drew + jenna kutcher | maui, hawaii couple session | adventurous destination hawaii wedding photographer

When I first started my photography business, I felt like a wee little fish in this mega huge pond that was the photography industry. Starting a business as an entrepreneur can be SO daunting, and in this day and age where knowledge is so accessible on the internet and everyone who has a camera on their phone can suddenly call themselves “a photographer,” choosing to make a living from photography is a risk. Yet I had that wide eyed determination to make it happen for myself. I started diving more into the industry soaking up any knowledge I could find. That’s when I found her. I don’t remember when it was exactly, but somehow a girl named Jenna Kutcher popped onto my Instagram timeline, and from that day on she has impacted my business (and heck, my life) for the better. I knew this girl was the real deal, and had the marketing knowledge I knew I needed. She was releasing an online marketing course for photographers (now called The Photo Lab) for the very first time, and even though it was a risk, even though I didn’t have the funds, I jumped anyway. I chose to invest in myself and my business. I bought her course and never looked back.

Fast forward 3 years later. Her course was the foundation that made it possible for me to build a successful photography business that focuses on adventurous couples in love in such a short time. All in all, I’m a hardcore believer in Jenna, her inviting attitude, and the incredible impact she’s had on the entrepreneurship community. That’s why when she asked me to photograph her and her husband Drew while they were in Maui for the month of February, I couldn’t say YAAASSSS fast enough. 😉

My husband and I met them at their condo to get ready before heading out for sunset photos. The second I walked in Jenna hugged me and started chatting like we were long lost bffs. And I realized she’s even more real, kind, and genuine in person as she is online – and if you follow her that’s saying something. The entire session was a blast. We laughed, told inappropriate jokes, talked life, and took turns photographing each other. Drew and Jenna have such a beautiful love story and watching them interact was the cutest thing ever!

We ended the session playing in the ocean for water shots as the sun dipped below the horizon. The sun was going down fast, so we hustled to get those photos before we lost all of our light. Cue us four running to the car, changing into bathing suits literally on the side of the main highway, then sprinting back into the ocean as fast as possible. If anyone was looking on at the event they probably would have thought we were insane. Hey, anything for the shot right!? It was totally worth it though. I loved how the water shots turned out, and I’m pretty confident you’ve never seen the Kutcher’s like this before.

After our light was all gone, we cracked open some beers on the beach as dusk settled. Then Drew and Jenna took us to their favorite sushi restaurant on Maui, Miso Phat. (And sidenote – if you’ve never been GET YO BOOTY THERE STAT because it was the best sushi experience of my life.) We talked love, life, loss, and everything in between over sushi rolls. These two have went through two miscarriages in two years and hearing them tell their vulnerable story face to face, I was so touched and inspired. Because even in the midst of loss and heartbreak, Drew and Jenna are choosing to live their lives to the fullest. Their patience and trust in God’s plan was a huge takeaway from our time together. Something Jenna had texted me before the session sums it up perfectly. I asked her this question: What do you want to remember about your relationship right now in 20 years? This was her answer:

“That even though things don’t look how we thought they would, life is SO good.”

And I hope as you look through these photos, you see her words ring true. These two are living their best life in the midst of a tough season, and I think that’s a beautiful lesson we can all take to heart.

Hair & Makeup: Meili Autumn Beauty

VW Camper Van: THERE Classic Campers

Water housing: SPL Water Housings

Lindsey Roman is an adventurous, destination wedding and intimate elopement photographer based out of Oahu, Hawaii but travels worldwide. She lives for outdoor adventures, intimate moments, and candid images. Her style is raw, passionate, and authentic. She believes in chasing sunsets, laughing too hard, and most importantly: capturing genuine moments that evoke feeling over perfectly posed photographs.