Jolee and Willie first crossed paths on a jobsite. Willie took Jolee under his wing at work, teaching her to hunt and fish and folding her little cousins into the fabric of everyday life. It was that generosity that caught her attention first.

“What stood out to me most was how he treated my family,” Jolee says. “Always helping where he could; my grandparents at their house, my little cousins absolutely adored him, especially the baby, Reimi. She always says she’s Willie’s favorite. Somewhere along the way, I caught feelings, and we became more than just friends.”

Choosing intimacy over spectacle

When it came time to plan, Jolee had a clear vision: something intentional, not overwhelming. A wedding on their home island of Maui would have easily swelled to 500 or more guests. Instead, the couple turned to Hawai’i Island, or “The Big Island”, a place woven into Jolee’s family history. Her grandmother was born and raised there, and Jolee grew up making the journey as a little girl.

“Choosing to have our wedding on Hawai’i Island allowed us to really spend quality time with our guests,” she says. “We had 65 people total, and got to make a whole weekend out of it. It was perfect. I don’t have a single regret.”

The deep family roots made the setting feel like more than a backdrop. Jolee says it felt “really special, like we got to have my great-grandmother there with us in spirit” on the wedding day.

The venue she almost didn’t see

Hōlualoa Inn, perched on a 30-acre working coffee farm above Kailua-Kona, wasn’t even on Jolee’s radar. Their wedding planner, Erica of Couture Events, insisted on the site visit anyway.

“I actually told her I didn’t even want to see Hōlualoa Inn because I thought I was already set on a different venue,” Jolee says. “But she insisted. I’m forever grateful she did, because the moment we saw it, everything else didn’t even compare.”

The full property buyout meant 20 of their closest family and friends could stay on-site for the entire weekend, turning a single wedding day into something closer to a reunion.

A coffee farm, axis deer antlers and handcrafted invitations

The couple’s décor told the story of their lives together. Willie’s hunting hobby on Maui, home to an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 axis deer, whose unchecked population causes significant environmental and agricultural damage, gave the tablescapes a meaningful, grounded anchor. Antlers Willie had collected himself were woven into the arrangements alongside decorative pillows echoing the texture of axis deer hide.

“It felt meaningful to incorporate something that reflects both our lifestyle and the land,” Jolee says.

The invitation suite was entirely Jolee’s creation. Raised by Japanese grandparents for whom omiyage, the tradition of gift-giving, was a cornerstone of life, she wanted guests to receive something that felt like an experience. Since her first job was at Millhouse Roasting Company at the Maui Tropical Plantation, and their venue is an active coffee farm, the theme came naturally.

“I designed a custom logo, packaging and a newspaper-style invitation to match the coffee theme,” she says. “Each box included Kona coffee grown right on the property, a coffee scoop and bag clip, and the invitation. It felt like sending a little experience to our guests.”

Ceremony with Sweet Simplicity

The ceremony was simple by design, and all the more powerful for it. Jolee’s father officiated, and her grandfather walked her down the aisle, a moment she says she had imagined since childhood.

“My papa has always been my favorite person, so that moment meant everything to me,” Jolee says. “It was truly one of the most special parts of the day.”

Zero stress on the wedding weekend

Planning a destination wedding from afar is its own undertaking. For Jolee and Willie, one decision made everything manageable: investing in the right planner. A site visit the year before helped the couple visualize the weekend in full. By the time their guests arrived, there was nothing left to worry about.

“The biggest thing we learned is how important it is to invest in a great wedding planner,” Jolee says. “The right planner takes all the stress away and lets you actually enjoy the process.”

Vendors: Venue: Hōlualoa Inn; Photography: Pomaikai Photography; Cinematography: No Ka ‘Oi Films; Planning: Couture Events; Florals: UhiUhi Flower House; Catering: Cutting Edge Catering; Hair and makeup: Jolee Artistry; Music: Keoni Thompson Music; Mixology: Spirited Cocktails; Rentals: Hawaii Island Event Rentals; Groom’s Attire: Tommy Bahama; Wedding Party Attire: Jenny Yoo; Place Cards: Lively House & Home; Save-the-Dates: Swell Press; Veil: Wedding veil By Galinka on Etsy; Vow Books: Transparent Heart