Spokane Photographer: Stephon & Maria's Manito Engagement
Sometimes things align in the right way, and bring two people together who would never have met otherwise. For Stephon and Maria, this is how I think of their story. Maria, visiting Hawaii on vacation from her staying Australia, was out looking to get some drinks with her friend. They picked a bar. The same bar that Stephon and his air force friends had also picked (they were there for a little while from where they were stationed in Japan). Two people, from two totally different parts of the world, end up going to the same bar.
Stephon, seeing these two beautiful girls sitting at a table decided to go over. He said he wanted to ask about scooters, that "they looked like they weren't' from there" and so maybe they had tried them out (because he wanted to as well). This was Stephon's reason for walking over and talking with them. I asked if that reason would have applied if the two ladies in question weren't quite as beautiful, and he said that "may have also been a factor" which was amazing. Either way, they start to talk, things seem to be going really well, but Stephon ended up having a little too much to drink, and lost the charm he had earlier. Maria, said goodbye, and left the bar.
No names, no phone numbers, no way to see her again. Stephon told me that he thought about it all a couple days later and realized he "may have messed that up". Turns out, he got a second chance. On Maria's last day in Hawaii, she and her friend went back to the bar. And there he was - the "cute guy" from the other night. Stephon would notice and come over to talk, but also being more careful about the amount he decided to drink. Maria told me that she was "secretly hoping" he would come over.
They hit it off. They talked all the way up to last call, playing games and laughing together. After last call, they decided to go on a walk, and they talked at the end of the pier, all night. It was one of those nights you might see in a movie. In fact, Maria almost missed her flight because of their late night talk, but either way, she didn't, and off she went back to Australia.
After that they started to talk - a lot. First on Instagram, then Facebook messenger, then finally over video calls. Stephon said he's "never been so nervous" before he talked with Maria for the first time over video chat. But he had no reason to be, because they just - fit. It wasn't long before they were trying to figure out a way to see each other again. That was almost a year ago, and in the middle of it all, Covid hit. It made it way harder for these two to be together, but they made it happen, and I had the chance to capture it. They are so clearly in love, and I'm so excited to be able to show you these photos, show you them in love. What a blast I had with Stephon and Maria, and I can't wait to see them get married.
