Hawaii Weddings

Hawaii is one of those places where inspiration is literally dripping from every nook and cranny.  Where fabulous locales, pretty, pretty details and breathtaking scenery exists on every corner of every city.  It’s a place that is just begging for beautiful weddings, and when a talented team of vendors joins forces for an inspiration love-fest like this crazy awesome shoot, it’s a day that we can’t wait to share with all of you here at SMP.  See every moment captured by Weddings by Willy & Meghan right here in the full gallery.

The Story… The wedding took place on a rainy cold day but just as the bride was ready to walk down the aisle, a miracle happened and the clouds parted so the ceremony could be bathed in beautiful Hawaiian sunshine! The bride wore her mother’s wedding gown in vintage lace that went perfectly with the rustic ranch theme. Dillingham Ranch is a historical ranch established in 1887 by one of Hawaii’s first railroad tycoons Franklin Dillingham. Now they use the beautiful space for weddings and events. The theme of the wedding was rustic elegance set amidst lush Hawaiian tropical jungle. The decor details included mason jars with luggage tags for guests to write their names. They also had photo booth with custom made signs for wahine (girl in Hawaiian) and cowboys! Guests favors were little jars filled with nuts with handmade labels.

Photography: Weddings By Willy & Meghan | Dress: Vintage | Cake: Friend Of The Family | Makeup: Friend Of The Family | Venue: Dillingham Ranch | Flowers And Event Styling: Passion Roots | Photo Styling: Weddings By Willy & Meghan | Photo Styling: Seasons of Life Events | Rentals: Pacific Party Rental | Speciality Linens: Chair Cover Express | Wooden Tables: Event Essentials

A week-long celebration in paradise with your closest friends and family is everything a destination wedding should be.  Laid back, totally elegant and chock-full of pretty?  This is that wedding.  A crazy gorgeous affair that is as beautiful as it is heartwarming.  And when you dive into every last mesmerizing moment captured by Andria Lindquist, I promise you’ll want to spend the rest of your day devouring the pretty.  Don’t miss a second in the full gallery.

From the Bride… It never fails that I have to fight back tears each time I look over our wedding photos and reflect back on that amazing day. Emotional tears; the good kind. I could not have asked for a more amazing wedding day and week. My husband and I chose to tie the knot in Hawaii; we both share a love for the ocean, sun and laid-back lifestyle Hawaii is so well known for. Our families and friends reside all over the US, so we chose to pick a spot where everyone who was able to travel and share this day with us could enjoy a vacation. We were blessed to spend the week before the wedding with close to 50 of our dearest friends and family. This was what it was all about to us, being surrounded by our loved ones, relaxing and enjoying the celebration of our marriage. We rented a beautiful vacation home where we had a backyard style wedding, and where our two families stayed together for the week. This was the first time both of our families were together in the same place and it couldn’t have been easier! Our wedding day was so relaxed and enjoyable; we were ready with plenty of time to sneak off to an amazing location with Andria for our couple photo shoot. We dodged random downpours, and were eaten by mosquitoes but it couldn’t have been more perfect. The ceremony was small and intimate in the backyard overlooking the ocean, my Dad officiated which was so sentimental and meaningful. We said “I Do,” ate amazingly delicious food and danced the night away. I wouldn’t have had it any other way!

My advice to Future Brides is to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Your wedding day should be a reflection of you and your husband-to-be, add your own personal touches and character. Don’t stress the small stuff. Discuss with your groom what the most important things about this time and day are for you and focus on those things, don’t get distracted by the millions of expectations others may have for the perfect wedding. For us it was enjoying quality time with each other and our friends and family. Laugh a lot, do what you need to do to feel beautiful on your wedding day and celebrate!!

My favorite and most memorable moment of the entire day was our first look; I had no idea what to expect and could not have imagined how Justins reaction would be when he first saw me. It was the most precious, emotional and moving moment I have ever experienced. It pure excitement watching him turn around and see me standing there as his bride. It was the one moment all day where we were able to be alone. I get emotional just thinking about it now; there was something so different about the way Justin looked to me. Of course he looked ridiculously handsome, but I saw him as my husband for the first time, the man I was choosing on this day to share the rest of my life with. I felt such a sense of peace and overwhelming joy it cant even be put into words!

Our inspiration was a backyard style family gathering, a celebration. A week filled with family, friends, community, great food, even better conversation and celebration! These were the things Justin and I both imagined when we pictured our wedding. We knew once we found the perfect venue where everyone would be able to stay, come over and spend time together and where the wedding could also take place that the rest would fall into place. I loved the idea of very simple, natural dcor. I found succulents and a few other small beautiful flowers at a nearby nursery, we made our own boutonnieres, and the rest of the greenery was cut from our very own backyard. We made an awesome playlist with songs we both love and a friend of ours volunteered to DJ. My father was the officiant, and most of our friends and family stayed after we left and helped clean up. It was exactly what we had envisioned!

Photography: Andria Lindquist | Wedding Coordination: The Bride | Florals: Alluvion Inc. Nursery | Dress: David's Bridal | Groom's Attire: JCPenney | Groom's Attire: J.Crew | Bridesmaid Dress: Nordstrom | Cakes & Catering: Papa Oles | Ceremony & Reception Location: Keiki Vista Beach House | Groom's Shoes: Clarks

I want this wedding.  I want this wedding in the worst way.  Because when it comes down to magical ways to say “I do,” this pretty little affair really knows how it’s done.  I’m talking an intimate love-fest with a small group of friends and family, a weekend getaway in paradise and a whole host of lovely captured by Jonathan Canlas that will literally rock your world… and fill your entire day with pretty.  Start the festivities off in the full gallery.  It’s amazing.

And a pretty little film from IMF Visions for even more lovely.  Enjoy.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/71071867 600 338]

Share this gorgeous gallery on

 

From Jonathan Canlas… This was a small destination wedding for Kristin and Derek who live in Austin, Texas. There were around 35 guests, almost all were family members from across the US. It was a rather quick engagement and Hawaii is very special to both of them, as is family, so they decided on a smaller celebration with their family on the North Shore of Oahu. This is not a wedding heavy in details per say but still heavy in details in the fact that the location, Hawaii, work as the details. The local flare, “natives” from the Polynesian Cultural Center, scenic landscapes, endless ocean views and beaches make this wedding.

From the Bride… Before Derek and I even became serious about marriage, I think we both knew Hawaii was the place. It all started early on in our relationship when I invited him to join me for a wedding in Vail, Colorado for a close family friend. Being in our early 30’s meant we had both attended our fair share of weddings but none of them felt quite like this. It was like a happy weekend getaway with all of the guests celebrating love, life and friendship together. It was such a happy weekend and from then on we knew there was no question that a destination wedding was for us… and what better place than Hawaii. Fast forward almost four years and we truly had the wedding of our dreams. Hawaii is like a dream land and although it took some doing to get there… It was a trip that none of our guests will forget. It was a prefect day, with our favorite people in the most beautiful spot. I only wish we could do it all over again! Best day ever!!

Photography: Jonathan Canlas Photography | Cinematography: IMF Visions | Flowers: Turtle Bay Resort | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Cake: Turtle Bay Resort | Ceremony Venue: Laie LDS Temple | Reception Venue: Turtle Bay Resort | Bride's Shoes: Sam Edelman | Groom's Attire: Banana Republic | Flower Girls Dresses: J.Crew | Groom's Shoes: To Boot NY

It’s hard to imagine loving O’ahu more than I already do, but throw in an uber-sweet (+ uber-cute) couple and a plethora of DIY details and apparently it’s possible.  Also possible?  Falling in love with a sweet bouquet from Flowergirls Hawaii, drooling over the beautiful locale that is the Turtle Bay Resort and spending hours upon hours lost in the gorgeous images captured by Kai-Photo Hawaii.  (Trust me.)  Join me in the gallery for so much more.

Share this gorgeous gallery on

 

From the Bride… On the top of Yosemite’s Half Dome was where he asked, and I said yes, September 29, 2011. Nine hours up and even after the nine hours back down, it was still surreal. This was going to be the beginning of our new life together. We wanted our wedding day to have a very vintage/rustic feel.  Mike is very outdoorsy, while I am, for the most part, very reserved and very simple.  Combine them both and you get elegance, simplicity and class. Something very timeless!  I always knew I wanted my wedding dress to be lace.  To me, nothing describes vintage more than lace does.  And so we decided to start there.  It opened up a world of ideas.

We pretty much started the planning process soon after we chose our date.  One year from the proposal to be exact. Plenty of time.  But because we chose a destination wedding, planning from so far away was going to be more challenging. First things first… the wedding party.  I Googled ideas of how to ask someone to be your bridesmaid, maid of honor, flower girl, and ring bearer.  Found a DIY project that was so original, I HAD to do it.  Accordion people you could cut out, dress and decorate.  The bridesmaids were joined together, and dressed in each of our colors, sea foam green, blush and peach. I did the same for our flower girl and ring bearer.  Attached to each were postcards asking, “will you be…?”

Style Me Pretty and Etsy became my best friend and complete inspiration.  Ideas flooded from each site as to what vintage & rustic meant to others.  We chose to use lots of chalkboard props, mason jars, and twine.  Most of our props were purchased from etsy.com, save-on-crafts.com, blissweddingmarket.com, Michaels and Beverly’s.  While browsing on Etsy for wedding seating charts, I saw a neat wooden stand you could custom to look distressed.  It had honeycomb chicken wire you could clip anything onto.  And it came with lace covered clothespins. With the idea of lace in mind, I immediately thought paper doilies!  I printed each table name, with each guests name on pink paper, and used a circle cutter to perfectly measure the diameter.  Spray glued to attach it to the doily and voila.  Clipped onto the stand and ready to go.  Our escort cards were wooden hearts we spray painted with chalkboard paint.  We used distressed clothespins I purchased from Etsy to use as a base in order to stand like a place card.  My friends helped me write each name on them with chalk pens.  Our table names were written on mini chalkboard frames which I glue-gunned a lace-like trim around the borders.  We used chalk pens again to draw the actual logos of our favorite restaurants in Hawaii.  I saw the idea for a card box on Etsy and decided to create it to match the rest of our ideas.  I bought a vintage-like keepsake box from Michaels, again used the chalk hearts to individual spell C A R D S, tied together with twine, and hung from one end of the box to the other.  We did the same thing for our reception chair décor.  On the back of our chiavarri chairs were “MR” and “MRS” on the chalk hearts tied from one end to the other with twine.  In lieu of a guest book, we choose to use wooden hearts for our guests to write on and place into a mason jar.  Perfect for safe keeping!  Speaking of mason jars, our floral arrangements used for both the ceremony and centerpieces in our reception, were in mason jars. 

During the ceremony, each was hung by twine on the chairs by the aisles.  I can’t begin to stress how important it is to have your florist understand what exactly you envision it all to look like.  Given our theme, she added a touch of her own and added fruit filled metal pails and loose succulents to complete our centerpieces.  Quite the rustic touch.  Our bouquets and boutonnières were a mixture of garden roses with succulents and other gorgeous fillers, tied with twine. Absolutely beautiful! Our tables were rounds with champagne linen and white lace runners to get that vintage feel.  We had a buffet reception so there was a lot more space to fill.  Our wedding programs were designed by our close friend, Jeffrey Yglesias.  Who also told me where I could purchase already perforated program fan petals. cherishpaperie.com.  He created the graphics for the front and back to match the doilies used earlier, and formatted each petal with the info we wanted printed on it. Each fan was hand assembled.  With the programs, we had our favors.  Apothecary jars filled with personalized mints from beau-coup.com. You can customize it to put your photo on one side.  Tied with twine and clipped a mini chalk heart with d+m written on it.  I know it seems like a lot but each detail invoked originality and the simplicity we were aiming for. We could not have asked for THE MOST beautiful, blessed, and happiest day in our lives.  We will carry on this memory in our hearts today, tomorrow and always.

[dotted]

Photography: Kai-Photo Hawaii | Ceremony + Reception Venue, On-Site Coordinator, Catering + Cake: Turtle Bay Resort, Kahuku, O’ahu | Wedding Planner: Christina Lee, C&C Engagements | Floral Design: Michelle Maeda, Flowergirls Hawaii | Officiant: Rev. Cynthia Smoot | Cinematography: Image Creations, LLC | Reception Tent: JMJ Rentals | DJ: Anthony Welden aka DJ Tone | Graphic Design: Jeffrey Yglesias | Save The Date Magnets: Magnet Street | Invitations: Storkie

Hawaii is one of those places that I obsess over on a regular basis; one of those destinations that I’ve never actually visited, but know I would absolutely adore.  It’s a certainty that comes with hours upon hours of swooning over gorgeous soirees like this one captured ever-so-perfectly by Mirelle Carmichael Photography, an intimate affair that boasts more than its fair share of amazing details and stunning surroundings, plus one bespectacled bride that will take your breath away.  See every last moment in the full gallery.  It’s beyond amazing.

Share this gorgeous gallery on

 

From Mirelle Carmichael Photography… Jennie & Aaron, who are from Los Angeles, had a very intimate wedding on the island of Oahu with 10 of their closest friends and family. Although their destination wedding was small and simple, their details were impeccably beautiful. The couple’s ceremony was held at the Moli’i Gardens at Kualoa Ranch, featuring beautiful floral touches by The Floral Boutique and a vintage Rolls Royce by Waikiki’s Cloud 9 Limousine.

[dotted]

Photography: Mirelle Carmichael Photography | Ceremony + Reception Venue + Event Coordination: Kiana Washington, Kualoa Ranch | Florist: The Floral Boutique | Cinemaography: Roman Hartze, Appleseed Stories | Vintage Rolls Royce + Limousine for Guests: Cloud 9 | Officiant: Eric Dotterer | Hair + Makeup: Makeup by Bev  | Wedding Rings: Robbins Bros

This wedding simply overflows with love. And you can feel it just by looking at the gorgeous images snapped up by STUDIO 1208. With family and friends pitching in to make this day the best day ever for a couple that brought them all together, it will most certainly leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. Because this, folks, is what weddings are all about, and it makes my heart so happy to see it all unfold right before my very eyes. See it all here.

It all continues with this heart-warming film from STUDIO 1208…

Share this gorgeous gallery on

 

From the Bride…The day was perfect, the weather was gorgeous—sunshine and blue skies. All our amazing friends and family were onsite super early to set up, deliver and run errands, decorate and help with everything. Everything was absolutely perfect. Sean and I wrote our own vows/words to each other, and I think they were pretty good, ‘cause there was not a dry eye in the crowd. Aunty Susie’s Hawaiian food was a total hit; everyone said how gorgeous my dress was and how fit I looked, Sean looked as handsome as ever (first time wearing a tux!); everyone complimented how beautiful the venue and all the decorations were; everyone loved the photobooth (so much so that I had to extend them an extra hour) and pa’i’ai tasting and pounding demonstration; all the speeches were so heartfelt and funny, including the one from my godmother Amy Locker, Sean’s dad, Scott Imai, our siblings Lauren Imai and Myles Vogelgesang, our maid of honor, Lindsey McGlinn and best man, Keno Knieriem; we all danced the night away to our final song “And We Danced” by Macklemore, which was included in our awesome wedding video by STUDIO 1208.  We ended the evening with almost everyone stripping down to their knickers and jumping in the ocean, including a few completely naked adventurers (oops!), including the groom. Even some of the younger kids joined in! It was so much fun, and to be honest, it wouldn’t have ended any other way. We have a track record for late night ocean swimming and shenanigans (and I spread the word of our swimming intentions early on in the evening), so it was absolutely perfect.

Overall, I would say that our wedding was definitely one of a kind, non-traditional, very handmade, full of tons of love, and took an army of people to make it come to fruition. In the beginning we knew we wanted our wedding to be a fun celebration with all our favorite people in the entire world and it really was. I knew how much I loved décor, but I had no idea until I really started writing down the hundreds of ideas I had. Luckily, I have very creative and amazing friends and family who more than enthusiastic and there for me the entire way and willing to get dirty, stay up late, run errands, join my crazy assembly lines, drink wine, and all that gluing…I swear we went through a hundred glue sticks…hence the hashtag used in a lot of my Instagram photos, #gluestickhell.

Seriously EVERYTHING in our wedding came from so much love and hard work from all of all our amazing friends and family. As my godmother said in her speech, not one thing there was not touched/handmade/cooked/built/prepared/sewed/grown/caught/designed by someone at the wedding––everything, even the few things that were not made like rentals, came from recommendations/deals/hook ups from friends/family. Everything at this wedding came from the heart and Sean and I are so lucky to have such amazing, loving, crazy, awesome, creative, generous people in our life.

[dotted]

Photography + Cinematography: STUDIO 1208 | Lei and Floral Design: Watanabe Floral | Wedding Coordinator: Tasha Silva (family and friend) | Invitations + Printed Materials: Bride + Tasha Silva | Hair + Makeup: Kylie Doka | Groom’s Tuxedo: Perry Ellis | Custom Flower Crowns: Pamakane Luvsu (sunriseshell7@gmail.com) | Catering: Susie + Harry Saunders (Bride’s Aunt and Uncle) | Photobooth: The Flashlab | Upcycled Wooden Frames: Parker Moosman Oliver | Cake + Cupcakes: Tasha Silva | Cake Toppers: Margaret Steinmeier (friend) | Shot Glass Favours: Designed by Bride, Discount Mugs | DJ: Dj Kevo  | Loose Roses + Daisies: Global Roses | Rentals: Accel Party Rentals & Design  | Balloons: Party Pizzazz  | Beer Kegs: Bob’s Sports Bar | Wedding Dress: Handmade, custom designed by Roxanne Vogelgesang of Mokulua Designs (also Bride’s mom) | Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Sabo Skirt | Bridesmaid’s Earrings + Necklaces: Erin Austin Designs | Flower Girl Dress + Baskets: Handmade by Roxanne Vogelgesang from recycled material from Aimee’s dresses/skirts | Groomsmen: Aloha shirt: Tori Richard | Pants: Perry Ellis | Flip Flops: O’neill | Brown belts: Zappos

The simple phrase “destination wedding” conjures up all kinds of crazy gorgeous images, from barefoot brides to glistening ocean waves.  And what better place to make all of those dreamy visions come to life than Hawaii, a state that hosts its fair share of stunning soirees?  Especially when you’re this darling bride and your siblings have joint backyards overlooking the ocean, just outside of Waikiki.  That’s more than the ideal location for a wedding that is not only personal, but chock-full of week-long pretty planned to perfection by Nichole Weddings & Events and captured beautifully by Christie Pham Photography.  See it all in the full gallery.

Need more?  Check out this amazing film from Kai Media… it’s a must-see.

Share this gorgeous gallery on

 

From the Bride… With a year and half to plan our wedding, we had plenty of time to figure out what was most important to us – giving our friends and family not only a great party, but a memorable vacation! My siblings live next door to each other just outside of Waikiki, and it has become a tradition to get married in the yard between their houses overlooking the ocean. We knew we couldn’t find a better place to tie the knot. 140 of our friends and family flew from all over the globe to join us for a week of fun in the Honolulu sun. We planned rainforest hikes, beach days, a welcome BBQ with a shave ice truck, a Victorian tea bridal shower, a park day for the guys, a costumed catamaran sail, rehearsal dinner, and, of course, the wedding.   

We wanted our wedding to have a lot of Hawaiian culture and most of all, feel very personal, so we added a lot of little touches throughout the day. We wrote our own vows and had our friend perform our marriage ceremony. Our programs were fans that included a poem I wrote for Matt. My talented Maid of Honor made the maps for our invitations and hand-wrote the place cards in calligraphy.  Our dear friend married us, writing a touching and hilarious ceremony that also included a conch blower, beautiful Hawaiian blessing by the kapuna I’ve known for most of my life, and readings from Calvin and Hobbes, E.E. Cummings, and Plato’s Symposium.

Matt’s group of guy friends has been tight since elementary school, so he decided to make all 12 of them groomsmen!  To carry the vacation feel throughout the wedding, we gave out multi-colored sunglasses and leather luggage tags, had people sign a vintage world map as our guestbook, and put out custom-made mad libs on each table for them to fill out. We secretly learned a formal foxtrot and triple step swing for our first dance, and then, I surprised Matt with a hula my bridesmaid had choreographed.   As I work in travel event planning, I knew how important selecting the right vendors would be, so I chose the exceptional wedding planner my niece had introduced me to the year before. Nichole was incredible – helping me choose an amazing assortment of vendors, always there to answer questions or listen to ideas. For the décor, I worked with Nichole and the incredibly talented Flowergirls Hawaii ladies to create a modern-Hawaiian feel with simple flowers to complement the outdoor setting.

One my favorite things about Hawaii is the food, so we made sure to give our guests a chance to sample all our favorites, including sushi and pupus during cocktail hour and malasadas (a form of Portuguese doughnuts) for dessert! For the catering, I was lucky enough to have the help of my family’s long-time friend, Nurhan, to find a great vendor who really listened to our specific menu requests.

Mahalo nui loa to my vendors – Christie, for providing incredible photographs for both our engagement and our wedding. Kai Media, for the absolutely stunning video short that makes everyone cry whenever they watch it. Dorys Foltin  of Maleana Cosmetics for making me into a bride. Rumbletones, for keeping the dance floor hopping and learning our favorite songs. My Maid of Honor, for everything. Nichole and Nurhan, the dynamic duo. And of course, our parents.We could not have had a wedding that was more “us” in any way!

[dotted]
Wedding Photography: Christie Pham | Wedding Cinematography: Kai Media | Wedding Venue: Bride’s family home in Diamond Head, Honolulu, Hawaii | Event Planning: Nichole Weddings & Events | Floral Design: Flowergirls Hawaii | Catering: Catering Connection + Kats Sushi | Catering Coordination: Nurhan Enustan | Cocktail Music: Puamana | Band: Rumbletones | Wedding Stationery: Lauren Aczon (Maid of Honor) | Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseu via Anna Be Bridal | Bridesmaid Attire: J.Crew | Groom’s Attire: Banana Republic | Wedding Rings: the groom +  Mark Hadley from Hadley’s House of Diamonds | Hair + Makeup: Maleana Cosmetics

Hoo Films, I love you.  I love you more than I could ever put into words.  Because this stunning Honolulu film?  It has seriously made my week… and many more to come.  But that’s what tends to happen when I meet two of the sweetest cuties ever and get to spend my day wrapped up in their gorgeous seaside affair.  It’s a mesmerizing look into a wedding that is all about the pretty and all about the LOVE… and those vows (“You have the power to make people love you”)?  Taking my breath away.  Click play and prepare to be amazed.

From Hoo Films… Between the United States and Japan lies the Hawaiian islands, so that is where Shigeko and Josiah landed for their destination wedding.  Shige moved to the United States after high school.  Josiah is a good old fashioned southern boy from Texas who moved to California to find better work in the animation field.  The two of them met at a sushi party with friends in LA.  I loved hearing the story of Josiah asking Shige’s dad for her hand in marriage.  

He skyped her parents and had a translator with him to ask her dad in Japanese for Shige’s hand in marriage.  Shige’s parents mentioned this moment in their speech and went on to say that know Josiah is perfect for their daughter.  Although I listened to this in Japanese, it was such a sweet and meaningful speech! Tears everywhere!

Friends and family flew in from both countries to Oahu to bask in this beautiful week in paradise. So first on the list was swimming with sharks in the North Shore and it was awesome!!  We were dropped down in a cage with just bars standing between us and the sharks.  On the day of the wedding, we headed over to kathy Ireland Weddings Beachfront Oasis for the wedding.  Kimo Taylor, the officiant did some in English and some in Japanese.  Josiah and Shige wrote their own vows, which were adorable.  Then Shige said her traditional vows in Japanese.  Next on the agenda was to take Shige and Josiah to the beach for a trash the dress shoot.  This might be my favorite so far. Shige surfing in her wedding dress!  Having surfed myself, this was beyond fun to film with them.  The dress was SO heavy once it was wet.  I picked up the train only and it was quite heavy.  The two of them just couldn’t stop giggling and are so care free with each other.  Josiah is consistently loving with Shige.  It is obvious she is the light of his life.  And then Shige’s laugh and smile is one that will stay with you. 

[dotted]

Wedding Cinematography: Hoo Films | Wedding Venue: Kathy Ireland Weddings, Beachfront Oasis in Honolulu, Hawaii | Wedding Photography: Adam A. Palmer | Officiant: Kimo Taylor | Wedding Coordination + Floral Design: Melissa Laudise from Lets Do This Weddings | Catering: Keneke’s Catering | Wedding Cake: Paradise Pastries | Music + Entertainment: Art Kalahiki | Rentals: Pacific Party Rentals

We love this bride.  Love, love, love her.  And not only because she’s the kind of bride that lights up a room with her smile (she sooo is) or because she is the kind of gorgeous that you can’t look away from (literally), but because she also happens to be our first ever Style Me Pretty + William Arthur Bride.  A fabulous SMPer who won her choice of invites from our Style Me Pretty by William Arthur collection AND a lovely lady who was inspired by said invites to create a day that was all caps PRETTY with enchanting florals from Green Honolulu and stunning photography from Anna Kim.  Honestly?  We couldn’t be more proud… or happy.  See every last moment in the full gallery.

Share this gorgeous gallery on

 

From the Bride… “Destination! Our wedding will be in Hawaii at a Waikiki ocean-front hotel.  I love how it is has a classic and elegant look, yet still evokes the ocean/beach feel with the Turquoise edge and without the typical seashell icon. We are hoping for a wedding that is exactly that – elegant with a hint of destination.”

That was my answer which randomly won the beautiful Style Me Pretty invitations from William Arthur. Having read that again (after over a year) I do think our wedding was just as I described the invitation suite – elegant with a hint of destination.

Our wedding was in Oahu, Hawaii where I was born and raised. Being a resident of California now I was so excited to share my beautiful home with all of my family and friends. However during the planning phase, I was having a hard time settling on a theme. I knew I didn’t want a full scale destination/tropical wedding but I did want to incorporate the beauty of Hawaii. I was starting to panic a bit until I saw SMP’s destination invitation suite and suddenly I realized I could have the simple, elegant wedding I wanted with subtle notes of Hawaii. After having my epiphany, things finally started falling into place.

We chose the historic Westin Moana Surfrider as our wedding site for its iconic white columns, wide verandas, beachfront location, and Hawaiian touches within the hotel including the art and upholstery. I have always loved this hotel because it is so unique and picturesque, and it was a dream come true to have our wedding there. Green Honolulu filled our wedding with gorgeous flowers including our special Hawaiian touches – leis for the groom, groomsmen, family members, and our officiant, and a lovely haku lei (floral crown) for the flower girl. Sandra at Finishing Touch made sure our wedding ran smoothly and that no detail was overlooked. Our DJ and Emcee Troy was a joy to work with. He made sure everyone (including my 82 year old grandfather) was on the dance floor, it was quite a a sight to see. Lastly, I cannot thank Anna and her associate photographer Jes enough for their amazing work, true magic.

But of course I can’t leave out talking about our wedding stationery. I made it a point for the entire suite to be special and a reflection of us. The invitation suite we won was perfect, I cannot stress that enough. I was beyond excited that I had actually won. The process with William Arthur was quite easy and stress-free. And the final product was just downright amazing. My favorite detail of our invitation suite was the turquoise painted edges, so chic! Our other printed material was a bit more fun. We kept with an illustrative and watercolor theme including an illustrated map of Oahu for our save the dates and a cute illustrated fan with the entire wedding party that served as our wedding program. I loved how everything truly represented my now husband and I – classic with some fun mixed in.

When I think back to our wedding one word pops into mind, blessed. I truly feel as if our wedding was blessed from the start – loving family and friends, wonderful wedding vendors, beautiful venues, breathtaking photography, perfect weather, and of course gorgeous (and free!) wedding invitations. As a bride I could not have asked for anything more, nor did I have any desire to.

[dotted]

Photography: Anna Kim Photography | Wedding Venue: Westin Moana Surfrider in Honolulu, Hawaii | Wedding Coordination: Finishing Touch | Floral Design: Green Honolulu | Wedding Invitations: Style Me Pretty by William Arthur | Wedding Stationery: Eloise Timmis | DJ + Emcee: Troy Michael DJ | Wedding Dress: Claudine for Alyce Bridal | Bridesmaid Attire: Donna Morgan | Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Black by Vera Wang | Groom + Groomsmen Bowties: Brooks Brothers | Hair + Makeup: Dayna Okuma

Oh, Hawaii.  I love you.  Your perfect temps, your clear blue skies, your breathtaking scenery… it all makes for such a stunning backdrop for THE big day.  Not to mention the cute as can be couples that seem to flock to your gorgeous locale.  They have a way of always, ALWAYS delivering the pretty – and this beautiful Bayer Estate affair?  Well, it’s a prime example with its sweet vintage vibe, vibrant pink blooms from Flowergirls and amazing images from Anna Kim Photography.  See them all in the full gallery.

Share this gorgeous gallery on

 

From Anna Kim Photography… Joy and Daryle were married at the Bayer Estate on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. From the bride’s birdcage veil to the homemade jam they gave away as favors, their rustic event was full of vintage flair.

From the Bride… Our wedding day was beautiful. One of the most memorable things I can think of overall is the beautiful weather we had that day. Not too hot, not raining, and just the right amount of sun and trade winds that we couldn’t have chosen a more perfect day to be married. We wanted our wedding to feel whimsical, intimate, and romantic and every detail displayed this from the flowers to the table design and down to our cake toppers. We chose to get married on Oahu because I was born and raised there. Daryle loves Hawaii, too and we have made many memories on Oahu. We couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else.

Wedding Photography: Anna Kim Photography / Wedding Venue: Bayer Estate in Honolulu, Hawaii / Wedding Coordination: Finishing Touch Hawaii / Floral Design: Flowergirls / Caterer: Poke Stop / Wedding Cake + Macaroons: Cake Works Hawaii / Cupcakes: Cake Couture / Linen Rental: Les Saison + La Tavola / Photobooth: BlueCheese Photobooth / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Makeup: Faith & Beauty

I am thoroughly convinced that the entire state of Hawaii possesses some kind of magical wedding power.  One that turns each and every soiree into the most amazing wedding you’ve ever seen.  Or maybe it’s just that the scenery is always breathtaking, the couples are always stunning and the vendors are always delivering the pretty.  And in the case of this gorgeous Oahu wedding captured beautifully by Beloved Photo Boutique, it’s all of the above, plus a floral hair wreath from Flowergirls.  And, well.  You know how we feel about those.  Click here for so much more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

And a breathtaking film from Isle Media to send you off into the weekend…

From Beloved Photo Boutique… I photographed Reiko and Yoshiyuki’s wedding on the island of Oahu at the end of June 2012. The couple is from Japan, and Yoshiyuki, the groom, is an esteemed fashion photographer there. Reiko is a fashion designer. Sugako Johnson from Bliss Bridal was the wedding coordinator for our clients. The couple lives in Tokyo, but Reiko and Yoshiyuki often travel to LA. When Reiko saw the dress at a secondhand store they happened to stop by, she instantly thought it was the perfect dress for their wedding venue, Bayer Estate and bought it. The dress had no tag, so brand name is unknown. Their wedding colors were white and green with accents of lavender. Country, natural and simple was the theme they wanted to achieve.

Wedding Photography: Beloved Photo Boutique / Wedding Venue: The Bayer Estate in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii / Event Planning: Sugako Johnson of Bliss Bridal / Floral Design: Michelle Maeda of Flowergirls / Officiant: Kahu Bruce Ah Leong / Wedding Cinematography: Isle Media / Catering: EAT Honolulu / Bakery: Cakeworks / Specialty Linen + Lounge Rentals: Designs by Hemingway / Accommodations: Kahala Hotel & Resort / Wedding Dress: Vintage / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Groom’s Shirt: J.Crew / Groom’s Pants: Ralph Lauren / Groom’s Shoes: Yuketen

I’ve fallen head over heels for a lot of gorgeous e-shoots in my day, but this breathtaking Oahu session just moved to the top of my favorites list in like 1.5 seconds flat.  Because not only is it all kinds of crazy gorgeous (read: the most beautiful session you will ever lay your eyes upon), it’s filled with sooo many stunning details crafted by the talented team of Ashley Goodwin, Marissa Rodriquez and Crystal Pancipanci, it’s like an overdose of HAPPY.  All caps style.  Ashley Goodwin snapped up every moment and it’s a blissful frolic on the beach you won’t soon forget.  See it all here.

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

And don’t forget to check out this beautiful Save-the-Date film from Ashley Goodwin and Marissa Rodriquez.  It’s amazing.

From Ashley Goodwin… This was a fun save-the-date photo session on a bright and dreamy O’ahu, Hawaii beach, styled with unique vintage tea sets and glam colors. Also featured were lace, lanterns, floral headpiece, balloon tassels, an Indian style dress, and the session ended in the water during sunset. 

Photography: Ashley Goodwin / Location: A Beach on Oahu, Hawaii / Cinematography: Ashley Goodwin + Marissa Rodriquez / Wardrobe Styling: Crystal Pancipanci / Detail Styling: Ashley Goodwin, Marissa Rodriquez + Crystal Pancipanci

The number of personal + meaningful moments in this Hawaii wedding by Mango Muse Events are endless. From the breathtaking oceanfront venue to the bridal party choices (mother of the bride and father of the groom!) to the couple’s wedding bands which were created from bands of family members, the emotion is almost palpable in every image by Rachel Robertson Photography! Add in tropical florals by Flower Farm, Inc. and the result is pure wedding bliss! The pretty party continues in the full gallery.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Mango Muse Events… Stephanie and Michael are two young, outgoing people who are totally smitten with each other. She’s from Maryland and he’s from Missouri, but they both live in San Diego. They met through her brother one night and just clicked. They are super laid-back, casual, easygoing, people (you’d think they were originally from California). They are also very active and outdoorsy and enjoy everything from kayaking to surfing to rock climbing and hiking. So they picked Hawaii for their destination wedding because it embodied a lot of the kind of people they are. They are both immensely close to their parents and their families, so much so that Stephanie’s mom was her matron of honor and Michael’s dad was his best man. Of the two of them, she’s much more outspoken, but they are both totally smiley, happy people. They aren’t showy about their love, but you can see it in their eyes when they look at each other. It’s a really beautiful thing and I was so happy to have been a part of their wedding day.

We wanted to create an intimate, comfortable and homey outdoor destination wedding. They wanted it to feel relaxed and casual, but fun and lively. As their guests were coming from all across the country, they wanted to create an atmosphere for them to rekindle relationships and spend quality time together. The venue was our canvas and having something outdoors where they could enjoy the natural beauty of Hawaii was key, so we chose a private estate right on the beach so that the space would feel intimate and casual. Stephanie and Michael have a really cute ritual that I used to help to tell their story. Michael takes a picture of a flower and sends it to Stephanie whenever they are apart. Since he’s in the military and she travels for work, it’s a cute reminder that he’s thinking of her and loves her. We took the pictures they collected over the years, printed them on tiles (so they could use them in their home later) and displayed them (along with a little story about each) in the cocktail area so that their guests could share in their story.

The ceremony was short, but very sweet and we threw in some surprises along the way. Given the small group of guests and the natural tree formation on the property, we ended up creating a ceremony in the round. It fit perfectly in the area and allowed the guests to be really close to the couple. We also took advantage of the pathway to make the bride’s entrance a surprise. While everyone else processed from the grassy area, the bride came down from the beach. It was a fun way to give the guests a surprise and give Stephanie and her father a special moment together. The couple made their wedding rings from the wedding rings of family members — gifts passed down that they created something new from. I love the symbolism of that and the meaning those rings will forever have for them. The reception was kept casual with a couple of heartfelt toasts, which then lead into some great music by a classic rock band (their favorite type of music). The band played the couple’s happy first dance, a lively father/daughter dance, a sweet mother/son dance and finally a family dance. As I mentioned before, the couple is really close to their families. Stephanie has one brother and Michael has one sister, so we included the rest of their family in a dance, so that they could all be together as one. The rest of the evening was filled with lots of laughter, dancing, drinking and walks out on the beach. The weather for this Hawaii destination wedding had not been cooperating the days prior to the wedding day, but on the actual day the sun was out and the skies were blue. It was meant to be for Stephanie and Michael, and their love shined the entire day.

Wedding Photography: Rachel Robertson Photography / Wedding Venue: A Private Estate on Oahu, Hawaii / Wedding Design + Planning: Mango Muse Events / Floral Design: Flower Farm, Inc. / Officiant: Cynthia Smoot / Catering: Kahala Caterers / Wedding Cake: Cake Works / Bartenders: Aloha on the Rocks / Live Musicians: Piranha Brothers Band / Rentals: Accel Party Rentals & Design

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here

Event Planning

Mango Muse Events

View Portfolio

I have to admit that almost anything with Hawaii in the title is just about a guarantee to wow my tropic loving heart, and that holds true with this lovely wedding as everything inside of me is ooh-ing and ahh-ing at each image from Simply Rose Photography. I’m still reeling from the amazingness that is this bride’s custom dress by The Cotton Bride and all of those graceful, romantic images on that lovely Oahu beach. And let’s be real, I’ll take anything that has to do with those Givenchy shoes. See it all in our gallery right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Simply Rose Photography… Noreen and Jeremy’s sun-drenched wedding was held at the Turtle Bay Resort on the famous North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Everything about this day was overwhelmingly lovely — from the glitzy, glittery Givenchy heels to the delicate floral centerpieces that Tamara Rigney designed for the reception tables. No detail was left to chance or overly done. The couple’s impeccable taste and style were woven throughout the day, and the backdrop of sand and blue waters were a perfect complement to their easy-going personalities. The day was beyond memorable — the location was stunning, the couple was so wonderful, and family and friends were so warm and inviting. It was the perfect wedding!

Wedding Photography: Simply Rose Photography / Wedding Venue: Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku, Oahu, Hawaii / Floral Design: Tamara Rigney Designs / Officiant: Kahu Bruce (kahupuluke@aol.com) / Ceremony Music: Randy Allen Music / Wedding Dress: Custom by The Cotton Bride / Bride’s Heels: Givenchy / Bride’s Flats: Vera Wang Lavender / Bride’s Bracelet: A Thrift Shop / Bride’s Earrings + Wedding Band: Catbird / Hair + Makeup: Sarah la GLAM / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Designed by the Bride’s Sister, Irene Chiu + Made in Hong Kong / Groom’s Shoes: CVB Shoes / Groom’s Shirt: Michael Kors / Groom’s Wedding Band: Michael Dean Jewellery / Thank You Card: Jamie Irene

When you live in Hawaii, you need not go far for a drop dead gorgeous destination wedding. And that’s exactly what these adorable love birds did. They headed to the secluded North Shore, away from all the hustle and bustle of their home base of Honolulu, and invited only their nearest and dearest for an intimate and unforgettable ceremony. Sarah DeShaw Photography captured all the pretty details like the gorgeous all-white flowers and the yummy Kona coffee favors and you can see all the rest right here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… We met in 2004 at Duke University during a two-week summer program right before our senior year of high school. We hit it off and continued to talk after the program was over and started dating long-distance between Arizona (where Julia lived) and Iowa (where Matt lived) in the fall of 2004. Julia decided to go to the University of Iowa, and we continued to date for the next seven years. We got engaged on the beach in Hawaii in April 2011 while we were planning our move from Iowa to Hawaii. Our wedding included 52 guests from all around the world. (For example, the bridesmaids were from Iowa, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin and Colorado, and Julia’s dad lives in Hong Kong.)

We live in busy Honolulu and wanted to get married away from the hustle and bustle. We thought the North Shore would be perfect. Loulu Palm Estate was the intimate setting we were looking for — we didn’t want hotel guests staring at us. We also wanted to have our wedding and reception in the same place so our guests wouldn’t get lost in an unfamiliar town. The estate was ideal because it was only two miles from Turtle Bay Condos where we were all staying, and we were able to get vans to shuttle guests back and forth. By the day of the wedding, everyone knew each other by name. It was amazing how much everyone truly enjoyed each other and made for an intimate, laid-back and fun wedding. All of our living grandparents were able to make the trip, and all spent time on the dance floor!

We had a surf board shaped and painted with our last name and had guests sign the back for a guest book. The flowers were all white but of great variety — all of the bridesmaids had different posies that they got to pick out themselves. The wedding designers were able to take the shabby-chic but laid-back and simple style we were going for and make it come to life.

Wedding Photography: Sarah + Brent DeShaw of Sarah DeShaw Photography / Wedding Venue: Loulu Palm Estate in North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii / Event Design: Sandra Williams of Finishing Touch / Event Planning: Tristen Lobendahn of Finishing Touch / Floral Design: Passion Roots / Catering: Big G’s Catering (808-218-4096) / Wedding Stationery: Finishing Touch / Ceremony + Cocktail Music: Kunoa / DJ: Troy Michael / Surf Board: Designed by the Bride & Groom + Created by Keoki / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals “8800” / Bride’s Jewelry: Givenchy / Hair + Makeup: Maleana Cosmetics / Groom’s Suit: Ben Sherman / Other Suits: Celebrity Tuxedo / Rings: Seibke Hoyt Jewelers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

It’s hard to imagine a better place than the sands of Oahu, Hawaii and this wedding from Wendy Laurel has got me aching to experience the swaying palms and endless beaches of The North Shore surrounding this beauty. And when you have the brilliance of La Fleur Weddings & Events behind it all? Pure loveliness. This wedding cake from Sharon Munar perfectly complements the romantic blooms of Yvonne Designs that make this little wonder so impeccably soft and pretty. Find the full wedding in the gallery, right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Wendy Laurel… Tina and Jeff chose to bring their closest family and friends to the beautiful North Shore of Oahu for their wedding. They escaped from L.A. to vacation and tie the knot in paradise. They chose a vacation rental where they could all stay together (plenty of bedrooms and a separate cottage) plus have the wedding and reception right there on the beach. They also choose a wonderful wedding planner, Jill La Fleur, to set the stage and handle all the details. About as stress free and easy as you can get.

Wedding Photography: Wendy Laurel / Second Shooter: Alisa Greig / Wedding Venue: The North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii / Wedding Planning: Jill La Fleur of La Fleur Weddings & Events / Floral Design: Yvonne Design / Officiant: Pastor Jofrey Rabanal / Catering + Rentals: Chai’s Island Bistro / Wedding Cake: Sharon Munar / Music: Marty Dread / Hair + Makeup: Jacque

Having met and fallen in love in London, this bride (from Japan) and groom (from Brazil) choose the location from their nuptials based on the photos from a friend’s Hawaiian wedding! Knowing Waikiki would be the spot if and when they said “I Do,” the adorable couple took full advantage of the island and all of its beauty for their intimate and perfectly informal wedding. Wendy Laurel captured too many amazing shots for this post alone so head over to the gallery for much more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Wendy Laurel… Mayu and Lando met in London. She is from Japan and he is from Brazil.  They have lived in London, Brazil and now Japan. It was so fun shooting their wedding. They were up for anything and really wanted their photos to reflect “Hawaii.”  Shooting in Waikiki is a real treat because it is the “Hawaii” that you see on tourist brochures and has all the big landmarks (Duke statute, Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head). I love that we get such diversity in our Hawaii weddings with brides coming from around the world.

From the Bride…. We (especially me) were not really interested in having a wedding ceremony. My mum was always telling me to have a little ceremony and get photos taken because its gonna be a good memory in the future. Right after we moved to Japan, I met up with a friend of mine, Mami, and she showed me a beautiful photo of her wedding in Hawaii. The Hawaiian blue sky looked amazing, and the couple looked so happy! I told her that I wanted to go to Hawaii if we ever have a wedding. Then we started to plan our little Hawaiian wedding!

Wedding Photography: Wendy Laurel / Second Shooter: Alisa Greig / Location: Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii / Floral Design: Debbie Hemingway of Designs by Hemingway / Officiant: Rev. Mark Yasuhara / Wedding Dress: Alberta Ferretti / Bride’s Shoes: inuovo / Bride’s Bracelet: Moon Indigo (From Tokyo) / Bride’s Hat: Grace Hats / Groom’s Tie: Helios / Groom’s Shirt: Alessandro Gherardeschi

Any excuse to put on the dress and twirl around in fields while someone like Lehua Noëlle snaps away is a good excuse to me. Day after sessions are just genius. You’re married, you have zero stress and you have a gown that just needs to be worn at least one.more.time. So why not get some gorgeous pictures out of the deal? That’s just what this adorable duo did, and the result is one pretty as can be full gallery!

From Lehua Noëlle… Chris and Mel were married in Hawaii, but this is actually a “day after session” a few months after their wedding ceremony. We went to the North Shore of Oahu to a few places that held special meaning for them. It was a very casual session, which was really great because there wasn’t any pressure — this was all post-wedding. They were definitely really relaxed, and we just enjoyed the beautiful surroundings and celebrating their love. I know that had fun getting into their wedding attire once again — I could tell there was quiet excitement in the air.

Photography: Lehua Noëlle (Based in Los Angeles but Available for Travel) / Location: North Shore on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii

It’s always a welcome day trip when we have a fabulous Hawaiian wedding on the blog, and let me just say, Hawaii brides and grooms are REALLY upping the style ante. Like this Honolulu soiree, weddings from the Islands are coming our way filled with beautiful flowers, blushing brides, and the most amazing beach scenes only Hawaii could bring. Seasons of Life really created something spectacular for What a Day! Photography to capture – a GORGEOUS wedding, perfectly complimenting the sweet couple. Click here for more!

Click here to see the whole soiree in the gallery!

From Seasons of Life … Stephanie and Darren’s journey to the alter started with a fairytale beginning. On a trip from New York to Korea to visit her family, Stephanie and her mother visited a historical palace. What she didn’t know was that Darren secretly flew to Korea and was waiting at the palace to surprise Stephanie with an engagement ring. As if Darren didn’t already earn a zillion romantic bonus points for his trans-continental trek, he also arranged for a photographer to capture the surprise proposal.

Darren grew up in Hawaii but he and Stephanie currently live in New York. They decided an island location would be perfect for their vintage-meets-tropical destination wedding. After choosing a beautiful oceanfront estate for their venue we began working on ways to incorporate vintage and romantic decor along with cultural touches. Their ceremony arbor was decorated with white flowers with strands of crystals and pearls. Guest tables had clusters of mason jar centerpieces, and pictures of the couple at different stages of life added a personal touch to each table. Honoring Stephanie’s Korean culture, a traditional tea ceremony was held during their cocktail hour. To pay respect to Darren’s Japanese heritage, 1001 cranes were hung for good luck. Favors consisted of a Japanese and Korean manju, a sweet bean filled cake.

Their catered dinner featured food stations including local island favorites and a special treat at the end of the night of fresh Portuguese fried doughnuts covered in sugar.

Photographer: What a Day! Photography / Design and Coordination: Seasons of Life Events / Venue: Oceanfront Oasis / Flowers: Easley Designs / Catering: Catering Connection / Linens: Les Saison / Hair and Makeup: Leslie Fair

To call this photo shoot by Malia Cano Photography “beautiful” is a severe understatement. Nothing gets my heart racing quite like a tablescape that embodies a variety of vessels along with beautiful blooms by Green. This is one of those shoots that sparks the imagination with endless possibilities for not only weddings, but any event you’re planning. Be sure to check out the drool worthy full gallery here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Green… When dreaming up this styled shoot, we were after a lovely couple to be a part of it — and a lovely couple we found. Marina and Drew will be getting married in the near future, and to them, it’s truly about the marriage and their relationship, not all the extras. They were both very excited to be a part of such a beautifully styled event, as these images will serve as their wedding photos. Marina and Drew were perfect … you could see and feel their love as they giggled and stared into each other’s eyes. We couldn’t have found a better couple!

Wedding Photography: Malia Cano of Malia Cano Photography / Wedding Venue: Waimanalo Flower Farm in Waimanalo, Oahu, Hawaii / Floral + Event Design: Avery Solmssen of Green / Menu Cards: Stacy Nomura of Bradley & Lily Fine Stationery / Wedding Dress: Creations by Toy / Hair + Makeup: Vicky Nguyen of Vstyle Makeup & Hairstyling