Before and After Makeup and Hair for Cassie!

For makeup, we used Champagne-gold shadows on the eyes and rosy lips.  Gorgeous.

For the hair, we kept it clean on the front but a low and messy down-do bun for a country wedding ceremony at Dillingham Ranch in Mokuleia.  Click to see more photos here.  For her highlight wedding video, click here!

-Isle Media Beauty Team

-Makeup & Hair by Meileen

Thailand/India Trip Part Three!

After receiving word that Alan's twin girls had been born, we quickly flew out to New Delhi where the hospital is located. Shankar, one of Alan's good friends from Nepal, picked us up from the airport and would be our guide during our stay in India. Over the next several days, we explored New Delhi, taking in the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of this bustling city. The traffic was some of the craziest we've ever seen...horns honking, cars crammed between lanes, motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic, and masses of people walking along the sides of the road!

Alan was able to visit his girls for the first time in the hospital, and stayed over to learn baby care skills from the nurses. The hospital was pretty strict about sanitation and having outside visitors in the ICU, so Trevor and I weren't able to go in until several days later, which was when I shot the photos of Alan and his girls at the end of this blog post.

We decided to make the trek out to Agra, which is home to the famous Taj-Mahal! Agra is about 3 hours outside of New Delhi, so we had to leave the city around 3am to catch sunrise at Taj Mahal. The highway took us over vast expanses of land, dotted with brick factories and agricultural land. When we finally walked thru the gates, there it was...Taj Mahal. You really have to see it for yourself to appreciate its grandeur and scale. People from all around the world were there, taking in the this awesome sight, so it was definitely tricky to find open areas to get our shots!

Anyway, this concludes the blog posts from our Thailand/India trip! We hope you all enjoyed the photos! If you missed our earlier posts from the trip, be sure to check them out here:
Thailand Part I
Thailand Part II

-Reese (photography, blog)
-Alan & Trevor (videography)

Kate and Baron Revisited (Extended Cinematic Highlight)

Kate and Barron Revisited (Cinematic Extended Highlight) from Isle Media on Vimeo.

By popular demand, we are revisiting Kate and Barron in their extended highlight (original version here: vimeo.com/68446610). While attempting to preserve cinematic bliss, this extended version we explored a few layers deeper into Kate and Barron's prep, ceremony and reception. Carefully balancing various perspectives in our ninja-like fashion, we were very proud of this piece in its entirety. We are artists that strive to capture moments, not just grabbing "shots".

Please enjoy Kate and Barron Revisited!

Videography // Trevor, Jack, Kyle
SDE // Alan
Extended Edit // Rhoda

Natasha and Ethan Same-Day-Edit (Hyatt Regency, Waikiki)

Natasha and Ethan Same-Day-Edit (Hyatt, Waikiki) from Isle Media on Vimeo.

Natasha and Ethan each had their moments to shine during their wedding! During the ceremony, Ethan wrote his vows in Hawaiian, and the translation drew quite an emotional reaction from Natasha. At the reception, Natasha wowed everyone with her singing that she performed for Ethan :) All the speeches at the reception really showed how much these two are loved by their family and friends, and the cake cut had an...interesting ending lol.

Congratulations you two!

--Reese (photography, blog) // Lester (photography)

--Kyle, Aly, Jack (videography, SDE)

--Zairrah, Meileen, Ren (hair and makeup)

Sharnelle and Brian Married!

Sharnelle and Brian had an intimate wedding with close friends and family recently at Kahala beach.  It was a relaxing experience and a wonderful day for everyone that attended.  Stay tuned for more of these two, they loved us so much that they also had us do their maternity shoot.

Photography/Blog - Lester
Photography - Aly

Before and After Makeup & Hair for Jade!

We had the pleasure of working with Jade a couple weeks ago and we can't say enough great things about her.  She was really easy to work with and  what a treat it was pampering her and her bridal party at her beautiful bridal suite at the Hyatt in Waikiki.  She wanted to keep her hair and makeup the same way - soft, easy, texture with braids..ABSOLUTELY LOVE!  Her makeup was very natural with soft violets and sheer pinks, but with a little more drama on the eyes.  Stay tuned for videos and more photos from our team!

Beth and Kyle Married! (Hale Koa, Waikiki)

Beth & Kyle Wedding Highlights (Hale Koa, Honolulu) from Isle Media on Vimeo.

It's very humbling when a couple is willing to book us 18 months before their wedding...well this is exactly what Beth and Kyle did :) Their engagement shoot was very memorable, and gave us a glimpse into how much fun these two are! Beth and Kyle's big day began at the Modern, where there was definitely no shortage of laughter :) Beth made special arrangements to do picture taking at a private estate in Kahala, where Hawaii Five O films some of their scenes! We were all pretty stoked, and the estate definitely made it easy for us to get some great formals. The couple exchanged their vows at Hale Koa, and it was pretty amazing to see them officially married, after nearly a year and a half of knowing them.

The reception was definitely the highlight of the wedding! From bubbles during the grand entrance, to the hilarious speeches (Kyle, you're a character lol), to the puppeteer reenactment of their engagement, everyone's stomachs hurt from so much laughter. Oh, and did we mention the crazy dancing at the end of the night?? ;)

Congrats you two!!

-Reese (photography, blog) // Rei (photography)

-Kyle, Jack, Trevor (videography)

-Zairrah, Meileen (hair and makeup)

Stephanie and Ryan Same-Day-Edit (Ala Moana Hotel, Honolulu)

Stephanie and Ryan Same-Day-Edit (Ala Moana Hotel, Honolulu) from Isle Media on Vimeo.

I love it when I see brides both nervous and excited at the same time. Stephanie battled her nerves by smiling....and she so glowed radiantly the entire day! Stephanie had the coolest handmade bouquet, blinged out in broaches and jewels ( I told her she could start her own business, ha!). Thanks to Ryan and his groomsmen, we tried out some fun solo shots by the pool deck. We also had the opportunity to shoot at Foster Botanical Garden for the first time, as well as make a quick stop at the Hawaii Theater.

Everything turned out so great! Congratulations Stephanie and Ryan!

Videography // Travis, Kay, Alan (SDE)
Coordination // "A touch of you " by Taryn

Amy and Gary: Post Wedding Session!

We wanted to wrap up this series of Amy and Gary with their post wedding session! The couple wanted some urban flavor for their photos, so we took them around downtown, and then ended the session at the beach. It's pretty cool what you can find in your own city when you just take the time to walk around :)

Amy and Gary, thank you for trusting us with your big day! The six days definitely flew by, and we hope our photos and video were able to capture all the good times you both had in Hawaii!


-Reese (photography, blog) // Lester (photography)
-Alan & Kyle (videography)

Amy and Gary: Formals and Reception!

Amy and Gary celebrated the Western side of their heritage by dressing up in formal wedding attire for their post-wedding photos! We took them around in downtown Honolulu, and gave them a chance to enjoy the beach, before heading off to the reception at Baci Bistro in Kailua. The festivities kicked off there, with lots of speeches, toasts, and of course, dancing :)

-Reese (photography, blog)
-Alan (videography)

Amy and Gary: The Wedding Day!

It is always an honor when a couple chooses us to capture their wedding day, as they are essentially inviting us into their lives, and sharing some of the best moments in the company of their friends and family. In the case of Amy and Gary, this meant that we had to opportunity to experience the colorful traditions and customs of Indian culture! The couple blended traditional and western elements into their wedding, making for east-meets-west event that we definitely will never forget.

With this being our first, all-out Indian wedding, we were pretty mesmerized by all the details, from Amy's glittering pink dress and jewelry, to Gary's Kirpan, a ceremonial sword, and his turban. The ceremony was also eye opening for us, whether it was Amy being escorted around the sacred text by her brother and father, or the whole audience singing to traditional Indian music. 

There's just so much to say about this wedding, so I'll narrate little by little throughout the post...thanks for reading!

-Reese (photography, blog) // Lester (photography)
-Alan & Kyle (videography)

Amy and Gary's Arrival and Engagement Weekend

Amy and Gary, hailing from Vancouver, chose Hawaii for their destination wedding, flying in relatives and friends from their hometown and India. The couple blended traditional and western elements into their wedding, making for east-meets-west event that we definitely will never forget.

The festivities stretched over 6 days, beginning with the couple's arrival at the airport, and their engagement ceremony in Kailua. It was one of those occasions where we got to experience a different culture in ways we never thought we could and got to know them and their loved ones in a way that made us feel like we were part of the family.  The photo highlights below are from the first two days of our coverage of this amazing event...enjoy!

-Lester (photography, blog) // Reese (photography)
-Alan & Kyle (videography)

Amy and Gary Wedding Highlights (Kailua, Oahu)

Amy and Gary Wedding Highlights (Kailua, Oahu) from Isle Media on Vimeo.

We were a little reluctant at first when Amy and Gary contacted us regarding their destination wedding, planned to span across a whopping 6 days! Indian weddings were a little unfamiliar to us, however due to our personal connection to India (my twin daughters were born in Delhi, India this year), we felt compelled to accept the honor of covering Amy and Gary's weeklong festivities.

Amy and Gary rented private Kailua estates, which set the mood of their ceremony to be both intimate and elegant. We had a gorgeous view of Lanikai waters and muted skies, although stormy, ended up working out in our favor. A few highlights of the week were Amy and Gary's willingness to climb up Lanikai Pillboxes in their full traditional garb and they did so with such ease, barely breaking a sweat (lol)! We got a LOT of attention to say the least.

The following nights were filled with dancing, drinking, btw....one of the most delicious wedding reception dinners we have ever tasted!!! We were so happy to have truly felt part of the family, and not just an outside vender. Thank you for including us in everything, that was very special for us.

Congratulations Amy and Gary!

Our photography team will be posting their respective blogs in the upcoming days! Stay tuned!

Videography // Alan (edit), Kyle
Photography // Reese, Lester

Stephanie and Dave Wedding Highlights (Lanikuhonua, Koolina)

Stephanie & Dave Wedding Highlights (Paradise Cove, Koolina) from Isle Media on Vimeo.

Stephanie and Dave had such impeccable taste from Stephanie's mermaid dress to Dave's tailored custom suit. It was no surprise that they are indeed Bay Area California residents. Some other unique highlights was their native spear throwing competition on the Lanikuhonua lawn. And Stephanie and David's memorable grande entrance that led into a montage of hip hop dances including stanky leg, the dougie, among others! So cool!

Congratulations Stephanie and Dave!

Videography // Alan, Kyle
Edit// Rhoda

Our First Wedding Shoot in Tokyo!

Our first international wedding shoot in Tokyo, Japan!

Alan and I had an opportunity to shoot Yuka & Yasuyuki's wedding at Hibiya park last week :) I was super excited when Yuka first popped the question to me: "Are you by chance in Japan in October? We have a wedding reception back in Japan, and I would like you to photograph it as well..." Working internationally was one of my goals of 2013, so my answer was YES! This was our international shoot debut for both photo and video team.

The above photograph was taken in front of a busy intersection right outside of their venue. I wanted to incorporate the Big City feel into this picture with the motion from the cars passing by. More photos will be posted later on. Stay tuned!


- Kay (blog, photography)
- Alan (videography)

From left, Naoko (hair and make-up), Kay (photography), Yuka & Yasuyuki (bride and groom), Alan (videography) and Yasu (video assistant) 

Hair and Makeup for Cori!

A stolen shot - behind the scenes of our bride Cori and her fabulous bridal party!
The Isle Media Beauty Team got them ready at the luxurious Trump International Hotel and Tower Waikiki!  Below is a close up picture of our gorgeous bride.

Makeup: Soft Smokey eyes, soft pink blush, glossy plum lips
Hair: Soft twist low do with curls

Natasha and Ethan Married! (Hyatt Regency, Waikiki)

Natasha and Ethan each had their moments to shine during their wedding! During the ceremony, Ethan wrote his vows in Hawaiian, and the translation drew quite an emotional reaction from Natasha. At the reception, Natasha wowed everyone with her singing that she performed for Ethan :) All the speeches at the reception really showed how much these two are loved by their family and friends, and the cake cut had an...interesting ending lol.

Congratulations you two!


--Reese (photography, blog) // Lester (photography)
--Kyle, Aly, Jack (videography, SDE)
--Zairrah, Meileen, Ren (hair and makeup)

Kristen and Kingston Same-Day-Edit (Hyatt, Waikiki)

Kristen and Kingston Same-Day-Edit (Hyatt, Waikiki) from Isle Media on Vimeo.

Lots of new traditions mixed in with the old for Kristen and Kingston's Wedding! Kristen had a unique Japanese inspired wedding dress, white with colorful trimmings and a kimono style tie in the back. Their ceremony was arranged in the shape of a circle, which gave their entire audience a completely different experience. Kristen and Kingston's reception was kicked off with a traditional lion dance, but then one of the dragons surprised everyone with how high it could jump! IMPRESSIVE!

Congratulations Kristen and Kingston! We were happy to have been there for the entire process!

Engagement Pictures // Reese (islemediahawaii.blogspot.com/2013/03/kristin-and-kingston-engaged.html)
Engagement Video // Alan (vimeo.com/71856298)
Wedding Photography // Reese (coming soon!)
Wedding Videography // Kyle, Travis, Alan (SDE)

Harold and Jane's Engagement Video !

Harold & Jane Engagement Video from Isle Media on Vimeo.

Harold and Jane met rather unconventionally.... and with a sudden turn in events things got pretty serious, pretty quick. (They do go together like cookies and milk) Find out more in their engagement video!

Videography // Alan
Edit // Rhoda

Candace and Reid Engaged!

I met Candace and Reid when I was attending Pacific University in Oregon. Several years later, we reconnected when the two got engaged and asked me to be their wedding photographer! Candace and Reid are really into sports, and wanted to do a sports theme for their engagement shoot. Thanks to some connections, we were able to shoot at some of the UH athletic facilities to compliment the theme! Candace and Reid were also sure to bring some Pacific U attire, as a shout-out to our Alma Mater :) 

 Congrats you two!

-Reese (photography, blog)
-Jack (videography)

Hair and Makeup for Karen!

Karen is our lovely bride from Australia!
Because of her good taste in style, we were able to fine tune her bridal look for her wedding!
For her eye makeup, we used brown shadows to create that soft smokey effect without looking over the top.
For her lips, we applied a natural nectar lip gloss to give it that feminine touch.
A half up half down hair do with beachy waves worked perfectly for her North Shore wedding at the Turtle Bay Resort!

We also styled one of her bridesmaids which happens to be her lovely sister!
Her makeup was also applied softly which complimented the bridesmaids dress.
Her hair was placed in a low side bun with flowers pinned up right behind the ear.  So chic!

-Isle Media Beauty Team

Thao and Tom Wedding Highlights (Halekulani, Waikiki)

Thao and Tom Wedding Highlights (Halekulani, Waikiki) from Isle Media on Vimeo.

Local boy meets Cali girl is the story of Thao and Tom. Tom was typical of most grooms from Hawaii, laid back and chill! Thao on the other hand gets the credit for the detail and design. :) She had the best taste in her bridesmaids' robes, floral patterns with an asian flair. We loved their intricate centerpieces that utilized contemporary lighting to make the tables really pop. To kick off their reception, Thao and Tom surprised their guests with a phenomenal dance routine. I guess compromising to get married in Hawaii was not a huge battle for them. :)

Congratulations Thao and Tom.

Videography // Alan, Kyle
Edit // Rhoda