Happy Father’s Day! Here’s a little history on the origins of this special day taken from the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Father’s Day, in the United States, is a holiday (third Sunday in June) to honour fathers. Credit for originating the holiday is generally given to Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, whose father, a Civil War veteran, raised her and her five siblings after their mother died in childbirth. She is said to have had the idea in 1909 while listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day, which at the time was becoming established as a holiday. Local religious leaders supported the idea, and the first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, the month of the birthday of Dodd’s father. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge gave his support to the observance, and in 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson officially proclaimed it a national holiday. Observance on the third Sunday of June was decreed by law in 1972.

Although it was originally largely a religious holiday, Father’s Day has been commercialized with the sending of greeting cards and the giving of gifts. Some observe the custom of wearing a red rose to indicate that one’s father is living or a white rose to indicate that he is deceased. Other males—for example, grandfathers or uncles who have assumed parenting roles—are often also honoured on the day. Some Roman Catholics have continued to observe the feast day of Saint Joseph, on March 19, as a tribute to fathers.

So when your dad gets that new father’s day tie or he is out grilling up his favorite barbeque be sure to give a little thank you to Sonora Smart Dodd and her father for this special day.

…makes everything sweeter

With summer being just around the corner, I thought you might enjoy this stunning sea-side wedding. Laura and Mo’s big day was the epitome of beach chic. Shutters on the Beach served as the perfect backdrop for this elegant affair. For those of you not familiar with this hotel, stepping through its doors is like being transported to a grand old house in Montauk or Martha’s Vineyard. It manages to be both cozy and luxurious all at once.

I especially loved the colors of this wedding, from the sky blue bride’s maids dresses, to the peachy pink tones of the ballroom decor, the entire day had a dreamy, ethereal vibe.

Amy and Trisha of The Hidden Garden pulled out all the stops with flowering branches and peonies the color of luscious sherbet. Their attention to the little things never ceases to amaze me – where most florists deliver bouquets in a cardboard box, The Hidden Garden will lovingly nestle their delivery in a beautiful wicker basket. A picture perfect detail!

And speaking of details, as usual, it was a pleasure being on Lisa Gorjestani of Details Event Planning’s team. We’ve worked with Lisa for over 14 years and in all that time, she has continually delighted us with the most charming, amazing couples.

Laura and Mo, you were an utter delight to photograph. You and your families could not have been more gracious and sweet. Larry and I wish you the very best in your new life together!

If you can’t get enough of this gorgeous couple, click here to see their engagement session photos at Griffith Observatory.

“If the boy and girl walk off into the sunset hand-in-hand in the last scene, it adds 10 million to the box office.”
~George Lucas

Here’s to starring in your very own blockbuster this weekend!

Hope these beauties brighten your day!

“A very beautiful woman hardly ever leaves a clear-cut impression of features and shape in the memory. Usually there remains only an aura of living color.”
~William Bolitho

Ah Kauia…Is there anywhere on earth more lush, exotic or gorgeous? I might have to argue, no. We were lucky enough to be asked to photograph a wedding there recently and as is usually the case, we couldn’t resist lingering for a few days on our own.

The wedding was a lot of fun to shoot but after three days of hoisting our cameras around for all of the various bridally events, the last thing I wanted to do was carry one on our adventures. Larry, bless him, was willing to have a Canon body and lens at the ready but it was just so easy to pull the iPhone out of my pocket that I chose that as my main camera for our hikes.

It’s a good thing I had my trusty iPhone because it is virtually impossible to not find a photo op around every corner in Kauai. As my friend Scott would say, there were “instant wall hangers” all over the place. The center of the island is basically uninhabitable so all of the towns and resorts are snuggled up against its beautiful coast line.

Larry and I took our time circumnavigating the island and stopped at some pretty amazing places. One of my favorites was The Queen’s Bath. It’s a large pool carved by nature into a lava shell. When the tide is low, it’s a wonderful place to swim and snorkel. That’s Larry in the green bathing suit swimming happily. We also made a trek to the Secret Waterfall. It took a kayak trip and a long slog through some very muddy woods not to mention 3 river crossing to get to it, but man, was it worth it. Even with what seemed like a busload of fellow tourists around, this place was utterly magical and serene.

Want to see more photos from our trip? Then head over to our Facebook page and while you’re there, be sure to “like” us.

Mahalo!