David and Anthony hosted an intimate destination wedding at a private home on the island of Maui. They live in LA where Anthony owns The Collective Reality, a brokerage firm in LA and David works in event management. David was very hands-on when it came to the design and vision of their celebration. He presented Erica from Couture Events with a design deck that showcased a really tropical vibe with a touch of mid century…Chances are you’ll PROBABLY be booking a trip to Hawaii the second you’re done reading this feature!!
Melia Lucia photographed every heart-stopping detail shared between these two during their tropical Hawaiian paradise! So here’s to D + A! Let’s get to it!
Stepping Into Paradise
The couple shared that Maui as the wedding destination spoke to their collective love for travel and adventure.
“We wanted to provide an experience that would allow enough time for our two families to bond and become one. We tried to incorporate all of the elements that we love about Maui into our wedding. The natural foliage that we saw on the side of the road, driving through Hana, served as the inspiration for all of our florals by Mandy Grace Designs. The menu was inspired by one of our favorite maui restaurants, Star Noodle. We wanted every element to feel very personal and authentic.“
D + A had a very specific vision for their outfits. Both of them loath wearing suits, so they took on the challenge of finding garments that are both unique & comfortable! (Score!!) Being in a warm environment they wanted something that would breathe and allow them to enjoy the weather, rather than curse it.
They found all of their pieces at BODE in Los Angeles. Not only was the couple so thrilled with the look of the garments they loved the story behind the pieces. All of the fabrics used to create the garments are upcycled vintage materials.
Seeing our parents give speeches was really emotional. Being queer, we both grew up not being able to imagine the ability to get married, let alone have a wedding that is supported by our parents. To see so much genuine enthusiasm & encouragement from our families was really beautiful.
These guests couldn’t be happier for the newlyweds! Cheers to the happy couple!
The Tropical Ceremony
Dying to book your own tropical getaway? We’ve rounded up 22 of the coolest Airbnbs across Hawaii that you NEED to visit!
Throughout the day there were plenty of vintage Hawaii decor and tiki references. They described it as “Surf Club at Four Seasons Miami.” They wanted their wedding to feel like Maui meets the Hollywood Hills and we are pretty obsessed with this theme!
Since the couple loves Monkey Pod restaurant’s famous, award-winning Mai Thai they had Garnish Craft Cocktails serve up a version with lilikoi foam on top. Delish!! Side note but if you’ve never had a Monkey Pod mai-tai in your life… you my friend are missing. out. 🍹
The top priorities for the couple were food and the guest experience. Their favorite restaurant is Star Noodle so they enlisted Chef Brian of Cutting Edge Catering to present an Asian/local inspired menu that felt really authentic and prepared it family style.
Their planner Erica used the following words for a jumping-off point: upscale, relaxed, casual, backyard, chic, unpretentious, light, airy, fun, refreshing, creative, and unique. …Can we just say they DELIVERED! And tip, writing out words like that for your wedding is a GREAT way to determine the vibe of the day you want.
And the two drove off together in the sunset… happy and in love!
Have fun with it and trust your wedding planner! We were lucky to have Erica, she really knows what she's doing & TRUST me, you cannot do it yourself.
This Hawaiian Paradise looks nothing short of perfection! Congrats to the happy couple!
And don’t miss this incredible video captured by Zeb Films!
photography: Melia Lucida // venue name: Private Estate, Maui, Hawaii, USA // event design: Couture Events // planning: Couture Events // florals: Mandy Grace Designs // groom attire: Bode and Bode // videography: Zeb Films // paper goods: Swell Press Paper Co. // calligraphy: Miss B Calligraphy (Artwork for the welcome sign, menus, and escort cards were designed by the bride in partnership with Miss B Calligraphy, who also constructed and printed the day-of paper products) // catering: Cutting Edge Catering // cake: Cake Fanatics Maui // furniture rentals: Rio Event Design // music: Marvin Tavega // lighting: KCK Entertainment // photo booth: Spotlight Photo Booth // cocktails: Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering // Catering: The Catered Coconut // DJ: DJ Boomshot // DJ: Maui DJ Services // Transportation: Primo VIP // Transportation: Maui Town Car // Transportation: The Limo Company // Car Rental: Maui Roadsters // Childcare: The Nanny Connection
