Location: The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, Big Island, HI
“Hele mai ‘oe i ko maua male ‘ana.” In the lyrical language of Hawaii, this simple invitation— “come to our wedding”—welcomes your closest family and friends to join you and your betrothed in the spirit of aloha for an unforgettable start to your life together.
With its dramatic and diverse landscapes, black-sand beaches, and multitude of stunning resorts, Hawaii offers a unique opportunity for couples to celebrate with their family and escape for a romantic journey just for two. Hawaii’s seven major islands are a quick flight apart, so you can host a fabulous ceremony and reception on the Big Island, Maui, or Kauai, then hop over to another, equally beautiful destination for your honeymoon.
Location: The St. Regis Princeville Resort, Kaua’i
The Kohala Coast is acclaimed as the most beautiful place on the Big Island of Hawaii, which is still growing thanks to its active volcanoes. For an outdoor wedding with sunshine guaranteed, the Kohala Coast is a near-lock: it gets less than nine inches of rain annually. At The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, you can bask in luxury and sunbathe next to majestic green turtles on the beach and pamper your wedding party in one of the resort’s unique waterfall massage hales (huts), then exchange vows in a majestic coconut grove next to an ancient fish pond or on Turtle Point, with the summits of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea as a backdrop.
Location: Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, Maui, Hawaii
The luxury beach enclave of Wailea is home to two of Maui’s most fabulous resorts: the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort and the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, both fronting one of the best beaches in the world and surrounded by 54 holes of championship golf courses, gardens, shopping and fine dining. Couples can drink in the beach view while toasting their future at a ceremony and reception on the Four Season’s palm-lined oceanfront lawn, or in a garden full of Plumeria trees and elegant statuary.
Location: Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, Maui, Hawaii
The Seaside Chapel at the Grand Wailea may be the most beautiful place to get married in all of Maui—think of a traditional New England steepled church with stained glass windows, but surrounded by Japanese gardens, ponds and waterfalls. Hawaiian touches can range from a simple exchange of wedding leis to a processional where you’ll be announced by a traditional conch-shell blower and led to the altar by a torch maiden. And of course no Maui wedding would be complete without hula dancers performing the “Hawaiian Wedding Song.”
Location: The St. Regis Princeville Resort, Kaua’i
Kauai, the “Garden Island” of Hawaii, is a must-see whether you’re hosting an on-island wedding or seeking a post-nuptial getaway. This most laid-back of the Hawaiian islands is all about relaxing in the great outdoors, whether you’re exploring the rugged Napali Coast and its hidden beaches or hiking into the lushly beautiful Waimea Canyon. Setting the standard for luxury on Kauai is the St. Regis Princeville Resort, part of a 9,000- acre resort community where you can wed under the shade of a Kamani tree and celebrate your union in a stylish ballroom that opens onto the Pacific.
As they say in Hawaii—“Ho’i hou ke aloha”—you’ll be falling in love over and over again, both with your beloved and these enchanted islands.
> Written by Bob Curley
