Ritz Carlton, Maui | Dream Destination Beach Wedding

Where is your Dream Destination Wedding?

For many, a dream destination wedding would be on a beach in Maui. What’s not to love? Crystal clear waters, warm weather, sandy beaches, island culture and delicious food. These are just some of the reasons why Maui is one of the top dream destinations to host your wedding.

Background Check

A little bit of background info about my (David’s) relationship with this Bride. I don’t even remember the first time Judy and I met, but we’ve known each other for more than half our lives. We went to the same High School and one of Judy’s closest friends is the little sister of my closest childhood friend. That automatically makes us close friends as well! Judy has an insatiable appetite for travel, good food and tanning. This is very well-evidenced in her choice of career, life partner, and her golden sun-kissed skin tone.

This was my and Justina’s first time travelling to Maui. We were expecting it to be beautiful, but beautiful is an understatement. This place is, legit, a lush tropical paradise. We arrived a few days prior to the wedding to get ourselves acquainted with the island and scout all the locations we would use for our upcoming shoots – it was, after all, a work trip. We did manage to fit some fun activities into the trip as well. You can check out our stories on instagram if you’d like to see some more BTS.

The Perfect Start…

They say a good breakfast is the start of a good day. Justina and I never skimp on breakfast – especially on wedding days. Our day began with a stop at Choice Health Bar in Lahaina for one of their delicious Açai bowls. If you haven’t gone, we highly suggest that you go! The OG with added almond butter and bee pollen was our go to… I think we came here for breakfast every day we were here. After breakfast, we packed our gear to head to the Ritz Carlton where the wedding festivities would be held.

Getting Ready is SO FUN

We arrived at Judy’s hotel room just in time to pop open a bottle of bubbly and get a few detail photos. Fun Fact:  I’ve known the three of these girls since they were [raises hand a few feet above the ground] this tall. Judy was the last of the trio to get hitched and the final one to be photographed by me. My mentioning of this caused a few tears… sorry to your makeup, ladies.

After a few toasts and sips of champagne, it was time for Judy to get dressed. Judy brought a little bit of Vancouver to Maui with her gorgeous wedding gown from Truvelle Bridal. The dress features delicate spaghetti straps, a flattering scooped neck line, an ultra low-cut back to show off some skin and an elegant floral design, perfect for Maui. For her footwear, Judy chose a simple canvased block sandal with an embellished white leather knot. Next, we’re off to the boys’ room.

Jordan is a Chef… and an ugly fat panda (inside joke – watch the highlight film).

Hence the Korin chef’s knives and the love of food. After photographing and filming Judy’s morning prep, we trekked across the hotel to Jordan’s room where there was a sense of excitement in the air. The groom’s ensemble consisted of a lightweight blue Italian wool suit from Bonobos with brown leather accents throughout. After getting dressed (and a few Kona Big Waves), Jordan was ready to receive his bride-to-be down the isle.

Time For The Ceremony!

Ceremony setup and decor was kept simple and elegant for this intimate wedding. Judy and Jordan would tie the knot in front of a stunning arbour constructed of carefully curated driftwood and adorned with giant lush king proteas, iconic monstera leaves and fragrant garden roses. The wedding was officiated by Chef Bernard Guillas, a close friend and colleague of Jordan’s. We spoke to Chef Bernard the day before the wedding and he was so excited to perform the ceremony that he had worked so hard on. Just look at that stack of papers!

It was a beautifully intimate ceremony. Judy and Jordan’s closest friends and family were there to witness the two of them take the next step in their lives together. We were so honoured, not only to document the day, but to celebrate with them the whole week were there on the island.

Which way to the beach? I mean cliffs?

After the ceremony and family/group photos, we gave Judy and Jordan a few moments to soak it all in before jumping into our golf carts and heading out for our wedding party photos. As mentioned above, Justina and I arrived early in Maui so that we could plan out our shoot locations. We scouted a few spots before deciding on Olivine Pools as our wedding shoot location. When you scroll down to see the photos, you’ll understand why we chose this spot. This spot had EVERYTHING we wanted:  a bit of greenery, high cliffs, crashing waves and cool rolling hills off in the distance. The majority of our time was spent here because it was just so darn gorgeous. I also promised Judy that we’d keep the walking to a minimum.

Dos Cocos Por Favor

We were parched after navigating all those cliffs so once our photos were finished, we went on the hunt for some COCONUTS before heading back to the resort to freshen up and prepare for the evening festivities.

Just checkout this gorgeous decor!

One of our favourite parts of wedding day is walking into the venue after (or during) setup and decor. Planning your dream destination wedding is no easy task, but when you have the creative team at Opihi Love on your side, you know you’re in good hands. Guests were greeted with Mai Tai’s and breathtaking vistas as soon as they entered the venue. The beach side lawn of the Ritz Carlton was set up for an evening of fantastic food and entertainment. Guests enjoyed a smorgasbord of local and traditional Hawaiian dishes including a whole roasted pig. Wooden Farmhouse harvest tables adorned with blush linen table runners and tropical flowers were strewn all across the lawn. Lighting was kept to a minimum with hanging globe lights and a few stage lights that would be used later for the hula… yes, the hula. This wedding reception was a full on Luau!!!

As the sun set over the horizon,

… guests enjoyed their meals while listening toasts to the newly married couple. Then, out of nowhere, with a mighty roar and the sounding of the conch horn, the evening entertainment commenced. We enjoyed an evening of storytelling through traditional Hawaiian music and dance performed by the talented crew over at Manutea Nui E. At the end of their performance, they invited the newlyweds as well as a few guests up on stage for a Hula Lesson before opening up the dance floor for the remainder of the evening.

Until we meet again!

Judy and Jordan, words cannot describe how grateful we are to the two of you for inviting us out to Maui to photograph and film your destination wedding. Thank you so much for such a wonderful time and showing us the meaning of “Ohana”. We love you two and miss you so much!