Tying the Knot in Paradise at Maui’s Haiku Mill

Erin Lepperd
April 6, 2019
Categories: Destination, Real Weddings, The Blog

If I were to do it all over again, Haiku Mill would be at THE tippy top of my venue list. Lush greenery, old world charm and a Maui zip code are all part of its repertoire. And this gorgeous affair planned by Elements by K.H. & Co, with florals by Teresa Sena Designs and images by Jana Dillon does it so much justice. It’s a celebration that matches tradition with unique details like forgoing a cake cutting for a champagne tower or draping the reception in the most spectacular ceiling of greenery. This is paradise found.

From the Bride…That feeling when you can’t stop looking at something…yup, that was how we felt about this venue. As someone who had poured over Pinterest, wedding sites, and magazines (embarrassingly before I ever had a wedding to actually plan), I thought I had seen it all. I put together a nice tidy list of prospective venues for our wedding, but none of them spoke to us as a couple. It wasn’t until I got to a photo of a greenery-soaked stone mill, that both of our eyes popped out of our heads. “Wow, I like THAT one!”….was Marshall’s reaction, and the one I always hoped my future groom would have.

So off to Maui we went (twist our arms), to take a look at Haiku Mill, praying that it lived up to the expectations the photos left us with. Spoiler alert, it did not disappoint. It encompassed everything that we were looking for; intimate space for a small wedding, old world European charm, natural elements to work with, and all in a location not too inconvenient from our friends and family in California — it was perfect.

We wanted to frame our day with tradition, while also staying true to who we are as couple. While we had a traditional ceremony led by Marshall’s Uncle Bob, and a small bridal party, we veered off the beaten path by foregoing things like the bouquet and garter toss, and opted for a ceremonial champagne tower in lieu of a cake cutting.

Working alongside Tara Lee Murphy and Kimiko Hosaki from Elements by K.H. and Co made planning a wedding 2,300 miles away as stress free as possible. They made our greenery ceiling come to life, and ensured we had the best vendors supporting us day-of. Garnish Craft Cocktails provided the most delicious beverages and coached us through the entire process of menu selection. While Cutting Edge Catering put together the most decedent three-course menu, and even executed on my desire to have coconut bowls filled with homemade ice cream for dessert!

Our attire choice was inspired by old photos of Marshall’s grandparents. Looking at pictures of them from the 1950s donning a tux, and a classic cut gown, it was so timeless, and something we wanted to replicate for a day that will live forever in photos. Marshall and his groomsmen went with a classic black tux, the bridesmaids wore simple black off-the-shoulder gowns, and I….have a backstory on that wedding dress.

I had purchased a custom gown from a local designer in March 2017, and didn’t receive it until April 2018. When I tried it on, it was a disaster. The cut was wrong, the fabric was off, and the overall construction made me feel like they had forgotten to make it until last minute. To keep it short, I was devastated. Six weeks to go until my wedding day, I had no dress. La Soie in Walnut Creek came to the rescue and allowed me to come in appointment-less, and desperate. A brand new, never worn gown, was striped from the mannequin I saw in the window, and I fell so in love with it, I didn’t want to take it off. Some magic of local seamstresses took it in 10 sizes, and it became the vision I never knew I had for a dress; it was perfect.

I couldn’t have dreamed up a more wonderful day to become a wife, and begin our lives together as a couple in paradise!

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