Viva Havana! Makini + Jason Head to Cuba for their Engagement Session

Earlier this year, the United States and Cuba singed an historic agreement to restore commercial airline service.  This is the first in 50 years, leading to an influx of American travelers to the island.  Naturally, photographers have taken full advantage of the opportunity to photograph the beautiful island with its vintage charm,  architecture, and bold color.

Exploding with color, music, food and culture, Havana, Cuba makes Brooklyn seem quite dull – hard to believe, right? It’s no surprise that when the opportunity presented itself, Brooklynite and bride-to-be, Makini Brereton and her fiancé Jason, her planner Lauren, and photographer Amy headed to Havana for the most vibrant e-session to hit this blog!

The photos are electric, the fashion is edgy, and the love is contagious.  Thanks for sharing your love story with us Makini + Jason!

Added bonus: Their beautiful engagement session is gracing the pages of our new Fall/Winter 2016 issue to be released in a few weeks! Click here to pre-order a copy of the Fall/Winter 2016 issue with free shipping for a limited time.  More images in the gallery here.

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Couple: Makin + Jason
Occupations:  Floral, Event & Interior Designer and Lawyer + Professor
Wedding date: September 1, 2016 in New York

The proposal:  “The dating scene in New York can be very complicated, especially when you are both self-employed and trying to build your business. Neither of us were social butterflies at so when our friends convinced us to try a new dating app, although hesitant, we decided to give it try. After swiping through a fair amount of profiles I found very few to be intriguing. Until I came across this extremely beautiful Trini/Brooklynite with an infectious smile and dimple. I decided to send her a short message complimenting her and saying hello. I didn’t expect an immediate response, but minutes turned to hours, hours turned to days and days turned to about a month. Then, unexpectedly, a month later, she finally responded. My pride whispered to me saying that if I responded back immediately, I would seem pressed, but my intuition told me that I couldn’t let my pride get in the way of finding someone potentially special. So, I decided to find a middle ground, which was to wait about an hour to respond. In her response, she apologized for the delay and I was more than forgiving. Since that exchange we stayed in constant contact and went on our first date shortly thereafter. After a few month of dating, we became official a few days after her birthday and not too long after, we fell in love.

Even though we had only been a couple for a few months, I was already sure that I wanted to marry her. The only hold up was saving for the perfect ring and coming up with a memorable proposal that involved both our families and friends. Nine months after becoming a couple and with the help of her “friendors” Amy, Lauren and Nikki, we planned a beautiful proposal in Central Park with our parents and friends present. It was a complete surprise for Makini all the way up to the final moments (see video). I was able to convince her that we were going to an attorney networking event near Central Park. The hardest part was convincing her to take a stroll through the park beforehand in 90 degree weather in her Louboutins.” – Jason

Describe your engagement session:  “Jason, who also collects books, has always been intrigued by revolutionary history. It had always been a dream of his to travel to Cuba to grow his collection of books on the Cuban Revolution. So, when Amy proposed to have our engagement session in Cuba, we said yes before she finished the question! It was a wonderful opportunity for us to walk the streets of Havana, be among the people and feel the energy of its resilient people.” – Makini

“Although we did not have a theme, we wanted our photos to capture the essence of vibrant Havana circa 1950’s. Amy could not have done a better job with our engagement session.”

First date?
“In true Jason fashion, he planned the perfect first date for us that included lunch at Lido’s in Harlem and a wine tasting class in Chelsea, where we had our first kiss. It was the longest date that either of us had ever been on but we were having so much fun, that we didn’t want it to end. From the moment we met, there was an instant chemistry and I knew that a second date would follow. What I didn’t foresee was that he would eventually become the love of my life and future husband.” – Makini

Favorite thing to do as a couple:
When we’re not traveling, we enjoy exploring new restaurants, museum hopping and quiet nights at home watching movies.

How has wedding planning been so far?
“Our wedding planning process has been quite fun. Being part of the wedding industry has definitely given us a level of preparedness that most couples don’t have when planning their wedding. However, to make the planning process even more seamless, we hired our friend, Lauren of Elle’s Couture Events. Having a wedding planner who knows us and whom we trust, has allowed us to kick back and truly enjoy the planning process.” – Makini

What are you looking forward to most on the wedding day?
Besides the obvious moment when we are pronounced as husband and wife, we are most looking forward to reciting our vows. We are also looking forward to celebrating with our friends and family and revealing all of the décor and details that we worked so hard to create for them.

 Head to the gallery to view more! Photos: Amy Anaiz Photography | Planner: Elle’s Couture Events | Florist: Makini Regal Designs