Katrina & Stephen
Multi-day, Destination, Fun, Dynamic || Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii
FROM A BAY AREA CHURCH WEDDING TO A DESTINATION WEDDING IN HAWAII
Katrina and Stephen’s celebration unfolded in two unforgettable chapters — beginning with a traditional church wedding in San Jose, California and culminating in a tropical destination wedding at Kualoa Ranch, one of Hawaii’s most iconic wedding venues and a well-known Jurassic Park filming location.
I responded to their initial inquiry for a San Francisco Bay Area wedding videographer to document their Catholic ceremony and tea ceremony so they could preserve meaningful moments with their grandparents and elders. But after watching Kim and Genaro’s wedding film, they reached out again with the best question: “Are you available next year to film part two of our wedding in Oahu as well?”
Uhm, yes, friends. A thousand times YES. I’m always ready for a Hawaii destination wedding.
PART ONE: SAN JOSE CHURCH WEDDING WITH TEA CEREMONY
Their first wedding day centered on honoring family traditions. Held in San Jose, this celebration blended Filipino Catholic wedding customs with a traditional Chinese tea ceremony — a beautiful reflection of their heritage.
During the church ceremony, I documented the unity candle, veil and cord rituals, and heartfelt blessings from loved ones. Later, during the tea ceremony, Katrina and Stephen received words of wisdom and well wishes from their elders — moments they deeply wanted preserved on film.
The evening concluded with a lively Chinese banquet-style dinner reception in San Jose. Between their romantic first dance, emotional parent dances, and delicious multicourse meal, it was the perfect ending to their Bay Area wedding celebration.
PART TWO: KUALOA RANCH WEDDING ON OAHU, HAWAII
Six months later, we reunited on the island of Oahu for their dream destination wedding at Kualoa Ranch.
We started the day in Waikiki with a first look before heading to the venue for cinematic drone coverage of the lush private nature reserve. The sweeping mountain views, towering palm trees, and vibrant tropical florals created the kind of setting wedding filmmakers dream about. Adding drone footage allowed us to fully capture the scale and beauty of this incredible Oahu wedding venue.
PALIKU GARDENS CEREMONY WITH OCEAN VIEWS
Their ceremony took place at Paliku Gardens, nestled between the dramatic Koʻolau mountain range and Pacific Ocean. With the Kaneohe Bay behind them, Katrina and Stephen exchanged heartfelt (and hilariously personal) vows and performed a symbolic sand ceremony.
We gathered their colorfully dressed guests for a joyful group photo beneath the iconic Hawaiian mountains — a moment that felt both intimate and epic at the same time.
TENTED RECEPTION BENEATH THE KO’OLAU MOUNTAINS
After officially “double knotting” their marriage, it was time to celebrate. Guests enjoyed tropical signature cocktails outside the tented reception space as the sun set into the Pacific Ocean.
Their grand entrance set the tone for the evening — but the real surprise was their choreographed multi-genre first dance. I captured so many stunned faces, cheers, and enthusiastic napkin waves. The energy carried through the night with old-school R&B, flowing drinks, and plenty of “cheehoo!” moments on the dance floor.
A DYNAMIC DESTINATION WEDDING FILM
One of the most meaningful parts of this experience was weaving together two completely different settings — a traditional Bay Area church wedding and a vibrant Hawaii destination wedding — into one cohesive, story-driven film.
Katrina and Stephen trusted me to balance cultural traditions, emotional family moments, cinematic landscapes, and high-energy celebration into a highlight film that felt true to them. Watching their reaction — laughing, tearing up, and holding each other tighter — reminded me exactly why I love documenting weddings that cross state (and ocean) lines.
Planning a Multi-Day or Destination Wedding?
Whether you’re honoring family traditions in the Bay Area or celebrating with a destination wedding in Hawaii, I specialize in creating story-driven wedding films that capture both emotion and energy.If you’re dreaming up a wedding celebration that spans cities, cultures, or coastlines — I’d love to document it.
Katrina and Stephen had a total of 20 hours of coverage, 2 videographers, and drone coverage for their custom multi-day package. They split their coverage time between their two wedding days. Their custom package also had an all-inclusive travel fee which covered flights, lodging, transportation, food, etc. to their destination venue in Hawaii.