WELCOME TO MY WORLD OF PHOTOGRAPHY
For couples who want to celebrate life and love their own way
If you also believe your love deserves to be documented in a way that's real, intentional, and completely yours — not whatever the industry says it should look like or what other people expect from you — you're in exactly the right place ❤︎
FUN FACTS
✦ My family is from Kyoto, Japan and I can speak Japanese fluently
✦ I’m a homebody that also loves to picnic, hike, and camp
✦ My recent favorite video games: Expedition 33 and Baldurs Gate 3
✦ My favorite animes: Attack on Titan, Kaiju #8, and Blue Lock
✦ My astrology signs: I’m a cancer sun, scorpio moon, and pisces rising
✦ My partner and I met on Hinge and have been together for 4 years!
Why this work matters
Short film coming soon (‘:
Why I prefer intimate weddings
I’ve been in the industry for the past 4 years and photographed over 25 weddings. Everything from a 300+ guest wedding with a full production team, to a courthouse wedding with only a handful of friends and family. I wanted to try it all and see what the best fit was for me, and I’m so glad I did because I realized big traditional weddings were not my speciality.
The reason why I only take on weddings with less than 50 guests now is because I create my best work when it’s an intimate and intentional setting. I noticed pretty early on that the bigger and more traditional the wedding is (and by default MUCH more expensive), the higher the stress levels are, and the more it feels like the couple is just going through the motions of what’s expected from them.
I’ve had too many brides tell me they couldn’t fully enjoy their own wedding because there was so many moving parts and everything happened quickly back to back. Some of them were stressing about family drama or unreliable vendors. They also wished they actually got to spend time with their closest people, but they were too busy with formal portraits and getting pulled in different directions all day. I know that’s not the case for everyone, but it’s a pattern I personally noticed that made me want to focus on smaller weddings.
Because I’m not doing this for the money, I genuinely care about your experience getting married, celebrating with loved ones, and honoring the deeper meaning behind why you chose each other as life partners in the first place. Nothing is wrong with having big traditional weddings, I just prefer working with couples who choose to have an intimate, private celebration because that’s what I feel the most aligned with.
If any of this resonates with you, I would love to chat more about it over our consultation call!
A GENTLE NOTE
Every artist is different, so it’s important to work with someone who has the style and approach you’re looking for!
These are the type of couples I prefer working with:
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That confident energy towards your relationship shows in photos, and that’s what I hope to capture!
You've talked countless times about what you want your life together to look like.
You deeply understand and trust each other.
You act like best friends because you genuinely are.
No matter what situation you’re in, you can lock in and be a good team.
You know what makes them feel safe and cared for, especially when they’re feeling a little nervous.
You can make them smile and laugh no matter what’s going on.
You can show up for the things that matter the most to them.
You’re not afraid to show how much you love this person, however subtle or expressive it is.
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You want photos that feel genuinely like your relationship, not a styled shoot you found trending on TikTok or Pinterest.
The experience matters as much as the images, and you know what’s important to you and your partner.
You don’t feel the need to fake or force moments just for the sake of a pretty shot.
The details and props actually have a personal meaning to them, and feel like little Easter eggs only you and the closest people will fully appreciate.
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You prefer elopements, intimate weddings, and quiet celebrations because you want to focus your time, attention, and energy on what’s truly aligned for you and your partner.
You're not here to perform for a crowd, please family members, or treat your wedding day as a source of content for social media.
You’re happy to skip some traditions or come up with something entirely your own! My favorite couples are the ones who aren’t afraid to step away from the rigid structure of traditional weddings and come up with something much more unique!
If any of this resonates
— even a little —
I'd love to hear from you.
Or email directly:
hello@aokierika.com