An Organic Wedding in Hawaii with a Soft Color Palette

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bride and groom posing in front of ocean surrounded by pink flowers — Lauren Fair Photography

It wasn't just fate that brought Courtney and Carter together—their mothers had something to do with it, too. "We actually met in 2011 when our parents became friends, but we didn't really speak until 2013 when our mothers set us up on a blind date in Carmel, California," Courtney explains. "I had flown back from New York City for a girls' weekend with my mom and we were on our way to lunch when she told me that Carter's mom was joining." However, when the two arrived, Carter was also in attendance at the table, and after hellos were exchanged, the moms proceeded to get up and leave. "Carter and I looked at each other and were like, 'Did this really just happen?' We had a nice lunch, but nothing really came of it." Five years of running into each other at holidays and family get-togethers followed, and their parents always teased them about how perfect they were for each other. Although they rolled their eyes at the suggestion, when Courtney moved back to California in 2018, the pair started dating, and in 2020, they got engaged. "I guess our moms were right!" laughs the bride. "Funny how that works out."

The pair wanted their wedding to be intimate, "an homage in a way to the fact that love still prevails even during something as drastic as a global pandemic," Courtney explains. "And we wanted the wedding and reception to be a celebration, not just of us, but of family and being able to get everyone together again after being apart for a whole year." Since Maui holds a special place in the hearts of the pair, and the island's Four Seasons is a resort that holds warm memories for the bride, a wedding in Wailea made perfect sense. The resort's Plumeria Point featured a natural arch created by trees and a gorgeous view of the ocean, making it ideal for a ceremony—"It's like a beach wedding without all the sand!" quips Courtney—and a nearby garden was the perfect size for a small reception overlooking the water.

As Courtney never really had a specific vision for her big day, she relied heavily on her event planner, Dani Sabbag for Taryn Stark Wyant Events. "She really helped me shape the mood and feel that I wanted to have," says the bride. "Because it's so special that our families are such good friends and everyone knows everyone, we wanted to play off that and have the event be low-key and elegant. I just wasn't sure what style I wanted until Dani helped walk me through it." Soft pastels, including lilac, gray, daffodil, blue stone, and olive, were incorporated into a theme reminiscent of an overgrown French garden, and the pair reveled in the intimacy of just 12 guests. "It really was the best day of my life," says Courtney. "One I want to relive over and over again."

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On Location

wedding venue overlooking resort pool and ocean — Lauren Fair Photography

"Hawaii had a lot of restrictions to even get on-island, so we had to do specific COVID tests, wear wrist bands, and take temperature checks periodically," says the bride. Their venue, the Four Seasons, Maui, made the group feel at home and helped them navigate early-May restrictions, notes Courtney.

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Fully Robed

bride getting ready wearing pearl headband — Lauren Fair Photography

While getting ready for her big day, Courtney wore an exquisite robe that Unbox the Dress fashioned using her mother's preserved wedding dress from 1973. "It was so romantic to me to be wearing my mom's gown while getting ready to wear my own," she says. A pearl bracelet—also from her mother—served as her "something borrowed" and coordinated beautifully with the pearl headband in her upswept hair.

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All Dressed in White

bride posing on beach at sunset — Lauren Fair Photography

The bride's ethereal, laser-cut Vagabond Bridal lace gown was the first she tried one. "I tried on several others, but decided to go with this one because it had a smokey hue to it, which made it unique, and the floral appliqué accents were on theme with a Maui wedding. Mostly, though, I liked that I hadn't really ever seen a dress quite like it before," she says.

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An Organic Mix

loose bridal bouquet of lilacs garden roses and crabapple branches — Lauren Fair Photography

She chose a loose bouquet of lilac, spirea, clematis, scabiosa, garden roses, and lisianthus accented with crabapple branches and dogwood.

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What a Rock

round engagement ring with gold band — Lauren Fair Photography

Courtney and Carter worked together to design the bride's epic round-stone engagement ring, which was modeled off of a vintage Cartier design.

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Walk This Way

bride approaching groom for first look — Lauren Fair Photography

The couple met on Plumeria Point an hour before the ceremony for their first look. "I had butterflies walking up to Carter, which seems silly given I knew what he was wearing and I wasn't nervous at all to marry him," recalls the bride. "I think I was just so excited that I couldn't believe it was actually happening and that this was my wedding day and Carter was going to be my husband." Carter had a sweet reaction to seeing his bride for the first time: "I was just so filled with joy—it's hard to explain," says Courtney.

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Floral Magic

wedding ceremony setup overlooking ocean with freestanding lush floral arrangements — Lauren Fair Photography

Their ceremony site, overlooking the ocean, was lush with flowers. "From two stunning plumeria trees to the free-standing and wild floral arrangements to designate an arch, there was not one view that did not include flowers," says the bride.

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Seating Arrangements

wedding ceremony seating french loveseats — Lauren Fair Photography

More blooms were situated alongside elegant guest seating composed of French loveseats.

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Partners in Life

small socially distant wedding ceremony hawaii — Lauren Fair Photography

While the couple did not write their own wedding vows, their exchange wasn't traditional either. "They were a mutual promise to love each other and be each other's partners in life," Courtney clarifies.

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Flower Girl

mother of the bride smiling while holding brides bouquet — Lauren Fair Photography

The mother of the bride beamed and held Courtney's bouquet while the pair tied the knot.

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Horn Blower

officiant blowing on conch shell bride and groom sharing kiss — Lauren Fair Photography

Their officiant blew on a conch shell—a Hawaiian tradition—as Courtney and Carter made it official.

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Picture Perfect

bride and groom walking on beach at sunset — Lauren Fair Photography

Following the ceremony, the pair headed to the sand for a private photography session. "There's nothing like the joy of just being married and going down to the beach, taking off your high heels, and walking in the sand hand-in-hand with your new husband as the sun sets behind you and the breeze ruffles your hair," says Courtney. "I can still close my eyes and go back to those few moments."

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Wine Time

wedding bar menu with gold frame — Lauren Fair Photography

While the couple basked in their newfound joy, their loved ones enjoyed a variety of California wines and a selection of beers.

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An Intimate Setting

wedding reception table set up beneath beautiful arch — Lauren Fair Photography

A single table was set up beneath a beautiful arch for the post-ceremony celebration; the space offered the couple and their 12 guests a stunning view.

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Florals Galore

lush wedding reception florals with lilacs — Lauren Fair Photography

Organic flower arrangements anchored the structure.

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Beautiful Blooms

wedding reception lush runner of fresh flowers running length of table — Lauren Fair Photography

A fresh flower garland ran the length of the table; bloom-patterned napkins continued the garden theme.

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All on the Table

wedding reception place setting with engraved blocks with dried flowers as place cards — Lauren Fair Photography

Place settings featured speckled dinnerware, vintage flatware, and delicate damask glassware. Engraved blocks of Lucite with dried flowers captured within served as place cards.

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