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A Romantic Tropical Fête at the Montage Kapalua Bay

Aloha Hawai’i! It’s the dead of winter, we’re all craving the warmth of Spring and a tropical Hawaiian vacation is just the medicine we need. Allow today’s Montage Kapalua Bay wedding to be your dose of Vitamin D – surrounded by salty ocean views, sun-soaked corners and sprawling palms. Teresa Sena Designs brought the vibrant tropical vibes of the island to the floral decor, while Moana Belle Events brought modern luxury to the day leaving no detail unturned. See the full gallery for all the island-style inspo, captured by Dmitri & Sandra Photography!

A romantic cliffside ceremony, flowers in a mixture of textures and colors and stunning ocean views, Andie and Kris’ wedding was a gorgeous Hawaiian celebration filled with palm trees, warm tradewinds and so much love. For Andie and Kris, it was all about soft, fresh flowers, a tropical, airy vibe and most of all, an epic celebration by the sea with their family and friends who were more than happy to travel to the beautiful island of Maui after a year of lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Moana Belle Events created an incredibly elegant yet decidedly tropical fete that exuded the trademark modern luxury feel that tthe Montage Kapalua Bay is famous for. The beautiful wedding decor was thoughtfully planned out and represented their years of love together as a couple. From the bold tropical flowers that adorned their ceremony arch to the extravagant flower installations under the sailcloth tent, there were so many details to love about this design.

From Moana Belle… “For an added “wow” factor, we wanted to create an installation that allowed for the typical atmosphere to be brought into the dining tent. We were inspired by the lush palm trees that can be found throughout the Montage Resort and decided to create an installation that mimicked the palms, creating faux palm canopies on the wooden poles of the Sperry tent to add gorgeous focal points above the dining tables and dance floor. 

Over the dance floor, to create that tropical lush vibe, we suspended globe lighting from the faux palm canopy to create a moody and tropical atmosphere for the dancing portion of the evening, which was a big point of importance for Andie and Kris.”

Photography: Dmitri and Sandra Photography | Videographer: Ohana Films | Event Design: Moana Belle Events | Floral Design: Teresa Sena Designs | Ceremony Venue: Montage Kapalua Bay | Calligraphy: Miss B Calligraphy | Lighting: KCK Entertainment | Beauty: Maui Makeup Artistry | Linens: Winters Events | Live Band: Island Kings Band | Napkins: Reve Maui | Rentals: Rio Event Design | Tableware: Set Collections

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Let’s Get Maui’d! Check Out This Vibrant and Elegant Wedding At Montage Kapalua Bay

Will you Maui me? The wedding of Anh and Josh was effortlessly steeped in natural beauty, surrounded by the breathtaking scenery and romantic atmosphere that Hawaii boasts. Inspired by the sunset hues and the deep blue color of the Pacific Ocean, the couple carefully worked with Moana Belle Events and Mandy Grace Designs to create a day with a matching color palette. One thing is for sure — we just can’t help but swoon over that whimsical circular arch, channeling unity and infinity. Dmitri & Sandra Photography captured each and every beautiful moment of this tropical love story, so head to the full gallery to get swept away.

From Moana EventsOnce Anh and Josh made the decision to get married in Hawaii, they knew what they wanted from the very beginning. They envisioned a special celebration with their closest and dearest on the island of Maui where they could enjoy the atmosphere, ocean breeze and beautiful sunset. 

The beauty of the island lured them in and it was actual sunset hues and the colors of the deep blue surrounding ocean that inspired the color palate for the wedding. Soft colors of apricot, buttery yellows, peaches and creams paired with an ocean blue was a perfect color palate for our backdrop. Anh and Josh exchanged vows at the Montage Kapalua Bay featuring stunning ocean views, pristine lawns and dramatic cliffs as their backdrop. 

An impressive circular ring arch adorned with whimsical florals in the color story of the day created by Mandy Grace Designs framed the couple during the ceremony. The cocktail and dinner reception took place at Merriman’s Kapalua Restaurant which was just a short stroll on the ocean boardwalk across the bay. Both from Austin Texas, they made sure to include their Texas charm in all of their wedding signage like a welcome sign that read “Aloha Y’all”. 

Anh and Josh also incorporated several personalized details in their stationery and menus including cute illustrations of themselves on their invitations, and their sweet pups on their cocktail napkins. 

Guests enjoyed shrimp cocktail and fresh oysters on the half shell during the cocktail hour while sipping on custom champagne popsicle cocktails.

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Edited by Lauren Megerdichian and Carly Zumar

Photography: Dmitri & Sandra Photography | Cinematography: Ohana Films | Event Planning: Moana Belle Events | Floral Design: Mandy Grace Floral & Event Design | Invitations: Emily Mayne Studio | Ceremony Venue: Montage Kapalua Bay | Reception Venue: Merriman's Kapalua | Entertainment: Barefoot Minded | DJ: Maui DJ Services | Artisan Ice Pop: Shaka Pops | Beauty: Meili Autumn Beauty | Decor: Custom Neon | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Photobooth: Bamboo Shootz | Rentals: Inspiration Events Hawaii | Rentals: Signature Boutique Event Rentals | Rentals: Table Candy Event Rentals | Signage: Miss B Calligraphy

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Living The Dream With A Hawaiian Beach Elopement

Originally from Australia, connected in Bali and then said “I do” in Hawaii…these two are quite tapped into the best destinations of the world if I do say so myself. But with these pics by Wendy Laurel, it’s safe to say they picked the best spot for their intimate elopement. Surrounded by colors straight out of a watercolor painting, they became husband and wife and these photos are giving my Monday meaning. See all the beauty in our Vault here!

From Wendy Laurel… These two are both from Australia but met in Bali and married in Hawaii. They choose a simple beach elopement with just a few family members and their young daughter to witness their wedding. Elopements are wonderful because they always end up being so intimate and emotional. Just the couple, their love, their family alone on a deserted beach with the sun shining and the wind blowing is such a romantic vision. The bright and happy florals worked so well on the beach and the groom’s maile leaf lei brought the aloha spirit to the day.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Event Planning: maui aloha weddings | Floral Design: Bella Bloom Floral Boutique | Photography - Assistance: Jeffrey Oltman

This Beautiful Bride Wore Her Something Borrowed

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. For most Brides, the something borrowed is a piece of jewelry from a family member. But for this gorgeous Bride, her something borrowed was her dress. And the Nha Khanh dress was the right balance of traditional bride and beachy bohemian for her romantic Hawaiian wedding that came together thanks toSunyas FlowersMerrimans and the stunning Ironwoods Beach In Kapalua. See the whole day, captured by Wendy Laurel, in The Vault!

From The Bride…I am not an easy person to surprise. While on a trip to Kona on the Big Island in 2014, Anthony not only managed to pull off a surprise proposal, but he also arranged for nine of my family members to be looking on and sharing in the moment.

When it came to the type of wedding we wanted and where we would get married, returning to Hawaii was always at the top of the list. The breezy, effortlessly cool vibe of the Aloha State was the essence of what we wanted our second—most important—wedding to be. We both had done the big, overblown wedding. One week apart from each other in 2009, we married other people (then, 43 days apart from each other, we both had our first child!). There were plenty of crystals, jumping photos, and lots of guests we didn’t recognize. While beautiful, we knew that our forever wedding needed to be something very different.

It was immediately decided that we would marry on the beach, but family and friends’ budget issues, time off issues, and issues with flying made our dream of a Hawaiian wedding look less and less likely. After many, many conversations we decided to elope. It was all becoming too complicated, and we didn’t want to settle for a cookie-cutter wedding in our home state of Florida just because it was more convenient for everyone else. Since we had both been married before, deciding to not have our families at the wedding was a tiny bit easier. Our two 5 year olds were another story. Michael and Lola were so excited about becoming brother and sister, and we really wanted them to feel a part of the blending of our family. We waffled for months on whether or not the kids should come with us to Hawaii. I poured over unique vow renewals and family elopements on Style Me Pretty, envisioning myself, Anthony, Mikey, and Lola in the images. The kids all looked so well-behaved and photogenic. Maybe we could do this, too? In the end, our guts told us to leave everyone behind and make the moment about us. We had both been through so much, and it was a time to focus on each other, our happiness, and the commitment we were making.

Once we chose the island of Maui, everything just fell into place—which is how we knew it was right. I first saw Wendy Laurel’s work on SMP and immediately decided she had to shoot our ceremony. When I passed along her website and blog to Anthony, he was instantly entranced as well. Hawaii is paradise, but weddings there can get cheesy quickly. Online, I saw wedding after wedding chock full of grass skirts, flowered shirts, hibiscus and tiki torches. While I have to admit that we did participate heavily in the “Maui’d” pun, we wanted to keep things elegant and polished with that signature Hawaii cool factor. We looped this common thread throughout all the details of our intimate ceremony. All of the florals came from a local shop on Maui that Wendy had worked with before and recommended. I chose a mixture of bright, tropical flowers, roses in muted tones, succulents, and what I can only describe as nice-looking weeds. The goal was something organic and wildflower-esque, but still refined. From 4,600 miles away, all I could do was send pictures and hope for the best. When we drove to pick up the bouquet, Haku (Hawaiian flower crown), and Maile (a green, garland-type lei worn by the groom) the day of the wedding (talk about faith!), I loved that the “shop” that I had pictured during my email correspondence with Sunya in the months leading up to the wedding was actually the balmy, open-air converted garage of a home on a side street in the small town of Lahaina. Effortlessly cool.

For my dress I knew I wanted to rent and had heard great things about Rent the Runway. The Nha Khanh number I landed on was equal parts traditional bride and beachy bohemian. The SMP beach wedding inspiration that resonated with me the most was the weddings where the bride and groom didn’t dress down because they were on the beach. (No khaki shorts and white eyelet sundresses here!). The Pacific Ocean off the coasts of the Hawaiian Islands is mighty and regal, so we decided to dress up for it. Anthony wore a crisp white shirt, a skinny black tie and storm cloud-colored pale gray pants. We offset our fanciness with simple Havaianas rubber flip flops in classic black and white. The finishing touches were my Haku and his Maile. When my Mom saw the first picture of Anthony and I at the ceremony she texted back, “Beautiful! You look like a Hawaii girl!” Nailed it.

Getting ready for the ceremony was a blur as it often is for the bride. Anthony and I decided to separate after our morning wedding errands and to not see each other until we met on the beach when it was time to get married. This turned out to be a great choice. It felt more special to have the hours before the wedding apart, building up to the big moment. Anthony had a massage at the spa while I got my hair and makeup done in the hotel’s salon. All the ladies in the salon swooned when he had a card and a gift dropped off during my appointment. Keeper! Afterward, I had a little time in the room alone to quietly reflect and get dressed. I did have to stop ask a woman in the hotel lobby to zip up the back of my dress the rest of the way (#elopementproblems).

When I arrived at hidden and quiet Ironwoods Beach where our wedding ceremony would take place, I felt like a Kardashian. Anthony had arranged for a driver at the Ritz-Carlton where we were staying to take me to the beach in a black Cadillac Escalade with dark tinted windows. Since we didn’t want to see each other prior, I was held in the car while the driver, our officiant, Pia, and Wendy placed everyone in their proper positions. Pia and Wendy went out of sight where Anthony was waiting and her assistant stood where I could see him and told me he would give me a thumbs up when it was time for me to start walking toward the ceremony spot. As I waited for his signal, I felt so calm. I kicked off my flip flops, dug my toes into the cool, soft sand and just stared out into the ocean listening to the sound of the crashing waves. When he gave me the sign, I slowly walked toward Anthony, whose back was to me. He finally turned around and we locked eyes, and he whispered, “You’re beautiful,” which is the first thing he said to me when we met. It was truly a magical moment.

Pia, our officiant, did a wonderful job with the ceremony. There was a part where he asked us to hold hands and look out into the sea, which felt so serene and really drew attention to the breathtaking scenery around us. He brought a little bit of Hawaii to the wedding and that made it so special. It was exactly what we wanted. Afterward, we learned that Pia and his wife were married on that very beach 11 years prior. Anthony and I felt we were in great company! After Pia performed the ceremony, Wendy took lots of pictures. Then, we were alone on the beach as husband and wife. Anthony pulled up DNCE’s “Cake By the Ocean,” a wedding-planning fave, on his phone and we blared it and just danced crazily on the beach together. We made a video for the kids before heading to Merriman’s for our wedding dinner.

While our technical first dance was “Cake By the Ocean,” my absolute favorite memory from the day was when Anthony asked the guy playing guitar and singing in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton if he knew “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis. Elvis is major in Hawaii, so of course he knew the tune and he stopped everything and played it right away, allowing us to have our own private first dance as husband and wife right then and there. Other hotel guests were congratulating us, watching, and clapping. It was such a spontaneous moment that could not have been better if we had planned it for weeks. A perfect ending to the best day ever.

My advice for other brides-to-be is to be yourself and keep the focus on the union. Whether it’s your first or second wedding, no matter your budget or your situation, stick to your tastes and preferences and make the day entirely your own. Also, when it’s all said and done, your cranky great aunt isn’t in this relationship—you and your partner are. Choose a location and a style that makes you happy and celebrates your commitment. Most importantly, focus on that commitment. A wedding is just one day while the marriage is all the rest of the days.

Throughout the planning process and after the ceremony, all I talked about is SMP. “It’s the biggest wedding blog that exists,” I kept telling my now-husband. Being the sweetheart that he is, Anthony reached out to SMP the day after we got married without me knowing inquiring about being published because he knew it was so important to me. (Let me put it this way: I worked at a local news station for several years, and a favorite pastime is writing and re-writing the headline for my fantasy front-page SMP feature). Besides the obvious bragging rights, I think our wedding being featured on SMP would be amazing because it’s not your traditional love story. Ours is a modern-day, Brady Bunch-style, fairy tale. This is our second marriage, and our first marriages were 7 days apart. Our kids are 43 days apart in age. Anthony has family in and used to spend summers in the tiny town where I am from in Pennsylvania. We met on Match and overcame a lot to bring our two families together. I feel that our love story is special and unique and would give readers of SMP a fresh, different take on happily ever after.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Floral Design: Sunya Flowers | Wedding Dress: Rent The Runway | Bride's Shoes: Havainas | Catering: Merriman's | Hair + Makeup: Ritz Carlton Kapalua | Officiant: Pia Aluli | Ceremony Music: Hawaii Hula Company | Venue: Ironwoods Beach In Kapalua | Bridal Boutique: Rent The Runway | Photography Assistance: Jeffrey Oltman

This Colorful Maui Wedding is a Boho Bride’s Dream

If you’re the kind of girl who prefers flower crowns to traditional veils or a pop of color to black and white, this wedding is for you. Set on the island of Maui, it’s a destination affair that brought guests from across the world to celebrate. Wendy Laurel worked her usual magic behind the camera, and there’s lots more waiting inside The Vault.

From Wendy LaurelHawaii is often the meeting ground for destination weddings where the couple’s families live all over the globe. This gorgeous wedding falls right into that category. The groom and his family are from Canada while the bride’s family lives in Japan. Meeting on Maui for a colorful and beautiful wedding on a sunshine filled Hawaiian day was the perfect plan.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Floral Design: Sunya Flowers | Cake: The Ritz-Carlton Washington DC | Officiant: Rev. Kimo Kirkman | Ceremony Music: Envisions Entertainment | Venue: Ritz Carlton Kapalua | Photography Assistance: Jeffrey Oltman

Elegant Cliffside Wedding in Hawaii

Ladies, listen up! What you’ve heard is true, we’ve officially found your dream wedding. Get ready to say hello to the newest love of your life, or better yet what we like to call the perfect Maui masterpiece, and it’s all thanks to the ever so talented Wendy Laurel. A day drenched in tropical sun, one gorge cliff backdrop, and a romance that is practically palpable, we invite you to witness it all in THE VAULT!

From Wendy LaurelGetting married on Maui when its cold at home is a fabulous idea. Especially when you mix the luxurious surroundings of the Ritz Carlton Kapalua and the gorgeous scenery of West Maui. Clarissa and Andrew choose Maui for their wedding to accommodate their guests and family from all over the world. And really who can complain about a wedding in Hawaii? Their elegant wedding took place in the Sacred Hearts church in Kapalua with an outdoor reception by the beach on the hotel property. A gorgeous cliff with the deep blue ocean swirling below provided the perfect backdrop for bride and groom portraits.

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See even more head-turning trends here!

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Cake: The Ritz-Carlton Washington DC | Ceremony Venue: Sacred Hearts Church At Ritz Carlton | Reception Venue: Ritz Carlton Kapalua | Photography Assistance: Jeffrey Oltman

Surprise Maui Proposal for Morgan from Survivor + Kevin

When photographer Wendy Laurel got a call from Morgan to do a couple’s shoot for her and her boyfriend, Kevin, neither of them knew yet what was in store for that special day… A surprise proposal! Luckily, Wendy was there to capture the adorable couple in all their newly-engaged bliss, and was sweet enough to share all the snaps with us in the gallery here!

From Wendy LaurelIf you ever watched Survivor — the Beauty vs. Brains series, you might not expect that Morgan is as sweet and soft spoken as she is. We all knew she was beautiful though. Morgan and her boyfriend, Kevin, headed out to Maui for a little vacation. She called me up and scheduled a fun couple’s shoot. Little did she knew that Kevin was going to propose on that same day. She said YES of course!

The wind was blowing, the sun was in and out of the clouds, the surf was loud… all in all, a pretty typical beach day on the upper west side of Maui. Morgan and Kevin are so in love and so sweet with each other. It was such a fun time shooting them together.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Location: Kapalua Beach, Maui

Maui Beach Engagement

Get ready to break open the bubbly loves, it’s Friday! And we’ve got one pretty day ahead of us, starting with this love sesh in Maui from Wendy Laurel. My favorite part (aside from this couple’s utter cuteness that pours from the images) is the lush coral floral crown from Mandy Grace Design that ties the whole thing together. Hop over to the sandy gallery for the rest!

From Wendy Laurel PhotographyKate and Chris have known each other forever. Growing up in Alaska they meet in school and were great friends. But it wasn’t until later that they fell in love. Chris went away to Annapolis for the Navy Academy. Kate is an artist and her and she and Chris feel lucky to be living in Hawaii while Chris is stationed here. Their wedding is next year and they wanted something pretty and very Hawaii and creative for their engagement photos.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Florals: Mandy Grace Floral & Event Design | Hair + Makeup: Susan Bortz Designs | Ironwoods Beach: Ironwoods Beach In Kapalua

Casual Maui Wedding in Kapalua

We have an genuine soft spot for oceanfront weddings. This lovely, laidback family affair is no exception. From the sunset hued florals to the bride’s fabulous frock we adore every inch of this sweet Hawaiian soirée. Captured by Wendy Laurel Photography, it’s an intimate seaside celebration that will make you want to kick back, relax, and bask in the beauty of the Maui sun.

From Wendy Laurel… Its never too late for love… this lovely and bright and colorful wedding is a second marriage. The couple chose a destination wedding in Maui to celebrate their love with their families and friends plus have a pretty vacation all rolled into one. The florals were breathtaking… super sweet blossoms with bright hawaii colors. Her bouquet, the tables, the ceremony were all decorated with this colors giving off a happy and pretty vibe. The floral pattern on the brides’ wedding dress went with the bouquet and even the sunset cooperated giving off a pink and pastel glow that night.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Flowers: Dellables | Cake: Cake Fanatics | Ceremony Venue: Merriman's | Reception Venue: Merriman's | Officiant: Pia Aluli | Music: Marvin Tevaga | Photo Assistant: Jeffrey Oltman

Romantic Maui Elopement

True story: about a month ago, my fiance and I ran off to get married… just the two of us and the sweetest ever justice of the peace.  It was the best day ever, and one of the many reasons I am totally on board with this adorable duo’s decision to throw caution to the wind and say “I do” with a joint wedding/honeymoon on the breathtaking cliffs of Maui.  It’s simple, sweet and captured by Wendy Laurel, which means it’s oh-so-pretty.  See it all in the full gallery.

From Wendy Laurel… Kate and John escaped their busy lives in Atlanta for a dreamy romantic elopement and honeymoon. They knew if they had a wedding at home, their guest list would be miles long and that might mean missing out on a spectacular honeymoon. So they chose to run away and get hitched and honeymoon all in one. They choose Maui and the day couldn’t have been better. Bright blue skies, tradewinds, a sprinkling of rain, and loads of sunshine set on the cliffs at Kapalua was the setting for their ceremony. They booked plenty of time for wedding day portraits both at the cliff and the beach, then ended their special day with a romantic dinner for two right next to the beach. What could be simpler or more romantic?

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Rings: Tiffany & Co. | Hair And Make Up: The Ritz-Carlton Washington DC | Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton Washington DC | Dinner: The Ritz-Carlton Washington DC | Silk Flowers: Etsy

Maui Destination Wedding

There’s something so ridiculously refreshing about this modern Maui wedding. It’s an edgy take on the classic beachside affair with a heavy helping of stripes, polka dots and color thrown in for good measure. Mandy Grace is behind all the stunning design and every lovely capture? From the one and only Wendy Laurel. Grab a coffee refill and start your day in the full gallery right here.

Colors
Styles
Modern

From Wendy Laurel… Karleen and David have a style all their own. Bright yellow flowers for bouquet and table settings and black and white dresses for the wedding party. I love Karleen’s high neck wedding gown and the converse worn by the men. But most of all I loved the love I saw at this wedding. The ceremony included a portion where the couple included David’s two children from a previous marriage and there were so many tears and smiles. It was with real joy that this couple got married and real joy from everyone who attended.

Karleen’s bridesmaid and bestie offered her talents by making the cute instagram cards and other printed material on the tables. Each little dot! Stationary: moochie creative (moochiecreative@gmail.com)

The bride had a custom stamp made with K + D logo with the thank you (also by moochie creative) and hand stamped and hand painted the favor tags to match our paper design, I painted the little clothespins to attach the names to the menus and I purchased the local jams and jellies at the natural food store in Maui.

photography: Wendy Laurel | event design: Mandy Grace Floral & Event Design | Floral Design: Mandy Grace | bridesmaid shoes: Steve Madden | bridesmaid shoes: B.A.I.T. | bridesmaid dresses: anthro | officiant: Pia Aluli | officiant: pia aluli | Groom's Pants: Volcom | bridal gown: Elizabeth Dye | bridal sash: BHLDN | bridesmaid bracelets: ella dolce | dessert: Maui Sweet Cakes | earrings: Kate Spade | hair flower: Lo Boheme | photobooth: Strike A Pose Maui | photography assistant: Jeffrey Oltman | restaurant: Merrimans

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Hawaiian Destination Wedding from Wendy Laurel Photography

Have you noticed that we are proud members of the Wendy Laurel fan club on SMP Destination? It’s practically impossible to not fall in love with her beautifully captured images, and this Hawaii affair is the perfect example. With its dreamy destination setting and sweet details, this gallery will make a fan out of anyone. See even more here.


From Wendy LaurelAshley and John live in Korea but their friends and family were coming from the Southern U.S. So they chose Hawaii for a meet in the middle beautiful destination wedding. They chose Merrimans because of its spectacular location on the northwest side of Maui, right next to Kapalua Bay, as well as its amazing service and food. A very cute touch was that the wrap on the bouquet was the bride’s baby linen brought to Hawaii by her mom.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Flowers: Dellables | Ceremony Venue: Merriman's | Catering: Merrimans | Photography - Assistance: Jeffrey Oltman

Maui Beach Elopement at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua from Wendy Laurel Photography

We love Wendy Laurel around these parts. Love her. She makes our hearts flutter for many reasons, but the main one for me is how beautifully she captures love. Almost as if it’s just effortless for her. This elopement is the perfect example. Every image is perfectly stunning and overflowing with love – keeping my love affair with Wendy Laurel going strong. See why here.

From Wendy Laurel… Tara and River wanted a carefree romantic elopement on the Maui beaches where they didn’t have to worry or stress. They chose the Ritz Carlton Kapalua to stay and arrange their wedding ceremony on the beach. They are both from Santa Cruz and love an easy going beach lifestyle.  Their love and joy was easily apparent on the wedding day. [dotted]

Venue + Event Planning + Leis: Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Flemings Beach | Wedding Photography: Wendy Laurel | Officiant: Pia Aluli

Maui Plantation House Wedding from Wendy Laurel Photography

Destination weddings are a bit of a dream, no? You’d be hard pressed to find a person that didn’t get a little giddy when they stumble on a dreamy destination beauty, and when that wedding is captured by Wendy Laurel? It’s safe to say, every person that takes a peek of this party will fall head over heels in love with every picture. Don’t believe me? See for yourself. Totally gorge.

From Wendy… Kristi and Rob both live in Lahaina, Hawaii but had to resort to match.com to find each other.  They share a love of dogs and outdoor adventure.

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Wedding Photography: Wendy Laurel | Second Photographer: Patrice Carlton | Wedding Venue: Plantation House in Kapalua, Hawaii | Decor: Banana Wind

Maui Wedding from Weddings By Sasha

For a couple who wanted a gorgeous beach wedding, Maui proved to be just the right fit.  They wanted nothing else than to celebrate their love amongst friends and family while overlooking the blue waters of the Pacific. And if the images by Weddings by Sasha are any indication, they hit that destination wedding mark right on the head. Have a look at even more of this happy day right here in the full gallery.

From the Bride…Planning our dream was easy, the guest list was the biggest challenge. We knew if we left it up to our parents, we would have over 500 guests. To avoid a circus, we decided on a destination wedding. We envisioned a small and intimate gathering, with our closest friends and family. Maui was perfect it holds a special meaning to us, it represented our first trip together. We couldn’t think of a better place to take our vows and start this new chapter in our lives.

Our wedding was a dream come true. We wanted a beautiful beach wedding with the Pacific Ocean as backdrop, the Ritz Carlton provided the perfect setting. It was absolutely breathtaking. The ceremony was 15 feet away from the beach and the reception took place underneath a clear tent, the bright night stars provided a romantic ambiance. We wanted combine our individual personal style and creativity with the traditions of Maui. I’m very inspired by vintage 1920s while Tony is more classic with modern updates. The combination of the two netted a romantic vintage theme. My bridesmaids were draped in a beautiful mauve, vintage haltered dress with gold metallic sandals. For accessories, they were adorned with soft cream pearl necklaces, which complimented the hand boutiques of hydrangeas and peonies. Tony’s groomsmen looked amazing in their J Crew white linen shirts and fitted grey linen pants. To add a nice pop of color, we tied in the vintage look by adding a baby blue-polka dotted suspenders. My wedding gown was a vintage piece, which was surprisingly easy to find, I found it the day after our engagement. I’d like to think it was fate The birdcage was my favorite piece, it was created by a London- based designer, sprinkled with the vintage pearl necklace, I felt like I was taken back into the roaring 20s. Tony looked handsome in his light grey J Crew suit, with a black bowtie and suspenders perfectly paired with his black John Varvatos loafers. The wedding party was dressed to kill!

The reception was magical. Our guest sat underneath a clear tent, 50 yards from the ocean, we wanted to create a feeling of dancing under the stars. The tent was decorated with assorted pink pom poms and white lanterns. String lights across the tent added a warm romantic glow. A table of fresh pink lemonade and cucumber water greeted guest’s arrival. For personal touch, each table was named after places we traveled together over the last 6 years. I hand-crafted all of the mason jars with cream laces and vintage buttons. Our favorite moment of the night was during our first dance, surrounded by friends and family was when Tony and I had our first dance along with our parents. We danced to, The Way You Look Tonight, by Michael Buble.

Surrounded by family and friends, we celebrated deep into the night, cocktails in hands and spirits carefree surrounded us with love and joy; Wow, I thought could this be any better and it did. We get to spend few more nights with everyone and recapped the event over Mai Tai’s. To all the Engaged couples, if you want a small and intimate wedding, destination is the way to go. Good luck and we hope your wedding will be amazing and all you dream of.

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Photography: Weddings by Sasha | Floral Design: Sunya’s Flowers | Venue: The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua | Tent + Lighting: Maui Rents | Entertainment: Envisions Entertainment | Hawaiian Guitarist: Liz Morales | DJ:  DJ Del Sol | Linen: BBJ Linen | Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet | Necklace: Vintage | Birdcage Veil: Agnes Hart | Makeup: DIY | Hair: Dara Ung, Shampoo Doll

Maui Wedding at The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua from Wendy Laurel

This pretty-as-all-getout Maui wedding will have you dreaming of a seaside fête all your own. Held on the stunning grounds of The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, in the property’s quaint seaside chapel, the day was filled with sunshine, beautiful surroundings and LOVE. Lucky for us, Wendy Laurel captured it all through her lens! See the rest right here!

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From the Bride… We chose Hawaii because it is my favorite place in the world, and it is also where we got engaged! We were there celebrating my dad’s 60th birthday, and Tim proposed in Maui one year before our wedding. We chose the Ritz because the level of service we received from the wedding planners (Akkiko, Michelle, and Tori) there was outstanding. (Not to mention the beauty of the chapel and the grounds!) It was my absolute dream come true! The chapel at The Ritz-Carlton is a wooden, quaint, seaside chapel right on the edge of the property. It is reminiscent of a different era. The ceremony in there was gorgeous, and then we stepped outside to a beautiful, classic Maui day, full of sunshine and breeze.

Wedding Photography: Wendy Laurel / Wedding Venue: The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii / Planning: The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua / Wedding Dress: Lea-Ann Belter “Lucy” via Mariee / Bride’s Veil: Mariee / Hair + Makeup: The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Their Choice / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss via Nordstrom / Rings: Jared

Maui Wedding at The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua from Wendy Laurel

I’m pretty sure that when every little girl dreams about her big day, the words Maui and Ritz-Carlton are both high on her list of wishes, right alongside a dashing prince and a beautiful white gown. Well, SMPers, Wendy Laurel would send those little girls right to the moon and back with this little number that is full of that amazing warm Hawaii sunlight and clothed in luxury and elegance. See all of the dreamy goodness in the gallery right here.

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From Wendy LaurelWhat happens when a big Italian family and a big Mexican family get together on Maui? A colorful and fun-filled wedding with a lot of toasting and even more dancing. Victoria and Jai chose to fly away to Maui for their marriage and brought along all their family and friends. If the party was this big as a destination wedding, imagine how big it would have been if they stayed home. Must be why they choose to get married overlooking the ocean on the cliffs of Kapalua and have a beautiful reception outside next to the beach.

Wedding Photography: Wendy Laurel / Assistant Photographer: Patrice Carlton / Wedding Venue + Coordination: The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii / Floral Design: ASA Flowers / Officiant: Rev. Joe Miles / Reception DJ: DJ Dan / Hair + Makeup: The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua