A Dream Destination Wedding in Kauai, Hawaii with Simon & Ewa
When I first heard from Simon about photographing his and Ewa’s wedding in Kauai, Hawaii, I honestly thought it might be a prank. I even asked if he meant Hawaii USA or just a beach named Hawaii back in my hometown in Borneo!
That night, I couldn’t sleep. Hawaii? I was overwhelmed with excitement, nerves, and gratitude. And from the very beginning, Simon and Ewa were nothing but kind, generous, and incredibly welcoming. One of the biggest blessings of being a destination wedding photographer is meeting couples who treat you like a guest, not just a vendor. Little things — like making sure I had enough food and water — truly stay with me.
Simon and Ewa flew both me and my husband (who's also my second shooter) from Kuala Lumpur to Japan, then Honolulu, and finally Kauai. We arrived a week early and spent time on Big Island, where we swam with wild dolphins, saw manta rays, and even had a humpback whale breach right next to our boat. I cried. It was that magical.
Once in Kauai, they put us up at The Westin and later The St. Regis Princeville, where the wedding would be held. They even invited us to join a private yacht cruise with their guests — a kind gesture we gently declined to give them their time together.
On the wedding day, the skies turned grey, and the planner made a call to set up a clear tent for the ceremony — beautifully decorated and intimate. When a young man blew into a conch shell as Ewa walked down the aisle, I had goosebumps. The moment was pure magic. I found myself wishing for a Hawaiian ceremony of my own someday.
As the night wrapped up, I knew we had just a few hours before flying back to Kuala Lumpur — and then straight on to Langkawi for another wedding. I hugged Simon and Ewa with tears in my eyes, so grateful for the honor of capturing their Kauai wedding and for making my dream of swimming with wild dolphins come true. And to top it all off, they sent us home with the sweetest gift bags.
From the bottom of our hearts — thank you, Simon & Ewa.
Second shooter: Artur Sienicki
