THE LAGERS | A Fairytale Wedding at The Capitol Modern

May 12

VENUE: The Capitol Modern, Honolulu, Hawaii

CREATIVE TEAM:

HMU: Sheri Yuen
Florist: Honolulu Florist
Photo Team: KA‘I & CO Media
Bar: Paradise Ciders
Caterers: Dos Jefes & El Nino
Cake & Desserts: Grace Sage Bakery
Charcuterie & Grazing Table: Set the Mesa
Live Music: Jared and the Dynasties, Jason Lehua, & Guy James

Some weddings are defined by a location, but Dana and Ryan’s day was defined by the people who filled it. And they carried that space effortlessly. Dana has a gift of lifting up those around her, while Ryan brings a contagious energy into every room he’s in. The perfect pair, in our opinion! They’re wedding day was reflective of that, from an intimate ceremony and dinner with some of their beloved hand picked group of vendors, family and friends, a reception where Ryan composed Dana a beautifully written song, to a fun night on the dance floor. This day was one for the books!

“IF YOU ARE LOOKING for A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER WHO WILL go ABOVE AND BEYOND while ALSO PRODUCING QUALITY PHOTOS that CAPTURE ALL THE EMOTIONS, LOOK NO FURTHER. WITH HER BEHIND the LENS, YOU ARE SURE TO feel BEAUTIFUL, CALM AND JOYFUL.”
- The Lagers

**MUSINGS: INSIDE the LAGER’S CELEBRATION**

01/ IF YOU COULD RELIVE ONE 5-MINUTE WINDOW FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Walking down the aisle to Ryan with my dad and seeing all our loved ones smiling and present/seeing Dana walk down the aisle.

02/ WHAT WAS THE ONE THING YOU STRESSED ABOUT THAT DIDN’T MATTER IN THE END?

Our first dance. We taught ourselves by watching YouTube videos and practicing sporadically, so we were nervous. We realized that it just added to the fun of the evening, it didn’t need to be perfect.

03/ WHAT’S ONE THING YOU’RE GLAD YOU PRIORITIZED AND WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU WOULD SKIP IF YOU HAD TO DO IT AGAIN?

We’re glad we prioritized live musicians throughout the evening. It was a top highlight for most people. There is nothing we would skip because we planned the wedding ourselves, so everything was intentional

04/ WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OUR NEWLY ENGAGED COUPLES CURRENTLY PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

Enjoy the entire process and start early.

05/ WHAT VENDOR HIRE OR PLANNING DECISION MADE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN HOW YOUR DAY ACTUALLY FELT?

Ka’i and Co hands down! We didn’t hire a wedding planner, and Ashley helped guide us. From the very beginning until the very end, Ashley was there for us, beyond just taking out photos. Because of her, we knew what a wedding timeline looked like, how the cutting of the cake went, and where to go. We’re so grateful for Ashley, because we could relax and enjoy the special day.

06/ WHAT DETAIL WILL NO ONE ELSE REMEMBER FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY, BUT YOU ALWAYS WILL?

Ryan handmade four wooden signs for the Oyster Booth, Sashimi Booth, Bar, and Motorcycle. The amount of effort put into making them far outweighed their contribution to the wedding. Each person, including ourselves, still has the sign.

07/ WHO OR WHAT HAS SHAPED YOUR VIEW OF A STRONG MARRIAGE? WHY?

It wasn’t based on any one particular couple or thing. Rather, it is based on a variety of sources such as our relationship with God, principles, and observations of success/failed marriages and what led to those successes/failures. We turned all of those components into our own tapestry.

08/ WHAT DOES CHOOSING EACH OTHER DAILY AND/OR PROTECTING YOUR RELATIONSHIP ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE?

Choosing our growth/unity over the need to be right.

09/ IF YOUR LOVE HAD A SEASON, A CITY, OR PIECE OF MUSIC, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

Our love would like any city in the world: it offers a mix of entertainment and security, has functional aspects, glitzy areas, not so glitzy places, complexity beyond words, and undervalued simplicity. Just like our love.

10/ FAST FORWARD 30 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT VERSION OF YOURSELF SHOWED UP BECAUSE OF YOUR PARTNER AND WHAT WOULD YOU THANK THEM FOR?

Someone unrecognizable because of our encouragement to grow beyond imagination. We would thank each other for the constant support, love, and kindness, as well as for all the beautiful memories and experiences we created together.

**MOMENTS: the WEDDING DAY**

THE VENUE

Capitol Modern has recently been one of our top venues. Clean lines, open- air courtyards, beautiful lighting.

This venue has many beautiful spots to photograph from the front lawn, the sculpture garden and the second floor courtyard, the options are endless.
This venue is conveniently located in Downtown Honolulu, just a short drive away from Waikiki. Although parking is known to be difficult to find in this area, a parking garage is just a 2 minute walk from the front entrance. It is also one of the more affordable parking garages located in the area, but make sure to bring cash.
To make sure this is the right venue for your big day, make sure to schedule your on site visit around the same time you plan to have your ceremony and your newlywed photos.