The Maui Goodness

Natalie Brown Photography recently shared a photo shoot with us that is truly unique.  She was hired to secretly photograph an engagement on the beach.  As she told us the story, you could tell how it affected her just by the enthusiasm in her voice.  She went on to explain how she’s enjoyed shooting photos of hundreds of weddings and family portraits on the beach, but when someone comes up with a fun idea like this, Natalie experiences a whole new appreciation for her job.  She explained that she had a friend pretend to model for her up at a distance so that if she was caught by the bride, she wouldn’t suspect anything.

The bride had no idea that it was coming, and you can tell from her reaction.  We thought we’d share this with you because it’s nice to see photos with genuine emotion captured.  We also want to spur some creative thought and romance in our future visitors to Maui.

If you’re interested in doing a surprise engagement photo shoot in Maui, give Natalie a call or visit her site for Maui Engagement Photos.  She’s got it wired.

We recently caught up with Tamera, head wedding coordinator for Akia Weddings & Events.  She told us about the great weddings she’s enjoyed putting together lately and shared some photos with us.  All of the photos on this page are from one of her latest Maui beach weddings.

“Most brides choose to get married in the summer on Maui.  The weather is usually best during this time on the South and West side of the island.  One thing many couples don’t realize is that the weather is pretty consistent throughout the year in these areas.

Sometimes choosing a wedding off-season can save you and your guests a lot of money.  These are some of the things we like to discuss with you to help keep you in budget without losing out on all the wonderful details you want at your wedding”

There are a million things to do when you get married, and we know that you’ve come to Maui because it’s has gorgeous locations and you want to cut down on some of the stress.  This is where we see Akia Weddings help brides the most.  Having a Maui wedding planner makes everything easier.  And that’s what your wedding should be: easy, enjoyable, and unforgettable!

Maui Beach Wedding Tips

• Make sure you know what time the sun sets before you plan the timing of your wedding.  Consult your wedding photographer for the best time to shoot post-wedding photos.
• Hawaii is Windy!  Make sure you’ve got enough product in your hair to keep things from going awry.
• If you’re wearing a strapless dress, or any type of wedding dress that could possibly show tan lines, make certain that you use sunblock before your wedding.  Better yet, buy a strapless bikini to be safe.  This tip pertains to both large and small Maui weddings, and we mention it because it is all too often a problem.
• Make sure you have parking and transportation arranged for your different locations.  Nothing is worse than having a group of guest late to the wedding because of insufficient parking.  Your wedding planner can help you with this.
• Make sure the beach you choose allows you to have a wedding there.  Some beaches (ex. Kaanapali Beach) do not allow any commercial wedding activity on the sand.
• Understand that if you’re getting married on a public beach, there may be other weddings in progress.  Some beaches are more popular than others for weddings.  you may want to reserve a private estate on the sand.  This way there’s no guess work.
• When your Groom is deciding on his Maui wedding attire, keep in mind that Hawaii is hot!  If you’re in the sun with a 3 piece suit, it might be a very short wedding.

We hope a few of these tips were helpful.  If you have more questions about your upcoming wedding, speak to the Maui Wedding Planners at Akia Weddings.  They’ll start you off on the right foot and make sense of your destination wedding in Hawaii.

Call Tamera at (808) 870-5525 to start planning today!

Thank you Natalie Brown for allowing us to post your beautiful wedding photos.  Cheers!

Recently, a few of us had the opportunity to attend a beautiful wedding at the Sugarman’s Estate in Makena, South Maui.  Everything went off without a hitch and we thought we’d mention some of the highlights.

This is one of the most beautiful properties on the island, and we we’re overjoyed in being able to spend some time on it again.  For weddings, it’s perfect.  The sunset over the water is set up perfectly for photos and general guest enjoyment.  The property is very large and able to accommodate hundreds of people with sprawling green lawns and very large trees with ample shade.

Our favorite part of the wedding was without doubt the food.  Maui Catering was provided by Maui Executive Catering, of whom did a smashing job.  We’ve been to many weddings in Maui, and the food can be hit or miss.  These guys did an unbelievable job.  We thought we’d peak in and take some photos of their crew and kitchen area while at work and ask their service staff some questions:

Aloha!  We’ve been noticing how well you all work together.  How did this catering company pull together such a great team?

“Jeff and Jason (Owners of Maui Executive Catering) work harder than most people we know.  They’re great to work with, and I think that’s why good service staff is drawn to work with them.  They take care of their crew and make it fun for everyone.  It’s a nice change to work for them as opposed to some lesser-organized companies.  Things just seem to go like clock work.”

The food has all been delicious.  You’ve put out some pretty exotic and attractive presentations.  Is this normal?

“Yes, another perk of working with them.  All of their chefs are classically trained and well-educated.  Most have gone to the Maui Culinary Academy, one of the best in the world.  They really take pride in their work.  I often notice that they’ll put in excessive prep time for some of the most minute details just to add an extra flair.  Yep, pretty normal for them.  They use top of the line gear, and don’t mind experimenting in order to find the perfect flavors for a dish.  I’ve heard more than once from guests that they don’t want to mess up their plates by eating.  But then once they take a bite, it’s over with.  Nobody leaves hungry, that’s for sure.”

The bartending provided by Maui Executive Catering was professional and friendly.  Their bartender and barback were fun and had the skills necessary to handle a crowd of thirsty guests and do it with style.  It seemed everyone by the end of the day had suggested that they loved the bartender and really enjoyed his humor and fun-loving attitude.

Great job, everyone.  We’ll be recommending you in the future!

To learn more about them, visit Maui Executive Catering.

Beginning this Month, August 2008, The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has made it mandatory for Beach Weddings on Maui to require a permit. And after much initial confusion and frustration within the wedding industry, permitting has begun with surprising ease.

Those getting married on Maui will have no worries concerning permits for beach weddings. The permits are easy to get and very inexpensive. The initial confusion over the process spawned from the DLNR’s inability to explain how it would work. Since then, the wedding industry has been given adequate information to make the process simple. For those getting married on a Maui beach without a wedding coordinator, your chosen officiant should be able to take care of everything for you.