this is the code for the render ad
Community› Wedding Discussion Boards› Destination Weddings Discussions
Destination Weddings Discussions
New Discussion

Scared out of my mind

jessi_428jessi_428
First Comment
in Destination Weddings Discussions
I guess I'm just trying to vent (and get ideas and feedback). I live in Houston and I'm trying to plan a wedding in Maui for October 2010, along with a reception when I return home. I don't have boatloads of money. Honestly, if I could pull it all off for $8,000, I'd be ecstatic. I expect a few people to come Maui with us, maybe 10 - 15, so I would like to have a small something after the ceremony. I'm not really the best party planner (which is why I wanted to go away) and I don't have an endless budget. I've only been engaged about two and a half weeks, but I already feel the stress creeping on. I've only seen one Maui post in this forum. It looks like everyone recommends Jamie and Lori from Tropical Maui Weddings. I'm hoping I'll feel a little better after I've talked to them. We'll see. Anyone out there who's planning a Maui wedding or who has already had a Maui wedding that has any recommendations or just words of advice? I could definitely use the good vibes. Happy planning!
Report Reply to Post

Re: Scared out of my mind

  • JSBB2010JSBB2010 member
    100 Comments
    Girl, don't you worry. Ladybird9 is getting married in Maui in just a few weeks and she has a great bio. Lot's of ideas and info to make it easy for you. Check it out or send her a message. She is very nice and helpful. I don't know much about Maui, but I will be glad to help you with anything you need. Don't stress, it will work out.
    Report Reply
  • LadyBird9LadyBird9
    500 Comments
    Hey Girl!!! YAY! I am getting married in Maui!!! You can absolutely pull off a wedding in Maui for 8K... what kind of wedding are you looking for? Big resort? On the beach? On a cliff? Feel free to email me - sarah.bergman at ymail dot com. Congrats on your engagement and I look forward to talking to you! I haven't gotten to help another Maui bride so I am really excited :-)
    Report Reply
  • MzelleRicaineMzelleRicaine member
    500 Comments
    I'm just here to send you the good vibes ::: good zen vibes transmission ::: *m*
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    DW Siggy: Current Books
    image
    White Knot
    image 149 Received the invite of the century. image 90 are coming to party with the unicorns! image 37 will miss out on the good food and eat hot pockets instead. image 22 think I'm psychic.

    My Bio, updated 4/24/11
    Report Reply
  • chosen175chosen175 member
    1000 Comments
    I don't know a thing about Maui, but I've been to Oahu and found out some things that you might want to know.  The biggest one is the location of your hotel - you do NOT need to be smack dab in the middle of the busiest hotel row.  Sometimes even going 2-3 blocks away from the beach can save you tons of money.  You can then look for a wedding coordinating company and pick the most GORGEOUS site they have for your ceremony but really.... who cares where you're staying?  You will be in paradise and have lots of time to make wonderful memories.  Where you lay your head at night doesn't matter.Also, consider doing lots of research on flights, even if you're working with a TA.  When my bff and I went to Hawaii years ago, we were able to find a cheaper deal on our airfare than the TA.  The reason being, she worked only with the airlines, and her main focus was on package deals and hotels.  The package deals tend to put you on the least full flights, without regard to price.  We saved about $400 on our trip by only booking the hotel through the TA and booking airfare on our own.In the end, you only NEED the officiant and your FI.  The rest of the stuff is all just bonuses. Hang in there.  Oh, and congrats on your engagement!
    Report Reply
  • carrieoz_76carrieoz_76 member
    2500 Comments Combo Breaker
    First, congrats on your engagement.  Enjoy it!  Don't let planning stress you out - especially planning a Maui wedding.  They don't have to be that scary to plan!I'm planning a Maui wedding for August 2010.  You can absolutely do it for under $8000.  Check out the Maui wedding board - there's lots of helpful brides on there planning their weddings.The first thing to figure out is how many guests, and whether you want a private ceremony at an estate that regularly holds wedding, a hotel, on the grounds of a restaurant, or on a public beach (for the low low price of FREE - after you pay for a beach permit).  If you decide to go the hotel or estate route there's some gorgeous options, but they're spendy.  I'd probably hire a WC about 12 months out if that's what we were doing, so they could help me get the reservation in.  If you're doing it on a beach, you don't need as much lead time, and you just need to think about reception locations, of which there are more than a few.Also, Lori from Tropical Maui Weddings comes highly recommended, but so do some other WCs who are less expensive.  Especially if you're planning a beach wedding, you don't need to hire a WC for a few months anyways, so you might as well do your homework.  I found it really reassuring to just talk to the WCs by phone - they'll let you know what your location and budget options are so you can make a decision.Best of luck!
    image
    My Bio
    Report Reply
  • suannochsuannoch
    100 Comments
    Hi Jesse - Congratulations on your engagement! I'm not doing a Maui wedding, but I am in Katy if you just need to bounce ideas off someone or an ear to vent to.
    Report Reply
  • jessi_428jessi_428
    First Comment
    I know this is super late, but thanks for all the feedback. I have my ceremony all booked and my coordinator has been great. We're getting married at the resort that we're staying at ... Ka'anapali Beach Club. Instead of having a traditional reception, we're just going to treat our guests to a luau. I'm actually getting pretty excited!
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards