For newlyweds Meg and Matthew, a Hawaiian destination wedding was the perfect way to incorporate their passion for travel and adventure into their special day. “We chose to do a destination wedding because we wanted to create a rich, memorable experience with our loved ones beyond the ceremony,” says the couple.

Their venue, the Olowalu Plantation House, provided them with the exact theme they were searching for on the island of Maui. “This unique venue gave us the intimate, laid-back, bohemian backyard gathering we’d envisioned with a vintage, old Hawaii vibe,” they say.

Despite the peaceful location, the couple admits that planning the event was not always smooth sailing. Although they admit that it can be easy to get caught up in the small details, hiring some extra help made it easier for Meg and Matthew to focus on the big picture.

“Keeping perspective amidst the chaos and empowering a great wedding planner to help us bring our vision to life made all the difference,” says the couple. “Newly engaged couples often think hiring a wedding planner is unnecessary or out of budget, but there’s a talented, affordable planner out there who will guide you and bring your vision to life.”

In order to help their guests have an efficient experience as well, Meg and Matthew created a website with all of the travel logistics so that guests had a go-to resource to explore flights, hotels, rental cars and excursions. “This saved us from answering countless one-off questions and made travel arrangements easy,” they say.

Another way your guests can coordinate their attendance is by having plenty of time to plan — the couple recommends providing notice at least five-to-six months in advance. From their experience, this allowed a majority of those they invited to attend.

“Our friends and family are spread out across the U.S. and always open to adventure, so the response to our decision to host a destination wedding was overwhelmingly positive,” says the pair.

Planning a wedding away from home requires a lot of time and effort, though Meg and Matthew suggest taking every quiet moment as an opportunity to soak in the experience with your significant other.

Overall, the couple is glad they made the choice to have a destination wedding.

“The cost of our destination wedding was on par with the estimates we initially explored for a wedding in our home city,” says the newlyweds. “With travel costs for flights and hotel included, we were slightly over, but it was well worth it, given the memories we made together.”

Vendors: Photographer: MeewMeew Studios, Wedding Planner: Makena Weddings, Ceremony/Reception Site: Olowalu Plantation House, Florist: Dellables, Hair: Bride’s Hair & Makeup Maui, Gown Designer: Made With Love Bridal, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Joseph A. Bank, Videography: Sunlit Films, Bar: Aloha Bars Maui, DJ: Mike “DJ Money Mike” Penn, Catering: Cafe O’lei, Excursions: Maui Activity Concierge, Nanny Service: The Nanny Connection & Hotel: Sheraton Maui Resort