A Beachy, Bougainvillea-Filled Wedding in Maui, Hawaii

By Marilyn Oliveira
March 28, 2019
Christina McNeill

This couple's destination celebration was designed to highlight the stunning natural setting.

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Christina McNeill

Choosing a locale for their destination wedding was a matter of distance for Darby and Evan, who live in San Francisco but hail from different parts of the world. "We wanted to pick a place halfway from each of our hometowns," says Darby. "Evan is from Sydney, Australia, and I'm originally from Kansas City—Maui was almost exactly halfway!"

Above all else, the pair wanted their wedding to feel warm and inviting as well as reflect their values, which are to cherish the little moments with the ones you love most. "We could have been anywhere with the same group of people and it would have been magnificent," says Darby. "We just happened to be on a beautiful island." The couple chose an eclectic garden party at their theme, playing off of the gorgeous surroundings without going too tropical. "For a color palette, we wanted to incorporate bougainvillea—which is all over San Francisco—to bring some of our home city to Hawaii," says Darby. "All of the colors were based off of this."

On September 2, 2018, nine months after they got engaged, Darby and Evan wed at a private oceanfront estate tucked away in the heart of Wailea. The day went beautifully with help from Unveiled Hawaii, who coordinated the event and ensured the bride's vision was executed down to the smallest of details, while her groom helped provide perspective. "One of my biggest learnings was to remind myself that you have to pick and choose battles," Darby says. "I can get very nitty gritty and overwhelm myself with the details. Evan helped me prioritize what to really focus on. He was a very good reminder of the fact that at the end of day, we would be married, and that was truly what mattered."

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Eclectic Wedding Invitations

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The couple's wedding stationery suite featured a bright floral theme, including a monogram of flowers on their menu and seating cards. Pineapple and turtle emblems decorated response cards and weekend itineraries respectively.

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A Beautiful Ketubah

Christina McNeill

The couple's first look took place at the signing of their ketubah, "an overwhelming, joyous moment," says Darby. Evan's groomsmen sang their way to the signing, building momentum as they drew nearer, and both the bride and groom were moved to tears when they finally saw each other along with their immediate families. "It was just really special," the bride recalls.

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A Customized Wedding Dress

Christina McNeill

Darby went into the shopping process with an open mind, knowing that brides are often surprised by wedding dress styles they would normally rule out. Danielle Frankel, her gown's designer, was at the bridal studio doing a trunk show the day Darby, her mother, and her maid of honor were shopping together, and she suggested the design after hearing the wedding was in Maui. "We made some amendments to it as I was in love with the lace and wanted to include more," Darby says. But her favorite aspect was the chiffon overlay that brought an organic, whimsical feel to the gown, creating a lovely beach-appropriate vibe.

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A Vibrant Bridal Bouquet

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Darby's wedding bouquet featured a lush base of greenery that was built upon with bright, romantic blooms including tulips, snapdragons, poppies, and hellebores in striking hues of fuchsia, magenta, and coral. A coordinating silk ribbon was the finishing touch.

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A Sweet Boutonnière

Christina McNeill

Evan's boutonnière reflected the coral and fuchsia colors in Darby's bouquet.

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Special Ceremony Seating

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Rows of wooden chairs comprised the ceremony seating, and snapdragons—a special choice as they were Darby's late grandmother's favorite flower—lined the aisle.

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A Colorful Bridal Party

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Bridesmaids wore the Shona Joy dress styles of their choice in the pink color range provided by the bride.

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A Striking Chuppah

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The pair's beautiful chuppah featured a wooden frame covered in fuchsia-colored flowers and greenery, a vision the bride dreamed up and Mandy Grace Designs brought to life. The structure also included a very special detail. "The chuppah itself symbolizes the home," Darby explains, "and our rabbi gave us the idea to use a tablecloth for the 'ceiling' so we could continue to use it in our own home going forward."

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A Traditional Jewish Ceremony

Christina McNeill

The ceremony was officiated by the couple's rabbi and took place overlooking the ocean and mountains of west Maui. After exchanging traditional vows, Darby and Evan recessed back up the aisle to the song "All You Need Is Love" by the Beatles.

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A Delicious Cocktail Hour

Christina McNeill

Guests enjoyed post-ceremony cocktails accompanied by ahi poké from a food station, as well as hand-passed canapés.

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A Scenic Lounge Area

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A lounge area comprised of rattan furniture, a coffee table of Koa wood, and a display of bamboo pendant lighting was perfectly placed to show off the oceanic views.

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A Unique Seating Card Installation

Christina McNeill

A custom installation covered in textured wallpaper featured the couple's initials in flowers, as well as 125 hooks to hold guests' escort cards.

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Clever Seating Cards

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Miniature fans did double duty as seating cards and favors. "We knew since it was a destination wedding that a favor could easily get left behind in a hotel room," says Darby, "so I wanted them to be somewhat functional for the party."

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The Reception Tables

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Reception tables were swathed in creamy linens handpicked by the bride while floral arrangements in the same color story as the rest of the vibrant décor created a bright, beautiful contrast.

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Pretty Place Settings

Christina McNeill

Custom plates and glassware, as well as coastal flatware from Set Maui, adorned the tables.

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Classic Crowd Surfing

Christina McNeill

The groom and his groomsmen set the tone for the reception with some classic crowd surfing.

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A Traditional Wedding Hora

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The hora was an important part of the reception and "where Evan and his groomsmen really kicked off the party!" says Darby. "Everyone was dancing before dinner was served."

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A Romantic First Dance

Christina McNeill

The couple's first dance was to "Never in my Wildest Dreams" by Dan Auerbach. "Evan loves him and we have seen him in concert a few times," says Darby. "It's a really romantic song and sums up how we feel about finding one another."

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Sources

Christina McNeill

Photography, Christina McNeill
Event planning, Unveiled Hawaii
Catering, Celebrations Maui
Flowers, Mandy Grace Designs
Videography and cinematography, Hi Focused Cinematography
Officiant, Rabbi Steve Finley
Calligraphy, Miss B. Calligraphy
Music, West Coast Music
Sound, KCK Entertainment
Rentals, Inspiration Events Hawaii, La Tavola Fine Linen Rental, Set Maui
Bride's hair and makeup, MeiLi Autumn Beauty
Lighting, Inspiration Hawaii
Bride's dress, Danielle Frankel
Bride's shoes, Gianvito Rossi
Bridesmaid dresses, Shona Joy

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