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Hiro + Janel

The wedding season winding down feels like those last couple hours of an amazing dinner party: you’ve got a good buzz going and you’re looking around as the crowd starts to wane--but you’re not quite done yet. You start striking up conversations with people you’ve never met and you open one of the leftover bottles of wine. As guests continue to file out you find yourself finishing your last few sips and you begin to admit that the night is coming to a close. It’s bittersweet--but you know that rest is important and you say good night to the hosts for an amazing evening. 2021 was (and is) Heather and I’s best year of our lives, both professionally and personally, so it’s only fitting that Hiro and Janel are one of the last few incredible hosts to bring our year to a close.

The week leading up to a wedding Heather and I are always keeping an eye on the weather report. Even if the forecast says rain we typically carry a bit of optimism because you never really know. Contingency plans are important, of course, but maintaining a positive attitude is even more critical. I’ve learned to watch how a couple manages their emotions during their wedding day--it often tells you most of what you need to know about how they handle difficulties in their relationship. Well despite hail, sideways wind, and an immense wall of fog sweeping through Manhattan like an early morning in San Francisco, Hiro and Janel were class and charm all the way through.

When Heather and I started snapping Hiro and Janel’s getting ready photos at The William Vale in Williasmburg, Brooklyn, the sky was tame and the atmosphere clear. I took Hiro and his family members and groomsmen out onto the gorgeous balcony overlooking the east river and took advantage of the beautiful, diffracted light. Within minutes the sky went black and little white pebbles began to fall from the sky. I could no longer see a single building in Manhattan. Hiro and Janel’s wedding venue, 74Wythe, was just across the street but the hail gave way to a downpour of rain. Crossing that block would feel like an avenue in the city. Heather and I told Hiro and Janel that we’d go scout the venue and come back with a contingency plan.

We all decided to do Hiro and Janel’s first look in the rooftop greenhouse where they would later hold their ceremony and reception. After they climbed the stairs and turned to look at each other their gazes still carried such a depth of appreciation: of each other, the day, and the moment. It definitely wasn’t easy for them to look past the things they couldn’t control but watching the way they looked at each other I saw how strong they were together--not to mention that they looked absolutely stunning.

The night would continue on as planned, and the band brought down the house. Each of Hiro and Janel’s brothers gave speeches that further proved the caliber of their families and friends, and the depth of their connection. At the end of the night they thanked us for being calm amidst the storm and we commended them for doing the same. They invited us to the after party, and we would’ve 100% taken them up on their warm invitation if we didn’t have to get home to Capa. As we said our goodbyes and I started ratcheting down the light stands, I found a glass of wine that a guest put in my hand from 30 minutes before--and I couldn’t help but take a sip and want to stay a little longer.