Amanda and Ben met in 2013 at the University of Colorado Hospital while Ben was finishing his Internal Medicine Residency and Amanda was working as a Registered Nurse. Amanda asked Ben out on a date after the two had bonded during long shifts at the hospital. From there on, there was a lot of moving around and the couple faced the hard task of maintaining a long-distance relationship for a short period of time. Eventually, the couple ended up moving to Hawaii together where Ben proposed to Amanda. 

“We wanted to have a destination wedding to show off a place that had special meaning to us,” says the bride. “Ben and I lived on the island of Oahu for a couple of years before getting engaged and during that time, developed a deep appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of Hawaii.” 

A destination wedding meant the couple’s friends and family would have a good excuse to visit them in Hawaii. “Most had hinted we should have a Hawaiian wedding before we were even engaged,” says Amanda. 

The couple narrowed their search for the perfect venue to the island of Maui. They decided to go with Olowalu Plantation House. “It’s a fabulous “blank slate” for any style of wedding and is well equipped for events,” says the bride. The couple was also drawn to the additional house on the property that they were able to rent and use for the bridal party to get ready in, the Sunday morning “Recovery Brunch” and for the couple’s honeymoon. 

With the help of their wedding planner, the couple had an easy time creating their Bohemian style Hawaiian wedding. The couple incorporated tropical flowers, plants, foods and drinks that are native to the Hawaiian Islands. “My goal was to include as many unique details in our wedding as possible and create a space that evoked both comfort and elegance. It was important to us that guests felt relaxed and pampered while they were so far from home,” says the bride. 

The celebratory weekend was jam-packed with activities for guests from traditional Hawaiian dinners to private yoga sessions. But the most memorable moment for Amanda was giving Ben his groom’s gift which was a choreographed dance that Amanda had practiced six months for. 

This article first appeared in Destination I Do’s Spring/Summer 2019 issue. You can order a copy here.

Vendors: Photographer: Tamiz Photography; Wedding Planner: Opihi Love; Ceremony/Reception Site: Olowalu Plantation House; Florist: Lois Hiranaga; Stationery: Celeste Clark; Gown Designer: Rue De Seine; Groom’s Clothing Designer: Banana Republic; Cake: Cake Fanatics; Calligraphy & Custom Macramé: Alannah Rae Calligraphy; Dinner Menus and Place Cards: The Simple Flourish; Vow Books: Jenche Designs; Bar: Aloha Bars Maui; Harpist:  Kristine Snyder; DJ: The DJ Hawaii; Place Settings: Set Maui; Rentals: Rio Event Design; Catering: The Beast and Spoon; Videographer: Ohana Films; Wedding Website: Appy Couple; Save The Dates: Minted