Formal wedding at Hale Ko’olani Estate, Maui, HI

Congratulations to Ryan and Jeannie!  A very elegant and stylish wedding on the island of Maui, Hawaii.

Photography by Lumiere Photography Hawaii with Anthony and Paulo

TOASTS AND SPEECHES

Who should give a speech and when? What should they say? Speeches normally occur toward the end of the meal or during the meal. You may have many or few. The main thing is that the special guests are thanked and the bridal couple is wished well for the future. The traditional order of speakers is:

Welcome speech
Grace
First course
Main course & dessert
Introduction of the bride and groom with toast
Groom responds & proposes toast to the bridesmaids. Thank everyone who has
contributed to the wedding day. Thank the bride
Bride’s speech. It’s ok to repeat what the groom said. You may choose to speak
together as a couple
Best man responds on behalf of the bride and groom to highlight the reception
Toast to bride’s parents by a relative or close friend
Father of the bride responds. Toast to bride and groom
Toast to groom’s parents by a relative or close friend
Groom’s father responds

If Auntie Pauline is dying to say something, forget the tradition and personalize your wedding. Likewise, if dad gets butterflies in his stomach when speaking in public, spare him the stress. As long as special guests are thanked and the newlyweds are wished the best, speeches and toasts are simply added to liven up the atmosphere.

Do you need a master of ceremonies? The MC is an important person for tying everything together so that the day runs smoothly. Your wedding coordinator will work closely with the MC to keep everything according to the timeline. Choose someone who has a great sense of humor, close friend or hire a professional MC.

Sound and lighting are important aspects. You may have music monitored to go with each introduction and lighting dimmed to the perfect ambiance. The music can create a “drum roll” or represent the one who will be introduced next.

America’s Top Luxury Destination Spa

EMBRACING THE MOUNTAINS, THE OCEAN AND YOU

Now that your wedding day is in the good hands of you wedding coordinator, imagine yourself in the spa of your dreams – where you take time to refresh and enjoy a healing journey designed just for you – in preparation for one of the most important days of your life. Imagine being surrounded by the breathtaking West Maui Mountains and the sparkling turquoise waters of the Kapalua Bay – soothed by beauty and the graciousness of Hawaiian hospitality. You have entered the ambiance of one of the best spas in the world.

Customized treatments have been developed using indigenous ingredients grown in the West Maui Mountains and have been carefully created to include the rich healing offerings from the Pacific Ocean. The hydrotherapy offers salt water in the ocean view infinity pool, refreshing bamboo rain falls, the sea salt eucalyptus steam rooms and cascading waterfall hot tubs. Here, the only spa of the islands that customizes massage treatments to exactly what your need. Facial therapies, exfoliations and cocoons and enhancing mini-treatments are designed to enhance your services. Professionally trained wellness and fitness service with state of the art fitness equipment and instruction are available on individual or group sessions.

Kapalua Spa provides the perfect corner of paradise for a tender and unforgettable Spa journey for the most romantic couple’s experience in the Hawaiian Islands. Come visit our private ocean view hales (outdoor huts). The Maui Romance package includes a refreshing and healthy lunch at the pool.

All of our brides and grooms will be pleased with the luxurious beauty salon that overlooks the Pacific Ocean and offers the most advanced in salon services. The team of stylists is trained under the watchful eye of celebrity stylist Billy Yamaguchi, master creator of the Feng Shui Beauty concept.

Your destination wedding will be complete with the Kapalua Spa services. You will enjoy the true sense of connection and belonging that stays with you long after your visit, through wellness, beauty and relaxation.

Contact your wedding coordinator at A Maui Wedding Day to book your ultimate wedding day experience. 808-280-0611 or Sandra@amauiweddingday.com

Kapalua Spa
2012 Winner of the Best Luxury Destination Spa in the USA

Your wedding day is one of the most memorable and happiest days of your life. Ask brides who have hired a professional wedding coordinator for their wedding, and they will tell you that it was worth every cent. A common misconception about hiring a wedding coordinator is that it is a luxury, but this is not usually the case. Having a professional, caring, detail oriented, and knowledgeable coordinator is key to a fabulous and successful wedding day. A professional wedding coordinator can add value to your special event.

Here are a few reasons couples should hire a wedding coordinator:

Vendor recommendations. A wedding planner has years of experience in working with wedding vendors, has established professional relationships with various vendors. Most vendors can work with your wedding budget and your wedding planner will be able to match the right vendor to meet your wedding style, budget and the couple’s personality.

Wedding design. Your wedding coordinator has helped to create and design hundreds of weddings. Wedding design is second to nature for most coordinators. Many brides and grooms are creative, but putting together creative ideas in an organized, cohesive, cost-effective, and timely manner may be affected by the wedding site, lighting, weather, or other outside elements. A wedding planner has the experience to put together creative elements that are beautiful and stunning.

Timeline. Although there are many sample time lines available on the Internet, a professional wedding planner can customize a timeline for each unique wedding. There is not a single timeline template that will work for every wedding. A wedding coordinator will be on site to make sure that your timeline is followed and allowing for last minute adjustments to the timeline, so that the wedding day runs smoothly.

Wedding Day. Your calm wedding coordinator has handled many wedding glitches in a smooth and professional manner. Most of all, the professional vendors that the wedding coordinator hired have the same experience and knowledge in providing excellent services for each wedding event.

In choosing a wedding coordinator, schedule a consultation and compare experience, design ability, personality. After speaking to a few coordinators, you will know which one will be the best fit for your special wedding event.

The promises you make to each other is the heart of your wedding ceremony and the most important part of your special day. Your wedding vows may be the most meaningful words you will ever say to each other. There is no right or wrong way to go about them.

When does music take part in the wedding ceremony? The prelude signals to guests that it’s time to assemble and be seated. The processional is played when the bridal party walks down the aisle. Play a steady, simple beat like Pachelbel’s Canon in D. The recessional starts when your are married! That should be jubilant feeling while the guests stand up from their seats and leave the ceremony.

Is a wedding program required? No. You may skip this tradition. If you decide to hand out programs, try to keep the same theme as your wedding invitations. Your wedding program should include the date, time, venue, your full names, the wedding party’s full names, and the officiant/minister. It is appropriate to thank your guests for attending, especially since most of them traveled by air to arrive at this remote island paradise. Keep it simple. You want your guests to view the ceremony while not fumbling through wedding program pages. Additional ideas may include your vows, songs, honor deceased or those who were not able to attend. You may wish to add your new address at the end of your program.

What is the order of the processional? It’s up to you! Traditional Order: Grandparents, Mother of the Groom, Mother of the Bride, Groomsmen (if not at the altar with the groom), Maid/Matron of Honor, Ring Bearer, Flower Girl, Bride and her Escort (father, both parents, friend or relative).

How should you handle cultural or religious differences? At the beginning of your wedding planning process, discuss this with your family members so concerns can be expressed. Bring elements from both beliefs. In the end, it may be a difficult decision, but decide what you both want, with the consideration of your family members, and hope that they will be happy for what you decide.

How do you obtain your Hawaii marriage license? In the state of Hawaii, you are required to bring your photo ID’s, just as you presented to the TSA at the airport security. There is an additional marriage licensing fee of $65. which will be paid directly to your licensing agent. They prefer to be paid in cash. Once your wedding ceremony is over, your wedding fficiant has 10 days of which to mail in your signed marriage certificate to the State of Hawaii. The processing time will be approximately 6 – 8 weeks. Your marriage licensing agent will provide you with a green expediting form to fill out if you would like to receive your marriage license sooner, by a week or two. Please mail your expedited form as soon after your wedding as possible. Your licensing appointment will take approximately 1/2 hr. There are several marriage licensing agents throughout the island of Maui. You should not have to drive too far to your appointment, unless your appointment is on a weekend. Some agents work on weekends or they will provide weekend services with advance notice from you.

How can we recognize special guests or loved ones in the wedding ceremony? Our Maui Wedding ceremonies honor special guests with a lei greeting. Your officiant will direct this special moment. Your Best Man may hold the special leis draped over his arm during the wedding ceremony, then hand them to the officiant when asked to do so. You may also honor the deceased with a lei tossed at sea. We will use a biodegradable lei string for this occasion so that we can protect our sea life. Other ways to honor the deceased is to light a candle, display a photo on a table near the altar, or place a lei on the unoccupied seat in the front row that would have been designated for the deceased guest. Ask the officiant for a moment of silence early in the ceremony as he/she mentions “those who are not here with us…”

Where do the guests take their seats? Traditionally the bride’s side is on one side and groom’s family sits on the other side of the aisle. You may choose to seat the immediate family on their perspective sides. The other guest may be seated where ever they are comfortable. The bride’s side usually sits on the left side, facing the altar.

How long should the ceremony last? Although there is no magic number, your wedding ceremony should last about 20 to 30 minutes.

If you enjoy our destination wedding tips, please subscribe to our blog. Please leave Maui wedding planning comments and questions below in the comments section.

Those colorful and thirsty little things called flowers can create so many options, it’s hard to choose what will work out the best for your Maui wedding and reception. Whatever you choose, it’s impossible for wedding flowers to look bad. Considerations when choosing wedding flowers:

Who gets corsages or boutonnières? Other than hair flowers for the girls in the wedding party, there are two groups that will need to be accessorized. They are the ones who will be standing in your ceremony and/or part of your wedding procession: The groomsmen, ring bearer, readers, ushers, parents, grandparents, siblings, and other special guests or relatives. The corsages and boutonnieres will identify these special guests to others. Since Hawaii is warm, wedding attire tends to be of light weight material for both the men and women. Therefore, the mothers and grandmothers may prefer a wrist corsage rather than a pin-on corsage, so that it doesn’t tug on their dress material or where would you pin a corsage on a strapless or spaghetti strap dress? The same applies to the men. If they are wearing an Aloha shirt, just skip the boutonnières. Thanks to the Aloha spirit, we have special leis for them to wear. boutonnières and corsages do not necessarily need to match the bridal bouquet exactly.

How do I choose the right centerpiece vases? A row of identical vases lined up on a long table or a group of vases in various shapes and sizes in the middle of round or square tables. Vases will be based on the flowers used in centerpieces. Long stems for taller vases, short square vases for short stems with larger heads. Be aware the trade winds arrive often in Maui, some areas more than others, affecting the height of the vases chosen. Colored candles can add the same affect as flowers in decorating your tabletops and add to your Maui wedding day romantic ambiance

When is the best time to have flowers delivered? At the latest possible moment, especially if it is to be set up outdoors in direct sunlight. Florists have refrigerated transportation, so the blooms can arrive fresh. Flower professionals who have experience arranging and setting up wedding flowers can judge the amount of time that it will take to do the job and make it look beautiful. They are quick and efficient, insuring your Maui wedding will look fresh and stunning!

Are there options besides carrying a bouquet? Yes. Consider carrying a prayer book, perhaps one that has been passed down to your by your great grandmother for such an occasion. A pomander is a flower globe suspended from a ribbon that slips over the wrist. How about a bunch of fragrant herbs and lavender? Have your flower girl toss lavender buds ahead of your entry down the aisle so your guests can enjoy the scent. Toss tuberose, the most fragrant of all Hawaii flowers. Other options include parasols, folding fans or leis for the parents and grandparents.

How can I re purpose the wedding flowers? If the thought of the lovely and expensive flowers being crushed into a trash bin after the wedding event makes you cringe, donate them to hospice, a nursing home, your child’s school teachers. Check out www.flowerpowerfoundation.org for more information.

Must I toss my bridal bouquet? No. Bouquet tossing, an age old tradition that says that the catcher of the bouquet will be the next to marry, is becoming less and less common. Your friends may feel silly lining up in front of the couples and wedding guests. Like many other wedding traditions, this is one that may be broken. Instead, present your bouquet to your best friend, who stood by your side during the entire wedding planning process, helping make some of the many decisions.

How can we cut costs when making our flower choices for the wedding and reception? If you hang small arrangements off the aisle chairs, you can reuse them at the reception by placing them on the hi boys, bar or buffet tables. The same goes for the floral topiaries that you may choose to have set up at your altar. You may ask your caterers or food servers to help move the arrangements. Have your florist leave enough vases for the the bridesmaid bouquets to keep them fresh in water during the night and display them as additional flower arrangements throughout your wedding reception site. Then, at the end of the night, they can take them home. One of the most valuable benefits of having your wedding at a beautiful ocean view or oceanfront wedding site, is that along with the beautiful views, just a touch of color provided by the wedding flowers will be just enough to enhance your wedding photography and table design. With that being said, vases with river rock and some colorful floating orchids will be elegant, clean, crystal clear and so picturesque. Keep it simple, then focus on great food and grand music. Your wedding coordinator will provide you with the best vendors for your event. Remember, your wedding is in paradise, so let nature play it’s part.

Ask questions about Maui wedding flower or Hawaii weddings below. Comments are welcome.

Today, weddings are less traditional in style and customized to meet the individual styles of each unique couple. Every wedding is specialized to meet the creative wedding visions of each and every couple.

- PREMIUM WEDDING PLANNING AND COORDINATION?
OR
- PARTIAL WEDDING PLANNING AND COORDINATION?
OR
- DAY OF WEDDING COORDINATION?

DAY OF WEDDING COORDINATION FOR YOUR MAUI WEDDING

Are you the type of couple who would like to plan your own wedding, but want a professional wedding coordinator to help execute all of your hard work once the wedding day arrives? Your Day Of Wedding Coordinator will work with your vendors and venue to make sure that your wedding day is a beautiful memory.

• Two meetings or planning sessions
• Venue visit
• Wedding day advise
• Marriage licensing appointment
• Provide beach wedding permit if needed
• Innovative and creative event design
• Fine tune wedding details
• Ensure venue rules are adhered to
• Confirm vendor details and arrival / departure times
• Create and facilitate your wedding day timeline
• Direct the flow of events
• Meet and greet your wedding guests upon arrival
• Unlimited email communications
• Wedding rehearsal coordination
• On site wedding coordinator

PARTIAL WEDDING COORDINATION FOR YOUR MAUI WEDDING DAY

A Partial Wedding Coordinator is a affordable options for the busy couple. Your Coordinator will provide his or her expert advise in event design, organization, vendor referrals and customer service. Have your tailer made wedding day designed just for you!

• 3 meetings or planning sessions
• A personalized wedding planning website to track your wedding day progress 24 / 7
• Marriage licensing appointment
• Customized budget and planning timeline
• Vendor referrals
• Unlimited email communications
• Venue visit
• Wedding day advise
• Provide beach wedding permit if needed
• Innovative and creative event design
• Fine tune wedding details
• Ensure venue rules are adhered to
• Confirm vendor details and arrival / departure times
• Create and facilitate your wedding day timeline
• Direct the flow of events
• Meet and greet your wedding guests upon arrival
• Unlimited email communications
• Wedding rehearsal coordination
• On site wedding coordinator

FULL WEDDING PLANNING AND COORDINATION FOR YOUR DREAM MAUI WEDDING

Full wedding design, planning, and coordination of your dream Maui wedding. Our wedding professionals will plan your entire wedding event, and ensure that your elegant affair is stress free and beautiful. Your wedding planner will determine your wedding vision and design a stunning event, attending to every detail from concept to execution of your memorable day.

• Unlimited meetings or planning sessions
• A personalized wedding planning website to track your wedding day progress 24 / 7
• Professional wedding planning services from concept to the end of the wedding day
• Customized budget and planning timeline
• Marriage licensing appointment
• Vendor referrals
• Venue and vendor contract negotiations
• Attending vendor meetings and interview
• Venue visit
• Wedding day advise
• Provide beach wedding permit if needed
• Innovative and creative event design
• Creative save the date cards, invitations, programs, menus, name cards, thank you cards
• Fine tune wedding details
• Ensure venue rules are adhered to
• Confirm vendor details and arrival / departure times
• Create and facilitate your wedding day timeline
• Direct the flow of events
• Meet and greet your wedding guests upon arrival
• Unlimited email communications
• Wedding rehearsal coordination
• On site wedding coordinator

If any of these Hawaii wedding planning excite you, please contact Sandra Wagner, A Maui Wedding Day, via email or phone. Please comment below. Have an idea for a new blog article about planning Maui weddings? Enter your wedding planning comments or questions below.