Be Inspired by This Sweet Engagement Session in Hawaii

Jill Knepper and Jason Shenitzer met at a mutual friend's birthday party in Chicago and had their first kiss on Valentine's Day at another friend's celebration in the city. Nearly nine years later, Jason surprised Jill by taking her to her favorite restaurant in Malibu – supposedly to celebrate their upcoming vacation to Hawaii. Following dinner, they walked along the beach and watched the sunset before Jason got down on one knee and popped the question. "I of course said yes!" shares Jill. "I was extremely surprised and delighted to be marrying the love of my life." They kicked off their engagement on the island of Maui at the same hotel where they later had their engagement shoot, as well as their wedding!

Since the couple loves the sea, their session took place on the beach with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. They also incorporated a number of submerged pictures. "There weren't a lot of underwater engagement photos to pull inspiration from at the time, so we came up with our own poses," notes the bride. In true Hawaiian fashion, the couple had to change outfits in their car on the beach. "It felt like we were living an authentic Hawaiian surfer lifestyle," jokes Jill. The duo loved frolicking in the sand, splashing in the waves, and having the time of their lives in their favorite place in the world – and their joy comes across in the photos.

Take a look below to see more photos from Jill and Jason's Hawaiian e-session!

Photos by Kristy Taylor of Maui Maka Photography

Dresses by Jen's Pirate Booty, Salt on the Rocks, and Flynn Skye; Earrings by Anthropologie; Flower Crown by Mandy Grace Designs via Bespoke Destination Events; Hair & Makeup by Chrissy Swink of Maui Makeup and Hair; Necklace by Half United

For more engagement shoot inspiration, view e-sessions in Joshua Tree National Park, Paris, Malibu, and Palm Springs.