After a blog post with wedding teasers, and a whole blog post about the pre-wedding activities…we have arrived to Brittany & Vaido’s destination wedding photos from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! It was an honor to be flown down to Cabo San Lucas from Chicago to be their destination wedding photographer. I was treated like family and I absolutely loved every minute of paradise that is Cabo San Lucas.

We stayed at the Fiesta Americana, on the Cabo del Sol resort property and the ceremony and reception were held at the Clubhouse elsewhere on the Cabo del Sol property.

Cabo Del Sol: Los Cabos Mexico
Km. 10.3 Carretera Transp.
Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S.
C.P. 23410

Luz was the event manager and she was wonderful at providing a great atmosphere and taking care of all the little details involved in this destination wedding. Roxanne from Baja Weddings worked with Brittany and Vaido in coordinating EVERYTHING so that the bride and groom could really sit back and enjoy their time in Los Cabos!

Here’s a photograph of the Cabo Del Sol clubhouse entrance- I love the architecture and the palm trees! Can you tell that it was a perfect day for a beach front wedding in Mexico?!?!

I brought my invitation down to Mexico to take a photo of it with some Mexican decor…such as this masonry work.

A ring shot…Nakai Photography style! We are in Cabo San Lucas, and we are definitely utilizing any Mexican artwork we find.

A photograph of Brittany’s Jimmy Choo shoes, on top of a wooden trunk.

A gorgeous dress. We took the standard ‘hanging the dress in the window’ shot, but I love the Mexican decor and I much prefer this one!

A little make up getting applied-

Brittany took a break from all the pre-wedding festivities to enjoy a moment on her balcony. That’s one thing I LOVED about Brittany and Vaido…they were continually soaking everything in…

Some detail photos-

Grooms details-

Vaido getting ready photos

A nice timeless image of Vaido. A photo that is clean and simple…yet highlighting Mexico and Los Cabos.

I love this photo of the groomsmen-

But this was how it really was throughout the whole wedding day! These guys were always laughing at something. And you gotta love a photo with a reflection!

Vaido’s Rolling Stone photo op-

Another photo with these blooming pink flowers. They were so colorful…we just had to utilize them in the photoshoot.

Brittany’s phenomenal bridal bouquet. I love the colors and the flower selection. So unique!

The ladies helping Brittany into her wedding dress

Mom got a little emotional when singing ” going to the chapel and we’re…”

Cheers!

A photo of the beautiful bride and her bridesmaids

It was such a relaxing day and the ladies were really able to enjoy the time together-

We had to grab a couple photos of Brittany by herself. She was stunning!

I loved her earrings. Gotta have another photo of those.

Though the bride and groom opted to not see each other before the wedding ceremony, this is a unique way to incorporate both of them in the same photo!

Their wedding program.

Once Luz and Roxann told me the wedding ceremony set up was complete, I got driven out there to grab some photos of their fabulous job! Destination wedding on the beach…ridiculous! And I love the rock formations in the water…it just screams Los Cabos!

When you have a wedding at the Cabo del Sol property, you are driven on these limo golf carts-

The bride and her father making a grand entrance!

Vaido was grinning ear to ear-

Beautiful sun…I did mention that it was a perfect day for a wedding? Not too windy, not too hot, and not too cold.

When they were planning their wedding, B & V wanted a beach front destination wedding. And while they had their pick of locations (bahamas, aruba, etc) they chose the gorgeous location of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I hope this photo always reminds them of their dream wedding come true on the ocean..at the tip of Baja California.

Real laughs and real smiles. =)

And it’s done! Let the goodtimes begin!

Before the creative portraits began, we just started with a nice photo of them on the beach with a warm sun setting behind them.

One thing Brittany and Vaido appreciate about my photography (among other things) is my ability to capture the real emotions and to allow my clients to really shine in my photographs. This photo is one of those. I LOVE this moment.

A photo of the groom checkin out his bride!

Another wonderful moment between the two of them in the middle of a photoshoot!

Crashing waters in Baja California!

The sunset was just perfect. Roxann from Baja Weddings really knew how to time everything!

I love Vaido’s personality coming out in this photo

And I LOVE this photo

AND I LOVE THIS PHOTO! =) Though not award winning by any means, I love the emotion I feel when I look at this photo.

The B&G had a surprise for all the guests as they began cocktail hour…a live Mariachi band!

You have got to love the Mariachi band outfit details

Just married in Los Cabos, Mexico! Whoo hoo!

Reception details at the Clubhouse on the Cabo del Sol resort property.

The room setup

A photo of the centerpieces.

Some cuban cigars for later on-

A photo of the wedding cake

While we waited for all the guests to get seated, I stole Brittany and Vaido to take more creative portraits!

I love the sky changing colors and the palm trees-

As they waited for the last guests to be seated at the reception, they started dancing and enjoying another moment on their wedding day!

I love this warm toned black and white interpretation of this moment.

The first dance!

Party time!

I apologize for the monster blog post, but I absolutely loved my stay in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It was my first time, and I am so thankful to have such wonderful clients who take such good care of me!

Brittany and Vaido: Your love for each other is so apparent. It almost made shooting your wedding too easy. =) It was an unforgettable weekend and I am thankful to have shared it with you and your family!

***for anyone interested…there will be more photos posted in facebook next week…so check that out next week for even more photos!***

with love,

Kenny

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All the guests stayed at the luxurious Fiesta Americana Hotel on the Cabo del Sol property. Fabulous views of the ocean and amenities made for a relaxing atmosphere away from the busy touristy downtown Cabo San Lucas. To help kick off the wedding…Brittany and Vaido had a small intimate bonfire on the beach. A great time to catch up and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere that is Cabo.

The cliffs on the shoreline in Cabo…

Bonfire w/the girls on the Fiesta Americana beachfront

A quick photo with Jeff and Inga…a former bride and groom of mine from 2009! Vaido was actually a groomsmen at that wedding…and that’s how they heard about Nakai Photography!

Cheers!

Stealing a moment away from everyone for a quick moment

The following day…all the ladies were decked out for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner~

We met up at the Cabo Del Sol clubhouse where we took “limo golf carts” to the beachfront where the ceremony would be held.

Father and daughter enjoying a laugh together

As we were waiting to return to the Fiesta Americana for the rehearsal…the sky just lit up on fire. It was pretty ridiculous to witness!

It was a fiesta at the Fiesta Americana- the party area had an ocean view…sweeet!

Lots of photos of the details. Cabo San Lucas is in Mexico…why not have a Mexican themed party?

And of course…live Mexican music!

Warming up on the dance floor

All the sisters put together a fun game for the bride and groom to play. I love this photo all of them laughing in the background

One of the highlights of the night was a video compiled by by Brittany’s sister who was unable to make it to Cabo. It was heartfelt slideshow…and I didn’t even watch it…I was watching Brittany the whole time…a photo tells you just how much it meant to her.

And of course, we couldn’t end the night w/o a creative photo. We headed down to the beach and captured this photo using a Fiesta Americana beach umbrella! Love.

Stay tuned this week for the actual wedding photos! I loved Cabo…and there are so many amazing photos, it’s really difficult to narrow it down!

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I fell asleep to the crashing waves echoing up through my balcony doors. I saw whales spouting water through their blowholes. A gorgeous wedding dress. Beautiful flowers. Perfect weather. Photography was a cinch. It was like I could close my eyes and click the shutter on my camera and still create fabulous photography!

Uh. The beach. The sand. The sun. Oh…and for those of us in Chicago…there is a blizzard approaching that could dump 18 inches of snow tomorrow evening. I gotta find my red shoes and click my heels. There’s no place like Cabo. There’s no place like Cabo. There’s no place like Cabo.

Darn. I’m still here. But I wanted to share with you three ‘teaser’ photos with you guys from this past week! And I hope this will warm us all up in the midst of the blizzard. C’mon and dream “destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas” with me.

A quick shout out to Roxann from Baja Weddings, who helped coordinate this beautiful destination wedding! Another shout out to Luz from Cabo Del Sol for a great job of execution and making us all feel so welcome!

And one last thought: B + V are still down there in Cabo…for another WEEK! So feel free to comment here or on a facebook link and leave these two honeymooners some love! This way when they get back…they can read all the comments!

On the beach front where the wedding ceremony was held. Cabo Del Sol resorts…

Beautiful bride and an alright looking groom.

Destination wedding in Mexico in January? Um….yes please!

Thanks so much for reading! Come back soon for some more photos from this Cabo San Lucas, Mexico destination wedding!

With love,
Kenny

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New Chicago Studio in Lincoln Park: 855 W. Blackhawk Chicago, IL 60642 *by appointment only*

I love all the little moments that really shine through in the wedding photos. Enjoy!

Music:
Just the Way You Are: Written by Bruno Mars covered by Kina Grannis
Marry You: Bruno Mars

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New Studio – 855 W. Blackhawk St Chicago, IL 60642

A few days ago, one of my wedding photos from Sharon & Larry’s wedding was featured on Junebug’s “Best of 2010 – That’s Heartbreaking” blog post! Sharon was getting ready at Chicago’s own Sonia Roselli Esthetique in Roger’s Park. I still remember the moment and I am so glad to see the Junebug editors saw and felt the emotions through the photo. It is amazing the range of emotions a woman expresses when she puts on her wedding dress, and I can only begin to imagine the emotions Sharon must have felt.

So feel free to check out the blog post featuring Junebug’s Best of 2010 – That’s Heartbreaking! to find my image! I also want to give a shout out to my friend Kenny Kim who also had a photo featured in the same blog post!

For those that don’t want to click on over, here’s a screenshot of my photo. I am also including a photo by Jerry Ghionis right above mine. And in case you were wondering, Jerry Ghionis is one of the best wedding photographers in the world…it’s ridiculous to have my photo under his. It’s kind of like playing on the same basketball court with All-Stars basketball players. =)

You can see more of Sharon & Larry’s Chicago wedding photos at this blog post.

Thanks so much Junebug for the honor and sharing my imagery with so many others!

with love,

Kenny

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New Studio! 855 W Blackhawk St Chicago, IL 60642

On a side note: these guys aren’t too big on PDA…in fact their first dance together was at the reception during their ‘first dance!’ So anytime you see them hugging or holding each other…just know…that it was treat for the bridal party to see as well! Goodtimes!

Ceremony: Community Presbyterian Church
407 North Main Street
Mount Prospect, IL 60056

Reception Venue: Double Tree Hotel
75 West Algonquin Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Before we get into the rest of the wedding photos, here is my creative take on their 10-10-10 wedding! I can only imagine how many weddings took place on 10-10-10 this past year, but how many had an image like this?! I’m not sure which of the following two I like better- Feedback is always welcome, help me decide!

Before changing into her wedding dress, they had a couple Chinese traditions to observe. The played some games and drank some tea at her parents house.

She’s upstairs hiding while he is in the doorway trying to get in!

A portrait of the bride-

Her wedding ring-

Since the wedding was on 10-10-10, we had some nice Chicago fall colors around us! I definitely wanted to take advantage of it!

A photo of the ladies-

The whole wedding party- I really like this group photo-

And bride and groom together-

I saw this and we quickly ran up and grabbed this photo. It’s one of those photos where I saw it in my head, but when I took it, I didn’t think it was that special…but when I opened the photo up on my computer…I was able accomplish my vision for it- I hope you like it too!

A playful in between moment-

A cool shot of the guys-

I love this photo of the two of them-

Another tender moment- and a couple of artistic interpretations can be made as well-

Having some fun!

A beautiful veil-

A nice portrait of Carey-

A photo of her wedding bouquet

Her grand entrance at Community Presbyterian Church in Mt. Prospect, IL

A photo of Community Presbyterian Church from the balcony-

A moment after honoring their parents…

And this photo defines their wedding. Praying together after their vows…with the Community Presbyterian Church cross behind them..

We headed to the Double Tree Hotel in Arlington Heights, IL

Her wedding cake-

Instead of a father-daughter first dance, they had a Karaoke moment together! It was fun moment for sure!

Peggy being Peggy during her first dance- She’s gotta have fun!

And Peggy was thrilled that her uncle, famed Chicago House DJ Andy Moy, came out to throw down some House music for everyone!

Thanks again you guys for a great celebration! I can only begin to imagine how He is going use you both now that you are one! May you continue to follow in His ways and be a light to those around you.

with love,

Kenny

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Contact – Portfolio – Facebook – Twitter

I just got an email from the US editor for Zankyou.com (wedding website and wedding blog). The just featured some of my wedding portfolio photos on their website! This was completely unsolicited and a great way to start off the weekend!

Thanks Kristen for stumbling onto my website and your kind words regarding my photography!

Here’s an excerpt from her post:

I love a dramatic, large-scale wedding photo, and I found myself letting out a breathless “wow” as I scrolled through the portfolio of Chicago-based photographer Kenny Nakai. I mean really – it takes a true artist to make power lines look romantic, no?

I especially love the perspective of the shot above. When you spend so much time focusing on the little details of your wedding, it’s great to have a photographer that can see the ‘big picture’ – literally! – as well as the tight vignettes.

Click here to see the full blog post featuring Chicago based Nakai Photography.

It was also great to catch up and chat…to reminisce about their wedding day…the crazy gathering of ‘uncles’ shouting “nada! nada!” and the surprising first dance…goodtimes revisited! You can see more of their wedding photos and Indian culture at this blog post: Alma + Ajit’s Wedding Photos

Enjoy!

One of my favorites from the day!

“my hero!” =P but seriously…he picked her up with no problem or hesitation!

Thanks you guys for a great time together! I loved catching up and being able to see you guys again!

with love from Chicago!

Kenny
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Ray Santana started the morning off with a ton of information…gear suggestions, manual white balance (using Kelvin temp), client meetings, etc…

Album Crafters helped to sponsor the event…Ray loves their albums and is sharing some love with the attendees-

The talented men of Chris & Oliver Cinema helped to cover the event. I can’t wait to see their recap video!

Yanni Tzoumas from Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine, a phenomenal magazine if you haven’t seen it already, shared a little of his experiences and perspective on the wedding industry.

Here Yanni is holding the second issue of Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine. They have come a long way from just a regional NW publication in such a short amount of time- Truly inspiring and almost magical.

After lunch, Kenny Kim shared some lessons from his story, as well as some tried and true tips on networking and wedding photography

It was great to see so many repeat attendees, I think it was a good indicator of the quality of this workshop, Andi D, Matt G, Lara R, & Laura P all came back for more…three of them brought their spouses! =)

Dave Cross, photoshop guru, CS5 jedi master, etc was on hand to share some helpful photoshop tips for working on wedding photos. There were more than a couple ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ during his presentation.

After Dave Cross finished up, we headed out to take some photos of our models! We had one couple in a wedding dress and suit, and another couple in casual clothes for a more lifestyle photoshoot, like an engagement session.

I also had an opportunity to help instruct a small group for about 20-30minutes. We went up to the presidential suite in the Four Seasons and captured these photos of the couple. I was a bit nervous teaching my first hands on photography lesson, but I think it went well and everyone came away with some good stuff!

I loved the reflection in this photo-

Here’s a photo of me with the group I was leading- some major strides were taken with manual exposure and manual white balance (Kelvin) for some!

But of course Ray was working the real magic once he came up to show everyone how it’s done.

Kenny Kim was outside sharing some of his poses and tips for shooting outdoors-

And the class of Portfolio Plus Workshop III!

I don’t know what happened here…somehow Kenny got the idea that he was a bird- who knew wedding photographers could fly?

Be sure to bookmark www.portfolioplusworkshop.com for the latest news!

Mad props to Ray & Kenny for putting together another great workshop! And thank you for having me to help out! I always enjoy hanging out with you guys! It was also great to see so many familiar faces -Dave C, Brent C, Andi, Lara, Laura & Tom, Paty, Brandon & Jessica, Matt G, Chris, Oliver, Barbie!

with love,

Kenny Nakai

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