7 Tips to Look (and Feel) Amazing in Your Maui Wedding Photos

There can be a tremendous amount of pressure to look your very best on your wedding day. After all, it is one of the most significant days of your life, and you want to look amazing as you say “I do” to your partner. Not to mention that the wedding photos are the one thing that will remain after it’s all said and done, and of course, you want to look back at the photos and love the person you see. Even if you believe that you’re normally “not that photogenic”, there are several things that you can do to ensure that you look, and perhaps more importantly feel, amazing in your Maui wedding photos.

1. Hire a professional wedding photographer

The importance of hiring a professional wedding photographer to capture your day can’t be overstated. Weddings are expensive, and wedding photography in particular, can carry a hefty price tag. With cameras being so accessible these days, it might be tempting to ask Uncle Kevin with the fancy new camera to photograph your wedding and allow you to save some money. And you will very likely regret that decision. Ask married people that you know, and you’ll find that one of the most common wedding regrets is not hiring a professional wedding photographer (or not hiring the right wedding photographer).

There are a lot of variables that a professional wedding photographer will consider when creating epic images that make you look amazing: The lighting, location, background, direction/posing, camera lens, camera settings, camera angles, the interaction between the photographer and the couple, etc. Maui is a stunning island, but it does have some tricky environmental factors that can make photography challenging, including harsh light and wind. Considering hiring a local wedding photographer that has a lot of experience photographing weddings in these conditions. Also, check out this article for questions to ask before hiring your wedding photographer.

2. Hire a professional hair and makeup artist

Even if you don’t normally wear a lot of makeup or you prefer a more natural look, it’s highly recommended that you hire a professional hair and makeup artist. Professional hair and makeup will give you a polished look and add an extra pop to your wedding photos. And if you have the skills for doing your own hair and makeup, you should still hire a professional! You don’t want to be stressing about your hair and makeup on your wedding day. Relax and allow yourself the time to be pampered. Because of the warm, tropical climate and plentiful sunshine, it’s also a good idea to hire a local professional that is familiar with how hair and makeup will react and hold up under island conditions.

3. Choose wedding clothes that make you look and feel amazing

The clothing that you choose to wear for your wedding will contribute to the final look of your photos in a major way. Most wedding boutiques have consultants that can give you input on the styles of dresses or suits that will best flatter your body type. Before making a final decision, make sure that you love the clothing, and that it also makes you feel amazing.

In case you’re wondering, there are no right or wrong wedding clothes to wear for a Maui beach wedding. Some couples choose to wear elegant dresses and tuxedos with black ties, while others opt for non-traditional dresses and aloha shirts. As long as it makes you feel beautiful, it’s all good!

4. Start self-care well in advance of your wedding

You do not have to go on a diet or start working out for your wedding! In fact, with my background in nutrition and exercise physiology, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. It’s far more important that you make the decision to honor your body by nourishing it with real food, regular movement that you enjoy, plenty of sleep that refreshes you, and ways to reduce and cope with stress— because you love yourself and you want to feel your best, not solely because your wedding is approaching. If you decide to adopt a lifestyle change prior to your wedding, give yourself plenty of time to adjust and make strides with your health goals. Body composition changes do not happen overnight!

5. Arrive on Maui with time to get acclimated prior to your wedding day

Traveling can be stressful on both the mind and body, and the last thing you want to be is jet-lagged and dehydrated on your wedding day. If possible, make sure that you arrive on Maui with a few days to allow yourself to adjust to the time change and catch up on your sleep. Ideally, you should get adequate sleep during at least the week leading up to your wedding day, and not just the night prior. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of regular water, or try some fresh Maui coconut water for extra electrolytes. Move your body gently by taking a stroll down the beach or a swim in the ocean. Be cautious of sun exposure prior to your wedding date though! The sun is quite intense on Maui, and you don’t want a sunburn on your big day.

6. Schedule enough time to photograph each part of the day

When you hire a professional wedding photographer, he/she should have a conversation with you about how much time is needed to photograph each part of the day that is important to you. This is referred to as the photography timeline (See #1- One of the many benefits of hiring a professional!). The photography timeline will help to ensure that the photos that are most important to you are prioritized. If there is only 15 minutes allotted for images of you getting ready, but the photographer recommends at least 45 minutes to capture this part of the day, it will definitely show in the images.

If you are having a full day wedding with many parts of the day, you may also consider hiring a professional wedding planner to coordinate your wedding events. The planner should work with the photographer to make sure that the overall wedding timeline aligns with the photography timeline.

7. Relax and enjoy yourself

Your wedding day should be full of excitement, joy, and lots of aloha! The day will speed by in the blink of an eye, which is why you’ll want those epic photos that freeze time. It’s easy to get caught up in the hundreds of tiny details of a wedding day, but try to keep the bigger picture in mind. You are marrying the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with on a majestic rock in the middle of a vast ocean! No matter what, it’s going to be an incredible day! Relax and focus on sharing the joy of each passing moment with your lover.

Ready to look amazing in your Maui wedding photos? Let’s chat!