Hawaii Weddings

A Destination Wedding That Totally Embraces Tropical Flavors

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From the Bride…Growing up in two completely different parts of the United States, I’m a local girl born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and Tom, a southern boy from Jackson, Mississippi we some how found our way to each other in the middle of one of the busiest cities, Los Angeles. Our love story began with short glances and interactions at work in the hospital. Tom is a surgery resident physician while I am medical surgical nurse at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. We would occasionally talk about plan of care about the patients we would be caring for and purposely start to religiously show up for our monthly unit MD/RN collaboration meetings just to get more of a glimpse and interaction with each other. Not quite like Grey’s Anatomy but the real and genuine love that grew between us was extraordinary because we found our person in each other.

When we were planning our wedding it was a no brainer that Honolulu was the place to be but where exactly?! Since both of us lived in Los Angeles we were grateful that my parents were able to help us look at different venue options that were available for our date. When they came across the Royal Hawaiian it was just perfect and came full circle when Tom told me it was the first hotel he stayed at when he first came to Hawaii couple months before we met and for it to be the place where we celebrate our love, there was no other place than the Royal. The lush greenery against the historic pink reminded him of places back in the south and with having Waikiki beach and Diamond Head as our back drop we had the best of both worlds at our finger tips. Our ceremony was held in a chapel that was near and dear to my heart. Growing up Catholic, I wanted a traditional Church wedding ceremony and as a daughter/alumni of Sacred Hearts Academy I knew St. Margaret Mary Chapel was the perfect intimate setting. Lina from Lina B flowers decorated the church with a simple green garland to add to the charming character of the Chapel.

Planning the wedding from Los Angeles felt a little overwhelming even with family back in Hawaii to help, we still had no idea where to start after we got our venue. Everything just fell into place when we found our amazing wedding planner that is now our dear friend Karisa from Say I Do By Karisa! She is definitely the definition of a boss lady! With our first meeting in Hawaii back in August we told her our vision of a clean, chic, elegant and romantic wedding at the Royal, she helped guide us in making our dream wedding come to life! Her vendor recommendations were spot on because they were truly the best! Every trip we made to Hawaii, Karisa had set up appointments with our vendors and continuously emailed, called, and texted us with updates when we were back in LA. If you are planning a destination wedding in Honolulu, Say I Do By Karisa and her team is the first phone call you should make cause she will make your wedding dreams become a reality!

A Cake Life made our wonderful guava chiffon and carrot cake with buttercream frosting! The cake meeting and tasting was truly an experience because Kristen was so sweet and she sketched our cake design at the meeting! Aria studios were our videographer and photographer and Jonas and Holly were our main contacts throughout our whole experience and even after the wedding! They truly listened to our vision of how Tom and I wanted our wedding day to be captured and we are truly grateful on how amazing everything turned out! The floral goddess, Sue from Su-V Expressions is so talented. We wanted more of a greenery wedding with white accented flowers even though the idea seemed simple she made the floral decor so elegant! The sweetheart table was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and one of my favorite highlights of our wedding decor. The cascading greenery and the pillar candles reflecting against the light coming from Waikiki beach just set the tone for romance.

Little details were just as important. The draping from Les Saison transformed the ballroom into a white canvas and the glass panels that surrounded the ballroom were exposed so our guests could look out and see the night sky of Waikiki beach. I took calligraphy classes from one of my favorite calligraphers Courtney from PoppyJackShop. I hand calligraphy all the escort cards that were in a shape of a marble leaf tile to go with our greenery theme. HappilyEverEtched from Buena Park, California made our amazing Laser etched photo booth back drop and Nestor and Joey Hipolito from One Day Signs from Mililani, Hawaii created a beautiful mirror calligraphy signage to add a personal touch.

Tahiti Rey sang songs to the important dances I’ll ever remember. DJ Anit, a dear friend, brought the reception to life. All that mattered was all the love we were surrounded with that came from our friends and family who travelled all over the world to be with us on our special day. Our wedding day was everything we could have imagined and more!

Talk about embracing the local flavors. This destination wedding coordinated by VOWS went far beyond your typical Maui celebration and opted for a backdrop at Punakea Palms, a Hawaiian coconut farm. The views are magnificent and the refreshing coconut sips are too. Take a mini island vacay through the pretty, pretty images by Jana Dillon.

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A Picture Perfect Destination Wedding in Maui

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Rustic Weddings

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Rustic

From the Photographer… After meeting through mutual friends, Cristina and Peter found a connection through their adventurous spirits. In celebration of their connection through travel, food and memories, they found Maui to be the perfect location for their wedding to share some of their favorite activities with their friends and family to enjoy together. The couple enjoyed a traditional catholic service at the Maria Lanakila Catholic Church, ending with a beautiful night under the stars at a local coconut farm where they were surrounded by ocean views and the majestic West Maui mountains.

A gorgeous oceanfront location in Maui, a stunning Chantilly scallop trim detail at the dramatic backline of the gown, and endless smiles and kisses are the recipe for a picture perfect wedding day. Belle Destination Weddings + Events helped create this delightful destination wedding, and it wall all captured by Love + Water Photography.

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Beach Weddings

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Romantic

Mia and Adam’s wedding at Merriman’s Kapalua on Maui was one of our favorite events to date – the couple was endlessly in love and full of smiles the entire day. Of course, the beautiful location was a huge bonus. The photography team at Love + Water went off site for photos and then booked it back to the beach to capture the last of the light – and the sunset didn’t disappoint. Mandy Grace Designs adorned family style tables with whimsical centerpieces of white florals and simple greenery. Mia was stunning in a low-back Katie May lace gown. The team at Merriman’s provided a farm to table dinner to everyone’s delight. It was a magical destination wedding!

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Katie May

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La Vie en Rose

Katie May

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A Private Vow Exchange Atop a Hawaiian Mountain

In a moment of absolute heart-melting romance, this couple decided to elope during their O’ahu vacation. They hiked to the top of a mountain with breathtaking views, accompanied by Anna Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography, and after the Bride changed into a colorful, floral dress and Hawaiian haku, they exchanged vows in the most intimate of ceremonies.

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A Tropical Storm Couldn’t Even Dampen This Happy Celebration

Photography: Absolutely Loved Photography | Floral Design: Ocean Dreamer | Wedding Dress: mister zimi | Hair and Makeup: Vanessa Li Style

At first glance at Wendy Laurel’s images, you would never ever guess that a tropical storm whipped through Maui halfway through this couple’s ceremony. But rain or shine, the bright and colorful celebration planned by Merrimans along with blooms by Dellables continued. See this happiest of days unfold right here.

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Proof Kauai Is the Most Magical Place on Earth

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Tropical Whimsical

From the Photographer… You would never know by looking at their photos that it poured rain at Hayley and Joel’s wedding. The rain was threatening all day and in the middle of their ceremony it broke. Pouring rain for the last half of the wedding ceremony that continued all through the night due to a tropical storm. But it didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits and the wedding party continued. We decided to shoot the bride and groom portraits a separate day (when the sun was shining) a few days after the wedding instead. Hayley’s love of bright and cheery colors carried through to her wedding design. The florals were gorgeous and matched her pink and green wedding invitations and the arch design at the ceremony.

photography: Wendy Laurel | Event Planning: Merrimans | floral design: Dellables | cake: Cake Fanatics | ceremony and reception: Merrimans

Hawaiian vacations have nothing on this stunning destination affair. It has the telltale beauty of a tropical getaway but with the heart-felt emotion of saying I Do in front of all your loved ones. And with Carmen Santorelli behind the lens, all of that emotion combined with elegant details and blooms by Before I Do Events + MartinRoberts Design are captured in the most gorgeous of ways.

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A Honolulu Native Marries His Love on Oahu

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Tented

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Tropical

From the Bride… It is simply impossible to convey the intense love, joy and laughter that filled our hearts on our wedding day. Not only did our wedding feel like a real life fairytale but we were able to share it with so many of our friends and family.

As an Event Planner myself, I was naturally involved with every aspect of planning our big day. I loved every minute of it and was excited that it was finally our turn!

First things first – a venue! We knew we wanted a destination wedding. We did not have to think long and hard before the notion of Hawaii really rang true, and what better island than the untouched, rare and stunning coastline of Kauai. Kauai simply is us! Every element of the island. The charming beach towns, the tropical air, the effortless style of the day to day, the feel and the energy. We vacationed here as a couple and even got engaged atop the highest mountain peak in Kauai overlooking the breathtaking Na Pali Coast. Therefore making it the perfect place for us to get married because it truly embodies everything we love. Destination check!

The wedding was not just a day, it was a series of activity after activity over the course of four days. Whether it was the beachside welcome luau, the group hike, a stunning ocean side rehearsal dinner, or our post-wedding brunch and beach day – there was always something. We definitely kept our guests busy as we were excited to share the island that we love and for them to truly experience the island. All the events leading up to the big day were some of the best moments of my life but nothing could come close to competing with the wedding.

The wedding day started out with our beautiful wedding party. While the boys surfed us girls well, we “beautied”, we laughed, we cried, and held close to each minute that was already passing by. The nervous excitement was real and we were so honored to have our core with us by our side.

And, now it was time! We drove to our wedding location, Na Aina Kai which is a stunning 250 acre botanical garden and teak plantation. The ceremony, cocktail hour and reception had 3 different locations all showing off its own beauty and charm to the guests. The vibe of Na Aina Kai is straight magical. You feel like you are floating in a lush jungle surrounded by crystal blue waters and dramatic deep green mountains. One of my favorite moments of the day was when the conch blower blew the Pū (that’s the conch shell) before I walked down the aisle to mark the official beginning – THAT moment was straight out of a story book! When the Pū is blown, depending on how many times and in which direction it all has a complex set of sacred and blessed meanings to it. The excitement of that and the walk down with my Dad to my future husband totally captured my heart.

Every detail was simply stunning. We wanted the design to be naturally beautiful and fitting with Kauai. The oversized white tent against all the green palms, to our beautiful design elements and tablescapes that were a dreamy mix of whites, creams, golds and greens to the personalized Prosecco bottles at every guest table so that our guests could be “poppin’ bottles” throughout the entire night. Oh, and lets not forget the authentic Hawaiian family-style dinner that everyone shared, and the amazing dance PARTY with all of our favorite people! The emotional toasts, those were THE best, the most heartfelt, funny and beautiful speeches we’ve truly ever heard. It was a beautiful whirlwind!

Mike and I remember looking at each other and then out into the crowd multiple times throughout the evening and seeing so much love. The most love we’ve ever felt all at once.

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Pronovias

ATELIER PRONOVIAS

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Plum Pretty Sugar

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Lilli Tru

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Plum Pretty Sugar for BHLDN

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Wendy and Robbie first met as colleagues in investment banking, and when it came time to plan their wedding, they knew it had to be special. They chose Robbie’s home state of Hawaii as the setting and brought on Flowergirls, Absolutely Loved, and an entire crew of vendors to bring their dream day to life. Consider this gallery your virtual escape and venture to Oahu right this way.

From the Bride… Robbie was born and raised in Honolulu, so we wanted to get married there. We looked at all the venues in Oahu, and just fell in love with Lanikuhonua the moment we set foot onto the place. It’s SO INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL! Breathtakingly beautiful, with its lush green lawns and untarnished ocean view. We had a lot of guests coming from the Mainland, so we wanted a venue that showed off the extreme beauty of Hawaii. We also needed a venue large enough to hold up to 300 people. Lanikuhonua was perfect.

Bride’s Style

Robbie was born and raised in Honolulu, so we wanted to get married there. It’s funny because the Katie May dress is called the Poipu Dress, and I knew I found the perfect dress the moment I tried it on. It was just so me. I like that it’s simple and sexy (with the plunging back), but still very elegant. It’s perfect for an outdoor wedding in Hawaii. I had a pair of cheap Calvin Klein black strappy heels that were the most comfortable heels ever. I searched everywhere for the same pair in white and eventually found them on eBay.

Groom’s Style

I wanted the groomsmen in light gray and Robbie in navy blue so he would stand out. We used to work in finance (that’s how we met), and he used to always wear a navy blue suit. So I felt like that was his color.

Color Palette + Style

We chose romantic and boho with a touch of vintage as our wedding theme. This has always been my personal fashion style. I’m very feminine with a hint of boho chic. We wanted to be in a tropical beach setting because Robbie grew up in Hawaii and I wanted to show all my family/friends on the mainland what his beautiful home was like.

Floral Design + Decor

I just wanted to minimize costs while achieving the look we wanted. I picked lanterns I saw on Pinterest as centerpiece options and absolutely loved that idea. We got the handpainted “Welcome” sign from Etsy. We wanted to add that vintage touch to our wedding. For table cards, we used inside jokes and movies / TV shows that we loved. For instance, one of the tables was named “Westeros” because Robbie and I are huge Game of Thrones fans. Another table was named “The Compound, Part 2,” because Robbie’s passdown house in business school was called The Compound, and he shared a lot of amazing memories with me and his friends there.

Food + Beverage

We wanted our menu to reflect things we personally love! I am absolutely obsessed with Hawaiian shave ice. The first time I’d visited Hawaii with Robbie when I was dating, I made him take me to every single shave ice place on the island. I also love poke in Hawaii–it’s so delicious, so needed to serve Poke at the wedding. We picked our favorite drinks as our signature cocktails–we wanted drinks that were yummy but also refreshing. Our food menu was Hawaiian + Chinese. We wanted to share our cultures with our guests. For instance, tuna poke is Hawaiian, and the roasted pig buns were Chinese.

Key Moments of the Day

There were too many favorite moments. We were adamant about ensuring our siblings all had a role to play in the wedding: Michael (my brother) was my Man of Honor, Mikey (Robbie’s brother) was his Best Man, and Kristin (Robbie’s sister) was our officiant. We also wanted our MC to be someone we knew, so we asked Robbie’s grad school roommate, Dorian Bertsch, who does radio broadcasting in his spare time, to be our MC. I had no idea Robbie was going to sing and dance at our wedding! Those were complete surprises. He totally surprised and touched me beyond words. He made me feel incredibly loved and lucky!

1st Anniversary Celebration in Paradise

Hi readers, it’s Ali from A Dash of Details and former SMP Blogger Bride here to share our first anniversary in Maui, plus a few things I learned during our first year of marriage. After our honeymoon in Costa Rica, we knew we wanted to create a travel tradition for each anniversary and this year we were lucky enough to celebrate in Hawaiian paradise.

When we arrived at the Four Seasons Maui resort, we were greeted with traditional leis and ginger lemonade! It felt like we were right back on our honeymoon! From relaxing on the sandy beaches to beautiful dinners, this anniversary trip was the perfect time to reconnect and relax.

One of my favorite experiences during our stay was The Ultimate Dinner private dining experience. It was a unique and memorable way to reflect on the day we said “I Do.”

3 Lessons From Our 1st Year of Marriage

Compromise: My mom always said, “don’t sweat the small stuff” and oh, was she right. In the first year of marriage, I learned that compromise is the key to happy life.

Communication: While this seems simple, this can be the most difficult to learn. We have been together for almost ten years, and we have learned that spending the time to talk about our personal and relationship goals has created a strong foundation for our marriage.

Making Time for Each Other: With busy schedules, it can be tough to carve out time for each other. We started a tradition in our house to have a date night at least once a week. Whether it is dinner our favorite neighborhood restaurant or cooking a meal together at home; taking time for just the two of us have been so important in our growing relationship.

To keep updated on our life as a married couple, follow along over on A Dash of Details.

xoxo, Ali

This Wedding Inspiration Is All Things Beachy + Bright

We love the fun story this beachy wedding inspiration session by Belle Destination Weddings & Events tells. What better way to start your special day than by relaxing by a lagoon in Maui and taking a refreshing dip? After a leisurely morning, the Bride changed into her lacy, open back gown and coin-trimmed veil for a romantic ceremony by the ocean followed by a tropical and bright reception. Melia Lucida Photography captured the magic, and there’s more waiting for you in the Vault.

From Belle Destination Weddings & Events… Although we come from the land of eternal summer here in Hawaii, we still love to celebrate the season with bright, cheerful blooms and pops of fun, unexpected color. When it came to designing a tabletop for this gorgeous oceanfront venue on Maui’s north shore, we collaborated with floral designer Mandy Grace. We dressed the long table in hand-dyed linen in the prettiest shade of pink by Adorn. A pale pink silk gossamer runner gives soft movement to the table. Mandy composed three whimsical floral arrangements of Japanese ranunculus, poppies, and acacia housed in rustic terra cotta vessels. Copper candelabras by Anthropologie add a touch of shine.

For the Bride’s bohemian look, we couldn’t resist Rue De Seine’s Love Spell collection of gorgeous lace gowns. The coin veil was our absolute favorite for a beach Bride. We marked the oceanfront ceremony site on the lawn with a row of hot pink bougainvillea blossoms. The property features a really spectacular lagoon, the perfect spot for a cocktail party poolside. We hope you are inspired to jet to the Hawaiian Islands for a bright soiree in nature! Aloha.

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The Forest Meets the Sea in This Hawaiian Elopement

The theme of this Big Island elopement was “the Forest meets the Sea,” representing the Bride and Groom who come from Australia and Hawaii. Perched atop a cliff with dramatic views of the ocean and the lush, green Waipio Valley, this intimate ceremony achieved that perfect blend of forest and sea. Check out the full gallery for more of this breathtaking wedding, captured by Aria Studios.

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You’ll Never Believe Where This Watercolor Wedding Took Place!

From Aria Studios… It was an overcast, drizzly day for this intimate Honokaa (Big Island) elopement. The theme of their wedding was “the Forest [to represent Sally] meets the Sea [to represent Teva].” Sally is from Australia, and Teva is from Hawaii. Aunty Tutu blessed the ceremony location and blew a conch shell as the couple walked to the alter. She serenaded the couple on her ukulele and performed a Hawaiian ceremony with Teva’s parents as witnesses. Sally and Teva spoke their vows to each other with the dramatic Waipio Valley behind them.

When there’s a wedding photographed by Wendy Laurel, I immediately know it’s going to trigger my wanderlust. This laid back, watercolor Maui wedding is no exception. From the Bride’s effortlessly gorgeous dress by swimwear designer, Acacia, to the old, abandoned high school by the beach where the couple held their ceremony (It’s also the location of their engagement session!), to the stripped down bouquets, every single detail was thought through to perfection.

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Backyard

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Hawaii Wedding With Pretty Island Style

From Wendy Laurel Photography… Leah and Joey are both from Maui and have the sweetest love story. They met in high school and have been together ever since. Their wedding happened on their ten year anniversary. They got married at Old Maui High, an abandoned high school building near the beach in Paia, Maui.

Leah is kind of amazing. She styled not only her engagement session, but also her entire wedding as well. The reception was in the backyard of their house in Paia. The yard was transformed into a dream wedding venue with lights, flowers, and all sorts of DIY details made by the bride and her friends. They did the invites, the florals, the pupus, the dessert bar, and the planning all themselves!

Leah’s wedding dress was gorgeous. Hawaii’s super popular swimwear brand, Acacia designed by Naomi Nerwith, just started designing wedding dresses. Leah is good friends with Naomi and is one of the first brides to wear an Acacia wedding gown. The gown is easy to wear and perfect for a tropical wedding with gorgeous details similar to the brand’s swimwear, such as the cut outs on the side, intricate beadwork, and sleek, flattering cut.

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Petit Bouquet

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I’m just going to come right out and say it – sometimes tropical weddings can be a bit cheesy. But this one photographed by Christine Clark is anything but. Designed with an effortless elegance that touched every detail, including fresh greens for a natural vibe, this Big Island affair embraces Hawaiian style in the prettiest way and we can’t get enough.

From Christine Clark Photography… Set at Puakea Ranch on the Big Island of Hawaii, Vai and Greg’s wedding was the epitome of delicate island style. The reception setup, brilliantly designed by Bliss in Bloom, featured hanging greens against old, polished wood, all accented with subtle pops of tropical florals. It was the perfect blend of elements and tones. The ceremony took place under the shade of a great, spreading tree outside of the ranch house, with touches of tropical greens lining the aisle.

Vai was a vision of loveliness in Catherine Dean, proving the timeless refrain that simplicity is the greatest elegance. Greg clearly agreed as he couldn’t take his eyes off of her all day! I love it when the groom is spilling over himself with pride for his bride, and Greg was beaming nonstop.

For our portraits, we were visited by a pair of beautiful white horses that could not have been more perfect. Vai seemed to channel a real world Snow White as the animal lover in her shone through. I half expected a bird to sweep down and land on her shoulder! The whole day was filled with grace and warmth, with an elegant tropical touch to pull together the beauty of the day.

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Bridal 2016

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This Wedding Took Place on Top of a Volcano!

We may have a winner for most unique wedding venue! This celebration took place at a private home on the side of Maui’s volcano, Haleakala. Can you say breathtaking? Add in an abundance of vibrant, local flowers and photography by Wendy Laurel, and we’re left with one unbelievably gorgeous wedding. The pictures say it all, so start scrolling through this tropical stunner.

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