Hawaii Weddings

I literally had to walk away from the computer to stop staring at this Maui stunner by Tamiz Photography and to say I am having a serious case of wedding envy does not begin to cover my obsession with this amazing celebration! Belle Desination Weddings and Events pulled out all the stops: from centerpieces dripping with crystals to creative skeleton key place cards. I simply cannot forget to mention the breathtaking bride-OH.MY.GOODNESS! This one is too good to miss-check out the rest of the images and the sweet film by 10th Letter Media!

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From Lena of Belle Destination Weddings and Events… Tabitha wore a beautiful Rivini bridal necklace by Rita Vineris on her wedding day. This statement jewelry piece, adorned with crystals, pearls, silver and gold metals, set the tone for all of the wedding details. Gold and silver manzanita branches were embellished with orchid blooms and hanging crystal strands, both on the dinning tables and framing the entrance to the ceremony. Tabitha and Darren exchanged vows under a custom-made brass archway featuring sheer fabric and clear crystal strands swaying to the light Maui breeze on Kapalua Bay. It was a perfect back drop to a destination wedding. There was definitely a side of playfulness to the elegance of the wedding, with the save-the-dates and invitations showcasing bright pops of color. Guests sipped on colorful tropical cocktails following the ceremony and watched an incredible sunset. As they moved into the dining room for the dinner reception, gold and silver skeleton keys served as escort cards for each guest to find their seats. Each table was elegantly decorated with gold beaded chargers, chrome table numbers, gold votives, and silver and mercury glass pieces filled with ivory flowers. Everyone danced the night away and celebrated the newlyweds. A special treat sent guests off for the night with a beautiful display of fresh-baked cookies in little to-go-bags to help themselves to enjoy. 

Wedding Photography: Tamiz Photography / Wedding Venue: Merriman’s Kapalua in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii / Event Coordination + Design: Belle Destination Weddings and Events / Floral Design: Bella Bloom Floral Boutique / Officiant: Rev. Ron Winkler / Wedding Cinematography: 10th Letter Media / Wedding Cake: Maui Wedding Cakes / Cookie Bar: Maui Sweet Cakes / Linens + Lounge Furniture: Pacific Event Group / Rentals + Lighting: Pacific Isle Rentals / Musicians: Vance Koenig + Don V. Lax / DJ: DJ Del Sol / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Bride’s Necklace: Rivini / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Hair + Makeup: Maui MiRa

This Olowalu Plantation plantation is all kinds of personal prettiness, complete with Polaroid place cards. A big pop of bright royal blue lends a new fresh modern beach feel to the grey and yellow Bella Bloom florals and it is so so spot on. What you are about to see is equal parts beautiful and thoughtful, like the table names: a nod to the groom’s beloved late grandma, a Scrabble savant. See it in all its Maui glory captured by Tamiz Photography in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… JJ and I wanted our destination wedding to be a small, intimate, laid-back affair. We took months to choose our venue, but once we did everything else seemed to almost fall into place. Olowalu Plantation House is so incredibly beautiful that it really didn’t need a lot of decor to make it amazing. We rented some really beautiful rustic wood tables and a few strands of filament-style globe lights and let the natural beauty of the venue stand out. On our tables, we had beautiful floral arrangements mixed in with pictures of us growing up. Our table names were all things that we got to know each other over, that eventually led to us dating. The table names were displayed with Scrabble tiles as a tribute to JJ’s late grandma, who was an avid player of the game. In lieu of a guest book, we had guests take a Polaroid of themselves and exchange it for their escort card before they found their place at the dinner table. We got an idea from some close friends who had been to Thailand to release lit lanterns into the night sky as they do in some Asian cultures. We invited our guests to decorate the lanterns with their hopes, wishes, dreams or just simply with art, and then when the sun went down, the plan was to light and release them together. It turns out that they were really hard to light and some never made it off the ground, but it was fun all the same, and when a few did actually make it up into the night sky, it was quite beautiful. The whole evening was enjoyed by all with wonderful food, great music and even better company.

Because we had so many friends and family who weren’t able to make it to Maui, it was really important to us that our photographer capture how our wedding felt — we are so lucky to have found Rebecca and Jonathan of Tamiz Photography because they truly did exactly that. Each and every one of our vendors were so amazing. They were all wonderful to work with and helped make our day as amazing as it was. Our wedding day was truly perfect — the weather was amazing, everything about it was beautiful, and we were surrounded by all of our favorite people that we love the most.

Wedding Photography: Rebecca + Jonathan of Tamiz Photography / Wedding Venue: Olowalu Plantation House in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii / Floral Design: Bella Bloom / Officiant: Eve Hogan / Catering: Aloha Events Catering / DJ: Liam Grist / Wedding Dress: BHLDN / Hair: Dan Sanchez / Makeup: Cherie of Bridal Hair on Maui

It’s no secret that I have a weakness for a man in uniform. Military weddings make my heart pitter with the best of the patters every time. And when said military wedding takes place at the most amazing Hawaiian venue, Haiku Mill, and is filled with a floral design to make Flora herself green with envy, thanks to Bella Grace Flowers Wedding & Event Design, well let’s just say it’s over on this side of the computer screen. Tamiz Photography captured the beauty of the day in such a way that I will be here, admiring away all day in the gallery.

Click here to see the rest of this gorgeous soiree in the full image gallery!

From Stephanie at Haiku Mill … Denise and I designed their wedding over the phone and approximately 4000 miles since she and Stuart were living in Japan throughout the entire planning process. We often spoke on two different days due to our locations on the globe. What could have turned out to be an obstacle was anything but- it was a joy to work with such a calm and collected bride. Denise had some basic ideas about the overall look she wanted, and with a little professional guidance from me, we pulled together a beautiful and ever-so-romantic event.

Photography: Tamiz Photography / Venue: Haiku Mill / Coordinator: Stephanie Shepherd of Haiku Mill / Catering: Maui Executive Catering / Bar Service: Garnish Events / Hair: Adiel Sneary / Makeup: Maui Makeup Artistry / Flowers: Bella Grace Flowers Wedding & Event Design / Cake: Cravings Bakery / Linens + Rentals: Maui Rents & Island Rents / Music: Trio d’Amore / Officiant: Joris Watland

I absolutely adore this chic, fresh approach to the bridal session by Wendy Laurel!  It’s just perfect for a sunshiny Maui wedding and a unique bride with loads of style.  Who wouldn’t want to whisk off around the island in a fringy and flirty J.Crew wedding dress and an adorable, little yellow VW bug?!  Get your cheer on in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL photo shoot!

From Wendy Laurel… This shoot was inspired by the yellow VW that I kept seeing driving around town. It just looked so fresh and beachy in yellow. The car’s owner turned out to be a very nice guy who had bought the car as a young man brand new and kept it up ever since. I also fell in love with the J.Crew wedding dress and thought they would look good together. A young, fresh look for a Maui wedding.

Photography: Wendy Laurel / Location: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii / Floral Design: Sunya Flowers (808-669-8570) / Car: Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Bracelet: Tiffany & Co. / Shoes: Converse + Nina / Sunglasses: Ray-Ban / Lipstick: MAC / Model: Anna Julie Breedlove

Each and every inch of this Maui wedding is absolutely stunning. Stunning in that understated, natural, totally gorgeous type of way that seriously takes your breath away. This is the type of wedding that makes you feel fancy and fun all at once, just for being on the guest list. The lush flowers, the cozy firepits, the incredible view all add up to one spectacular day. Christie Pham Photography was on hand to capture all the pretty details like the beyond amazing invites by Bradley & Lily Fine Stationery. Click here for even more!

 Click here for the FULL wedding!

And a breathtaking film from 10th Letter Media to sweeten your day…

From Bradley & Lily Fine Stationery… While Jamie and Guy are residents of Oahu, it’s upcountry Maui that holds very special place in their hearts. When it came to finding a location for the wedding, they knew that Guy’s parent’s home in Kula would be the perfect spot. With views of the Maui countryside and pristine Pacific Ocean, it was an idyllic setting for their vows and also happened to be where they were engaged. Taking inspiration from the location, Jamie defined her wedding style as upcountry elegance. To set the stage, she commissioned an illustration of the vine-covered arch that would welcome the guests to the ceremony and would also serve as a symbol of their new life together. The illustration was letterpressed onto a wood veneer band and being wrapped around their crisp, navy and cream suite of letterpress wedding stationery. At the wedding, the mix of exposed rustic wood tables, lace runners and burlap combined with elegant and lush florals to create a graceful and welcoming balance. Guests were guided into the reception along a log path which revealed the setting and a spectacular view overlooking the Maui countryside and ocean beyond.

A few highlights:

• Photos of the couple throughout their courtship were displayed at the entrance.
• The gorgeous bride danced hula for her new husband.
• A malasada station (a Portuguese doughnut coated in sugar) was a hit with the guests.
  
• Coffee was served in to-go cups with personalized coffee stirrers and sleeves bearing the arch motif.
• The couple presented leis to their parents during the ceremony honoring their significance in their lives.
• Fire pits kept guests warm in the chilly Kula night.
• Because it was on a neighbor island, their wedding was a destination of sorts. Their save-the-date was a custom cut suitcase, complete with miniature luggage tag and fold-out map of Maui.

Wedding Photography: Christie Pham Photography / Wedding Coordination: Nichole Weddings and Events / Floral Design: Dellables / Wedding Cinematography: 10th Letter Media / Wedding Stationery + Illustration: Bradley & Lily Fine Stationery / Officiant: David Turner / Catering: Maui Executive Catering / Wedding Cake: Cakes by JoAnn / Bar: Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering / Events / Wood Table + Bench Rentals: Pacific Event Group, Inc. / Rentals: Island Rents / Ceremony Entertainment: Heavenly Harps of Hawaii / Cocktail Entertainment: Kahulu Productions / DJ: Keith Medina / Sound: Maui Tunes Entertainment & Productions / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Shoes: Valentino / Hair: Dan Sanchez / Makeup: Jessica Waite / Venue: Private Residence

Maui seems like the most magical place to say I do. The light, the gorgeous backdrops, the island feeling – it’s no wonder we crush hard over soirees from the pretty island. Today we have Erin Wallis Photography to thank for our dose of Maui goodness. With all the lovely you expect from a destination beauty topped off with the love of this gorgeous family, it is the perfect recipe for a gallery full of gorgeous!

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From the Bride… It had always been our dream to get married in Maui. Having both visited the island when we were younger, it was a special place to both of us. We knew we wanted a small, intimate, laid-back, “island style” wedding. By researching the internet and communicating with past Maui brides I was able to find great vendors that I was very excited to work with. We decided on coral and orange for our wedding colours — bright and fun and perfect with our beautiful Maui backdrop. I used the colours as a guide, which helped make decisions easier (I am not a good decision maker!). I was able to find a great coral-coloured dress for my sister, who was my maid of honour, and I found ties in a matching colour for my husband and my son. Can I just say that I loved that my 10-month-old son had a tie and suit to match his dad’s — that was one of my favourite parts of the whole wedding. I thought I was the luckiest girl alive to be spending the rest of my life with those two handsome guys! I gave my florist free rein and just said I wanted something with a bit of coral and orange and a “natural rustic” feel to it. What she came up with was so perfect, I loved the bouquets and the centrepieces. Instead of going overboard on the decor, I really just left it simple. When you have such a stunning location like Maui, you don’t need much more. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our special day — our son and our cute flower girl riding down the aisle in a wagon covered with a re-purposed hula skirt and tropical flowers, the beautiful live music during our cocktail hour, watching the amazing sunset while enjoying delicious food and drinks, and later dancing under the stars with our closest family and friends. It really was the best day ever, and I am so grateful to my brilliant photographer Erin Wallis for capturing all the love, joy and beauty of that day — our photos are perfection.

Wedding Photography: Erin Wallis Photography / Wedding Venue: Luana Kai Resort in Kihei, Maui / Wedding Planning: Lori Lawrence of Tropical Maui Weddings / Floral Design: Bella Grace Flowers /Catering + Event Rentals: Food for the Soul / Wedding Cake: Cakes by JoAnn / Bartending: Maui Bars Are Us / Wedding Favors: Honolulu Cookie Company / Music: Jamie Lawrence of Tropical Maui Weddings / Wedding Dress: Ella Bridals via Blush Bridal Boutique / Hair: Dan Sanchez / Makeup: Jessica Waite / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: David’s Bridal / Bridal Party Shoes: Aldo / Groom’s Suit: Calvin Klein / Groomsmen’s Attire: Banana Republic / Ring Bearer’s (Son’s) Suit: Baby Gap / Flower Girl Dress: Squirrelly Bird Baby Co.

Jana Morgan Photography sure knows how to brighten a Friday morning.  Yep, she sent along this fabulous Maui affair and, my oh my, is it STUNNING.  An oceanside ceremony, a gorgeous sunny day and a bundles upon bundles of orchid-filled florals by Dellables… it’s a Hawaiian dream come true, I tell you.  All set against a breathtaking Olowalu Plantation House and boasting a cute as can be bride and groom, the weekend is looking better by the minute.  See it all here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Jana of Jana Morgan Photography… Sylvia and Justin came to Maui from Canada to get married at the Olowalu Plantation House to celebrate their marriage with their closest friends and family members. To carry on their family traditions, Sylvia and Justin had a Chinese tea ceremony to honor their family and dearest friends. Instead of using hot tea during this warm day in Hawaii, they used Hawaii iced tea. The two knelt in front of the families, presenting them with a cup of tea and a red envelope, while the families gave their words of blessing with a gift. The wedding ceremony was by the ocean among family and friends who traveled long distances to witness Justin and Sylvia tie the knot. The wedding was photographed with both film and digital photography.

Wedding Photography: Jana Morgan Photography / Wedding Venue: Olowalu Plantation House in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii / Floral Design: Dellables / Day-Of Coordination: Cheryl Liem Shoemaker of Orchid Isle Weddings & Events / Wedding Cinematography: Love Story Media / Catering: Aloha Events Catering / Officiants: Albert Wu + Allen Ye / MC: Michael Yue / DJ: Jay Langworthy of Boomshot International Sound / Rentals: Island Rents / Tent: Maui Rents / Favors: Honolulu Cookie Company / Wedding Dress: Eunice Yoo via Vogue Sposa / Hair: Dan Sanchez Salon (808-891-6600) / Makeup: Jessica Waite

I want to marry this wedding. Like jump on a plane tomorrow and marry this wedding. Set amidst the backdrop of Maui’s gooooorgeous beaches, this couple simply wanted to capture the laid back but elegant spirit of the island and allow the natural beauty of the day to take center stage. And with Gina Meola on hand to capture every last postcard worthy moment and Belle Destination behind the design wheel, they did just that….and so much more. Click here to see the whole book of lovely.

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From Gina of Gina Meola Photography… Maui was the ideal halfway point for guests coming in from all parts of the world. Kristine, originally from New York, had moved to Tokyo, where she met and fell in love with precious Hisashi. The two still live in Japan and wanted their day to reflect the relaxed, beautiful love they share. Lena and Jane of Belle Destination Events did a phenomenal job making Kristine’s dreams come true! Anyone with a history planning a destination wedding knows the level of uncertainty you can run into, but these ladies created an exceptional experience for this destination couple.

Kristine incorporated ribbons, fabrics, silks and decor from artists across the globe. The warm, delicate color scheme fit perfectly with the feel of their day. The gentle fabrics flowed easily with the ocean breeze, and the choice of food was superb. Her creativity worked itself into the ribbon table runner that Belle Destination put together piece by piece. This was truly a wedding of bliss and beauty, with the most loving, genuine group of people.

Wedding Photography: Gina Meola Photography / Wedding Venue: Olowalu Plantation House in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii / Wedding Coordination: Belle Destination Weddings & Events, Inc. / Floral Design: Bella Bloom / Wedding Invitations: Bella Figura / Calligraphy: Kelle of designsgirl / Catering: Aloha Events Catering / Bar Service: Garnish Events / Wedding Dress + Shoes: J.Crew

They say all good things must come to an end, and if we have to end Maui Week on SMP Destination – we might as well end it on the prettiest of notes. Well, this gorgeous wedding by Joanna Tano Photography will certainly send this festive week off in serious style! With a swoon-worthy color palette, a chic ceremony setting complete with chandelier and that fabulous Maui charm – it’s the fabulous way to send you off into the weekend. Don’t forget, you can keep the pretty party going in the full gallery of images!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Joanna of Joanna Tano Photography… McCall and Dylan were married at the historic Haiku Mill on Maui. McCall was such a stunning bride! I loved the natural look of her hair and makeup. A beautiful couple and such a serene location make for a photographer’s dream. Congratulations to the newlyweds! They traveled from Seattle, Washington, with family and friends to celebrate their wedding here on Maui.  Belle Destination Weddings & Events did a phenomenal job on coordinating this beautiful wedding!

Wedding Photography: Joanna Tano Photography / Wedding Venue: Haiku Mill in Haiku, Maui, Hawaii / Wedding Coordination: Belle Destination Weddings & Events, Inc. / Floral Design: Bella Bloom / Catering: Aloha Events Catering / Officiant: Vance Rosete / Calligraphy: Barbara Vanderpool of Miss B Calligraphy / Linens, Chargers + Vintage Plates: Pacific Event Group / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier “Gabrielle” / Makeup: Maui MiRa

 

There is no denying that Maui Week on SMP Destination has been pretty spectacular, but this shoot is near and dear to my heart. One because the images you are about to devour below by Erich McVey Photography are just be-yond. Works of art that capture the souls of two gorgeous people. And that brings me to my second reason I am head over heels for these images – these gorgeous people just happen to be the talents behind Branco Prata, the wedding power team of Portugal, and the proof is in the pictures that they are just as gorgeous on the outside as they are on the inside. See it all here!

Click here for the FULL photo session!

From Erich of Erich McVey Photography… I had the privilege of meeting and spending time with Andre and Sophia of the very successful Portuguese wedding photography and design studio Branco Prata, when we all attended Jose Villa’s workshop in Mexico last November. Andre is a wedding photographer, and Sophia is a wedding stylist, floral designer, wedding planner, blogger and all-around amazing talent. They are a fantastic team. While spending time with Andre and Sophia in Mexico, their love for each other was overwhelmingly apparent, and their uniqueness and beauty as a couple shined through. I knew I wanted to capture their love in a shoot. Thankfully, I had that chance in January when we all reunited at Jill LaFleur’s workshop in Maui. When I found out Andre and Sophia were going to be at Jill’s workshop, I immediately got in touch with them and was so excited to find out that they were as thrilled to line up a shoot as I was. We shot at sunset on the beach, using the beautiful rock, sand, and sky as our backdrop. I shot the session on film and love the look and feel of the images.

From Sofia & Andre… I remember that André and I were so excited the first time we talked with Erich about our impromptu shoot. We were all attending Jill La Fleur workshop in Hawaii — at first we laughed when Erich asked if we’d like to do a portrait session with him, but soon we realized Erich was serious about his idea! Being together for almost 2.5 years now and working in the wedding business for so long, it was the first time a photographer did a session with us as a couple! It’s so funny being on the other side of the camera, and it’s an experience we will treasure for life! It helped us realize how our couples feel when we “shoot” them, but more importantly, we had an incredible time for ourselves as a couple to cuddle, to take a walk down the beach, to watch sunset together… The best part is that now we have beautiful images of our unforgettable time in Hawaii that we will cherish forever! Thank you Erich, for making us feel so special!

Photography: Erich McVey Photography / Location: Maui, Hawaii

It’s official. Maui Week is my new favorite week on SMP. Spending day after day drooling over destination perfection in Hawaii – does it get any better? The last few days I’ve spent more than a few hours days dreaming of al fresco dinners wrapped up in the warm ocean breeze, and this chandelier-laden soiree, and its gorgeous full gallery by Joanna Tano Photography, is keeping my dreams alive today! Best of all, you can come back tomorrow for even more Maui!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

And now for the gorgeous film by Hawaii Video Memories…

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From Joanna of Joanna Tano Photography… The rustic charm of Haiku Mill provided the perfect setting for Mandy and Pete’s wedding. The groom, Peter Moylan, is a relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves and is originally from Australia, so he had family members who flew in from “down under” to attend the wedding party. Mandy’s family and friends flew in from the mainland. Though Pete and Mandy reside in Georgia, they frequently travel back and forth to Australia.

Every detail of the ceremony and reception was thoughtfully put together, creating an elegant wedding — beautiful beyond belief. Pete’s two young daughters were adorable flower girls. Mandy was an especially stunning and radiant bride. A historic Hawaiian landmark, Haiku Mill is unique and lovely. As a photographer, it is a treat to document weddings at the Haiku Mill, due to the varied and beautiful visual elements available there!

Wedding Photography: Joanna Tano Photography / Wedding Venue: Haiku Mill in Haiku, Maui, Hawaii / Wedding Coordination: Belle Destination Weddings & Events, Inc. / Floral Design: Bella Bloom / Cinematography: Hawaii Video Memories / Catering: Aloha Events Catering / Tables, Runners, Napkins + Pergola: Pacific Event Group / Officiant: Reverend Pia Aluli / Calligraphy: Barbara Vanderpool of Miss B Calligraphy / Lighting + Rentals: Pacific Isle Rentals / DJ: Del Sol / Musicians: Vance Koenig + Don Lax / Wedding Dress: Liancarlo / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Hair + Makeup: Maui MiRa

We’re continuing our week of Maui goodness here on SMP Destination with one VERY stunning Olowalu Plantation House affair.  Set against an awe-inspiring Pacific Ocean backdrop and featuring one of the most adorable couples you will ever virtually meet, this was a day that was all about friends, family and sweet L.O.V.E.  Thankfully, Joanna Tano Photography was on hand to capture every last ounce of magic, including those cute as can be place cards and vibrant orange hues.  Click here for more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Joanna Tano Photography… Olowalu Plantation House was the perfect venue for Marissa and Lachlan’s wedding. Marissa used her great sense of style to create a wedding that was rustic, stylish and beautiful! The couple met in New York City, where they currently live. Her family traveled from the mainland, and his came from Australia. Both families were lovely and gracious. The couple was madly in love, and it showed throughout the day! I am so happy for the two of them, and I feel lucky to have documented their beautiful wedding.

Wedding Photography: Joanna Tano Photography / Wedding Venue: Olowalu Plantation House in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii / Floral Design: Lois Hiranaga Floral Design / Event Planning: Lori Lawrence of Tropical Maui Weddings / Catering: Cafe Ole (808-891-1368) / Musician: Jamie Lawrence of Tropical Maui Weddings / DJ: DJ Skinny Guy / Wedding Dress: Marisa / Hair: Dan Sanchez / Makeup: Jessica Waite

We’re taking a week long vacation to Hawaii here on SMP Destination!  You don’t even have to worry about packing or long flights.  We’ll take care of all the travel details with five stunning Maui weddings all in a row.  To kick off this island adventure we have a garden celebration that is bursting with romance and the most gorgeous details all captured by Photos On Maui + Paul Wilcock Photography!  See it all in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Being from the UK, an English country garden wedding was my dream come true. With family and friends coming from all over the world, we chose Hawaii for our destination wedding and set about bringing the English countryside to Maui. We found the perfect venue in Haiku Mill, an old stone structure covered with beautiful vines and creepers on the north shore of Maui. We focused on creating secret garden drawing inspiration from the British classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The escort cards were detailed with little birds and were attached by plum ribbons to antique keys sourced from Etsy. Birdcages filled with flowers were scattered throughout. The tables were named after the favorite flowers on my mother, father, both sets of grandparents and me. The table displays also had bird motifs sourced from Michaels.

The garden theme extended to the cupcakes, made by my sister with sugar flowers transported from Australia. The table displays were beautifully designed by Teresa Sena with silver trays, mercury glass and wonderful English country garden displays. We were very pleased to serve Pride Wines at our wedding. We got engaged at the winery on Spring Mountain overlooking the vineyards, so it seemed a wonderful way to make the wine part of our special day. We ordered a nine liter bottle and used it as our guest book for all of our guests to sign during the evening.

For our cocktail hour, we served two cocktails: Barefoot in the Garden and a Pimms Cup, in keeping with our theme. Maui Executive Catering did an incredible job of incorporating our theme with a beautiful twist on some English classics: fish and chips and roast beef for appetizers. We had guests coming from the US, UK and Australia, and Haiku Mill helped us deal with all the complexities that involves. Our guests all commented on the incredible venue and beauty of the island of Maui. We couldn’t have been more blessed with the weather, it was outstanding. It was utterly perfect.

Wedding Photography: Scott Drexler of Photos On Maui + Paul Wilcock Photography / Wedding Venue: Haiku Mill in Haiku, Hawaii on the Island of Maui / Event Design + Planning: Jane Schumacher of Haiku Mill / Floral Design: Teresa Sena Designs / Wedding Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Catering: Maui Executive Catering / Cupcakes: Clair Harrison of Clair’s Cakes / Wine: Pride Mountain Vineyards / DJ: Chuck the DJ / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Hair + Makeup: Rebecca Hubbard of Dextress Hair

This bride did it so, so right. She planned a gorgeous day that took the beauty that is Maui, harnessed it, added to it, and made it BEYOND beautiful. Seen through the lens of Anna Kim Photography, this wedding is ridiculously romantic, ridiculously beautiful, and ridiculously timeless. We won’t blame you if you spend a little extra time this morning in the gallery, because we’ll definitely be doing just that!

Jackson is a Navy JAG Officer whose first duty station was Chicago, and I’m a medical student at the University of Chicago. One night, we met by happenstance at a restaurant across the street from my apartment. After a little less than a year together, Jackson was transferred to Pearl Harbor.

I flew out to visit him and he surprised me with a trip to Kauai. While on vacation Jackson suggested we take a helicopter tour of the coast. Little did I know Jackson had planned on proposing! At one point we flew by a beautiful beach. As our pilot swooped down a little closer to the coast I noticed letters written on the sand. They spelled “Laura will you marry me?” I was so surprised and excited! When we landed I said yes! A few days later we went back to visit the beach where Jackson had spelled out his proposal and the letters were still there. It was so romantic.

Having spent time Oahu we knew we wanted to celebrate our wedding in Hawaii. The Ritz Carlton on Maui had the prefect blend on beauty and serenity and fit us perfectly. We wanted our wedding to be a relaxed, intimate and classy. Our formal wedding ceremony took place on a grassy area over looking the ocean. Touches of light pink and white added a beautiful elegance to the ceremony and reception.

Photography: Anna Kim Photography / Venue: Ritz Carlton Maui / Hair and Makeup: Ritz Carlton Maui / Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas

We are starting to see a new trend in the Hawaiian destination world; non-beach weddings and you know what? We positively LOVE them. There is something so insanely gorgeous and romantic about saying “I Do” in a pineapple field or in this case, on a coffee farm. And with design and styling by Belle Destination Weddings & Events, Inc. and super scrumptious florals (and leis!) by Bella Bloom Floral Boutique  this is one Hawaiian affair not to be missed.  Catch every last perfect shot captured by Jana Morgan Photography in the full gallery right here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Jana of Jana Morgan Photography… Jennifer and Matthew escaped from Tennessee to Maui for their destination wedding. They choose an estate at the Ka’anapali Coffee Farms, which overlooks the beautiful coffee farms and ocean, for the setting of their intimate wedding ceremony and reception. Their wedding ceremony which was led by Rev. Vance Ali’i Rosete, who brought love and Aloha to the occasion as he blew the conch shell to introduce the bride as she walked down the aisle and shared some traditional love chants in Hawaiian. The couple exchanged leis as they shared their vows. After the reception, the couple sneaked away for some portraits around the Coffee Farms before returning to the reception where they enjoyed a romantic dinner with their close friends and family with the sunset over the ocean. Most of the wedding was photographed with film during the day and digital at the end of the night.

Wedding Photography: Jana Morgan Photography / Wedding Venue: Ka’anapali Coffee Farms in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii / Wedding Coordination: Belle Destination Weddings & Events, Inc. / Flowers: Bella Bloom Floral Boutique / Officiant: Rev. Vance Ali’i Rosete (808-244-4867) / Catering: Aloha Catering / Hair + Makeup: Maui MiRa

There is something so romantic about a wedding built for two. Just you and your love, a few witnesses and in this case, a gorgeous pineapple field backdrop. It has all the makings for a breath-taking Hawaiian elopement and Wendy Laurel’s photographs capture the magic beautifully – from first kiss to the first sunset walk as husband and wife. See it all here!

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From Wendy of Wendy Laurel… Sylvie and Nathaniel are both architects from Canada who wanted a simple elopement in Hawaii but didn’t want a typical beach wedding. They saw some photographs on my blog taken in the old pineapple fields behind my house and decided they wanted a wedding there. They had a live webcast filmed during the ceremony so that their friends and family could be “there” with them. We just walked out into the fields and found a nice spot. I’m pretty sure they are the only people ever to get married there. We headed down to Canoe Beach for some more shots after the wedding and saw a rainbow on the way. I pulled over, and they jumped out for a quick rainbow shot.

Wedding Photography: Wendy Laurel / Wedding Location: Maui, Hawaii / Silk Bouquet: Morgann Hill of Morgann Hill Designs / Wedding Dress: Casablanca Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Spring / Groom’s Suite: Indochino / Groom’s Shoes: Red Wing Shoes / Rings: Custom-Made with The Bride’s Grandmother’s Diamonds / Wedding Filming + Webcasting: Stephan + Chris of Live Maui Webcasts / Officiant: Valentine “Tino” Rosete

It’s Valentine’s Day which means we have romance on the brain even more than usual.  Our craving for a little extra dose of fairy tale magic is satiated by this Maui wedding from Anna Kim Photography.  It is overflowing with romance and dazzling beachside details.  Lush and creamy garden roses create a perfect duet with the glowing Hawaii sunset as does the mix of traditional and non-traditional elements.  See it all in the full gallery!

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From the bride… John and I knew each other through mutual friends in college. A few months after meeting, all our friends decided to take a trip for New Year’s Eve. We started talking, hit it off and have been inseparable since. We went out later that night for New Year’s Eve, danced a lot, talked some more, and he gave me a New Years kiss on the forehead! That’s our first kiss! When we were leaving the bar, he gave me a piggyback through the snow but slipped on the ice and we both fell to the ground — we joke that he dropped me on our first “date.” Later that night, I noticed the scrape on my knee was in the shape of a heart (seriously!) so we say it was meant to be!

I wanted our wedding to be about us and the things we love.  It was important to us to incorporate a mix of traditional and non-traditional elements into our wedding. Good food and music were very important in order to insure our guests had an amazing experience. The vision I had for our wedding was rustic and beachy in shades of peach. I found a lot of inspiration through Etsy and was able to get many special details handmade through different Etsy vendors. We had so many beautiful, rustic details incorporated into our ceremony and reception, and I wanted to keep to our wedding theme throughout every aspect of our event. I was so touched that so many of our friends and family made it to Maui for our special day, so I made welcome bags for all guests that I filled with Hawaiian snacks and goodies. I hand wrote a special note to each guest thanking them for traveling all the way to Hawaii for our wedding. Because many of the rustic flowers that I loved were unavailable on Maui, I ordered peach David Austin garden roses and peach hydrangeas that were shipped to us from Ecuador. The ring bearers ties were hand made from fabric I bought online and I had custom ring pillows and flower girl baskets made to add to the rustic look to our bridal party and ceremony.

 One very important element to our reception décor was our peach Glassybaby votive holders. There really is nothing quite like Glassybabies — each one has its own amazing light and feel. I knew there was no substitute, and they really were the perfect beautiful candle light for our dinner. The tables were lined with burlap table runners that I made, and each chair was wrapped with a light peach tulle chair tie that I made as well. On each table, were natural shell place card holders that held the rustic palm tree place cards that were hand-calligraphed. I also loved the rustic bride and groom signs for our chairs that I found on etsy.com. Fran’s Chocolates is a Seattle classic, and I had to have their amazing salted caramels for wedding favors. I made the favor boxes myself with a large “love” stamp and tied a peach ribbon around it. As a second favor, I ordered plastic tubes with wine corks that said “Love is Sweet” and filled them with chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. Both were delicious, and it was nice to be able to incorporate a bit of Seattle into our wedding.

Wedding Photography: Anna Kim Photography / Wedding Venue: Sarento’s On the Beach in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii / Flowers: Kihei-Waliea Flowers by Cora + Fifty Flowers / Wedding Gown: Blue by Enzoani “Denmark” / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale (Long Dress) + Donna Morgan (Short Dresses) via Nordstrom / Clutch: Lulu Townsend via DSW / Hair + Makeup: Grand Wailea Resort / Violin: Cambria Moss / Guitar: Tom Conway / Wedding Cake: Maui Wedding Cakes / Votive Candle Holders: Glassybaby / Welcome Bags, Table Runners, Chair Ties + Favor Boxes: DIY by the Bride / Salted Caramels: Fran’s Chocolates / Bride’s Shoes: TOMS + Stuart Weitzman

What’s not to love about an island destination wedding? MAUI to be exact. That description alone conjures up so many delightful thoughts of sandy beached nuptials and sunshine, lots of sunshine. Did I mention sunshine?  So to add to that a wedding that is pretty much the best graphically-endowed, whole heartedly fun and modern approach to getting Maui’ed that we’ve ever seen, it is leaving us a bit speechless. But not speechless enough to gush about the photography skills of Encarnacion Photography or the cinemetography skills of ARIA Studios. Alas, we’ll let the pictures and the film do the talking. See it all here!

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From the bride… The beginning of our wedding planning journey started with the search for the perfect location. After all, the location would set the tone for the stationery, the wedding attire, the details and pretty much everything else! There was no question about us joining in holy matrimony on the date of October 7th, the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, which holds a special religious significance to us. For fun, we decided to start our search looking for churches that were named after Our Lady of the Rosary in cities and towns where we wouldn’t mind traveling. Our search took us to the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui to a quaint little historic church established in the late 1800s called Maria Lanakila Catholic Church. Maria Lanakila, meaning “Our Lady of Victory” in Hawaiian, is another name for “Our Lady of the Rosary” with the same feast day, so we thought it was providence and decided that this cute, historic church would be it! The interiors of the church were clean and white as well — an added bonus!

We actually found our reception site by chance. On a scouting trip to Maui last summer, we walked by Pacific’O restaurant after a surfing lesson one afternoon and absolutely fell in love with it!  We loved that it had views directly to the ocean and to the neighboring islands of Lana’i and Moloka’i. And what’s more, the outdoor patio of the restaurant was only a few feet from a small sandy beach! The design inspiration for our wedding started with the color gray. We LOVE the color and wanted to tie it in with yellow for a modern feel with laid-back touches. Since I do some graphic design on the side, I designed everything from the wedding stationery and ceremony programs to the reception décor and welcome bags with simple fonts and twine. Maui has a lot of country-like scenery, so we wanted to tie in natural materials like yellow twine and gray linen table runners, while also creating clean lines with white sake bottles and white frames for table décor. While tropical flowers are abundant on the island, we opted for billy buttons and white ranunculus as our accent flowers instead.  All the little details — striped straws and tablecloths, fun cocktail stirrers, and escort buttons (color-coded yellow for bride’s guests and gray for groom’s guests) — just came together after that!

Jason has a thing for singing — he started a singing group in high school and loves to belt out 90s love songs and seasonal Christmas tunes. So he decided that, as part of our first dance, he would gather up his old high school singing group and sing our song, “Bigger than Us,” by Andy Davis, which I found on MySpace years ago when we first started dating. Before the performance, the group started to have “technical difficulties” and “needed someone’s help, maybe someone with a guitar.”  Out of the bushes emerged Andy Davis himself, guitar in hand — I was absolutely floored!  As Jason and Andy took turns singing the verses with the group singing back up, I just sat in awe with a puddle of happy tears. That moment was so surreal and caught me off guard for the surprise I had for Jason later on in the reception! Back in high school, I used to dance hula and hip hop in talent shows and weddings. Jason will occasionally ask me to dance a number for him, and I typically refuse out of embarrassment. Friends and family were encouraging me to dance a hula number for Jason, but I refused, citing a busy schedule in between a full-time job, wedding planning, and stationery design. Two weeks before the wedding, I decided to surprise him with a hula dance to “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. He was absolutely in shock! And for weeks before the big day, our poor wedding squad had to sneak around the both of us and our surprises for each other!

Photography: Encarnacion Photography / Ceremony: Maria Lanakila Catholic Church / Reception: Pacific’O Restaurant / Cinematography: ARIA Studios / Flowers: Bella Bloom Floral Boutique / Event Design: The Bride / Day-Of Planning: Malate Events (jennifermalate@sbcglobal.net) / Wedding Stationery, Programs + Welcome Bags: The Bride / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal / Shoes: Seychelles / Hair: Bridal Hair on Maui

Wendy Laurel is serving up a good dose of inspiration for your destination day-dreaming today thanks to this oh so gorgeous Maui wedding she sent our way. We can’t thank her enough, because this causal yet elegant island affair is officially where our brains will be vacationing today. With the gorgeous blue hues, insane only-in-Hawaii views and an oh so handsome Bride and Groom – we don’t blame you a bit for joining us in the full gallery for a little mid-week vaca!

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From the bride… Jake is from Cocoa Beach, Florida. He came out here with a friend for a 3 week vacation almost 4 years ago, got a job as a landscaper and never went back. I was born and raised here in Lahaina. I left for a bit for some school and some traveling, but came back in January 2010. When I got back, my little sister, Bridget, insisted that I meet one of her youth group/Young Life leaders, but I didn’t jump at the chance. I did finally meet him a couple of times in April at church events, and he got my phone number from Bridget. For 2.5 months, he called or texted me a couple times each week asking me out, but I never agreed. Finally, Bridget sort of embarrassingly forced a date upon us, and we’ve been together ever since. By September, after two requests and a camping trip with my family to Lanai, we were “official.” By Christmas, we were deeply in love and knee deep in planning a 4-day hike through the Haleakala Crater. By February everything was wonderful, and while I was getting excited for Valentines Day, Jake was busy. He met with my mom & stepfather to ask them permission to marry me. He got ahold of my father in Thailand, who I rarely speak with, to ask his permission and very secretly designed a ring with a tiny jeweler in Wailuku. Valentines Day came, and Jake came over to my apartment to make me breakfast before we went to work. When I got home, he had purchased 140 potted orchids (one of my favorite flowers) and decorated my 400-square-foot home! It was incredible. He pickled me up later & took me to Merrimans for dinner. Then he asked if I wanted to look at the stars, I of course agreed. We drove down to Slaughterhouse. When we got to the beach, there were tiki torches set up with a blanket, champagne, candles and rose petals. I thought someone had paid to have that set up and that we better move away quickly. Jake gave me a hug, said it was for me and got down on his knee. It was so amazing, romantic & more than anything I had ever dreamed of.    Our favors, the stemless wine glasses, had “Eat, Drink & be Married — Rachael & Jake — September 9th 2011” printed on them in my own personal handwriting. My “old” was a bracelet and hair pin I got from my favorite vintage shop, Hula Gypsy; my “new” was my dress; “borrowed” was a beautiful necklace with a cross on it from my godmother; and my “blue” was my shoes! Our cake was made by a friend of our, Lindsay Hunt. She offered to help us with that, and it was wonderful! It was a Blue Velvet cake with buttercream icing and a great paisley design. We had jugs of margaritas & mojitos, which I made little medallions for. Along with that, the food and drink reflected our tastes: my favorite red wine, mini pizzas and spinach salad, along with Jake’s favorite beer and sliders. I love hydrangeas, so when I contacted Maui Floral to order flowers in bulk, they were great with helping me figure out an array of flowers to compliment them. (Lisianthus, Matsumoto Asters, Spray Roses, Dendrobium Orchids and Delphinum) Our style is very relaxed, so going with the usual structured, ornate, perfected florals wasn’t an option. We got quite a few quotes from florists on the island but in the end, what Jake and I had in mind was so simple and sleek we realized it made no sense to pay someone to do them. So a couple friends and I put them all together. Our ‘theme’ was sort of vintage chic, and I love the look of variation so I started collecting vases and jars from thrift stores in March. Everyone made fun of me for have dozens of them all over my house, but it worked out perfectly!

Wedding Photography: Wendy Laurel / Second Shooter: Alisa Greig / Flowers + Program Fans: DIY / Bulk Flower Supplier: Maui Floral / Wedding Venue: Kapalua Resort (The Bride’s Step-Father is the Property Manager) / Earrings: Hale Zen (808-661-4802) / Wedding Gown: Vera Wang / Shoes: Anthropologie / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Hair: Bride’s Godmother / Makeup: Bride’s Best Friend / Stemless Wine Glass Favors: Kim Williams of Williams & Associates

When it’s blustery and snowy outside, a little blog escape to Maui sounds like complete Heaven. And with the added bonus of gorgeous images by Beloved Photo Boutique, this destination wedding is making Monday a whole lot brighter. Pink peonies, trees dripping in chandeliers and leis – this gem has it all. Now enter the breathtaking backdrop of Haiku Mill; a little slice of paradise where old world beauty meets tropical romance and it’s an all out pretty party. Care to join? Pretty parties trump Monday blues ten fold. See it all here!

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From the bride… I wasn’t the girl that dreamt about my wedding day when I was little. Of course I looked forward to the day that I would meet the person I would spend the rest of my life, with but as far as the specifics of my wedding day went, I never really thought about them. Had I dreamed of what this day would have been like though, our wedding experience would have exceeded those dreams by far. Everything about our wedding experience was perfect. Absolutely perfect. Jason and I knew early on that we wanted to have a destination wedding. We love to travel, wanted to have a relaxed experience, and thought — what better way to celebrate this exceptionally special day then by traveling to one of our favorite places (Maui) with our family and closest friends? There’s always such excitement when you go on vacation and then add a wedding to that — the excitement goes to a whole new level! All of the days leading up to the wedding were wonderful. Everyone was able to relax, transitioning from mainland pace to island pace, and play in the warmth of the Maui sunshine. With most of our hard work and preparation taken care of before we got there, Jason and I were able to be right there with everyone. Sunshine, beach time, dinners, shave ice, great conversation — this time spent with our family and friends was something we treasured and was what made this special time in our lives even more unforgettable.

The day of the wedding we shuttled our guests from Ka’anapali and Lahaina up to Haiku where our wedding and reception took place at Haiku Mill. This venue is absolutely stunning. When Jason and I first saw this venue, we knew we had found our place. The beautifully-aged stone walls surrounded by lush greenery and lovely Hawaiian flowers are utterly breathtaking. In this gorgeous venue everything came together completely — food, flowers, linens, music, etc. The perfect mix of elegance and romance with personal touches along the way. We chose the month of June to get married in Maui because that’s when they’re supposed to get the least amount of rainfall. The weather is something that we certainly cannot control, and the warm Hawaiian rain graced us with its presence that day. We didn’t skip a beat though. In Hawaiian culture rain is considered a blessing, so we were truly blessed that day. All of our guests agreed that the warm rain was terribly romantic and created a truly intimate experience. It added an element of romance to the evening that we were so thankful for, making that day even more unforgettable.

Our wedding day surpassed our hopes of what it would be. It truly was an unbelievable time in our lives that we will remember and forever cherish. This experience in its entirety was extraordinary. It marked the point from which I would spend the rest of my life with my best friend, the man of my dreams, and person in this world that is so perfect for me — there truly are no words. Thank you to all of the vendors that did an absolutely stunning job with everything. Each of you is truly skilled at what you do and we are amazingly grateful for all that you did for our wedding day. Everyone did an incredible job, creating a lifelong memory for all of our guests
and us. 

Photography: Beloved Photo Boutique / Venue: Haiku Mill on Maui, Hawaii / Caterers: Aloha Events / Floral Design: Bella Grace Flowers / Bar: Maui Bars Are Us / Rentals: Island Rents / Gluten-Free Cake: Marie of Ghiselani Designer Cakes / Officiant: Pia Aluli / Hair: Dan Sanchez / Wedding Dress: Sally Crew via La Belle Elaine’s