Kauai Wedding Ideas and Inspiration

The Island of Kauai Is the Perfect Spot for This Chic, Tropical Celebration

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more gorgeous destination than Kauai and this insanely chic celebration designed by Moana Events (yes, Moana!!) along with all white florals by Steven Boyle Designs fits right in with all that tropical beauty. Sneak a peek at the beautiful images by O’Malley Photographers where you’ll find everything from island seascapes to the perfect twirling embrace.

From Planner, Moana Events… Chase and Devon first met at the Coachella Valley Music Festival attending with mutual friends. Sparks flew immediately, but Chase was living in New York and Devon in San Francisco. Their time together at Coachella quickly came to an end but Chase had a fortuitously planned business trip in San Francisco the following week. After 15 months of spontaneous trips and late-night phone calls, Devon took a leap of faith and made the move to New York. Chase had known he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Devon from the moment he met her. So, on her 28th birthday Chase took Devon to a romantic dinner at one of their favorite restaurants One if by Land, Two if by Sea. Walking home under a city-lit sky, the couple detoured through Washington Square Park. Stopping under the Washington Square arch and inspired by Hollywood romance, Chase got down on one knee and asked Devon to spend the rest of her life with him.

The picturesque couple envisioned a tropical, romantic, and elegant wedding for their special day. Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens on the island of Kauai perfectly embodied these elements on their special day. Na Aina Kai’s unique teak tree forest and serene waterscape best captured the couple’s vision. Kauai also holds a special place in the couple’s heart, being Devon’s hometown. Devon worked closely with Moana Events to create an elegant and naturalistic atmosphere. For the ceremony, Moana Events designed a romantic garden look with an arbor decorated with an assortment of greenery such as camellia leaf, Italian ruscus, fern spears, rosemary lemon leaf, and eucalyptus. A touch of white and deep pink roses, spray roses, Juliet protea, white astilbe, anemones, and ranunculus were added to the arch to create a soft romantic feel. The reception took place under an elegant clear-top tent with hanging twinkle and bistro lights. Moana Events opted for reception tables of white wood draped with grey linen runners. The tables were adorned with centerpieces of wooden boxes filled with fresh greenery, roses, and protea, and surrounded by candles. Elements such as the photo bus and a live band were added to keep the night fun and reminiscent.

Proof Kauai Is the Most Magical Place on Earth

Hawaiian vacations have nothing on this stunning destination affair. It has the telltale beauty of a tropical getaway but with the heart-felt emotion of saying I Do in front of all your loved ones. And with Carmen Santorelli behind the lens, all of that emotion combined with elegant details and blooms by Before I Do Events + MartinRoberts Design are captured in the most gorgeous of ways.

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From the Bride… It is simply impossible to convey the intense love, joy and laughter that filled our hearts on our wedding day. Not only did our wedding feel like a real life fairytale but we were able to share it with so many of our friends and family.

As an Event Planner myself, I was naturally involved with every aspect of planning our big day. I loved every minute of it and was excited that it was finally our turn!

First things first – a venue! We knew we wanted a destination wedding. We did not have to think long and hard before the notion of Hawaii really rang true, and what better island than the untouched, rare and stunning coastline of Kauai. Kauai simply is us! Every element of the island. The charming beach towns, the tropical air, the effortless style of the day to day, the feel and the energy. We vacationed here as a couple and even got engaged atop the highest mountain peak in Kauai overlooking the breathtaking Na Pali Coast. Therefore making it the perfect place for us to get married because it truly embodies everything we love. Destination check!

The wedding was not just a day, it was a series of activity after activity over the course of four days. Whether it was the beachside welcome luau, the group hike, a stunning ocean side rehearsal dinner, or our post-wedding brunch and beach day – there was always something. We definitely kept our guests busy as we were excited to share the island that we love and for them to truly experience the island. All the events leading up to the big day were some of the best moments of my life but nothing could come close to competing with the wedding.

The wedding day started out with our beautiful wedding party. While the boys surfed us girls well, we “beautied”, we laughed, we cried, and held close to each minute that was already passing by. The nervous excitement was real and we were so honored to have our core with us by our side.

And, now it was time! We drove to our wedding location, Na Aina Kai which is a stunning 250 acre botanical garden and teak plantation. The ceremony, cocktail hour and reception had 3 different locations all showing off its own beauty and charm to the guests. The vibe of Na Aina Kai is straight magical. You feel like you are floating in a lush jungle surrounded by crystal blue waters and dramatic deep green mountains. One of my favorite moments of the day was when the conch blower blew the Pū (that’s the conch shell) before I walked down the aisle to mark the official beginning – THAT moment was straight out of a story book! When the Pū is blown, depending on how many times and in which direction it all has a complex set of sacred and blessed meanings to it. The excitement of that and the walk down with my Dad to my future husband totally captured my heart.

Every detail was simply stunning. We wanted the design to be naturally beautiful and fitting with Kauai. The oversized white tent against all the green palms, to our beautiful design elements and tablescapes that were a dreamy mix of whites, creams, golds and greens to the personalized Prosecco bottles at every guest table so that our guests could be “poppin’ bottles” throughout the entire night. Oh, and lets not forget the authentic Hawaiian family-style dinner that everyone shared, and the amazing dance PARTY with all of our favorite people! The emotional toasts, those were THE best, the most heartfelt, funny and beautiful speeches we’ve truly ever heard. It was a beautiful whirlwind!

Mike and I remember looking at each other and then out into the crowd multiple times throughout the evening and seeing so much love. The most love we’ve ever felt all at once.

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

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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Tropical + Colorful Wedding in Kauai Botanical Garden

Like a tropical vacation married with meaning, Heather Cook Elliott Photography captured this wildly rural celebration. A botanical garden fête complete with unbelievably turquoise waters, hula dancers and even Hawaiian Shaved Ice, the gallery is refreshing as it is romantic. It’s the ultimate island evening and you can see it all in The Vault!

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From Heather Cook Elliott Photography… Kauai is a wild and rural place, constantly changing but in many ways age old and always the same. Lush green peaks tower over unbelievably turquoise water and beaches jagged with black volcanic rock. Horses and goats and trucks are everywhere the tourists aren’t and surfboards are tied to any four wheeled thing that moves. There is very little “architecture” to write about as what is there has an odd wild west-saloon quality to it, but the sleek palms, incredibly varied plants and rock formations give form and structure to all the outdoor places anyone might care to visit. Brooke & Steve have called Kauai home for nearly two years now, two Haoles who have done an amazing and genuine job of immersing themselves in the culture, the place, the food, the sense of being that is Kauai. Their wedding was a destination one for their families and childhood and college friends, but for scores of other guests and for themselves it was really a wedding at home. Catered by their local favorite places with entertainment by an expert and acclaimed hula dance and music group, they invited everyone to explore the botanical gardens and enjoy Hawaiian Shave Ice, to dance and to lounge in the sun, to take photos in a converted VW bus, to pray with them in the oldest Catholic church on the island. In the span of just a few hours I felt that I came to know them both as old friends and I have to share some of who they are here. I loved how everything felt distinctly Hawaiian, but also unarguably Brooke & Steve and I think that’s because whatever Brook & Steve do they do all in. From shipping his truck thousands of miles from Wisconsin to Kauai because that truck is his baby to them getting matching spam musubi tattoos because they love those things, Brooke and Steve are all about love and passion and awesomeness – living it day by day and always together.

Romantic Island Elopement in Kauai at Kilohana Plantations

When it comes to themes, we’ve seen it all on SMP, but this Bride and Groom’s theme of “enjoying our day and just going with the flow” might just be my favorite. They created a romantic elopement that highlighted their love, and thanks to the talented Blenda Montoro we get to enjoy the results right here.

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From The Bride…A romantic island elopement was the perfect way for us to celebrate our love. We live in Seattle now but met over 13 years ago through a mutual friend in our hometown of Ellensburg, Washington. Sparks flew instantly and as they say, the rest is history. Our first trip together was to the island of Kauai. We fell in love with the stunning beauty of the island and the laid back island life. When Louis proposed at the summit of one of our favorite hikes in our hometown we knew without a doubt Kauai was the perfect fusion of a secluded outdoor island destination for our wedding.

Now, to pick the date…The most important part of our planning was to find an amazing photographer. We were blown away by Blenda Montoro Miller and her artistic eye for capturing love. Before we even contacted her we knew we would just pick our date around her availability. When she said June 28th was available that is when we set our date for our elopement! Our vision for our secret wedding was a romantic island elopement where elegance meets simplicity. I found my dress through the J Crew wedding collection. I had two pairs of shoes, a flowery sandal for walking on the beach and for my something blue, a fun pair of blue heels from Badgley Mishka. I had “borrowed” my moms pearl necklace and Louis gave me pearl earrings as a wedding gift. Kristy at The LAB Salon did a beautiful job with my hair and makeup. She hit it spot on with a beachy romantic hairstyle and a statement peony on the side. The talented designers at Martin Roberts Design created the beautiful soft romantic peony bouquet. Louis dressed the part looking sharp in his blue suit with custom made cuff links reading “lucky me”. Even though our vision for our wedding was simple and laid back, these small details made it really special to us.

Keeping with the theme of just enjoying our day and going with the flow, we weren’t exactly sure where we were going to have the ceremony. At the time of our wedding we met our photographer Blenda and officiant, Kelvin Ho in front of the resort we were staying at. We were thinking of having the ceremony right there on Shipwrecks beach but with the advice of Blenda and Kelvin we decided to take a little walk up to the cliffs above the beach where we found the most dramatic, intimate and perfect spot to say “I DO!” The skies were blue, the wind was cleansing and the love between us was undeniable. Our officiant Kelvin spoke such beautiful, heartfelt words during the ceremony rituals. We could not have asked for a better officiant to share this special moment with as we start our lives together as husband and wife. It took our breath away. After the ceremony Blenda, her husband Raymond, Louis and I went to a second location at The Kilohana Plantation to celebrate with champagne and take some fun photos. We couldn’t have asked for a better day and we have the most amazing photographs that captured these moments to share with family and friends.

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Intimate Kauai Wedding

Every time a Kauai wedding makes it’s way across my desk, my heart skips a beat. Maybe it’s because my fiancé and I are scouting the area for our honeymoon, maybe it’s the breathtaking beaches or maybe it’s because they’re gorgeously orchestrated by a fabulous team of vendors like this one from Moana Events and Sea Light Studios. Either way, getting lost in the gallery is an easy fete.

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From the beautiful Bride…Given our courtship, which spanned years and continents, our wedding could be anything but typical. From the day we got engaged, we were torn between eloping and having a stereotypically grandiose Indian ceremony, between having something local and accessible rather than something remote and intimate – these are, of course, decisions we never had to make in full, instead indulging ourselves with our favorite parts of each.  We settled on Kauai for our reception because, despite our constantly connected careers and lives, we wanted somewhere completely cut off from technology. Somewhere you don’t really need GPS because there’s only one road, and where you aren’t worried about your bandwidth affecting Netflix streaming quality because you can hardly stay indoors. With endless beaches surrounding lush tropical forests, Kauai seemed like the most remote yet visually rich landscape within several thousand miles of home. It also incorporated my husband’s love of the outdoors as well as the preternatural comfort I take in flora and natural beauty.

In Dallas, we wanted to make sure to incorporate all the things we couldn’t bring with us to Kauai – in addition to bridal mendhi from my sister-in-law Kiran Meghani of KM Henna Artistry, we had the nikkah ceremony in our local mosque (where we coincidentally met for the first time fifteen years earlier), and celebrated both events with some authentic, spicy indian cuisine. We were told to prepare for some interesting and unpredictable weather in Kauai, supposedly the wettest island, but nothing could have prepared us for snow and freezing rain in Dallas – it certainly made us feel loved that our guests braved that weather to celebrate with us.  Once we escaped the Texas frost to sunny Kauai, we were in the able hands of our wedding planner, Morgan Childs, of Moana Events. She really helped us articulate a vision that brought together our eclectic styles and taste into something truly one-of-a-kind. The residence at Na Aina Kai’s botanical gardens proved to be the perfect backdrop for our welcome dinner, providing ample space for Bollywood dancing and East African barbecue.  Despite ample rain the entire week, the clouds parted at 3pm, giving way to the sun just minutes before our afternoon ceremony. The style and decor provided by Martin Roberts, in the elegant tent from Kauai tents, were beyond compare – capturing every aesthetic we had both imagined. The dancing and festivities were broken up by an incredible dinner from Contemporary Flavors as well as breathtaking Tahitian and Fire Knife dance performances from Urahutia Productions.  After the wedding, the things we remember fondest are the things that went against plan – the rain, the mud, the groom losing his ring (don’t ask). We can scarcely remember the sublime, captivating moments and scenes that Fawne and Sebastian of Sea Light Studios captured so perfectly. Every detail from place settings to floral arrangements to beverage stations reflected our vision perfectly, and the time Morgan took to really understand us before executing really made a difference – the entire affair was perfectly reflective of us.  We’re now left with a special attachment to Kauai unlike any other place, as this remote tropical paradise, for one weekend, became ‘ours’ – and thanks to the memories, it will forever remain that way.

Kauai Destination Wedding at The Hukilau Lanai

A few years ago I came across one of Andria Lindquist’s beautiful images and I’ve been a fan ever since. Enter: this Hawaiian destination wedding from Andria. My fan status was just elevated to a crazy level because this, my loves? This is seriously what the prettiest dreams are made of.

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From the beautiful bride… When my fiancé and I first started planning we struggled with settling on a venue that was “just right” for us. Many of the venues in our home town of Seattle were beautiful, but they lacked the intimacy we were looking for. We came close to booking two different venues, but couldn’t commit when it came time to sign the paperwork. With a little encouragement from our families, we settled on the one place that had been in front of us the entire time – Kauai.

My fiancé’s family has been travelling to the Garden Isle for years, and we took our first trip there together two years prior. Not only did the location have special meaning to his family, but it was without a doubt the place where we first realized that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.

Planning a destination wedding was a huge undertaking, but choosing our team of amazing vendors turned out to be my favorite part of the process. I could talk for ages about how amazing our vendors are and we were so lucky to have each one of them be a part of our day.

The most important part of our wedding was the photography. I researched hundreds of photographers before I found Andria Lindquist. When I saw her work, I was floored. After a few lively email exchanges I knew that I would sacrifice anything else in our budget to have her photograph our day. I’m in awe of the way Andria’s images tell beautiful stories and the way she captures emotion. Thanks to her we will be able to relive the story of our wedding day for years to come.

After choosing our photographer, everything else came together with ease. I love mid-century design and Hawaiian kitsch, so I was thrilled when I discovered that our favorite restaurant, the Hukilau Lanai, hosted weddings. My fiancé and I already knew that the food was amazing, but their grounds and banquet room were a perfect match for my style. Our on-site coordinator, Manda, and her staff exceeded our expectations and our wedding day went off without a hitch because of them.

Shipping décor provided an extra challenge and I knew that what I sent had to make an impact. I opted to ship floating candle holders to turn up the romance in the venue, and paired them with bright centerpieces made from local flowers. I also designed all of our paper goods and used them as an extra way to add character to the ceremony and reception.

I loved our leis, centerpieces, and bouquets. My grandmother was not able to make the trip to the island, so to make sure that she was “with” me I had her favorite flower added to my bouquet. I loved our flowers so much that after the ceremony I placed them throughout our hotel room and kept them until they had completely wilted.

Our rehearsal was definitely an emotional high point. After the rehearsal, our officiant Kelvin Ho performed such a beautiful and intimate ring blessing, that it left our friends and families asking, “did you just get married?” The blessing reminded all of us why we were on the island, and grounded all of us for the big day ahead.

At the last minute we decided to hire a musician. Paul treated our guests to the sounds of traditional Hawaiian slack-key guitar before the ceremony and during cocktail hour, providing the perfect soundtrack for the afternoon.

Our food was off the charts. During our cocktail hour our guests enjoyed ahi poke nachos and ribs, and during the reception they had the choice of filet minion or the catch of the day. As expected our wedding reception was hot, but our DJ, Mike, kept the jams pumping and despite the heat, our guests danced until they were dripping with sweat.

Asking our friends and family to travel such a great distance for our wedding was a difficult choice, but by doing so, we were able to have the wedding we wanted the way we wanted. Not only that, we were able to show our gratitude by treating them to great food and music in a place that is dear to our hearts.

St. Regis Princeville Resort Wedding

This bride has some serious style. I mean, what else can you say about a beauty who totally rocks a gorgeous blush-hued Monique Lhuillier on her wedding day? She’s perfection… and her dapper groom? Well, judging from his face as she walked down the aisle, he thinks so, too. See every last beautiful moment of their day captured by Sprout below… it’s awesome and then some.

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From the Bride… Michael and I started dating in 2003, when we were college freshmen at the University of Pittsburgh. Eight years later, during a vacation in Hawaii, Michael proposed in front of the 360ft Manawaiopuna Falls (also known as the Jurassic Park falls). After years of long distance dating, I moved back to my hometown of Washington, D.C. and he stayed in Pittsburgh after graduation. We finally settled in D.C. in 2009 with our two American Eskimo dogs, Casper and Stella. The wedding planning was done in between work and grad school schedules.

I had a great group of bridesmaids who helped me juggle all my commitments. As someone who has never been surprised in her life, they were able to pull together an amazing engagement party where Michael’s dear grandmother was able to make the trip all the way from Virginia Beach, VA. That turned out to be the last time she was able to join a family gathering in person. We decided to do a destination wedding because our families are spread across the country as well as overseas and it was a great way to bring everyone together. It also doesn’t hurt that it was going to be in paradise! We absolutely loved Kauai when we visited in 2011 and since Michael proposed there, it quickly became an important location. In terms of style, I was drawn to the modern vintage chic elements with personalized touches as well as honoring our cultural traditions (i.e. caketopper included our dogs and favorite sports teams – we also incorporated our favorite sports teams with the ring holder, the Stanley Cup trophy and the arrhae holder, a Super Bowl football!), we also made a wedding App to show our avid interest in the newest technology and used vendors from the Philippines, etc.). Incorporating our favorite colors, purple and green our wedding coordinator, Ashlee Librecht from the St. Regis Princeville Resort, and our floral and event designer, Martin Roberts, created our dream wedding.

It rained sporadically earlier in the week of our wedding but we knew that the north shore of the island has this type of climate resulting in lush greenery and breathtaking views of the Na Pali coast. Within 30 minutes prior to the ceremony, a mist of rain blessed our sacred ground. In Filipino culture, it means good luck and prosperity for your marriage. We also saw it as Michael’s grandmother blessing us with her presence. After a 10 minute delay to dry off the seats, the Hawaiian sun glowed beautifully during our solemn Hawaiian ceremony officiated by Reverend Kelvin Ho. We incorporated our customs by honoring our grandparents, blessing of the arrhae (The arrhae is a symbol of his “monetary gift” to the bride because it is composed of 13 pieces of gold, or silver, coins, a “pledge” that the groom is devoted to the welfare and well-being of his wife and future offspring), exchange of leis, water ritual and blessing of the wedding rings. Our cousins provided beautiful music and all of our 107 closest family and friends who traveled to Kauai were involved in some sort of way–just like how we envisioned it!

Our long weekend celebration started with a group hike at the famous Kalalau trail, a traditional luau at Smith’s Tropical Paradise for our rehearsal dinner and ended with a brunch at our vacation home. It was definitely a week to remember and even after 9 years of being together we are truly excited for this next phase of our journey.

Kauai Beach Wedding

I get it, I totally do. There is so much inspiration out there sometimes it’s hard to decide what kind of wedding is really going to tell your story. But brides and grooms to be, take note! This bride found the perfect locale in The St. Regis Princeville Resort and the rest of the details just fell into place… creating a wedding that told the love story of her sweet little family perfectly. With Penny Dinn behind the camera, she said I do to her love on a beautiful Hawaiian beach – and it’s breathtaking.

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From the stunning bride… Chris and I never had a “conventional” relationship. We started dating when I was a single mother of a two-month-old and somehow made it work flawlessly. We went through things as a couple that most don’t go through until they have been married for years, but we wouldn’t have had it any other way. We created our family – together. It wasn’t the norm, but we liked it that way. When Chris proposed in May of 2011 I knew that my dream family was finally going to become “official.”

When we were ready to pick our wedding location we knew it needed to be special – it needed to tell a story – OUR story. After looking at numerous locations in our home state of California we were at a loss. Everywhere looked perfect, but nowhere felt perfect. While at work one day I Googled something to the effect of “best place to get married in Kauai” and the St. Regis Princeville Resort popped up. I don’t know what inspired me to look in Kauai since I had never been but, the second I saw the venue I knew I had found our spot. The perfect place to start our life together. After showing Chris and our families my new dream spot they were just as smitten. We knew there would be some challenges of a destination wedding but, we also knew it was worth the work. Lucky for us the St. Regis makes it easy AND enjoyable. We arrived in Kauai the week before the wedding with over 65 guests flooding in from around the United States for our special day. One of the most special parts of a destination wedding is the eclectic group of people that come – people from all walks of our lives came to celebrate us. Words cannot describe the amount of love and support we felt throughout the wedding week – it is something we will never forget.

The goal of our wedding was to tell our love story. We wanted people to leave feeling relaxed, refreshed, and believing in the power of love. On October 13th, 2012 I married the man of my dreams and created the family I had always hoped for. But, more importantly, we spent the day with all those who believe in the love we have ALWAYS shared. Making our family “official” was just the icing on the cake!

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Kauai Plantation Gardens Wedding from Julie Harmsen Photography

Destination weddings are amazing for many reasons, but rushing off to Hawaii to say “I do” at the stunning Plantation Gardens with your awesome friends and family? That ranks pretty high up there. As does filling that day with crazy beautiful bouquets from Martin Roberts, the fabulous stylings of Janie & Co. and a whole lot of wonderful + fun-filled moments (DIY paper lanterns, anyone?) captured by Julie Harmsen Photography. See them all right here in the full gallery.

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From Julie Harmsen Photography… Paul and Meghan live in Seattle and chose to have an intimate destination wedding at Plantation Gardens on Kauai, Hawaii this past December. The celebration was full of dreamy light and I loved the creamy tones they chose and worked in throughout the day. Since this was a group that knew how to dance and party, each guest was given a custom goodie bag at the end of the night for the next day’s hangover. At the very end of the night they also surprised their friends and family with paper lanterns to light at the beach sending them off into the night, and making a wish for the new couple. It was an absolutely beautiful celebration.

From the Bride… We loved every minute of our wedding day! We wish we could live it over and over again. Our favorite moments were having our nearest and dearest friends fly so far to celebrate with us; all the crazy moves on the dance floor; the delicious food and delicious cake; the wonderful and heartfelt toasts; and lighting the Chinese lanterns on the beach… well, trying to light them. Our beautiful vision of lighting off 30 lanterns at the same time did not work, however, it turned into a team building event with maybe 10 successful lanterns… but it was hilarious and so much fun! The day couldn’t have been more perfect.

We really wanted to make sure we got everyone on the dance floor. Kustom Sounds was amazing and played every song we requested. We had sent out an email a month or so before the wedding asking guests to send the songs that would guarantee getting them on the dance floor, and we ended up with a great mix for everyone. And, I’m pretty sure we got everyone on the dance floor!

DIY projects:

— We ordered real dried starfish and made Christmas ornaments for each guest. We tied each starfish with jute twine and wrapped them in a box with the ribbon from our wedding invites and put it on each guest’s dinner plate setting.

— Happy Hangover Bags- We assumed there would be a few hangovers from the open bar of delicious Hawaiin cocktails, so we wanted to set everyone up for the following day. We made little hangover bags for all of the over 21 guests – bloody mary mix, vodka, Maui Kettle Chips, Hawaiian Host Chocolate Mac nuts, and an Advil pack. Each 21 and under guest got a “Keiki” bag – Hawaiin punch, extra choclate mac nuts, Hawaiin chips and a puka shell necklace.

— Chinese lanterns and luminary pathway to the beach after the reception.

Advice for new brides planning: Enjoy the day – getting ready, drinking champagne with your friends, relaxing! Don’t be afraid to ask or let your friends and family help you on the day of. And really, everything has a way of coming together and just working. Every single Kauai vendor we worked with was absolutely amazing. Professional, kind, and provided beyond exceptional services. We were so so happy!!

Kauai Wedding from Photography by Jay C Winter

If you were to ask me right now to pack up my bags and my boys, drive me to the airport, and send me anywhere I wanted, I would be on my way to Kauai. And more specifically, to this wedding from Photography by Jay C Winter. I’m not sure it gets more magical than the sweet purples set against that Hawaii sand, especially when you throw in that gorgeous Momental Designs stationery!

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From the coordinator… David and Hanieh were Married on the bluffs at the beautiful Saint Regis Princeville Resort in Kauai. They wanted their wedding to be an enchanted, elegant, and romantic event with a bohemian touch. They began their wedding weekend with an incredible welcome party for their guests at Kaliki Kai Vista in Kauai with ocean views and delicious food.

With their love story leading the way, they threw a magical, old world-style wedding where they were married under a Kamani Tree as the sun set on the Hanalei Bay. The mood of the wedding day was set with florals and bridesmaid dresses of lavenders, purples, soft roses, and dreamy pinks. The aisle was lined with lavender rose petals and tall hurricane vases with candles lit in them. Sheet music was formed into paper cones and filled them with rose petals to be thrown as they walked back down the aisle together.

Their beautifully designed programs folded out into fans for their guest to stay cool in the Hawaii heat. 5000 loose orchids were hand strung onto long garlands and hung from the Kamani Tree under which they were married.

Their reception had all sorts of beautiful touches as well with tall and short flower arrangements on the tables and candies and chocolates shipped in from San Francisco. Their wedding favors were melt-in-your-mouth cookies, individually packaged. Dave and Hanieh also had a flash mob dance to “Dirty Bit” during their reception, where almost half of their guests participated!

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Classic Hawaiian Wedding in Kauai from Sprout

Island perfection. That’s really the only way I can describe this breathtaking St. Regis Princeville Resort affair, because, well… it’s just that good. From the stunning ceremony overlooking the ocean to the thoughtful details that went into every last moment to a ballroom reception that just looks like a really fun time, it’s a serious celebration in paradise. On hand to capture all of the pretty? The amazing Sprout, who sent along a film that we just can’t get enough of. Press play to soak it all in.

From the Bride… Michael and I started dating in 2003, when we were college freshmen at the University of Pittsburgh. Eight years later, during a vacation in Hawaii, Michael proposed in front of the 360 ft Manawaiopuna Falls (also known as the Jurassic Park falls). After years of long distance dating–I moved back to my hometown of Washington, D.C. and he stayed in Pittsburgh after graduation–we finally settled in D.C. in 2009 with our two American Eskimo dogs, Casper and Stella. The wedding planning was done in between work and grad school schedules.

I had a great group of bridesmaids who helped me juggle all my commitments. As someone who has never been surprised in her life, they were able to pull together an amazing engagement party where Michael’s dear grandmother was able to make the trip all the way from Virginia Beach, VA. That turned out to be the last time she was able to join a family gathering in person. We decided to do a destination wedding because our families are spread across the country as well as overseas and it was a great way to bring everyone together. It also doesn’t hurt that it was going to be in paradise! We absolutely loved Kauai when we visited in 2011 and since Michael proposed there, it quickly became an important location. In terms of style, I was drawn to the modern vintage chic elements with personalized touches as well as honoring our cultural traditions (i.e. caketopper included our dogs and favorite sports teams–we also incorporated our favorite sports teams with the ring holder, the Stanley Cup trophy and the arrhae holder, a Super Bowl football!), we also made a wedding App to show our avid interest in the newest technology and used vendors from the Philippines, etc.). Incorporating our favorite colors, purple and green, our wedding coordinator, Ashlee Librecht from the St. Regis Princeville Resort, and our floral and event designer, Martin Roberts, created our dream wedding.

It rained sporadically earlier in the week of our wedding but we knew that the north shore of the island has this type of climate resulting in lush greenery and breathtaking views of the Na Pali coast. Within 30 minutes prior to the ceremony, a mist of rain blessed our sacred ground. In Filipino culture, it means good luck and prosperity for your marriage. We also saw it as Michael’s grandmother blessing us with her presence. After a ten minute delay to dry off the seats, the Hawaiian sun glowed beautifully during our solemn Hawaiian ceremony officiated by Reverend Kelvin Ho. We incorporated our customs by honoring our grandparents, blessing of the arrhae (The arrhae is a symbol of his “monetary gift” to the bride because it is composed of thirteen pieces of gold, or silver, coins, a “pledge” that the groom is devoted to the welfare and well-being of his wife and future offspring), exchange of leis, water ritual and blessing of the wedding rings. Our cousins provided beautiful music and all of our 107 closest family and friends who traveled to Kauai were involved in some sort of way–just like how we envisioned it!

Our long weekend celebration started with a group hike at the famous Kalalau trail, a traditional luau at Smith’s Tropical Paradise for our rehearsal dinner and ended with a brunch at our vacation home. It was definitely a week to remember and even after 9 years of being together we are truly excited for this next phase of our journey.

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Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

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Kauai, Hawaii Inspiration Shoot from Bryce Covey Photography

Bryce, Bryce, Bryce. I’m not certain how the magic happens when he steps behind a camera, but I couldn’t be more thrilled that it does. Because each and every image he’s ever snapped up, I’ve fallen head over heels in love with. My love fest continues after just one look at this inspiration shoot set in the beautiful Kauai. It’s the light, it’s the softness, it’s the scenery – it’s everything, and you can see why I’ll always swoon over anything Bryce, sends our way in the full gallery.

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From Bryce Covey Photography… This is an inspirational shoot with a real couple on Kauai, Hawaii. The inspiration was a simple, organic and gorgeous Hawaii without being cliche, just to allow the scenery to speak for itself. The real couple are locals that are beautiful people inside and out. At the end of the session we ended with some photos at sunset with the way most people spend their time in Hawaii, enjoying the beach in their swimsuits.

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Kauai Wedding from Rebecca Arthurs Photography

We have a resident Islander in the SMP family who also happens to be a crazy, big fan of gold glitter. So to Kari, I dedicate this wedding to you. It’s tropical in the prettiest of ocean view ways and glamorous in that sparkling approach to tablescaping we so adore. Designed by Christina Farrow along with all the happy moments captured beautifully by Rebecca Arthurs, this is our dream of Kauai nuptials done so, so right. See even more Island glamour right here in the full gallery.

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From the bride… Picture perfect is exactly how I would describe our wedding day! Our wedding planner, Christina Farrow went above and beyond to make our dream wedding a reality. With our closest and dearest family members present, we exchanged vows atop a sun drenched terrace overlooking the sparkling Pacific. Dressed in his tuxedo, our two year old son Noah-Paul, joined us as our family circle was ceremoniously completed and we officially became husband and wife. Our reception featured an exquisite four course dinner, and as we sat with our family along rose strewn tables in the soft glow of flickering candlelight, we dined and celebrated, our hearts content and filled with love.
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Wedding Photography: Rebecca Arthurs | Wedding Planning & Design: Christina Farrow | Wedding Venue: St. Regis Princeville | Floral Design: Martin Roberts Design | Wedding Cinematography: Studio Red | Stationery: Bradley & Lily | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Wedding Dress: White by Vera Wang | Bride’s Shoes: YSL | Earrings + Rings: Tiffany & Co.

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Hawaii Wedding from Beloved Photo Boutique

I seriously can’t even take the cuteness of this wedding. Just looking at the images makes my heart feel like it’s going to explode, I can’t even imagine what being there would feel like. It’s so sweet and full of love with tons of heartfelt details, yet perfectly simple and effortless. I could stare at these beauties by Beloved Photo Boutique all day long. Join me in the full gallery for even more!

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From Beloved Photo Boutique… Ken and Karen chose to have an intimate wedding on their favorite island of Hawaii, Kauai, because of a family love story, their love for the island and the feeling that the island evokes. Ken’s parents met on a beach in Hawaii, and it was love at first site, so they couldn’t imagine a more romantic place that embodied family and love to get married at.

The wedding and reception were held at a private estate on Anini Beach, Kauai, with their closest friends and family, and it was all orchestrated by Ken and Karen. Ken is the general manager at the John Varvatos store and Karen is an account director at an advertising agency in San Francisco, so organizing the wedding themselves was very important to the two of them to ensure that it was brought to life how they envisioned it. They wanted it to be effortless with a mixture of classic, vintage and simplicity while including some of their favorite elements of what Kauai means to them: love, nature’s beauty, family, friends and food! The wedding was on a Tuesday because, well, why not? It’s Kauai!

Their very dear friends were part of the wedding, some of them going back as long as 20 years. One of their best friends was even the officiant for the ceremony. All of the ceremony, table and reception decorations were created by the bride and her family and friends before the wedding and were set up the days leading up to the big day. It was definitely a group effort! It was very important to Ken and Karen that their wedding be more than just a one-night event, so they encouraged all of their guests to spend the week leading up to the wedding on the beautiful island of Kauai. The wedding party stayed at the private estate with the bride and groom, and other friends and family stayed very close by — so many beach days, BBQs and events took place prior to the wedding.

Wedding Photography: Beloved Photo Boutique / Wedding Venue: A Private Estate on Anini Beach, Kauai, Hawaii / Floral Centerpieces + Decorations: DIY by the Bride / Bouquets: North Shore Buds & Blooms / Food: Koloa Fish Market + Foodland / Wedding Cake: Cakes by Kristin / Signage: ashleybrianna / Wedding Dress: La Soie Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew / Hair: Melissa Moreno Studio / Men’s Suits + Shoes: John Varvatos San Francisco / Flower Girl’s Dress: DIY by the Bride’s Mother

Kauai Wedding at Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Gardens by Joanna Tano Photography

Hawaii is definitely on my bucket list of destinations to visit and every time we feature a gorgeous wedding from one of these majestic islands my wanderlust just becomes more and more severe. There is an intimacy and serenity to every ceremony that is surrounded by the lush landscapes, white sandy beaches and crystal clear water. This Kauai wedding by Joanna Tano Photography perfectly captures the simple elegance of Hawaii’s oldest island. See it all in the full gallery!

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Make sure you watch the entire day beautifully captured by Fisheye Studio!

From Joanna of Joanna Tano Photography… The picturesque North Shore of Kauai has become one of my favorite places on Earth! Joy and Tom traveled from Southern California for their wedding celebration. It was intimate and lovely — they were surrounded by their close friends and family. Joy and Tom thought it was very special how it rained briefly after the ceremony, kind of like a blessing over the marriage. They thought the whole experience was amazing and could not have asked for a more gorgeous location and friendly vendors.

Wedding Photography: Joanna Tano Photography / Wedding Reception: Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Gardens in Kilauea, Hawaii on the Island of Kauai / Wedding Coordination: I Do Weddings / Floral Design + Decor: Mr. Flowers / Officiant: Kelvin Ho / Wedding Cinematography: Fisheye Studio / Catering: Contemporary Flavors Catering / Table + Chair Rentals: Kauai Tent & Party Rentals / Linens: BBJ Linen / Ceremony + Cocktail Hour Music: Pancho Graham / DJ: Kustom Sounds Kauai / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet (Style: Mila) for Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Liz Fields (Style: 362)

Kauai Wedding by Greg Lappin Photography

Once again I am enthralled and captivated by a Hawaiian destination wedding. I swear there must be magic swirling around those big, beautiful islands that seeps into each and every detail of the nuptials that take place there. Greg Lappin Photography brings us this simple and sweet celebration from the island of Kauai. Classic and whimsical meets beachy and breezy. Click here to see the rest in the full gallery!

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From the Bride… Dave and I wanted a fabulous destination wedding without giving up aspects of the traditional wedding we’d always envisioned. Our love for travel inspired us to plan a wedding in Kauai; an island we had never visited. We wanted a luxurious, intimate wedding that would fit within our budget. Spoiling our guests- 20 of our closest friends and family members- was of utmost importance. Our celebration was completely DIY, planned from 5000+ miles away!

We were married in a tiny stone church in Kilauea. The groomsmen wore their own grey suits and vintage map cufflinks with the city where they grew to know Dave. The bridesmaids wore purple dresses they picked themselves, gold shoes, and custom state charm necklaces with a tiny California (where we’re from) and Hawaii. The maid of honor distinguished herself in a beautiful floor-length dress. Flowers were important to me; I wanted a fresh, classic look and decided on all white. Our bouquets were wrapped in vintage silk I bought for 3€ at a market in Paris; each was unique and featured one of my favorite flowers. The most important element to my bouquet honored of my grandmother- her brooch with our shared initials, “TES.”

The villa we rented was magical, set on 4 oceanfront acres that became our own private paradise. A local private chef surprised us with a fantastic organic 5-course meal with fish caught that morning; we didn’t know the menu until the day-of! As guests arrived they took a Polaroid shot for our guestbook (bound with a vintage map of Hawaii). The table where we dined turned out beautifully- to save money we didn’t go crazy with flowers. Small arrangements in mason jars (tied with twine and a burlap flower), tealights and candleholders ($3 each- Crate & Barrel) and lace I purchased from NYC’s garment district created a glamorous look for less. Small chalkboards on bamboo posts directed guests to dinner, dancing and cocktails. To save money, I shipped all décor to Kauai before the wedding- lighting, mason jars, tealights, chalkboards, puff balls, fans, welcome bags, even the flip flops!

White pineapple cocktails, and Kaina, a local musician with the most beautiful voice we’d ever heard made for a perfect night. Our favorite memory: guests opening handwritten notes that doubled as their place card. Dave and I choose our favorite photo with each guest from years past; laughter and tears filled the tent as they read their cards. Kauai- mahalo nui loa for the wedding of our dreams!

Wedding Photography: Greg Lappin Photography / Musician: Kaina Costa / Chef: Ryan Fox of North Shore Cooks / Flowers: Martin Roberts Design / Wedding Reception Location: Private Villa via Pure Kauai / Day of Coordination: Lisa Downer / Wedding Gown: Melissa Sweet / Bride’s Shoes: Nordstrom / Groom’s Attire: Burberry / Groom’s Tie: Giorgio Armani / Wedding Invitations & Programs: Rachel Johnson of Birdy Blue Design

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