Oahu Wedding Photographer – Christine and Cameron’s Wedding – Paradise Cove and Hickam Airforce Base

Congrats to Christine and Cameron! We just couldn’t wait to post some of these images. So, here we are the night before flying back to California for our own wedding and I’m at the computer blogging! This wedding was really THAT much fun!

Here is a little teaser. Check back in a few weeks for more pics from this wedding. I promise to post more after we get back from California!

Christine and Cameron had gorgeous clear blue skies at their seaside wedding at Paradise Cove on the West side of Oahu.  Christine looked stunning in a ivory lace sheath dress with her bridesmaids in light pink dresses. Each of the bridesmaids wore a different variation of the dress. While some say uniformity is best, I like this trend in letting the bridesmaids show their own style by picking a dress that suits them best in the same fabric and color. (…more to come soon!)

Paradise Cove Wedding Ceremony Oahu Hawaii Photographers from L'amour

Hawaii Wedding Photography Husband and Wife team from L'amour

Hickam Airforce Base Officer's Club Wedding Reception Photography in Hawaii by L'amour

Popular:

Oahu Wedding Association (OWA) – March Meeting at Masako Formals

Wendy and I spend a lot of time hiding behind cameras at weddings. It sorta goes with the job. This last Oahu Wedding Association meeting we got a chance to walk a mile (or a few runway lengths… I tend to over exaggerate) in the shoes of our Brides & Grooms. We got to play bride and groom, again, and get all made up to model some of Masako Formal’s wedding attire.

Not only did we get to rock a wicked tux and wedding dress, we had a chance to work with some of our fellow OWA members in a much more up close and personal role than we normally get. Wendy and I were both sized and dressed by the lovely staff at Masako Formals. This turned out to be a repeat for Wendy, since she actually bought her wedding dress from them a couple months back.

I was fitted for a silver Italian tux. It turns out that it is a very popular look for many of the Japanese weddings here. It further turns out – I don’t fit the normal Japanese sizes. No snag there though – they brought the tux to the back and was quickly back out with the tux adjusted to my size. Go go gadget tuxedo!

Wendy and Eric of L'Amour Photography

Not only did Wendy get to wear another beautiful wedding dress, she was pampered with makeup by Wendy Robin of Studio W of Honolulu. Now this part gets confusing – I have to describe Wendy Robin’s (the make up artist) work on Wendy Leslie (the wife). Wendy R. is an INCREDIBLY talented makeup artist and a wonderful person. She was trained in Hollywood, worked in paris for print photographers, and then came back to LA to do makeup for the stars. The list of people that she has worked with reads like the who’s who list of Hollywood – Matt Damon, Carmen Electra, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, James Earl Jones, Bernie Mac, Jack Black, and Jaime Pressly the just name a few. She has skills. Numbchuck skills, bowstaff skills… She has plenty of skills. Wendy R. did an airbrushing job for Wendy’s makeup. I lucked out and only got a quick powder. Ahhh the joys of being a man.

After all the prep, we had a BLAST walking down the runway in front of all of our peers in the industry. It was so much fun and I felt like the luckiest guy in the world to get to escort the most beautiful woman in the world down the catwalk. We were both lucky to have some of our wonderful photographer friends there to capture the whole shabang.

All in all it was a GREAT evening. It is always such a treat to hang out with so many amazing people. We are really blessed to work in this industry with these people. Millions of thank yous go out to OWA for the opportunity to dress up and party like its 1999… I mean 2009.

-E

Check out Geralyn’s cutting (it slices, it dices) hair-do, and Mona’s convertible Kimono –

Special thanks to Grant Gomes for snapping the below collage pics for us!

And to Eugene Kam for the below (yes ladies and gentlemen – that is my wifey! I’m a lucky guy!) –

Hawaii Destination Wedding Photographer – Tanja and Stephan’s Big Day!

Tanja and Stephan were so much fun to work with on their big day.  With roots in Germany, this couple gathered at Haiku Gardens with many family and friends who flew half way around the world for their special day.  Both Eric and I have German heritage and got some coaching from our German relatives on how to pronounce the German word for “Congratulations.”  They really make it sound effortless, but Eric and I just could not get it right. But, hey, we tried!

Hawaii Wedidng Photographer husband and wife team based in Oahu

Destination Wedding Photographer L'amour Hisband and Wife Team

L'amour Oahu Wedding Photographer

Congrats to this cute couple and thanks for the fun time!

Hawaii Portrait Photographer – Kaylee and Family

Eric and I were really excited to work with Kaylee when she contacted us about doing portraits of her and her boyfriend, her 4 siblings, and their significant others! We were so excited to work with so many different groups all at once.  We met up with all 10 of them met up with us at Kakaako park in Honolulu and were all dressed amazingly coordinated in white and blue and lots of Lacoste.  I dug it! (Is that OK for me to say nowadays, or is that too 70’s-ish of a word?)

Oahu Family Portrait photographer

We always try to suggest a few poses or ideas to get everyone’s creative juices flowing in order to get the most “true” photos we can.  Kaylee and her family were really fun to work with and really took off with ideas for pictures. We especially liked their “Shoalin Monk inspired poses.” They are too funny.  We have this theory that if people act like themselves, as much as they can, in front of the camera, the photos will be most natural looking (unlike those horribly stiff posed prom photos we have all seem. I have quite a few of my own.  Someday I will share them with you as an example of the kind of look we are NOT going for!)

Family and engagement portrait photographer in Oahu Hawaii

Thanks to Kaylee and everyone for a great time!

Popular:

Oahu Military Wedding Photographer – Caprice and Manny’s Wedding

We always have awesome brides and grooms as our clients. They are always so cheery and nice to work with, it really is always a pleasure.  Caprice and Manny absolutely fall into that category.  It was so much fun chatting about girly wedding stuff with Caprice before heading down to the chapel at Haiku Gardens.  I LOVED her dress and was kicking myself for not choosing a dress like hers for our own wedding (coming up now in less than 3 weeks!!!).  I love light and flowy wedding dresses like Caprice’s sheath dress.  They are really the best of both worlds: beautiful and comfortable.  However, since we are having a church ceremony back in California I chose to go with a more formal satin gown with a huge train (I love it, but I cannot say that it is going to be nearly as comfortable as a sheath dress. *sigh*)

Tropical wedding theme destination wedding photography by L'amour in Oahu

Manny looked very sharp in his Marine dress blues. We did feel bad though because it was pretty warm that day.  Oh, the things we do to look good.  Side note: I think wedding days are quite possibly the only day that men will understand what we women go through and the uncomfortableness that comes hand in hand with looking good.  We suffer with heavy corseted dresses and uncomfortable but really cute shoes while the grooms totally suffer through a sauna in their suits/tuxs.  Sounds fair to me! But, I digress…once again…

We had a great time playing with some fun lighting amongst the bamboo and on the path around the pond.  Manny and Caprice were whisked away to their reception in the Haiku Gardens Eco-cart complete with “Just Married sign!

Mucho Mahalo to Caprice, Manny and Family for a great wedding!

Hawaii Destination Wedding on Oahu by L'amour Photography

Hawaii Garden Wedding Photography by husband and wife team L'amour

Popular:

Hawaii Wedding Photographer – Bernice Puahi Memorial Chapel at Kamehameha School and The Willows Restaurant

Eric and I started this wedding day with heading over to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel to capture the bride and bridesmaids getting for the big day! I’m always excited to shoot somewhere new and was particularly excited to finally get to see the newly remodeled  Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki.  When Eric and I moved to Oahu back in October of 2008 the Royal Hawaiian Hotel was closed for renovation and just recently reopened.  So, needless to say, I couldn’t wait to finally getting to shoot at  “the Pink Palace of the Pacific.”

Royal Hawaiian Hotel Wedding preparation photography in Waikiki Beach Oahu Hawaii

Lauwa’e enjoyed some good girl time with her bridesmaids while getting her hair and makeup done by Jaque Rojas.  I hung out with the ladies as they got ready while Eric headed over to the wedding ceremony venue to capture the groom, Jay, and his brothers getting ready at The Bernice Puahi Bishop Memorial Chapel at Kamehameha School. This was our first time shooting at this venue and we were instantly struck by its culture and beauty.

Kamehameha School Chapel Bernice Puahi and Willows Restaurant wedding ceremony and reception

The lively group of family and friends headed over to the The Willows Restaurant for a delicious dinner. Not much of a public speaker myself, I always am in awe of people who can give funny and touching speeches at weddings.  Jay’s brothers and sons definitely have that gift. I will have to get them to mentor me in case Im called upon to make a speech.  (I mean, I have gone to great lengths to get out of speeches. I even spent weeks scanning photos and putting together a slide show to take the place of a speech for my good friend Brittany.  Somehow I managed to shut the power off to the DJ while doing my slideshow and ended up rambling “im sorry” into the microphone while we all waited for the DJ to re-boot all his equipment!… but I digress)

Eric and I broke from our “pre-wedding” diet (30 days to go!) to try some of Lauwa’e and Jay’s wedding cake and oh my gosh it was definitely worth it. This cake was done by one of our favorite cake artists Sunshine’s Cake Creations. We never cease to be amazed each time we see and taste Vikki’s work.

Best wishes to Lauwa’e and Jay. Thanks so much for allowing us to be part of your beautiful big day!

Popular:

Hawaii Wedding Photographer – Hale Koa Hotel – Amelia and Aaron

Congrats to this cute newly wed couple, Amelia and Aaron! Eric and I were honored to be part of their wedding celebration at Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu. This was by far the most musically talented family we have been around in a while.  Amelia’s brother’s band provided the entertainment for the night with her other brother and sister joining in occasionally to help out on vocals or percussion.

Hale Koa Hotel Military Wedding Reception Honolulu Hawaii Wedding Photography

This wedding reception incorporated many personal touches including a family heirloom lauhala mat which was placed under the wedding cake.  Of course, Eric will not let me blog about a wedding without mentioning the cake.  This cake was from Cake Works and had the most delicious Haupia filling.  For those of you who have not been fortunate enough to have heard of or tasted haupia, we suggest you change that soon. This creamy coconut cake filling was absolutely the stuff Hawaiian dreams are made of.

Military Wedding Photographer Oahu Hawaii at the Hale Koa Hotel Waikiki

We always try to keep our ears open for any juicy secrets or embarrassing stories that people may sneak into their wedding reception speeches.  While we didn’t get to hear any blackmail material, but we were touched to  hear some heartfelt praises of Amelia and Aaron as individuals and as a couple.  So, if any of you have any funny/embarrassing stories you’d like to contribute… I’m just kidding! We wish Amelia and Aaron the very best in life and love! Congrats!

Popular: