LVL Weddings & Events took natural inspiration from this gorgeous Maui locale and amped up the glam factor. The finished results (as captured here by The Grovers) are elegant, organic and simply, oh so lovely. Fish Eye Studio filmed the action live, and with their clip and all the pics in our Vault gallery, Hawaiian weddings just got a whole lot chicer. Don’t you agree!?
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From the Bride… When we got engaged last year, we wanted to enjoy the moment, so we held off making wedding plans to soak in all the emotions and happiness. It was an opportune decision because the next month, we travelled to Maui to celebrate Houston’s 30th birthday with close friends. Maui was already a special place to us since we have vacationed there every year since we started dating. In fact, it was the place we said “I love you” to each other for the first time.
It was on that particular trip in September that we decided that the Montage Kapalua Bay was the place we wanted to exchange our wedding vows. A small, intimate wedding was always our vision as opposed to having a wedding in either of our hometowns of Dallas or Savannah.
We wanted to make the focus of our wedding around the experience for our family and close friends. Houston and I wanted to share our love for the island and “Ho’I hou ke aloha” (“make them fall in love all over again”). We especially wanted them to be a part of our wedding weekend love story by including them in special activities leading up to the wedding such as taking everyone to the Feast at Lele Luau, having a golf tournament for all the guys at Kapalua Plantation Course, and inviting all of our guests to our rehearsal dinner at Merriman’s, where they got to enjoy hula and fire dancing.
We do admit that the hardest part about having a destination wedding so far away was that many special people in our lives were unable to attend. Therefore, we wanted to make sure we captured every moment through our photographers, Troy Grover Photography and videographer, Fisheye Studio. Our favorite images and shots were on the rocks off the Point during sunset.
Our incredible planner, Lindsay at LVL Weddings & Events, helped us achieve the wedding of our dreams. For the design, it was important to mesh the picturesque views off the Point with everything from table linens to flowers to china, incorporating neutral colors such as gold, blush, peach, and white, accompanied by soft tropical greens and natural wood elements. It resulted in a natural, but romantic aura. To make our guests feel as though they were eating and dancing under the stars, the lighting in and outside of the tent was significant. We had twinkle lights lining the ceiling of the clear-top tent along with chandeliers, and bistro lights above our dance floor, which was located just outside the tent.
Having both grown up in the Episcopal Church, we knew having an Episcopal Reverend was important to us. Additionally, we had developed a close bond with Silla, the Cultural Ambassador at the Montage Kapalua Bay, and wanted to incorporate Hawaiian wedding traditions during our ceremony as a tribute to the sacred grounds that we would be married upon. Silla and her sister, Dee and their friend, Wilmont performed the Pu Kani and Oli’s, and it was an incredibly special part of our wedding.
For our food and drink, we wanted to continue with the “Maui experience” theme by serving Hawaiian inspired food and beverages. Our signature cocktail was a traditional Mai Tai, and two of the crowd favorites were the Kauai shrimp with burnt lime and papaya and Huli Huli chicken. Even our wedding cake was a vanilla sponge cake with lilikoi filling and stenciled Monstera plant leaves on the fondant.
When it came down to it, the most memorable moment of our wedding was our “first look.” The reason being it was our last time to see each other before becoming husband and wife, and provided a serene moment for us to recite our personal vows to each other. We will cherish those personal and private moments between us always.
Lastly, the speeches given by our family, wedding party and friends were heartfelt and touching. Some of the stories told made us realize how important we are to our family and friends as they are to us. My mom’s speech right before our first look still makes me tear up to this day!
Our wedding weekend was everything we had imagined and more, and Houston and I have never felt more loved by the most important people in our lives.
Photography: The Grovers | Cinematography: Fisheye Studio | Event Planning: LVL Weddings & Events | Floral Design: Wildheart | Wedding Dress: Carolina Herrera | Cake: Maui Sweet Cakes | Invitations: Paper Affair | Ceremony Venue: Montage Deer Valley | Reception Venue: Montage Deer Valley | Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade | Jewelry: Eisman Jewels | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid | Catering: Montage Deer Valley | Hair + Makeup: Ry-n Shimabuku | DJ: Maui DJ Services | Groomsmen's Attire: Suitsupply | Officiant: Reverend Amy Crowe, Holy Innocents Episcopal Church | Ceremony Music: Ben and Maila | Bar Rentals: Set Collections | Ceremony Canopy: Hawaiian Style Event Rentals | Cocktail Hour: Montage Deer Valley | Rentals: Signature Boutique Event Rentals | Rentals: Paradise Event Rentals | Rentals: Maui Rents | Signage: Miss B Calligraphy
