Hawaii Weddings

Magical Maui Wedding Filled With Color + Whimsy

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From the Bride, Michaela… Garrett and I met while working at an advertising agency in the Bay Area. After dating for 5 years (one of those years spent traveling around Asia!) and settling down in San Francisco, Garrett proposed one night under the Golden Gate Bridge and soon there after we started thinking about a wedding location. Because Garrett grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii, we decided to get married in Garrett’s home town as a way to honor his Hawaiian culture and heritage, something that is very important to both of us.

We both love the beach, but when starting to plan our wedding and looking for venues, we quickly realized that a beach wedding was not for us. The Big Island is so diverse in it’s landscape, we wanted to find a venue that showed off how much the island has offer. When we came across Anna Ranch, we knew it was the perfect spot. The ranch feels very Hawaiian but is far enough away from the beach and tourist areas of the island that you almost feel like you have been transported somewhere completely different. We decided to incorporate the natural beauty of the ranch in the overall design for the wedding, keeping things simple yet elegant by bringing in items that gave the ranch an upcountry garden feel. Our color palette included shades of dusty blue, ivory, garden greens, and accents of golds and silvers.

While Garrett’s family and some of his friends live in Hawaii, most of our guests were going to be traveling from all over the mainland to attend the wedding. It was really important to us that they enjoyed the most of their time on the Big Island so we planned different activities for our guests to enjoy in the days leading up to the wedding, including drinks in the sand, a hike to the green sand beach, snorkeling, watching the sunset above the clouds on Mauna Kea, a luau, and more. On the day of the wedding, our guests were taken from the beach condos where we were all staying to the ranch in the transportation we had set up before hand. Once our guests arrived at the ranch, they were greeted with the beautiful and relaxing sounds of Hawaiian music being played on the acoustic ukulele by Garrett’s cousin, who continued to play as we walked down the aisle. Even though Garrett and I did a first look prior to the ceremony, my favorite part of the entire day was walking down the aisle – seeing Garrett waiting for me with the support of my parents at my sides, surrounded by our family and friends is one of best feelings I have ever experienced and something I will never forget. We kept the ceremony short and sweet but very personal. Our good friend officiated the wedding and our wedding party consisted of our closest friends and siblings. Our sister’s read a beautiful Hawaiian poem, my sister reading it in English and Garrett’s sister reading it in Hawaiian. We incorporated the Hawaiian wedding tradition of a lei exchange into the ceremony, and I opted for a gorgeous flower garland necklace instead of a traditional lei. We read our own vows and ended the ceremony with a kiss and Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, and Delivered” as we exited.

Immediately following the ceremony was cocktail hour held in the orange tree grove. The fabulous and grammy nominated Hawaiian swing band, Kahulanui, played while appetizers like ulu (Hawaiian bread fruit) croquettes and kalua pig sliders were served. The open bar consisted a few signature cocktails and plenty of mixers so guests could craft their own drinks, as well as wine from Napa Valley and beer from the local Kona Brewing Company, all detailed on the hand painted bar signs made by my mom. We provided lawn games for the kids in attendance (as well as the adults), including corn hole tables hand made by Garrett’s parents.

After cocktail hour, guests were ushered to the grand lawn for the reception. Vintage and Lace did an amazing job transforming the tent into the most beautiful reception site we have ever seen. Every detail from the escort display, to the dessert table, to the stunning flowers and ivy accents was absolutely perfect and truly made our vision come to life. We dined on delicious farm to table dinner and desserts prepared with a Hawaiian twist, raised our glasses after hearing thoughtful and heart wrenching toasts, had our first dance as husband and wife, and danced the night away thanks to the great DJ Rodney who was able to get everyone out of their seats and on the dance floor for the whole night. One of my favorites memories of the night was the father / daughter dance – my dad was so nervous and concerned about not missing a step he couldn’t even talk to me while we were dancing because didn’t want to lose his concretion. Not just my dad, but everyone at the wedding was so thoughtful in making sure our day was absolutely perfect. And thanks to a true team effort from our amazing team of vendors, family, and friends, we really were able to enjoy the best day of our lives surrounded by so much love. If I can give just one piece of advice to further brides, enjoy every minute including everything leading up to the big day (even the stressful stuff!) – we still can’t believe it’s over and would give anything to do it all over again.

And an extra special thank you to our amazing photographers, Shannon and Justin of The Vondys., who were literally our lifeline on our wedding day. We entered a contest on SMP 6 months before our wedding for a free photography package and consider ourselves the luckiest people in the world to have won. Besides the beautiful work they produce, The Vondys also have a talent of making everything better by just being there and went well out of their way to help us throughout the day. We cannot thank The Vondys enough for everything they did and the lifetime of memories they created for us.

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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There’s no place like home and these two knew that when planning their special day. So while they may now reside in Northern Cali, Maui will always be where their heart is and thus, where they decided to say “I do”. With color and whimsy, they celebrated surrounded by family and friends, with Jasmine Lee and HI Focused Cinematography capturing it all. Head to our Vault to see more!

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From the Bride… When I first met Jordan in high school, I never imagined that the smart but incredibly goofy boy would change my life forever. As our friendship evolved into a relationship while we were both in college at different schools, we endured years of living hundreds of miles apart and seeing each other only a few times a semester. Sharing in the misery of late night studying and deliriously catching up with each other at 2:00am on a regular basis helped us to learn how to support each other, even from afar. Many of our phone conversations revolved around the excitement of being reunited during school breaks, when we both returned to the place we called home – Maui.

Although our careers have found us a new home in Northern California, when it was time to select a wedding location, we knew that nowhere would be as special as Maui. Choosing a venue was slightly more difficult since the island offers a variety of perfectly romantic, tropical backdrops. However, as soon as we visited the Olowalu Plantation House, we were sold. We were immediately blown away by the quaint beachfront property with a stunning panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and lush backyard shaded by beautiful banyan and palm trees. As we walked through the venue, we imagined how we could transform this breathtaking space into an intimate setting for our family and friends to enjoy cocktails during sunset and to dance the night away under the starry sky.

In planning the wedding, we tried to incorporate details to highlight our personality as a couple. One of our guilty pleasures is playing lottery scratchers, so we made DIY escort card scratchers for our guests to find their table numbers. For wedding favors, we wanted to get something useful but fun. We ordered custom-designed luggage tags to showcase our love for travel and adventure. I used the calligraphy skills learned in a class I took last fall to write each guest’s name on the luggage tags and had them double as table place “cards”. During cocktail hour, we had a shaved ice station from our favorite local shop to cool our guests off after the ceremony. For the food, we selected items that would satisfy both my foodie soul and Jordan’s love of Asian food. We chose a few creative dishes, such as Krispy Kreme sliders and lilikoi crème brûlée spoons, and also incorporated some of our favorites, like miso butterfish, braised Asian short ribs, and mochi ice cream.

Every moment of our wedding day, from getting ready with our bridal party to the last dance of the evening, was simply magical. It was undoubtedly the best day of our lives, as we got to begin our new chapter as husband and wife surrounded by an endless amount of love and laughter. We are forever grateful to our amazing wedding coordinator and wonderful team of vendors for making our special day truly unforgettable!

A Wedding In Paradise You Could Only Dream About

Oceanfront with family and friends, this couple tied the knot in Maui under blue skies and the perfect Hawaiian sunset. With hues of blue to match the breathtaking Pacific ocean and luscious florals by Damselfly Designs in coral and blush, this wedding was a bright celebration infused with island traditions. Trust me, looking through the entire gallery will have you daydreaming of a tropical getaway. The beyond gorgeous day was captured by the talented Wendy Laurel.

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Haiku Mill Elopement + A Silver Dress Designed by the Bride

If you’re considering an elopement, can I persuade you to just DO it? Or, I should say—will you let Melia Lucida persuade you with these gorg captures? My husband and I almost did, and this day of love at Haiku Mill is exactly why. A day for just the two of you that can still be filled with so much pretty. Can you believe the Bride made her own dress? Wowza. I’m amazed. There’s more in The Vault to nudge you pretties.

From Melia Lucida… This was a secret elopement for a Canadian couple who did not want the stress and attention of a wedding at home. The bride designed her crossover bollywood skirt (with pockets!) and top with a Vancouver designer and it was handmade in India. Her shoes were nude patent leather Valentino flats. The ceremony was on a rainy December morning in Haiku but the couple stood under the glass of the mill for an thoughtful ceremony by Meredith. Soon after the conclusion of the ceremony the couple’s first dance song began to play and while they danced the mocha cake was laid out beautifully with candles and a gold serving set the bride had purchased at West Elm. After a few photos around the Mill, which is a wonderful combination of lush Hawaiian garden and antique Parisian accents, the bride and groom enjoyed lunch at Mama’s Fish House in Paia while it rained heavily – by the time lunch was over the rain had cleared and they took a few more photos at Ho’okipa beach which provided a misty soft grey ocean backdrop with hardly anyone else around.

Tropical Maui Wedding Fueled By Sunshine, Pineapples and Love

Fair warning, this post is sure to induce summertime nostalgia. It’s all sunshine and pineapples, glowing Bride and a head over heals Groom and the most charming of backdrops. To have a family property in Maui is like winning the wedding venue jackpot after all. Wendy Laurel captured all the Maui beauty and you can take a little tropical vacay courtesy of the vault right here.

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It’s not everyday a real Maui wedding happens. This wedding was between a girl (Olena) who grew up on Maui and her fiance (Billy) she met while at graduate school in New York City. It was held on her family’s land in the Iao Valley with all their family and friends. Her family owns and runs the Iao Valley Inn. The amazing backstory is that 2 months before the wedding date, there was a major storm on Maui and the Iao stream flooded Iao Valley causing major damage. Neighbors had to be rescued and the stream overflow caused alot of damage to her family’s land. Her brother and Dad pulled together with all the neighbors and friends to help everyone in the valley and got the land back into a place where the wedding could still be held there. Olena’s brother officiated the emotional ceremony which included a Hawaiian chant and prayer, lei exchange, special readings by friends and handwritten vows. Olena choose vintage hawaii aloha fabrics and prints for her wedding. The bridesmaids all had mismatching floral patterns and dresses which looked fabulous together. Instead of a bridal bouquet, the girls wore floral hakus made by the bride and her friends the day before the wedding using locally sourced flowers. The cake was topped with two small pineapples and the table decor was all locally sourced with pineapples, ti leaves, palm leaves and local flowers. Olena and Billy’s wedding will be featured on the local television channel here in Hawaii on Hot Hawaiian Weddings.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Videographer: hot hawaiian weddings | Dessert: Ululanis Hawaiian Shave Ice | Photography - Assistance: Jeffrey Oltman | inn: iao valley inn

Proof that you Can Have a Vineyard Wedding in Hawaii

It’s not every day that one of our very own Little Black Book members ties the knot. So when it happens, we take alll the wedding notes. Today’s fete featuring gorgeous Bride Lena, event planning genius behind Belle Destination Weddings & Events, is no exception. Did you know there were vineyards as beautiful as this in Hawaii? More right this way from Tamiz Photography in The Vault.

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From Belle Destination Weddings & Events… As a wedding planner and event designer, planning my own wedding was one of my great joys and also one of my great challenges. As a designer, I knew that my options were limitless and to be honest, this was a bit daunting to me at first. So I went back to the basics of how I build my own ideas and designs, drawing inspiration from the love story that I shared with my now-husband.

It all started in the produce aisle of our little grocery store in Paia, Maui. Maui is a small island and Paia is an even smaller town, so I already knew a little bit about Keith when we ran into each other that day. Keith is the shaper and co-owner of Quatro International, and KT Surfing.

After a relaxed conversation, Keith asked me on a date. Not just any date… a 5 hour marathon drive around the island to spend the day in Hana, Maui! No pressure or anything! Fortunately, on that date we discovered quickly that this was going to last and the connection was strong. We had so much in common. We both had an interesting upbringing living abroad – I was born on the Big Island, Hawaii but spent my formative years in Paris and the South of France. Keith was born in Madagascar, his father being French and mother American. After leaving Madagascar, his family lived in Guadeloupe, and eventually he found his way to Maui, where I had moved after college. As a result of our upbringing, we are both bilingual in French, learning to speak it as a second language growing up in two vastly different cultures. We both shared a love for wine, travel, and great food – especially oysters. Our relationship became second nature and soon it was clear we would spend our lives together.

The proposal brought us back to Hana, where Keith suggested we go to take a break from our insane schedules. On the balcony of our bungalow at Travaasa Hana Resort, looking out over the ocean, Keith surprised me with a tray of shucked oysters and laying elegantly in an empty oyster shell, was a stunning rose gold and champagne diamond ring! He had my heart and the answer was so undeniably, yes!

Since we both have lived on Maui for a long time, we knew that we wanted to have our wedding on the island. As a co-owner of a boutique destination wedding planning company, I knew it would be a breeze to organize our big day. We had all of the best vendors, tips and tricks right at my fingertips. With the help of my dear friend, business partner and co-owner of Belle, Jane Park-Gonzales; Keith and I were able to have a wedding of our dreams.

The Villa at the Calasa Olive Farm was the perfect venue for us. The Villa and surrounding property literally looks like it was plucked from the hills of Tuscany and planted on the mountain slope of Maui. Rolling hills with neat rows of olive trees and a vineyard make up the gorgeous surroundings of this beautiful venue. I gave us a nod to the European-based cultures that we grew up with on the island that we call home.

We wanted a celebration with our closest friends and family in a beautiful and elegant atmosphere that also felt comfortable and festive. Choosing our vendors was definitely a no-brainer since we here on Maui are so fortunate to be able to have some of the best talents in the industry. The vendors we work with are really our extended family and having them be a part of our experience was incredibly special. Mandy Grace designs created THE most stunning compliments to the landscape, bringing in rich berry hues to elevate the aesthetic. We served freshly shucked oysters on the half-shell, passed cigarette-girl style in custom-made trays. We set up a sommelier wine tasting and cheese bar for guests to sample some of our favorite fine wines. Sugar Beach Events curated a Tuscan family-style menu which created a great feeling of warmth as guests shared their stories, laughter, and passed platters of ravioli. Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering served delectable fresh craft cocktails behind a beautiful bar with a 9ft custom made bar menu by the talented Miss B Calligraphy. These are just to name a few, because each and every vendor that contributed to our day was priceless and phenomenal. Everything we incorporated in to the wedding day was a true reflection of who we are as a couple, which made it very personal. It really allowed us an opportunity to share elements of our lives with our guests.

All said and done, it felt so amazing to be on the other side of it all! At the events that I plan, I am typically the one running around, making sure that everything is perfect for our clients. The fact that I was able to relax and enjoy the incredible feeling of being a Bride was incredible. I was able to be fully present and focus on this life changing moment with Keith and the people that we hold most dear to us. It truly was a night I will always look back on with the fondest of memories!

Take Your Breath Away Anniversary Shoot

When I was pulling together this feature, I was torn on what to focus on. Because the images themselves are so utterly beautiful. The backdrop and the photos from Artiese Studios…breathtaking. The bride and her handsome groom…stunning. The Gossamer gown, the florals from Passion Roots, the everything. But then I read the sage advice that accompanied the piece (featured below) and thought that perhaps the real beauty was tucked into the story. Then I decided to just let you soak up all of the gorgeous and decide for yourself what you love the most. Click here for even more.

From the Bride…My words of advice…for the wedding day, I’d say to make the celebration as personal as possible. At our wedding, we had our favorite pizza and played all our favorite songs and danced with our favorite people. Don’t worry about everything being “perfect” because if you’re surrounded by all the people and things you love, then it will be perfect. Bonus tip speaking as a photographer, plan your schedule/location around the light (no high noon ceremonies in the desert, please!)

For marriage, it’s cliche but making time for each other is *so* important! Date nights at least once a month, and don’t forget to kiss every single day! You might thing it sounds simple, but things get lost in the chaos! Everything in life can get so busy that you forget to really cherish each other, and it’s so important to take a moment to step out of everything together and just enjoy being in each other’s company once in a while.

Photography: ARTIESE Studios | Floral Design: Passion Roots | Dress: Gossamer | Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab

A Sun-Kissed Island Celebration

Forget your average mainland celebration, because this sun-kissed ceremony in Hawaii is where it’s at. With the unbelievably talented Wendy Laurel behind the lens, it’s the ultimate wedding day that’s sure to have you setting sail. Complete with inviting yellow details and a seaside ceremony, we’ve got every bit of beauty waiting for you to favorite in The Vault!

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Karena of ‘Tone It Up’ Reveals Her Hawaii Wedding Photos!

From the Bride…Josh and his father own Maui Olive Company so most of our décor came from tree clippings at the orchard. We also used olive oil from the harvest and some delicious lilikoi butter his father makes as our reception gifts. Josh and I brined olives a few months before the wedding and jarred them, leaving them on the tables for people to nosh on or take with them. Our sign (arrows pointing to ceremony, reception, babysitting, bar, restrooms etc) was made by Josh’s dad and painted by our brother and his wife.

Pick a reasonable day prior to the wedding and decide look…whatever isn’t finished isn’t finished – and let it go. No one will be the wiser. It isn’t worth stressing or running around finishing last minute errands once your friends and family arrive. We set up a couple group events people could opt to attend (private sunset sail and a luau). Gave us a chance to see people and also a chance for our guests to meet one another before the wedding.

Give yourself at least 10-15 minutes for some alone time before the ceremony begins. And of course…savor every minute of your big day because it is going to fly. Take time to slow down certain moments and soak them in. HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!

When we first learned that Karena Dawn of Tone It Up was engaged we waited with baited breath for for her wedding day. Oh boy oh boy did it live up to our expectations. Captured by Jana Williams Photography, it’s Hawaii like you’ve never seen it before and we’ve got it all in The Vault!

How we met

I met Bobby years ago (he went to college with Brian , Katrina’s husband, in Boston), but we didn’t start dating until he moved into the apartment below me four years ago. We instantly grew closer and he showed me how powerful a deep love is. Life is about love and the relationships and memories we make… this is what gets us through the unknown. It frees us. We were talking about getting engaged for a year, but Bobby really wanted to surprise me. And believe me, I’m a hard one to surprise! Once he realized both of our families would also be at the Tone It Up Retreat last September (2015) , he knew it was the perfect setting at Reef Point, Laguna Beach. It’s one of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever been and to be able to share it with our families and community was perfect and beautiful.

Why we chose Hawaii

The Hawaiian islands have always held a special place in my heart. It was years ago that I would come visit to explore the beauty, learn to surf, and hike through a rain forest for the first time. There were a few occasions when I visited the Big Island (home of Ironman Triathlon!!) to shoot for Zoot Sports and the Triathlete Magazine Swimsuit Issue. Later, Kat and I would shoot our first two Beach Babe Workouts on the islands too! So many memories have been made there! I wanted to share the magic of the Hawaiian Islands with Bobby, so we took our first vacation together on Kauai. It was just a few months in, when I was still just dating ‘the neighbor,’ but it felt really special. It was the place where we first said ‘I love you.’ We were daydreaming at the time and told each other that if it works out and we ever get married, we’d do it here!

The Vision

We wanted our wedding to highlight the beauty of Kauai and Hanalei Bay. The colors of the wedding complemented the surroundings with blues, greens and earth tones. Decor was clean, simple and modern. We used green succulents and white linens. To add a personal touch I used one of my abstract ocean paintings as the print for the menus and place cards. Overall, the most important aspect was having an unforgettable vacation with our closest family and friends….which we did!

Highlights

Without a doubt, the highlight of the day was saying our vows (and the 6 rainbows that Hawaii blessed us with!) We chose to write our own vows, which is a big responsibility on your wedding day! Ultimately it was the best decision we could have made, and we were able to express our feelings from the heart, with a few tears. It also meant a lot that my dad played guitar and sang our first dance, and our friend Jordan T performed at the reception for our wild and fun dance party! I could go on… There were so many perfect moments!

Thoughts on planning

Since one of the goals of our destination wedding was to make it a vacation, I wanted to keep the planning as simple as possible. After all – work keeps me super busy, and it was important for me to save the time off for our honeymoon. The St. Regis made planning incredibly enjoyable, simplified and exciting. Bobby and I knew exactly what we wanted and they made it happen! From the decor to the cake, it was perfection for us!

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Bobby + Karena’s proposal + engagement session below!

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With Three Gowns This Gorgeous, Good Luck Picking a Favorite

It’s our lucky day; there’s not one, not two, but three gorgeous gowns included in this shoot by Christine Clark. And I’m at a loss trying to pick a favorite; it’s near impossible. Grace Loves Lace and Rue De Seine outdid themselves with these creations and Designs by Hemingway’s florals were the perfect finishing touch on the whole stunning scene. See all the beauty in our Vault right this way!

From Christine Clark… For this inspiration shoot in Hawaii we wanted to capture a softer, more muted tropical vibe. Island style meets old world sophistication. Set at dawn, with sunrise spilling into our misty bay, we arranged an elegant tablescape overlooking the water. Designs by Hemingway created wildly romantic florals as the perfect complement to lace and silk gowns by Grace Loves Lace and Rue De Seine. Corsivo Calligraphy designed a stationery set capturing wonderfully the old world elegance envisioned. The dreamiest vintage ring from Trumpet and Horn provided the perfect detail and graceful sparkle to our vision.

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A Big Island Hawaii Wedding All About Color

For Katherine and Tim, choosing to wed on the big island of Hawaii was a no-brainer. The natural beauty just speaks for itself and would serve as the ultimate backdrop for their five-day celebration, leading up to “I do.” Moana Events was behind all the beauty and you can see each moment through the lens of The Happy Bloom.

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From The Happy Bloom…Katherine and Tim decided to wed on the beautiful big island of Hawaii. They wanted to shower their guests with sunshine, fruity cocktails and one heck of an island getaway! Katherine is Filipino so adding that special element to their traditional Hawaiian ceremony was extremely important. Ceremonial items in Filipino weddings include the arrhae (a gift of money), the candles, the veils, the cord, and wedding rings. The ring bearer acts as the holder of the rings while the coin bearer acts as the keeper of the arrhae until it is offered and given by the groom to his bride. Among the wedding sponsors, three pairs – each pair consisting of a male and a female – are chosen to light the wedding candles, handle the veils, and place the cord. Sponsors are important people to the bride and groom such as relative, close friend or godparent.

Moana Events created an incredible arch for their ceremony. Flowers, flowers, flowers! That was definitely the motto for creating this stunning piece. Our favorite moment of the day was when Katherine surprised Tim with a traditional wedding hula dance. The moment was so intimate and sweet. Tim was so surprised and loved every moment.

From Moana Events…Katherine and Tim hold the Hawaiian islands close to their hearts and could think of no better place than to invite their guests for a week of festivities than on the Big Island of Hawaii. When Katherine approached us to do her five-day affair the wedding day was to be the highlight of the week. We designed a romantic, coastal inspired event with pastel florals, French blue linens, vintage milk glass vases, capiz shell details, and white washed farm tables. Breezy dining canopies were the perfect outdoor seating for the guests and they danced the night away to a live band on the custom wood and white patterned dance floor.

From the Bride… We met online…E-harmony. At the time online dating at our age was very awkward. I was convinced by my peers to get out there and make myself available. Tim at the same time was doing the same. I took this challenge as a social experiment, while Tim’s outlook was to meet people. Come close to a year of online dating, we were both at the end of the experience. After a long day, I checked my inbox, pop up 5 matches. None of them were interesting enough for me to poke or wink at. So I decided to scan outside my pool of matches. The first one was Tim. His profile resonated with me when he wrote “ my children are my inspiration.” So I sent him a wink.

When I saw Tim for the first time our eyes locked and the room closed in on just the two of us as if we were the only ones in the restaurant. We were giddy like high school kids for weeks, months and even still. I soon met his children after a year. From then our relationship was out in the open. It bloomed and bloomed and bloomed. I must admit, not having kids of my own, sharing my life with Tim and the kids has been amazing. I can honestly say, they were the best gifts Tim has ever shared with me.

Our vision for our wedding day circled around these words “family, friends, love and experience.” We took some time to look at venues in California, but nothing seemed to resonate our vision. We loved Hawaii, and were drawn to its beauty and serenity. We picked the Mauna Kea because of our love for their beach. Every time we went there, we always said we should invite so and so and so and so to share the magic of the place. The love and commitment Tim and I have for each other wasn’t for just us. We wanted to share our love in hopes that those that came to our wedding experienced love of all levels and inspired to carry that with them to share with others.

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Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

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The Sweetest Sunrise Engagement in Paradise

Intoducing the ideal engagement session captured by Wendy Laurel. It’s sunkissed, seaside, and totally stareworthy and thankfully we’ve got it all waiting for you to fall madly in love with via The Vault!

From Wendy Laurel…Leah and Joey are in love, engaged and wanted to celebrate their engagement in photos somewhere unique. They both love this abandoned high school on Maui for its architecture and the gorgeous Royal Poinciana tree in front. We choose to shoot right at sunrise when the sun was coming up over the east side of Maui. On Maui, the sun comes up fast and is strong and has the most amazing light at sunrise. One of Leah’s bridesmaids custom made the amazing skirt she wore. Leah also made her bouquet herself as well with roses and orchids.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Hair + Makeup: Maui Makeup Artistry | Photography - Assistance: Jeffrey Oltman

Their Wedding Cake Doubled as a Baby Gender Reveal!

A new marriage is reason enough to celebrate, but for this couple, their wedding day joy was twofold. In fact, they used the traditional cake cutting as an opportunity to reveal the gender of their baby. In the words of the bride, “The idea of a gender reveal/wedding cake came to mind when we realized that we were having our big ultrasound a couple weeks before the ceremony…The photos capture the surprise so well. It was a moment we will never forget!” Kudos to Anna Kim for photographing the sweet surprise they’ll treasure forever.

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Pretty in Purple, This Destination Wedding is Classic Yet Colorful

From the Bride… We were both born and raised in Hawaii and our island home of Maui couldn’t be a better place to have a wedding. The majority of our closest family and friends also live in Maui so that helped to make the choice easier.

We were so lucky to have Carolee Higashino, owner of White Orchid Wedding, plan and design our wedding. She is actually one of my mother’s best friends and has been in my life since I was a baby. I was even her bridesmaid in her wedding when I was a little girl which is just so cool. Carolee is so talented and has an amazing crew at White Orchid Wedding so it was a no-brainer for us to work with her.

When we finally saw all the ideas and hard work put together on our wedding day I was blown away! It was more than I could have imagined and I cried many happy tears. It definitely felt like a fairytale to us.

One of the most special moments of our wedding was our cake cutting. We found out we were expecting a baby about 5 months after being engaged. It was a complete surprise and at first thought was a wrench thrown into our wedding plans. But we quickly became excited once we started planning the wedding and the thought of having our first child be a part of the celebration. The idea of a gender reveal/wedding cake came to mind when we realized that we were having our big ultrasound a couple weeks before the ceremony. So once we had the ultrasound results we met up with our pastry chef, Krystal-Lyn Cakes and Sweets, she was the only one who would know the results. We decided to not find out the gender until the wedding day and be just as surprised as our guests. It was definitely a highly anticipated moment at our wedding. For some weird reason many of us thought it was going to be boy, but to our surprise, it was a GIRL!! The photos capture the surprise so well. It was a moment we will never forget, that’s for sure!

We would say that once you are engaged to take at least a few months to just enjoy the excitement of being engaged and in love. Being engaged is so fun and exciting in itself and should be celebrated because once the wedding planning starts so does some of the stress that comes along with it. Also definitely get a wedding planner, we were so blessed to have White Orchid Wedding plan and coordinate ours. They made our dreamy wedding stress free and look effortless, we could not speak more highly of them!

Heidi and Josh are my kinda couple. Reason being? They love to travel, drink wine, eat gelato and explore – I mean, can we be best friends? Oh, and did I mention that their wedding was also darling? Captured by Wendy Laurel these Minnesota natives packed up and planned a dreamy day in Maui. Appropriately hashtagging their celebration #mauisota, it’s a wedding designed by Unveiled Hawaii and we’ve got it all in The Vault!

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A Tropical Storm Didn’t Dampen This Wedding Day

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Outdoor Weddings

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Bohemian

From Wendy Laurel… Heidi and Josh came from Minnesota for their “#mauisota” wedding (as they hashtagged it). These guys love to travel, to drink wine, to eat gelato and explore. A destination wedding was the perfect wedding day for them and their friends and family. I loved Heidi’s style and especially loved her wedding dress and the lace sleeves — so beautiful. They incorporated the travel theme into their wedding invitations and the guest gifts were gorgeous leather luggage tags. Of course, of all their adventures, they both agree that Love is the Greatest Adventure of All.

We’re here today to give major kudos to the talented vendor team behind this big day. For not only did Unveiled Hawaii and Maui’s Angels manage to pull off a last minute wedding, BUT they also made sure that Tropical Storm Darby didn’t dampen the day. And for that? We say THANK YOU, because this Maui designed day is everything. Captured by Wendy Laurel it’s all waiting for you in The Vault!

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Colorful Surprise Beach Proposal Caught on Camera!

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Eatery

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Classic Weddings

From Wendy Laurel… When you’re a very busy wedding planner and stylist, what do you do when your brother asks you to plan a very last minute wedding and then the day of the wedding a tropical storm hits? Make it an exceptional day of course. Lorrie from Unveiled Hawaii and Maui’s Angels did just that during Tropical Storm Darby in July. Her brother, Tom, and his fiance Eva recently moved to Maui with their baby girl and Tom’s son and decided to get married last minute when all the family was coming to Maui for vacation. Lorrie planned and styled a gorgeous family only wedding at Merrimans Kapalua. The weather had other plans, and tropical storm Darby hit Maui the morning of the wedding. Merrimans provided a cabana for the ceremony on the ocean side deck and Lorrie and her team had it looking elegant and gorgeous in no time. As luck would have it, after the ceremony and family shots, the weather cleared just enough to all a few oceanfront photos of the very happy bride and groom.

A simple beach photo shoot turned into so much more for these cuties when her handsome man dropped to one knee and said words that made my heart skip a beat: “Love is like life. Every corner is not easy, every corner doesn’t bring happiness but when we don’t leave life alone then why should we leave love alone. Will you marry me?” Jessica of Anna Kim Photography was ready and waiting and captured it all right in the moment – see the surprise and sweet kisses in our Vault right this way!

From the Bride-to-be… Anket and I met at a party for our mutual friend. We started talking and he asked me out the next day for a date. I felt connected with him on that date. He lived in Chicago when we met and I was in San Francisco. We were long distance so we thought we’d start getting to know each other by having conversations over the phone and Facetime. We really liked each other so planned to see each other again. I visited Chicago for the weekend and we had wonderful moments. We were in love. Our visits to each other became more frequent and eventually he moved to San Francisco to be with me.

We always try to do one trip together every three months, so that’s how we visited Maui. I threw the idea of having a couple photo shoot. We were having fun during the photo shoot – funny jokes, giggles, kisses and then what do I see, he is on his knees and asking me “Love is like life. Every corner is not easy, every corner doesn’t bring happiness but when we don’t leave life alone then why should we leave love alone. Will you marry me?” I was surprised, it felt so special and right at the moment and we had it captured.

We are planning to get married early next year! We both were born in India and have all our family living back home so the wedding will take place there!

Photography: Anna Kim Photography

Elegant Outdoor Hawaiian Wedding Complete with Smiles + Style

Any wedding can be elegant, but what are the secrets to taking it to the next level? Belle Destination Weddings & Events knows the deal and it includes pretty pieces from Signature Event Rentals and blooms from Mandy Grace Designs. When these come together – and Mike Adrian and Ohana Films capture it all – we have one elegant, stylish affair like no other. See it all here in our Vault!

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Winter Weddings

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Luxury Venue Outdoor Weddings

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Nautical + Art Inspired Oceanside Wedding

From the Bride… Jeff and I met in law school at the University of San Diego. Go Toreros! Our roommates were dating (each other) and thought we would be a good match. We ignored them for a while but they finally won out. We started dating shortly after law school and never looked back. A couple of years later, we ended up walking down the aisle together as a bridesmaid/groomsman at their wedding.

The proposal was amazing! We had a romantic dinner planned on Christmas Eve before the typical holiday madness. We decided to exchange one present before heading to dinner. Jeff’s present was a box within a box within a box within a box, etc. The final small box was empty. When I looked up at Jeff in confusion, he was down on one knee with the ring in hand. Jeff said a few things (which nobody quite seems to remember) and I said yes, presumably.

Because it was a destination wedding, we went into the wedding blind. We hadn’t seen the venue in person and we hadn’t tasted the food or met the photographer or videographer. We left everything up to the recommendation of our amazing planner, Jane Park-Gonzales from Belle Destination Events. We wanted to make sure that our wedding was fun and carefree. We never wanted it to be too stuffy or tedious, just intimate and relaxing for everyone, especially us. We both love to travel and wanted to give all of our family and friends an excuse to take a vacation.

The wedding day was absolutely perfect, although it was a whirlwind of a day. Everything was a dream. The ambiance was relaxed and fun, highlighted by lots of wood and blush colors. We wanted to let the beauty of the venue and ocean background carry the day, which it certainly did. Everything went off without a hitch and the sunset was incredible, the best of the entire trip. Against all odds, even the groomsmen were relatively well-behaved. In the end, the highlight of our day was being able to let loose and enjoy the beautiful venue and atmosphere with our friends and family.

My advice to any future brides would be to plan the day that YOU want, not what other people want. Everyone you ask (and some that you don’t) will have a different opinion about how to plan your wedding day. Also, enjoy the day, it goes by quickly.

Whenever we hear the words ‘Hawaii wedding’, we know we’re in for a real stunner of a celebration. Add in a dream vendor team and well, stunning doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface. Complete with the prettiest petals from Mandy Grace Designs and yummiest signature cocktails from Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering, Unveiled Hawaii designed a day that is beyond delightful. With captivating images from Wendy Laurel, see Kate + Chris’ special day in The Vault!

“From the blue sky and ocean, to the golden sun

and vibrant palm trees, Hawaii was everywhere“

– The Photographer, Wendy Laurel.

Rich hues of blue reflect the Groom’s career

in the Navy and their shared love of the sea

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Outdoor Weddings Weddings in Historical Venues

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All the Reason You Need to Plan a Destination Wedding in Hawaii

From Wendy Laurel…The bride and groom are Kate and Chris who are both originally from Alaska. Chris is in the Navy and the couple lives here on Oahu now. Chris has a love of naval architecture and Kate is a talented artist. Their wedding details and style reflected all these elements.

Kate chose rich blues for the color of her wedding to reflect the Navy and their shared love of the sea. Bright and deep colored florals accented the hand dyed muslim blue tablecloths. Chris’s love for naval architecture was shown off in the naval blue prints included in the invitation suite and hung at the reception. Kate’s artistic talents created the hand drawn invitations, table favors, table numbering, and signs throughout the reception. Touches of Alaska were included as well such as Kate’s Dad’s antlers from hunting in Alaska. And of course Hawaii was everywhere from the blue sky and ocean to the golden sun and the vibrant palm trees.

Just mutter the words “Hawaii wedding”, and know that we are SO there. Take this heart-achingly beautiful celebration from Photographs by Caileigh as a perfectly primed example. Because when it comes to sun soaked kisses, sand, and salt water, we happen to think that Colin and Amy had the right idea when it came to planning their destination wedding. See it all in in The Vault!

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Fall Weddings

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Hotels + Resorts Weddings Outdoor Weddings

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Rainy Day Wedding That’s Crazy Romantic

From Photographs by Caileigh…Colin and Amy opted for an intimate destination wedding on the shores of Maui. They brought along their closest family and friends from Toronto, with some guests even flying in from Hong Kong to celebrate with them!

Their wedding at the Andaz Maui at Wailea had the best kind of energy. Start to finish it was full of carefree moments and lots of breathing room for Colin and Amy to really take it all in and enjoy every second. At intimate weddings, there’s also a sense of real focus and care from each guest. I love that their guests were able to share stories over dinner and had so many laughs from the door games to the late night sparklers and dancing. Their chandelier-lit reception under the stars was definitely one for the books.

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If you thought a bit of rain could ruin a wedding day, you better think again because these two are proving otherwise. Photographed by Trish Barker, this Maui “I do” turned out crazy romantic – umbrellas and all.

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