It almost goes without saying weddings in Hawaii are gorgeous, I mean it is paradise after all. Sprinkled with shades of pastel, Belle Destination Weddings designed next level pretty with Bella Bloom Floral Boutique bouquets and Opihi Love rentals. Every image in the Gina Meola captured gallery has oceanside heaven written ALL over it, see it all here!
From the beautiful Bride… Our planning process was relatively easy, once we found Lena at Belle Destination Events, as she coordinated everything for us. We spent a lot of time talking with her about our likes/dislikes, which she used to create the perfect event.
Given that our family and friends were spread across the country and overseas, more than half of our guests would have to travel, regardless of where the wedding was held. We also considered venues in Napa and Sonoma, near where we live, but nothing struck us as “perfect”. When we realized we could afford a wedding in Hawaii, it became a natural choice. We really liked the idea of our wedding being a vacation for all of our guests, which insured they were all relaxed and truly enjoyed the event.
Without question, our wedding planner was our wedding’s MVP. She is a very classy person with strong attention to detail. Every one of her recommendations, including all of the vendors, was a success. We also are incredibly thankful for our photographers who are not only extremely talented but were also wonderful people to help us through the day. Finally, our venue was the perfect location – it was relaxed but elegant, with incredibly stunning scenery.
Our wedding planner took all the stress out of the event. While we were in constant communication regarding the details, she took care of all of the heavy lifting and ensured our wedding was a success. One disappointment that we did experience was that a number of our invited guests were unable to attend due to the time and expense associated with a destination wedding in Hawaii.
The “first look” was the most personal part of the day for us, as not only was it our first chance to see each other before the ceremony, but we also used the opportunity to share our personal vows with each other, prior to sharing them in front of all of our guests during the ceremony. As the sun was setting, just the two of us went off with our photographers, which ended up being a magical experience. Just the two of us, as husband and wife, under the palm trees and beside the ocean as the sun was setting over Lanai and Molokai – the photos are so incredible that it’s hard to believe they are real!
Finally, the entire evening went by so quickly that we hardly had a chance to enjoy the setting that the planner had put together. At the end of the night after all of the guests had left, just the two of us were able to sit on a beautiful Victorian sofa on the lawn and enjoy how stunning everything had been.
My advice to future brides is to take time to enjoy the entire wedding experience. It’s a truly special time and it goes by much too fast.
Photography: Gina Meola | Videography: Cinemaui | Florist: Bella Bloom Floral Boutique | Catering: Aloha Events Catering | Makeup: Jessica Waite Makeup Artistry | DJ: Maui DJ Services | Officiant: Laki Kaahumanu | Venue: Olowalu Plantation House | Ceremony Musicians: Kristine Snyder | Cocktail And Reception Musicians: Marvin Tevaga | Fire Dancers: Manutea Nui E | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Lounge Furniture: Signature Boutique Event Rentals | Photobooth: Strike A Pose Maui | Planning: Moana Belle Events | Rentals: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design | Signage: Miss B Calligraphy