peek: puerto rico, blowhole- karla & javier

peek: puerto rico, blowhole- karla & javier

The first week of February we took a whirlwind weekend trip to Puerto Rico and fit more into two days than I think we have milked since our college road trip days. We drove across the island in the middle of the night and woke up to a dream beach at the Villa Montana Resort in Isabela. First off we met Karla and Javier otherwise known as “the nicest people in the whole wide world”. Next Javier gave us a beach tour of his hometown to scout photo spots. The tour included sand dunes, gritty abandoned beach houses and my 1st Medalla, which I had before coffee (that’s a first). A barefoot bonfire beach party and more Medalla. Two visits to the gigantic blowhole down the road. An attack by the most aggressive fire ants in the world. Note to self, even if the angle is better on top of the ant hill, don’t stand on it. The funniest set of bridal crew photos ever. A ceremony completely in Spanish that took me right back to my summer in Mexico when I was 16. Dancing, dancing dancing! Observing the effects of multiple shots of coconut moonshine on gringos. A late night traditional Puerto Rican band which led the guests from one venue to the next. An impromptu dance parade with all the guests right in step. Then another bonfire, more dancing and moonshine.

Hawaii / Peek / Weddings

family farm & botanical garden wedding- katie & irving

We were thrilled to photograph a whole bunch of weddings in Hawaii last year. It’s great because we get to stay with Jon’s Grandparent’s on Oahu. Jon’s Grandma is always up for a swim in the ocean or a late night ukulele jam. His Grandpa kindly encourages me with my painting attempts at the beach or out on their lanai. They are very special people and I hope that we have the same energy at 82. Actually they want us to move in with them and someday we just might take them up on their offer. We’ve been dreaming of island living for years now. Slowly but surely I think we will make it. For now we have been “commuting” to Hawaii. Two weeks here, two weeks there, the flight seems to be getting shorter with each trip. We are hoping for many more Hawaii weddings in 2013, in fact we will be doing the Hawaii Bridal Expo on Oahu for the first time in a couple weeks. For Katie and Irving’s wedding it was our first trip over to the Big Island in nearly twelve years. What a place, there is so much to see! I loved the lush Captain Cook area, where Irving’s Dad’s coffee farm and the Amy Greenwell Botanical Garden is located. Next time we visit the Big Island I want to rent a VW camper from Happy Campers Hawaii and road trip it all the way around. This is just a peek, much more to come.