bridetov

We always make a point to go to Leilani's at least once while we are visiting the island. That said, we go because 1) it's casual 2) it's not oober expensive 3) the food is great. It's a shopping center though (Whaler's Village) and was surprised when I read your posting as I didn't know they did weddings there. It's nice & water front, and the shopping center is indeed more "upscale" but I'm not sure that you'd be happy with the atmosphere. It's not very intimate and I have a hard time trying to imagine a wedding there. That said, it really depends what kind of ambiance you are looking for, what you price range is, how many guests you will have, etc. etc. Without knowing any of those factors- my vote would be for The Plantation House. It is in a stunning spot and just screams "get married here". I'd be happy to answer any other questions you might have.

Hey Hulagirl I think you already found my wedding estate on my Project Wedding site. But feel free to ask me any questions- it was an AMAZING spot and my coordinator was a dream come true.

Gracie- If you need any other references for Maui vendors-- I had the ROCK STAR team. I fell in love with them all and I really felt like they made everything so much more special. Especially my florist/decorator. But then again, my photographer, caterers, DJ, officiant all were OUT OF THIS WORLD!! And yes... I had a BLAST planning my wedding too!! It was such an amazing time... no drama, no stress, just lots and lots of Aloha But yes, tell Cherise I sent you. She'll be tickled! I've helped a few other girls from the PW forum- and they've gone with all the vendors I used too and are just FLOORED with the team I put together. And it's so fun for me to spread the love too <I'm in it for the warm fuzzies>

All of my guests stayed at Papakea Resort (just north of Kaanapali). My dad owns a condo there as well as several time-shares, so I was able to get an amazing group rate discount for my guests (50% off rack rate-- OMG!!). The only thing is- Papakea has different "grades" of rooms: A, B, & C. They all cost the same- but unless you are/know an owner, you'd have no idea that there were differences. "A" rooms are totally updated- typically with all stainless appliances, nice tiled floors. My dad gutted his condo and spent $100k updating everything. It's SO nice. But on the flipside, "C" rooms are totally.... straight of the 70s with totally outdated everything and usually just have a gross feeling to them. I was able to secure "A" rooms for all my guests... but it was tricky even with a contact at the resort. If I didn't have that "in" with my dad... I probably would have used VRBO.com to book rooms. That said, it was BEYOND wonderful to have everyone at the same resort. Papakea was big enough that I could have my family all placed in the same building but request that my friends be on the other side of the property Not sure if any of this made sense- but happy to help anyone out if they need it! I've been going to Maui (west side) since I was little so know the area quite well.

We had our wedding at a private estate. Our DJ had to leave by 10- at which time most of our older guests did too. However, many of our friends & siblings stayed late into the night/next morning while we hung out by the pool, had drinks, went swimming, etc. I had an iPod speaker system that didn't get too loud for music. Honestly- it was perfect. There was no way for me to get around the 10PM rule... they are VERY strict on that on the island.

Sure!! I found Cherise by accident (when I was searching for a venue) and... I think it was meant to be. I think she charges a flat rate of $700 (or $750, I can't remember) for FULL COORDINATION SERVICES for a year up until the wedding, and including the wedding day!!! (holy smokes!!). She also let me select my own photographer, hair, & makeup (I just did the correspondence and payments myself on those). She only restricts you to her list of caterers as she's had some awful experiences with a few caterers on the island. The caterers I chose ROCKED though!! She's also on top of her game. I was living on the East Coast when I was planning and there was never a single time that she didn't get back to my emails (always with a ton of questions) within 24 hours. Some of you who have already experienced Maui's "island time" know how rare this is. She's also a doll with an amazing personality and my wedding wouldn't have been 1/2 as spectacular without her. I didn't have to worry about a single thing on my wedding day- and Cherise made sure there wasn't a single mishap. Obviously- I love this woman. I'm also happy to tell you anything else you need to know about her. I have yet to write up my formal vendor review, but when the time comes, I have a feeling that it will be 10 pages long Her name is Cherise and her company name is The Perfect Wedding. Website is: The Perfect Wedding A Beautiful Maui Experience *Don't let her hokey website fool you- this woman is totally up-to-date and AMAZING!!! If you contact her- tell her Tami sent you. I told her that I was going to make her the most famous Maui wedding coordinator out there.

We got married on the west side of Maui just 3 months ago. We used Wilmont (his website is: Aloha and Welcome) We selected him because 1) he plays live guitar and sings during the ceremony 2) he has an INCREDIBLE voice 3) he then turns into a DJ for the reception. I was afraid of cheesy music too- so I burned a bunch of songs for him to play with directions on when to play them. Some people say that an iPod can do the same thing but he has all the sound equipment which makes all the difference and he's also good at keeping the flow of the reception going along nicely (announcing 1st dance, cake cutting, etc). So- the fact that I was able to guarantee that my own music was going to be played... so awesome. His prices are totally reasonable as well. Hope that helps!

Hi Kimberly! I was just married in Maui 3 months ago. It was my 10th trip to the island (been going there since I was little) but even still, it was challenging to plan a wedding from so far away. Instead of doing the hotel/all inclusive thing, I decided to go a different route. I had an intimate wedding (30 people) at a private estate in Lahaina (Maui) right on the beach. I found a wedding coordinator that didn't limit me to which vendors I selected and also didn't take a huge commission. Actually- I couldn't have done it without her!! Throughout planning, I was pretty active on another wedding site called Project Wedding. Here is a link to my planning bio which might help you. At the bottom are all my vendors and honestly... I felt like I had the Maui-Wedding-Dream-Team working for me!! Every single one of those people went over and above to make our day amazing. And of course, there is all the other fun detail stuff If you have any questions- please feel free to ask. I'm happy to help anyway I can. I think I'm going through wedding planning withdrawals Here is the link to my planning site: Tovaqt's biography - Project Wedding

I just had a DW in Maui with the VERY talented Melissa McClure. (her website link is: Melissa McClure - Destination And Southern California Wedding Photographer). I know she's very busy, but I also know she loves to travel. You should definitely check her out as the package you described sounded identical to what I got from her- including the TTD and the slideshow w/ music and photo rights on CD. But more than anything- her photos are to die for!! I'm so happy with our pictures and even after being married for 3 months- still look at them daily to relive the day!! Hope this helps!

I just had my Maui wedding 3 months ago and my photographer was out-of-this-world!! I just left a review of her with some pictures. She's based in San Diego, but travels and her prices are fabulous! Here is the link: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...2/#post1336699

P.S. Here is a link to my review with PICTURES on my other thread: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...2/#post1336699

You can click on the links in my post above to see all our wedding teasers, but here are a few of my favorites: AMAZING shot of my dress!! What a cool ring shot!! Our first look before the ceremony: Portraits: I *still* can't believe this is ME!!! Our ceremony: This is one of my favorite shots. Mel caught my emotion... just perfectly: A moment captured with my sister after her toast at the reception: And what a cute way to end the night after an amazing Maui wedding! But again, for even more pictures- check out the links to Melissa McClure's blog above!!

Ok- now I've figured it out!! Here are some teasers from our Trash the Dress shoot. I had a different dress for this, so we decided to shoot this before the wedding. This gave us a great opportunity to get to know each other before the big day. We had a blast!! Melissa asked us a few months before, how we felt about trying some underwater shots. A and I were totally up for it!! She'd never done anything like this before... but check out the results. I've never seen anything more beautiful before in my entire life!! Check out the rainbow she caught on this one... Melissa asked us a few months before, how we felt about trying some underwater shots. A and I were totally up for it!! She'd never done anything like this before... but check out the results. I've never seen anything more beautiful before in my entire life!!

I was having trouble uploading our wedding pictures by Melissa McClure- so I've attached some links to her blog. She did a 3 part blog on our wedding and the photos are just jaw dropping!!! Check them out and let me know what you think! Getting Ready & Portraits: http://melissamcclure.net/2010/04/13...and-portraits/ Ceremony & Reception: http://melissamcclure.net/2010/04/15/tami-and-adam-–-maui-hawaii-wedding-photography-ceremony-and-reception/ Trash the Dress Shoot: http://melissamcclure.net/2010/04/17...ash-the-dress/ Modern Family: http://melissamcclure.net/2010/05/14...family-on-abc/

A review of my fabulous photographer!!!! Melissa McClure!!! As with many new brides, photography was one of the single most important aspects of planning our wedding. Pictures... they last a lifetime. These images are what we will be looking back on for all our lives. It's quite a daunting task- picking your wedding photographer. So I approached the task very seriously. I also knew I wanted a photo journalistic style with attention to detail and someone that I really felt comfortable with (a thing that often gets overlooked when selecting vendors). I spent months looking at photographers blogs & websites. When I found Melissa McClure, I stopped dead in my tracks. She had exactly what I was looking for! I contacted her immediately. She responded immediately. Was it too good to be true? Did I just find an infinitely talented wedding photographer, that was great at communicating, on top of her game, willing to travel to photograph our destination wedding in Maui, and very reasonably priced?? I was wary but my gut told me to go for it. So we signed on the dotted line. Since we lived in different states, we didn't get to actually meet her until we all arrived on island. So during the planning process, communication was key. Any and every question I had for her was answered very quickly and in full. I also felt like I got a good sense of her personality (which rocks!) during this time. Once we did finally get to meet, we were immediately at ease with her. She is such a fun, personable woman! I can't begin to sing her praises enough. We all decided that it was best to to photograph our trash the dress photo secession before the wedding (I had a separate dress for this). That way we would all get used to working together before the wedding. Fantastic idea!! Her ideas, location scouting, and eye blew me away. And on top of that, we had a blast! I can say without a doubt, our TTD photos are jaw dropping and captured "us" in a most unique yet true way. And this just set the stage for our big day. Then came the wedding. Never for a second did I worry about Melissa. She was where she said she would be and immediately went to work. Melissa has so much experience and such an artistic eye- I loved just watching what she came up with! Not only that, but she took the time to make sure everyone felt comfortable yet was never intrusive. Weddings can be stressful but Melissa is so at ease and takes everything in stride, that it's impossible for it not to rub off on anyone else. Guests and other vendors adored her!! She even helped with my veil, timing, guests... she did it all! Our day was perfect and having Melissa as part of it made it even more special. Then came time to see the pictures. I've heard horror stories where newlyweds have wait for months to receive their professional photos. Not with Melissa. She sent us a few teasers almost immediately, then blogged us within a week or two, and we had all of our wedding photos in-hand in less than 2 months (and that was during busy wedding season!). Our wedding was beautiful, magical, and one of the most special days of our lives. Melissa somehow captured every special moment, every detail, everything in such a way that each time I look at them- it brings everything rushing back. The way she uses light, the angles, the perspective- makes Melissa's photographs really stand above and beyond. What she does is really special. And what she provided us, is going to make us smile for a lifetime. So if you live in S. Cal or are having a destination wedding *and* photography is really important to you, contact Melissa McClure Photography. It will be the best decision you make.

Food for the Soul is AMAZING!! I used them for my wedding 3 months ago and Tina and Rob made me feel like the most special person in the world! Their food, presentation and price are out of this world. My day was *that* much more special because we went with Food for the Soul. Amazing. Wonderful. And I was tickled with the final result!!!

As with many new brides, photography was one of the single most important aspects of planning our wedding. Pictures... they last a lifetime. These images are what we will be looking back on for all our lives. It's quite a daunting task- picking your wedding photographer. So I approached the task very seriously. I also knew I wanted a photo journalistic style with attention to detail and someone that I really felt comfortable with (a thing that often gets overlooked when selecting vendors). I spent months looking at photographers blogs & websites. When I found Melissa McClure, I stopped dead in my tracks. She had exactly what I was looking for! I contacted her immediately. She responded immediately. Was it too good to be true? Did I just find an infinitely talented wedding photographer, that was great at communicating, on top of her game, willing to travel to photograph our destination wedding in Maui, and very reasonably priced?? I was wary but my gut told me to go for it. So we signed on the dotted line. Since we lived in different states, we didn't get to actually meet her until we all arrived on island. So during the planning process, communication was key. Any and every question I had for her was answered very quickly and in full. I also felt like I got a good sense of her personality (which rocks!) during this time. Once we did finally get to meet, we were immediately at ease with her. She is such a fun, personable woman! I can't begin to sing her praises enough. We all decided that it was best to to photograph our trash the dress photo secession before the wedding (I had a separate dress for this). That way we would all get used to working together before the wedding. Fantastic idea!! Her ideas, location scouting, and eye blew me away. And on top of that, we had a blast! I can say without a doubt, our TTD photos are jaw dropping and captured "us" in a most unique yet true way. And this just set the stage for our big day. Then came the wedding. Never for a second did I worry about Melissa. She was where she said she would be and immediately went to work. Melissa has so much experience and such an artistic eye- I loved just watching what she came up with! Not only that, but she took the time to make sure everyone felt comfortable yet was never intrusive. Weddings can be stressful but Melissa is so at ease and takes everything in stride, that it's impossible for it not to rub off on anyone else. Guests and other vendors adored her!! She even helped with my veil, timing, guests... she did it all! Our day was perfect and having Melissa as part of it made it even more special. Then came time to see the pictures. I've heard horror stories where newlyweds have wait for months to receive their professional photos. Not with Melissa. She sent us a few teasers almost immediately, then blogged us within a week or two, and we had all of our wedding photos in-hand in less than 2 months (and that was during busy wedding season!). Our wedding was beautiful, magical, and one of the most special days of our lives. Melissa somehow captured every special moment, every detail, everything in such a way that each time I look at them- it brings everything rushing back. The way she uses light, the angles, the perspective- makes Melissa's photographs really stand above and beyond. What she does is really special. And what she provided us, is going to make us smile for a lifetime. So if you live in S. Cal or are having a destination wedding *and* photography is really important to you, contact Melissa McClure Photography. It will be the best decision you make.

I'm using Della for my flowers & decor. She's a dream to work with and her prices are some of the best I found on the island. And she does more than flowers too... she's taking care of draping the entire lanai & trees at our wedding estate. She's got great vision and I can't wait to meet her in person in April!

The Perfect Wedding Contact: Cherise Vonae Shulman 202 Hakui Loop * Lahaina, Hi 96761 Phone: (80 250-1624 * Fax: (80 669-8922 Email: [email protected] Website: The Perfect Wedding A Beautiful Maui Experience I'm working with Cherise and... she's been a dream come true. She specializes in ocean side, west side weddings- and she's got a lot of contacts. She charges a flat fee (which was TOTALLY reasonable, erring on downright cheap) and she is full of great ideas and suggestions, VERY fast with communication, and just... a dream to work with. I HIGHLY recommend her as she's been a huge element in helping me create a very tropical & glamorous wedding. She also doesn't require you to work with "her" vendors and allows you to help or leave the planning to her. She's absolutely so flexible and darling to work with!!

I've been to the Hula Grill and it's always great. Lealani's on the Beach- right across the way is a great choice too. We're having ours at Aloha Mixed Plate as we're looking to go REALLY inexpensive. We have about 30 people going and that adds up fast. It'll be a fun and super casual dinner and then the next night we'll get all fancied up. I thought it was a nice way to mix things up. And they also have more traditional Hawaiian fare vs. regular American food.

Nov 5/08: Lisa + Jayson @ Mokapu Beach + Seawatch (Chiquita) Feb 11/09: Trish + Bill @ Makena Secret Cove + Kimo's Restaurant (mplscold) Sep 26/09: Jackie + Jeff @ Fairmont Kea Lani (PaddleAddict) Oct 12/09: Rina + Yuriy @ Kapalua Bay + Son'z Restaurant at Hyatt Regency (rina) Oct 14/09: Deb + John @ Kalaeokai'a Estate + Five Palms Restaurant (da.schmoopies) Nov 12/09: Karina + Cory @ Ritz Carlton Kapalua (1sunshine) Nov 18/09: Vanessa + Jared @ Maui Tropical Plantation (brightesthour) Feb 10/10: Laura + Jim @ Maria Lanakila + TBD Reception (laura&james) Feb 11/10: Jane + Mark @ Makena Secret Cove + Capishe? (hawaiidreaming) Feb 25/10: Adam and Sandra @ Ritz Carlton Kapalua (sehender) Mar 10/10 Ruth & Erik @ Makena Cove & TBD (madiamondgal) April 7/10: Tami & Adam @ Private Estate in west Maui (tovaqt) May 4,5 or 6?/10: Leah + Dillon @ Royal Lahania (photopia) May ??/10: Susan + David @ Grand Wailea + TBD (just4susan) May 22/10: Huey + Isaac @ Honua Kai Lani + Spago (Huey) June 7/10: Brenna + Doug @ Kapalua Bay Beach + Old Lahaina Luau (Brenna) June 12/10: Autumn + Mike @ Ritz-Carlton Kapalua (asharp) June 17/10: Krystall + Nick @ Olowalu Plantation House + Old Lahaina Luau (azulskies) July 28/10: Lisa + Al @ Olowalu Plantation House (lwav8176) July 29/10: Julie + Brent @ TBD Ceremony & Reception (jewels0729) Aug 9/10: Lisa + Daniel @ Wailea Golf Club (lower knoll) + SeaWatch Restaurant (pjlisa) Aug 14/10: Liz + Michael @ Merriman's Kapalua Oct 19/10: Amanda + Patrick @ Kula Botanical Garden+ Ruth's Chris (Amanda81)

Hey ladies. My name is Tami and this is my first post here. I've been on another wedding forum for a while (which I LOVE) but there aren't many DW being planned over there. So I'm excited to have this as an additional resource. We are planning on getting married in Maui (west side) on April 7, 2010. I've been going to Maui since I was little and couldn't dream of getting married anywhere else. The wedding will be my 10th trip there! We live in NC so planning a wedding from afar is going to be challenging- but I have a pretty good head start since I've been there several times. Galloping off to the Maui forums....