Hawaii

Maui Wedding Reviews & Photos!

Hello ladies!

I wanted to do my official reviews for you all because I found so much help on this site.Sorry it took so long but married life has been amazing and busy! Get ready because it’s long lol. Thank you all for helping me make my wedding day above and beyond. We were married on 9/26 at the Olowalu Plantation Estate. It is beautiful there!!! Our scouting trip confirmed that there was no other place we would rather be married, but for those who booked without seeing the place, just know you did not chose wrong. All of the vendors below worked well with each other and really showed their professionalism.

We did not bother with reserving group rates at hotels as everyone had their own idea of where they wanted to stay. Don’t feel pressured to arrange travel for your guests it’s their vacation as well and it takes one more thing off your plate.

We did OOT bags but passed them out before the wedding. Instead of goodies for the room we put in goodies for the trip. (Maui tourism magazine, travel size products, postcards, maps, beach mats, etc.). We gave them out about 3 weeks prior to the wedding and people went nuts. It got them so excited for the trip.

Flowers: I did them myself! Yup call me crazy but I just didn’t want to spend that kind of money on something that would last forever. I’d say each dinner table cost me under $10! I used all the local grocery stores and even did my own aisle petals. It’s super easy if you just do the prep work prior to your arrival. I mailed all my supplies to our condo as well.

   

Dress: It went in my checked luggage! Yes I said it…I put it in a bag, folded it in 3 and I was done. It did not need steaming but just a bit of touch up which my Mom completed in 5 min. Since we flew from San Diego, it was a non-stop flight but had we had a layover somewhere I would not have risked my luggage getting lost.


 

DIY: I had lots of DIY projects which included: personalized name cards, ceremony programs, chair aisle flowers, bridal bouquet, MOH bouquet, Lauhala wedding favors, STD, invites, OOT bags, seating chart, card box, bar menus, décor flowers, table names, bathroom baskets etc. Was it worth all the trips to the craft store, late nights, & shipping? Absolutely. Our wedding really showed our personalities and the guests really appreciated all the detail.

Unique things: Custom carved guestbook from Portugal, cake toppers, wedding day painting.


 

Now for the reviews!

Rehearsal – Old Lahaina Luau

What a great place to gather with friends and family. 33 of the 41 guests joined us for dinner and luau the night before the wedding and it was a blast. It helps when  everyone  has a chance to hang out before the big day that way they are not doing intro’s during the wedding. The luau food was good and the entertainment was excellent. The only issue we had was will call. Some of the bridal party members didn’t have tickets because the hostess gave their seats to non-bridal party guests. It all got sorted in the end but it took a few go-arounds to get everyone their tickets.

Day of Coordination – Your Aloha Wedding Co. A++++++++

My husband and I cannot say enough good things about Kara from Your Aloha Wedding Co. Another bride on the Hawaii board recommended her to me after I found out my first coordinator inflated prices. Needless to say, Kara was amazing. Her rates were dead on, her response time was not what you’d call “island time” and her attention to detail was amazing.

The most important thing for me when choosing a coordinator was their willingness to be flexible. I like to do a lot of research on my own and Kara had no problem with me booking my own vendors. She was also right there to help me when I didn’t know who to book or where to turn. She also was a great listener who executed my vision perfectly.  I would highly recommend Kara to anyone needing simple day-of coordination or full blown wedding planning.

Catering – Food for The Soul A++++++++

One word. WOW! I thought our tasting with FFTS was good but man the apps/dinner/drinks served at our wedding was over the top. Tina and Rob are the sweetest people and they put their hearts and souls into their service. My guests raved and are still talking about the food. People were chasing down the wait staff because they could not get enough of the appetizers. Feeding my guests a really good meal was at the top of my list because I wanted them to be treated nicely for coming all the way for our wedding.

Tina and her team delivered above and beyond. Tina also does some coordinating on the side so she was like a second coordinator for me. She has a good relationship with other vendors on the island and can recommend or hire others for you. FFTS is a one stop shop because all your rentals come with the price (Chairs, tables, linens, etc.) She can also order lighting for you. We also were able to just went the bartender/bar setup and purchased our own alcohol from Costco...so much cheaper and our guests had a fantastic time with the open bar all night long!

For the price, service and quality, you will not find a better bet than going with FFTS. I hope to have my 1 year anniversary dinner catered by them when we return to the island. I have been crazing their Creamy Asian Salad dressing for weeks now… Tina’s husband Rob makes their sauces from scratch. Simply delicious!!! 


 


Photography – Aihara Visuals A++++++++

Kim Aihara was the first vendor I booked. Her images are creative and her style is photojournalistic. Not to mention she is a sweet person who we had a great time with on Maui. I love Kim and she is also not on “Island Time”. I cannot express to you how comforting it is to know that within a day of sending an email or asking a question, a response would be waiting for me. This was really important because it made me feel a bit more connected as I planned the destination wedding.

Kim is on time, professional and well equipped to climb rocks and get wet if it means getting the perfect shot. Her pictures are beautiful. She did my engagement shoot and wedding and both have left us missing Maui dearly.  Her rates are reasonable and we received a CD with nearly 300 photos from our engagement shoot….AND 800 photos from our wedding day! I have plenty to choose from now when making our wedding album. Here are a few of my favorites…


   
 

 
 

Minister – Pia Aiuli  A++++++++

I love him!!! He is the sweetest and most kind of all the vendors. There is something so calming about him and yet he has the fun spirit of Hawaii. His ceremony was beautiful and when he performed a Hawaiian chant the guests were blown away. His service can be modified based on your liking from traditional words to modern which allowed us to really make sure the ceremony matched our personalities. I would not hesitate to book him and I would recommend him to everyone….his dates fill up very quickly so if you want a chance I would book sooner than later. We almost missed out which would have been really sad. 



DJ – DJ Dan Viola  A++++++++

Dan is a blessing! I have never met anyone who loves his job more than Dan. His passion for weddings is magical and his professionalism is reassuring. You cannot go wrong with Dan. He will put your nerves at ease, keep things moving along, make all your announcements, provide lighting, as cell as all your ceremony music needs.

Dan is NOT on island time. He operates like he is on the mainland and responded to all my emails within a day. I cannot stress enough how important it is to be able to get a hold of all your vendors. Choose wisely as many are slow to respond to calls and emails. Dan is not one of them….he basically allowed us to relax and enjoy the night without having to check the clock every few minutes. He lifted a major weight off our shoulder. He also knows his stuff and can get you any song on site since he brings his Mac with his for the reception. You cannot go wrong with DJ Dan.

Hair & Make-up – Karine Cummings Bridal Hair on Maui A++++++++

I think that Karine is one of the most fun, energetic and creative people I have met is a long time. Let me start by saying that Karine and her team did my hair/make-up along with 5 others only hours after she returned from a trip from France. I will admit I was concerned but her and I clicked so much over the phone she decided to squeeze me in.

Hair & make-up with Karine is a wild ride. She danced, sang and entertained me and my girls the entire time. She says the funniest craziest stuff and really got our energy up and my mind off of all the wedding stuff. She does fantastic work and created looks that each of us loved. Her rates are awesome for those who want to be pampered but may not have the funds to go all out. She does airbrush makeup and for me it was amazing. Be sure to check her out, the reservation process is easy, she is quick to call you and was a great addition to our wedding vendor team.



Maui Sweet Cakes – Heidi Cramer  A++

I booked Heidi after I was talked out of doing my own cupcake tower. Yes I actually considered doing my own cupcakes. I am so glad we decided to go with Heidi instead. She met me and my hubby at the Lahaina Barnes & Noble since we were on that part of the island. She gave a great tasting presentation and the cakes/fillings were fresh. We wanted a cake that wasn’t too heavy and not too sweet. She fit the bill. Honestly we had more email contact than anything but she was pleasant to deal with and the end-product was exactly what we asked for.

After tasting with Maui Wedding Cakes (dry) and a few others, she was by far the best. She also does dessert bars for those who may want to spice things up for their guests. All in all she was a great pick who came highly recommended by another bride on here! Thanks Diana!!!!


 

Video – Your WebCast, Brian Rothen  A++++

I will admit that video was never a big deal for us other than we knew we wanted to have it, we wanted all the raw footage, and we wanted a few different angles. With that being said, Brian created a video for us that captured all the special moments and more. He was so affordable! My coordinator hired him for us and he did a super job. We got more than what we wanted and we are so glad we put out the extra money for the video. Brides if you are on the fence….DO IT! I got to see things from my wedding day I otherwise would have missed out on. Not having a wedding video was the number one regret of my girlfriends and watching my video now, I would have been really sad not to get to re-live that day. It goes by so fast, the video helps make it a clearer memory.

Maui Wedding Painter – Julia Copeland A++++++++

I wanted something unique from our wedding day and that’s exactly what we got when we hired Julia. Maui is so beautiful and during our scouting trip I could not help but fall in love with the plein air artists. Anyone who has been to or is having their wedding at Olowalu knows that it is a special place. What better way to capture the day, scenery and beauty than to have your own painting done as you are saying your vows! For my hubby and I, it was our first piece of art that we hope to pass down to our future kids/grandkids. Julia is amazing to work with and such a sweet spirited person.  I’m so glad we were able to have her for our big day!!!

  
 
 Kiss






 


 

 

 
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Re: Maui Wedding Reviews & Photos!

  • Great photos!
    I also got married at Olowalu and it is just an amazing place.  FFTS was the BEST!  Tina was one of my favorite vendors to work with.  I have to agree with you about Karine- she was a crack up!  It is kind of a wild ride with her, but she sure makes it fun and you don't feel any stress.  Plus, she is fast!  I couldn't believe we were done early with so many women getting hair and makeup (and she redid two of my bridesmaids hair!)
    Congratulations on what sounds like a fantastic day.
  • Thanks for the reviews! As a future Olowalu bride I am using many of the same vendors so hearing all these great things really keeps me excited and calm that everything will turn out great! Glad to hear you had such a wonderful day!
  • Thanks for the reviews, super helpful for me as I've never been to Hawaii and we just started planning our June wedding! I just booked Pia, and I'm told by my photographer as well that he is a wonderful man. I think I saw on a post that you were planning on staying at Aina Nalu, did you end up there? I am considering that complex. The condos look very up to date, close to town, etc, but it would be nice to know what you thought of it. Thanks!
  • You're welcome! Glad I was able to suggest a vendor! She was great at our wedding, too. :)
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  • Awesome reviews!  Love how everything turned out, too :)
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  • Awesome reviews!  Love how everything turned out, too :)
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