On the Big Island of Hawaii, with the Pacific stretching endlessly beyond the lava rock shoreline, and the air thick with the scent of plumeria and the sound of the low murmur of the ocean, Franchesca and Carlos tied the knot.

The Meet Cute: Love at First Spreadsheet

It was the fall of 2016. Fran had just joined Snapchat’s Venice office when Carlos spotted her from across the room, specifically, her smile and the spreadsheet on her screen.

“Smart, hot, witty, thoughtful… what more could a guy ask for?” he recalls. A mutual colleague made the introduction. Carlos made his move shortly after, asking for her number and saving himself in her phone under a contact name that was equal parts charming and audacious: “Carlos – My Future Baby Daddy.”

“I’m just relieved she didn’t take it straight to HR,” he jokes. Fran laughed, but the hint didn’t quite land. Not yet.

Their friendship deepened over months of office banter and coworker outings, until one night out, things finally clicked. A first kiss. A few dates. One (admittedly slow-to-realize) woman discovering what a catch had been right in front of her all along. Three years in, with friends cheering them on during a Big Bear getaway, Carlos finally asked Fran on their first official date. Six years later, after a move to San Francisco and a whole life built together, he was one step closer to fulfilling that bold contact name.

The Proposal: By the Lake That Raised Her

For Fran, Lake Tahoe isn’t just a destination. It’s a feeling. Every Labor Day of her childhood was spent by its shores with parents, sisters, cousins, aunts, and uncles. She had been dropping hints all summer about missing it. She never expected Carlos to actually listen.

“The Friday before Labor Day, he spontaneously whisked me away to the Edgewood Resort for the weekend,” Fran recalls. “He kept me shocked and utterly confused for 24 hours, including a brief fear that I’d be proposed to in gym shoes.”

The gym shoes stayed on. Instead, Carlos led Fran to a private spot right on the beach, the very lake where she had splashed around as a little girl, and got down on one knee. That evening, the newly engaged couple celebrated with a seven-course meal prepared by a Michelin-trained chef on the shore as the sun melted into the water.

“It was the perfect bridge between my favorite childhood memories and our new life together,” Fran says, still glowing.

Why a Destination Wedding? Because That’s Just Who They Are

For Franchesca and Carlos, a destination wedding wasn’t a trend. It was simply an extension of who they are as a couple. “We always knew we wanted a destination wedding because we absolutely love to travel,” says Fran. “We started dating after a weekend away and said I love you for the first time in Cuba, so it was important to us to keep the tradition alive.”

And the destination? Hawaii was never really a question. Their very first trip together had been to the islands, and it’s also where Carlos first met Fran’s extended family. “Hawaii holds a special place in both of our hearts,” she explains, “and is also a very easy flight for most of our friends and family traveling from California.” Practical and romantic, a combination these two clearly excel at.

Finding the Venue: Love at First Tour

The couple toured two venues on the Big Island, but the decision was made almost immediately upon setting foot into Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection in Waimea.

“The food and drinks, service, the events team, and the VIEWS were unparalleled,” Fran says. “Not only has it always been my dream to get married right on the water, but the team went above and beyond to work with me on my vision, even making sure we could accommodate all our guests in a room block. I would choose Mauna Lani again and again. It was an absolute dream.”

To plan from afar, Fran combined an in-person site visit with creative problem-solving. “Doing a site visit and staying at the property for our food tasting made it so much easier to envision what it would all look like,” she shares. Her secret weapon? “Taking photos of the event space and designing on top of it in Canva was my best friend.”

The Aesthetic: Natural, Tropical, and Deeply Hawaiian

With the Pacific as their backdrop, the couple made a deliberate design choice: let Hawaii do the heavy lifting. “We wanted to keep things natural, tropical, and complement the beauty of Hawaii,” says Fran. The palette leaned into whites, greens, and muted pinks, soft tones that would never compete with those ocean views.

Local elements wove the islands into every detail: coconuts, palm trees, shells serving as name cards, and, in the most charming nod to island life, a surfboard standing in as the seating chart. Florist Lalamilo Flower Girl brought the botanical vision to life, while Kea & Loa and Kona Event Rentals dressed the space with furniture, lighting, and a dance floor. Island Celebrations Hawaii provided the signature slat walls and surfboard seating chart.

For her bridal look, Fran wore a gown from Katherine Tash Bridal, sourced through the boutique LOHO Bride, and changed into a Prea James reception look for the party. Gucci loafers and a Cartier watch completed the ensemble. Carlos and his groomsmen suited up in sharp Suit Supply looks.

The Ceremony: Rings Warmed by Everyone They Love

With the sound of the ocean as their soundtrack (performed live by Kristen Nicole Music during the ceremony and cocktail hour), Franchesca and Carlos were married on the beach at Mauna Lani.

The ceremony featured a deeply meaningful ring warming ritual, in which every single guest held the rings and offered a silent blessing before they were exchanged. “It was very special to us,” says Fran, a way to make every loved one an active participant in their marriage, not just a witness to it.

And then there were the vows. They nearly stayed private. “We had initially agreed to do private vows,” Carlos admits, “but Fran had talked me into doing them publicly, and I wouldn’t ever have changed that for anything in the world.”

The Moments They’ll Never Forget

Ask Carlos for his favorite memory and he doesn’t hesitate. “Seeing Fran walk down the aisle amongst all of our loved ones. I cried the whole time. It was the happiest moment of my life.” He says it with a certainty that makes clear: this man was smitten from the moment he spotted that spreadsheet.

For Fran, the aisle held magic of its own. “Walking down the aisle, seeing every single person in this world that I love so dearly, and then seeing Carlos and feeling the happiest I have truly ever felt, and so unbelievably loved in that single moment.”

She also singles out her younger sisters’ speeches. As someone who has spent years correcting, editing, and revising their essays and presentations, Fran was floored. “It truly blew me away how thoughtful, genuine, and funny they were,” she says warmly. “Their words really meant a lot to me.”

Advice for Future Destination Couples

After planning a wedding from the mainland and watching her vision come to life on a Hawaiian beach, Fran has earned the right to share a little wisdom.

“Nothing is ever going to be exactly perfect. You can plan all you want, but the most important thing you can do is just enjoy your day. It goes by so quickly!”

And for the months when the to-do list feels endless? “It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle in the last few months. Don’t forget the reason why you’re doing it, and it will all be worth it in the end!”

Vendors: Photographer: Alex Elise Photography; Wedding Planner: Sunshower Weddings & Events; Ceremony/Reception Site: Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection; Florist: Lalamilo Flower Girl; Hair & Makeup: MeiLi Autumn Beauty; Grooms’ Clothing Designer: Suit Supply; Videography + Content Creation: The BTS Dulhan; Rentals (Furniture & Lounges): Kea & Loa; Rentals (Lighting, Dance Floor & Furniture): Kona Event Rentals; Specialty Rentals: Island Celebrations Hawaii; Sound, A/V & Production: E3 Hawaii; Ceremony Sound: Encore Global; DJs: 2DJs; Musician: Kristen Nicole Music; Decor Rentals: Sunshower Rentals; Dress: Katherine Tash Bridal; Dress Boutique: LOHO Bride; Reception Outfit: Prea James; Loafers: Gucci; Watch: Cartier