Chelsea and Ross escaped to a Hawaiian paradise to say their vows. The breathtaking Haiku Mill provided the backdrop for their 10-guest wedding.

“It was stuff of dreams!” says Chelsea, who adds they were able to keep their wedding cost to only $10,000.

Another bonus of having a small destination wedding was that it meant zero stress for the couple.

“We could be ourselves and relax and truly take in the beauty of our surroundings, without the pressure of entertaining guests or worrying about timelines,” says Chelsea.

Kudos to Chris J. Evans for capturing this little wedding so beautifully!

Chelsea, 27 &  Ross, 28

Location:  Haiku, HI

Wedding Date: November 22, 2017

Number of Guests: 10

Wedding Cost: $10,000 (all inclusive: dress/suit/accessories/alterations/wedding bands/minister/flowers/cake/appetizers/champagne/venue rental/videographer/photographer/wedding planner)

Wedding Ceremony Location: Haiku Mill

Wedding Reception Location: The Wooden Crate @Lumeria Maui, not pictured but we had a very beautiful dinner after leaving the mill. It totally catered to Ross and I’s foodie hearts.

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

I had always wanted a destination wedding. I love travel and experiencing new places and cultures. Since Ross and I met he has joined me in this love. Originally I had dreamed of Banff or Iceland, but Ross prefers beaches and sun to the snow. So I decided to “compromise” on Maui. Oh darn, right? My family had already planned a family vacation for November, so we decided to save some money and tack a wedding on as we knew part of the family had already booked. We would have eloped but we knew our parents would want to be there to witness, so we ended up with a small guest list of 10. Also 10 guests was the maximum for “elopement” pricing at our venue which worked out beautifully and gave us some HUGE savings.

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

I would say the only real challenge was not seeing our venue or ever visiting Maui before our wedding. A lot of planning was done through pictures and reviews, a little scary at first, but once we selected Haiku Mill as our venue Shelby at Elements by K.H & co. handled all the stress and details for us. Having a wedding planner for destination events I think is key.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Since we started with the idea of eloping, and then very quickly decided to add parents, it wasn’t really an issue of paring down as who to add on. We ended up with immediate family and a couple very influential people who have been there for us our entire lives.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

We had a few people that were disappointed and wanted to be there but we had already decided to do an informal dessert reception with all of our family and friends upon our return, this helped to placate some feelings. Overall I’d say we had lots of support in our decision. 

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

What was most important to Ross and I about the ceremony was that we could find a pastor on the island to officiate. We are both deeply rooted in our Christian faith and wanted to ensure the focus of our ceremony was ultimately between the two of us and our covenant to God. Our wedding planner found a wonderful pastor and our ceremony was filled with love and prayer. We also decided to write our own vows to exchange with one another, it was deeply personal and beautiful to be able to share with each other and our family. We also were able to personalize our processional and recessional music which made it so fun to decide on these little elements. Me being a huge Pride and Prejudice fan I chose the soundtrack as my processional, and recessional we had L-O-V-E by Tony Bennett. Upon arriving at Haiku Mill I went straight to the bridal suite to get ready, so there was no walk through previous to the processional. Walking in with my dad and taking in the sheer beauty of the mill and Ross standing there waiting for me was such an overwhelming experience. We could not have asked for a more beautiful and intimate experience. The ceremony was everything I could have imagined and more!

What were the highlights of the reception?

We had a wonderful pupu reception (Hawaiian for appetizers) for guests at the Mill while Ross and I were having photos done. Maui Preserved did a fantastic job of sweet & savory. Artisanal cheeses & crackers, fresh figs, macadamia nuts & almonds, paired beautifully with pineapple and mango passion fruit preserve that comes straight from the trees at the Mill! Ross is not a huge fan of wedding cake, so we went with an untraditional wedding vendor and got our cake from Whole Foods. The Tres Leches cake from there is AMAZING!! Plus a huge savings on buying a “traditional” wedding cake. We additionally had a beautiful private dinner reception at our hotel, Lumeria Maui, following the events at the Mill. 

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

The fact that we had such an intimate wedding allowed us to have zero stress about the whole day. We could be ourselves and relax and truly take in the beauty of our surroundings, without the pressure of entertaining guests or worrying about timelines. We also were able to be deeply personal and intentional during the ceremony and for that matter the whole day with all of our guests. 

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Do it! It was definitely the best decision we could have made. It was personal and intimate, truly focusing on the commitment and not necessarily a big production. Putting the relationship and marriage at the forefront as it should be. 

Vendors:

Venue: Haiku Mill

Wedding Planning and Production: Elements by K.H & Co.

Photography: Chris J. Evans

Videography: Lauren Beeston Films

Florist: Mandy Grace Designs

Hair & Makeup: Salon 253

Pupu (appetizers): Maui Preserved

Wedding Officiant: Pastor Carrll Robilotta

Wedding Timelines/Fan: Dahlberg Designs 

Wedding Cake: Whole Foods

Wedding Dress Boutique: BHLDN Chicago

Wedding Dress Designer: Watters

Grooms Suit: Calvin Klein

You’ve got your dress, headpiece and shoes all picked out, not to mention your jewelry and veil. Something is missing from your bridal look… a leather jacket of course! Leather and denim jackets add a wow factor to your bridal look, and they take your wedding photos to the next level. They can be worn at your reception, on your honeymoon, or even on your walk down the aisle. These 12 jackets are all gems, and you won’t regret buying one. Now the question is which one will you choose (*hint*: one of them is decorated with neon letters that spell “bride”)?

You and your bridal party will look très chic in these hand painted denim jackets from WildRoseShopNY.

Rock and roll meets glamour with this custom hand painted jacket from LetteredByLBP.

This dashing vegan leather jacket from NicolesCovet is decorated with a removable decal, so after the wedding it can become a staple in your wardrobe.

This is one awesome jacket!. The seller, TheMrsJacket, has this to say about the jacket: “For the pictured bride, Mrs Mallam, I used the font of her wedding invitations, bling, sequin patch and hashtag for adornments and added a secret message inside.”

 

Hey there, beautiful bride-to-be! We’ve got some seriously gorgeous gowns to show you today, and guess what? They’re perfect for curvy brides!

We all know that brides come in all shapes and sizes, and Maggie Sottero Designs gets that. Each of their gowns is designed to complement a bride’s authentic beauty and personality, and the newest lineup is no different—the Lucienne Collection by Maggie Sottero, features soft and glamorous gowns with shimmering bodices that are incredibly flattering to brides with curves. Fit and construction options include inner and outer corsetry, jersey lining and satin slips, and bodices with built-in shapewear.

If you want to feel like the best version of yourself on your wedding day, we suggest the following gowns:

Shauna

Your fairytale has just begun with this princess-inspired wedding dress, featuring a beaded bodice with a plunging sweetheart neckline and elegant spaghetti straps accented in Swarovski crystals. The ballgown skirt is soft, feminine and oh-so flattering.

Brinkley

The elegant and sexy Brinkley gown will cast a spell on your wedding guests! Not only will this mermaid style gown complement your curves, the decadent beaded embroidery and Swarovski crystals will make you shimmer like a goddess. Glamorous and vintage-inspired, this dress has a sweetheart neckline and plunging V-back, along with beaded illusion cold-shoulder sleeves and a  fit-and-flare skirt comprised of tiered Chic Organza trimmed in horsehair. Can a dress get any more dazzling?

Charlene

If you love the look of vintage-inspired gowns, we suggest this stunning A-line wedding gown, featuring a beaded lace bodice accented in Swarovski crystals and sheer side insets. An elegant V-neckline, trimmed in illusion along with beaded spaghetti straps and a scoop back make this dress perfect for a bride who is confident in her own skin. We adore the gown’s exquisite tulle skirt with its glamorous seam slit.

Larkin

For a sophisticated look, we recommend this A-line satin gown. We adore the attached sleeveless illusion jacket that elegantly overlays this vintage inspired dress. The beadwork, which includes Swarovski crystals, is absolutely stunning!

Maren

Chiffon, Swarovski crystals, crystal buttons – can this sleeveless sheath dress get any more decadent? We love the V-neckline on this dress, and the illusion open back!

Want to see more gorgeous gowns in this collection? Visit Maggie Sottero Designs or click here to find a store near you.

This post is sponsored by Maggie Sottero Designs. All opinions expressed within this feature are those of the author.

With family members on opposite sides of the country, finding a date and location that worked for everyone was proving to be impossible for Katie and Brian. The solution? Running away to Santorini.

As the bride puts it: “The idea of celebrating our love by sharing a once in a lifetime experience, halfway across the world, became our best idea yet.”

Their private wedding allowed the couple to truly focus on one another – not to mention the breathtaking surroundings.

Thanks to the talented Sotiris Tsakanikas for capturing this stunning elopement and to planners Stella and Moscha Weddings for sharing this beautiful elopement with us.

Katie & Brian

Location: Santorini, Greece

Wedding Date: May 14,  2017

Number of Guests: 0

Wedding Ceremony Location: Sun Rocks Hotel

Wedding Reception Location: Sun Rocks Hotel

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Our families live on opposite coasts of the country. When we were initially thinking about planning a traditional ceremony, it became evident that we wouldn’t  be able to find a date and location that worked for everyone. On New Year’s Eve last year, we threw out the idea of eloping, almost as a joke. Once we started discussing it, the idea of celebrating our love by sharing a once in a lifetime experience, halfway across the world, became our best idea yet.

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

We live in Florida, and planning a wedding from nearly 6,000 miles away may sound intimidating or even crazy, but with the help of our fabulous wedding planner, and the team that she assembled, Brian and I didn’t have to worry about a thing. We were very fortunate to find Stella & Moscha, who helped execute our vision for our wedding perfectly. From the moment we Skyped with our wedding planner Lydia, we knew that we were in good hands. After that, the most difficult thing was figuring out how to get my dress to Santorini. Everything was flawless and we would do it again in a heartbeat.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list? 

Once we decided to elope, the guest list took care of itself 🙂

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family?

Our friends and family were very supportive of our decision to have a private ceremony. Once we returned to America, we had a big party so that we were able to celebrate this special time in our lives with friends & family.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Holding hands as we read the vows we had written for one another. 

What were the highlights of the reception?

Having dinner as the sun set over the caldera, it was like something straight out of a fairytale. Brian made a playlist of songs that were meaningful to our relationship, which served as the background music for dinner. 

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Being able to really focus on one another and truly enjoy every part of our special day, without any distractions was one of the best parts about having a private ceremony.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

The wedding planning process was so much fun for us.  Don’t be afraid to do what is best for you and your fiancé. Eloping  doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the all of the traditional aspects of a wedding. Look for opportunities to include personal details which are meaningful to you and your fiancé.

Vendors:

Wedding Planning and Design: Stella and Moscha Weddings

Venue: Sunrocks

Photography: Sotiris Tsakanikas

Flowers and Decor: Wedding Wish

Hair Stylist: Georgia Theodoraki

Makeup Artist: Renia Bledaki

Wedding Cake: Alexandra’s Cakes

wedding Dress: Watters

Planning a summer wedding? From driftwood signs to pineapple themed robes, these 10 items from Etsy will help complete your summer theme.

This custom driftwood sign from DestinationTree will fit right in with your beach reception decor. After the wedding, you can display it in your home for a beautiful reminder of your big day.

Add a tropical flair to your getting ready shots with these pineapple motif robes from ToHappilyEverAfter.

No summer wedding is complete without a lemonade station. These personalized frosted cups from SipHipHooray will encourage your guests to stay hydrated.

These pineapple straws from PartyPartsUS are a cute addition to your drink table.

Let everyone on the beach now about your nuptials with these personalized flip flops from FlipSideFlipFlops.

A bonfire and s’mores is the perfect ending to a summer wedding. These s’more favors are from GarrettGraphics.

Do you and your hubby-to-be have a type of flower that is special to your relationship? Fill these seed favor packets from TheKraftPackage with the seeds of your favorite blooms.

These 48 bubble wands from CODWholesale are only $15. Have your guests blow bubbles as you are walking down the aisle for a dramatic entrance (and great photos!).

These cute personalized matchboxes from GraciousBridal are just $1 each. We love them!

And now for the showstopper. Can you believe this breathtakingly beautiful bouquet from TresorParkStudio is made from silk flowers?

*This post contains Etsy affiliate links.