Last year, we ran a wedding photography giveaway contest for a chance to gift one lucky couple a Dream Wedding Photography package in Hawaii. All we asked for was for each couple to send us their story and why they deserved to win! We loved putting on this contest, and it was a huge success.
We had a tough time choosing just one couple, but Shantell + Guy were our eventual grand prize winners! We really loved their story, which I’ve shared below:
“Kaua PU (Us two)”
Acquaintances in high school. Co-workers. Eleven years of separation. A nice surprise.
These few phrases tell the story of our timeline together and apart. The best part of it all is that we are together today.
Aloha. My name is Shantell Ching and my fiancé is Guy De Silva. At the time of the bridal expo in late July of this year, I was a bride in waiting, but now I am Mrs. Guy DeSilva. We had a short 15 minute ceremony on August 7 to legally tie the knot. But to us our real wedding will be on October 3, 2009. The reason being is because we will be in front of close family and friends sharing the vows that we write for each other in Hawaiian. And the ceremony will be on the voyaging canoe, Hokule’a conducted by master navigator Nainoa Thompson.
I met Noah at the Bridal Expo on Saturday, July 25. He mentioned to me about checking out his website and emailing ‘our story’ for a contest to win a free photography session for our wedding. I told him that I thought we had a really good story and that perhaps I’d try. Therefore, I am writing this email as instructed with the hopes of winning a free photography session, not to just win though, but to get a chance to see ‘our’ special wedding moments captured forever through photography. Out of all the brochures and flyers I got that day at the Bridal Expo looking for a photographer amongst other vendors, I especially liked the Noah J Orr website on photography. I thought you were able to capture those special, romantic moments between couples. Moments that will probably never happen again. I decided then that I would follow through with this email.
Here’s our story: We were acquaintances in high school. He, being a year younger than I am. And, his brother actually being my classmate. We would find out later though that we were only 6 months apart in age. After we graduated from high school, he moved to the Big Island attending UH-Hilo and I stayed here on O’ahu obtaining a Softball scholarship from the University of Hawai’i-Manoa. I only knew who he was, not really knowing much about him though at that time. I graduated in 1985 and he graduated in 1986. In 1990, after graduating from college with a Business Management degree, I went back (as I had planned all along) to my high school and took up employment there. I first started out as a temporary hire in the Athletic Department. I was excited because I was back at the school I loved. I also worked in an environment that I had spent six years in as an athlete at the school. Well, it just so happened that Guy also came back to work for the school and we were now co-workers working in the same department. We enjoyed having lunch together daily talking story and sharing our opinions with each other. We were in very different places at that time (mentally, emotionally, having different goals for our future etc.). Nevertheless, we enjoyed each other’s company and continued to talk story during lunch. I still remember where we ate – outside of the athletic locker room by the pool. Because I was only a temp hire, my job in the athletic department lasted for just one month. I then found a regular part time job up at the newly opened gymnasium on campus. Guy would then come up to the gym to work out regularly as he was a very physically fit person. We continued our conversations there although brief as I was working in the gym at that time. Although we were in different departments, we were still under the same division and had the same head boss. So, when it came to end of the year socials or gatherings for our division, we were both invited. Because we were about the same age as compared to others in the division who were much older, Guy and I would hang out at these socials although never going on a date. Many thought we were a couple. We were just good friends still enjoying each other’s company talking story. I noticed that we were getting a little closer so I remember at our last end of the year social together, I asked him if he ever thought ‘WE’ could ever be a ‘WE.” Even though it was a romantic, moonlight night as we were walking by ourselves outside the banquet hall of the Kahala Mandarin Hotel, he responded quite confidently with a “No.” I just said Ok and we went back inside. There was no explanation why nor did I ask why not?
Well that was the last time I saw him for 11 years. He apparently wanted to become a firefighter and followed through with the schooling he needed to become one. I remember him mentioning that to me in one of our conversations but at that time, he was a very mellow, slow-going, no goals guy so I never really knew if that was what he would become. I also remember thinking that his No was probably the best thing he could do for me because we were in such different places at that time.
Well, eleven years later with no contact (although I remember hearing through the grapevine that he did indeed become a firefighter and was now living on the island of Lana’i), I was giving a presentation at one of the two big hotels they have on that island. In those eleven years, I had become involved with the Polynesian Voyaging Society sailing on the double-hulled canoe Hokule’a. I had come to the island to give a voyaging presentation and stargazing session at the Manele Bay hotel. When I walked off the plane, I had a nice surprise. It was Guy. I remember him standing with his firefighter uniform on, looking nice and fit as I had last seen him. What a nice surprise to see an old friend after eleven years of no contact, not knowing what had become of him. He apparently had seen a flyer in a Lana’I store advertising my voyaging presentation. When I spoke with him after, he said he had seen it and only knew one Shantell Ching who was a Hokule’a navigator. He too had heard through the grapevine that I had got involved with sailing/navigation on the voyaging canoe, Hokule’a.
He decided to see for himself if it really was me. Because he works at the Lana’I Airport, he was able to find out what time my flight was arriving. I originally was supposed to be flying with someone else so the reservations said two in the party. He wasn’t sure who the second person was to me but was still curious to see me. So there he was standing at the entrance as I got off the plane. It really was a surprise but I was really happy to see him as he was me. I had to rush off to one of my presentations so I just told him ‘Hey we should have lunch or something.’ I didn’t know if he was married with kids and if he could have lunch or dinner with me. To my surprise, he gave me his cell phone number and told me he could pick me up for dinner that night. My mind was being curious then as a typical single girl would. Was he married? If he was, he wouldn’t have dinner with me by ourselves right? Wouldn’t lunch be more appropriate? Too funny. I was even more curious to catch up with him. The hotel put me up in a room since I was giving a presentation for them so when I was done and got back to the hotel, I called him. He made arrangements to leave work early and pick me up. I still remember the smell of his truck, lavender air freshener and a clean truck. First impressions. He even opened and closed the door for me. He doesn’t do it now but I felt so special then. He ended up taking me to Kaumalapau Harbor where we had dinner and resumed our ‘talking story’ conversation all night long. We were there sitting under the moon light talking for 11 hours. What a special night catching up as if time had never passed between us. I even asked him, “Hey do you remember what our last conversation was the last time I saw you?” He said, “Yes.” And he explained why he said No that evening.
As you can guess, that was the beginning of our relationship as a couple together. What I did learn that evening though is that something special had brought us together. Something that we both believe was meant to be. And we were also in a much better place now personally, seeing eye to eye on things and having similar goals for our future.
We continue to do the long distance relationship but it works for us right now. Eleven years later plus five years of courtship, I couldn’t be more happier than being Mrs. Guy DeSilva.”
Congratulations you two!!! We were so pleased to give you the gift of photography on your wedding day. We wish you both nothing less than absolute happiness!
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