Kauai-born-and-raised couple Aimee and Milo celebrated their love at Waimea Plantation Cottages surrounded by their closest people, Ohana. They celebrated in true local Kauai family fashion…loved ones came together and pitched in as vendors and helpers to make this couple’s dream wedding become a reality! It was a party and it was full of so much love and aloha. Their wedding had a very minimalistic, modern meets boho backyard, a family-oriented vibe which fit the couple perfectly.

Ohana, or family, is one of the most important values in Hawaiian culture. And something we absolutely love about local weddings is how strongly you can feel this closeness, aloha, and comradery between everyone present.  Incorporating family, honoring culture and heritage as well as holding space for ancestors was extremely important to this couple on their wedding day. They had a Hawaiian ceremony performed by Kelvin Ho from United Kauai. He included traditional elements such as an Oli (Hawaiian Chant), blowing the Pu (Conch shell), Lei exchanges, ring blessing, and drinking the Nui (coconut) to honor its life-giving and sustaining power and to bless the marriage with the same. They included their families and daughter in the ceremony and honored their ancestors, as they vowed to take on this next chapter of life as a team. It was an extremely heartfelt, emotional, and all-around beautiful ceremony. 

Another thing we love about local weddings is seeing everyone come together to contribute something of their expertise for the day. They had friends and family take care of catering, friends run the bar, the family put together and crafted all the flowers and decor items, tables and benches came from a family member, DIY hair and makeup and the bride’s father built the gorgeous wedding arch! Wow. It was truly a family effort to put this special day together. Hot Tip: It is often difficult to deal with so many “non-professional” vendors and keep everyone on top of things/on time. Assign someone (if not us) to coordinate and organize them so you can be assured their tasks get completed and everything stays on time!

Being that this couple is an immediate family of one of our team members it made this Kauai wedding an EXTRA special one! As wedding planners, sharing our expertise and services with friends and family to make their wedding dreams come together is so special and of course rewarding. This is one of the many many reasons why we love what we do! Please enjoy some of our favorite photos from this special day shot by the amazing and talented Foto Pop Kauai!

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