I Do Believe Photography » Weddings

Christine + Kevin: Married!

Michelle Scotti — Sun, 23 May 2010 00:48:03 +0000

Destination weddings are awesome. It is often a small group of people who are undoubtedly the very nearest and dearest friends, and everyone is on vacation and ready to have a fantastic time! The wedding of this gorgeous couple out from Colorado is a perfect example. I was excited to shoot at The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace. This is a very unique location for Hawaii. It is at the foot of historic Aloha Tower overlooking Honolulu Harbor. This was my first time shooting here, and with it’s great architecture and beautiful harbor views it is definitely a new favorite location. Christine and Kevin got married earlier and had me out for sunset photos and the reception. First an incredibly delicious dinner by Chai’s Island Bistro, then an even more decadent dessert, followed by lot’s of drinking and dancing. Beautiful setting, beautiful people, awesome food and a great party!

Local fishermen passing by during our sunset session had a few words for the bride and groom

Carrie + Adam: Married!

Michelle Scotti — Wed, 19 May 2010 22:19:44 +0000

A dream wedding. I LOVE shooting at Loulu Palms Estate , a gorgeous beachfront estate on the North Shore of Oahu. With it’s perfectly manicured garden overlooking a secluded tropical beach it is pretty much the epitome of Paradise. Add to that an awesome couple, beautiful decor, delicious food and family and friends ready to party and you just can’t go wrong. I just love my job!

Jenilee + Ronald: Married!

Michelle Scotti — Sun, 09 May 2010 18:55:04 +0000

A wonderful day filled with laughter and love. Check out this fun slideshow of their big day!

Planting Trees

Michelle Scotti — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:25:33 +0000

I had this idea, that for every new union that I get to be a part of (every wedding I photograph) I could give the happy couple a tree to plant. What a beautiful and perfect metaphor for beginning a new life together! Unfortunately, giving a real live tree might be a little inconvenient for some. So I’ve found the solution, and what better day to announce it then today!

For every wedding that I Do Believe Photography photographs in this year I will have 10 trees planted in honor of the happy new couple. The Arbor Day Foundation will be my co-conspirator in this little quest to save the world. Happy Earth Day!!

So congratulations to Adam and Carrie, who joined their lives together in a beautiful wedding ceremony last weekend! May your love continue to grow through the years just like the trees that will be planted in your name.

Published!

Michelle Scotti — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 02:33:40 +0000

Emily + Laurent: Don’t Trash the Dress

Michelle Scotti — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:06:01 +0000

Another gorgeous Don’t Trash the Dress session. Another beautiful dress donated to Brides Against Breast Cancer!

Michele + Sal: Married, A Tsunami Wedding!

Michelle Scotti — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:01:43 +0000

Imagine waking up at the break of dawn on the morning of your wedding, a day that you have hoped and dreamed for all your life, that you have spent the better part of the past year planning, to the sound of air raid sirens and tsunami warnings! This is the story of Michele and Sal. I got a call around 7:30am from Michele who was of course, fairly upset. The wedding, which was meant to take place at 2pm on the Big Island of Hawaii, would not be taking place today as roads were closed, evacuations were being organized, and we didn’t know what sort of destruction awaited us. All of Hawaii moved to higher ground for the morning, with our ears to the emergency news reports, our bottles of water, canned food, beloved possessions and household pets in tow.

The tsunami story ended happily for Hawaii. The massive wave that we were all fearing never appeared. While all the excitement made for an anti-climatic morning, no one could be anything but relieved that we didn’t end up facing a real disaster. Thankfully, Michele and Sal’s story has a happy ending as well! The all clear was called at around 2pm, just as Michele should have been walking down the aisle. A quick phone call to the would be bride and I learned that the big day was to happen the NEXT day – and can I PLEASE still be there to photograph it? As luck would have it, not only me, but all of Michele’s carefully chosen vendors were able to reschedule!

Just one day late, Michele and Sal were able to join as husband and wife in the presence of family and friends on the shores of Holoholokai Beach, followed by a fantastic party at Keauhou Beach Resort. It was almost as if nothing had happened, but for a special feeling that we all shared that day of relief and absolute appreciation for the fact that we could all be together, sharing the love of this happy couple. And no where was that joy and relief more apparent then on Michele’s ecstatic face! This is a wedding that no one will ever forget. But which day will they count as their anniversary?

And they lived happily ever after…

Ceremony location: Holoholokai Beach Park, Waikoloa, Hawaii

Reception location: Keauhou Beach Resort

Laura + KC: Married!

Michelle Scotti — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:07:08 +0000

A couple like Laura and KC make me feel so incredibly blessed to do what I do. When people are so in love, so comfortable with themselves and each other, and are absolutely gorgeous both inside and out, I can hardly call my job “work”! What a fun day! We had plenty of time before the ceremony to take some beautiful shots of the lovely couple. The ceremony was on beautiful Sunset Beach, toes in the sand while the sounds of ukulele and waves crashing behind us set the scene for a wedding tinged with Hawaiian traditions. The day wrapped up with a gorgeous tropical sunset paired with colorful tropical drinks! Who could ask for anything better? Thanks for having me along for a beautiful day…

Location: Hale Kimo, Sunset Beach

Janelle + Tommy: Married!

Michelle Scotti — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:59:14 +0000

I had such a wonderful time with these two! Janelle and Tommy brought their nearest and dearest out to Hawaii for an intimate garden wedding at the Hale Koa. It is awesome when I get to see people so in love sharing such a beautiful day with the people they care about. Janelle proved what I always tell bride’s about crying – happy tears look gorgeous and memorable in photos! Everything was perfectly planned by wedding coordinator Kehau of Eventful. She even managed to arrange hula lessons for Janelle who then performed for her new husband at the reception. It was so beautiful! I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. Another favorite part of the evening was when Janelle changed into a sassy red cocktail dress and the happy couple performed a sexy salsa routine for their first dance! Awesome!

Wedding Coordinator: Eventful
Location: Hale Koa

Featured Vendor: Sugarcane

Michelle Scotti — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:04:50 +0000

This adorable shop is a must visit for brides and wedding planners. Sugarcane is filled to the brim with one of a kind collectibles, vintage furnishings, jewelry, designer clothing and local artistry. Everything in the store is previously owned, locally made or constructed from recycled and other eco-friendly materials, and hand picked by the very friendly owner, Faith, who opened the shop about three months ago. I searched out Sugarcane after reading about it in Honolulu Weekly. They hit the nail on the head with this statement: “Sugarcane has a touch of shabby chic, a dash of Hawaiiana and a pinch of kitsch blended with a hearty helping of environmental friendliness.” Budget FYI: Sugarcane is totally reasonable!

Faith was kind enough to let me spend a morning photographing her treasures…

These amazing vintage chandeliers would be an adorable addition to anything from a wedding reception, beautifully designed dining room or a little girls bedroom. You might have a hard time talking Faith into selling them to you – she loves them!

A mix of the eclectic treasures that adorn every nook and cranny of the shop.

These handmade sock animals aren’t really wedding related, but aren’t they cute?

I LOVE the handmade picture frames!

The locally made and vintage jewelry is reason enough to come by for a look. I especially love the sparkly stuff!

This is just a taste, swing by Sugarcane and see for yourself!

Sugarcane is located in Kaimuki behind Big City Diner
1137 11th Ave #101
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 739-2263
Hours: Tue-Sun. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.