Hawaii Wedding Photographer – Waikiki Engagement Portraits

You can call it an engagement session, a portrait session, a post-wedding shoot, honeymoon portraits, or a trash the dress shoot.  Any thing you want to call it the fact of the matter is that they are a great way to remember a trip to Hawaii.  Our lovely couples come from all over the world to Hawaii for all the same reasons.  There aren’t many places in the United States that you can travel to any time of the year and enjoy 80 degree weather.  Not to mention the gorgeous tropical island setting, yummy poolside cocktails, beach-front hotels, awesome surfing, hiking and a distinctively unique traditional culture. I could go on and on and so can the throngs of couples who travel here every year for a romantic getaway.  No wonder so many couples request that we photograph their portraits to commemorate their trip here and look back on those photos as they freeze through their hometown blustery winters!

This cute couple is newly engaged and wanted to have their engagement portraits done here on Oahu to take advantage of the beautiful architecture of the Moana Surfrider Hotel and the sunset of Waikiki Beach.

Moana Surfrider Wedding Photographer and Waikiki Engagement Photogrpaher Waikiki Wedding and Engagement Photographer Moana Surfrider Hawaii Wedding Photographer Honolulu Wedding and Engagement Photos by L'Amour Photography Oahu Wedding and Engagement Photographer
Oahu Engagement and Wedding Photographer Waikiki Wedding and Engagement Photographer

Destination Wedding Photographer – California Maternity Session

During our last trip to the California Bay Area we had the opportunity to photograph a gorgeous couple to celebrate their engagement and growing family. We had a great maternity and engagement session in San Jose, California surrounded by some nice modern architecture mixed with colorful landscaping. With a happy couple and a diverse setting, we couldn’t ask for anything more!

Hawaii Wedding Photographer of L'Amour Photography on Oahu Hawaii Maternity photography done by L'Amour's Photographers
Oahu Maternity Photos by L'Amour Photography Hawaii Hawaii Pregnancy Portraits by L'Amour Photography Oahu Hawaii Engagement Photos by L'Amour Photography Oahu Oahu Wedding and Engagement Photography
Oahu Engagement Photographer L'Amour Photography Hawaii Hawaii Maternity Photographer L'Amour Photography on Oahu Oahu Maternity and Engagement Photography Oahu Wedding Photographer by L'Amour photography
San Jose Maternity Photographer Hawaii Photography by L'Amour's team of photographers

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!

Underwater photos – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Turtle Love

Turtle photo underwater in Hawaii
Underwater photo of two turtles swimming holding fins

In honor of this cute underwater couple, we were inspired to share some of our favorite quotes on love.  We have heard some great quotes and readings during wedding ceremonies through the years.  Here are just a few that have stuck with us!

“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances:
if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”
~ Carl Jung (1875 – 1961)

“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” ~ David Viscott, 1974

“Love is, above all else, the gift of oneself.” ~ Jean Anouilh, (1910 – 1987)

“There is always some madness in love.
But there is also always some reason in madness.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche, (1844 – 1900)

“I love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person
you want to annoy for the rest of your life.”
~
Rita Rudner

“He who is in love is wise and is becoming wiser, sees newly every time he looks at the object beloved,
drawing from it with his eyes and his mind those virtues which it possesses.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson,  (1803 – 1882)


“If ever there were one, then surely we.
Compare with me,  ye women, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot Quench,
Nor ought but love from thee give recompense.
Thy love is such I can in no way repay;
The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.
Then while we live, in love let’s so persevere,
That when we live no more, we live ever.”   ~
Anne Bradstreet 1612 – 1672


Underwater Trash the Dress Photos – L’Amour Photography

Trash the dress photos are definitely a favorite of ours.  These post wedding photo sessions are more relaxing and with limitless possibilities compared to wedding portraits during the hustle and bustle of the big day.  We also love trash the dress sessions because we get to travel to fun locations, like this beautiful spot out on the sandbar on Oahu.  We get a chance to really hang out with our couples and have a good time getting creative and letting them be themselves on camera.  This couple was the perfect fit for a trash the dress session at the sandbar. They love water and were great at being playful in front of the camera.  They even brought out their own stand up surfboards for the trash the dress photos.  The boards came in handy too as we trekked all of our gear out to this tiny strip of sand out in the ocean!

hawaii trash the dress photos on the beach
We love this trash the dress photo with the couple standing on the sandbar in the ocean off of Oahu
Trash the dress photos underwater in Hawaii
Bride and groom ride stand up surfboards during their trash the dress session in Hawaii
Trash the Dress Photos underwater in Oahu
Underwater trash the dress photo in Oahu
Trash the Dress photos taken underwater in Hawaii by L'Amour Photography
Bride and groom kiss during their underwater trash the dress photo session
Trash the dress photos at the beach in Hawaii
Hawaii Wedding Photography by L'Amour Photography
Underwater Trash the Dress Photos by L'Amour Photography in Hawaii
Underwater photos in Hawaii during a trash the dress session
Trash the Dress Photos by Hawaii Wedding Photographers at L'Amour
Trash the dress session in Hawaii by L'Amour Photography
Trash the Dress Photos taken by Oahu Wedding Photographers L'Amour
Trash the Dress Photos by L'Amour Hawaii Wedding Photography
Trash the Dress Photos taken by Hawaii Wedding Photographer L'Amour Photography
Couple kisses on the sandbar in Hawaii during their trash the dress photos
Trash the Dress Photos taken Underwater in Hawaii by L'Amour Photography
Underwater photos of bride during a trash the dress session in Hawaii

Trash The Dress Behind The Scenes – L’Amour Photography

We love our “jobs.” I tell people all the time that, while it’s by no means an easy job, being a wedding photographer is the most rewarding and exciting profession I’ve ever been in. We get to work with some of the most amazing people on one of the greatest days of their lives – and we get to do it in some of the most beautiful places on earth!

We wanted to give a glance into the behind the scenes of a fun day in the life of a L’Amour photographer. This day we were shooting a Trash the Dress session on the breathtaking sandbar off of Kaneohe in Oahu.

For this Trash the Dress session, we threw a couple Stand-Up Paddle Boards, some dive equipment, and our camera gear in a boat with the adventurous couple and headed out. About ten minutes off shore we arrived at the amazing remote tropical location seen below.

Trash the Dress photos behind the scenes with L'Amour Photography in Hawaii
Trash the Dress photos behind the scenes with L'Amour Photography in Hawaii

We started the Trash the Dress session above the water before we really jumped in. For this one, Eric strapped on some SCUBA gear and headed under while John did quick dives and helped the bride and groom. The crystal clear waters in Hawaii really make the colors pop!

Hawaii Trash the Dress Photos behind the scenes
Eric in Dive gear with John catching a wave - Behind the scenes at L'Amour Photography's Trash the Dress TTD session

We took the opportunity to grab a few shots of the photographers of the day. I’m not sure if you can tell, but we take ourselves extremely seriously… Meet (from left to right) Eric, Wendy, and John.

Trash the Dress Photos undewater
Trash the Dress photos underwater with L'Amour Photography

I said it before and I’ll say it again – we love our jobs. 🙂

Trash the Dress Session Behind the Scenes
Trash the Dress Session Behind the Scenes in Hawaii

Don’t forget to check out this shoot’s blog article here – Underwater Trash the Dress Photos

San Francisco California Engagement Portraits – Mario and Melinda

We couldn’t have asked for a better engagement photo session.  Gorgeous couple, diverse scenery and great weather.  As L’Amour owners and photographers, Wendy and Eric, were born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, when planning out this engagement photo session, we had many ideas of landmark places to stop at.  However, as is typical on any of our shoots, when passing by an inspiring alley, flower shop, or  stream of light we just  had to make a quick detour to take advantage of unexpected and exceptional situations.  We spent a few hours going around San Francisco with this newly engaged couple to capture their engagement photos in various settings that reflect their personal style. Classic, modern, edgy and romantic.   We had such a fun time traveling around the city by the bay with this perfectly paired couple.

San francisco Bay Area Engagement Portrait San francisco Bay Area Engagement Portrait San francisco Bay Area Engagement PortraitSan francisco Bay Area Engagement Portrait San francisco Bay Area Engagement Portrait San francisco Bay Area Engagement PortraitSan francisco Bay Area Engagement PortraitSan francisco Bay Area Engagement PortraitSan francisco Bay Area Engagement PortraitSan francisco Bay Area Engagement PortraitSan francisco Bay Area Engagement Portrait




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

Oahu Wedding Photographer – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Beachy

Destination Wedding Shoes for Hawaii Beach Wedding

We just love the vibrant colors in this Daily Shot of Love. We are so lucky to live in Hawaii and be surrounded by such colorful plants and flowers all year round.  Our team has a great time at every wedding using the surroundings as a back drop for the wedding details.

These beach sandals are perfect for a destination wedding in Hawaii!  Sandals with no heal or wedge are key to a stable walk down the aisle for a beach wedding.  These wedding shoes were simple silver but also had a nice accent with sparkling crystal details for a bit of a fancier look than your everyday dressy sandals.

Here are some of our other favorite blogs about destination wedding shoes.  Little helper putting on brides shoes, How to choose your wedding shoes, a cute idea to make your shoes make a statement!

Hawaii Wedding Photography – Ana and Nelson’s Trash the Dress Photos

As promised earlier in our Hawaii Trash the Dress shoot teaser, here are more photos from L’Amour Photography’s recent Trash the Dress shoot!

Many people ask us, “What is a Trash the Dress shoot?’ I was trying to think of an eloquent answer, something more than “a no-boundaries, day after shoot where the bride and groom don’t have to worry about wrinkles, getting wet, sandy or dirty.”   However, in lieu of a more articulate definition, here are some examples of Trash the Dress photos at the beach, on the rocks, and in a fountain!  Simply put, just a fun day at the beach playing in the water!

Trash the Dress Hawaii by L'Amour Hawaii Wedding Photography

Trash the Dress in the fountain by L'Amour Hawaii Wedding Photography

Trash the Dress Oahu by L'Amour Hawaii Wedding Photography

Trash the Dress Honolulu by L'Amour Hawaii Wedding Photography

Trash the Dress Waikiki by L'Amour Hawaii Wedding Photography

Trash the Dress at the Beach by L'Amour Hawaii Wedding Photography

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!

Pacific Weddings Magazine – Real Wedding by L’amour Photography

We are honored to announce that L’amour Photography has been featured in the Real Weddings article in the latest edition of  Pacific Weddings Magazine Summer/Fall 2010.

Pacific Weddings Magazine Hawaii Real Wedding by L'Amour Photography
Pacific Weddings Magazine Hawaii Real Wedding by L'Amour Photography

Michelle and Mark were such an amazing couple, beautiful inside and out. Their Hawaii destination wedding was held at the historic Bayer Estate with a  turquoise blue and ivory color scheme adding vibrance to starfish and sand dollar accents of their beach themed wedding.  Michelle looked classic and elegant in her cream colored wedding dress which Michelle had altered to fit her dreams of the perfect wedding dress.  She had the front of the skirt of her wedding dress shortened, showcasing her Badgley Mischka shoes, and each layer of  her voluminous dress was lined with satin ribbon. This fashionable bride worked with Designs by Hemmingway for her wedding flowers and decided to go with a simple white orchid corsage instead of the traditional wedding bouquet.

Stay tuned for more on this beautiful wedding.

Destination Wedding Photographers – L’Amour’s Daily Shot of Love – Blue Skies

Bride in flowing destination wedding dress stands by the ocean in Hawaii
Bride in flowing destination wedding dress stands by the ocean in Hawaii

This beautiful bride wore the most stunning cream colored destination wedding dress for her Hawaii Wedding on Oahu. The fabric floral asymmetrical strap continued down the bodice with fabric flowers defining the empire waist.  The light flowing layers of this Hawaii Wedding Dress completed the look by adding a whimsical and airy feeling to this elegant dress. The back of the dress was secured with a classic corset closure.  After the beach ceremony, the happy couple headed out to Waikiki for their dinner reception where the bride changed into yet another stunning dress. The second wedding dress was a strapless flowing destination wedding gown in pale pink with beading accenting the bodice. Two perfect dresses for one beautiful bride.

Pacific Weddings Magazine – La Plume Editorial featuring L’Amour Photography

L’amour Photography has been published in editorial “Plume” featuring the vintage inspired wedding accessory line, La Plume Couture, in the latest edition of  Pacific Weddings Magazine Summer/Fall 2010.

Pacific Weddings Magazine Plume Photographer L'Amour Photography Oahu
"Plume" editorial in Pacific Weddings Magazine

La Plume Couture features gorgeous hairpieces, hats, bracelets, feather bouquets and purses all with classic and vintage beauty. These accessories can make an ordinary wedding into a truly unique wedding.  Check out the “Plume” article in the current addition of Pacific Weddings Magazine on stands now to learn more about this new accessory line and see more photos by L’Amour Photography.