Words by Jessie AllenPhotos courtesy of Chris J Evans
When Samantha and Corey set off to plan their destination wedding they had two requirements for the ideal location: somewhere tropical yet unique. That’s when the quaint town of Hana on Maui’s easter coastline piqued their interest and they booked an ultra-private resort venue site unseen.
“When we were able to visit six months later,” the couple says, “we fell even more in love with the exceptional venue. Hana, being incredibly unique and remote while breathtakingly stunning seemed like the perfect fit.”
However, not being familiar with the location posed a bit of a challenge at the beginning of the planning process, so Samantha and Corey knew they needed a solid planner on their side. Enter Jennifer at Mauna Creative.
“Having a Maui wedding planner who knows the island so well and is versed in the subtleties of such a rare location helped guide the planning and design process,” the couple says.
With a handful of amazing local vendors on Samantha and Corey’s W-day team, the couple could focus their efforts on thoroughly communicating travel logistics to guests. Hana is accessible one of two ways: a very small plane from Maui to Hana or via one of the most famously beautiful, windy and narrow 3-hour drives in the world. Luckily, their thorough communication paid off because everyone arrived in awe of the destination and ready to celebrate Samantha and Corey in true Maui fashion.
The exceptional day ended in a tented reception in the middle of a rain forest by the original Hawaiian Chief’s plantation home, the couple and their guests made their way to the resort’s horizon pool to end the evening enjoying each other’s company under the stars.
After a successful and joyous celebration, the couple leaves us with this bit of insight:
“Be bold in your decision to travel far, embrace the unique and that helps create the most memorable moments.”
Vendors: Photographer/Videographer: Chris J Evans; Wedding Planner: Jennifer Pletcher of Mauna Creative; Venue: Hana-Maui Resort; Florist: Asa Flowers; Officiant: Kameran Fernandez; Tent: Rio Event Design; Cake: Cake Fanatics; Music: DJ Tony; Stationery: Minted
Kelsey and Elliott are from Colorado and connected with Mauna Creative, who is both Colorado and Maui based, before finding their venue and together we decided the Ritz Carlton was the perfect venue for their early January wedding post holidays, what better place to escape the Colorado snow and start the new year! Their vibe was a blend of elegant and tropical and they are vibrant, joyful people and wanted to reflect that in their colors. The florals by Asa florals reflected that with more color than our more traditional weddings and brought a vision to life that was bright and celebratory.
Originally published on New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/01/style/maui-weddings-wildfire.htmlSome couples are continuing to plan nuptials on the island recently devastated by wildfires. “Moving forward and capturing positive emotions is to be of service,” one local photographer said.
Destination wedding dreams come true at this Maui must-see. Lesley Murphy of The Bachelorette marries the man of her dreams at this fairytale day planned by Mauna Creative. Utterly romantic blooms designed by Asa Flowers will have you head over heels in love, and every picture perfect moment is elegantly captured in exquisite imagery by Chris J Evans Photography. You won't want to miss a single detail inside the full gallery.