Jennifer and Joe: Hawaiian Engagement Session

Jennifer and Joe: Hawaiian Engagement Session

When I sent her the questionnaire that we have all our brides fill out she filled out the how we met in fell in love part with great easy and told us a beautiful story of love. I think it is only fitting that Jenn (who is a faithful reader of the blog 🙂 ) tell their love story:

“Jenn’s a Southern girl from Memphis; Joe’s a South Korean boy from Maryland. And Hawaii was our meeting place. We both met when Joe was serving as a semester intern for the Baptist College Ministry located across from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Our first introduction was on the steps of the Baptist dorm ~ an old Edwardian style house located in beautiful Manoa valley where about 22-25 students from all different islands live during their college years. As you can imagine, a house full of college students meant lots of laughter, lots of pranks, and lots of developing ohana (family). Some of our closest friends were made during our years at the dorm.

Neither one of us felt romantic sparks in the beginning. If you asked us if we had feelings for each other at that time we’d probably say no way. After a fall semester living in the Baptist dorms, Jenn flew to Rome for a semester abroad not knowing when or if she’d be returning to Hawaii. But thankfully Jenn returned to Hawaii the fall 2006 to work as a college intern along with Joe and the rest of the BCM team. And a year and a half into our friendship something clicked (especially after an intense prank that left Joe more than a little upset at Jenn!). Joe’s love for books and soul-stirring conversations slowly opened the doors for Jenn’s heart to become more than curious. We also started running together that fall semester; we’d often ride the bus down to Waikiki and join the Niketown running group. Maybe running around the Magic Island route played a little role too!”

One thing we really wanted to do with this engagement session was really show the beauty of the Island and the intimacy of the couple. We wanted to hone in our landscape work and at the same time reflect the nature of Hawaii. Typically we have slightly more moody images but for Jenn and Joe that just won’t do; they needed life, love, and the island in their images. Here is an example of how we take the couple’s relationship into account and then embrace it with our signature style:

One of our favorites from their engagement session! I love the trees of Oahu!

Another favorite for sure! We waited for a while for this shot since their was a wedding going on right where Jenn and Joe are standing. Pretty sure it was worth the wait. Rabbit Island makes a great back drop.

Tune in for Jenn’s bridal session and the full wedding post!
Cheers,
Savannah and Philip

Jenn and Joe: Engagement Session Sneak Peek

Jenn and Joe: Engagement Session Sneak Peek

Now that we are back on the mainland we really really really miss Hawaii. It was such a magical place full of wonder and excitement. Every time we turned the corner there was a new adventure awaiting us. I wish we never had to leave! I can see why Jenn and Joe haven’t left yet.

Jenn is from Memphis and Joe is from Maryland and it took them both going to Hawaii for them to meet. And could there be a more perfect place to meet, fall in love, and get married! Having known Jenn for upwards of ten years now we couldn’t be happier for her that she found Joe and that he is such an amazing guy. As we photographed their engagement session just days before their tropical wedding we could clearly see that both we deeply in love and all their friends and family were one hundred percent behind their marriage.

Being with them through most of their wedding week gave us deep insight into all the fun little aspects of their love and really and truly showed us what it means to have wedding full of love, support, and friendship. Many times I stopped and looked around at all the love that was being displayed: Jenn and Joe’s love for one another, the love of family members, the love of friends, and the love of a community. I caught myself crying tears of happiness many times as we had the honor of being part of such a special week in their lives. Nothing brings us greater joy than to share in the love of others and to document that lasting love.

Jenn and Joe,
We cannot thank you enough for giving us the high honor of photographing your special day. It means the world to us that you would care enough to fly us out and let us be a part. We are greater people because of the love you have shown to us.

Cheers,
Savannah and Philip

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