Dana + Ross traveled all the way from Australia to elope here on Oahu. They planned a simple, intimate, and meaningful ceremony on Kahana Bay with the goal of seeing sunset at Crouching Lion.

When Dana and I first started chatting, she just knew that Hawaii was the perfect spot for her elopement. Only thing was, she couldn’t decide between islands! A Kauai elopement had her attention, but she also knew that bringing their baby boy would be easier with a more populated island like Oahu. In the end, I felt like Crouching Lion would give Dana both the convenience of Oahu and epic scenery she loved about Kauai all in one. After finding the cutest Airbnb up on the North Shore, she decided to go for it!

Dana + Ross chose to get ready together. This is one of my favorite wedding trends right now because I think it just adds such intimacy! More and more, couples are choosing to spend the day together from start to finish. When you elope, you get to do things any way you like and I’m all for that.

Even if you get ready together, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a first look! Dana sent Ross out to wait while she put her dress on, keeping that part a surprise. These moments are always some of my favorite!

After a sweet first look, we all headed down to Kahana Bay for the ceremony. We chose this spot since little babe would be along to be a part of the ceremony and Crouching Lion is a bit of a hike.

Dana had told me, “We have decided that the traditional wedding isn’t for us and want to get married in a way where we can spend the time loving on and appreciating each other and Otis instead of spending the day stressing and mingling with (our beloved) guests!” This is honestly one of the best reasons to chose an elopement over a traditional wedding. They’re so much simpler, so focused on the love you share rather than place settings and seating arrangements.

The vows these two exchanged, my goodness! I thought I was going to lose it so many times. Dana + Ross have been together since high school, so they had so much to say about their experiences. They’d traveled the world, gone to uni, found jobs, and even road-tripped across America. You tend to have a lot to say with so many amazing memories. Did I mention Ross proposed in front of Monument Valley?! Seriously, these two have adventurous hearts and beautiful love for each other and their babe.

After hanging out on the beaches of Hawaii for a little bit, we decided to make the trek up to Crouching Lion. It’s not a hike for those nervous about heights, you have to hold onto branches, roots, and random ropes to make it up some of the steeper portions so you’ve gotta trust yourself going up this one. But it sure is an adventure! The views once you make it to the top are incredible, too.

Love is such a beautiful adventure, it deserves to be documented beautifully + authentically. If you’re looking to plan an elopement in Oahu, don’t be afraid to say hey and start a conversation! I pour my heart into documenting each and every elopement in a way that reflects the couple + scenery.