Hawaii Weddings

I’ve said it before in one form or another, and I’ll say it again: Wendy Laurel makes me all sorts of happy with the bursting-with-color tropical soirees she sends our way. Dashes of lush green and pops of hot coral set the stage at the hands of Mandy Grace Design and Belle Destination Weddings & Events for this beauty. I promise, you’ll walk away feeling full of cheer after peeking at this one.

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From Wendy Laurel… Daria and Chris are head over heels in love, with each other and with travel. They are both from Canada but love to travel the world together. In their first 18 months together, they traveled to more than 4 different countries.

So it was an easy decision for them to have a destination wedding. They got to narrow down their guest list to who was up for a trip to Hawaii—and there were plenty of close friends and family who were. Plus they could have their Hawaiian honeymoon traveling among the different islands and having a range of experiences.

From the beautiful Bride… Chris and I met in July 2012 when we were matched on a dating site within minutes of Chris signing up. I knew right away there was something special about him when I read his profile and he seemed so sweet, kind and genuine. We had a great first date at a local food-tasting festival and from that day on we were inseparable. After an amazing year dating and traveling the world together, Chris proposed to me under the stars, just after our first anniversary. I couldn’t believe it and shouted YES with so much happiness!

As travel-addicts and romantics, we knew right away we wanted a destination wedding and Maui just seemed to be the most beautiful and romantic place in the world to get married. The warm weather, tropical colors, stunning foliage and ocean views were exactly what we were dreaming of. When our wedding planner Lena showed us photos of the Hotel Wailea as a venue option, we were so excited and instantly knew it was the one. Nestled up on the hills in Wailea overlooking the ocean, the boutique hotel has stunning grounds, impeccable service, and absolutely unbelievably delicious food. Our ceremony was held on the Sunset Lawn, and our favorite moment of the day was when we got to read our personal vows to each other – they were so heartfelt and with our family and friends around us, there was not a dry eye in the crowd. The cocktail reception we planned for our guests was a hit, and the entire dinner reception blew everyone away. The food portions were huge and our guests are still reminiscing about the Teriyaki Beef Short Ribs! We will be forever thankful to everyone who played a part in making our day so special – it was truly a dream come true from start to finish, and a day we will cherish forever!

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Videography: 10th Letter Media | Event Planning: Moana Belle Events | Floral Design: Mandy Grace Floral & Event Design | Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal | Cake: Maui Sweet Cakes | Stationery: Ginger Creative | Reception Venue: Hotel Wailea | Shoes: Michael Kors | Bracelet: Kate Ketzal | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Make Up: Maui Makeup Artistry | DJ: DJ Del Sol | Favors: Honolulu Cookie Company | Officiant: Pia Aluli | Bridesmaid Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar | Cake Topper: BHLDN | Music: Marvin Tevaga | Photography Assistance: Ashley Keleman | Rentals: Pacific Isle Rentals | Signage: Miss B Calligraphy

Without fail, Wendy Laurel puts a smile on my face every time she sends a bit of pretty our way. And when colorful blooms from Opihi Love are included in the package? My grin grows even wider. Every bit of this boho-style engagement inspiration from the Photo Coterie workshop is the reason why. Feast your eyes on all the goodness here in the full gallery.

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From Wendy Laurel… This Hawaii wedding inspiration focused on the natural environment and amazing light of the location. The couples elegant bohemian style goes perfectly with the rugged cliffs, wild ocean, and golden sunlight from this Honolua Cliff location. Images are from the wedding shoot at the Photo Coterie Workshop Maui, which focused on using the natural environment and showing the real emotion between the couple. The workshop was held at my home in Maui. Melissa Padilla from Opihi Love did a fabulous job styling the real couple in a bohemian but elegant style. Melissa also hand crafted the floral bouquet with local tropical flowers. The amazing headband worn by the bride was borrowed from Hushed Commotion and was perfect for the organic style. The wedding dress (skirt/top) is from local Maui designer, Brooke Larson of Salt of the Rocks. She hand creates one of a kind beach wedding dresses and has a store full of amazing vintage finds as well.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Floral Design: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design | Wedding Dress: Salt On The Rocks | Hair And Make Up Artist: Ry-n Shimabuku | Hair Piece: Hushed Commotion | Jewelry & Necklace: Stephanie Kim Designs | Stylist: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design | Workshop: Photo Coterie | Workshop Teachers: Photo Coterie

At the center of this Lahaina fete is a love so sweet that it’s almost palpable. A love that radiates from Corinne Krogh‘s imagery of this darling duo and jumps right off the page. It lives in the happy little smiles, the eskimo kisses and of course, the four-legged friends, too. Soak it all up right here.

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From Corinne Krogh…This sweet couple fell in love with the Lahaina Animal Farm and Guest Ranch all the way from the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Vintage, romance and elegance were at the top of Emily’s wish list, all of which set the tone for an intimate celebration to her long time love. The ivory, blush pink and navy color palette, with flower choices of peonies, anemones and greenery, along with the rustic farm elements provided by the venue set the perfect stage for her vision.

Photography: Corinne Graves | Coordination: Maui's Angels Weddings | Floral And Event Design: Maui's Angels Weddings | Wedding Dress: David's Bridal | Cake: Cake Fanatics | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Weddington Way | Catering: Soup To Nuts | Hair And Makeup: I Am Ui | Venue: Lahaina Animal Farm And Guest Ranch | Bouquets And Personals: Sunya’s Flowers | Entertainement: KCK Entertainment | Musician: Marvin Tevaga | Officiate: Valentine "Tino" Rosete | Rentals: Hawaiian Style Event Rentals | Vintage Rentals And Decor: The Collection Maui | Wedding Sash: Vera Wang

I hope you are all sitting down, SMPers, because this beauty from Wendy Laurel is about to blow your mind with its beauty. It’s absolutely perfection, and when you find out that the ridiculously stunning florals are all from…wait for it…Whole Foods, you might just fall out of your chair. It was a family affair filled with love, and the gallery proves that is the very best combo.

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Photography: Wendy Laurel | Flowers: Whole Foods Market | Wedding Dress: Badgley Mischka | Catering: Aloha Events Catering | Hair And Make Up: Plush Beauty Lounge | Dj: Clarity Entertainment Maui | Venue: Olowalu Plantation House | Photographer Assistance: Jeffrey Oltman

After fourteen years of dating, these lifelong sweethearts wanted a wedding celebration that was worth waiting for. The decision? A sunny romantic Maui destination wedding surrounded by lush Mandy Grace Design greenery, vintage stonewalls, and elegant chandeliers. There’s no denying that Haiku Mill is something out of a fairytale, and it’s made even more beautiful at the hands of Anna Kim, right here!

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From the beautiful Bride… The story of Mark and I begins with our parents, who have been close friends since before we were even born. In fact, our first encounter was probably while we were in the womb. We grew up together, were close friends, and eventually became high school sweethearts. After dating for fourteen years, we wanted to have a wedding celebration that was worth waiting for. Maui was the perfect setting, as it is not only a beautiful location, but has also been one of our favorite places to vacation together. As we began our search for venues, Haiku Mill immediately caught our attention. The more pictures and videos we saw of the Mill’s lush greenery, vintage stonewalls, and elegant chandeliers, the more we fell in love with the venue. But no matter how much we admired the venue as we planned our wedding from home, nothing could compare to how beautiful Haiku Mill is in person.

In high school and college, I took photography classes where I spent hours in the dark room developing pictures. As a result, I have an obsession with black and white; I love how the contrast makes for a sleek, sophisticated base color palette. We decided to compliment black and white with various shades of purple. Our colors made it easy to play with patterns, textures, and pops of color in an ombre effect. We had fun incorporating patterns of stripes, polka dots, chevron and gingham into multiple details, including our invitations, signage, napkins, menus, favors and even the bubble wands. Each groomsmen had a different black and white patterned tie, and received custom shoes with purple accents and a touch of gingham to wear to the reception. The purple bridesmaids dresses and flowers stood out against the black and white patterns perfectly. We choose to DIY the majority of our projects so we could personalize each detail and make our theme cohesive. From the design and construction of the invitations, programs, signage, place cards, and welcome bags, we made every detail perfect during multiple craft nights. We collected pillowcases, picture frames, and even props to use in our photo booth. We also wanted to make sure that our golden retriever, Lovie, was not forgotten, as he could not make the trip to Maui. We included him in many of our small details; the ring bearer carried Lovie’s stunt double with the rings in his collar. He was also on our cake topper, program, and in our photos.

I loved that Mandy Grace used Mark’s proposal as an inspiration for our florals. She incorporated the tulip theme as a nod to our engagement, as Mark proposed to me in a field of tulips while we were vacationing near Seattle. The bar service from Garnish was exceptional, with impeccable presentation, and signature cocktails that had our guests raving long after the night was over. This was also true for our menu, provided by Maui Executive, whose Shiitake encrusted Wagyu Beef garnered the highest compliments from Mark’s parents. Maui Sweet Cakes provided the most delicious coconut, lilikoi and pineapple coconut cupcakes we have ever had. Our photographers, Jessica and Ajja from Anna Kim Photography so sweet and easy to work with, and had the artistic eye to capture some of our most intricate details. Nate, our videographer from Sunlit Films, was genuinely enthusiastic, and so relaxed and fun. The staff at the Mill was so pleasant and accommodating; Lindsay and her assistants were calm, organized and professional. The owner, Sylvia, was so charming. When we first arrived at the Mill, she pointed out that the bricks that made up the floor of the Mill were from our hometown of Chicago. One of the biggest surprises about the property was the abundance of exotic fruit trees, which guests were free to pick from throughout the wedding week. The music theme of the night was 90s hip-hop and R&B, which was perfectly executed by DJ Randy of Ace Beats.

My favorite moment of the night was Mark surprising me with a performance of “Grow Old With You” from The Wedding Singer. It was the perfect song choice, as it was the one song I would have wanted to hear. He later told me that he actually wanted to sing that song to me since our first dates. I’m so lucky that he is the man I will grow old with. His song was a perfect way to end the best day of our lives. We couldn’t have chosen a better venue than Haiku Mill, a beautiful canvas that we were able to make our own for one amazing day.

Photography: Anna Kim Photography | Videography: Sunlit Films | Coordination: Haiku Mill | Floral Design: Mandy Grace Floral & Event Design | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Cake: Maui Sweet Cakes | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Catering: Maui Executive Catering Company | Hair & Makeup: Maui Makeup Artistry | DJ: Ace Beats | Groom's Attire: Calvin Klein | Wedding Venue: Haiku Mill | Bar Service: Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: Island Rents | Rentals: Signature Boutique Event Rentals | Rentals: Pacific Isle Rentals | Rentals: Maui Rents

I’m hoping this couple’s positive spirit rubs off, because they sure know how to deal with an unexpected wedding day surprise. As torrential rain crashed their ceremony, umbrellas and smiles opened up, and improvisations were made, including a spontaneous beach photo shoot during a quick rain break. Emily Magers captured every moment, rain and shine, and these pics have me no longer fearing a few clouds.

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From Emily Magers Photography… Ashley & Michael are two of the most incredible souls I have ever encountered. Everything about their big day was beyond perfect, including the surprise torrential downpour! None the less, Maui was still perfect and everything about these two lovebirds was as well. Ashley got ready at The Andaz hotel on the beach and they got married on the Makenna Property near Big Beach in Maui, HI with the most beautiful outdoor ceremony and reception, all DIY by the bridal party. The area was filled with twinkle lights, mason jars, flowers, wood signs, and more, until the rain started. The ceremony was held at the venue site and even amongst pouring rain and soaking wet outfits, everyone had smiles on their faces and looked flawless! Due to the rain, after the ceremony we picked up and moved to a family friend’s house near by for the reception which was not the original plan, but still turned out perfect. On the drive to the house, Michael, Ashley, and I stopped the car and ran to the beach to catch the most incredible sunset!! There truly is a calm after the storm. It was the perfect touch for romantics after a rainy ceremony. I cannot get over how perfect everything about this destination wedding was or how passionately in love these two stunners are.

Photography: Emily Magers Photography | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Urban Outfitters | Location: Andaz Maui At Wailea

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!

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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

My fiancé and I are getting hitched in the contiguous states, but dears, I’m highly considering just stopping by Haiku Mill for a pretty peek during our honeymoon to Hawaii. This wildly beautiful venue wows me every single time, and today is no different. I’ll let the amazing images from Jana Williams do all the talking, but trust me when I say you need to carve out a bit of your afternoon for this stunner.

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From the beautiful Bride… Jerry and I first met in San Francisco after being introduced by my best friend. We immediately started dating after the first day we met. Jerry flew back and forth every weekend to visit me in LA until he moved to LA from San Francisco 6 months later.

Last winter, during a visit to New York, is when Jerry popped the question! After a few days of touring the exciting city, there was one day left before our flight in the morning and Jerry suggested that we either visit the empire state building or the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. I was so excited when he suggested the gardens because we didn’t get a chance to go on our trip the previous year and I absolutely love flowers and any kind of garden. We took a cab from Manhattan, and upon arriving, it donned on us that it was probably the worst time of the year to visit the botanical gardens, being it was a warm 35-40 degrees. Smart couple, I know. To our surprise, it was open. We walked around from garden to garden only to see brown shrubs and flowerless plants, laughing at how silly we were to visit such a place in the middle of winter. As we walked from the bonsai museum, we entered the tropical pavilion. It was so beautiful! It was filled with tropical trees, plants, and flowers from the amazon basin, African rainforest, and tropical eastern Asia. As we crossed a little bridge that took us over a streaming waterfall, he asked me if it was my favorite part of the gardens, and I said yes. He trailed behind me crossing the bridge as I looked at the amazing habitat. When I got a few steps ahead of him, he called my name, and when I turned around, there he was, on the middle of the bridge on one knee. I cried before he could spit anything out, then he asked me, I said yes then cried some more! It was so romantic and a day we will never forget!! We celebrated that night over dinner and champagne on our last night in New York City.

The wedding planning process was so fun. There wasn’t much required on my part because the venue was so amazing already. I just added a few of my personal touches. I couldn’t have done it without my bridesmaids and my wedding coordinator. We had a destination wedding in Maui, so it was exciting planning a huge vacation for all of our closest friends and family.

The wedding day was truly stunning. The ambiance was of the wedding was magical, beautiful, elegant, and so much fun! Everyone looked so beautiful plus the decor had an elegant vintage garden feel to it. The beauty of the venue and the love of our friends and family overwhelmed us in the best way possible. We will always remember our wedding as a blessing because it could have easily been canceled since the Island was under national hurricane alert. Luckily, the day of my wedding was sunny and beautiful, we couldn’t be more grateful for such a gorgeous day. We have never had so much fun and it was truly the best day of our lives.

Photography: Jana Williams Photography | Videographer: Robert Seegar | Coordination: Haiku Mill | Floral Design: Teresa Sena Designs | Wedding Dress: Inbal Dror | Brides Shoes: Guiseppe Zanotti | Catering: Maui Executive Catering Company | Hair And Makeup: Maui Makeup Artistry | Bar: Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering | Location: Haiku Mill

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I can’t even imagine the beauty of a Hawaiian wedding, let alone growing up on the island. Inspired by her childhood, this bride captured her love for the beach and nature perfectly. With Candice Benjamin behind the lens and Opihi Love’s florals and coordination, this celebration is picture perfect. Like a scene from a postcard, these pics have me longing for the sound of waves and floral leis.

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From The Bride… While planning the wedding and looking for some sort of theme I wanted to incorporate my love of the island/beach and Chris’ rustic/ natural side. I wanted to keep things simple and chic and let the beauty of Olowalu and Maui take the lead. I grew up on Maui so it was my dream to get married on the island and share it with all of our family and friends so that they could create the special memories that I have. While venue hunting I adamantly refused to even look at Olowalu because it is such a popular wedding venue and I felt as though every wedding was always set up the exact same way. After visiting with my parents, we fell in love with the feel of the property but were determined to do EVERYTHING differently! The ceremony was in a location it had never been in as well as our reception tables and although this made planning a bit tricky since we challenged ourselves as well as our vendors the results were magical. If there was one word that came to mind while planning this wedding it was ” unique.” From the hand stained table runners that my husband and I created, to the large lawn games that became a full family project to the hand sewn pillows made by my mom this wedding became a real team effort. It was so special to walk around and see all of the handmade touches and truly feel as though love from everyone of our family members and friends could been seen and felt in the details.

My favorite part of the day was walking down the aisle with my parents on either side of me and seeing Chris’ face as I made my way closer to him. I don’t remember seeing anything else except for his smile. I had two beautifully talented family friends who sang their own rendition of ” Somewhere over the Rainbow” and since I decided to charge down the aisle instead of leisurely walk the song ended up running longer than expected. I stood there being supported by my parents, looking ahead at my future husband, my amazing uncle who officiated and all of our bridal party and everyone spontaneously started clapping to the beat of the song.That moment shattered all of the nervous excitement that had built up in me and I remember looking around at everyone and thinking how lucky we were to be surrounded by such amazing people. It was such a fun moment and it really captured the spirit and enthusiasm of the day.

My advice to other couples would be to take a moment right after the ceremony for just you and your husband. As soon as we finished the ceremony we were able to take ten minutes to just relish finally being husband and wife. Our catering company had set out some appetizers and champagne for us and it was just a quiet moment before the party began to soak it all in! Everyone tells you to try and take it all in and slow down and once it starts that is impossible! You are so caught up in everything and time seems to speed forward faster than it ever has before. It is so special to have family and friends surrounding you on your big day but at the end of the day it truly is all about that moment when you become husband and wife.

Photography: Candice Benjamin Photography | Coordination: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design | Floral Design: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design | Ceremony Venue: Olowalu Plantation House | Catering: Sugar Beach Events | Hair And Makeup: Jean Muldoon | DJ: Clarity Entertainment Maui | Bridesmaids Hair: Liza Siminski | Bridesmaids Makeup: Cassandra Unciano | Cake Artist: Brianna Moore | Rentals: Pacific Isle Rentals | Shaved Ice Truck: Kona Shave Ice

Nothing says paradise quite like an oceanside affair, and this seaside celebration is all the more meaningful with a focus on family. Surrounded by blooming bougainvillea and a gentle sea breeze, a global guestbook united and the beauty that ensued is simply stare-worthy. One look at the snaps from Wendy Laurel Photography and you’ll be dreaming of an island celebration .

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From Wendy Laurel Photography… Leanne and Richard wanted a really gorgeous wedding that all their friends and family could attend, but Leanne is from Canada and Richard is from Australia. So having the wedding at either one of their hometowns meant alot of traveling for the other family. They had the bright idea of meeting in the middle and planning a gorgeous destination wedding in Hawaii. That way both sides of the family could easily travel and who doesn’t want an excuse to visit Maui?

The focus was on family (the couple’s young son attended and was a ringbearer) and friends. The couple planned some activities for the guests to attend during the week and the bride had her bridal shower on Maui as well. They lucked out with gorgeous clear weather and a golden sunset at the point at Kapalua Bay.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Cake: Merrimans | Ceremony Venue: Merrimans | Reception Venue: Merrimans | Getting Ready: Westin Kaanapali | Photography - Assistance: Jeffrey Oltman

A Sarah Janks gown and a barefoot Bride unite the colors of a rainbow in this chic inspiration. With Wendy Laurel behind the lens, every band of color within Sproullie Designs invitations were perfectly mirrored by Mauis Angels blooms on the sands of Maui. Not to mention every image in the gallery is even more delicious with one look at that Maui Sweet Cakes cake!

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From Wendy Laurel… Hawaii is known for its rainbows and I wanted to showcase a beach wedding that used rainbow in a softer more sophisticated way. I started gathering items that I loved from my own home for use in a rainbow wedding and found others on Etsy that inspired me. Jes from Mauis Angels did a fantastic job bringing the rainbow into the florals in an elegant way and Heidi Cramer from Maui Sweet Cake created the perfect rainbow cake. Its no secret that I am a big fan of color — and love all things rainbow — so this shoot was so much fun and a dream to create. Lori from Mauis Angels helped bring the entire day together smoothly and scouted the perfect location.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Floral Design: Maui's Angels Weddings | Wedding Dress: Sarah Janks | Wedding Cake: Maui Sweet Cakes | Invitations: Sproullie Designs | Hair & Makeup: I Am Ui | Cake Topper And Plate: The Knot | Furniture: Hawaiian Style Event Rentals | Napkins: Anthropologie | Stylist: Maui's Angels Weddings | Veil & Hair Pieces: Hushed Commotion

Get ready to break open the bubbly loves, it’s Friday! And we’ve got one pretty day ahead of us, starting with this love sesh in Maui from Wendy Laurel. My favorite part (aside from this couple’s utter cuteness that pours from the images) is the lush coral floral crown from Mandy Grace Design that ties the whole thing together. Hop over to the sandy gallery for the rest!

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From Wendy Laurel Photography…Kate and Chris have known each other forever. Growing up in Alaska they meet in school and were great friends. But it wasn’t until later that they fell in love. Chris went away to Annapolis for the Navy Academy. Kate is an artist and her and she and Chris feel lucky to be living in Hawaii while Chris is stationed here. Their wedding is next year and they wanted something pretty and very Hawaii and creative for their engagement photos.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Florals: Mandy Grace Floral & Event Design | Hair + Makeup: Susan Bortz Designs | Ironwoods Beach: Ironwoods Beach In Kapalua

It’s always a good day on SMP, but when one of our Little Black Bookers says I do, it’s time to break out the bubbly. And trust me when I say there is a lot to toast to when it comes to the stunning Maui wedding of Lee of Sugar Beach Events. The contemporary styling, the gorgeous florals from Maui Floral, the picture perfect images from Anna Kim Photography – we’ll cheers all day to this gorgeous gallery. And you can see why here.

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Carl and Lee met while in the marching band at the University of South Carolina. This tall, beautiful, bold member of the color guard caught the drummer’s eye performing during a Gamecock football game and they had a date in fall of 1989. It took them twenty-three years to have their second date, joining each other from halfway around the world.

Lee was living in Maui, and reconnected with Carl on Facebook. Both going through separations, their friendship was rekindled through email and texting that later turned romantic. In May 2012, the pair decided to meet for a three-day weekend in Chicago and explore the rekindling of their connection. The sparks flew, and three months later Carl moved to Maui to be with Lee. A little over a year later, the couple got engaged Christmas Eve of 2013.

Lee had been living on Maui since 2005. She moved to Maui to join her biological father, Don Nelson, who had visions of building a grand wedding venue on the coast of this gorgeous Pacific Island. Lee, a chef and restaurant management consultant prior to moving to Maui, dreamed of having a catering company.

The story gets even a little more sweet. Don Nelson is a famous basketball player and coach, a celebrated five-time national championship player and the most winning coach in NBA history. Lee, who was adopted at birth, was contacted by her biological mother at the age of 28. A friendship developed, and Lee was informed that she was conceived during a brief relationship, and that her father was unaware of her existence. You can imagine Don’s surprise when thirty years later, he received a letter in the mail from his daughter. Don and his daughter united in 1997, and it was easy to see the father-daughter team had much more than genes in common.

What they manifested together was something completely unique to Maui; offering all services to a bride-in-planning at a unique location that is on one of the most beautiful long stretches of sandy beach on the island. Lee’s reconnection and the planning of her dream wedding with Carl was just kismet to the story.

“What I love about weddings is that you spend an amazing evening with the love of your life, surrounded by the love of family and friends. I wanted an intimate wedding that reflected our unique personalities, with something new and remarkable at every turn. I have a flair for drama, and wanted to keep elements hidden from our guests. My day truly was the day of my dreams and it was perfect for us.“

Lee and Carl’s is a story of love and acceptance, and the beauty that comes from the unknown: family to family, friends, bride to groom, and everything in between. We are all on the same team in the game of love.

“I always think of an event or wedding celebration as a beautiful journey we invite guests to take with us from the minute they arrive until the last dance of the night. That concept became almost literal when I began to imagine how to include everything Lee loved in this perfectly decadent Mediterranean themed love fest for Lee & Carl.” Sugar Beach Event Planner Yvette Crosby

Lee wore a one-shoulder style gown in soft chiffon. The bride had wanted something different; classic, yet modern, comfortable and able to flow in the Maui breeze. She chose a short, fun reception dress to accompany the dance celebration, something that would complement the disco ball chandelier and highlight her long legs and heels. The glass beads on the reception dress caught the lights and were a crazy, sparkly dance party dream.

All in all, the wedding was an eclectic mix of design elements, style, and color, married together in a fun, playful, casually elegant, and intimate setting. It began at the entry with ribbons of purple, teal, and lime green streaming in the wind and giant LOVE letters proclaiming the theme of the day. The couple had taken a trip to Europe the year before, and loved Italy. Lee envisioned a courtyard in an Italian square, which started a vision of the Old World mixed with the contemporary. For cocktails and dinner, it was the Old World feel, with dining al fresco with a canopy of twinkling lights under the starry tropical night sky. Dancing was modern and contemporary, like a club on the French Riviera. Zebra print candle shades were the bride’s favorite!

Lee emerged for her walk down the aisle like a Greek goddess stepping from a cloud of soft sheer white drapes billowing in the wind. The dramatic and romantic beginning was accented by Lee’s walk down the aisle on the arms of both her fathers. She approached her Adonis groom standing in front of a modern arch draped asymmetrically to echo the lines of her gown. Simple wooden benches matched the arch and provided guest seating. Carl’s father, a Baptist minister, married the couple, adding a touching and personal element to the ceremony. As Lee and Carl sealed their vows with a kiss and turned to greet their guests, a flurry of purple ribbons filled the air and repeated the ribbon celebration from the venue entrance.

On the menu was a Tuscan feast with a sophisticated focaccia bread bar, taking place under the stars reflecting the bride’s love of Italian cuisine, cooking, and countryside. Cocktails were served oceanside in an Italian Riviera setting that then led guests into an outdoor dining pavilion. Starting with passed appetizers, guests were then encouraged to enjoy the anti-pasta and bread cart. Highlighting the product of The Olive Crush out of San Francisco, flavorful olive oils and balsamic vinegars were available for guests to create their own special flavors and dip to their heart’s content.

Before dinner, a canoe coming from the sea at sunset surprised guests, delivering Kimokea for a special surprise blessing for the couple. Kimokea and a few attendants were barefoot and dressed in kihei (traditional Hawaiian attire of brightly colored fabric). Walking onshore and into the center of the dining area, he delivered the bride and groom a traditional Hawaiian marriage blessing through an ancient chant.

A plated salad was served, and then an action station and buffet of Italian specialties offered guests a sampling of favorites, like chicken piccata, eggplant Parmesan, steamed mussels and clams, and Kobe meatballs. The chefs created personal pasta dishes for each guest, offering pesto, alfredo, and marinara sauces to go over a choice of pastas and vegetables. The cake was a seven layer chocolate cake with lilikoi cream filling.

The draping kept the amazing lounge setup from view until after dinner when the doors opened and the band welcomed guests. The sheer drapes billowed out to welcome attendees into a Monte Carlo disco setting replete with a huge custom made disco ball chandelier, zebra candle lamps on cocktail club tables, and elegant lounge settings. A checkerboard dance floor invited everyone onto center stage, to groove to a seven piece live band. A fabulously sophisticated photo booth with a custom backdrop gave guests the chance to capture the moment in between visits to the gourmet coffee and dessert bar.

The bride had stumbled across a cake design on Pinterest that caught her eye, a bold and statement-making piece of confection art. She reached out to the designer, Cecile, who happened to be retired and living in Kauai. It was a proprietary technique that Cecile had worked on for thirty years to reach perfection. The construction of the cake was very unique in that there were smaller tiers under larger tiers, which gave a lot of dimension and depth. Lee’s pastry chef, Natalie, worked with Cecile for months to recreate the cake, testing layers and sending emails back and forth in critique. A collar for the top tier and a few decorative chocolate “buttons” complemented green and purple lines on the chocolate fondant, and this chocolate cake with a lilikoi filling was a hit!

Photography: Anna Kim Photography | Videography: Ohana Films | Flowers: Maui Floral | Ceremony Venue: Sugar Beach Events | Reception Venue: Sugar Beach Events | Makeup: Dacia Waller | Hair: Dan Sanchez Salon | Band: Shea Derrick And Full Flavor | Cello: Sue Nuckols | Decor: Pacific Isle Rentals | Decor: Hawaiian Style Event Rentals | Decor: Maui Tunes | Decor: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design | Decor: Winters Events | Decor: Rio Event Design | Engagement Shots: Chris J. Evans | Harp: Kristine Snyder | Photo Booth: Bamboo Shootz | Public Relations: Grace Delivers Communications | Violin: Michele Ancheta

We have an genuine soft spot for oceanfront weddings. This lovely, laidback family affair is no exception. From the sunset hued florals to the bride’s fabulous frock we adore every inch of this sweet Hawaiian soirée. Captured by Wendy Laurel Photography, it’s an intimate seaside celebration that will make you want to kick back, relax, and bask in the beauty of the Maui sun.

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From Wendy Laurel… Its never too late for love… this lovely and bright and colorful wedding is a second marriage. The couple chose a destination wedding in Maui to celebrate their love with their families and friends plus have a pretty vacation all rolled into one. The florals were breathtaking… super sweet blossoms with bright hawaii colors. Her bouquet, the tables, the ceremony were all decorated with this colors giving off a happy and pretty vibe. The floral pattern on the brides’ wedding dress went with the bouquet and even the sunset cooperated giving off a pink and pastel glow that night.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Flowers: Dellables | Cake: Cake Fanatics | Ceremony Venue: Merriman's | Reception Venue: Merriman's | Officiant: Pia Aluli | Music: Marvin Tevaga | Photo Assistant: Jeffrey Oltman

Destination weddings in Hawaii are always gorgeous. It is Hawaii after all. But this beauty designed by Opihi Love is next level pretty. With the perfect amount of coastal glam sprinkled with glitter, this gorgeous gallery from Tamiz Photography has SMP written ALL over it. See why here.

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When planning a destination wedding there is so much to do from afar, making all the little details that much more important and this is where your team of vendors become so vital. I couldn’t have picked a better team of people to be apart of our magical day. My coordinator helped bring my dream wedding to reality, along with the best acoustic guitarist Maui has seen, to the raddest DJ out there and to top it all off, our dream photographers captured the best moments of our lives. It all came together perfectly. From DIY gold glitter starfish, to handwritten Kate Spade place cards, to the gold margarita salt, there wasn’t a place you looked without a little twinkle of shimmer. My Katie May backless dream wedding gown helped inspire my collection of “Gastby” bridesmaid dresses. Having seven different dresses created the most beautiful combination, highlighting the blush and nude color pallet. The chandeliers and flowers were the jewels of the night and it completed the romantic boho chic look I wanted to create. When remembering our wedding I hope our guests remember it as a night, that was as good as gold.

Photography: Tamiz Photography | Videography: Sunlit Films | Wedding Gown: Katie May | Stationery: Grizz Shop | Bridesmaid Shoes: Steve Madden | Shoes: Sergio Rossi | Makeup And Hair: Ry-n Shimabuku | Calligraphy: Jo's Custom Chalkboards | DJ: Clarity Entertainment Maui | Groom's Suit: Hugo Boss | Wedding Venue: Andaz Maui At Wailea | Bridesmaid Gown: Adrianna Papell | Bridesmaid Gown: Vera Wang | Bridesmaid Gown: Rebecca Taylor | Bridesmaid Gown: BCBGMAXAZRIA | Cake Topper: Better Off Wed | Day Of Coordination: Andaz Maui At Wailea | Design, Florals, Photo Booth & Boutique Rentals: Opihi Love Wedding Planning and Design | Envelopes: Paper Accents By Laura (Etsy) | Flatware & Glassware: Set Collections | Garter: Be Chic Accessories | Gold Salt & Sugar: Dell Cove Spice Company | Groom's Shoes: Prada | Music: David Wolf Weddings | Officient: Minister Alapaki Terry | Place Cards: Kate Spade | Traditional Rentals: Island Rents | Veil: Nordstrom

The face of the beach wedding has changed. What we have here is another example of how creative couples continue to redefine their destination I-do’s. Captured by Kaua Wedding Photography, this island affair is an elegant twist on a rustic seaside soirée. It’s filled to the brim with feminine florals and sophisticated style. Top it off with a downright gorgeous film from Cinemaui and we’re officially in love. See it all right here in the gallery.

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From the bride…The wedding planning began with the venue which wasn’t a hard choice as Jonathan and I love the ocean and Hawaii. Jonathan proposed in Oahu on the island of Mokolua, so Hawaii was very special to us and we knew we wanted to have out special day in Hawaii as well and try and visit for our anniversary’s. We fell in love with Olowalu Plantation House the second we saw it. We were lucky to have our Hana, Maui friends get married so that we could see our venue. We had seen many pictures and already knew this was it but after we saw it, it became even more real. The island is gorgeous, the weather is amazing and the vibe and people on the island are exactly what we wanted for our special day. We knew right away we wanted a destination wedding after attending a couple. We loved that it brought everyone we loved together for more than just 1 day. We planned activities before the wedding and a beautiful brunch hosted by my in laws the day after. Not only was it so special to have 87 of our family and friends be there to share our special day with us but it was also an excuse for everyone to take a vacation.Jonathan and I wanted a small quaint wedding with the people we love most in the world and are a part of our lives, getting married in Maui gave us exactly that. We are so happy we chose a destination wedding in Maui, we have so many wonderful memories we will cherish forever. The venue was naturally so beautiful so I really didn’t have to do much, I didn’t want to take away from the setting and the cute little plantation house. I wanted to keep our decoration soft, elegant and beachy rustic. The tones I chose were blush, ivory, navy and gold, I love the softness of the ivory, blush and gold but wanted to throw in the navy as a pop of color and felt it matched the vegetation of the venue perfectly. I chose beautiful long navy blue dresses for the bridesmaids that matched perfectly with the blues of the ocean and the greens of the trees and grass. I wore a beautiful strapless ivory lace gown, I found my dress before we locked in a venue but it went perfectly with our romantic elegant theme. Jonathan and the groomsmen wore light gray suits with navy ties and brown shoes. Jonathan wore a navy blue vest just to set him apart from the rest of the group. They all had custom made tie clips with their initials and the date of our wedding. I had two beautiful flowers girls who wore white and navy dresses with a touch of blush, I had orchid head bands made for them to keep the island feel. The flowers girl baskets were handmade by my friend Parisa Kaprealian (owner of Pretty Please Design) with moss, and silk ivory and blush flowers. I also had moss incorporated in other elements of the wedding. My handsome little ring bearer wore pin stripe shorts with navy suspenders and a blush pink bow tie with chuck taylors, he was absolutely adorable. I had the ring pillow custom made with burlap, lace and handmade navy flowers. I asked both my mother and father to walk me down the aisle. I wanted them to blend with the wedding colors so my mom wore a beautiful long blush gown and my father wore a beige suit. The table decorations, I went for a more rustic theme with mason jars, milk glass vases, burlap, lace, candles and grape wood as the centerpieces. I chose white linen for the tables and blush napkins for a pop of color though still very soft and elegant. Each seat had handmade thank you cards and menus, I also had custom Koozies made for our wedding favors, placed on every napkin. The flowers were just incredible and truly tied everything together, from the colors to their beauty. The most important thing to us was that our wedding be as personal and meaningful as possible. I think most couples want their wedding to be a true reflection of themselves, Jonathan and I were no different in this respect, we wanted our wedding to showcase our passion for food and how we love to throw a good party, whilst also reflecting both our Iranian and Christian heritages. We wanted to incorporate both our cultures into our wedding so we decided to have two ceremonies. Being that we wanted a destination wedding it was hard to find a Persian officiant as well as a Christian officiant. We decided to ask our father to officiate our wedding. They know us the best and it was so special to have them marry us. They were both very honored and wrote every word of our ceremony to reflect Jonathan and I and our journey together and our beliefs. Jonathan and I decided to have the Persian ceremony first, so we can have the grand finale of the husband and wife announcement at the end of the Christian ceremony. Since I am not religious I asked my father to talk about us, marriage and read a poem about love and the meaning of marriage. As part of the Persian ceremony the bride and groom sit in front of a spread also known as the “sofreh” the spread has many symbolic items for our future. Some examples are eggs for fertility, honey for sweetness and gold coins for wealth as well as many other items. I was very lucky that my good friend and bridesmaid Parisa helped me with the sofreh. She handmade many of the pieces as well as put it all together. She incorporated lace, grape wood, moss, and the colors of the wedding into the spread. She took my vision and made it reality, it was so beautiful and perfect in every way. Jonathan’s father officiated the Christian ceremony with words of Jonathan and I followed by a prayer. Jonathan and I wanted to write our own vows, we thought it was more personal and meaningful. I had little wooded books made with the words “his/her vows” and the wedding date. We will always remember and have our vows. I custom made fans for our guest, one side had and explanation of the “sofreh” and the other side was our family, wedding party and in loving memory of those who passed. This helped keep everyone cool as well as put a special touch and explanations of our ceremonies. Our ceremony was such a special way for us to share with all of our family and friends our cultures and exactly how we feel about each other – and also how we feel about all of them. It was a truly magical ceremony and we will never forget a moment of it. Most of the wedding decorations I made by hand, I didn’t know I had a creative side until our wedding, it truly brought it out. I handmade each wedding invitation (envelope, card, map, direction and the RSVP card). I also handmade the escort cards and all the mason jar decorations. I had help from my friend Beth owner of Beth loves paper with the guestbook, and everything paper. It was very special to me to put so much love and effort into our wedding, it made it that much more special. For the guestbook we took Polaroid photos of our guest and had them sign their names and messages. We wanted to capture every moment and everyone’s expressions, we felt the best way was to have a photo guest book, made with the same paper as my invitations. If you have ever been to a Persian wedding you will know its lots of eating, drinking and especially lots of dancing. We started the dancing right off the bat when they announced us in the reception as husband and wife for the first time. We wanted to set the mood and have everyone dance right from the beginning. We played Persian music and since the music is so upbeat and fun we had everyone on the dance floor. We then went into our first dance and the father daughter dance. Jonathan and I ate quickly right before heading out to shoot our sunset pictures. I have always envisioned sunset pictures for our wedding and I was so extremely happy with the outcome, our photographer Kaua was amazing and captured so many special moments. We wanted to also incorporate more of my culture throughout the wedding so asked the bridesmaids to do a knife dance before the cake cutting to a Persian song. The bridesmaids loved and it all the guest found it very interesting and entertaining. We also had all the guest light sparklers during the knife dance and the cake cutting. The cake was delicious, we had vanilla cake with Lilikoi filling and it was very good. I wanted our cake to reflect the island and all its delicious fruits. We danced the night away from playing tunes from my brother in laws band “Con Bro Chill”, to lots of Persian and a variety of house and 80’s top hits. Jonathan and I took a moment and stepped away from the wedding to look back and reflect on the day. As we looked back we saw all our family and friends really enjoying themselves with big smiles, dancing and lots of laughter in the most beautiful, romantic setting. This made our hearts melt, to know all these people have traveled all the way to Maui for us and we were able to show then a truly magical night, made it that much better. Honestly, we couldn’t have envisioned a more perfect wedding and are so grateful to all of our family and friends who traveled far to join us in Maui to celebrate, and to all of our incredible vendors who made the day as beautiful and as seamless as it was. We will cherish the memories from that day for the rest of our lives.

Photography: Kaua Wedding Photography | Wedding Planner: Jamie Lawrence | Floral Design: Lois Hiranaga Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero | Cake: Cakes by JoAnn | Catering: Cafe O'Lei | Make Up: Make Up By Padi Arvin | Hair: Beach Brides By Heather | DJ: Ace Beats | Bar Service: Bars Are Us | Bridesmaids\' Dresses: Nordstrom | Private Plantation House: Olowalu Plantation House | Singer: Jamie Lawrence | Sofreh: Pretty Please Design | Table Names: PNZ Designs

We’ve come to the end of another pretty week darlings. That’s right, we’re mere hours away from the Friday evening festivities. But before you go mixing that fancy little cocktail you’re craving, might I suggest you get a little color happy with this beauty of a shoot from Wendy Laurel, inspired by Claire Pettibone‘s stunning fall collection. I’m ready to take a bite out of those scrumptious florals from Mandy Grace Design myself. Get your Hawaiian vibe on in this brilliant gallery, and happy weekending!

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From Wendy Laurel…A white Hawaiian plantation home seemed the perfect backdrop for the two lovely Claire Pettibone gowns from her 2014 Fall collection. Inspired by a yellow plate we found, we put together the place setting using a weather piece of white wood for a charger, white plates with the pop of yellow and mismatched antique silver. White wood, pops of yellow and blue, a rustic but clean whitewashed look is a Hawaaiana look we love.

Photography: Wendy Laurel | Wedding Planner: Couture Events | Floral Design: Mandy Grace Floral & Event Design | Wedding Dress: Claire Pettibone | Wedding Dress: CLD Style House | Cake: Maui Sweet Cakes | Bracelet: Anthropologie | Venue: Private Residence | Hair Piece: Hushed Commotion | Invitation: Miss B Calligraphy | Veil: Hushed Commotion

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A Maui destination wedding is like a romantic, sunny vacation wrapped inside a beautiful celebration. And that, my friends, is a thing of beauty. Of, course, Haiku Mill takes island romance to a whole new level of magic with chandeliers strung from palm trees and old stone walls covered in lush greenery made even more beautiful at the hands of Teresa Sena Designs and Anna Kim Photography. Click here for more!

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Photography: Anna Kim Photography | Videography: Cinemaui | Floral Design: Teresa Sena Designs | Cake: Designer Cakes | Ceremony Venue: Haiku Mill | Reception Venue: Haiku Mill | Catering: Maui Executive Catering Company | Makeup: Jessica Waite Makeup Artistry | Hair: Jessica Waite Makeup Artistry | Calligraphy: Miss B Calligraphy | DJ: Ace Beats | Bar Service: Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering | Paper Suite & Brandig Design: Alexis June Weddings | Rentals: Signature Boutique Event Rentals | Rentals: Island Rents

For their Hawaiian wedding, this Italian couple brought along their adorable daughter, a translator, and their chic European fashion sense. It’s an intimate and elegant family affair beyond words. So I’ll stop talking and let the images from Chris J. Evans do the speaking. Don’t worry, there’s more where this came from right here in the gallery.

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These dashing Italians spoke just about zero English, and I speak zero Italian. I needed to find a way to communicate my fashion vibe and after a few awkward body movements and modeling by me, I said, “Dolce & Gabana” and BOOM they got it!!!

The Bride wore Dolce & Gabanna.
The groom was styled out in an Italian tapered suit complete with wooden bow-tie.

Photography: Chris J. Evans | Coordinator: Haiku Mill | Flowers: Dellables | Cake: Designer Cakes | Ceremony Venue: Haiku Mill | Shoes: Dolce And Gabbana | Makeup And Hair: Maui Makeup Artistry

No matter how many times I flip through these engagement images from Jessica Burke, I can’t get enough. Set on the stunning cliffs Maui, it’s what happens with A&B Creative styles an e-sesh to perfection and lucky for us, this is only the beginning. So much more waiting right here.

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From Jessica Burke…Super excited to share this engagement session with you! Nicole and Bryan had me join them in Hawaii to photograph their engagement session. We battled the weather a bit (including the rain!) but the photos are beautiful. It was such a fun session, complete with our own private cliffs overlooking the Pacific. Couldn’t have asked for anything better, especially with Rebekah from a&b creative at the styling helm!

From A&b Creative…I was elated when Jessica Burke virtually introduced me to Nicole and found out I would be joining them to style her and her fiancé’s engagement session on Maui. As Nicole and I started gathering images that inspired her, I was thoroughly impressed with the classic and romantic looks she was continuously adding. Frothy gowns and vintage inspired holiday looks were our favorites. I scouted locations in Maui (which Nicole’s family had been vacationing on for years, a special place!) that matched the epically romantic look they were going for. Ho’okipa was the perfect match to the smart look of Bryan’s more formal ensemble and was completely jaw-dropping next to the crimson Sarah Seven gown that Nicole wore perfectly. I also loved N & B’s vintage inspired beach look complete with perfect oversized hat. We ended the day as the sun was setting on Maui with surfers in the background and sea turtles bobbing in the waves.

Photography: Jessica Burke | Dress: Sarah Seven | Styling + Wardrobe: A & B Creative