Now this is how you return from Christmas vacation: with a jaw-droppingly gorgeous Maui affair overflowing with pretty, from the modern meets al fresco reception to the seaside ceremony. It’s a day that was planned to absolute perfection by Opihi Love and captured in amazing images by Mirelle Carmichael. In short, it’s destination perfection and you can see the entire affair right here in the full gallery. Happy Thursday, lovelies.
From the Bride… Paul and I chose to get married in Maui for a few different reasons. We went there to do a scouting trip, and everything just felt right and comfortable. It felt like we were at home, and we knew that Hawaii was something special for us. Also, a small, intimate wedding was at the top of our priority list. We knew that we wanted to be able to give each one of our guests individual time with us, and that would not have been possible with a larger wedding. Lastly, we also knew we wanted to be outside and near the beach. Hawaii immediately came to mind and Maui was the absolute perfect choice for us!
When we started planning our wedding and looking at colors, Paul and I knew we wanted something fun and happy. These were absolutely important to us. As a couple, having fun is a priority in our relationship and we wanted our wedding to reflect that. We wanted our guests to feel happy when they arrived at our wedding. I mean, isnt that what a wedding is about?! So that is how our yellow and gray theme came to be.
We looked at so many vendors for everything! Clicking, feeling comfortable with our vendors, and making sure that vendors would work well with another was a must for us. We met with quite a few vendors on our scouting trip, and were lucky to hit it off with quite a few! Paul and I really wanted vendors that offered something extra for our guests since they made such an effort to attend our wedding. For instance, we invested in Garnish Events, who offers specialized and unique bar services.
Paul and I were so fortunate to run across Melissa Padilla, owner of Opihi Love. I contacted her about styling and day of coordination, but she ended up being so much more to us. She was also our florist, responsible for some rentals, and a friend. Melissa and I spent hours chatting on the phone, mostly talking like old friends! We both shared a similar vision of fun, modern trends such as chevron print (all runners were sewn by my mom), billy balls, and ombre (the napkins were also made by my mother and hand dyed by my sister and I). But were also inspired by some rustic trends including wildflowers, galvanized tins, and large gorgeous wooden tables with low centerpieces. We knew these were popular trends, but tried to incorporate them in a new and fresh way. For instance, Melissa was able to turn our guestbook quilt table into the most spectacular vignette. We also wanted to incorporate some of the island culture into our wedding. Barefoot Minded, the ceremony musicians, are a local favorite of Maui. Our favor bags were full of macadamia nut Hershey Kisses, one of our signature cocktails was a Mai Tai, and we made sure to serve sodas from Waialua Soda Works as well.
Our favorite part of the day was being able to finally call each other husband and wife! Paul says one of his favorite parts was our first look, and it was one of mine as well! It was such an intimate special momentsomething we will never forget. Our ceremony will top our favorites, too. Our oldest and dearest friend was our officiant, and it was so meaningful to have him marry us. Another favorite part was when our DJ and friend (who we flew in from LA to DJ our wedding) played “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey. It got everyone to the dance floor, moving, and singing all together! It was one of our favorite memories of the reception. Personally, a favorite part of the day for me was being able to get ready at the venue, and just being able to watch all our hard work come together so beautifullyit made the excitement palpable!
Photographer: Mirelle Carmichael | Wedding Coordination: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design | Florist: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design | Wedding Gown: Amy Kuschel | Wedding Cake: Maui Sweet Cakes | Rings: Eternity By Yoni, NYC | Caterer: Aloha Events Catering | Hair & Makeup: Ry-n Shimabuku | DJ: Ryan McKenzie, Music Makes You Move | Groom's Suit: Donald Trump | Ceremony Music: Barefoot Minded | Venue: Olowalu Plantation House | Bar: Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering | Bridal Sash: Amalee Bridal | Burlap Banners: N.Hayes Designs | Cake Topper & Cupcake Flags: Ready Go | Head Table Accessories: Anthropologie | Head Table Accessories: Bay Area Vintage Fair | Mr. & Mrs. Signs: Liddabits | Program And Invitation Digital Files: SthBlue Studios | Robes: Singing Slowly | Thank You Bag Tags: Chic Weddings By Jamie Irene | Veil: Brenda's Bridal Veils | Vintage Rentals: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design