My Maui Wedding

My favorite Maui wedding photographer

2010-06-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of doing a lifestyle photo shoot with one of the BEST wedding photographers on Maui. Her name is Jana Morgan and OMG how I wish I had her shooting my wedding. Instead, my husband and I met up with her in Lahaina and had a fun time taking pictures...

The thing that makes Jana so great (and UNIQUE!) as a wedding photographer on Maui is that she gets that each wedding and each couple is different. It's sometimes hard to find wedding photographers who can think outside of the traditional wedding box and get creative. But Jana's wedding images have blown me away with their modern and yet timeless appeal.

And she also got us to look sexy! I mean check this out...

Imagine if I was in a wedding dress... ooooooowee! That would have been the most AMAZING wedding photo of all time. ;)

So yeah, if you'd like to see more photos of me and the hubs head over to Jana's blog post and make sure to give her some comment love. And if you're looking for an amazing Maui wedding photographer, book her ASAP. You can say mahalo to me later.

clothes by Local Motion Hawaii
jewelry by Rockabella Jewels Maui
photography by Jana Morgan

Dear Maui,

2010-04-02T11:12:00.001-07:00

It's been a year since I've seen you. Of course I thought about you every day. I have missed you so much. But guess what!? I shall be saying Aloha to you once you again next month. YAY!

I'll be on your beautiful 'aina from May 3rd to the 16th. So very excited!!!

Aloha until then,

Megan

Maui is Perfect for a Destination Wedding

2010-03-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

TipTravel.info has an article on their website about how perfect maui is for a destination wedding...

No matter where you choose to hold your wedding in Maui, you can be sure that it will be gorgeous and enjoyed by all. Best of all, you will already be on your honeymoon when the ceremony ends.

Read the rest of the article here if you want. It's kind of long and full of DUH! statements, but still... true is true.

Find the perfect honeymoon spot... on Kauai!

2010-03-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

This business has paid a fee to be listed on My Maui Wedding because I feel their wedding products and services are in-line with My Maui Wedding’s philosophies and needs. contact me for more info about how advertising works on mymauiwedding.net

Okay, so you've had your amazing Maui wedding, now what? What about the honeymoon!? You could just stay on the island, but if I can give you advice from my experience -- take at least a few days together somewhere else. BOTH of our families and some friends were still on the island during our honeymoon. And we both felt pressure to hang out with them. In fact, or first day as husband and wife, we spent apart -- he with his family and me with mine!

So, what is there to do but... ISLAND HOP! Take a couple of days to honeymoon ALONE on the nearby island of Kauai...

Summit Pacific has Hawaii vacation rentals with a wide selection of fabulous places to stay in Kauai. We're talking condos, homes and vacation rentals to suit most needs.

Summit Pacific's Kauai vacation rentals has places available in sunny Poipu, central Kapaa, Princeville and lush Hanalei.

And the best thing is that most rentals are fully stocked with linens, beach gear, kitchen crockery, utensils, appliances, games, movies, books and more. So you could literally spend the entire time in your rental unit, if ya know what I mean. ;)

And when your rental looks like this, from the Poipu Kai Resort, why would you want to leave!? Well okay, maybe you could leave a few times to have drinks poolside...

But my absolute favorite (god-I-wish-we-had-gone-there) location is the Hanalei Bay Resort -- a 22-acre tropical paradise where you can rent condo suites, studios, and rooms overlooking Kauai's beautiful Hanalei Bay. Hanalei Bay features tropical gardens, waterfalls [see the picture below!], cascading pools, and access to one of Hawaii's most beautiful secluded white sand beaches.

If these photos don't already have you drooling, head over to Summit Pacific's site and find so much more to drool over. Check rates and availability online and once you find the perfect Kauai honeymoon spot, send a request for a reservation and enjoy your time ALONE in paradise!

Four Seasons wedding photo epicness

2010-03-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love seeing wedding photos taken in front of where my husband got attacked by a shark. Especially when it's as amazing as this photo...

Check out more of Monica & Daniel's Four Seasons Maui Wedding over on, photographer, Joanna Tano's blog.

Indian wedding + pink dress = OMG!

2010-03-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

I just found this amazing Indian wedding that was held at the Wailea Beach Marriott's Kaho'olawe Lawn. First, I can't say enough about a short, bright pink, patterned wedding dress. OMG, it's amazing! But add doves, a sand ceremony and beautiful henna'd hands and I kinda wanna die like Rachel Zoe.

From the Hawaiian Island Wedding Planners blog:

Our clients were Indian and had never even attended an American style wedding. Their wedding/elopement to Maui (where they were engaged) would be their first American style wedding...

To read more and see more amazing photos click here.

Inspiration Sunday: Green & White Orchid Wedding

2009-11-01T12:26:00.000-08:00

I love the fresh and modern look of a green and white beach wedding! Here is my Maui interpretation of this color theme...

The dress from Elly's Formal Wear was the original inspiration. How gorgeous is that back!?

Then I found the cake from Maui Wedding Cakes, and I had no choice but to cover this wedding with green orchids -- putting them in the brides hair, in the bouquet and on the wedding invites.

Those all-to-perfect favor boxes are from Dellables. And their perfect for almost any small wedding favors! Plus you can decorate them with green ribbon, as shown above and tie on a (real or fake, depending on your budget) orchid for your guests to put in their hair or wear as a boutonnieres during the party. Then use those same green orchids to decorate your seating card table, like the beautiful example from Bella Grace Flowers.

And finally the icing on the cake is those beautiful green and gold earrings from (the aptly named) Midori Jewelry.

TAMARA CATZ BRIDAL SALE!!!

2009-10-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

um, yeah...

And just incase you're not convinced to drop everything and buy your wedding dress from Tamara Catz like RIGHT NOW, just look at this...

So there. Damn I love TC. :)

Fighting Eel FINALLY does bridal

2009-10-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

I mean, they've been making wedding perfect dresses for a while now, but they've finally decided to make a dedicated bridal line...

Sophia

Karma

Carly

Canoe

And everyone's favorite part about Fighting Eel, it's sexy look, comfortably clothes/fabric and affordability, is all still present in their bridal line. The gowns are prices from an unbelievable $175 to $250

Currently, the bridal collection is only available by special order. But they have all of their beautiful island wedding dresses on display on their website.

Laura & Jeffry's Romantic Sunset Wedding

2009-10-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

The Bride: Laura, Volunteer Coordinator

Her Partner: Jeffrey, Engineer

Location & date of wedding: On the beach.

Why Maui?: Hawaii on the beach is what we both had in mind. We researched each island and found Maui suited us best. We could not be happier with our choice.

Tell us your favorite or unique details about your wedding:

It rained heavily the day of our wedding, thankfully we drove 45 minutes to another beach where the weather was perfect. There were no worries, it was all about us, our vows and the most perfect sunset of our lives.

We went to Pacific-O, in Lahaina, to dine post ceremony. They gave us the entire top floor to ourselves, we were seated at a table next to open air plantation shutters overlooking the beach. The breezes engulfed us as the waves crashed and we dined bathed in candle light.

My advice to other brides planning their Maui wedding: Find a planner! Be sure you feel comfortable with him/her. Interview people until you find the perfect match. It is so important to find a planner you trust and can communicate with, because all the details will be handled via phone and email. By the time you arrive, very little will be left to do, making for a very relaxing wedding.

Would you care to share links to some of your local vendors?:

Precious Maui Weddings

Click on the photo below to see more pictures from this beautiful Maui wedding...

10 great Maui wedding favors

2009-10-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

Ordering favors for your Maui wedding can be a pretty daunting task. I had a big job on my hand as we decided to put together "welcome bags" for all the guests along with favors for the actual wedding itself. My goal, of course, was to use as many local products as possible because Aaron and I strongly believe in supporting the local economy. Plus it had the added affect of saving us TONS of money on shipping! Some of the items we ordered before-hand and had shipped to my cousin's house on the island. And the others we just picked up in the week before our wedding.

Here is a list of completely local products that would be perfect to use as favors...

1. Yummy treats from All Things Bakery, like the heart-shaped Rice Krispie treats pictured above. The adorable favor boxes can also be purchased from the All Things Bakery in many different colors to match your wedding!

2. Maui Babe sunblock and browning lotion. The economical 1oz bottles are perfect for favors.

3. Plants & gifts from Dan's Greenhouse. Give each guest a pre-packaged and customs-certified bonzai or plumeria clipping to take home with them and remember your wedding and amazing trip to Maui.

4. Wow-Wee Maui chocolate bars. They're award winning chocolate bars are all hand made on Maui and come in eight different flavors. Plus the Potato Chip & Milk Chocolate bar has a wedding motif!

5. Sugar cane from Maui's own Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum. Pick them up from the museum located next to Hawaii's largest working sugar factory!

6. Gifts from the Ulupalakua Winery. If your budget allows, giving each guest a bottle of wine from the winery located in upcountry Maui would be an amazing gift. But for a more cost effective alternative, their shot glasses are pretty cool! You could fill each shot glass with chocolate macadamia nuts (buy them in bulk at the Maui Costco) or other yummy Hawaiian treats.

7. Maui Cook Kwees. These guys are made on Maui and come in lots of island-style flavors. And since you buy them in packages you can easily separate them and wrap them individually as favors, or include a whole bag of them for your OOT or "welcome" bags.

8. Gifts from the Hana Lima Soaps Co. are handmade on Maui and come in tons of different scents and colors to match your wedding. The picture above is from Sugar Cane Sweetie, a company on Maui that specializes in putting together custom wedding favors, and includes an adorable little favor pouch and

9. Kisses from Maui lip balms and lip shimmers. I have to say that this one of my most favorite local product finds. I use my lip balm every day. They're hand made on Maui and also come in all sorts of colors and "flavors."

10. Gifts or a gift certificate to the Alii Kula Lavender farm. Your guests will appreciate you enhancing their Maui trip by sponsoring their trip to the lavender farm. Or, for a more budget friendly option, search their online shop for unique lavender gifts that they can bring home with them.

the perfect wedding sandals!

2009-10-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

Um... I rarely see good local shoe finds for weddings, so please allow me to freak out ALL OVER these amazing shell-adorned sandals from Tamara Catz!!!

Holy moly they're amazing! And so way too perfect for a beach wedding. And if you haven't found your "something blue" yet, you're in luck -- these babies come in blue!

And they get even better, because they're both only $75! Seriously making these the PERFECT beach wedding sandal. Click here to be taken to Tamara Catz online store and snap up a pair (or two) before they're gone. And they WILL be gone soon, I'm sure.

@MyMauiWedding

2009-10-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

I honestly don't know why it's taken me so long... maybe it's because I'm already managing TWO other twitter feeds (my personal feed and my job at Offbeat Bride's twitter feed) but I finally set up a Twitter feed for this website too!

Won't you be a dear and follow me @MyMauiWedding? I'm hoping to tweet more than just blog posts, I'm hoping to be tweeting a lot more information on Maui in general.

Mahalo for the follow! :)

Inspiration Sunday - Black & White Wedding

2009-09-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

The black and white wedding! How rad does this look!? This is for my more offbeat Maui brides, maybe the goth ones? Who knows! Maui brides can come in all forms. Anyway...

The cake is what originally inspired the black and white them. It's from Maui Wedding Cakes and features hand cut fondant appliques. I found these hibiscus invitations from Island Paperie and was so excited that they matched the cake!

The beautiful wedding photo of the bride in a stunning black dress and her stylish groom is from A Maui Beach Wedding Photography. Man, I wish I knew the whole story about that wedding! I love brides in black dresses. And speaking of black dresses... the short black and white dress is from one of my favorite designers Fighting Eel. I figured it would be a really cool bridesmaid dress.

So I found the shoes from Sandal Tree and thought that they would be so adorable for this little offbeat wedding.

I just about lost it when I found the perfect favors from "All Things Bakery" in Maui. These are heart shaped Rice Krispie Treats in the coolest black and white island print box!!! I'm in LOVE with these boxes now.

And finally the Black and White Rainbow Obsidian Beaded Necklace is from my girl "Jonara Blue Maui" and would look great on the bride or the bridesmaids!

Ziplining on Maui

2009-08-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

This post is taken from Hawaii Vacation Blog which you should definitely check out while you're planning your Maui wedding. Lots of helpful stuff like this article which I'm posting here because I think it would be a fabulous idea for a honeymoon adventure.

Ziplining on Maui
by Bruce Fisher

Maybe you’ve tried it — being strapped in a harness and sliding down a galvanized-steel cable hundreds of feet up in the air for a distance of a quarter or half a mile or so. Ziplining. It’s not for the weak of body or heart.

Piiholo Ranch in Upcountry Maui is best known for its horseback riding (and it’s great for that). But now it contains Hawaii’s newest and longest Zipline. Its specifications exceed minimum requirements. Its lines are made of three-quarter-inch galvanized steel cables that can support 58,000 pounds, equivalent to the weight of 10 SUVs. Pulleys connect to the cables at four points to prevent uncontrolled spinning, and a revolutionary braking system ensures smooth, slow stops.

Sound like fun?

The nylon harness that you wear is different from the common climbing harness used on most other zip-line tours. Adapted from the paragliding harnesses, they’re said to feel “like sitting in a chair” while you’re gliding down the line. To participate, you need closed-toed shoes. You can’t be pregnant, have back problems or have any other serious medical condition.

Under the six ziplines from climbing towers with names such as “Giant’s Ladder,” Wild Woosey” and “King’s Swing,” Piiholo Ranch has more than 100 acres with thick stands of eucalyptus, wild coffee, koa, ohia, kukui, koaie, guava, strawberry guava and other tropical greenery to gaze at from above. Line Five measures 2,800 feet (more than half a mile). It’s the longest zip line in Hawaii and among the five longest lines in the entire U.S. It’s also the course’s highest line, stretching 600 feet above a deep gulch. It provides spectacular views of Central Maui and the summit of Haleakala Volcano, and you may spot axis deer, mountain boars, pueo (Hawaiian owls) and Hawaii’s endangered nene (Hawaiian goose), for which there is a breeding habitat on the ranch.

Your adventure begins with a walk across a 320-foot suspension bridge. You start with Line One, from the Tango Tower, which is the shortest (480 feet) and lowest (40 feet above a meadow) on the circuit. Once you’ve completed that run, you can move on to the others.

It isn’t cheap. If you do five lines, it’s almost $200 per person. The Tango Tower is $95 per person. You can pay $25 for what they call the “Walk-Along Adventure,” which lets you see all the action without gliding.

If you’re going to be on Maui and you’d like to engage in this thrilling activity, pick an agent from the Hawaii-Aloha Web site home page (hawaii-aloha.com) or call 1-800-843-8771. We’ll get you flying.

Emily & Brandon's Intimate Makena Beach House Wedding

2009-08-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

It's with great pleasure I present to you Emily & Brandon's Maui wedding a few months after their 3 year anniversary! Congrats guys! And thanks for sharing your wedding with us...

The Bride: Emily - Photographer

Her Partner: Brandon - Project Manager

Location & date of wedding: Beach House in Makena Maui -- April 22, 2006

Why Maui?: We were engaged while living in China... and both of our families were from different parts of the US. Either way, people were going to have to travel to get to our wedding, so we thought we might as well make it a cool place. Neither of us had actually ever been to Hawaii before. Our first thought was Thailand, but then we realized it would be easier to do something in the States as it would be easier for people to travel to. And so... Maui it was!

Tell us your favorite or unique details about your wedding: One of my bridesmaids made swarovski crystal foot jewelry for us girls to wear - with a special one for me! I wanted to be barefoot, but not boring! Other than that, I like to think everything else was pretty understated and simple.

We only had 25 guests. I didn't even get a pedicure or manicure before the wedding! Yikes! I cried a lot during the ceremony and never ever retouched my make-up before pictures. Like I said... simple! Keeping things simple meant my stress level was almost non-existent. How many brides can say that?

The day-of went pretty smoothly, especially considering we hadn’t seen the location yet (at least not in person). Everything was set up for us once we arrived. During the ceremony, a fisherman walked over the rocks that were just a few yards behind us with his pole, bucket and little scruffy dog. He was just passing through, on his way to the other side of the cove. I thought it was cute, and a perfect thing to “go wrong” if something must go wrong!

My advice to other brides planning their Maui wedding: You can do it for a lot cheaper than you might think -- especially if you plan it yourself. We went through a coordinating company, and while it was a bit of a hassle... the decisions were SUPER EASY to make, I got just what I wanted, and on the day of no one had to worry about a thing.

Would you care to share links to some of your local vendors?:

Photographer - Stewart Pinsky -- I can't say enough good things about him and his work. Rarely a week goes by when my husband or I don't mention him! And we just celebrated our 3rd anniversary!

Catering - Cafe O'Lei (YUM! Even if they don't cater your wedding, you should go eat at their restaurant!)

Bartender - (we were allowed to purchase our own liquor, so we hit up the costco on the island before hand and bought the main liquor for the few signature drinks we had picked out, as well as a few basics to go with simple mixed drinks, the bartender supplied everything else - including mixers) Bars-R-Us -- no website.

Click on the photo below to see more fabulous photos from this wedding, including some adorable video clips & then if you feel like looking at even more wedding info & even more beautiful photos check out Emily's blog.

Inspiration Sunday: Coral wedding

2009-08-02T05:08:00.000-07:00

The coral inspiration board is close to my heart because it was a theme for MY wedding. We used coral invitations and coral centerpieces, much like this same board...

The Save the Date stationary is from My Design Sensations and it sets the tone for the wedding theme! The dress and he necklace is from Tamara Catz. The dress has the embroidery detail looks like coral. The cake is from Maui Wedding Cakes and has a really cool coral cake topper. i love it! The coral centerpieces on the table are ones that I created and spray painted myself, they're actual still available to use at the Five Palms Grill where we had our wedding. The church pictured is the Keawala‘i Congregational Church in Mākena. it's special because back in the day, members living near the beach gathered coral for the making of the puna or cement. How perfect is that! And finally the coral place card holders can, at times. be purchased at Sand People (they have those all over the islands).

I heart "Red Heart Photography"

2009-08-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Let me take this moment to introduce you to the photographer I wish had shot my wedding...

Marina Miller @ Red Heart Photography

I follow her blog religiously and she's become my #1 source of inspiration when it comes to wedding photography. She's lives in Hawaii and has traveled all over the place to shoot weddings. And no, she's not on Maui, but she's so damn good I have to say she's worth the effort to fly her over. Seriously, not having her shoot my wedding is my biggest regret. (But what can you do when you're not the one with the money!? But I digress...)

Marina is an expert at beach wedding photography. But not the kind of "expert" that shot my wedding -- the kind that does the same stuff for every wedding so that it's routine and robotic. No, she tailors her shoots to each couple and every wedding she shoots comes out unique and romantic and just plain 'ol BAD ASS.

Just take a look at some of her images.

This wedding was amazing for several reasons, but try to guess the reason I fell in love with it the most..

boom! right there! the turtle! what amazing luck these two had.

here's a couple detail shots from their wedding. Wish I had shots like these from mine.

And a couple photos from other weddings...

I love the gecko! Also good luck!

Look at these shots! They blow my freaking mind!!!

Yeah, it's the typical "shaka" shot, but it's done so well! No cheese in these shots. :)

and because I think it's good advice:

"One pair for the beach ceremony, one pair for the reception. I encourage ALL Hawaii brides to bring 2 pairs of shoes to the wedding."

I did that for my wedding, but unfortunately no one got shots of my awesome shoes. :(

On top of being an awesome photographer she's also an awesome mom and is currently preggers at the moment, so her availablility is limited --

Now- October 2009  Booking all weddings
October -May 2010  No bookings
May - December 2010 Limited bookings (ELOPE package, engagement sessions, and bridals)
January 2011  Back to booking all weddings.

But if your wedding falls anywhere within the time she can shoot it, SCOOP HER UP! She's 150% worth it. Don't end up like me -- because as much as I love her images, each one feels like a stab in the heart since it continually reminds me that I totally missed out.

Hyatt Regency Maui

2009-08-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa was voted Pacific Wedding's "first choice for luxury resort on Maui's west side."

(From Pacific Weddings) "Located on Ka'anapali Beach, the resurt offers a full service wedding department to customize each and every detail. Ka Hale Oloha "The House of Love" is a quaint gazebo ideal for smaller gatherings. The serene Oriental Gardens accommodates up to 20 guests. For larger parties of 60-80 guests, the Statue Gardens is a romantic setting for a candlelit dinner under the stars."

The gazebo.

The Statue Gardens.

And right now they're having a special offer!

"Hold your wedding at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa and you will receive up to five complimentary nights at a participating Hyatt resort in the United States, Mexico or Aruba. Offer valid for weddings held by June 2010. For more information please contact the hotel for details or click here.

Rebecca & Kevin's Ass-Kicking, Photo-Owning, Tradition-Bucking Beach Wedding

2009-07-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple after my own heart with their ditching of traditions and "just show up" philosophy. It reminded me of my own wedding goals. Plus Rebecca, the bride, has a ton of good advice. So listen up!!!

The Bride: Rebecca, Art Teacher

Her Partner: Kevin, Engineer

Location & date of wedding: Makena Cove "Secret Beach" Maui Hawaii -- July 02, 2007

Why Maui?: My husband and I dated for 6 years before becoming engaged. During those years we attended 12 weddings. Each wedding was traditionally lovely. After experiencing those weddings we had scene it all. There were ice sculptures; horse and carriages, bouquet tossing, chicken dances, long best man speeches, stone churches, and adorable ring bearers. We had taken a personal tour of all our local choices of wedding and reception venues. I remember we were sitting alone at the head table of a Greek Wedding when we looked at each other and said, “Can you see us doing this?” he responded “No way.” Not that there was anything wrong with tradition. It just didn’t feel right for us.

When it was OUR time to start planning we knew immediately that we were looking for something different. I searched Flickr for photos tagged “Maui Wedding” and came across some photos that I really responded to. This is where I starting emailing JPHardee –- a contact that recently was wed on a private beach in Maui. It was perfect. We booked the date and started our planning that was all virtually online.

Ideally every bride wants good weather, and in our case we wanted to do something we haven’t experienced before

Tell us your favorite or unique details about your wedding: Our photographer Gordon Nash allows us to walk away owning our photos outright. This is one of the most amazing privileges for a bride to have. Being an Artist, I was able to Photoshop or color correct some images as soon as we got home from the trip.

The trip was super cost effective. My dress was only $200.00 –- we shipped our wedding attire in a week before our arrival to a local shop that was able to press/steam them for the big day. My husband wore a suit from Banana Republic. When you’re getting married on a beach anything goes. All of my guests were asked to wear vibrant, warm colors to contrast from the location. Our reception dinner was quiet and private at a country club just up the road from the beach.

When we returned to New York, we had a large wedding reception party to celebrate with the rest of the family. The party was a “down-home pavilion, horseshoe, bouncy house, clam-steam kegger” style event.

Unfortunately while we were in Hawaii there had been a death in the family. My brother-in-law had lost his battle with Pancreatic Cancer at the young age of 37. When we returned home to host the reception we decided to give pine saplings as wedding favors and asked that our guests plant them in memory of our loss. Each sapling was decorated with purple Pancreatic Cancer ribbons and cards showing that we had given the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network a donation in honor of each guest.

My advice to other brides planning their Maui wedding: No fuss -- No muss. This is a great way to leave all the details of a "traditional wedding" home. Just show up! That is what we kept saying to our guests. We were so laid back we even went to Denny's in the morning to enjoy or last moments of being engaged. ahhhhh...

We used Gordon Nash's (photographer) company A Paradise Dream Wedding and I asked my best friend/hair stylist to come as my guest -- she did my hair, nails and makeup. Ship your wedding attire in advance so they can be pressed and ready for pick up the morning of the wedding. And if your wedding planner company offers to video tape your ceremony go for it!!!! You will enjoy looking back at that moment.

We stayed in Kihei Akahi - PLEASE REQUEST UNIT C507 - This was a great room, great view (every other room we saw was a disaster/ghetto.

And we had a lovely wedding dinner at the Sea Watch Restarant at Wailea.

Would you care to share links to some of your local vendors?:

Wedding Planner -A Paradise Dream Wedding

Wedding Photographer - Gordon Nash

Wedding Dinner - Sea Watch Restaurant

Wedding Stay - Maui Owner Condos -- Kihei Akahi

Road To Hana Tour - Valley Isle Excursions

Guided Bicycle Tour - Maui Downhill

Click on the photo below to view more incredible photos from this wedding!:

Inspiration Sunday - Maile Lei wedding

2009-07-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

This Sunday's wedding was inspired by the maile lei. Wedding leis are a Hawaiian wedding tradition and the maile is the most traditional wedding lei. It was used by the Kahuna (Hawaiian priest) in old Hawaii to bind the hands of the bride and groom, symbolizing their commitment to each other.

The colors are earthy greens, browns & gold which are blended perfectly in the beautiful bridesmaid dress. The theme of the maile lei is echoed in the engravings on both of the wedding bands and hinted at with the leaf on the invitation. This inspiration board is perfect for the down-to-earth island bride.

The maile lei wedding bands are from Na Hoku, the wedding invitation is from Pixelhawaii.com, the maile lei can be purchased at any flower store on Maui, the wedding cupcakes from White Orchid Weddings, the small dish favors are from dellables.com, the palm baskets are from the Maui Flower Shop and the green bridesmaid dress is from Fighting Eel.

Inspiration Sunday: Yellow Wedding

2009-06-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the bright and vibrant color yellow- I put together this wedding inspiration board that incorporates a sun theme and also a plumeria theme.

The sun pendant that was my original inspiration is a new design from NaHoku.

The yellow plumeria invite is from Pixel Hawaii. And it's the perfect way to set the mood for your bright and vibrant Hawaiian wedding.

The extremely unique men's boutonniere and the yellow paper lantern was created by the florists at Dellables.com. The boutonniere is from their Kula collection. And you can check out the full picture of the yellow lanterns in their lighting section.

The yellow dresses were both designed by Tamara Catz and either would make great bridesmaid dresses. The white and yellow dress might even be the perfect wedding dress for a very casual wedding.

The white cake dripping with yellow plumerias is from Maui Wedding Cakes and matches the invitations so perfectly it makes me happy!

The small lauhala handbag with the yellow plumeria is from SassyMaui.com and would be a sweet gift for the bridesmaids or perfect purse for the bride, and it could also double as a beach bag after the wedding!

And finally see if your caterer can come up with a special yellow drink to serve at your wedding. Use a tropical drink that that can incorporate the yellow color like something pineapple or lemon flavored. It's a small thing but a great way to incorporate your theme at the reception.

Danna & Ken's Pink Paradise Makena Wedding

2009-05-06T15:58:00.000-07:00

The Bride: Danna, Interaction Designer

Her Partner: Ken, Attorney

Location & date of wedding: Makena Beach, Maui -- 7 Jan 2009

Why Maui?: Maui is beautiful, elegant, fun, sunny, and we wanted a destination wedding so it would last over a span of days.

Tell us your favorite or unique details about your wedding: My dress was designed by a local San Francisco designer and hand-beaded in india.

The color pink was incorporated in to every aspect -- flowers, parasols, drinks, dresses & cake. I let my bridesmaids choose any dress they wanted as long as it was pink. And I wore pink satin Stewart Weitzman shoes under my dress.

My advice to other brides planning their Maui wedding: It was wonderful to have a planner because they ensured everything was exactly as i wanted it. However, if you don't have the budget for a planner I think maui is the perfect setting to have a scaled down and reasonably priced wedding... you're in Maui, it will be beautiful no matter what.

Would you care to share some of your local vendors?:

Planner: White Orchid Wedding

Caterer: Cafe O Lei Restaurant
Photographer: Stefanie Riedel Absolutely Loved Photography

Honeymoon Hotel: The Four Seasons

Click on the photo below to see more AMAZING photos from Danna & Ken's wedding, including one of the best bride with bridesmaids pre-wedding photo shoots I've ever seen:

Inspiration Sunday: Honu themed wedding

2009-05-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

This board was inspired by my aumakua, the honu (or sea turtle)...

I actually found two places on Maui that featured honu themed wedding stationary; the blue honu invite is from Pixel Hawaii and the brown and green honu Save the Dates are from Design Sensations. Also from Design Sensations is that awesome guest book!

I also found two honu cakes... The grooms cake in the shape of a sea turtle is from Maui Wedding Cakes, and the wedding cake with the petroglyph honus is from the Maui Cake Store.

The necklace is from NaHoku from their "Honu" collection. I actually have this very same necklace and love it. It's like my good luck charm! Plus it echoes the very same petroglyph honu design on the wedding cake. This would make a really pretty necklace for the bride or even be a nice gift for the bridesmaids.

The Wood Honu Lauhala Box Wedding Favor is from the Hawaiian Wedding Shop whcih can be purchased with the delicious Premium Maui Macadamia Blossom Honey or left empty to be filled with whatever you like.

And finally the dress, which has nothing to do with honus other than it's a pretty green color is from the Tamara Catz Spring 08 line.

Lisa & Lindsay's Lush, Opulent, Dinner Party for 50 Wedding

2009-04-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

You've seen these two before -- now, as promised, get the full story!

The Bride: Lisa - pharmaceutical representative

Her Partner: Lindsay - video game executive

Location & date of wedding: Haiku Mill, Haiku, Maui -- 11/15/08

Why Maui?: Our neighbors gave us their condo that they own in Wailea for 2 weeks as a wedding present. We were looking to have a destination wedding and this was the perfect deciding factor. I went to Maui for the first time to explore venues on the island and found Haiku Mill through Celebrations Catering at Hali'imaile General Store. I went to see the place and fell in love immediately.

Tell us your favorite or unique details about your wedding:

1. Lindsay and I created our entire playlist with our absolute favorite songs and and put everything on his ipod. A friend made adjustments to the music remotely, with our iphone. The stereo system at Haiku Mill is great!

2. The table setting was unique in that they were two long tables set for 50 people, instead of the traditional round tables. The floral arrangements were ridiculously gorgeous. Simple, but opulent. There is no need to compete with the already provided natural beauty of the space.

3. I walked down the aisle to the opening of one of my favorite rock anthems - Baba O'Riley by the WHO. It was sort of like having a movie score to my life!

4. We hired a private boat to take everyone invited to the wedding out to the island of Lanai the day before the wedding. We snorkeled, drank mai-tais, and gave guests the opportunity to meet each other. The unplanned result was that guests were relaxed and familiar with each other, conducive to a really fun dinner party. We were able to cut out the "So how do you know the bride and groom?" day of the wedding. This was money well spent!!

My advice to other brides planning their Maui wedding:

1. Delegate responsibilities, no matter how small.

2. Don't get sucked into the traditional wedding machine! I had people tell me that you MUST have this and you MUST have that. No you don't. You and your guests will will enjoy time together, not the stuff. No one will remember the color of your tablecloth, or a wedding favor you handed out. Anything you choose or do should be for YOU, something that is meaningful and important to your experience.

3. Everybody wants you to spend money, so learn to negotiate and say "no" when you feel that you're being pushed to purchase an unnecessary service or item.

Would you care to recommend any of you local Maui vendors?:

I highly recommend my caterer and florist. They were outstanding and inexpensive...

Valerie Spalding was my florist and her arrangements made me cry they were so beautiful. I gave her adjectives that described the look I was going for and she nailed it. She was inexpensive for the product and service she provided.

Hali'maile catered and did a spectacular job!! It was a buffet, which scared me because they're not usually all that appealing. The food was amazing, as if it had been served on a plate in their restaurant. Service was IMPECCABLE, but not stuffy. They were perfect, way beyond what I had hoped for. Joan Jolley is in charge of catering and served as a point person to help me hire vendors and services on the island. She is on top of her game and a lovely person. Joan helped me with my entire wedding and helped me make sound choices. I love her.

Lisa didn't have a Flickr account available so she just sent me some of her favorite photos... check these out and try to contain the drool or squeals, or drooly squeals.

The enchanting Haiku Mill

The bride's amazing bouquet

The adorable groom, Lindsay!

The beautiful bride, Lisa -- I love this picture! :)

A close up on that bouquet, plus a little bling action.

During the ceremony, check out all that lush greenery!

the happily married couple! Check out that sexy boot. ;)

About a month before the wedding the groom was in a crazy motorcycle accident.

Seriously, how cute are they!?

Their beautiful tribute table to remember family members in heaven.

I just can't get over their amazing table setup.

The bride with some friends. It's amazing how everyone looks like freaking models on Maui!

Some more Haiku Mill gorgeousness.

And they lived happily ever after...

wedding officiant: Eve Hogan

2009-04-24T05:34:00.000-07:00

Recently a friend of mine has decided to get married in Maui. When it came time for her to find an officiant she wanted to make sure that her officiant was open minded and willing to let them write and recite their own ceremony.

Of course the first person I thought to recommend was Eve Hogan. Not only is she a friend of the family but she's an amazing woman, super open minded and sweet.

On top of doing weddings she also a power speaker, author, writing coach and owns the most amazing nursery I've ever seen called The Sacred Garden of Maliko.

But getting back to the weddings, she's got at least for different kinds of wedding services, that is if you don't want to make up your own...

Sacred Garden weddings

Labyrinth weddings

Boat & Beach weddings

and even SCUBA WEDDINGS!

Megan & Aaron's Awesome Shark-tastic Hippy Beach Wedding

2009-04-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Bride: Megan, Photographer

Her Partner: Aaron, Sound Engineer

Location & date of wedding: Keawakapu Beach, Kihei, Maui -- 10-10-08

Why Maui?: There were tons of reasons really. I fell in love with the island of Maui when I was in college. I decided it was the place that I wanted to live one day. When I met Aaron he accompanied me on a family trip to Maui and fell in love with it as well. That trip was the first time either one of us seriously talked about getting married as we had a sunset picnic on the beach and watching the most amazing fireworks show (being given by Oprah). The next time we went back Aaron was going to ask my dad for his permission to ask me to marry him... some time in the near future. But after Aaron was attacked by shark(!) our priorities kind of changed.

Aaron and I got engaged (unofficially) in the hospital and then officially at the Maui aquarium in front of a huge-mongus shark tank. It was super romantic.

But anyway, because of that experience we met some of the most amazing people in the island who all offered to help us with our wedding should be have in on Maui.

We toyed with the idea of having it in LA, where we live, but it all seemed so difficult, not to mention expensive to plan. In the middle of a huge wedding planning breakdown Aaron suggested that we just elope to Maui. Knowing that my family would never let me get away with an elopement, I started planning a small destination wedding and things all fell together! It was insanely easy. I know now that it was just the way that Maui works. It calls to you if you're the right person.

Tell us your favorite or unique details about your wedding: I have so many favorite moments and details. The first detail that fell into place was my dress! I wore a dress designed by a local Maui designer that seemed as though it was just made for me.

My next favorite thing was having my dad walk me down the "isle." We had the whole strip of Keawakapu beach to walk down, and my friends and family spread apart into to rows for me to walk through that lead the way to my waiting future husband.

Of course, Aaron had the best entrance of all. A friend of ours, who was actually supposed to marry us, couldn't make it to the wedding so he arranged for Aaron to come into the wedding on a canoe paddled by his rowing team! And then that same friend arranged for the rest of his team (about 12 people) to blow conch shells for us and sing as the opening to our ceremony. It was amazing.

My favorite part after the wedding was signing our marriage certificate. Our officiant actually forgot about it and left and then came back & stopped us as we were going to our reception venue. So we plopped down in the grass where we stood to sign the certificate. My cousin happened to be walking by so we flagged her down and she became a witness and when we needed one more witness we used our photographer!

It was such a silly last-minute cluster-f*** over something that's supposed to be so structured and it was exactly how our life is.

And, of course, my favorite part about the wedding reception was that -- Shark Fin Soaps -- helped to fight against shark finning and raised awareness of how amazing sharks are. I mean, it was after all, a shark that started this whole thing! :)

My advice to other brides planning their Maui wedding: Of course my first advice would be to buy local. It keeps the costs of shipping down by an exorberant amount, plus keeps your luggage to a minimum.

My second piece of advice is to try and book a "scouting trip" to Maui if at all possible. It wasn't until I was on the island that i started to feel it drawing me towards things and my wedding planning became, in a word, EASY!

My third piece of advice is to use My Maui Wedding and ME to your advantage. I love to help people. I want to make your wedding and experience as awesome as mine was.

And lastly- Never take yourselves too seriously. The moment you start taking things too seriously you stop having fun with it. I know that marriage is a serious thing and all, but you've probably already thought about/discussed/stressed over all that serious crap before and after you got engaged. Have fun with the wedding! It is really just a big party that you're throwing for yourselves.

Would you care to share links to some of your local Maui vendors?

Hair & Make-up -- Raina Antle, she's not local per-se, but she's from Hawaii and will travel there as often as she can. ;)
Photographer -- (I'll only mention the good one) Benja Iglesis
Officiant -- Contact me for info

Reception -- Five Palms Beach Grill
Cupcakes -- You know, they were made by a local mom, she doesn't have a business, so email me for her info.

Leis -- www.mauishoppingnetwork.com

DJ -- Chuck the DJ

Click on the photo below to see more of Megan & Aaron's Awesome, Shark-tastic, Hippy Wedding:

Introducing "My Maui Wedding Profiles!"

2009-04-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce that I did something that I should've done a heck of a long time ago!

I created a "My Maui Wedding Profile" survey. So any one out there with a Maui wedding story of their own to share is welcome to fill out the survey with details about your wedding to be profiled on the site! You're wedding details and photos will serve as much sought after inspiration for other up and coming Maui brides, and of course another excuse to show off your very special day. :)

First up... MY wedding profile... stay tuned!

"Sevenz" Heaven!

2009-04-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

Good news folks, I found a new handmade jewelry designer on Maui!! Check out Sevenz Jewelry...

I met the Sevenz Jewelry designer herself, Sharon Freeman, yesterday at the "Everything Made on Maui Artist Showcase" (held every Thursday in Kihei). Sevenz Jewelry is awesome and totally unique! I even bought a necklace and I NEVER buy jewelry unless it's something really special. Of course when I saw her designs I thought, these are so awesome there's NO WAY that it'll be affordable, nothing this unique is ever in my price range. My necklace was $25! SOLD.

Gaze upon the awesomeness of my new necklace!

(Btw, if you're totally jealous and want a piece of this sweet sweet orange action, the matching earrings are still available here)

Here are some of my other Sevenz Jewelry favorites...

Black Glass Beaded Necklace w Lotus Pendant -- Double Drop Jade Earrings

Sky Agate Choker w Fish Hook Pendant -- Silver Filigree Earrings w Freshwater Pearls

Okay, so we've got awesomeness, affordability, creativity but Sevenz Jewelry does not stop there... she also takes commissions! Sevenz Jewelry has produced some completely one of a kind creations for weddings!

This elegant back necklace was commissioned by a bride with a backless dress.

So if you're looking for something unique, beautiful and from Maui, check out Sevenz Jewelry because if they don't have exactly what you're looking for, there's a good chance that it can created especially for your Maui wedding.

If you would like your product advertised on My Maui Wedding please contact me at megan@mymauiwedding.net with a link to your online shop.

Inspiration Sunday- "Faerie Tale Wedding"

2009-04-05T05:29:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who planned a fairie-themed, fantasy wedding. And I know a lot of other brides who are into LARPing and WoW that like to bring that into their weddings by creating fairie-tale themed weddings. So I was wondering if I could do the same using products on Maui. Here is the result...

First of all, the perfect venue for this out of the ordinary wedding is the Pua Le'a Estate's "Haiku Mill." I can't think of another place that would be the perfect backdrop to this wedding, it really feels and looks like you've been transported to another world when you're within those walls.

The unique wedding dress is called the Lady Juliette from MauiEnchantress.com and it's made of multiple layers of venetian lace with a detachable train, a lace up back and angel sleeves. And it's absolutely perfect for a faerie bride.

I think the perfect compliment to the dress is the pretty mother of pearl hair clip that could double as your "something blue." It's from Maui Style Gifts and it reminds me of delicate faerie wings.

My favorite find during the making of this inspiration board was the faerie cake topper from

Kaleidoscope Naturals and Belgian artist, Alain Vachaudez. This cake topper is a boy and girl faerie with arms intertwined, sporting real butterfly wings. I love this! AND it brought about the butterfly co-theme.

Plus that cake topper will look amazing atop the butterfly cake made by Cakes by JoAnn.

The butterfly wedding invitations were made by Design Sensations of Maui. And this invite will prepare your guests for the amazing release of butterflies after the "I Do's" orchestrated by the Maui Butterfly Farm. The eco-friendly wedding favors also come from the Maui Butterfly Farm- The Plantable Butterfly Favor is a beautiful seeded favor specially designed for weddings and bridal showers. Made with a blend of wildflower seeds, seeded Plantable Butterfly Favor comes with a personalized tag affixed with your choice of satin ribbon where you can write your names and wedding date. And the wildflowers that grow from it will be a constant reminder of the unique wedding they attended in Maui.

"Enchanting" Wedding Dressing

2009-03-31T05:45:00.000-07:00

Since I mentioned Enchantress Boutique in my previous post, I thought I'd tell you a little bit more about them. Not only do they two very cool stores in the Shops at Wailea, Enchtress Boutique and Fifi & Bootzie, but they also have some of the most unique wedding dresses you'll ever find!

Here are some examples of my favorites...

Strapless Hand Painted Dress W/Crystals

looooove this one: Corset Tea Dye Lace

Long Lace Venetian

this one is my FAVORITE, it's even more stunning in person: Lady Juliette

And make sure to stay tuned for the wedidng inspiration board I'm going to make, inspired by the above dress!

Maui beach wedding locations

2009-03-30T05:39:00.000-07:00

I went on a hunt today for some good beach wedding locations for a bride who's hired me to shoot her wedding this October. I went to go photograph three of my top contendors, I chose to go to these sights because they are lesser known beaches, usually just frequented by residents...

Paluaea Beach

the entrance

panoramic view of one side the beach

a regular view of the other side

Poolenalena Beach

panoramic view

one side of the beach

the other side

Secret Beach
(I should add that, unfortunately, secret beach is not all that secret as it is an incredible little cove so it's very popular for weddings and photo shoots as you'll see...)

the entrance

panoramic view.

wedding photo shoot taking place.

bathing suit photo shoot taking place

secret beach and it's great view of Molokini

more peacock wedding inspiration from Enchantress Boutique

2009-03-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

My Peacock Wedding Inspiration Board has been drawing quite a lot of traffic! Peacock weddings seem to be really popular (and awesome!) right now. I went shopping while on Maui today and went to one of my favorite stores -- Enchantress Boutique at the Shops at Wailea -- and found some awesome peacock stuff that could be a really cool adendum to that inspiration board...

How about this amazing peacock dress from for a bridesmaid?

close up detail of the awesome Peacockness.

And I instantly feel in love with the peacock thingy. Wasn't quite sure for what it was intended, but I do know for a FACT that this peacock feather butterfly would make a really interesting hairpiece for your peacock themed wedding...

peacockfly? peafly? buttercock?

And instead of a bouquet you could carry this amazing peacock feather bouquet. It also works as a peacock feather fan or wand. It's super beautiful up close and was hand made on Maui.

peacock bouquet/fan/wand

The Plantation House Restaurant

2009-03-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Plantation House Restaurant on the world famous Plantation Golf Course in Kapalua has been called "one of Maui's most romantic spot" by Pacific Weddings Magazine. Take a look at this picture and try to argue with that...

Wow. Right? The Plantation House offers amazing ocean views which makes it a perfect location for a sunset wedding. It also has an open-air dining room and a double-sided fire place.

Click here for more detailed information.

An actual Haiku Mill wedding

2009-03-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

I have put in a request for this beautiful bride, Lisa, to fill me in on the story of their wedding at the amazing Haiku Mill. But until she gets back to me I'll have to just deal with looking their amazing wedding porn on Flickr.

My questions that I will eventually force Lisa to answer are as follows: How did you chose the location? Were you happy with it? Did you use a planner, if so, which one? What about flowers and the caterer? And most importantly... why is your hubby wearing a boot!? And finally, since you've been through it already- what advice would you give other Maui brides as they plan their wedding?

Until those are answered and more, click the photo below to enjoy more beautiful Haiku wedding fun!

OMG Orange wedding table decor

2009-03-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

Oh squeal-y squeal of all squeal-y wedding squeals. This table arrangement by Yvonne Chapman has me totally open mouthed and staring at my Pacific Wedding magazine in floral lust. WOW. For those of you that know me know how much I LOVE the color orange, so you can imagine just how much I love these floral designs!!!

Check out more orange flower-y goodness (photos by Chrissy Lambert):

even the food & drink match the awesome floral arrangements!

time of your life indeed.

For more information about these designs and the full article from Pacific Weddings, click here.

Keawalai'i Congregational Church

2009-03-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Keawalai'i Congregational Church in Makena won Pacific Wedding's vote as "Maui's most authentically Hawaiian spot" to get married. It's also my very first actual church to be featured on My Maui Wedding.

The walls of this Protestant church are 3-feet thick and made of lava and coral (the coral was used as mortar). The Hawaiians planted ti plants around the church, which according to custom, provides protection from evil. And of course to make it even better, the church is situated on a cove that overlooks the ocean.

Inside the church is just as special as the outside -- the 'ohai'a wood floors, old wood pews and whitewashed coral walls gleam as the sunlight streams in through tall windows that frame that breathtaking ocean view.

To get more information about getting married in this little gem click here.

Things to do in Maui...

2009-03-11T05:16:00.000-07:00

A buddy of mine is going to be visiting Maui in April so she asked me to give her a few ideas on what to do while she's there. She's staying in Kaanapali which is not on my side of the island, but I wrote a whole long email of suggestions for her anyway and figured, why not share my favorite things to do in Maui with my blog readers as well! So here it is complete with some of my coinciding vacation photos...

- Go to Lahaina! It's close to Kaanapali, probably the closest thing I'm going to suggest for you. There are so many places to eat and shop I can't even narrow down any one place in particular, I still have yet to master Lahaina as it's usually too far away from us to drive there. My favorite part of Lahaina is the Banyan Tree (pictured on the right). It's incredible, I had never known anything like that existed before my first trip to Lahaina. And my second favorite part of Lahaina is Dan's Green House. Go there and see the parrots and pot belly pigs!!! so cute.

- Drive up to the top of Halea kala (the large volcano on the island) either early early early to watch the sunrise, which is supposed to be one of the "things you should do before you die" or just anytime during the day to check out the crater. Make sure you check road conditions before you go because sometimes they close down the park entrance due to high winds and other acts of nature. Also, bring a sweatshirt because it's freezing up there. Also, if it's all cloudy in the crater, wait a minute, the clouds are constantly shifting and moving. The picture to the left was taken about 10 minutes after it was so cloudy you couldn't see the crater at all.

And then as you're coming back down make sure to stop and enjoy your time in "up country" Maui. My favorite place to stop on the way back is the Ulupalakua Winery. Definitely take advantage of their free wine tastings! And then buy a bottle to take back to your hotel. ;)

- Take a boat trip out to Molokini to snorkel, it will change your life. Most boats will also take you to "Turtle Town" to swim with turtles, this is also life changing.

Taken inside Molokini crater.

- If you're going to be there in anytime from February - April you MUST MUST MUST take a whale watching tour. It's the peak of whale watching season and it's spectacular! There are whales EVERYWHERE. I mean, just driving down the roads we spot whales constantly. The humpbacks come every year starting in winter to mate and give birth in warm waters. By March & April most all the babies have been born and you can see mama's and babies everywhere. You can also hear their calls when you go snorkeling.

- Go to Paia for lunch and shopping. It's a cool bohemian hippie town, complete with a head shop and Mana Foods the ultimate in organic food shopping. When you're there you must eat at the Flatbread Pizza Co., the best place to eat on earth. Next door to that is Tamara Catz, it's my favorite place to shop for clothes. The designer lives on Maui behind her shop and makes some of the most beautiful island style clothes. It's also where I got my wedding dress. And the jewelry is amazing as well. All hand made and unique pieces. And then you can watch the wind surfers do their thing at Hookipa Beach, just outside of Paia.

us @ the Maui Ocean Center

- Go to the Maui Ocean Center Aquarium in Maalaea. It's my favorite aquarium complete with a HUGE shark tank. It's also where Aaron proposed to me. :)

- You could check out if there are any cool concerts being held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. At any time you there could be a huge concert with a well known artist (last time I saw Natalie Cole there) or smaller shows celebrating local culture and music.

- Take the drive all the way around the island. It's not that big and there are tons of strange and awesome things to see. Buy the tourist book "Maui Revealed" and spend a day stopping at all the places that it mentions. My favorite was the "Nakalele Blowhole." Hint- you will at least get damp if your going to be near it so bring a change of clothes or a bathing suit or something. As you can see, Aaron got soaked...

- OH! Don't know how you feel about Irish music. I freaking LOVE it. My friends own an Irish pub in Wailea called Mulligans and one of them has a traditional irish band that plays there on Sundays from 6 - 9:30. And then another band will play after that, always different. Plus they poor the BEST Guinness I've ever had. OH! and also, lucky for you, they opened a new one in Lahaina as well. The one who plays in the Irish band manages THAT one.

Dancing at Mulligan's.

- Another thing to do that would be a really special experience that not many know about is to go on the "Hawaii Canoe Experience" hosted by the Kea Lani hotel. Basically you ride (and paddle) on an outrigger usually manned by my buddy. (That picture to the left was taken on the outrigger from the place where Aaron was attacked by a shark.)

- Oh yeah! Go to Wailea beach (the Four Seasons side), to check out the place where Aaron was attacked by a shark!! ;)

Hope that's of some help to you. I don't do a lot of touristy things when I come here so this is short of a list. But the good part is, most of that stuff is cheap, if not free! But, most of them take place on my side of the island (Kihei side). But if you get that Maui Revealed book, that's my favorite, it'll give you even more activities to do on any side!

Puka Diamond (Engagement?) Ring

2009-03-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

Just found this baby, like, seconds ago and am re-posting this faster than you can say "I do." This exquisite ring is custom made only by Wings Hawaii (from Haiku, Maui). It's a bezel set puka shell and little diamond accent that is "stunning enough for a wedding or engagement ring but also the type of present that you should give yourself."

Oh my god, if I just didn't spent $350 on a ticket to Maui, I would have spent it on this beautiful ring!!!

Hana Lima Soap Co. wedding favors

2009-03-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

Hana Lima means "handmade" in the Hawaiian language, and everything made by Hana Lima Soap Co. of Maui is just so. All of their products from ornaments to soap are made by hand on the island. Since 2005, Hana Lima has put "time, patience, care and attention to detail in all of our products... using only premium fruit and vegetable oils and butters, botanicals and essential and fragrance oils." Plus they're packaging is super adorable...

I'm fell in love with their soaps that are made to look like a pair of slippers. How cute would these be as wedding favors:

Several different varieties of slipper soaps.

And they come in all different colors combinations, from the soaps themselves to the sweet little bags they can come in...

How cute would these babies be at each place setting!?

The Hana Lima Soap Co. has an adorable booth setup in the Kihei Kalama Village Marketplace. It's family run by some really sweet people and I know for a fact that they would LOVE to be a part of your Maui wedding.

The Hana Lima Soap Co. marketplace booth.

"Offbeat" bouquet alternatives

2009-03-05T20:25:00.000-08:00

During my seemingly never ending period of FUNemployment I've started doing an internship over at OffbeatBride.com, the patron saint of my particular wedding planning process. My penchant for amazing wedding photos & ideas just couldn't be expunged, even after my wedding, which was why I started My Maui Wedding, but in doing so I realized that I had a LOT to learn about the business of blogging and that's where this internship comes in. Ariel (the creator of OBB and the word "funemployment" has already taught be SO MUCH!

Anyway, the main reason for this post is to direct you to a blog that I wrote called 17 Bouquet Alternatives for Fearless Brides in which I list a number of amazing non-floral bouquet choices either posted by other Offbeat Brides or thought up in my wedding filled brain. It was my first post as a big girl intern and I'm pretty proud of it. I also feature a version of the sea-shell bouquet that was such a big hit from my Whimsical Ocean Themed Wedding inspiration board, along with many other amazing non-floral alternatives.

a pink feather bouquet creation,
just one of the many bouquet alternatives featured in my post

going to Maui again!

2009-03-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

Good news readers! I'm going to Maui again in 2 days! I'll be there for 2 weeks working on our shack but I will still be making time to find more awesome Maui wedding ideas! So stay tuned for my newest Maui adventure.

I can't wait!!!

Inspiration Sunday - "Cherry Blossom Wedding"

2009-03-01T07:53:00.000-08:00

Since March is the time when most Cherry Blossom trees bloom I thought I would put together this inspiration board with a cherry blossom theme with colors of pink and brown...

I saw this amazing cake from Cakes by JoAnn which is what really inspired me to make a cherry blossom wedding board.

I was thrilled to find out that Tamara Catz makes a wedding dress with a cherry blossom branch and butterfly embroidered motif in hues of tan and white.

I decided to try and find a cherry blossom tree on Maui and found a picture of this one in Kula. It would make a beautiful spot to take wedding photos or even engagement photos to have displayed at your wedding.

The pink dress is made by Fighting Eel and would be a fabulous bridesmaid dress that reflects the wedding colors of pink and brown.

The wedding favors of pink jellybeans has a custom label based on a cherry blossom design from ShopToast.com.

The only things that wasn't made on Maui was the invitation from bellabykarah.com which was just too perfect not use. And besides, Karah is a personal friend of the My Maui Wedding.

But the wedding bouquet of pink hydrangeas and the boutonniere can easily be made on the island by any florist. And the pink tie can be found on the island as well.

Black Pearl Peacock wedding

2009-02-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

Since it's Fat Tuesday I thought I'd treat everyone to an inspiration board, and the colors in this one reminded me of Mardi Gras! Oh man am I excited about this one! I've been wanting to do a peacock themed wedding for a while, I think they're so cool. This is, of course, the Maui version of a peacock wedding...

This whole thing was inspired by a suggestion from an Hawaiian Twitter contact @Tahitipearls. who suggested that I do a wedding theme that includes Tahitian pearls. With one look at the website I realized that I had a wealth of inspirational pieces. I found these pearl necklaces and some of them had "peacock" in the name, that's when it hit me that I could do my peacock wedding!!!

Any one of the Tahitian pearl necklaces could work, just choose your favorite. For an incredibly unique take on the wedding band, this would be an awesome choice. Also, I bet you're wondering why Pierce Brosnan is on the board. Aside from being eye candy, he's also wearing a really cool necklace. Just a black cord with one pearl and it looks great with that purple shirt. If only our husbands could just look like HIM on our wedding days, or wear purple shirts willingly.

Anyway... So what I took from the pearls as well was the color choices for the wedding. The deep purples, greens and light blues, which of course echo the colors of peacock feathers. That's why I thought that floral arch made my Dellable's was a great choice for this theme. In fact their entire Mele collection would compliment this wedding nicely. The boutonniere is also from Dellable's and what I like about it is the scroll accent that resembles a peacock feather design. you could tie whatever color ribbon around it and make that a wonderful accessory for the guys.

Those colors of purples and blues are carried over into the bridesmaid dresses that I found from Fighting Eel's Spring '09 collection. I like the idea of using that floor length dress for the MOH and the shorter dress for the other bridesmaids. I also like the idea of buying both of those dresses for myself. :)

I freaked when I found this awesome peacock feather bag from Pink By Nature Maui. Would those not make perfect bridesmaids gifts or even a great clutch for the bride!?

Now the invitation is from Island Paperie and isn't the most perfect wedding invite for this board. I would've loved to have found a peacock feather invite, but I couldn't find one made on Maui. But this one at least has all the colors and has a really cool look to it.

The cool thing about Maui is that you can often find random peacocks wandering around the island. I've almost ran over one before! So I figured that it would be easy to find a location where there are peacocks. And it was! I found two. The first is the Maui Garden of Eden located along the Hana Hwy. There are lots of beautiful colored flowers, trees & wildlife, panoramic scenery, hidden waterfalls, and Keopuka Rock, of "Jurassic Park" fame! The second location that actually has lots more information on having a wedding is Keali'i Nui Botanical Gardens. Keali'i Nui is an 11-acre gated, private estate on Maui’s North Shore, just 25 minutes from the main town of Kahului. It provides an oceanfront setting, panoramic views, waterfall and friendly peacocks for photo opps!!!

But the pièce de résistance, for me anyway, is the wedding dress. It's from Tamara Catz and is a raw silk halter strap dress with a peacock feather motif running the length of the front and down the back. It's also the very same dress I wore for my wedding!!!

can i turn this into a business???

2009-02-22T22:28:00.000-08:00

I made business cards. I'm thinking of going into wedding planning. I'm pseudo planning a couple Maui weddings, well, at least I'm helping, well, at least I think I'm helping.

Anyway, I'm unemployed and I made wedding planning business cards along with my photography business cards... we'll see what happens.

Valentines Day "heart-themed" wedding

2009-02-14T05:45:00.000-08:00

I'm bringing you this special Valentines Day on Maui "heart themed" wedding inspiration board today in celebration of Valentines Day! (FYI- This is probably the cheesiest wedding inspiration board I have ever or will ever do!)

The "Heart in the Sand" invitation is from Island Paperie and couldn't be more perfect for a Valentines Day beach wedding.

The heart shaped flower circle is designed by Dellables, and so is the boutonniere with two uluhe ferns forming a heart which is a super creative (and unexpected) way to feature hearts in your wedding. And the flower arrangement with various heart shaped anthurium is a perfect Valentine's Day arrangement from Hana Flowers.

The heart shaped fondant cake is from Maui Wedding Cakes. The piping would look really cool in coordinating colors with whatever you choose for you wedding. The yummy heart cookies are a special Valentines Day treat made by the Honolulu Cookie Co. These would make a good addition to the wedding cake come dessert time, these could also double as wedding favors for guests to take home with them!

What would also make a great wedding favor at a Valentines Day wedding are these special edition "I Heart You" Valentines Day Mini Pop soda bottles filled with pink candy hearts and accented with an adorable and heart label, from Shop Toast.

The dress is an Alfred Angelo design from Ely's Formalwear. This beachy romantic dress is perfect for a V-day wedding. It's so sweet, I even thought about buying this dress myself for my Maui wedding!

The necklace and ring are both from Maui Divers Jewelry. The necklace is a 14K yellow-gold necklace set with three Pink Coral heart-shaped stones, and four starfish. And the ring is a 14K yellow-gold ring in the small "Diamond-cut Aloha Heart" design.

Happy Valentines Day!

Hau`oli Lâ o Lono-i-ke-aweawe-aloha!

(i.e., the day of the god of love and mercy)

Let's Have a Ritz Carlton "Ambassadors of the Environment" Honeymoon

2009-02-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

Nestled among the lush foliage of rolling hills and a beautiful beachfront, in the midst of a century-old pineapple plantation is The Ritz-Carlton, in Kapalua. This Maui hotel resort recently completed an extensive $180 million transformation and played host to the Mercedes-Benz Championship Golf Tournament (which was in full swing during my last trip to Maui making car rental prices shoot through the roof and causing the airport to be as crowded as the freeways in Los Angeles).

Normally I wouldn't be promoting such colossal establishments such as "The Ritz" since they're doing fine on their own without my feeble promotion, but since part of the $180 million updates included the Ambassadors of the Environment by Jean-Michel Cousteau eco-adventure program they've earned some major pono points with me.

From their site:

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua is honored to announce the opening of Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program, which features a new environmental and cultural education center with excursions led by expert naturalists. Guests can hike through the Hawaiian rainforest, snorkel among Maui’s beautiful coral reefs and participate in underwater photography sessions, always exploring the relevance of Hawaiian culture. The Ambassadors program creates opportunities for each participant to learn about Hawaii’s unique ecosystems while demonstrating their connection to the larger global systems.

This program also seeks to inspire guests to live a more sustainable life and to gain a greater understanding of the relationships between land to sea, humans to nature, people to people and present to future. According to Jean-Michel Cousteau, “We expect everyone, by learning more about our natural world and their places within it, to return to their communities as environmental stewards or ambassadors of the environment.”

Not only this a unique vacation experience but it's an awesome way to show support for the local environment. And imagine all the cool honeymoon photos you could take!

And ya gotta admit, it's also a pretty sweet place to get married...

Jonara Blu Jewelry on Maui

2009-02-05T16:29:00.000-08:00

Local Maui jewelry designer "Jonara Blu" makes fresh and funky beaded jewelry with an island twist. The designer Jamee Jones, a self described "very busy devoted wife and mother, home-school mom, bookkeeper for the family business and a pretty awesome auntie," is the designer behind the label Jonara Blu. And with all those listed credentials I have no idea how she has any time to create so many awesome pieces of jewelry!

I discovered Jonara Blu a while ago, and have even featured one of the designs in my very first inspiration board and some more of her pieces will be featured in some upcoming inspiration boards.

some of my favorite Jonara Blu wedding pieces

Maui beach bride triple charm necklace - sweet ginko & freshwater pearl earrings

island wedding starfish - champagne sands bracelet

I read in her blog today that she has put out even "more affordable beach wedding jewelry" which is awesome for brides everywhere.

You can find the pieces shown above and more at: Jonara Blu Maui

Iao Valley On Maui Is Worth A Look Or Hike

2009-02-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

Maui is not just an amazing place to get married, it's also one of the best places to have your Honeymoon. With so many places to relax, romantic sunsets to watch, and unique places to explore you'll never run out of things to do. I saw this post on the Iao Valley, one of my favorite places to visit on Maui, and decided to start posting (and re-posting) awesome things to do on your Maui honeymoon!

reposted from Hawaii-Aloha.com

with photos by Megan Finley

The island of Maui is loaded with magnificent resorts (Kaanapali, Kapalua) and quaint areas (Lahaina, Hana) where it’s easy to settle in, hang out, and never get abroad to see the rest of the island.

But if you’re inclined to explore and sight-see, you’ll want to drive to Iao Valley in Central Maui.

That’s where you’ll find the Iao Needle, a natural rock pinnacle that rises above Iao stream. All around are the walls of the Pu’u Kukui Crater. It’s a beautiful place. The Needle is a 2,250-foot stone pillar that’s covered in green. Its basaltic core has survived eons of swirling water.

The Valley itself is a peaceful, luxuriant area. It’s easy to hike, surrounded by exotic tropical plants and clear, natural pools. Once you reach the top of the ridge, you encounter a great view of the valley and Kahului Harbor. Other trails in the state park run alongside Iao Stream and through the forest, making it a nice place for a short hike, if you don’t mind the chance of getting wet. (Only Mount Waialeale on Kauai, the wettest spot on earth, gets more rain in Hawaii.)

One of the most famous battles in Hawaii’s history was waged here in 1790 when King Kamehameha I destroyed the Maui army in an effort to unite the Hawaiian Islands. The battle was said to be so bloody that dead bodies blocked Iao Stream, and the battle site was named Kepaniwai ("damming of the waters").

Legend says that the Valley harbors the spirit of the Hawaiian god Kane, who is the procreator and the provider of life. He is associated with fresh water and clouds, rain, streams and springs. Kanaloa, the Hawaiian god of the underworld, is represented by the phallic stone of the Iao Needle.

During the late 15th century, Iao Valley was designated as an aliʻi burial area. The remains of chiefs were buried secretly in hiding places in the valley (but there’s no need to watch your step as you trek).

There is an abundance of escorted tours that will take you into Iao Valley. Some of the tours encompass Haleakala, Upcountry Maui and beyond, as well. And you can view just about everything during a helicopter tour.

Pick an agent from the Hawaii-Aloha Web site, or call 1-800-843-8771.

my mom & me in the Iao Valley river

I Love Elly's!

2009-02-03T17:18:00.000-08:00

I saw this article at MauiNews.com and it just really touched me. I've used Elly's Formal Wear & Bridal's in a lot of my inspiration boards and I know the shop, it's right down the street from where we're buying our house in Maui. So I'm really excited to reprint this here... it's a perfect example of the wonderful sense of community on Maui...

reprinted from MauiNews.com

By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer

KIHEI - A high school prom is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, and the operators of Elly's Formal Wear & Bridals are holding a contest to see it's not a major disappointment for at least a few families struggling financially.

"In the tough times now, we want to help out the community and help out those kids, especially those going to prom. It's such a cool event. Prom night is the one everyone remembers," said Terri Ah Chin, vice president of the formalwear business in Kihei.

Although sales have fallen 30 percent at their 14-year-old business, Ah Chin and her mother, Elly Ewbank, president and owner of the shop, decided to loan tuxedos and prom dresses to selected juniors - at no charge - so they can attend their proms in style without taking a hit in their pocketbooks.

Ah Chin and Ewbank came up with the idea for a "2009 Dream Prom Contest" after they talked with students visiting their shop and learned they had little money to spend for the prom. In some cases, one or both of the students' parents had lost their jobs because of the ailing economy.

"We just felt the kids deserve to go, and that they really earned it," Ah Chin said.

In the contest, one boy and one girl from each of the junior classes at King Kekaulike, Maui, Lahainaluna and Baldwin high schools will be selected to receive a dress or tuxedo to use for the night.

The contest is competitive. To enter, students must have at least a 3.0 overall grade-point average; no suspensions or detentions for the 2008-09 school year; be a high school junior; participate in at least one club, sport or community service activity; come from a low- or middle-income family; and turn in a typed, minimum two-page, double-spaced essay about why a student deserves to be selected.

For the formalwear store to stay afloat, it is discounting items up to 80 percent, Ah Chin said. Gowns, formalwear, wedding dresses and tuxedos are not necessities, which makes them harder to sell when money is tight for consumers.

However, it's just the beginning of the wedding and prom season, and Ah Chin said she is optimistic business will improve in the next few months.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.

Tamra Catz Valentines Day Sale Weekend

2009-02-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

from an email I got from TC:

celebrate Valentine's week-end at Tamara Catz in Paia!

Check out the new wedding styles, enjoy great music, chocolates, a nice cup of tea and our great BRIDAL SALE.

Fri-Sat-Sun all day!

Inspiration Sunday- "Orange Sunset Wedding"

2009-02-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, things have been getting a bit busier over here at Hale Finley, so I'm going to start making "Inspiration Sunday" only on the first sunday of every month instead of every sunday starting with this post...

I had an orange themed beach wedding and I think the idea of an orange and white wedding is awesome! So here is some orange Maui wedding inspiration for your eyeballs...

The cake is called the Michelle from Cakes by JoAnn. I'm LOVING the orange swirls against the white background. I know of the perfect invitation (not designed on Maui) that would match this cake- click here & then scroll down or search for the "Orange Scroll" invite.

The flowers (centerpiece & boutonniere) are from Dellables. Both of the arrangements are from their aptly named (and my personal favorite) "Maui Sunset" designs, which are elegant arrangements of peach gerbera daisies, orange ranuculus, peach spray roses, orange voodoo roses, dubium, oregonia, song of India and variegated ti with. Both the centerpiece & the boutonniere are finished with an orange ribbon. And I'm sure if you ask real nice the people at Dellables can find you a pretty orange flower for your hair.

The matching orange dress & button down shirt are both from Sig Zane would make awesome bridesmaid and groomsman outfits for an amazingly colorful wedding.

I included this picture of the extra large Maui beach sheet in orange because it could be used by the bridesmaids, the bride, as a table cloth or as decoration at the reception area! And then after your wedding, use it every day on your honeymoon at the beach.

And my favorite part of this board is the wedding favor of the Orange Love Fruit filled with orange gummy slices from Shop Toast. These are by FAR my favorite favors from the islands.

And for all the accessories: The Lauhala handbag is from Sassy Maui and would be a fun gift to give to the bridesmaids or even the moms! The tote is decorated with shells, genuine Swarovski Crystal, and three silk orange plumeria. The awesome orange shell ring is from Wings Hawaii. I think it would make a really cool cocktail ring for the bride! I like it so much that I'd buy it for myself if I had the dough! Anyone want to give me a present???

Court asked to allow beach weddings

2009-01-31T12:55:00.000-08:00

Recently Maui started requiring permits for beach weddings. Which means they obliterated one of my top reasons to get married there. Needless to say it was big bummer.

But it looks like Maui wedding planners are fighting back! Their lawyer is arguing that the commercial permit requirement violates the Constitution.

Read the article about it here.

And My Maui Wedding will keep you updated on the matter as it progresses.

"Car Free" Vacation

2009-01-31T10:07:00.000-08:00

In today's economy brides are constantly looking for ways to save money. Planning a Maui wedding can often times be cheaper than planning a wedding at home because you're saving money by having your honeymoon & wedding combined! Not to mention your wedding guest numbers will be greatly reduced. But what can get pricey on the island is taking care of things that would be free if you were at home, like renting a car. Fortunately there's a more affordable option...

If you want cheap transportation on Maui, use the public bus system, The Maui Bus! The County of Maui currently funds a public bus system that provides service in and between various Central, South, West, Haiku, and Upcountry Maui communities. The fare ranges from complimentary to $1.00 per boarding, depending on the route used. The Maui Bus has 8 bus routes and the Upcountry Islander route conveniently stops at the Kahului Airport. The routes operate seven days a week including all holidays.

Click here for bus routes to see if you could pull off a "car free" vacation.

New Tamara Catz Bridal Gowns

2009-01-30T16:42:00.000-08:00

On my recent trip back to Maui I stopped by my favorite clothing store, Tamara Catz. Of course I gravitated towards the bridal section, I can't help myself, but I'm glad I did because I noticed some new dress designs!!!

This dress is a long strapless dress made of silk and satin with an embroidered fern motif.

This silk chiffon beauty is embroidered and beaded with mother of pearl and has spaggetti straps that cross at the back. I think the back is my favorite part, it's so sexy and surprising. Thanks to my mother I have a dress in this similar style, just not as fancy.

This one is a silk satin layered long dress, with flower attachment at front and smocking detail at back. It's definitely one of the most unique dresses that I've ever seen.

Of course the best part about these new dresses, and most of the Tamara Catz bridal line, is that they're all priced for under $1,000 and pretty much ready to wear!

Unique Sunrise Shell Necklace

2009-01-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

If you've been reader of this blog for some time you'll remember how much I love RockaBella Jewels. Well RockaBella Jewels is back with another amazing offer which would make the perfect wedding keepsake or Valentine's Day gift.

The 14 carat gold dipped "Sunrise Shell" on a 18 inch gold filled cable chain is a very unique piece of jewelry. I love the idea of giving it as a Valentines Day gift. Even more that that I love the idea of sending your own shell over to Maui & for a discounted price Kristel can make one special for ya! Now THAT would be an incredible and very unique gift. Now I wish that my husband or I would have found a pretty shell on the beach during our honeymoon!!!

Keep in mind that there is a limited number of the Sunrise Shell and if you're going the "send in your own" route please allow for a two-week turnaround time.

Inspiration Sunday - "Peach Lotus Wedding"

2009-01-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

This Sunday's wedding board was inspired by the lotus flower. The Indian Lotus flower symbolizes divinity, fertility, wealth, knowledge and enlightenment, all of the things we wish for when we get married, so why not turn that idea into a beautiful wedding theme.

As usual this design was inspired originally by the the wedding dress. I just saw this beautiful dress from Tamara Catz on my last trip to Maui and fell in love with it! It's a raw silk halter strap dress with lotus flower embroidery and ribbon details in a pretty peach color. I decided to play off the peach color in the dress and find things in keeping with a loose lotus theme in similar colors.

The wedding invitation is the only thing on this board that can't be found on the islands, it's from bellabykarah.com and has a lotus-type design on the top with peach and pink lettering. (Of course all of the colors can be changed by Karah upon request.) But the thank you cards are from Design Sensations on Maui and it echos the lotus flower theme.

Midory jewelry in Maui makes a beautiful lotus and pearl necklace perfect for the bride or for bridesmaid's gifts.

The bouquet is from dellables.com and it's called the Maui Sunset Bride Bouquet. It's definitely picks up the peach theme perfectly, integrating peach gerbera daisies, peach spray roses, orange voodoo roses, orange ranunculus and dubium accented with oregonia and a shimmering orange organza ribbon.

The wedding band is from Na Hoku and has pretty scrollwork that mirrors the look of the dress and will serve as a constant reminder of your unique Maui wedding.

The "mango nectar" soy candles which can either be favors or centerpieces are from Malie.com. They both smell and look amazing.

The beautiful white scrolling wedding cake is from MauiCakeStore.com. It's one of my most favorite cakes!

This just may be my favorite collection yet. I think it evokes a very serene and spiritual mood with an island feel.

Kihei Beachfront Rentals

2009-01-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

I've stayed in a LOT of places while on Maui- from my cousin's house in Kihei to the Four Seasons in Wailea and even the hospital! But the place we're staying in now blows all of them out of the water.

Kihei Beachfront Rentals is where it's at my friends. After staying at the Four Seasons for our honeymoon I now wish we had known about THIS PLACE. Wow. It's literally right on the beach with beautiful views of swaying palm trees and rolling ocean waves. Plus when it's windy you get to see some awesome kiteboarding action.

There are only four units in the building- Coral, Seashell, Seahorse & Starfish. And by a stroke of good luck we got hooked up with the best unit, Coral. The owner, Mimi (who is one awesome lady), actually surprised us with this good news upon arriving. Another family had wanted to rent out one of the units for a month, an the only one that was in their price range was the one we had opted to rent. So she upgraded us to the best unit for the week!! It's so incredible. Just to give you an idea, here are some interior shots...

the living room and it's incredible view

the kitchen & dining area w it's incredible view

the master bedroom with IT'S incredible view

every bathroom has one of these babies

I mean, come ON, just the shower alone would set the mood for the most perfect honeymoon!!! Not to mention that master bedroom! You can even have the wedding and reception here! It would be perfect, and according to the website-

"Weddings and Social events are available for a maximum of 40 guests with a chaperone at an additional cost."

It's a bit pricey, but TOTALLY worth it. And maybe during the off-season or -

WOW- just had to stop typing because I just saw a two whales soooooo close to the shore from the balcony!! A mama & a baby. We watched them swim by the house and on down the shore. Amazing.

Okay, that I have to end this blog so I can do some more whale watching.

Aloha from Maui

2009-01-17T12:27:00.001-08:00

You may have noticed the lack of blogs in the last few days. I've actually been getting ready to go to Maui. Arrived here on Thursday YAY!!!!! But the internet is really crappy where we're staying (which is going to be another blog bc this place is NO KA OI!) so I haven't been able to blog until now. Got a few bars up on the 'ol wireless connection.

Once I get to my cousin's house I'll steal her internet and blog about the amazing condo in which I'm staying, my favorite wedding planner, and the florist who made all of our leis for the wedding. So stay tuned.

Right now I'm going to drink coffee on our expansive balcony and watch the kiteboarders making the best of the high winds we've been experiencing.

ALOHA!

btw- the one website that does work all the time for me on Twitter. So follow me on Twitter to catch all my Maui updates.

Inspiration Sunday - "Bamboo Beach Wedding"

2009-01-11T06:31:00.000-08:00

I toyed with using this theme for our wedding. It started when I saw an amazing bamboo invitation from bellabykarah.com. But I had already planned my coral themed wedding already. But these were my ideas for the bamboo wedding.

The Maui version of the bamboo invitation is from Design Sensations, and I really dig it. The cake was just way to perfect for this wedding from Cakes by Joann. The beautiful ceremony setup, a bamboo arch with white chiffon wrap and two floral arrangements and bamboo chairs, was designed by Dellables.com. This would look beautiful on the lawn of the Five Palms Beach Grill on Keawakapu beach. The wedding dress is an Alfred Angelo design from Elly's Formal Wear. The men's button down aloha shirt is from Sig Zane and could be worn by anyone from the groom to the groomsmen to the officiant. The wedding favors are the only thing that comes from a different Hawaiian island, but that's okay because they're really cool- handmade Heart Stumps from Shop Toast. They're faux wood with a carving of both your initials, as well as the date of your special day and are empty inside and can be filled with anything! The mother of pearl and diamond ring is from Na Hoku and would make a beautiful gift for the bride. And the bamboo friendship bracelet from Maui Style Gifts would make a nice bridesmaids present to remember this beautiful bamboo themed wedding.

In praise of the Pikake Lei

2009-01-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

The only flowers we ordered for our wedding were our leis. Aaron wore the traditional maile lei and I wore a pikake lei of several strands of different lengths and I couldn't be happier with my choice.

The pikake is from the jasmine family and is made of tiny white ball-like flowers which emit a sweet & strong fragrance. Hawaiian Princess Kaiulani named the flower “pikake” after the beautiful peacocks who roamed her Waikiki gardens.

I fell in love with the pikake lei when it saw how unique this lei looked on brides, some brides wore them really long, like down to their knees or below, some wore them short around their chest. And some opted for all different lengths like I did. To me, it that had a really hippy/bohemian look that I liked. Plus it smelled amazing and they held up all night.

me rocking my pikake leis AND Aaron's maile lei.

close up of the lei- just pay attention to the lei here people. ;)

The only problem with these leis is that they're seasonable and not always available so check with your florist to see if they're in season during the time of your wedding and then order like 6 of them because the more you have the cooler it looks!!!

Ho'omaika'i Heidi

2009-01-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

And the winner from random number generator is... #1

Heidi from Heidzillas.com!!

aww that's cute. that's so something i would save and only use that one, too. i'm in! :)

~heidzilla
www.heidzillas.com

Well, Ho`omaika`i! (That's how you say "congratulations" on the islands) and I'll be emailing you asap to get your info.

Inspiration Sunday- "Whimsical Ocean Wedding"

2009-01-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, but it's possible to get married on a submarine in Maui. I seriously thought about doing that (not so much my husband though). Of course if we were going to go that route I was going to plan a very informal and whimsical wedding. This inspiration board is a take on what our fun ocean themed wedding would've been like.

It all starts with the wedding invitation from Pixelhawaii.com with two adorable dolphins that set the scene for the underwater wedding. But if one so desires (and has the extra funds) the painted coconuts can actually be mailed as postcards from MrPineapple.com with the wedding information! Or they can be placed on each table for the reception instead of table numbers.

The wedding dress is a beautiful white crochet dress designed by Letarte, it's short so as to not catch on anything or take up too much room in the enclosed space of a submarine- thereby increasing your feeling of claustrophobia.

The bouquet is probably my favorite find- it's from Maui Flower Shop is comprised of sea shells and will last forever to be a constant reminder of this special wedding.

The centerpiece, sand, shells and a white candle, which play off the design of the bride's bouquet, was designed by Dellables.com. Or it can be easily DIY'd while on the island. Go to Ben Franklin Craft Store in Kahului and pick up cool glass vases, shells & a pretty white (or colored) candles. Then grab some sand FOR FREE and go crazy.

The wedding cake from MauiWeddingCakes.com looks like the ocean and is topped by a whimsical bride and groom dolphin which echos the dolphins on the invitation.

And adding to the oceanic whimsy are the wedding favors which are small bowls made by local artist from Maui Hands, in the shape of tropical fish, which you guests would have had wonderful views of during the wedding. My cousin actually got us a few of these cool bowls for our wedding while we were on Maui and I LOVE them.

Now the jewelry comes from all different designers- the necklace (pictured next to the dress) is from RockaBella Jewels and is made of gemstones and sea shells. The bracelet (below the fishies) is aptly named the Maui Mermaid Bracelet designed by Katie's Crystals. And the whale tail and diamond ring is from Na Hoku which would make a very unique wedding band.

honeymoon location- Luna Spa Retreat

2008-12-31T12:40:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I read this post on HapaHale.com that introduced me to the world of yurts. Since then it's been my dream to stay in a yurt, especially one increadibly fabulous one located at the Luna Spa Retreat in Hana. And since it's my husband's birthday today I thought I'd give him a virtual present- Aaron, if your reading this, if I had tons of money, this is where I would be taking you to celebrate your birthday...

The fabulous yurt - Hale Ka`uiki

Hale Ka`uiki, their charming and unusual vacation rental unit, is a 16 foot diameter yurt which provides simple yet cozy and comfortable accommodation. It also has a panoramic view of Hana Bay! Hello!? Can you say, perfect honeymoon getaway? Especially if this guy is the one you're getting away with (Aaron look away for a minute)...

mmm... outdoor shower.

Seriously though, I think that the Luna Spa Retreat would be an amazing place to head too after you get married, there's no telephone, no tv, just relaxation and beautiful views and, um, an entire SPA at your disposal!

Also, if you want to kill two birds with one stone the Luna Spa is available for weddings as well under their traditional Hawaiian hale (thatched house).

That way, you get married and then your guests leave you in paradise with no phone and no way to contact you! Perfect honeymoon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUSBAND! :)

1st Giveaway! - exclusive Hawaii Starbucks card

2008-12-29T12:16:00.000-08:00

Aloha! I am pleased to announce that "My Maui Wedding" is hosting it's first Giveaway EVER!

An "Hawaii" Starbucks card with a credit of $5!

This particular card would make a great addition to an OOT (out of town) bag or a "Welcome to Maui" gift bag, or just a nice gift for your guests on their own. This hula dancer and palm tree design was released exclusively to the Hawaiian Islands and are not available on the mainland. These cards are so exclusive that they're even being sold on Ebay!

For our wedding, we loaded each one up with $5 credits and included them in our Welcome to Maui bags. I still have my card! It's the only one I haven't let the Starbucks baristas toss when it's reached a zero balance. And I'm looking forward to combining the credits on all the cards I got for xmas onto my pretty Hawaii card!

I have a few extra gift cards left over from our wedding and I thought I would give one away to one of our awesome blog readers. To enter this giveaway just leave a comment on this post and I'll be choosing a winner at random.

The deadline is Jan. 4th!

Good luck and mahalo for reading!

Inspiration Sunday- New Years Eve Wedding

2008-12-28T11:16:00.000-08:00

What would be more fun than a New Years Eve wedding on Maui!? Man, I can't really think of anything more fun than that. If anyone out there is having one, please invite me!!! Here's what I would do if I was having one...

This inspiration board all started with the "Winter Elegance" invi tation, from Design Sensations, which gave me the idea for the turquoise, white and silver color scheme.

The wedding dress is an Alfred Angelo design which can be purchased from Elly's Formal Wear with a sash that ties in the turquoise color. The short and sassy bridesmaid dress and the sparkly jelly slippers are also from Elly's.

The bride's bouquet, with surprising splashes of turquoise, is from Kaanapali Romance Florist.

And the "Fancy and Flirty" wedding cake is from mauiweddingcakes.com.

The wedding favors, from Shop Toast, are 9" soda bottles filled with festive chocolate covered sunflower seeds!

And what's a New Years celebration without champagne!? The guests will be ringing in the New Year and toasting to the newlyweds with Hula O Maui Sparkling Wine from the local winery. And the best part... even the lable matches the color scheme!

Anyway, HAPPY NEW YEARS to all of you out there and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my husband. He's a New Years Eve baby. :)

Exciting News (Non-Wedding-Related)

2008-12-27T19:55:00.000-08:00

My family just bought a house in Maui! I call it "The Shack" and it's in Kihei.

The Shack

Anyway, we'll be heading back to the island that I love in a couple of weeks for the closing!!! I am so thrilled. Of course, like most of my trips to Maui, this will be a working trip. We'll be doing all the necessary re-vamps to The Shack. But working it Maui beats not working in LA any day.

Maui here we come!!! Whoo hoo!!!!

Inspiration Sunday- "Christmas by the Sea" wedding

2008-12-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas is right around the corner!!! Here's my "Maui Christmas" wedding inspiration board aka. "Christmas by the Sea." This inspiration board is my most formal wedding design yet. I tend to get very informal with all my wedding boards because, well, that's how Maui is. But if you're looking for an excuse to get dressed to the nines on the island, a Christmas wedding is the way to go!

The inspiration for everything came originally from the cake from Cakes by Joann, complete with a festive cake topper! The Christmas cupcakes are also from Cakes by Joann and can be given to guests as favors to take home and enjoy.

The invitations are from Design Sensations, the green leaves and the festive red bow set the stage for a fabulous Christmas themed wedding.

The red & white bridesmaid dress came next, it's from Sig Zane Designs and I LOVE it! Pair it with red Mary Jane's or some other retro shoes and just think of the awesome wedding party photos!

The Alfred Angelo wedding dress & the grooms outfit is from Elly's on Maui.

The bouquet is from Dellables, and I love how the little red flowers match the red flowers on the cake.

And finally the "Holiday Charm" bracelet is from RockaBella Jewels and has a small gold disc on which the wedding date can be engraved.

And what gave me inspiration for the "Christmas by the Sea" title was one of the many Hawaiian Christmas music CDs that I found to play during the reception.

Nicole Sanchez- Behind The Lens Maui

2008-12-17T11:33:00.000-08:00

I got an email out of the blue the other day from Heidi Baumgart, of the super entertaining and informative wedding day-of coordinator/consultant blog Heidzillas.com, telling me about another great photographer based on Maui-

I didn't see her on your Maui blog, but when my husband and I were in Maui, we had Nicole Sanchez of Behind the Lens Maui photograph our surf lesson with Maui Surfer Girls. She was SOO fabulous. A couple of months later, our friends got married and went to Maui, too, so for their wedding gift we got them honeymoon portrait shoot with Nicole and they had a blast too.

Check her out at: www.behindthelensmaui.com

So I followed her advice and was very impressed! I actually wrote back thanking her for telling me about Nicole and telling her that I wished I'd known about her when I was getting married. It could have saved us from one very bad wedding photog experience.

But weddings aren't all Nicole photographs on the island. She has tons and tons of surfing shots that just make me want to grab a board and try my skills at surfing. (Any one out there wanna give me lessons!) And then asking Nicole to grab her camera and photograph the ridiculousness that will undoubtably ensue.

She also does some of the most stunning maternity shots! So you know... if you're family of two starts turning into a family of three... head on back to the island that united the two of you and have Nicole take your maternity shots. I think they're my favorite of her photos.

And if you're just still in the process of planning the wedding for your family of two, check out Nicole's website. Her prices are totally agreeable and she has 4 different price options and packages for weddings so she can cater to any budget.

Mahalo for the tip Heidi! And keep up the good work Nicole! :)

Maui Christmas Ornaments

2008-12-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

We are decorating our tree for the first time as husband and wife! Over the past couple years we have accumulated a lot of island-themed ornaments. I've been given a lot of sea turtles (my aumakua) and slippers and fish and such. I'm pretty much obsessed with having an Hawaiian-themed christmas tree. And I've fallen in love with ornaments from MauiChristmas.com...

shell angel ~ red hibiscus

scented pineapple ~ malo santa

I think that starfish Santa is my favorite ornament! And it's only $8. Kinda have to buy it now. And then I saw this baby...

bells on shells

The big white disk and the "bells" are actual shells! How cool is that? But it gets cooler- the website suggests using a fine point permanent pen to write a name and wedding date and you have created a personalized wedding ornament. Which we do not have! And now I really want one.

Also- these ornaments could make really unique wedding favors for winter-time weddings!

My Maui Wedding Photographer- Benja Iglesis

2008-12-15T10:59:00.000-08:00

Another person that the island of Maui has been kind enough to bring into our lives is Benja Iglesis (pictured in the middle of a happily married Finley sandwich). One of the best and most bad-ass photographers on the island of Maui!

The first time I met Ben I was on my cousin's a boat just finishing up a snorkeling expedition at Molokini. Ben was on a different boat, filled with tourists, just coming in to Molokini for a snorkeling expedition. His boat pulled up to our boat and my cousins exchanged pleasantries with Ben and the rest of the crew and in a rare moment I found it hard to speak because Ben was one of the hottest guys I had ever seen! (Sorry ladies, he's married!)

My cousins told me that he was a Chilean scuba dive master who worked on a boat with a friend of theirs. What I didn't know at that time is that Ben is the most amazing photographer! His underwater images will blow your freaking mind. (I had a picture he took of a green sea turtle as my laptop background forever!) And without even knowing if he can do weddings I asked him to photograph ours. And thankfully I did, because when the photographer my Mom hired totally blew it, Benja stepped in and took some of the most perfect photos of our wedding.

So it turns out the guy's wedding photos are just as incredible above or below the water...

all photos courtesy of Benja Iglesis for more information and some incredible views of underwater sea life please check out his website www.benjaiglesis.com.

and click here to see more of our wedding photos taken by Benja.

Inspiration Sunday- "White Christmas" Wedding

2008-12-14T06:05:00.000-08:00

With the Christmas holiday approaching I put the "submarine wedding inspired board" aside as I was inspired to see if I could create a "White Christmas" wedding!

And the moment I thought of having a "white wedding" in Maui, I thought of the Fairmont Kea Lani hotel. The Kea Lani is a striking 7-story, all-suite, resort situated on 22 oceanfront acres on Polo Beach. And it's no wonder that that they named it the "kea lani" which means "white heaven" because almost every inch of this hotel is completely white. The picture of the white arched structure is the "wedding chapel" at the hotel. I saw this venue for myself (I actually took that picture) and it's beautiful.

The all-white wedding invitation is from PixelHawaii.com. The arched into reminded me of a bigger arched window the Kea Lani itself. And I think it would make a wonderful Christmas time invite.

The wedding dress is from Tamara Catz and I love that it has small sleeves and is fully covered, but still open and island-style. Plus something about the design reminds me of a Christmas ornament. Of course I love the single all-white flower in her hair. That can be found by any florist on the island.

The white tux for the groom is the prefect compliment to the bride and it's from Elly's Formal Wear.

The gorgeous centerpieces are from Country Bouquets Maui. And the pretty double white Dendrobium lei is from Dellables.

And finally, the piece de resistance- one of my favorite wedding favors- white chocolate, dark chocolate, raspberry crunch, Maui Wow Wee candy bar, in festive colors of red & white! Oh, just thinking about it is making me want one sooooo bad!

(Hope you enjoyed this holiday inspiration board- stay tuned next weekend for a REALLY Christmas-y inspiration board.)

Shop Toast - wedding favors

2008-12-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

So for my first non-Maui-but-still-part-of-the-Hawaiian-islands product post, I bring you Shop Toast. It's based in Honolulu and has some of the most creative and unique favors that I've seen anywhere!

Take for example their "Love Fruits"-

1. Green Apple (standard filling- apple gummies 2. Orange (standard filling- orange jelly slices)

3. Cherries (standard filling- gummy cherries) 4. White Apple (standard filling- Godiva chocolates)

Each handmade "capsule" fruit is filled with the perfect amount of sugary sweetness which can be customized. Peel off the rubber covering to reveal the treats within! Each fruit comes with a personalized backing in different colors and the packaged is in a clear plastic gift box, ribboned to give away to your guests. I actually gave a basket of their Orange Love Fruits to give as a hostess gift for my wedding shower.

I also am very fond of their Soda Snacks:

1. Cheers label

2. Monogram lable 3. "I Heart You" soda snacks

Their Soda Snack custom favors are 9" soda bottles filled with a selection of savory & sweet snacks. Each bottle comes with a label and matching 1" button personalized to your special occasion. Choose between their standard "cheers" label, their monogram line or even customize your own label! And there are enough color combinations to match your wedding colors/decor. They also make a mini version.

And for the eco-friendly bride there's the new "Heart Stump":

Carving a heart and your initials into a tree trunk is a classic way to declare your love. This is a modern take on it...without hurting a tree! Each 3-1/2" tall handmade Heart Stump is personalized with a faux wood carving of both your initials, as well as the date of your special day. Purchase them empty so you can fill them with your own treats, or order them pre-filled with a 14" cotton handkerchief printed with a matching heart motif! And the best part is- the Heart Stumps are 100% biodegradable!

submarine wedding

2008-12-08T11:22:00.000-08:00

Want to get married in Maui but are afraid of having an unoriginal cookie cutter island wedding? Consider getting married at up to 150 feet under water trapped in a metal tube.

Yup- SUBMARINE WEDDING DUDE!!!

The Submarine "Atlantis" is a comfortable and spacious, air conditioned real submarine which is capable of diving to depths of 150 feet into the habitat of exotic sea creatures and natural coral reefs. Imagine that being the backdrop to your wedding. Apparently the Atlantis is large enough to hold you and 40 of your guests if you so choose. Not bad.

I actually tried to get Aaron to do this for our wedding and got a resounding NO WAY. But, I think it's pretty awesome! I found this website that quotes this unique (and slightly dangerous) wedding at a reasonable $5495. And that includes the officiant, flowers & photography, a long with everything else you need for a perfect submarine wedding. It doesn't mention if that package includes an emergency oxygen tank incase things go horribly wrong.

(stay tuned for a wedding inspiration board this Sunday inspired by this very idea...)

Inspiration Sunday - Orange Orchid wedding

2008-12-07T15:06:00.000-08:00

This weeks inspiration board is for what I call the "Orange Orchid Wedding."

I was originally inspired by the beautiful orchid wedding invitation by pixelhawaii.com. From that invite I got the color scheme of orange, yellow and light green. I immediately thought of the pretty Tamara Catz wedding dress with delicate tule layers that reminded me of a flower. Top off the bridal look with one gorgeous orchid in the brides hair and that's all you need! The pretty gold pendant from Na Hoku would make the perfect bridesmaid gift if you have the money. The cake is my favorite though- dripping with a cascade of orchids that match the wedding colors, from Cakes by JoAnn. The aloha shirt for the groomsman, or even the groom if it's a more laid-back wedding, is from Hilo Hattie's. The bouquet is from Dellables.com and the fabric wrap of bright orange is the perfect touch. Finally the wedding favors of wild orchid soap is from remembermaui.com so that every time your guests use their gift at home they'll remember your beautiful orchid themed wedding.

As a related side-note there is an actual tropical orchid farm on Maui, in Haiku. Could be a great and extremely convenient place to get orchids for your wedding!

Wow Wee Maui wedding favors!

2008-12-06T06:16:00.000-08:00

The first thing one should do upon arriving in Maui (besides picking up their rental car) is to head over to the Wow Wee Maui Kava Bar in Kahului (just minutes from the airport) to have a bite to eat and buy a their Wow Wee chocolate bars! With flavors like Potato Chip & Chocolate, Kona Coffee & Caramel, White Chocolate/Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Crunch, they're some of the most delicious Maui made yummies.

They'd also make great wedding favors! This way your guests get something sweet to take home and enjoy on their vacation without worrying about taking extra things home with them. I recommend the Potato Chip & Chocolate, especially since they're wrapping is wedding themed!

But they also have a wide variety of choices with all different colors to match your wedding. We bought one of each flavor (several times over) to put in our "Welcome to Maui" bags that we gave to all our guests. And then we happened to have a few left over which we enjoyed in our honeymoon suite after the wedding!

Marie the cake lady

2008-12-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

We love Marie from Ghiselani Gourmet Designer Wedding Cakes or MauiCakeStore.com. Her cakes are amazing- from huge designer cakes for large weddings, to that special delightful treasure for two. And their cakes can be custom designed to your desires! We had Marie make a 50th anniversary cake for Aaron's parents. She made a delicious 14 inch round, white & chocolate cake with 2 fillings of Raspberry Puree and Chocolate Mousse Grand Marnier. Mmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Her cakes feature multiple flavored layers, and mixed flavor tiers, tropical, as well as traditional fillings to dazzle your taste buds. Fresh flower ornaments bring life and color to your fantasy cake to tie in your wedding theme. And she also does some crazy layering magic that I've never seen in a cake before...

how cool is this!?

Not only does Marie make some incredible cakes, but she's also an awesome woman. She's such a character, bright, funny and warm. And all those wonderful traits are somehow apparent in the taste and look of her creations. And her desserts would be the perfect "icing on the cake" of your beautiful Maui wedding.

Inspiration Sunday - "Green Anthurium Wedding"

2008-11-30T05:35:00.000-08:00

This weeks inspiration board is called the "Green Anthurium Wedding."

This entire board was inspired by the Tamara Catz wedding dress with an embroidered anthurium motif. The anthurium theme is carried over into the floral arrangement by Dellables.com with the addition of a white lilly to enhance the green & white color scheme. The picture on the far left shows a beautiful centerpiece by Mauiflowers.com at the Seawatch Restaurant in Wailea which would make a beautiful venue for this wedding. The bridesmaid dresses, from Fighting Eel, are a vibrant bright green like the anthuriums. The aloha shirt has a vintage anthurium pattern from Hilo Hattie. The Peridot Leave Glass and Crystal Earrings are made by hand on Maui by katiescrystals. The wedding favor soaps are from Malie.com and fit in perfectly with the design. And finally the wedding cake is topped with beautiful green anthuriums which many Maui cake designers could recreate.

Pua Le'a Estate "Haiku Mill"

2008-11-27T00:19:00.000-08:00

Um... why didn't we get married HERE!?...

Pua Le'a Estate "Haiku Mill" at night

This has to got to be the most stunning wedding venue I've ever seen anywhere in the world. And i had NO IDEA it existed until right now (after reading this blog entry from Dellables, my favorite florist on Maui). And I'm literally angry. Don't get me wrong, I love my wedding, but my GOD this place is amazing.

(drag your mouse over this image to take a virtual tour)

The Haiku Mill, located on Maui's North Shore is a refurbished sugar mill from the old days of Hawaii. It's actually an Hawaiian historical landmark because it was one of the first sugar mills built in 1853. This is one of Maui's most scenic and historic private estates that is available for hosting weddings for up to 100 guests. The stones from the ruins make up part of a lush botanical garden.

The mill's brick flooring, walls of moss and foliage, crystal chandelier, unique fountains and statues make this one of the most charming, dramatic and unique sites I've seen on the island. This wedding location is enclosed, yet open to the sky. And the adorable Cane Cottage is available as a changing room.

Cane Cottage

And talk about all the photo ops- this spectacular site was also featured in the February, 2008 Sports Illustrated Bikini Issue!

None of the sites I looked at offered up any prices so you're going to have to contact them via their website to find out, but I'm guessing this place costs a pretty penny.

If a "fairytale wedding" experience is what you seek, the Haiku Mill is a perfect setting for your event. And if you do get to have your wedding here, I'm going to be really really jealous. I hope you can live with that.

Sugar Cane Sweetie makes OOT bags easy!

2008-11-26T11:37:00.000-08:00

I saw this blog post on HapaHale.com (one of my favorite blogs about shopping on the Hawaiian islands) that alerted me to a fabulous service called Suger Cane Sweetie. When I read the blog post it was like angels where shining down upon this little 'ol blogger. Founded by Maui residents, Jen Martin and Liz McGain, Suger Cane Sweetie is a company on Maui that exists to help you find special Hawaiian gifts for your wedding guests! Had I just known about this service when I was putting my "Welcome to Maui bags" together, my life would have been much easier!

Clockwise from top:

"COLLECTION 7": The woven Hawaiian box contains a copy of the Little Book of Aloha, Kailua chocolates in a lauhala box, and a pack of notecards featuring the work of local Hawaiian artists. "
"COLLECTION 24": standard box includes the “Maui Trailblazer” guidebook, Beyond Coastal lip balm, and Maui Excellent’s Volcano Oil.
"KEIKI COLLECTION 1": Welcome your young visitor with a basket full of goodies! An underwater camera and Hawaiian fish identification chart, fish playing cards, and shells to start their collection!
"COLLECTION 10": This lauhala basket serves a perfect welcome to the islands. Included in this collection are two bottles of Kona Deep Sea water- the latest health craze, a bag of famous Maui Chips, chocolate covered macadamia nuts, and a 4 ounce tube of Beyond Coastal’s Active SPF 30 sunscreen.

There are over 30 different gift options and every item that Sugar Cane Sweetie has to offer has been hand picked to reflect the island spirit and will be enjoyed by visitors and kama’aina (local residents) alike.

King Kamehameha Golf Course Wedding

2008-11-25T20:03:00.000-08:00

When I was shopping for places to have my Maui wedding I got a lot of different suggestions from people that I've mentioned before like the Five Palms and the Olowalu Plantation House. But I will always remember a woman I talked to while shopping in Maui who told me about her wedding at the King Kamehameha Golf Course, elaborating with such excitement about how wonderful this location was that it really made an impression on me.

Researching this location I found that there are two different locations in which to hold your wedding ceremony...

Option 1- The Ho'ohenu Room

The Ho'ohenu Room (ho'ohenu meaning "to cherish") is a beautiful indoor option for wedding ceremonies, perfect for a winter wedding or during rainy seasons.

Option #2- Kahalawai Terrace

Named after the West Maui Mountains; our outdoor wedding ceremony site overlooks water features, majestic Cook Island Pines, and the green isthmus of Central Maui gently sloping to the sea.

And with all the reception options you can easily find one to fit your needs no matter which ceremony site you choose!

Wedding Gazebo at the Kahili Golf Course

2008-11-25T00:17:00.001-08:00

How sweet is this-

Centrally located south of Wailuku in the town of Waikapu, the Kahili Golf Course and Restaurant makes a beautiful location for your Maui wedding. Plus they have this adorable little gazebo. And the Kahili Golf Course has plenty of reception options. If you're having a very small island wedding you could have a reception for as little as $100 if you rent out the 'A'a'ahi Conference Room for two hours, just enough time to have cake and champagne!

Maui wedding ensemble under $500

2008-11-24T23:16:00.000-08:00

This week I was inspired by the inspiration board contest over at DIY Bride to put together a wedding ensemble for under $500. The rules were you had to have the dress, a head piece like a veil, tiara or hair piece, jewelry and the shoes. Of course I did that all with products you can buy on Maui...

wedding dress: $151 (Fighting Eel)

hair accessory: $10 (KK Pacific)

earrings: $25 (Rocka Bella Jewels)

necklace: $50 (Rocka Bella Jewels)

sandals: $120 (Tamara Catz when available)

$356!

na hoku jewelry

2008-11-24T10:15:00.000-08:00

is my favorite jewelry store in the world and there are several of them on Maui. I've purchased a few of my favorite pieces of jewelry from their stores in Lahaina and Wailea. So when my boyfriend finally proposed to me on Maui he got the ring(s) from Na Hoku!

the first ring he proposed with - he bought the matching men's band

The rings he first bought were from their "Nalani" collection, which means "the heavens" in Hawaiian. They have other beautiful Hawaiian themed rings as well.

the plumeria ring & the maile lei ring are two of my favs

Not only is Na Hoku a great place to get your wedding rings but it's also a nice place to shop for bridesmaid gifts as well! I got my girls this necklace:

white gold floating plumeria pendant

Na Hoku has locations 8 locations in Maui. Click here to find locations on the mainland.

Inspiration Sunday - Lavender & Shells

2008-11-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

To demonstrate that just about everything you need to plan a perfect Maui wedding can be found on the island, I'm introducing "Inspiration Sunday" to the blog. Every Sunday I'm going to post an inspiration board for a wedding comprised of all things made on the island.

My very first inspiration board is what I call the lavender & shell themed wedding board:

The wedding colors are lavender and champagne and the there is a shell theme carried over from the invitation, to the beading on the wedding dress to the cake.

The beautiful gazebo would make the perfect ceremony site at the Alii Kula Lavender farm. The shell invitation is by Pixelhawaii.com, the flowers & chocolate bar favors are from the Alii Kula Lavender farm, the earrings are from Jonara Blue Maui, both dresses by Tamara Catz and the cake is by Maui Wedding Cakes.

Fighting Eel wedding inspiration

2008-11-22T10:15:00.000-08:00

Fighting Eel is a clothing company born in Hawaii, sold all over Maui, and rapidly getting big on the mainland. The clothing line offers a blend of sexy yet simple dresses and tops. And the best part about the clothes is that they're both versatile and comfortable, and can be worn with either flip-flops or high heels, which is every island girls dream.

Right now most of their online shop is on sale and while drooling over all their dresses I came upon one that could make a perfect Maui wedding dress...

This dress: SIENNA LONG is now only $151!

And not only did I get an idea for a wedding dress on the Fighting Eel website but I realized with all the repeating fabrics in several different designs you could have a really fabulous looking bridal party! I just did a quick collage of the different dresses in my favorite pattern-

Gotta love Fighting Eel, I sure do! And the clothing line is sold in four different shops on Maui and ALL OVER the mainland! Click here to find a vender near you.

Tamara Catz - SAMPLE SALE!

2008-11-21T19:29:00.000-08:00

Remember my previous post about Tamara Catz and how it's PERFECT for the Maui island bride!?

Yeah well, check this out...

Um, yeah, if you're on the island, GET OVER THERE!!!! And get me something too. ;)

Wedding Venue - The Five Palms Beach Grill

2008-11-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

The Five Palms Beach Grill is one of the perfect places in Maui to get married. And I may be a bit biased on this location because it's where I had my wedding reception. But this way you can take my word for it, it's awesome!

One of the cool things about the Five Palms is that you have two options as to where you can get married. There's always the beach and Keawakapu beach is literally steps away from the restaurant. Or there is a beautiful green lawn which is part of the restaurant and has the most amazing view of the Keawakapu beach.

a photo of a wedding on the lawn from the Five Palms website

Another great and convenient thing about the venue is that the restaurant is located at the beneath the Mana Kai condo/hotel. This is one stop shopping people!!! You can stay at the Mana Kai, get married on the beach or the beautiful green lawn and then have the reception at the Five Palms.

The other awesome aspect to this venue is that you have two places to hold your reception- the patio and the dining room. We had our reception on the patio of the Five Palms which was perfect for up to a 60 person wedding.

the patio at the Five Palms

the patio during our wedding reception

Or for larger wedding parties you can take it inside the restaurant where there is room for over 60 guests and a designated dance floor or buffet room!

the Five Palms dining room during the day

a cheesily blurred edge photo of a wedding setup from their website.

Want another reason to host your wedding party at the Five Palms? Okay- the food. It's amazing. The Five Palms is known for it's good food.

Want another reason? Okay- the price is so amazingly reasonable that, seriously, you'd be crazy not to hold your wedding at the Five Palms. (Especially when you consider the fact that right next door Sarento's charges more money to just rent the place out than our entire wedding cost.)

To see more pictures of a wonderful wedding on Keawakapu beach and reception at Five Palms check out my flickr set here.

Wedding Venue - Sarentos On the Beach

2008-11-19T17:33:00.000-08:00

A breathtaking place to have both the wedding and the reception in Maui is a restaurant called Sarentos On the Beach. This place is literally ON Keawakapu beach... one of the employees told us that it was the last place on the island to get a permit to build so close to the water. Its' amazing! Inside their covered patio would be a fabulous place to have a wedding reception after getting married on the Keawakapu beach.

a view inside the covered patio of Sarento's

the view of the beach from the restaurant

The major problem I found with Sarento's was this- if you want to have music and dancing we were told that we'd have to rent the entire place out no matter what size the wedding was. And the cost- $18,000!!! But if you have that kind of cash, it's a very impressive reception venue!

Maui jewelry designer - RockaBella Jewels

2008-11-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

I discovered this next local Maui vendor while shopping for my wedding dress at the Tamara Catz store. I was admiring the incredible jewelry on display by the register and I found out that a lot of the pieces were made by a store employee. Her name is Kristel Bandisch, and she's an incredible jewelry designer! She has an online jewelry store called RockaBella Jewels. All the pieces are hand made on Maui and all of them are stunningly beautiful and would make the perfect compliment to your wedding ensemble as a Maui bride.

jewelry on display at Tamara Catz

I fell in love with the Coral Lure necklace- "charms of angelskin coral, shells, citrine briolette, sharks tooth, peridot and adventurine aligned on a 14 karat gold filled chain. Add a small gold disc with word or phrase of your choice." This necklace was perfect because most all the charms had special meaning- the coral because it was a theme in our wedding, peridot is my birthstone, the shark tooth because Aaron was attacked by a shark! It was too perfect.

RockaBella Jewels Coral Lure necklace

So I ordered it. And asked her to customize it a bit for me. And I had the customizable disc engraved with our wedding date, 10.10.08 and I had her leave off the larger piece of coral because it was a little to pink for my liking. And what I received from her a few days before my wedding has now become my FAVORITE necklace!

my coral lure necklace.

I was going to wear this on my wedding day, but then my friend gave me the good advice that it might get caught in my many leis (I had about 4!). So because I was afraid that getting it tangled in my leis may break the necklace, I wore it for every other party instead!...

"Welcome to Maui" party before the wedding | "Hangover Lunch" after the wedding

And lucky for you- right now RockaBella customers can enjoy the 50% off sale until 2009! (Did someone say Christmas gifts???) So head over to her website and pick up some AMAZING deals on the prettiest jewelry you'll ever see! And say hi to Kristel for me!

Organic beach wedding set-up

2008-11-14T14:15:00.000-08:00

Found this photo of a beach wedding ceremony site from the Orange County section of the Classic Party Rentals website and it just blew me away!

If you can't tell, those brown things are darkened pieces of driftwood, the green flowers are hydrangeas (I think) and there are big shells arranged along the driftwood. I think the addition of the white sand to the isle is such an easy yet clever idea. And the best part is that everything in this set up is organic! (Including the stands which are made of wood blocks.) What a great idea for an organic or green wedding on the beach!

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Kisses From Maui

2008-11-13T15:59:00.003-08:00

One of my favorite local product discoveries of all time are the lip balms & glosses from a company aptly named "Kisses From Maui."

They're hand poured and made on the island of Maui with natural ingredients like mango butter, cocoa butter, almond oil, avocado oil, coconut oil and beeswax. Those ingredients combine to create the perfect formula- silky smooth, never sticky, great smelling and goes on clear. And the smooth compact profile fits perfectly in your jeans pocket!

The best selling of the lip balms is called "I'm Naked Under This Lip Gloss" in a pretty pink color. But my personal favorite is a tie between "Atomic Tangerine" and "One Love... Maybe Two." But if you're looking for a little color, Kisses From Maui also makes lip glosses, or "lip shimmers" as they call them with awesome names like "Baked Till Golden Bronze" & "Red my Lips."

From Left to Right: Atomic Tangerine, 'Maui' lip balm with lip shimmer, Pink Champagne

lip shimmer

and Mango Mango pictured below.

I love these glosses so much that I included them in my "Welcome to Maui" bags that I gave all the guests that came to my wedding. Though, they could also make fabulous wedding favors too or bridal party gifts!

Wedding Location - Olowalu Plantation House

2008-11-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

One of the most, if not THE most, perfect places to have a wedding on Maui is at the Olowalu Plantation House Estate. It's the perfect place to host a large island wedding.

The 1920's plantation estate is one of the most popular wedding sites. The historical property is perched on the edge of the Pacific, with a lanai that overlooks a large oceanfront lawn. The property is graced with palms, naupaka and huge monkeypod trees providing welcome shade from the warm Lahaina sun.

Olowalu by day

Follow your wedding with a privately catered dinner & dancing under the stars for a night you will always cherish.

Olowalu at night.

This was the first place that I thought of to have our wedding. But it was bit to pricey for our small budget. But if you can afford it, you will NOT regret having an amazing wedding here!

Maui Wedding Dresses by Tamra Catz

2008-11-11T12:18:00.000-08:00

If you're thinking about getting married on the beach you're going to have to plan your wedding dress accordingly. That's where Maui's own Tamara Catz makes your decision easy!

inside the Tamara Catz store in Paia, Maui.

I searched and searched for the perfect beach wedding dress and found only ONE decent dress under $1000. I thought that was ridiculous. Most of the "affordable" dresses that looked like they'd be light and flowy, perfect for the beach, only just looked that way. They were actually very heavy because they were made of cheaper fabrics. The best dresses were WAY out of my many people's price range.

And then I found Tamara Catz and ALL of her dresses were beautiful, light and airy, and comfortable! AND most all of them were under $1000! Sweet deal.

screenshot from her website

collage that I made

I walked into her store in Paia and ended up simply choosing the one that fit me the best, but I loved all of them equally and I seriously would have been happy with any one of them. But if you don't have the convenience of either living on Maui or visiting the island before your wedding, you can always order from her website.

me in my Tamara Catz dress- front view before the wedding (where my leis aren't obstructing the view)

& a back view during the wedding

The Honolulu Advertiser wrote an article on Tamara Catz where they quoted her as saying, "I wanted to create a beautiful dress that's suitable for an Island bride — not a Cinderella dress that you put on and suddenly you're someone else," Catz said. "When you wear it, you are part of the environment and you look like an Island girl, but in a wedding way," Catz said. And that's exactly how I felt when I wore my dress. I felt like me, but the wedding version of me and I felt very in tune with the environment around me. My dress got wet, it got sandy and it made me feel like the perfect island bride.

E Komo Mai!

2008-11-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

Aloha!!! Welcome to "My Maui Wedding - Local Style!" As I said in the description, this blog was inspired by my wedding on the beach in Maui and it's here to help you plan your Maui wedding.

There were so many reasons that we decided to get married in Maui, the main reason being that my husband, Aaron, was attacked by a shark there in October of 2007. So we thought that having a wedding on Maui a year later would be a great way to celebrate the fact that he survived the attack. It's also both of our favorite places on Earth!

While planning our wedding I wanted to use as many local products as possible in order to support the local economy and people of Maui who supported us so much when we were "stuck" on the island during Aaron's recovery.

Aaron & me in the ER after the shark attack.

From doing this I realized that you can really get whatever you need from islands alone! Another added bonus to this is that you save on shipping when you order your wedding products! Often times paying to ship something like say, the wedding favors, will often cost as much as the favors themselves. So why not give something back to the islands that are giving so much to you - the most beautiful wedding you could ever imagine!

If you want to check out all the crazy things I went through trying to plan MY Maui wedding, check out my blog- misadventures in wedding planning

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