Hawaii Wedding Photography at Lanikuhonua – Coral and Teal Tropical Theme

What can I say.  Our team has been pretty busy for such a long time, we have so many weddings to blog about!  We are very excited to be back and blogging about our many wonderful couples’  weddings in Hawaii!

This featured wedding was a gorgeous tropical themed wedding with wedding colors of coral and teal held at the stunning West Oahu wedding venue of Lanikuhonua.  Seahorses, starfish, shells, Hawaiian patterns and waves were used throughout the wedding invitations, ceremony chair decor, reception tables and centerpieces.  We hope you all enjoy these gorgeous Oahu wedding details and  the super cute bride and groom as much as we did!

Waikiki wedding bride in Hawaii

Hawaii wedding photos

wedding in Hawaii photos of bride

tropical wedding in Hawaii details

Groom getting ready in Hawaii Wedding

 

While the bride and her bridesmaids got their hair and makeup done in their Waikiki hotel bridal suite, they wore matching floral robes. The ladies looked so lovely in their teal robes with the bride stood out in a matching robe in white.   This Hawaii destination wedding bride wore a lace wedding gown with a sweet-heart neckline and embellished sash.  The wedding gown was accessorized with exotic styled earnings and a bracelet with coral, red and blue stones to match her wedding theme colors. The groom wore a candy striped coral and white bow-tie with his black suit

Wedding bouquet in Hawaii

Lanikuhonua wedding ceremony photos

Lanikuhonua Wedding ceremony  venueThis is the oceanfront Hawaii wedding venue Lanikuhonua  found on the West coast of Oahu among the Ko’olina Lagoons.   Musicians played and sang traditional Hawaiian music as the guests arrived and were seated.  Guests were given woven fans to shade themselves during the ceremony. The Bride and Groom stood in front of their closest family and friends as they exchanged leis and their vows with the Pacific Ocean, palm trees and mountain range as a backdrop.

Lanikuhonua Wedding Ceremony Photos

Lanikuhonua Wedding Ceremony photography by Lamour

Lanikuhonua Wedding in Hawaii by Lamour

Hawaii wedding photography Lanikuhonua Wedding

Hawaii Photography at Lanikuhonua Wedding

 

This Oahu wedding reception was adorned with coral and teal paper lanterns and strings of lights.  Reception tables featured a real pineapple as the centerpiece, white gold plates as table numbers, as  well as mason gars with shells and tea lights on burlap table runners.  The bride and groom’s chairs had personalized wood signs hanging with “Mr” and “Mrs” written on them. Guests were greeted with seating cards of teal and coral wave shaped tags tied onto starfish. What a cute tropical wedding detail!  The bride and groom gifted each guest with a mason jar of Hawaiian Res Alaea Salt as the wedding favor.

Hawaii wedding recption venue Lanikuhonua Wedding

Hawaii wedding details of starfish place holders

Hawaii wedding reception photography by L',aour at Lanikuhonua Wedding

Hawaii wedding details pineapples seahorses

Wedding Photography in Hawaii

Hawaii Oahu wedding details at reception Lanikuhonua Wedding

Lanikuhonua Wedding Photographers Lamour

Hawaii wedding at Lanikuhonua by L'amour

Hawaii wedding photographers best sunset

Wedding cake Hawaii photo

 

Hawaii Wedding reception dancing

Hawaii wedding photos with personalized cake cutting set

Oahu Wedding reception at Lanikuhonua

Lanikuhonua Wedding reception photos by Lamour

 

The newlyweds cut their single level square cake with the cutest cake set ever.  The silver cake cutting set was stamped with their names and “Together Forever” and two forks were stamped with “I Do” and “Me Too.”  All of these cute wedding decor details created a fun atmosphere that carried from the ceremony through the reception.  This fun loving bunch danced the night away under the colorful paper lanterns and strings of lights and ended the night with a kiss and a dip!

Hawaii Wedding Photographer – Ihilani Resort Black White and Green Wedding

A day like this only comes along once every hundred years, and for this special couple their wedding day on 10.10.10 was, more importantly, once in a lifetime!  Thirty nine thousand couples started the rest of their lives together on this special date, but our Hawaii Destination Wedding couple came all the way from Australia to have their wedding dreams realized in a gorgeous black, white, and green themed wedding.  The Ihilani Resort and Spa was the ideal ocean front wedding venue for this stylish and modern Hawaii wedding.

Black and White Hawaii destination wedding dress by L'Amour Photography Oahu

This Black and White wedding dress and bridesmaid dress were custom made to fit the brides ideal wedding dress.  The wedding dress was a white sweetheart cut corset top with a ball gown skirt. A black sash with white lining accented the bodice with the back of the dress featuring black covered buttons that actually functioned requiring some effort from her maid of honor and a trusty button hook.

Hawaii Wedding Photography at the Oahu Outrigger Waikiki

The entire wedding party prepared at their hotel in Waikiki Beach at the Outrigger Waikiki. Once everyone had their hair and makeup done and we all dressed, a charter bus took the wedding party and all of their guests to the wedding on the leeward side of Oahu.

Green wedding theme with green bouquet for Hawaii destination wedding Hawaii Wedding Photography at the Outrigger Waikiki on OahuDestination Wedding in Hawaii with black white and green theme

Green wedding details brought a pop of color to this black and white themed wedding.  The groom’s boutonnière  was a green rose with black ribbon accented by thin white ribbon.  The cocktail tables had an arrangement of green roses, hydrangeas, and a few white flowers in a square black vase keeping with the sleek modern feel of this wedding.  The bride’s bouquet was made of striking green calla lilies wrapped in black satin ribbon and accented by white pins.

Black and White themed Hawaii Destination Wedding on Oahu

This Australian bride and groom paid tribute to this Hawaii wedding  setting with a lauhala covered wedding ring pillow with a black satin ribbon and parasols for the guests.

Ihilani Wedding Photographer for a Hawaii Destination Wedding on Oahu

Outdoor Hawaii wedding ceremony at Ihilani Resort and Spa in Koolina on Oahu. This beach-side wedding venue features a spacious manicured lawn, swaying palm trees and a gorgeous view of the sunset.

Hawaii Wedding Photographer for Ihilani Resort Wedding on OahuHawaii Wedding Photographer L'Amour PhotographyBlack and White Wedding details and wedding favors

This black, white and green themed wedding had personalized M&Ms that said “mahalo” and the bride and grooms’ initials “n + d.”  The lower case monogram that was used throughout the wedding design details is a modern style twist on the classic monogram.

Sunset photos at a Hawaii Wedding at Ihilani resort on OahuGreen black and white wedding themeBlack and White wedding theme and wedding cake

The two tiered round wedding cake was simple and modern with black and white fondant.  A sweet little bow and fondant flower topped the wedding cake.  Framed black and white old wedding photos of relatives circled the table.

Ihilani resort wedding by Hawaii wedding Photographers of L'Amour

Hawaii Wedding Photography by L'Amour Photographers

Oahu Wedding Photography at the Ihilani Resort in HawaiiOahu Hawaii Destination Wedding PhotographyOahu Wedding Photographer and Hawaii Wedding Photographer

So many great Hawaii wedding vendors were involved in the execution of this 10.10.10 Oahu Wedding. Christina Farrow with Pacific Aisles Inc did a wonderful job coordinating this Hawaii destination wedding.  Cake Gallery made the beautiful cake.  Flower Farm was the florist for these unique green bouquets and centerpieces.  Event Essentials provided the lounge furniture and decor.  Mood Event provided the drapery and lighting.

Oahu Wedding Photographer – Cute wedding gift idea

One of our recent weddings had such a unique twist with their vows that we had to share it! During the wedding ceremony, the couple ready their vows to each other, and then put their vows as well as notes to each other in this beautiful wood box that also contained a nice bottle of wine and cute ‘I do’ & ‘I do too’ wine glasses.

The couple plans to open the box on their fifth wedding anniversary, enjoy a bottle of wine, and reminisce over their wedding vows. How cool is that! Personally, I think that it beats the pants off of eating old frozen cake!!

Hawaii Wedding Photography of a great wedding gift idea
Such a cute wedding gift idea!

Oahu Wedding Photography – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Wedding Parasol

Oahu Wedding Photographers based in Honolulu L'Amour Photography

One of the best parts of a Hawaii Destination Wedding is knowing that the sun will likely be shining bright on your big day regardless of the time of year (well, aside from intermittent showers, and rare stormy days).   When you come to Hawaii, for vacation or for a wedding, make sure you lather on High SPF sunblock.  The sun is much stronger here and we have seen plenty sunburned and peeling brides, grooms, and guests!  Help ensure that you and your guests stay cool and shaded by using wedding parasols. Wedding parasols are a classy and colorful wedding accessory you can employ to  make sure you and your loved ones don’t leave your Hawaii Wedding looking like baked lobsters.

Simple:  White or Cream colored wedding umbrellas or parasols are an easy addition to any wedding theme or color scheme.

Colorful:  Choose a color that accents your wedding color scheme. If your wedding colors are yellow and orange, choose the color that is least used on the wedding party attire to make the parasols stand out and blend in at the same time.

Patterns: If your wedding is looking rather classic and simple, consider using wedding parasols with a pattern on them to add some accents to the overall feel of your wedding decor.  Some of our personal favorites are paisley, flowers, damask, polka dots, swirls and initials.

Lace:  If you want to add some elegance and vintage details to your wedding, a lace parasol can be the perfect fit.

Whether you provide a parasol to just your wedding party as a fun accent, or as wedding favors for your guests, wedding parasols are a useful and beautiful way to stay cool during your Wedding in Hawaii.

Here are a few sites where we have seen a great selection of wedding parasols. Happy planning and Happy Shopping!

Luna Bazaar , Pamela’s Parasols, and Bella Umbrella

Hawaii Wedding Photographer – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Gift Ideas for your Bride or Groom

Hawaii wedding Photographers of L'Amour Photography
Hawaii Destination Wedding Bride

This sweet gift was given to the bride right before the ceremony by her groom.  The tradition of the bride and groom giving each other gifts right before the ceremony is a tradition that we are seeing more and more lately. If you are planning to carry out this particular tradition on your wedding day make sure your makeup is water proof and have a large tissue box on hand because there are sure to be some tears flowing.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, AND something from YOU!

Having a hard time thinking of a thoughtful wedding gift to your soon-to-be bride or groom. Here are some helpful hints to ease your brainstorming process.

Something Sparkly: I know you men have spent a ton on the engagement and wedding rings already, but a special piece of jewelry can be a perfect gift for your new bride.  You can choose a piece of jewelry that she can wear that day, or simply something she would love. Either way, I’m sure she will look back on your special day each time she puts it on. For the ladies, you can buy a nice pair of cuff-links or a watch.

Something from the Family: Now that you and yours will be joining each others’ families officially, you may want to ask around to see if there is a special sentimental family item that can be handed down such as an embroidered handkerchief, any jewelry, etc

Something Crafty: You don’t have to be incredibly skilled in arts and crafts to make something thoughtful and meaningful as a wedding day gift.  Put together a small scrapbook of your favorite dates and trips and leave the last page with a blank spot for a wedding photo.  If you are afraid of scrap booking, and I bet many of you are! Those craft store aisles and aisles of paper, cut outs, stickers, and tools can be overwhelming.  Try something simpler like a nice regular photo album and fill it with your favorite photos together.  Another thought, you can even make an overview album of both your lives from babies, growing up, getting together and leave room for more life moments.  If you don’t have any photos around, think of other sentimental things for you two. You can have the name of “your song” embroidered or engraved on something that she or he can keep close, like a money clip, compact mirror, bracelet, etc.

Something Poetic: You don’t have to be Shakespeare to write something to express your love and adoration to your bride or groom.  Take a moment to brainstorm your favorite memories, first impressions, sentimental trips, and adventures and think of what you want to convey to your soon-to-be husband or wife.  You don’t even have to rhyme!  Just write from the heart.  Now that you have the perfect words to say, think of a special way of presenting them.  Write it on fancy paper, or have it printed and framed, cut out each sentence and store them in a nice box.

No matter what you do, as long as it is thoughtful and special, you can’t go wrong.  I hope this article has given you some ideas to go off of.  Best of luck and happy planning to you!

The Wedding Hula

There are many reasons you may want to consider incorporating a hula dance into your Hawaii wedding reception. Here are just a few.

Hawaiian wedding tradition – Combining song and story telling through dance, this Hawaiian tradition is often performed during a wedding reception by professional hula dancers or by the bride herself. One of the most popular songs for a hula wedding dance is the Hawaiian Wedding Song. The Wedding Hula is a very slow and beautiful dance that will captivate your guests.

Hula Wedding Dance to Hawaiian Wedding song

Entertainment – Hula or Tahitian dancers are a perfect addition to any Hawaiian wedding ceremony or reception. Hula dancers are often hired to perform an elegant dance to start a wedding ceremony as guest are seated and also as they are leaving the ceremony. Tahitian dancers, with their fast paced movements and upbeat music can be the perfect start to a Hawaii hula wedding reception. WannaHula is a great resource for getting hula lessons or hiring professional dances for your hula wedding.

Hula Wedding Dancers at Turtle Bay Oahu

Starting the party – Don’t just leave it to the professionals! Add a fun activity to your Hawaii wedding reception by getting your guests involved in learning to hula at your wedding. Professional hula dancers can guide your group of wedding guest through the basics moves of hula. Educational AND hilarious!

Hula Wedding Dancers teach guests to dance

Romantic – If you are rhythmically skilled, you may want to consider learning the wedding hula to perform for your husband at your wedding reception. This can be a special surprise and a beautiful representation of your love.

Bride performs Hula Wedding Dance in Hawaii

Cute – Young wedding guests often perform the hula for the bride and groom during the reception. This is a super cute way to keep your guests entertained and give a young talent a stage to show their hula skills in your honor.

Kids perform hula dance at a hawaii wedding reception

Whether you hire professionals to entertain your guests, schedule a quick hula lesson during your reception, or perform the hula to the Hawaiian Wedding Song for your love, hula dancing is a perfect way to add some Hawaiian wedding tradition to your special Hula Wedding.

Hawaii Wedding Photographers – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Peace

Hawaii wedding ringbearer in lei gives  the peace sign to photographers
Hawaii wedding ringbearer in lei gives the peace sign to photographers

This cute little ring bearer reminds us to maintain some peace on a hectic wedding day.  Our bride and grooms are always asking if we have any advice to help their wedding day go smoothly.  While we have learned many little tips and tricks over the years, one of our main suggestions relates to keeping a feeling of peace on the wedding day.

Let’s be honest, weddings are very stressful days with important moments and important people! Coordinating all of the infinite details of a wedding can be overwhelming and preoccupying on any wedding day.  In the end, we find that it all comes down to attitude and peace of mind.  Things may run late, details might turn out a little different than planned, the flower girl might cry, and you might forget something, but in the end you and your one-and-only are going to be married and live happily ever after. And that is the peace of mind we wish all of our wonderful brides and grooms on their big day!

Hawaii Wedding Photographer – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Not just a ringbearer

Ringbearer helps bride put on her wedding shoes
Ring bearer helps bride put on her wedding shoes

Ring bearers have an important job on a wedding day.  This cute ring bearer took on some additional responsibilities in helping the bride put on her shoes! But, being a ring bearer can be a nerve-racking event for any little boy.  Here are some tips to help ensure that your wedding ceremony goes smoothly and that everyone has a good time.

Try to put a positive spin on the possibly scary parts of the day.  If you are worried about the wedding rings on the pillow, hand the pillow to the ring bearer right as he walks down the aisle, or simply have a groomsman carry the real rings.  Set a goal for your ring bearer such as walking directly to the best man and giving him a high five. Provide the kids at your wedding with some fun and quiet activities to do at the reception to keep them entertained.  Coloring, puzzles, and drawing are all good activities for your reception. Keep an eye on the kids, especially during important moments of the wedding day. We have seen little fingers going into the wedding cake, handstands in the ceremony aisle, kids running around people doing speeches and many other unfortunate distractions.  All in all, help your ring bearer feel special and important on your big day while trying to keep them as comfortable and entertained as possible.

Hawaii Destination Wedding – Corie & Bryan’s Turtle Bay Wedding

Ever since we became proud puppy parents, we’ve learned so many ways that a dog can change your life for the better. At Corie and Bryan’s recent destination wedding at Turtle Bay, we learned of yet another. When Bryan brought his dog in for obedience training he had no idea the trainer would someday join him on Oahu to become his Wife.

Corset of Destination Wedding Dress

Oahu wedding dress Hawaii Wedding Shoes Since Corie & Bryan had chose Oahu for their Hawaii Wedding, Turtle Bay was the perfect venue for them. Not only did Corie train dogs, she also is passionate about horses – the beach by the Stables at Turtle bay made a perfect backdrop for their Hawaii Wedding. While Corie was planning the wedding, she fell in love with the Pink and Yellow Plumeria flowers and decided to not only use the flowers in her bouquet, but also to use the colors of the flowers as the weddings color theme.

hawaii wedding ceremony hawaii wedding turtle bay stables beach oahu turtle bay stables wedding

horse stables wedding

hawaii wedding As it was an intimate destination wedding, Corie & Bryan were able to have their reception in Turtle Bay’s beautiful pavilion. turtle bay pavilion wedding turtle bay wedding oahu sunset wedding Congratulations Corie & Bryan!! To see more Weddings at Turtle Bay by Hawaii Wedding Photographers at L’Amour Photography, browse through our blog or check out this destination weddingDaily Shot of Love,  or this gallery of photos of the grounds of Turtle Bay Resort.

Hawaii Wedding Photographers – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Coconuts for DIY brides

Hawaii Wedding DIY Coconut and moss Ring Pillow
Hawaii Wedding DIY Coconut and moss Ring Pillow

We absolutely love to see our brides use their creativity in their wedding design, decor, and details. Many of our past brides have shown their incredible creative talents in designing their own invitations, themes, centerpieces, favors, and in the above shown photo, ring pillows.

This green ring pillow was made of all natural materials including a coconut, moss, and natural twine to tie the rings. This DIY bride added a personal touch to this creative ring pillow by carving out the bride and groom’s initials on the side.

The bride and creator of this ring pillow wowed her guests with many other DIY designs for the tropical themed Hawaii wedding. The wedding invitation for this Hawaii wedding at a private estate in Kaneohe was beautifully designed as a postcard with a vintage map of the Hawaiian Islands.

Still searching for the perfect details and decor for your Hawaiian Wedding? Here are some wedding tips to add a tropical twist to your Hawaii wedding decor:

  • Use whole coconuts or whole pineapples to line your ceremony isle or walkways.
  • Use whole lychees to add texture to your centerpieces.
  • Hand out bright colored sunglasses or sandals for your guests as a fun and useful wedding favor.
  • Incorporate sand into your centerpieces or even at the base of your cake (use brown sugar to get the look of sand, but not the taste!)
  • Use vintage style hawaiian postcards as place cards or table cards.
  • Use local tropical flowers to accent place settings.
  • Set up a bubble blowing station for kids or even a shave ice stand!

Would you like to share your ideas for Hawaii Wedding themes or decor. Feel free to leave a comment here!

Hawaii Wedding Photographer – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Candlelight

First dances are one of the most memorable parts of a Hawaii wedding.  This is the moment the day stops rushing by when the bride and groom get a moment to themselves to look into each others’ eyes with the new excitement of being married.

Here are a few hints to help your first dance as husband and wife go off without a hitch.

Pick your first dance song: Many couples don’t have a special song, so here are some suggestions to help you find the perfect song.  Consider some classic “oldies” love songs that can give  your dance a very timeless and classic feel.  If you share a favorite band, look up the band’s songs and see if there is a good slow song.  If you are getting married in Hawaii, you might want to look into traditional Hawaiian love songs that can really set the mood for your destination wedding reception.

Bride and groom share their first dance under a chandelier in Hawaii

Bride and groom share their first dance under a chandelier in Hawaii

Check the song length: A good length for a first dance at a wedding is anywhere from two to three minutes. Any shorter than that goes by very quickly and may not give enough time for all the moments you would want in photographs from your first dance.  Songs longer than three minutes can lose your guest’s attention and seem like forever to be in the spotlight with everyone watching.

Put a spin on it: Practice dancing with your fiance so you can get the feel for who is leading, where to go, how to turn, or dip. Consider choreographing part of your dance, incorporating your bridesmaids and groomsmen, or using props to add some entertainment value to your first dance.

Have fun: That is L’Amour Photography’s moto for every wedding. People are always asking us for advice on their wedding. While we always have tips and advice for any bride and groom, above all else, we suggest the bride and groom to make their decisions based on what they really want. It’s your wedding day, make it your own!

Hawaii Wedding Photographers – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Palms

So many of us have dreamed of a perfect Hawaii beach wedding just like the one in the photo below.  We have gathered up some helpful hints for your Hawaii Beach Wedding.

Tip #1: Location, location, location! Although you may not be able to scout out the location in person until everything is already planned,  make sure you take advantage of some helpful tools in your belt. Google Images. There are few better resources to see a bunch of photos at once and judge for yourself which ones you imagine your Hawaii wedding at.  Once you narrow down your list of beaches, search for those particular beaches in Google images and pay attention to how many people are there and the surroundings such as parking lots, life guard towers, boat launches, piers, etc.  Make sure you check out the beach on Google Maps’ satellite view too. It gives you a great idea about the clarity of the water, proximity to other venues, access points and terrain.

Tip #2: Permits! If you are planning a Hawaii beach ceremony you should definitely do your research on your chosen beach to find out what restrictions apply and what permits are necessary.  This is very important to get all figured out before you make any final decisions.

Tip #3: Day of the Week! Of course, you may not have as much flexibility as you would like on this one, but you should definitely take into consideration the day of the week and time of day during which you plan to be at the beach.  While tourists flock to beaches every day of the week, keep in mind that local people will also hit the Hawaii beaches especially on weekends. Weekdays especially Monday through Thursday would likely be your best bet on the least amount of people on the beaches.

Tip#4: Be Realistic: Each beach is a little different from the next.   You may not be able to find a beach that meets all of your needs or desires, so it is best to prioritize your most important qualities in your dream Hawaii Beach Wedding.  Easy access, ample parking, foliage, bathrooms, view of the sunset, how secluded it is, proximity to your hotel and clarity of the water are all factors that brides have considered when choosing their ideal beach wedding location.  If you are dead set on getting married at a particularly popular Hawaii beach, be prepared to have many on lookers and people passing by and  more likely than not, lots of people in your photos too.  Do your research and think about each location as realistically as you can with the knowledge you gain.

Bride and Groom have a Hawaii Wedding Ceremony on the Beach
Bride and Groom have a Hawaii Wedding Ceremony on the Beach

Hawaii Wedding Photographers – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Citrus theme

Citrus Wedding Theme with yellow orange and green color scheme
Citrus Wedding Theme with yellow orange and green color scheme

This citrus themed wedding had such a cute and lively feel.   The citrus theme was used on the cupcake wedding cake tiers by accenting the cupcakes with little citrus candy toppers. The centerpieces also incorporated citrus in lining the vase with slices of real lemons and limes. The vases used had an outer compartment held the lemon and lime slices, with the inner section of the vase was filled with bright orange and yellow flowers to compliment the theme.

Yellow, Orange, Green Wedding color scheme
Citrus wedding theme with yellow orange green color scheme

In addition to the citrus theme with the yellow, orange and green wedding color scheme the happy bride and groom also utilized little bird motifs. On the top on the tiers of cupcakes, the cake topper was a tiny birdhouse with the family name painted on it.

Yellow Orange and Green Wedding Colors
Yellow Orange and Green Wedding Colors with citrus theme

L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – On their way

There are many ways to add a vintage feel to your wedding day with your jewelry, veil, and dress. One slightly overlooked detail is often transportation. A classic car cant be a fun and classy way to drive away at the end of your reception.  This destination bride and groom traveled all the way from Australia to have an elegant wedding at Bayer Estate in Honolulu on the island of Oahu. The happy couple chose to rent a Rolls Royce to take them from their ceremony venue to their reception at Roy’s in the heart of Waikiki.

Some of our other couples have borrowed a family member’s classic car to drive off in. We always have such a fun time utilizing classic cars in portrait sessions whenever we get a chance. Check out another wedding we photographed at Bayer estate that featured a bright blue classic Corvette here.

Hawaii Destination Wedding couple drive away in vintage car Rolls Royce
Bride and groom enter a vintage Rolls Royce in Hawaii