How the Booking Process Works for Engagement Photography in Oahu

Booking your engagement session or surprise proposal is exciting and it doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. At Tone Studio, we keep the process simple, clear, and stress-free from start to finish. Here’s exactly how it works once you’re ready to reserve your date:

Step 1: Intro Email or Call & Deposit

We’ll start by responding to your inquiry email or a quick call to hear your ideas and see if we’re the right fit. You can fill a contact form out here.

Once you’re ready, we’ll send an invoice for a 50% deposit and a contract. When that’s paid, your date is officially locked into our calendar!

Agreement: You’ll receive an agreement to review and sign. It covers all the essentials such as session time, location(s), number of included images, deliverables, add-on options, policies.

Agreement Information: Please send us this information to create your agreement!

First and last names of couple:
Email addresses of couple:
Phone numbers of couple:

Deposit Payment Options: A 50% deposit is required to book your date.

Hawaiʻi GE Tax (4.712%) applies to credit card and Venmo payments. Credit card payments also have a 3.5% processing fee. Venmo and cash do not have a processing fee.

Option 1: Credit Card

Pay 50% by credit card to book.
Pay the remaining 50% by credit card 3 days before your event.
GE Tax + 3.5% credit card fee apply.

Option 2: Credit Card or Venmo + Cash

Pay your 50% deposit by credit card or Venmo.
Pay the remaining 50% in cash on the day of your event.
Paying the remaining balance in cash saves you the credit card fee and GE Tax on the cash amount portion.

Option 3: Venmo

Pay 50% by Venmo to book.
Pay the remaining 50% by Venmo 3 days before your event.
GE Tax applies.
No credit card processing fee.

Step 2: Planning & Scout Photos

Once your booking is confirmed, we’ll send you scout photos of potential locations so you can visualize what your shoot might look like. Whether it’s a romantic beach, a dramatic cliffside, or a lush garden, we’ll help you choose the perfect backdrop and best timing for light and privacy. We’ll also send you a full detailed guide and game plan to help keep the surprise a surprise!

A Note About Lighting for Scheduling

Lighting is one of the biggest factors that affects how your final photos will look.

Morning Hours: Morning sessions typically give you bright blue skies, vibrant colors, and a more tropical look. The tradeoff is that the sun is stronger, which can create harsher shadows and brighter light on faces. We can absolutely still create beautiful images, but the overall look tends to be more bright and colorful rather than soft and romantic. It can also be a little more challenging for anyone with sensitive eyes, since the brighter sun can make it harder to keep your eyes fully open and relaxed in photos.

Midday Hours: We don’t offer sessions during the middle of the day because the overhead sun creates harsh lighting and strong shadows that aren’t flattering for most people or locations. We want your photos to look their best, and mid-day isn’t the ideal time for the style and quality of images we want to deliver.

Sunset: If we photograph during sunset, the light becomes much softer, flattering, and cinematic. You'll get warmer tones, softer shadows, and that glowy look that many couples are drawn to in engagement and proposal photos. This is generally my preferred lighting for portraits.

Neither option is wrong, they simply create a different look and feel. Morning sessions tend to be bright, colorful, and vibrant, while sunset sessions tend to be softer, warmer, and more romantic.

Step 3: Style & Prep Guides

You’ll also get our what to wear guide (including what to avoid) and prep tips so you know exactly what to bring for the session.

Step 4: The Engagement Session

On the day of your shoot, simply show up and enjoy. We’ll guide you through natural posing and candid moments, no modeling experience required. Just the two of you being yourselves.

Step 5: Sneak Peeks and proof gallery

Within a few days, you’ll receive a handful of sneak peek photos shared via social media only so you can relive the excitement right away! We will upload all the photos from your session to a digital proof gallery. From there you can select your favorite images for us to edit.

Step 6: Final Gallery

Your full, high-resolution engagement gallery will be delivered digitally within the agreed-upon timeline (typically 3-4 weeks). You’ll be able to download, share, and order prints with ease.

Engagement Photography Add-Ons

Additional coverage (for 1-hour packages only): $250/hour + 25 additional images
1-week rush delivery: $150
Additional images: pro-rated amount of your package price (about $20-25/image)
Raw digital files: $500 (delivered via Google Drive, hosted for 1 month)
Custom Floral Arrangement: Starting at $500
Videography: Inquire to see current pricing

Meet the Team

Meet Mike - Owner/Photographer/Videographer

My name is Mike and I’ve been a professional photographer on Oahu for over 12 years, and I’ve seen just about every scenario you can imagine. That experience is what makes me so comfortable photographing weddings. No matter what the day brings, I stay calm, keep things moving, and make sure you get beautiful photos. When I’m not working I’m usually surfing or skateboarding. I also enjoy playing drums, guitar and pickleball.

Experience and Skills

15+ years with photography and videography.

Photographed over 150+ weddings at Kualoa Ranch

Laid back and easygoing presence that helps people relax in front of the camera

Expert with natural light, fast timelines, and candid storytelling

Comfortable shooting in any weather or lighting situation

Good at blending in, observing moments, and capturing them quietly

Fast turnaround, clean edits, and consistent color

Preferred photographer at Kualoa Ranch, Hyatt Hotels, Hawaii Polo Club Weddings, Male'ana Gardens, and Dillingham Ranch

Meet Shelby - Day of Coordinator/Drone/Second Shooter

My name is Shelby and I’ve been a Locations scout and manager for film and TV productions on Oahu since 2015, which basically means I’ve spent the past decade figuring out how to make chaos look organized. A lot of that work happened right here at Kualoa Ranch, which slowly became one of my favorite places on the island.

After years of helping film crews chase light and hit deadlines, I started helping couples do the same thing, only now there are flowers, vows, and slightly less yelling. I still run timelines, keep things calm, and quietly make sure everyone ends up in the right place at the right time. It’s kind of the same job, just with nicer outfits and a lot more meaningful.

Experience and Skills:

10+ years in film and television coordination across Oahu

Deep familiarity with Kualoa Ranch logistics, staff, and site access

Expert in managing tight timelines and early-morning schedules

Calm, organized presence when plans shift or weather changes

Strong communication and vendor coordination skills

Trained eye for composition, flow, and detail

Known for being early, prepared, and quietly keeping everything on track

Check out the personal gallery to see what we’re up to.

Ready to Book?

We make sure that booking your surprise proposal or engagement session is simple and fun. Contact us to start planning your session!

Surprise Proposal and Engagement Photography Booking Guide

How the Booking Process Works for Engagement Photography in Oahu