Sherry's Maui Wedding Review

[Sherry]

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to finally get around to posting my review. Things have been so busy since we got back to real life after the wedding, and I also hadn't anticipated how much time it would take me to write my review! Anyway, here it is. I hope some other Maui brides find it helpful.

 

Horizon Airlines - B

 

We flew Horizon Air Calgary-Seattle and Seattle-Calgary. The flights were fine – pretty typical, although the planes were a little older and smaller, which meant that there wasn't a very big closet to store my dress and the overhead bins were pretty small too. On the flight from Calgary to Seattle, we actually ended up rolling my dress in the garment bag, which was pretty stressful, since we were on the way to the wedding. The flight attendants said there wasn't any room in the closet, because apparently there was a lot of canes and walkers or something. On the flight home, there was room in the closet. Of course, at that point, I wasn't too concerned about my dress, but oh well! In any event, even on the way from Calgary to Seattle, it didn't make too much of a difference, because when we got to Maui, my dress was absolutely fine, without even a wrinkle. I thought I'd mention it though, because for another Calgary girl, she might be happier flying on another airline that uses larger planes, as they might be able to be more accommodating with the dress.

 

Northwest Airlines - A

 

We flew on Northwest Airlines from Seattle to Kahului (Maui) and upgraded to first class both ways. Both flights were great, right down to the mai tais they served. It was a really great way to start getting in the Maui spirit before we arrived! They also stored my dress in the closet both ways, which of course we expected since we were in first class, but which definitely seemed even nicer after having to roll my dress on the Horizon leg of the flight!

 

A Dream Wedding: Maui Style LLC – A

A Dream Wedding Maui Style - A Full Service Wedding Coordinator on the Island of Maui

 

We worked with Tracy Flanagan at A Dream Wedding: Maui Style LLC and she was great. Her office is in Lahaina, which was really convenient, because we were able to pop over to the registry right around the corner from her office to get our marriage license. She thought of everything, and there were lots of little touches at the ceremony that we weren't expecting. We had asked her to book a Hawaiian guitarist, and he was amazing. She also had him play us a special little song right after the vows, with him standing behind us, between the ocean and us. It was really intimate and such a nice end to the ceremony for us.

 

In terms of lessons to hand off to other brides, there were a couple of things that I'd wished I'd focused a little more on when working with the WC. I wish that we'd talked to her about booking the photographer and videographer for longer, with coverage of some of the time when we were getting ready and then some coverage for the beginning of the reception. We had started off with a pre-set package with the WC, which included the photographer and videographer for the ceremony, but I think we should have talked to her about adding some extra time with them. It was one of those things where you're only doing this once, and you don't have the benefit of hindsight. Everything was amazing, but I do kind of wish that we'd booked more time for the photographer and videographer. I'm putting this under the WC portion of the review though, because I think it was more of an issue on the WC side of things.

 

 

Pastor Vance Rosete – A+

Pastor Vance Ali'i Rosete - Hawaiian Minister - Maui, Hawaii

 

A couple of friends of mine had already been married by Vance, and we really loved all that we heard about him. The ceremony was so meaningful and we thought he did an amazing job. He has clearly found his calling, and it was so wonderful to be married by someone who loves performing wedding ceremonies so much. He did a Hawaiian style ceremony for us, and it was so perfect. I would highly recommend Vance to anyone getting married on Maui.

 

 

Dan Sanchez Hair – A+

Dan Sanchez Salon | Maui, Hawaii | 808.268.8258

 

Dan Sanchez did the hair for me, both my bridesmaids and my Mom, and he did a gorgeous job on all of our hair.

 

 

I wanted something really simple, and he did such a great job of it! I really felt like he listened to me and what I wanted, and it was so important to him to get it right. He did a fabulous job:

 

 

My sister was ecstatic with her hair, because her hair is actually quite short, but Dan actually gave her an updo, and it looked amazing! We couldn't believe how he managed it, because her hair is only chin-length.

 

 

 

Jessica Waite Makeup – A+++

Maui Makeup - Maui Makeup Artist, Maui Weddings, Bridal Makeup on Maui, Maui Models, Weddings on Maui

 

I'm a total girly girl, and I have to admit that I've had my makeup done professionally for a few big events. Jessica Waite is hands-down the best makeup artists I've ever worked with. She does such a great job of getting a feel for your look and who you are before she does your makeup, and she has incredible skill. Jessica did the makeup for me, both my bridesmaids and my Mom, and I think she did a beautiful job on all of us. I'm so glad that I went with Jessica for the makeup.

 

 

I still can't believe what an incredible job she did of my makeup for the big day. It was so perfect, and exactly what I wanted. The funny thing is, before I met with her, I really wasn't sure exactly what I wanted! I didn't even bring her a sample photo from a magazine. I just told her that I wanted her to do what she thought would look best on me. I figured that she's the professional, so how could I have a better idea than her of what would work? I told her that I wanted the look to focus on the eyes, but other than that, I left it up to her. We did a trial about 5 days before the wedding, and when she did the trial, I almost cried, because it was like she knew what I wanted even when I didn't! I wouldn't have thought it could get any better than the trial, but on the actual wedding day, somehow she made it even more amazing! I only wish Jessica lived in Calgary so that I could have her do my makeup for every big event! (Actually, if I'm wishing for things… maybe I'd rather wish that I lived in Maui… )

 

 

Mike Sidney Photography – A+++++

Maui Photographer Mike Sidney 888.505.2808

 

I cannot say enough about Mike Sidney. The man is amazing. Our photos are so incredible, and we have him to thank. Words cannot express how happy we are that we chose Mike as our photographer. I think our photos speak for themselves:

 

 

 

 

For more of our photos, see this posting: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t30724

 

Mike was so easy to work with and so much fun. We bought a package that included a DVD of all digital negatives, one print of each picture, and they also threw in a slideshow to Hawaiian music. We weren't expecting the slideshow, and it was a really nice surprise and very well done. Another nice thing about Mike is that when you're from out of town and staying around Hawaii for your honeymoon, he makes a huge effort to meet with you before you go home and will even get your photos ready so that you can take them home with you! We thought that was amazing, because if you're from outside the US, you can avoid having to let your pictures go through customs on their own. I'm sure it's not a big deal to have to do that, but it's also nice to have them with you and know that some customs agent isn't going through your pictures and getting fingerprints all over them!

 

I know I'm gushing, but I just can't say enough about Mike Sidney. We are so thrilled with our pictures and I would urge anyone getting married on Maui to seriously consider booking him.

 

 

Hawaii Video Memories – TBD once video received (expecting at least an A)

Maui Wedding Videos by Hawaii Video Memories

 

We won't receive our video until January, so I'll post an update review then. That said, we are expecting great things from Hawaii Video Memories. Their sample videos online are amazing, and I think they seem to be in a class by themselves in terms of cinematography on Maui. They were so much fun to work with, and extremely professional. We are so excited to get our video!

 

 

Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa – A

We had the ceremony at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, on the Kahoolawe Lawn, and it was gorgeous. We really could not have asked for a more beautiful location for the ceremony. The view is unbelievably beautiful. We were so happy with how private the spot turned out to be, and people were so respectful about staying out of the way. We were so glad that we chose this spot for our ceremony.

 

 

We were also so happy with the rest of the grounds of the Marriott. There were so many beautiful places to take pictures. It was absolutely perfect. I especially loved the lily pond:

 

 

We also stayed at the Marriott for the weekend of the wedding, and we were really happy with all the amenities. The staff was extremely helpful and the room was quite nice. They upgraded us to an oceanfront room, and that was definitely a nice touch.

 

 

Seawatch Restaurant – A++

Seawatch Restaurant :: Maui Restaurants :: Wailea Fine Dining :: Sea Watch

 

We had our reception at the Seawatch Restaurant, and we were absolutely thrilled with the entire experience. We were on the Upper Pond, and the view was amazing. One thing that was a nice surprise was that the children at the wedding just loved the reception spot, because it's surrounded by a little tropical garden and pond, and there were frogs in the pond, which kept the kids entertained for hours! The food was delicious, and our guests raved about it, even after we got back home! The dessert was their Chocolate Mousse Gateau, and people absolutely loved it. I must say, it was a pretty amazing dessert, and we already plan to go back and order it when we return for anniversaries!

 

 

Mulligan's on the Blue – A

Mulligans Restaurant and Pub, Maui Dining, Catering, Entertainment

 

We booked kind of an after party at the Mulligan's on the Blue pub after the reception. We hadn't booked the dance floor at the Seawatch, because we were having our reception outside, and there's a 10pm curfew on outdoor events on Maui. Our ceremony was only at 5:15, so that we could take advantage of the sunset and so that the trade winds would have gone down by the time we had the ceremony. Since the reception wouldn't be starting until close to 7:00pm, we figured there wasn't much point in booking the dance floor. We wanted to have a dancing option if people were up for it though, so we booked a few tables at Mulligan's on the Blue, which is a pretty upscale pub/restaurant that's almost next door to the Seawatch on the golf course. The people at Mulligan's were really helpful. I dealt with Julie when arranging everything from home, and I really appreciated that she made an effort to help us keep costs down and to make sure that we had everything we needed. We pre-ordered some appetizers and opted for an open bar tab. Mulligan's is really nice (I actually think it could be nice enough for a full reception, as long as you're not looking for really, really fancy). The funny thing is, after all my stressing about the fact that we couldn’t go past 10:00pm at the Seawatch, people barely made it until 11:00pm once we got to Mulligan's! In hindsight, I'm not sure we even needed to both with that part, as we'd lost over half of the guests by then, but it was a really nice chance for us to get in some quality time with our wedding party and parents after the reception. Mulligan's did a great job. I only wish that we hadn't been so tired by the time we got there! We really had not anticipated how much the 4-hour (and for some guests, greater) time difference would affect everyone.

 

 

Maui Wedding Cakes – A

Maui Wedding Cakes - Maui Weddings, Wedding Cakes on Maui, Maui Bakeries, Weddings on Maui

 

We weren't too fussed about getting a cake, but after some pressure from a few family members, we finally decided to get one. We used Maui Wedding Cakes, which is the only baker that the Seawatch will allow you to use for your cake. We were really happy with the cake. We wanted something really simple, and they did a beautiful two-tiered marble cake with chocolate mousse filling and white icing. The cake was trimmed with fresh orchids to match the bouquets. It was really classic and exactly what we had ordered. We loved how it looked and it was really tasty cake.

 

 

Maui Banyan Resort – B+

Kihei studio rental in the Maui Banyan, Kihei Maui

 

We rented a condo in Kihei for the week before the wedding, at the Maui Banyan Resort. It was a studio, and it definitely served our purpose for the week before the wedding. It's right across the street from one of the Kamaole Beaches, which was very handy. The condo was really nicely outfitted, with nice, high thread count bedding and pretty new furniture. It had clearly been renovated fairly recently, especially compared to some of the condos that our guests rented (all were nice, but I think ours might have been the nicest). If you're looking for a full condo though, I would consider the 1-bedroom which is right next door and available for rent from the same site. For us, the studio was great and all we needed, but for anyone who wants the benefit of a full kitchen, I'd recommend paying the little extra for the one-bedroom full condo. That said, we loved the studio. It would have gotten an 'A', and I think it would for a normal holiday. However, for the wedding there were a couple of things I would have changed if I could: (1) there was not a proper closet, and it was difficult to find a good place in the room to hang my dress properly, and (2) there was not a bathtub (just a stall shower). In the end, we hung my dress from the curtain rod, which turned out to be fine, but I would have preferred a proper closet or clothes rack. I think if it were just a normal holiday, none of that would have mattered though, and we would definitely rent this suite again.

[YoursTruly]

WOW Sherry, you looked amazing in your photos, almost like a professional portfolio shot. Everything looked so serene and the location!! Glad everything turned out so well!!

[Chiquita]

Great review Sherry. It's nice to read a review and know exactly WHERE you are talking about.. haha!!! Seawatch, Maui Banyan.. Wailea Marriott.. we had friends and family staying at the Banyan and my reception was at the Seawatch and we used Maui Wedding Cakes too

 

We can't wait to go back BTW. Jayson wants to live there forever!!

[JennyK]

Your wedding is gorgeous and let me just say your makeup looks absolutely FLAWLESS! What a stunning stunning bride!

[Sherry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiquita Great review Sherry. It's nice to read a review and know exactly WHERE you are talking about.. haha!!! Seawatch, Maui Banyan.. Wailea Marriott.. we had friends and family staying at the Banyan and my reception was at the Seawatch and we used Maui Wedding Cakes too We can't wait to go back BTW. Jayson wants to live there forever!!

I know exactly what you mean! I am so jealous of people who actually live there. I mean, they LIVE there. How amazing would that be?

[ACDCDCAC]

great review sherry! sounds like you had an absolutely amazing time

[weddingchick]

Great review! You looked stunning and your photos are amazing!

 

Congratulations!

[Pisces]

Thank you so much!!! That review was the most amazing thing to read- we get married in 22 days at the Wailea Golf Course with our reception at the Seawatch ! And we are staying at the Banyan (although we stayed there before and know what to expect). We got the 1 bedroom, so glad to know that it is better than the studio.

 

I am SOOOOO excited to see the Seawatch. We arrive in Maui on the 20th and have our appointment to see the venue on the 22nd (wedding is on the 30th). I am beyond excited now!!!

 

[SAM]

Thank you so much, this is very helpful!

[MarieSam]

Sherry, I know I already said this in your previous pic post but I can't say it enough ~ your photos are amazing and you look absolutely flawless and stunning!!! Congrats once again