People talk big game about Hawaii. I feel like it’s one of those polarizing travel locations where you either are completely obsessed and never shut up about it or you’ve never been. I had never stepped foot on Oahu before this wedding. That’s right: I’m a first time Hawaii virgin. This is shocking, given how much I travel, but let’s be honest. You’ll generally find me more often strolling a European City than an island paradise. When a close friend (and former Pearl Izumi teammate) asks you to fly out to Hawaii and photograph her backyard elopement at her fiancé’s private estate? You say yes, buy the ticket, pack an inordinate amount of cycling clothing into your luggage because you happen to be training for the AIDS Lifecycle ride, and figure the rest of how to moonlight as an Oahu Wedding Photographer out when you land.
Turns out, Oahu teaches you things fast. Like how the rain can come out of nowhere, drench your timeline, and disappear just as quickly. And how small weddings, especially on a laid-back island, are the perfect playground for flexibility.
Rain Delay? No Problem.
This day was supposed to be smooth and sunny. Instead, it rained. A lot. Enough to soak the entire property and force us to push the ceremony back a full hour. But because it was a small, private elopement, that delay wasn’t a crisis. It was just a minor plot twist.
You can’t just shift a 120-guest wedding an hour without setting off a chain reaction of stress and chaos. But with a small group? We chilled. We waited. We had cocktails and pūpūs while we waited. We tapped our feet in puddles and laughed and generally just enjoyed each other’s company. We made it work. And honestly, the photos ended up even better for it. Everyone was relaxed, no one was rushing, and we still got everything that Bri and Will dreamed of.
What I Love About Small Weddings
This experience solidified something I’ve always believed: small weddings are where it’s at. You can pivot when needed, roll with the punches, and still get the shots and the celebration without the logistics circus that comes with big events.
From a photographer’s perspective (and especially for someone brand new to Oahu), this was ideal. I had the freedom to explore, find the best light after the storm cleared, and focus entirely on the people instead of managing a giant wedding-day machine.
Oahu wedding photographers who live here probably know every nook and cranny of this island. Me? I was discovering it in real time, and it was a blast. We got to incorporate parts of William’s historic family property into the photos that felt like incorporating the legacy that his family has brought to the island and this community. Their excitement to share off this place that is so incredibly special to them brought an eager and energetic perspective made everything feel new and exciting and fresh: for me and for them.
This wasn’t just another wedding gig. This was for someone I care about deeply. She used to work for me, and now I’ve photographed her, her family (I photographed her sister Dondra’s wedding also!), and her people more than once. Being trusted with her wedding day? That’s not something I take lightly. It felt like showing up for family. At summer camp. I LOVED it.
And yeah, it rained. And yeah, the timing got screwed up. But it was still perfect. Because we kept it small. Because we kept it real. And I’d call that first experience as an Oahu Wedding Photographer damn near perfect and oh-so-magical.
If you’re planning a wedding or elopement on Oahu and want a photographer who can adapt on the fly (literally and metaphorically), let’s talk. I might not be local, but I know how to make the best of whatever the island throws our way.
Oahu wedding photographers come in all flavors and mine happens to be slightly sarcastic, deeply sentimental, and always ready with backup batteries and and maybe a joke or three.
Get in touch. Let’s go make something awesome.
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