Hapuna wedding | KAREN LOUDON photographyKAREN LOUDON photography

I met Chao & Yang for the first time on their wedding day, getting ready in their room at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort. Wow. Chao looks like she just stepped out of a vintage issue of Vogue. She’s gorgeous with dark hair & sparkling eyes. And to top it off, she has a classy style that perfectly balances the classic with the bold. Meeting Chao in person was the confirmation that she is perfect for Yang. Chao is creative, calm, strong, smart, and knows resolutely what is most important to her. And there was no better illustration of all these things than on her wedding day.

Chao & Yang, thank you for inviting us to be part of your wedding day. It was truly a beautiful experience.

Wedding officiants: Rev. Daird & Rev. Penei Aller
Hair and Makeup: Mara McMichael, beautyluxsalon

With the blue sky above the Pacific in the background, Beth and Adam exchanged vows and rings and later mingled with their guests at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, on the sunny Kohala coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. A big congratulations to Beth and Adam. Here are just a few favorites moments from their day!

Beth and Adam decided to do a First look and see each other and take some photos before the wedding….. the First Look is a good idea for so many reasons:

First things first : Back when brides were betrothed to their husbands, the groom wasn’t allowed to see the bride before the ceremony in case he didn’t like the way she looked; waiting until the ceremony meant he couldn’t back out. You can read more about the origin here. Luck has nothing to do with it!

The happiest, most emotional photos come out of First Looks. It’s just the two of you, (and me in the background, of course), and you get to spend a few minutes of your wedding day alone. Just the two of you!

I absolutely, cannot imagine walking up to the altar looking my best on my happiest day and not be able to hug, let alone talk to my groom!

The ugly cry. Let’s be honest, ladies, you know what I’m talking about. If you’re prone to the ugly cry (that awful fighting-back-tears-and-failing-miserably-face), this really may be something you want to think about.

It’s your wedding day. Spend it together!

“Hide the bride” isn’t as fun as it sounds. Especially when we’re on a tight schedule.

Your time line. Doing a First Look allows me to take care of the portraits of you and your groom ahead of time, along with 75% of your posed family photo list (we save extended family photos for after the ceremony.) With this being the case, instead of the ceremony ending and spending the next hour on photos, followed immediately by your grand entrance into the reception, first dance, toasts, and parent dances, you instead spend 10 minutes on family photos, enjoy your cocktail hour (remember all those drinks you’re paying for?!), and you get time to enjoy every minute of your wedding reception.

Ultimately it’s your choice, and I’ll still love you if you decide to not see each other first. I mean… I do love my First Look couples a bit more, but we can still be friends. It’s cool. And hey, if you aren’t getting married at sunset and can guarantee me 45 minutes for photos of just the two of you, ignore everything I just said!