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Maui Photography Blog

By Joanna Tano
Dreamy Wedding at Olowalu Plantation House

Dreamy Wedding at Olowalu Plantation House

Nov 19, 2019 |

Rachael and Craig had a dreamy tropical wedding at the beautiful Olowalu Plantation House on Maui. It was such an honor to capture all of the beauty and love of their special day!

Wedding Team: 

Kale Ka’alekahi
Tropical Maui Weddings
Feather and Fern
 Meili Autumn Beauty
Cafe Ole
 DJ Del

 

 

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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Stunning White Orchid Beach House Wedding

Stunning White Orchid Beach House Wedding

Jul 2, 2018 |

White Orchid Beach House Weddings

I loved capturing Brooke and Brit’s tropical wedding day. The couple had a lovely vision that came to life through the creative talents of White Orchid Wedding’s coordination team. It’s always a pleasure to photograph White Orchid Beach House Weddings because there are such dramatic and beautiful backdrops and the overall feel is secluded and intimate. Brooke and Brit, thank you for having me photograph your beautiful day!

Wedding Credits:

Video: Stephen Boker Films
Wedding Venue: White Orchid Beach House
Officiant: Pia Alului
Coordinator: Patty Flax of White Orchid Wedding
Florist: Asa
Hair & Makeup: Heather Ellisyn
Caterer: Three’s
From the Bride:

Q. What is your proposal story?

A. One Friday morning, Britt called and surprised me with a trip to San Diego for the weekend. On the phone he said, “Be home by 2:30 and pack your bags. The train leaves at 5:00!”

I, of course was suspicious, but had no idea what elaborate plans Britt had secretly made.

He told me that Saturday night, we would go to a nice dinner at Hotel del Coronado. We took an uber down to the hotel. I was very confused when Britt told the driver to keep going past the hotel to the next street. There, Britt escorted me down to the beach all dressed up in heels and all and asked me to marry him. I am so happy with how everything turned out. From the dress that look so long to choose, until a friend of mine I looked into something like Winnie Couture Atlanta to visit a bridal store, to then locating the venue, inviting guests and much more, I don’t think I could have asked for anything more!

Little did I know, Britt had hired a photographer to capture the whole thing. I had told him I really wanted a photographer after I had seen some beautiful pictures on this Web Site and I’m so glad he organised one for me! Britt had been planning this out for quite some time, involving our closest family and friends. He had even secretly driven 4 hours away to ask my parents for their blessing. Britt then had my mom, Lindsey, help him choose the ring to be made by their family jeweler.

Q. We’d love to know more about your wedding plans, especially what you’re doing to make your wedding special or unique for you. Tell us what you envision your ideal wedding to be like.
A. Our vision is very traditional Hawaiian. We’ll have an “E Komo Mai” welcome sign, bamboo chairs, and a musician playing the ukulele during the ceremony and cocktail hour. We fell in love with the beauty of the views and the grounds of the beach house. We’re looking forward to our pictures along the Makena Beach. I’ve always envisioned tropical flowers and white orchids for my wedding, so those are a big part of my day. We have a “Just Maui’d” sign that we’d love to use as a prop after the ceremony. We know that the day is going to fly by and we’re hoping that your pictures will help us capture all the little moments from throughout our day. We’re open to some fun photos too, such as Britt carrying me over his shoulder, etc. Another must have for me was lighting once the sun went down. We’ll have lots of cafe lights and Maui moons strung across the venue. Your pictures with the lighting similar to ours are gorgeous!

maui bride and flower girl makena beach wedding kiss stunning white orchid beach house sunset

Stunning White Orchid Beach House Weddings

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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Sweet Kapalua Bay Engagement

Sweet Kapalua Bay Engagement

Jul 2, 2018 |

Kapalua Bay Engagement Photos

These two lovebirds were recently engaged and had the wonderful idea of having some photos taken while they were vacationing in Hawaii. It was great to meet up with this adorable couple and capture some Maui Engagement Photos. Thank you for having me as your Maui Engagement Photographer! It was wonderful to capture your love!

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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Elegant Wedding at Sheraton Kaanapali

Elegant Wedding at Sheraton Kaanapali

Jun 29, 2018 |

Elegant Sheraton Maui Weddings

Casey and Patrick traveled to Maui with a large group of friends and family from California to celebrate their love and wedding day! Its great the capture Sheraton Maui Weddings because the grounds are so beautiful and offer a variety of backdrops: greenery, ocean view and sunset. Thank you Casey and Patick for having me there to capture your special day!

Casey’s description of the wedding day:
“It was MAGICAL PERFECTION and island cocktail party at its finest!     My main vision was focusing on tons and tons of white with minimal hints of gold shells and pineapples…..I wanted it to look like a chic beach club in the Mediterranean with white lace, white canopies, and white flowers everywhere but still encompassing a spirit of Aloha and Hawaiian traditions.”
“Envisions and the Sheraton decorated everything for us!  We had white canopies and white parasols for sun shade for guests.  Then, the aisle, alter, and centerpieces were all white tropical flowers like orchids, torch ginger, etc.  There was a cocktail reception with high tables with large gold pineapples as centerpieces and each cocktail food or drink item was presented in its own white canopied section. We made sure to focus on having a ton of awesome food at the cocktail party and that was a huge hit before we all sat down for dinner.   The catered coconut idea and canopy was so cute with their huge bohemian umbrella!  Guests absolutely loved this as well as the whole pig we served as pork bun sandwiches.  As for the dinner table centerpieces and decor, there were white lace tablecloths and white shell style chargers.  All the flatware and glasses were gold or had hints of gold.  I just Loved the simplistic elegance and crispness of the all white flowers and table settings!”
Maui Wedding Professionals:

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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Morning Wedding at White Orchid Beach House

Morning Wedding at White Orchid Beach House

Jun 2, 2018 |

Tropical White Orchid Beach House Wedding Photos

Sylvia and Feng celebrated their love at White Orchid Beach House. The morning ceremony, delicious brunch and tropical vibe was so beautifully executed by White Orchid Wedding!  Congrats to this very sweet couple! It was an honor to capture your wedding day!

Wedding Venue: White Orchid Beach House
Coordinator: White Orchid Wedding

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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Lovely Hui No’eau Upcountry Maui Wedding

Lovely Hui No’eau Upcountry Maui Wedding

May 9, 2018 |

Emily and Brian’s Hui No’eau Maui Wedding Photos

Emily and Brian chose the Hui No’eau as their wedding venue on Maui and it was the perfect place! Rolling hills and panoramic views of Maui enhanced the beauty of their day.  Platinum Weddings Maui designed and coordinated this lovely event and did a phenomenal job! Tropical Protea flower bouquets added a lovely touch to this country wedding. Emily and Brian are both school teachers so as they decided it would be fitting to have all of their guests arrive by school bus. They had a unique vision and for their dinner they had a gourmet lunch truck cater the wedding, which the guests loved! Congratulations to the lovely couple! It was an honor to capture these Hui No’eau Maui Wedding Photos!

Wedding Credits:
Design and Decor: Platinum Weddings & Events
Bakery: Leoda’s Pies
Caterer: Iron Imua BBQ
Coral Crush Maui
Equipment Rentals: Island Rents
Beauty: Love and Beauty Maui
DJ: Maui DJ Services
Floral Designer: Floral Designs Maui
Officiant: Vene Chun
Music: Manutea Nui e
Event Venue: The Hui No’eau

From the Bride:

Q: Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?

A: More than anything, we wanted our day to be a laid back, but fun time for everyone. We envisioned everyone smiling, dancing, and enjoying themselves. We did everything we could to set up a wedding that allowed people to eat, drink, and be merry. And that’s exactly how it went. As far as style or color palette, we wanted to incorporate the beauty and traditions of Hawaii without making our theme explicitly Hawaiian.

Q: Let’s talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?

A: The Hui is such a beautiful venue that not a lot of decor was needed. The most important part of my vision was the reception furniture and layout. We wanted our reception to have a “lounge-like” feel. Our coordinator, Amber, executed that vision beautifully by incorporating wicker furniture and sofas.

Q: What were the florals like in your wedding? Did you use flowers in any of your design elements like the bridal bouquets, centerpieces or ceremony backdrop? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding?

A: More gorgeous than I ever could have imagined. My bouquet was to die for. Muted Hawaiian flowers with sprigs of greenery and ribbon tied. I loved the giant protea in the center.

Q: Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?

A: We didn’t have a seated dinner; instead, we had a cocktail hour feel to the dinner and served our guests American style BBQ compliments of The Iron Imu food truck. Everyone raved about the meal. Our guests were incredibly complimentary of the food. We live in Korea, so we chose to make our grand reception entrance to “Gangnam Style” by Psy. We danced our way into the tent along to our theme song. Our guests loved it!

Q: How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.

A: Brian and I met working at a restaurant while we were both attending university at SDSU. We dated for 2 months and then in 2010 I went off on what I thought was going to be a year-long adventure in Korea. Long story short, I got a great job at a university there and decided to stay on longer. He joined my there in 2011. Since then, we’ve both gotten jobs at the same international K-12 school. He teaches Pre-Kindergarten and I’m a high school English teacher. We’ve been living in Korea all this time. We love our jobs and our neighborhood and we’ve gotten to travel to amazing places over the years.

Q: What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?

A: We wrote our vows the day of the wedding. Each time I tried to write them leading up to the wedding, I would cry too much, so I would stop. Brian just put it off, I think. 🙂 When he left the morning of the wedding to go get ready, I asked him if he had written his vows yet. He hadn’t. Neither had I. At 12:45 (our wedding was at 2) I wrote mine sitting on the floor in our Maui condo while my bridesmaids got their hair and makeup done. Reading them to one another in the ceremony was the best part of the day. We said almost exactly the same things!

Q: Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?

A: Get a wedding coordinator! Make sure you’ve set up your day to be fun and laid back for you and your partner. Don’t worry about making the rounds and seeing everyone; worry about living every moment as though it is the best day of your life. If you approach it that way, it will be. Oh, and do a destination wedding and only invite the people you really love.

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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Ironwoods Maui Engagement Photos

Ironwoods Maui Engagement Photos

May 8, 2018 |

Sweet Kapalua Engagement Session

I was trilled to capture Amy and Cody’s engagement photos at the tree line in Kapalua and down at Ironwoods beach. It was wonderful to meet them and spend some time getting to know them before I photograph their Maui wedding in this summer. What an adorable couple. Amy and Cody, Thank you for choosing me as your wedding photographer and for your Maui engagement photography session. I’m so excited for your wedding!

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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Four Seasons Wailea Engagement & Wedding

Four Seasons Wailea Engagement & Wedding

Apr 25, 2018 |

Lovely Four Seasons Wailea Elopement

Marisa and Hunter had a lovely Maui elopement. Their Four Seasons Wailea Wedding & Engagement Session allowed them to relax and really enjoy the wedding day and honeymoon together. I think it’s very sweet when couples decide to elope and focus the day completely on each and it was an absolute pleasure to be their wedding photographer!

Maui Wedding Photographer: Joanna Tano
Maui Wedding Venue: Four Seasons Wailea
Maui Wedding Hair and Makeup: Four Seasons Wailea Spa
Maui Wedding Flowers: Country Bouqets

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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White Orchid Beach House Wedding

White Orchid Beach House Wedding

Apr 20, 2018 |

Stunning White Orchid Beach House Wedding

It was wonderful to photograph Misa and Josh’s White Orchid Beach House Wedding. This beachfront property in Makena Maui is breathtaking! The combination of a secluded beach, lava rocks and a beautiful Maui sunset is the perfect recipe for wedding photos! The couple enjoyed celebrating their wedding day with close friends and family and celebrated into the evening with dinner and dancing under the stars. Congrats to this lovely couple!

Maui Wedding Venue: White Orhcid Beach House
Wedding Coordinator: White Orchid Weddings

 

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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Four Seasons Wailea Family Session

Four Seasons Wailea Family Session

Apr 19, 2018 |

Lifestyle Wailea Maui Family Photos

It was a pleasure photographing sweet moments for this sweet family on the beach at Four Seasons Wailea, Maui!

 

An elegant wedding, with a tranquil Pacific Ocean backdrop, was a natural choice for Jonathan and Krystal, who reside in the ocean town of Huntington Beach, California. Maui was also a natural choice for the couple, as Jonathan made his wedding proposal on one knee on a Maui beach, as part of a weeklong celebration of Krystal’s 30th birthday. The couple wanted a small intimate wedding and reception for their closest friends and families, so a Maui destination wedding was a “no-brainer” in Krystal’s words. The oceanfront setting of Olowalu Plantation offered a spectacular sunset. The meticulous preparations for the destination wedding were coordinated by Makena Weddings, with flowers by Dellables, hair and make-up by MeiLi, maid of honor gown by Maui clothing designer Show Me Your Mumu, and delectable dinner by Maui Catering Services. Overall, the joyous occasion was quite beautiful and romantic. 

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