Hawaii Weddings

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From the Bride… I first fell in love with Maui when attending the wedding of my then boyfriend’s (Brandon) best friends several years ago. Not only did you immediately feel relaxed the moment you stepped off the plane, the island is wildly beautiful, and the wedding we attended was an intimate, low-key affair that sold me on the idea of a Maui wedding in my future.

So it was no surprise that Brandon and I settled on Maui for our locale when we were planning our own wedding. We did most of our scouting via the internet, and fell in love with the Olowalu Plantation house the moment we set eyes on it. We wanted to create a wedding day that captured our laid-back style. The big lawns, monkey pod trees and adirondack chairs of this venue fit the bill to a tee. I chose bright colors and big lanterns strewn across the top of the reception/dance floor to help set the tone for a backyard barbeque feel, and had lots of help in adding accents to make the event our own, such as hand-sewn bean bags for our cornhole set (made by one of the bridesmaids mothers), home-made fabric flowers to decorate drinking straws and tables (made by brides friend) and hand-picked signature cocktails that our friends had a little too much fun deciding on! Our coordinator, Cherise, and caterer, Food for the Soul, also helped add details to give our wedding a backyard flavor from start to finish.

The day of our wedding, my biggest goal was to have fun and enjoy every moment with Brandon, and we still look back on that day as the best of our lives. Something that really made the day special was having the person who introduced us (thank you Megan!) be there as our photographer and capturing the great moments of the day. I’ll never forget dancing under the lanterns and trees to our first dance with the sun setting behind us and our loved ones all around us. If I could do it over again, I wouldn’t change a thing!

Alfresco Maui Dinner with Friends

Dinning al fresco, barefoot, as the sun sets and a ukelele plays? As if I needed to add another reason to move to Hawaii on my list. This simple soiree captures everything I adore about dinner parties. Fabulous food, wonderful friends, and simple yet elegant decor. Captured by Ashley Camper and styled by Shaunna Nygren there’s a whole gallery right here for your perusal!

From … Island life is slow and easy. We gathered for a potluck around a wooden farm table on the front lawn. It was that perfect hour of hazy sunlight on Maui that signals the end of day. We had some mismatched chairs, koa wood bowls, an ukulele, grapefruit pretty enough to act as centerpiece and tropical protea blooms. We dined al fresco, as we often do in the islands. Most of us were barefoot in the grass. We were old friends and new friends, locals and transplants, joining over food and drink. There is a saying in the islands that often comes to mind when I dine on the fresh offerings: we’re lucky we live Maui.

Our Menu:
Whole Opakapaka (Hawaiian pink snapper) on the grill
Three types of poke: spicy ahi, tako (octopus), scallops with pineapple
Avocado salad
Egg Fried Rice
Spam musubi (fried spam over sticky rice wrapped in dried nori or seaweed)
Mochi with fresh strawberries

Photography: Ashley Camper | Styling: Carol Hung

Jacquelyn Clark

Kona, Hawaii Wedding from Toby Hoogs Photography + Vintage&Lace Weddings

Don’t get me wrong, there is little in this world I adore more than a Hawaiian wedding. But the best part about this particular island soiree? It’s not the typical Hawaii wedding. It’s unexpected – still just as beautiful as the rest (or maybe even a little more so) but Vintage&Lace Weddings surprised me in the best ways. Do not forget about the gallery from Toby Hoogs Photography!

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Nautical Wedding Inspiration from Rebecca Arthurs Photography

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Backyard

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Classic Weddings

From the planner… Planning, Coordinating and Designing weddings on the Big Island is always such a privilege and this one has to be one of my all time favorites. Kendee had exquisite taste and brainstorming with her on ways to create a chic-beachy style that wasnt predictable or cheesy was so fun. We were really able to listen to her vision and harness our creativity and resources to make her wedding exquisite! We found those adorable little pink sea urchin place card holders and decided to mimic the same texture in the pearl colored chargers. We also opted to add little pops of pale blue to add a little intrigue to her mostly white and pink palette. From her stationary to her necklace to her shoes and linens, every detail was just perfection! It also helped that we found the ideal oceanfront luxury estate right in Kona for her venue. The ceremony took place on the lawn just steps from the waves while the reception was perched up on the lanai next to a gorgeous infinity pool and under the eves of beautiful ohia branches that we opted to accentuate with sweet twinkle lights.

Growing up, my friends and I would play the “desert island” game on almost a daily basis. You know the one… the “what would you take if you were shipwrecked and stranded on a desert island” game? Yep. We rocked that. And even though I don’t remember any of my answers (I am guessing they were NKOTB and lip gloss-related), I can guarantee one thing. They didn’t look a thing like this breathtaking shoot from the talented Rebecca Arthurs and Opihi Love Boutique Rentals & Event Design; a shoot sooo lovely and sooo amazing, it’s giving an entirely new meaning to the word pretty. See why in the full gallery.

From Rebecca Arthurs… The Huialoha Church was the ideal location for this Shipwreck Wedding Styled Shoot. Set on the rugged coastline of Maui, the historical landmark was an epic spot for this Bride and Groom who wanted to explore the untouched beauty of the island. It’s a wonder places like this still exist.

The Bride wore a wild organic silk gown by Lindee Daniel. The natural color of the raw fibers in the dress gave the impression of sea foam crashing on the shore, while the clouds loomed out to sea like lingering pirate ships. The table design was a mix of eclectic and antique items found by Opihi Love. A vintage ship calender was re-purposed into placemats. Custom driftwood escort cards, engraved by Miss B Calligraphy, and gorgeous blooms arranged by Stephanie Shepherd adorning the table top. Across the bluff, a plush lounge area arrayed with pillows by Blue Jane Maui, beckon you to sit and stay awhile. This couple may be shipwrecked but they are certainly surviving in style!

Kauai Wedding from Photography by Jay C Winter

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

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Beach Weddings Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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Classic Weddings

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

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

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

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

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Modern Trousseau

Spring & Fall Classics

Spring 2015

Fall 2015

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Maui Wedding from Wendy Laurel

This wedding is spectacular. Like a full-blown awesomeness bursting from every nook and cranny. It’s the kind of wedding that combines one breathtaking backdrop after another (hello Maui) with a seriously adorable duo and that laid-back sophistication that only a Hawaiian wedding can bring. In other words, it’s pure perfection… and you can see it all captured by Wendy Laurel in the full gallery.

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Maui Beach Elopement at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua from Wendy Laurel Photography

From Wendy Laurel… Monica’s Family has a long history with Keawalai Church in Makena, Maui. Monica’s Dad has been attending for years and year and bringing his children with him every year when they call Maui their home for a few months. So when Oliver proposed, Monica suggested they get married there. It seemed like a good middle ground for everyone. Monica and Oliver live in Australia, but Monica’s family is from California and Oliver’s from England. Why not Hawaii? And they timed it so that they could be there for the Church’s annual barbque and big get together. After a beautiful ceremony, the couple and all their friends and family went next door to the beach for some champagne toasts before heading to the Four Seasons for lunch. As their photographer, I loved shooting the ceremony because Keawalai is where I was married and where all four of my children have been baptised, and where my mom’s memorial was held.

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We love Wendy Laurel around these parts. Love her. She makes our hearts flutter for many reasons, but the main one for me is how beautifully she captures love. Almost as if it’s just effortless for her. This elopement is the perfect example. Every image is perfectly stunning and overflowing with love – keeping my love affair with Wendy Laurel going strong. See why here.

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Beach Weddings

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Maui Wedding from Ashley Camper

From Wendy Laurel… Tara and River wanted a carefree romantic elopement on the Maui beaches where they didn’t have to worry or stress. They chose the Ritz Carlton Kapalua to stay and arrange their wedding ceremony on the beach. They are both from Santa Cruz and love an easy going beach lifestyle. Their love and joy was easily apparent on the wedding day. [dotted]

Venue + Event Planning + Leis: Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Flemings Beach | Wedding Photography: Wendy Laurel | Officiant: Pia Aluli

A garden wedding with a hint of glam and a whole lot of soul – I think that sums up this Maui beauty from Ashley Camper quite nicely. Of course, I could never really do this wedding justice – there aren’t words pretty enough to describe this level of chic whimsy – but I sure could spend my entire day flipping through this gallery of gorgeous images. Which is precisely what I plan on doing today. Join me here.

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Destination Estate Weddings

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Romantic

From Ashley Camper…Robby, a professional windersurfer hailing from England and Heidy, a handbag designer from Argentina, found each other on the island of Maui in a small nightclub that is no longer. The two have traveled the world together while Robby competed and Heidy could be found on any seaside cliff patiently filming Robby as he sailed. The winter swells and their love for Maui always brought them back and it is where Robby proposed to Heidy on the top of the Haleakala crater so it was only fitting that their wedding would be on island as well. The wedding was at a private estate in Haliimaile, upcountry Maui. Friends and family joined together for the week surrounding the wedding and everyone had a hand in helping with the festivities. A timeless elegance emerged from the combination of vintage photos, all white decor and Heidy’s custom dress adorn with antique lace from a hundred year old wedding dress. A bit of Hawaiian traditions emerged with a Hawaiian ceremony, lei exchange and plenty of local food catered by Da Kitchen. Dessert was all Argentinian brimming with Dulce de leche and the dance floor boomed with music straight from a London club. The wedding was simple yet had an err of Kate Moss’ garden wedding but without the large price tag.

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Maui Wedding from Wendy Laurel

The minute I laid my eyes on this sweet Maui affair, I was in full-blown obsession mode. Like the kind of obsession that has you staring at one glorious image after another and wishing you could catch the next flight out to Maui. That kind of obsession. Which is no surprise, really, since this sweet affair happens to be captured by the ever-talented Wendy Laurel, who’s kind of a genius when it comes down to snapping up the pretty, aka, she has it down to a serious science. And when you add Wendy’s crazy awesome skills to an adorable bride and groom and a breathtaking Sunrise to the Heavens setting, it’s destination perfection from start to finish. See it all right here.

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Fall Weddings

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Beach Weddings Destination

From Wendy Laurel… These two had a super cute destination wedding at a beautiful vacation rental in Lahaina, Maui. I loved all the little details they had that made it theirs. The photos of them hanging in the entry way, their custom designed invitation and menus, and the vintage Hawaiian postcards hanging in the reception area.

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Photography: Wendy Laurel | Wedding Planner: Tina | Ceremony + Reception Venue: Property: Sunrise to the Heavens

Maui Wedding from Wendy Laurel

I’ll tell you what is easy to love. Any wedding captured by Wendy Laurel. Because not only does she have a magical way behind the lens (she soooo does), she also happens to have some of the sweetest clients you will ever lay your eyes upon. Clients who travel all of the way to Maui to say “I do” against the crystal blue waters and breathtaking backdrops; whose smiles could literally light up an entire room and whose weddings are the epitome of all things beautiful. Those kinds of clients. And you know what? We love them all. Join me in the gallery for sooo much more.

And a beautiful film from Rainbowfish Cinema for even more gorgeous inspiration. Enjoy.

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Winter Weddings

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Beach Weddings Destination Eatery

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O’ahu Wedding from Kai-Photo Hawaii

From Wendy Laurel…Chris is born and raised on Maui but moved to L.A. as an adult. He met June in L.A., fell hard, and proposed. The couple decided to get married on Maui in Kapalua where he was raised and where his mom and family still live. June and Chris choose Merrimans for the ceremony and reception – right on the water in Kapalua with a gorgeous view and amazing food. Before the ceremony, Chris sent two of his groomsmen over to where June was getting ready to surprise her with a card which detailed their amazing honeymoon in the Greek Islands. June thought they were going camping so she was over the moon for his surprise. The wedding was full of personal touches as details. June gave her bridesmaids gorgeous robes to get ready in, the guests had photo name tags for finding their tables.

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Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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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.

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Fall Weddings

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Beach Weddings Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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Vintage

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.

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Oahu Wedding from Mirelle Carmichael Photography

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.

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Destination Rustic Weddings

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Romantic

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.

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Maui Wedding from Merriman’s Kapalua + Penny Din

If I could run off to Maui tomorrow to say “I do” against that world-famous ocean backdrop, followed by a beautiful celebration held at the amazing Merriman’s Kapalua with my closest friends and family, I totally, totally would. Especially if it meant that my Big Day would resemble this gorgeous wedding in the slightest, which can only be described as a fun-filled celebration with bundles of lush florals from Dellables and a style that is out-of-this-world amazing. Penny Dinn was on hand to capture beautiful moment… and the gallery? Fabulous. Join me there for more.

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Beach Weddings Destination Eatery

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Great Gatsby Inspired Photo Shoot from U Me Us Studios + Seasons of Life Events

From Merriman’s Kapalua… Aussie warmth radiated from this fashionable, fun-loving New South Whales couple, Luke & Jennifer, who wed oceanfront at Merriman’s Kapalua, on the Northwest coast of Maui on September 6, 2012.

Their guests, a rowdy crowd of Aussies ready to celebrate, could not contain their excitement as the bride, adorned in a gorgeous crystal headpiece, walked down the aisle at sunset. With a lone sailboat drifting in the backdrop of Kapalua Bay, Jennifer’s grandfather presided a very personal ceremony with the warmest smiles basking from both the bride and groom. Guests shaded their faces from the sun with colorful, hand painted fans, while the grooms late parents were remembered with a vintage wedding photograph placed next to a tangerine tree signifying growth and prosperity.

During the reception, the foodie couple and guests feasted on Hawaii Regional Cuisine pupu and entrees by famed Hawaii Chef Peter Merriman and cocktails made entirely from scratch from the restaurants organic garden.

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The Great Gatsby is – and always will be – one of my favorite novels. I still remember reading it for the first time my freshman year of high school and the complete and total awe I felt flipping through each and every last page of pure magic. Fast forward a few years later (we don’t need to get specific, do we?) and I’m awash in that same excitement, but this time it’s due to a Gatsby-inspired shoot from Seasons of Life Events and U Me Us Studios. A shoot, I might add, that infuses the glorious elegance of the 1920’s with a breathtaking Hawaiian background. It’s Great Gatsby done oh-so-right and you can see it all in the full gallery.

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Garden Weddings Outdoor Weddings

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Vintage

From Karine France-Matsumoto of Seasons of Life Events…Vintage décor has influenced wedding design for many years. We wanted to provide a vintage design that focused on the sophistication and glam of the 20’s but in an atmosphere that was relaxed and welcoming like a summer garden party, Island style. With the soon-to-be released movie, The Great Gatsby, we had our design starting point. Gold took center stage and was softened by the palest of pink. We had fun with gold Payette sequin linen, a shimmery gold and sherbet colored cake table backdrop and incredible headpieces by Erica Elizabeth. Just to add a twist, our setting was in Hawaii! As destination wedding pros we share with our clients that they don’t have to have a tropical themed wedding if that isn’t the style that they are drawn to. This styled shoot photographed by U Me Us Studios captures all of the beauty of Hawaii infused with the romance and glamour of The Great Gatsby.

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Classic Hawaiian Wedding in Kauai from Sprout

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

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

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

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

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

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Wedding Dresses

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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Hawaii Wedding from Rebecca Arthurs

I love, love, LOVE this Bride’s vision for her wedding…fresh elegance meets the secret garden. And that is precisely what you’ll find below. A celebration of love on the Big Island with imagery by Rebecca Arthurs, elegant details by Vintage & Lace and secret garden-esque florals by Bliss in Bloom that only add to that open air beauty found in Hawaii. It’s enough to make you throw those wedding plans out the window, pack your bags and say Aloha to destination nuptials. Get your tropical inspiration fill right here.

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Spring Weddings

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Estate Weddings Outdoor Weddings

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Romantic Rustic

From the Bride…Nick and I were actually born in the same hospital just outside of Aurora, Colorado almost exactly 1 year apart. It took 23 years, 4 states, 1 deployment to Iraq and the 3-509 Airborne Infantry for us to meet, 1 more deployment to Afghanistan & the National Geographic disc set of Planet Earth to seal our fate together. Its been team mountain top ever since and we share our lives with amazing friends & family in Alaska, where we try to get out as much as possible to experience different adventures together. Which was the inspiration for our wedding. We both love the outdoors but how do you turn that into a wedding theme? I decided my vision was going to be fresh elegance meets the secret garden. A color palette of light and bright greens, white and soft shades of peach & blush was decided, and from there I added elements of nature. Place cards holders were these cute live, mini terrariums, I opted for accents of brown with a chocolate organza chair sashes tied vertically, burlap runners and wooden boxes adorned the tables and were the centerpieces. Even the cake was minimalist in design, a simple wooden “we do” sufficed for the topper and some lace burlap wrapped around the tiers sprinkled in with a few flowers & succulents was all it needed to be exactly what we wanted. Against the gorgeous backdrop of the Big Island of Hawaii it seemed a natural fit. In all, it was our smiling family & friends who made the day sparkle, and we’re so lucky to of worked with so many people who made it all possible.

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Maui Engagement Shoot from Anna Kim Photography

Today, I would like to crawl through this screen and live in this gorgeous Maui shoot from Anna Kim Photography. And while I am living in this stylish shoot, I would love for Jessica Waite Makeup Artistry to make me over to look this fabulous too. Because all of it combined with the pretty props from Opihi Love Vintage Rentals makes for pure Maui perfection, and lucky for all of us we can see the pretty unfold right here.

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Outdoor Weddings

From Anna Kim… Art and Alyssa’s North shore Maui shoot had a sweet breeze of old Hawaiian nostalgia blowing right through it. From the sweet smell of the pineapple fields, to the ukulele singing its song under the coconut tree.The whole day winked at a simpler time gone by, when the pace of life mimicked the soft rolling waves that surrounded our couple on a beach affectionately know as “Mama’s”.
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Photography: Anna Kim Photography | Hair + Makeup: Jessica Waite Makeup Artistry | Vintage Props: Opihi Love Vintage Rentals

Maui Wedding from Beloved Photo Boutique

A sense of calm swept over me when I first came across this stunning Maui wedding from Beloved Photo Boutique at Haiku Mill. The images of this beautiful celebration simply left me speechless – you can just feel the meaning in each moment – making for one breathtaking feature from start to finish. So I highly recommend setting aside some time to sit with this Maui beauty, it will be time well spent. See why here.

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Destination Weddings in Historical Venues

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Styles

Romantic

From the Bride…“Wow.” My father – the man who gave not one, not two, but three speeches the night before – could muster only a single syllable as we shared our father-daughter dance under a blanket of Hawaiian stars: “Wow.” In 29 years, it was the first time I had ever seen my dad speechless. That moment sums up my wedding to Noel at the Haiku Mill. As awestruck as Noel and I were that day, our 26 closest friends and family members were just as overwhelmed by love and joy. Having traveled from all over the country to be there, we had spent a week of fun and adventure together, and the wedding was the icing on the world’s most grand and delicious cake.

That day was perfect. Normally Type A to my core, I allowed myself to relax completely. Stephanie, our planner, helped me feel carefree on a level I hadn’t been…well…ever. Our hair stylist, makeup artist, photographer and videographer felt like family as we laughed together all day. It turned out an island storm was headed our way. I didn’t sweat it – as the sweet Haiku Mill interns reminded me, rain is good luck! I let the little things go in a way I never could before and trusted that no matter what, everything was going to be perfect. It really, really was. The rain held off for just long enough to finish our ceremony. Cocktails under the cover of a giant mango tree were followed by dinner under a glass ceiling where we could watch the rain fall down around us. I have never witnessed a more romantic setting. By the time our first dance rolled around, the rain had slowed to a gentle mist and the warm Maui air circled around us as our friends serenaded us with a song from our favorite band. All night we danced in the soft rain and I have never felt so happy, or so at peace, in my life.

If I could do it all over again, I’d do it all exactly the same way. I never thought I would be so calm and relaxed on my wedding day, but the aloha spirit overcame me, and the planning and organization of our team allowed me to focus on what mattered most that day: committing my life to my husband. Looking back on it all, I think my dad was right. What more can you say? Wow.

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Maui Destination Wedding at the Sugarman Estate from Anna Kim Photography

Don’t you just love love stories? Well, I simply can’t get enough. And when I stumble on a story as sweet as this one? I basically melt into a pile of wedding-loving mush in my chair, moving only to scroll over and over through the gorgeous images of the day where they got to say they love each other in front of their favorite people. Not to mention those love-filled images just happen to be captured by Anna Kim Photography – so I’m officially a goner. Because when you combine an international love story with images this pretty, I can’t help but fall in love with each one. See why here.

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