandra Williams)
I usually don’t do this on my blog (because I think it’s super cheesy), but I do want to give a shout out to my old assistant / on-site coordinator Rebecca Bradley. Rebecca worked with Finishing Touch for about 3 years (from Winter 2005 to Summer of 2008) and have since then moved back to her hometown of Seattle. Have you ever met someone you just know that he/she was born to do something? That’s how felt when I first met Rebecca. I knew from the very beginning that she will make a great wedding planner, and I am so happy and proud to announce that she had started her own wedding design and coordination business, New Creations Wedding Design & Coordination. Her website is still a work in progress, but I am sure it will be fully fabulous very soon. If you are reading this from Seattle or knows someone who is getting married there, call Rebecca. Tell her you read about her business here and send her my aloha… she will LOVE it!
What a crazy Sunday it was. My day started off with a early morning on the set of “The 
Kealohas” where I played the character of “Mr. Lee”. We always havd a blast shooting with this crew. Don’t we look marvelous?
After the shoot, it was off to Ward Center to check out “Bride Wars” by the Wedding Cafe. Bride wars was a competition between brides who plays games in order to win various prizes from local wedding vendors. I didn’t get a chance to stay all the way but it looked like a lot of fun.
After all that, it was off to Sinae and Kealii’s wedding. Sinae was the maid of honor at another wedding that we had shot the previous year. It’s always a pleasure to see past clients again at their friend’s weddings. At that point, we seem more like friends.
Having full confidence in our taste, Sinae allowed us to pick the song for her ceremony highlights. So we went with “Say” by OneRepublic. It’s not a typical wedding song but I love the way it builds up. One of my favorite shots in the video is the opening scene with the spinning ring. Like so many great discoveries, this too was an accident. After I was given the rings, I just put them on Sinae’s iPhone. Then she got a call and the rings started to spin due to the vibration of the phone. Viola!
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Priviledged to work with this day:
Sandra Williams - Finishing Touch
Shawn Starr Photography
posted by james chun | www.cranemedia.com
We came up to Cali with the intention of a snow adventure at Lake Tahoe. Our snow experience was definitely an adventure (to say the least). We were snowed in before we even got up to North Tahoe. We were 55 miles away from Squaw Valley when they decided to close down the road. And because we had no chains going up the mountain our tires kept slipping and I was frantic because I couldn’t steer the rental van in the snow, and I’ve never driven in these conditions before. So we called a tow truck who towed us to the nearest gas station. We then had chains installed there.
While all that was happening, we had to secure a place to stay for the night (didn’t want to sleep in the car). So we found a bed & breakfast place 1 mile away.
The next morning, it continued to snow hard (our car was covered in 8 inches of snow). So we let the girls play in the snow right after breakfast. We all had a blast throwing snowballs to each other, making snow angels, and building a snowman. It was a good thing we did this because when we attempted to leave, officials closed down the road again! So we decided to scrap the entire Tahoe trip and just stay with our friends in Oakland. This allowed us to visit friends in the bay area. So that was a blessing in disguise cause otherwise, we would never have seen them.
Here are a few happy photos from the trip and a vid of the morning after our stay at the bed n breakfast.
Just wanted share this picture of my girls taken in June ‘08
by Bianca Photography.
Photography by: Kyler Kwock
We all lead busy lives, right? Life seems to move at a thousand mph. Sometimes I feel like I don’t have any time for myself. Yet in the midst of my own self pity, I am given a gift. The gift of helping someone else. Tonight, a group of individuals banded together to throw a Christmas party for the children at Kapiolani Hospital. As I spoke with the staff there, they mentioned how difficult it is for these families to have a party for their children due to all the treatments that occupy their time. I watched a sweet young girl, still wearing her hospital gown, smiling ear to ear as she got her hair and makeup done by some of Hawaii’s top makeup artists. Her picture was then taken by professional fashion photographers. I can imagine how joyful she must have felt. As a father, I cam imagine how happy her parents must have been to see their daughter smiling and enjoying herself. Thanks to Kapiolani Hospital for hosting the event, the Wedding Cafe for organizing it, all the volunteers who poured out their hearts. Most of all, “Thank you!” to all the children who came out and blessed our hearts. You gave us much more than we gave you.
I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving again. We just had a whirlwind month. Some challenges but lots of good came from this month. Now I’ll finally have a chance to take a breather after a long summer and fall of weddings. I am so thankful that my family is healthy and happy. My beautiful wife is always so supportive and my two daughters are truly angels…even when their misbehaving, I can see that they really want to be good girls.
Thanksgiving has to be my favorite holiday. It has all the same festivities as Christmas, without all the same expectations. We spend time with family and friends and no one is wondering if what they are getting or giving is good enough.
This year, as like last year, we will be spending Thanksgiving with our dear friends, Dave and Lupe Louis (and their family). Many of you may know Dave from his company, Dynamic Soundz. Dave is one of the finest DJ/Emcees in the industry…and an all around good person. Plus, he’s pretty handy around the kitchen. When we get together, it seems our wives enjoy taking a back seat to the cooking duties. Can’t wait to get my hands on the juicy drumstick!
This past week I got the chance to be involved with a Bank of Hawaii commercial. Whereas I am usually the one behind the camera, I got the chance to be in front of it. It was role reversal for me. Just like my brides, I was the one that needed to wake up early to get on set for makeup and wardrobe.
The 30 second commercial was directed by none other than Tim Savage. It’s always a pleasure to work with Tim. He’s got such incredible vision and yet remains one of the most humble people I know - not just in the industry but in life.
Things went very well. The weather was cooperative and we wrapped up by lunch time. Then all of us had lunch at “Little Village” in Chinatown. By the way, two big thumbs up for “Little Village”.
