Remember how I said I would post the video as soon as it was up? Well here it is… there is really only one word to describe this; RAD. (BTW, this is the version with explicit lyrics, so it is definitely NSFW and you might want to play ear-muffs with any little ones that might be around, other wise enjoy!)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF7mxZi_YF8]
Thank you to Amy and Jocey of the Wedding Chicks for featuring my latest wedding! Christie and Joe were absolutely amazing and super fun to work with. Please click the picture below to go directly to the post and leave this fabulous couple some comment love.
Ah, the classic tale of boy moves across the country, meets girl’s friend, girl’s friend over charges him for hair cut, introduces him to girl, Boy kisses girl, girl dosen’t call boy back for months and poof they are married…wait a sec… this doesn’t sound so “classic”. That’s okay, Joe and Christie are way to cool to be called classic…
Years back, a freshly minted graduate of Bentley University and his best friend wrote down on scraps of paper, all of the cities that they ever wanted to live in and threw them into a hat. Then they drew one scrap out. The city they pulled from the hat was to be the place they pointed their car and drove. Luckily for Joe Marchese, he was going to be leaving his parka in Boston, because they drew San Diego.
Little did Joe know that this little “relocation” was going to change his life in more ways than one.
Christie, still a student at SDSU, had just gotten off the phone with her friend Katie. Apparently Katie had just told her about a party that they had been invited to. This guy from Boston had been wandering the streets of Hillcrest in San Diego trying to find a place to get a haircut… and he stumbled upon Katie’s salon (or Sid as she is known to the hair stylists world)… and the infamous 60 dollar hair cut… Turns out that his guy from Boston, named Joe was a pretty cool guy. He and his friend had just found an apartment and were slowly getting settled. Which, as any early twenties young man knows is the best time to have a party and invite people from the neighborhood over. Katie… I mean Sid, decided to take is invitation, promising to bring some girlfriends along. Pretty slick eh? Guy rolls into town and immediately manages to start swooning the ladies. Maybe it was that east coast swagger, maybe it was Joe’s persuasive personality, or maybe Sid… I mean Katie felt bad when she saw the look of shock on that east coast boy’s face when she told him to pay up for his 60 dollar haircut… whatever the reason, Katie was going to a party at Joe’s place that night and so was Christie.
So, you probably think I am going to tell you that Christie and Joe locked eyes and immediately fell in love, and quickly moved into together, and got engaged, and it was like your typical fairy tale romance, right? WRONG. Believe me when I tell you that Christie made Joe work for her attention., but if you know Joe, then you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that he has no problem with work… and if you know Christie then you know she is worth it.
Okay back to the party. Christie did, in fact, hit it off with Joe. They spent the night talking and making doe eyes at each other… or so I am told. There was definitely something brewing. As the evening was winding down the two of them went on a late night stroll around the block… and that is when it happened, the first kiss. But that is also when it stopped.
For whatever reason, other things in this life manage to grab our attention and pull us in different directions. The same went for Joe and Christie. According to Joe, he called Christie and asked her out 4 times… and 4 times Christie was forced to reschedule. I don’t know about you but I think my ego might have been crushed by attempt #3… It is a good thing Joe stayed the course because it ONLY took 6 months after his last invitation for Christie to complete her study abroad program in London, return to the US and go on a date with him.
Christie’s initial impression of Joe (back at the party when they first met) was not what I would call a stellar one… a “meat head” is the description she used. I guess that is what you get labeled when your friends describe you as a boxing instructor that bartends in the evenings. Luckily for Joe, he is anything but a meat head… Truth be told; it was Joe’s non-meat-headed-ness that finally got him the date he had be waiting for in the first place… well, that and a bit of an ultimatum. Christie had always remembered their walk around the block, no so much because of the kiss, but more because of the conversation. Joe is one smart fellow, and Christie was very impressed as they discussed some of his favorite philosophy books… which strangely enough were her favorites too. So when she finally gave Joe a call and told him that if “he ever felt like asking her out again”… Joe cut her off and said “meet me tonight”… she could do nothing other than say “yes, absolutely”.
Now we get to the fairy tale stuff (I know you have been waiting for this part)…
Joe asked Christie to marry him after a long hike up through the water falls on a trail just off the road to Hana in Maui. After jumping in and out of the water with Christie’s custom designed engagement ring in his cargo shorts. Joe got down on one knee with the beautiful scenery and rushing water all around them and asked Christie to be his wife. You can probably guess what she said.
They were married a year and a half later at The London Hotel In West Hollywood CA. The boys spent time on the roof at the pool sunning, relaxing and enjoying the amazing views of Hollywood and downtown before heading in to get ready. The ladies spent their time in a beautiful suite getting primped for the big moment. Christie had chosen a beautiful combination of short and long bright red bridesmaids dresses. I can’t say for certain but it looked like they were picked that way to match each ones personal style. Sid… I mean Katie was even there. Christie wore a Nicole Miller gown with Stuart Weitzman heels. Her something blue was a beautiful David Yurman designed ring. Joe was clothed in a J. Lindenberg tux and was rockin a pair of Common Project patent leather sneakers. The reception was catered by the fabulous Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant at the London. They finished the evening off with a table absolutely over flowing with red velvet cupcakes from Sprinkles as far as the eye can see…(P.S. thank you for the cup cakes =D) The spent the night dancing the night away and partying until the wee hours in true Hollywood fashion.
Christie and Joe are easily defined as movers and shakers. Joe has reshaped the word of advertising and charity with his company Social Vibe and Christie is hard at work bringing socially relevant topics to the Big Screen at her position with Participant Media. So I get the pleasure of introducing to you Mr. and Mrs. Marchese… but something tells me that this won’t be the first time you hear or see their names.
Joe and Christie, thank you for letting be part of your big day. It was one for the books. =)
(As a slightly awesome side note, the bride and groom did a fully professionally choreographed entry dance to “I’m on a Boat”. It was awesome and it was videotaped… you can bet that I will be posting it here as soon as it is up.)
I never get to specific with people when they ask why I like shooting weddings. There are a ton of reasons that make it fun and make me love it… but the real reason is something I have a hard time saying. Why, you ask? (You are asking right now…right?) Well, I think the real reason sounds cliche. I feel like people will give me that “yeah right dude” kinda look. I feel like you will think I am full of BS.
Well, here it is the real reason I shoot weddings (drum roll)…
I shoot weddings because MY wedding photos SUCK!!!! They don’t just sorta suck… they mega suck. They suck so bad that I am super motivated to make sure that no one has to go through what my wife and I have to every time we look at one.
I want to make sure you have wedding photos that rock your socks, and continue to do so for the rest of your lives. I work hard to make sure you do.
Not because I have to, but because I want to.
Bunnie and I got married in Maui just over three years ago. It was one of the happiest days of my life. She really is a awesome person. We spent a couple months doing our best to put everything together from the mainland. Chose the location, chose the ceremony specifics and selected other fun details. When it came to our photographer… well, our coordinator promised she had just the person for the it, and they would do an amazing job. So we trusted her. We where married on Kapalua Bay Beach at sunset in a ring of flowers with our closest family and friends looking on. Sounds awesome right? It was. It was amazing. Too bad you can’t tell from the photos…turns out our “Professional Photographer” was our COORDINATOR with a 20d and a kit lens (and a flash set on full blinding blast).
For the love of god, please do your research. Pick a reputable Professional Wedding Photographer. Take the extra time to look around and make the investment to pay a little extra for a pro. You won’t regret it. These are your memories. Don’t let some one screw them up.
We are able to laugh the whole thing now, and I am betting you will to… because the are posted below.
Over expose much?
Can you say blurry? And who are those people in the background? Locals eating KFC. no joke.
Ultra blurry…
Okay, so cute composition on the first one of my awesome little step son… but blurry again… and there is just something up with the exposure.
More blur, one of the oh so many blinking pics and I am totally confused by bunnie’s pose… is she getting arrested?
Okay, Okay enough with the chuckling. I know I was a bit more of a chub chub back then. You done giggling yet?
In all seriousness I am not posting this to bash our photographer. I am such a supporter of people picking up a camera and going for it. I just want this to be a cautionary tale. If you skimp on the photography and let things like price and convenience make the decision for you… well you end up with crap photos like ours.
But don’t fret about Bunnie and me. We love each other more than two people ever could and I have a disc full of motivation to make sure you have the most awesome wedding photos ever.
Chacka! (P.S. this photo was taken with my sisters point and shoot… better than the “pro”)
So, not a very “guy” thing to do, but I had to post it…I love this video. I don’t think I will ever get sick of it. There is just something about when the camera pans to the bride right as the break in the music is about to end… This is exactly what every wedding should be like. An over whelming crescendo of pure elation and happiness. It sets a pretty awesome standard for the rest of your lives together.
Brides and Grooms, I hope that you all happily boogie your way down the isle and into an amazing life together (and if you do it to music, that would be really cool).
