Maui Wedding Photographer - Anna Kim Photography

Saying “I Do” at Merriman’s: Lindsay + Aaron

Anna Kim — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:59:18 +0000

There are a few places on Maui which are so magical, I could shoot there every day and never get tired of it. One of those places is Merriman’s on the West side of Maui. There is a beautiful bay with calm, clear blue water, soft sand, and a short walk away is an amazing lava ledge that flows out into the ocean. When the sun sets, the golden light hits the black rocks, the sea turns a deep blue, and the stars come out to play. And of course, just up the hill is Merriman’s, one of my favorite restaurants on the island.

We had the pleasure of photographing Lindsay and Aaron’s wedding at this beautiful spot last weekend. They were such a sweet couple, and they had a great group of friends and family to share the moment with them. They wrote their own vows, which didn’t leave a dry eye among the guests. Afterwards, we walked down to the bay for some shots in the sand and water, and then finished up on the lava rocks, where they were treated to the most spectacular sunset of the year!

Congratulations, Lindsay & Aaron!

Wedding ceremony & reception: Merriman’s Maui
Wedding florals: Della of Dellables

The Ocean Blue

Anna Kim — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:36:50 +0000

I grew up in land-locked Minnesota. The state does have over 10,000 lakes (with nearly as many mosquitoes on any given night) which made the summer months at friends’ cabins and occasionally on boats quite enjoyable. However, there is something indescribable about being so close to a vast ocean – the smell of the salty air, the ocean breeze running through your hair, and the freedom to take a refreshing dip whenever you want. Lately, I’ve been guilty of not taking advantage of this, and my stand-up paddle board has an impressive layer of dust to prove it.

Luckily, a good friend visited last month, so I played tourist and had an excuse to get out on the water. With lots of colorful fish, turtles, dolphins, and whales splashing around at this time of year, this is one of the best ways to enjoy the islands. Reminiscing about her visit, I was inspired to post a few shots from our snorkel trip on the beautiful Kai Kanai sailboat!

Trust me, if you do visit Maui, getting out on the water is a must.

Melissa & Clay plus one ~ A babymoon shoot on Oahu

Anna Kim — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:04:00 +0000

Melissa and Clay were having their babymoon on Oahu last month, and my husband Elan and I had the pleasure of photographing the two of them. They are expecting their first baby soon and I couldn’t be more thrilled for them! We started at Turtle Bay, where they (and apparently Lindsey Lohan) were staying. The surf competition had just ended and the waves were calming down, but that did not stop a surfer and his dog from catching some waves (see photo below). We hopped in the car and drove towards Haleiwa, dodging the rain and stopping at a few different places that caught our eye (a Convalescent Home being one of them!). We finished the photo shoot at Shark Pit, just as the sun was setting.

Melissa and Clay, you are going to be phenomenal parents! Thank you for the laughs, drinks and good conversation. Now if only I can find a three wolf moon onsie….

Hair & Make-Up Artist: Gemina Chong of Faith and Beauty

Lanterns of Love: Susan + Yung

Anna Kim — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:28:44 +0000

As the saying goes when it comes to meeting The One: “When you know, you know.”

On the day they met, Yung had a strong hunch that Susan would be the girl he would end up marrying. The two were having lunch with mutual church friends, and Yung jumped at the chance to sit across from the pretty new girl. They had an instant connection and the flirting began. After a few months of dating, he decided to propose.

She said yes, and they planned this all-day destination wedding in just a month, which is incredibly impressive. They said their vows on the breathtaking grounds of The Ritz Carlton Kapalua amid friends and family. Whales were breaching in the background as the two were married, and there were many tears of joy and hugs shared among the guests. They decided to incorporate elements of their Korean culture into their wedding, which I absolutely adored. They wore brightly colored hanboks for Pyebaek, which is a ceremony where the bride formally greets her new parents-in-law after the wedding ceremony. The newlyweds bow and the parents throw dates to them. The number of dates that they catch symbolizes the number of children they will have. The groom also gives a piggyback ride to his mother, mother-in-law, and his bride which symbolizes his acceptance of his obligations to both his mother and wife.

To close the perfect evening, Susan and Yung, along with their immediate family and pastor, went to Kapalua Bay to light wish lanterns under the full moon.

Congratulations Susan & Yung on an extraordinary wedding! I will see you next year for your anniversary.

Ceremony & Reception site: The Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Maui
Florals: Asa Flowers
Videography: HI Focused Videography
Pastor: Jin Han
Hair & Make-Up Artist: Mira Hong of Labella Wedding Hawaii

Thank you to Trish Barker for assisting me on this wedding!

Lazy Saturday morning….

Anna Kim — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:49:39 +0000

I can clearly remember spending Saturday mornings as a child at home, channel surfing for the best cartoons, eating cereal and battling my brothers for control of the remote. In college, it was all about staying in bed as long as possible, sipping coffee, reading the newspaper, and occasionally trying to tackle the weekend crossword puzzles, which seemed impossible compared to Monday’s puzzle. Those were the days….

Meet Ashley, one of my most lovable friends. We were both in Oahu for work and spent a few extra days there for some R & R. It was great to share a lazy Saturday morning with her, and I couldn’t resist getting some photos. Thank you, Ashley, for being a great model, being so spontaneous and letting me take some pics of you in your PJs.

Girls just want to have fun

Anna Kim — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 08:08:27 +0000

Here are a few of my favorites from yesterday’s shoot for the incredibly talented makeup artist Jessica Waite. She is one of Maui’s most sought after makeup artists and for very good reason. She not only makes brides look beautiful and radiant for their wedding day, but she is also just the sweetest person to be around, which makes the whole process so much more enjoyable and relaxing.

Thank you, Jessica, for asking me to be a part of this shoot — I’m looking forward to the next one!

Cruising the North Shore

Anna Kim — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:58:12 +0000

When I received an email from Ja Tecson asking if I would take photos of him and his wife while they were on Maui, I was flattered. That lasted only a second before the panic attack set in. You see, Ja is an incredible photographer who has shot for some huge companies, including Nike. I’ve admired his editorial work for quite some time.

As soon as I met them, I knew they were going to be awesome to work with! We went around to some of my favorite spots on the North shore. Many thanks to my friend Camps (Ashley Camper) for connecting us. I truly feel that it’s talented and supportive photographers like Ja, Bev and Ashley who make the photography community as amazing as it is! I am looking forward to the Ja Tecson Hawaii shoot out next year!

Michaela + Kyle: Makena Beach & Golf Resort

Anna Kim — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:11:23 +0000

When Kyle and Michaela visited the Makena Beach & Golf Resort a year ago, they knew right away this would be their wedding spot. They spent the next year planning their beautiful Maui wedding. There were so many helping hands in this wedding and sweet little touches to the details. The bouquet had buttons from her mom’s wedding dress, and Kyle’s talented aunt made Michaela’s exquisite sash. As soon as Micheala got into her dress, her mom started crying, which started a cascade of others in the room tearing up. Kyle had sent her a hand-written note with a beautiful heart bracelet the morning of the wedding.

The love and enthusiasm that surrounded this wedding was such a pleasure to document. I knew this was going to be a fun group as soon as I walked into the room and the groomsmen were engaged in some friendly ribbing with Kyle. Kyle was glued to his phone, watching a YouTube video on how to tie a tie. Not just any knot, he wanted to tie a double knot for this special day, and look his best for Michaela.

Michaela is one of those girls whom you feel like you’ve known for years. She was dancing in the hotel room, hugging everyone in the room who was helping her get ready, and telling everyone how thankful she was for them to be with her.

With their hands held tight, these two said their vows at the Makena Vista site at Makena Beach and Golf Resort. There was a huge outpouring of love and excitement levels were super high on their picture-perfect wedding day! And honestly, one could not ask for a more breathtaking sunset, everyone should be so lucky to have a sunset like this on their wedding day!

Congratulations Michaela & Kyle!

Wedding Ceremony & Reception: Makena Beach & Golf Resort
Hair Stylist: Dan Sanchez
Make-up Artist: Jessica Waite
Wedding Florals: Della of Dellables

Thank you Jes Akin for assisting me on this wedding!

Laura + Jackson: Married!

Anna Kim — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:23:55 +0000

These two lovebirds were married today at The Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Maui!

Here’s a sneak peek of Laura and Jackson’s spectacular wedding!

Four Seasons Lanai: Jarah + Vince

Anna Kim — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 23:14:44 +0000

Over the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of shooting a few weddings at the Four Seasons on Lanai. Here is Jarah & Vince’s love story, in their words:

We met the first week of business school, at the popular MBA bar. It was a time when our class of 800 people was trying to get to know each other very quickly. We realized we had a lot in common almost instantly, and have been pretty much inseparable since. After school we both found jobs and moved to Los Angeles- we both love California. Vince proposed at the top of a beautiful hike in Joshua Tree. The proposal almost didn’t happen that weekend. He tried to surprise me with a weekend getaway, but I said I was tried and wanted to stay home that weekend. But he kept insisting, so I knew I better get with the program. We arrived at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs (which I love) only to discover it was White Party weekend, which meant a bumping dance party at the pool all night! Not exactly the most romantic environment, so we moved to a more subdued hotel and went on the hike the next day. I remember thinking something was going on because on the way to the park he almost ran a red light- I screamed “Stop!” and he did, and had to reverse the car. The car was still in reverse when the light turned green again, oops….luckily no one was behind us. At the top of the hike he pulled the ring out of his pocket and then everything made sense. I was overcome with joy and of course the answer was yes.

Vince was the one who chose Lanai. I was working a lot and getting no where with wedding planning, so I asked him to find something in Hawaii. We’d taken several special vacations to Puerto Rico while living on the east coast, and I wanted to recreate the secluded beach feeling somewhere closer to our new home. Lanai was the ideal location- beautiful, quiet, charming, with near-empty beaches- perfection. We had the best time relaxing on the beach with our closest family and friends, and everyone at the Four Seasons made sure our day was incredibly special. I miss Lanai already, we will certainly be back!

Congratulations Jarah & Vince!

Wedding ceremony & reception site: Four Seasons Lanai ~ Manele Bay
Florals: Lois Hiranaga Floral Design

Endless Summer

Anna Kim — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:10:41 +0000

Taking the leap…

Anna Kim — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 20:40:53 +0000

These two do stunts for a living so you can imagine how much fun we had during the Bride & Groom portraits!

Congratulations Rorelee & Chad on a sweet wedding yesterday!

Vida!

Anna Kim — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:40:41 +0000

I’ve known this little girl since she was in Rana’s belly! This girl has so much sweetness and spunk. She’s grown up into such a precocious and smart little girl since our last photo session which can be seen HERE.

Congratulations Rana & Brandon on the news, I cannot wait to meet Vida’s little sibling! The next belly shots should be on the beaches of Maui….what d’ya say?

Petals & Pup: Stylized shoot in Kula, Maui

Anna Kim — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:52:39 +0000

Beautiful upcountry Maui. A furry pup. A swing. A dazzling array of flowers. And one of the sweetest couples ever.

A few weeks ago, Della had an impromptu idea for a stylized shoot. Della of Dellables is one of Maui’s most popular florists and it’s easy to see why, her work is simply fantastic. There are few people I know who have the artistic vision and talent that Della possesses.

Thank you to Chrissy Swink for doing such a beautiful job on the hair & makeup! And a big thanks to Jes Akin, who helped pull this shoot together within a day’s notice. It’s wonderful to be surrounded with such talent & inspiration.

Beautiful floral arrangements by Della of Dellables
Hair & Makeup: Chrissy Swink
Models: Jamie Akin & Tony

This pup was a good sport, letting us decorate her with flowers!

My + James

Anna Kim — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:16:42 +0000

I’ve been having a great time editing the photos from this wedding session on Maui!

Here’s a sneak peek of these two lovebirds!

Olowalu Plantation House: Yukari + Luke

Anna Kim — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:38:26 +0000

I cannot wait to share this wedding with you. Yukari and Luke were married at the Olowalu Plantation House this week! Stay tuned.

Married on Maui: Kelli + Daniel

Anna Kim — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 23:15:44 +0000

Kelli and Daniel were married last month on the beautiful grounds of the Makena Beach and Golf Resort. I loved all the bright colors in this wedding, as well as the details, like the flowers arranged along the aisle.

Congratulations, Kelli & Daniel!

Ceremony & Reception: Makena Beach and Golf Resort
Officiant: Revernd Al Terry
Gorgeous florals: Della of Dellables
Make up artist: Cindy Walker

A big mahalo to Nirav Patel for assisting me on this wedding!

Wide-eyed Wonder

Anna Kim — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 07:42:19 +0000

Love in the time of taro

Anna Kim — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:19:56 +0000

Here’s a sneak peek of today’s shoot on Kauai with Dona & Tony!

Jennifer & Matt: Getting their feet wet

Anna Kim — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:33:20 +0000

These photos were taken a few days before their wedding here on the island, and the two of them could not have been more excited! Jennifer and Matt traveled from Tennessee and I just love their Southern accents. Right off the bat, I knew we could be good friends if they only lived on Maui. Matt met Jennifer when he was interviewing at different pharmacies, and when he happened to interview with Jennifer, he was easily convinced to accept the job. It has been a sweet romance ever since!

Congratulations, Jennifer & Matt! If you do ever decide to open a pharmacy here, please let me be the first to know.