Stop clicking around. If you're looking for the best photographers/videographers in Honolulu, you've found them. Summary: Hire Aria, and hire them for both photography and videography.
If you're still in the budgeting stage, budget some more and save on other expenses because it's simply essential, crucial, and mandatory to have both photographers and videographers. The day goes by so fast, in a blur, that you won't remember half of it in a week's time. That's where photos and videos come in, memories will be kept forever and ever. Photos document the static moments, capturing the essence of the day, the details, the people. Videos however, capture the dynamic moments, allowing you to relive the mood and emotions again and again. That is why both are absolutely essential.
That being said, it is also crucial to hire an EXCELLENT team. I've been to enough weddings to know exactly what I don't want to see (e.g. videographer not catching the aisle walk the first time and asking the bride and groom to repeat the walk 3 times..., finished products delivered after the first child was born, etc.). I also did enough (excessive) research to know what I want to see. Part of the reason was because we had a long engagement (3yrs+) and 3 cities to choose from to hold our wedding: Vancouver, LA/OC, Honolulu. I had more than plenty of time to scour for photographers and videographers in all 3 cities, and did just that.
Unfortunately, due to this, I developed a critical eye for wedding photography, and was very specific on what had to be accomplished on the day of.
When I first found Aria, I communicated with Jessica to learn more about their work, and emphasized that I wanted candid moments, nothing orchestrated or fake, as well as my other requirements. She was so friendly and positive, every email felt like an explosion of pink bubbles and sparkles, on top of that she was replying my emails at 11pm, dedication! Planning a destination wedding takes a bit of courage, but Jess made sure I was comfortable with their team.
On the day of, the Aria team performed above and beyond my expectations. They were agile, efficient, and invisible. The Aria team moved like true ninjas, I couldn't even tell they were there! The photographers (Jess and Holly) and videographers (Kash and Jonas) were in sync, and worked seamlessly together, which emphasizes the importance of hiring them as a package. Magical ninjas taking stealth candid shots.
The big day went by in a blur, and while we were slothing around in Honolulu the next day, the Aria team emailed us 2 preview shots that sent jitters up my spine. It was love at first sight. The rest of the finished products followed shortly, and exceeded our expectations. Everything was absolutely perfectly done. All the photos were perfectly timed, and captured each moment in its essence, from the mischievous facial expressions of my ring bearers, to a Vanity Fair cover-like family portrait, to teary eyed bridesmaids. The video was epic. After watching it for the first time, my dad needed a few moments to recollect himself. Then he secretly hid and watched it a few times on repeat (I could tell because I kept hearing the faint background music coming from somewhere...) There are moments in life when something stirs your emotions, whether it be a well written article, or a good movie. Your wedding video is going to be that something. It's worth the investment.
I cannot applaud or thank Team Aria enough for the efforts they put into our big day. But I can tell you it's worth every single penny, even if you have to splurge. Skip the linen/flatware rentals, get a smaller cake, shave off your guest list, do whatever you have to do, trust me on this! read more