Maui Hawaii Wedding
Maui Hawaii Wedding.
Our Wedding: Fast-forward to this Spring, when we celebrated our wedding in Maui on April 27, 2019, with 50 of our closest friends and family. Maui holds a special place in our hearts. We immediately fell in love with the island when we arrived in Maui in September 2017 for our family vacation. From the breathtaking beaches, incredible snorkeling with rainbow coral reef and fishes at the Molokini Crater, and 50 miles of iconic hikes on the Road to Hana— Maui was an unforgettable experience for us. One that we wanted to also share with our friends and family.
Immediately we knew we wanted a destination wedding and it didn't take us long to choose Maui. We wanted to share our favorite place with the people we love most, and a destination wedding gave us the opportunity to interact with our guests over a longer event. We were able to hang out by the pool, go snorkeling with turtles at Black Rock and embark on a sunset dinner cruise with our guests. In fact, by the time the wedding day came all of our guests had been introduced and we didn't have to spend extra time greeting and thanking every guest. This left more quality time for EJ and me to spend with those nearest and dearest to us. We knew we wanted a smaller more intimate affaire, so a Maui wedding allowed us to filter out acquaintances we otherwise would have felt obligated to invite to a local wedding.
We based our wedding palette off of white blooms and tons of greenery, which fit with our minimalist style, and love of neutrals. White blooms and greenery would not only stand the test of time but also complement Maui’s natural beauty. Our venue was surrounded by luscious green gardens and we didn’t want to bring in colors to compete with Maui’s pure beauty.
The most challenging part of planning a destination wedding was having to rely on reviews, recommendations, and pictures to select our vendors. There was no all-inclusive “package” to select that would allow us to just show up. We had to book everything a la carte. I spent countless hours researching and searching for vendors who would fit the design that I envisioned. Many brides can visit with their coordinator to ensure a good fit, with their baker to sample the cakes, and with their caterer for different menu options, whereas I relied solely on our vendors to provide a service we hadn't experienced yet, and hoped for the best. Thankfully with the speed of technology and email, I was able to communicate efficiently and effectively with these vendors. And, at the end of the day, our wedding was about two people uniting together, it wasn’t about creating the exact flower arrangement I envisioned.
A few more destination wedding challenges included traveling, packing, dealing with family travel plans, ensuring guests arrived safely and overseeing all the moving parts. But once we landed on the island with family and friends it was all worth it.
To relieve some of the inevitable stress that accompanies a destination wedding, I followed vendors on Instagram and read their website reviews. Instagram was hands down the most helpful resource to select vendors. By viewing a vendor’s account I had confidence that I could rely on their expertise. Most of the vendors would "tag" each other in recent weddings, which was reassuring knowing that my vendors had worked with each other before. This also proved to be the best place to find other vendors I was still searching for.
Other: Starboard Press//Dress Store:JJ House//Tuxedo and Mens Attire:Michael Kors//Bridesmaid Dresses: Show Me Your Mumu//Veils and headpieces: Blanca Veils//Jewelry: Marrow Fine Jewelry//Ring Designer:Tacori//Dress Store: Alice May Bridal//Veils and headpieces: Ulyana Aster//Invitation Designer:Minted//Dress Designer: Tara Lauren//Dress Store: Archive Bridal//Transportation:Maui Tours and Transportation//Calligrapher: Miss B Calligraphy//Specialty Foods: Aloha Bars Maui//Caterer: Maui Catering Services//Equipment Rentals:Hawaiian Style Event Rentals//Beauty: Maui Makeup Artistry//Musicians:Music by Kalo//DJ:Maui DJ Services//Officiant:Ernest Pua'a//Floral Designer: Bella Bloom//Event Venue: Olowalu Plantation House//Event Planner: Bliss Wedding Design & Spectacular Events//PR Rep: Magnolia Media Public Relations//Photographer: Mirelle Carmichael Photography
Our Engagement
In September 2017, we planned a family trip to Maui and Kauai. EJ wanted to take a Helicopter ride for years so he planned an excursion for us one morning. We arrived at the check-in for the Helicopter ride when I noticed several pictures of couples on the bulletin board that had previously gotten engaged on the helicopter ride and thought “Wow, that’s awesome! Lucky girls.” But still thought nothing of it. Kauai is the greenest and luscious of all the Hawaiian islands and the view from the Helicopter was breathtaking! The reason EJ picked this ride was that mid-flight we landed at Manawaiopuna Falls, the famous waterfall in the movie Jurassic Park. Two other couples accompanied us on the flight and once we landed, we took turns taking pictures of each couple in front of the waterfalls. When it was our turn, I handed my phone to one of the ladies and EJ handed his phone to one of the guys and asked him to take a video. Nothing about this alerted me—this is typical EJ, who loves to document everything.
I will never forget that moment. Walking up to the base of the 400-foot waterfall was breathtakingly beautiful. A few seconds passed when EJ got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I could not have asked for a more beautiful setting for one of the biggest moments of my life.
Favorites Moments
1. Our first look, 100% my favorite moment. Seeing EJ for the first time in his suit and me in my dress was unforgettable. Being able to have that moment to connect before the ceremony was magical.
2. Dancing with our little girls: We had children before marriage and having them be a part of our special day made for some of the best memories. They can't stop talking about our wedding and how they want us to do it again. They were the cutest flower girls. We had a special song dedicated to Taylor Swift's - "Never Grow Up" and dancing with them was a great way for us to connect with them during a crazy day.
3. Champagne on the Jetty: It was such fun sneaking away to take photos on Olowalu's iconic Jetty. We popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate our marriage! So Fun!
4. Getting ready with my bridesmaids and family: Sipping champagne (can you tell I love Champagne?), listening to music, getting my hair and makeup done with some of the most loyal and supportive women in my life, AH! another favorite moment.
5. Speeches: It was so sweet listening to our loved ones encouraging and supportive words, especially EJ's dad who said: "he was the love of his life."