Former medical students, Christina and Ryan, first met through a dating app called “Bagel Meets Coffee.” Ryan’s first message to Christina: a poem. A few exchanged messages later, they agreed to go on a date in the city. But 10 minutes before the date, Ryan calls and says he couldn’t find his car keys and asks if she could pick him up. Christina, already hesitant about this guy, told him to meet her across the street at the local brewery. As she walked across the pedestrian bridge, in the distance she saw a man sprinting down the sidewalk. Laughing to herself about how horribly this first date had begun, she took a photo of the man and sent it to her friends. There was Ryan. Clearly in a rush, covered in sweat and panting so he wouldn’t be late for the date.

“Despite the rock bottom start to the date, we had the best time and talked and laughed for hours until the restaurant closed, and we had to be kicked out. The rest is history!” the pair says.

The couple spent countless hours studying and supporting each other through the twists and turns of medical school. When it came time for their residency, they were both matched in separate places and spent four years doing long distance. Despite the distance, their bond remained stronger than ever. After spending many years together, they decided to make it official.

“We currently live together in the chilly city of Chicago, so we were so excited to plan a destination wedding somewhere warmer!” the couple says.

The island of Maui held a special place in their hearts. It was the first place the love birds traveled and said they loved each other.

“We love all things Hawaiian and tropical, so we felt like this place would really represent us well, and we were so excited to share Maui with our loved ones,” the couple says.

Wanting a small and intimate ceremony, the couple decided to host a brunch wedding. Not only is it their favorite meal, but it also allowed them to incorporate more fun and playful touches compared to a regular wedding format.

“We had guests blow mini ‘Champagne Bubbles” when we walked down the aisle as husband and wife, we had a donut wall and mini breakfast burritos during our Mimosa hour, and a matcha pancake for our ‘cake’ cutting,” the bride says.

Christina took it upon herself to do most of the planning for the wedding! She even added some unique DIY projects to customize the special day.

“We had a seating chart board that said ‘Love Travels’ that we also wanted to double as a guestbook polaroid wall, so we made little heart clothespin hangers with ties to have our guests hang their polaroid photos,” Christina says.

In addition, the couple made all the reception table signs featuring various photos of them. In the weeks leading up to the big occasion, they used Amazon prime to order table runners, lawn games, bubble wands and sign holders.

The unique Maui brunch wedding was exactly what the couple had envisioned, and it saved money which allowed them to splurge in other areas. From the venue, to the vibe of the day, the couple agreed that they made the best decision having a destination wedding.

“There was something really magical about saying our vows in front of the most beautiful ocean backdrop in a place that means so much to us and then getting to celebrate the entire weekend by vacationing with our closest friends and family,” the couple says.

The bride, wanting to offer some advice to future couples planning destination weddings says:

“Don’t feel inclined to stick to the traditional wedding format if you feel like it’s something you are not comfortable with or excited about.”

Vendors: Photographer: MeewMeew Studios; Wedding Coordinator: Alexis Hurey with Andaz Maui; Ceremony/Reception Site/Cake: Andaz Maui; Florist: Bella Bloom Maui; Stationery: Zola; Hair & Makeup: MeiLi Autumn Beauty; Gown Designer: Galina Signature; Groom’s Clothing Designer: Suit Supply; Calligraphy: Miss B Calligraphy; Videography: No Ka Oi Media; Musician: Scott Baird of Maui Music; Officiant: Euta Lightsy