When planning your wedding, the best advice we can give is to go with your gut. Unfortunately, Brianna and Joseph learned this lesson the hard way. In an effort to include all their friends and family, the couple went against their initial instinct to host a destination wedding. “Right away, we both knew we didn’t want a large, stressful wedding…but we tried to plan a big wedding here at home in Minnesota anyway,” says the bride. The couple made it so far as to hire a local wedding planner and book a venue, but they quickly found the process overwhelming. “We are more reserved and laid-back individuals, so after many phone calls, we canceled the wedding here without having a back-up plan.”

A plan B quickly ensued and, because the bride’s family has visited Maui every year for the last decade, it’s no surprise the couple ultimately settled on this island paradise for their destination “I do’s.” Come W-Day, the event was exactly what they had initially envisioned – laid-back, chock-full of romance and intimate with just 36 guests. “The ceremony was beautiful,” reminisces Brianna. “As guests walked in, they were greeted with fruity, non-alcoholic beverages. We decided to go with a Hawaiian-style ceremony, so we had no idea how that was going to go. The officiant was wonderful and the readings were much different than what we were used to.”

The couple was able to capture the ambiance they were after with sentimental touches like having their nine month-old daughter roll down the aisle in a wooden wagon and an after-dinner donut bar. When we asked the bride what her favorite moment of the day was, she explained how her groom did his best to make that distinction nearly impossible. “Joe had surprises sent to me throughout the day. It started with breakfast…after that, he surprised me with a trip to Thailand in a note, along with a diamond bracelet that I had my eye on for months. But my favorite was a framed picture of my dogs (next to a little shot of Patrón to calm my nerves). I was really bummed when I wasn’t able to include them on the big day, so having a little piece of them there was just the cherry on top.”

Vendors: Photographer: Wendy Laurel Photography, Wedding Planner: Maui’s Angels Weddings, Ceremony/Reception Site: Olowalu Plantation House, Florist: Mandy Grace Designs, Stationery: Kate Paulson Creatives, Bride’s Hair & Makeup: MeiLi Autumn Beauty, Gown Designer: Watters, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Jos. A. Bank, Bridesmaids’ Clothing Designer: Show Me Your Mumu, Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Jos. A. Bank, Catering: Sugar Beach Events of Hawaii, Cocktails & Bar: Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering, Live Music: Jasmine Rice, Linens: Adorn Company