I just absolutely love this wedding photo of the little flower girl looking up at all of the bridesmaids as they line up to head out to the Hawaii Beach Wedding at a private estate on the North Shore of Oahu. This wedding party was one of our largest and most fun groups to work with. There were about 8 bridesmaids who all changed after the wedding ceremony from their formal cheongsam (Chinese dress) to more casual and dancing-friendly Hawaiian dresses for the reception.
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.
We can’t get over the simple tropical elegance of this centerpiece. White squared vase held orange orchids with starfish and balls of brown vines added an earthy and organic feel to the whole table decor at this Oahu wedding reception in Kaneohe.
It’s hard not to get that warm fuzzy feeling when you see how couples take care of each other at a wedding. Whether its a groom carrying the bouquet, helping with the a wedding dress train, of giving that helping hand – it is always a wonderful moment. I suppose it makes the moment exceptionally sweet on a destination wedding when the sweet moment involves getting helped out of a vintage ‘vette!
To see more pictures of this Destination Wedding by L’Amour’s team of Destination Wedding Photographers, Please Click Here
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.
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.
We wanted to wish all the mothers out there a very happy mother’s day today, and to commemorate the day we thought we share this sweet mommy moment. We hope all the mothers out there have a wonderful and special mother’s day!!
Click here to see more pictures from this beautiful Northern California Wedding
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.
Haleiwa is one of our favorite places on the island of Oahu, it is no wonder why this destination wedding bride and groom chose Haleiwa as the perfect spot for their Hawaii beach wedding. With it’s colorful old-western style building’s housing cute boutiques and awesome eateries, this North Shore town draws tourists to take the drive out of Waikiki and hit “the country” for some serious relaxation and fun.
Haleiwa has so many places to be sure not to miss, we thought we would just mention a few (our favorite’s!). Shave ice is shave ice, but Matsumoto’s is a certified tourist must! A Hawaii tourist’s checklist is not complete without visiting this cute shave ice place. We suggest Matsumoto’s Rainbow with ice cream. If you aren’t feeling the need for sweets, just go in and wander around the souvenir gifts. From magnets, stickers, t-shirts, board shorts to hats, you will be happily surprised at the plethora of cool and colorful designs to choose from.
Be sure not to miss the sunset from Haleiwa Beach Park. This palm tree lined beach park honestly is not the nicest looking park, but at sunset people gather to sit on the wall to get the quintessential Hawaiian sunset shot with beautiful silhouettes of palm trees accenting the colorful skies.
Sometimes, one of the most precious moments during a wedding day is that rare moment where a bride and groom sit back and take a second to just be with each other. Even better when the bride and groom take a second out of their destination wedding to sit on the front porch of the Moana Surfrider in Waikiki with a glass of champagne!
At almost any wedding – Destination Wedding or not – finding a second to steal away with each other is a great idea! Take advantage of the time that you have during your wedding portrait session to take a moment to just relax. The time you spend relaxing may become one of those many treasured moments of your big day!
This Hawaii destination wedding bride and groom from California had the great idea to have their wedding ceremony and reception at a private estate in Kaneohe on the island of Oahu, over looking Kaneohe Bay. Private estates can be great wedding venues for smaller Hawaii weddings. In some cases, the houses may be rented out to the couple and their guests in the days surrounding the wedding. That can really make a difference to your guests’ and your families’ experience while in Hawaii for your wedding. No need to deal with hotels, parking issues, or scheduling to meet up with people. To top that, you don’t have to worry about your guests showing up late to your wedding since they will already be there!
This particular private estate had a gorgeous view of Kaneohe Bay as well as a manicured garden with a heart-shaped bush, an inviting pool (so inviting, that the best man jumped right in after doing his speech during the reception!).
Check out more Hawaii Wedding articles on our blog to see other wonderful Oahu wedding venues and private estates!
This Hawaii Destination Wedding couple left their beach ceremony with sandals in hand as they headed out to their waiting limo. When planning your destination wedding or beach wedding, shoes are a definite item to ponder over. Well, not so much for the men, since their decisions are fairly straightforward, but for the brides, bridesmaids and even guests, choosing the right shoes for the wedding can be a fairly important decision. We have seen brides hobbling along throughout their wedding because their wedding shoes, while beautiful, were just not right for the venue which their Hawaii wedding takes place. We’ve seen guests’ heels sinking into grass, trying to maneuver rocky shores, or struggling to walk up and down steep slopes.
Here are some tips and tricks of savvy Hawaii destination wedding brides we have picked up over the years. For a garden wedding where there will definitely be grass lawns and garden paths, wedged high-heels are a great choice to keep the beloved height benefits of heels but with added stability.
Another great idea for brides and bridesmaids who want heels for their Hawaii wedding, SoleMates high heel protectors that you snap on the tip of your heel to add a wider area to balance on. Theses brilliant little inventions can be taken on and off your favorite pair of heels when needed (much better than sinking into the grass)! These probably wont help much on the sand, so you may have to opt for sandals.
Another great option for beach wedding brides is having one nice pair of heels for the indoor portions of your ceremony or reception and one pair of sandals for the beach. This way, you get the best of both worlds and don’t have to reek havoc on your soles and your perfectly manicured toes by going barefoot on beaches and exposing them to rocks, pebbles, and twigs.
Our Hawaii Wedding Bride and Grooms have had so many great ideas for their destination wedding, we just have to share them with you all. Ever have a question for us? Leave us a comment!
Intricately detailed wedding dresses are always so much fun to photograph. It is these details that won over the heart of the bride after searching all over for the perfect dress for her Hawaii Destination Wedding. Sheer layers, beading, lace, ribbons, and broaches all add style to a wedding dress that really makes it stand out amongst others. This elegant wedding dress was a cream colored sheath dress with beading around the bodice accented by two ribbons and a simple train. The beaded edge of her fingertip length veil was the perfect match for a classically elegant destination wedding dress.
Check out our Blog for more Hawaii Wedding Photography at various venues and get ideas for your Hair, Makeup, Flowers, Dress, and Veil!
People always ask us for advice for their engagement session – Do you want to know a secret? One of the most important ingredients to a great engagement session is to just be relaxed and to be yourself. Simple as that! This couple was so playful, fun, and relaxed that it made the session fly by! This engagement session was shot on the west coast of Oahu at the Ihilani Marriot in Ko Olina.
Oh – do you want to know another secret? Believe it or not, this shot was not creatively altered in photoshop 🙂 How’d they do that! 🙂
There are so many fun things to mention about this wedding, we will have to save most for this Hawaii destination wedding bride and groom’s blog article. This whole wedding party was just full of love, happiness and positivity. We are so lucky to say that we have been blessed with wonderfully sweet clients over the years. This lovely couple was so wonderful to work with and even sent us home with a bottle of their favorite champagne from a winery near their home in California! Mucho mahalo!
We are so happy that vintage style has come back to weddings in Hawaii. We love vintage wedding details like birdcage veils, broaches, covered buttons, embroidered handkerchiefs, and lace. It is so interesting to see how brides have been able to incorporate old family items into their own wedding. Not only are vintage items beautifully made and, more often than not, handcrafted, these items also give you a sense of history and timelessness when you see them. No wonder vintage wedding details are becoming more and more popular in Hawaii weddings.
While this particular wedding was not really vintage-inspired, it was fun to put a little vintage twist on the edit. This vintage style Hawaii wedding photo was taken at a private garden wedding at Haiku Gardens on Oahu.