I'm a guest at the wedding of Frank and Jen

Following the island-wide power outage this past weeken, Scott and I went straight from a lunch birthday party for my niece, Lauren, (picture us with a bunch of 2 year olds in jumpy air castles), to a formal-clad celebration of Jen and Frank's wedding. Frank and Jen are high school sweethearts and seem to have been literally just waiting to be old enough to make a lifelong commitment. Jen just graduated with her college degree and Frank now works on staff at Hope Chapel as the junior high pastor.

These are just my photographs I snapped with my work camera (hey, we were told to practice with it). The wedding was professionally photographed by Marina Miller of Red Heart Photography. She's an absolutely amazing photographer who also photographed the wedding of Jen and Frank's officiant. I had a chance to meet her at that wedding when we were sitting on the same table. I was watching her work (okay, only slightly stalker-sounding) during the ceremony and I really don't know how she seems so calm and collected. I know the thing nowadays is to have a second shooter or carry two bodies but she breezed through it solo. I saw a sneak peek on her blog. Damn, she's so good. And she's absolutely the sweetest thing.

Jen and Frank are stylish stylish. I heard that they always knew they wanted to get married here at the Crystal Chapel in Waikiki. Jen's matron of honor wore a long silver gown and carried a black feather posy. The reception hall was black and white and silver with long tapered candles as the centerpieces with masquerade masks lying on the table. And then they threw in their quirky fun by handing out glow stick necklaces once the dancing started.

(Pastor Scott, Pastor Stanton, Pastor Kanani, and Pastor Carl)

(I thought it was so endearing a third of the crowd was from Jen and Frank's ministry)

(The day that was 8 years in the making)

Pastor Tom, the high school pastor, was the officiant. He just had his own wedding back in June of this year and Jen was a bridesmaid. Tom and his wife, Grace, did the decorations in the reception hall. No pictures there...I was too busy eating and trying to get Scott to dance.

(during their personal vows)

Most couples decline when asked if they want to do their own vows. Frank looked like he was fighting back tears during his vow. I didn't even hear Jen's. She leaned into him, looked him in the eye, and whispered her vows to him. It was obvious that they were sharing that moment and reveling in the commitment they were making, it was so endearing.

(the trendy couple)

(Scott with his second favorite girl-Haley)

(Rob and Deb and their grand-daughter, Haley)

(some of the men of Hope Chapel: Rob, Scott, Carl, Frank, Tom, Stanton, and Trevor)

It was great to get out the camera and practice my skills again. Things are just starting to feel normal again following the Christmas craziness. I have a session for Haley's Christmas photos tomorrow morning. I'm trying to plan out when I'll have a lull in sessions so I can send my camera in for cleaning and upkeep.