Maui Wedding from Maria Hibbs Photography
Maui equals magic to me. And no, I've never actually been, but after drooling over many a Maui wedding on SMP Destination, I just know it's the place where dreams are made reality. Take this couple, for instance. The day they walked down the aisle was the first time they ever saw their venue, but really how could they go wrong? It is Maui after all. See every gorgeous image by Maria Hibbs Photography right here.
From the Bride...Self-proclaimed "beach people," my fiance and I knew we wanted an outdoor wedding with an ocean view. Having fallen in love with Maui when both went for the first time the summer before our engagement, we quickly decided on the island. Maui also seemed a perfect mid-point for both our families to meet since the majority of my family would be traveling from Guam and his from Iowa. At first we picked a hotel as our venue, even sending in a deposit. Soon after, a friend of ours from Maui sent us pictures of the Olowalu Plantation House. I instantly feel in love and knew we had to have the venue. I quickly contacted a local coordinator and commenced convincing my fiance that we needed to change our venue. I assured him he would thank me when he saw the venue in person, and eventually he acquiesced. After we picked the venue, I immediately went on to picking fashion. I soon found dresses for the bridesmaids by one of my favorite dress designers, Sue Wong. Having picked a dress with embroidery and beading, I was next tasked with choosing colors and flowers that would match the dress but still maintain an island feel. Unlike most brides, many of my design choices were made to match the bridesmaids dresses rather than vice versa. The fashion, along with venue, led me to my next major source of inspiration, the beautiful green cymbidium orchid. The flower was bright and colorful, but yet soft enough to match the muted colors of the bridesmaids dresses. The flower embodied everything we wanted our wedding to be: elegant, vibrant, and a little exotic. Being a destination bride, I knew I wouldn't have the level of involvement in planning the wedding that a local bride would. For that reason, I really wanted to make sure to add some personal touches to the wedding. Having come from a family of artists, incorporating my mother's art work into the invitations and table numbers seemed a perfect solution. The artwork turned out amazing, and I was so glad to add that element of uniqueness to the wedding. The day of was a day of firsts: first day for us to see the venue in person, first day for our families to meet, and the first day my fiance and I spent as husband and wife. The venue was more beautiful than we could have imagined, our families got along wonderfully, and we couldn't have asked for a better first day to spend as married couple. It was truly our dream wedding, and we are so grateful we were able to share it with our closest friends and family. And yes, my husband thanked me for convincing him to change the venue. Photography: Maria Hibbs Photography | Wedding Coordinator: Jackie and Lori of Tropical Maui Weddings | Floral Design: Maui Elegance Floral Design | Printing: U Lucky Girl Design House with original artwork by Marilyn Schofield | Hair + Makeup: Katira | DJ: DJ Del Sol | Ceremony + Cocktail Hour Music: Jamie Lawrence | Bartending: Maui Bars Are Us | Catering: Cafe O'lei | Wedding Cake: Cakes by JoAnn | Ceremony + Reception Venue: Olowalu Plantation House | Officiant: Rev. Laki Pomaikai Kaahumanu | Custom Headpiece: Madison Avenue Designs via Circle Park Bridal | Wedding Dress: Tara Keely via Stardust