Makena Weddings

was so impressed with our florist and photographer in particular, who really went above and beyond. They will take care of just about everything for you. I kept asking if there was more I could do but they kept reassuring me everything was going well, and it really was. We literally had no issues on our wedding day! Reverend Al was amazing for our ceremony - we are not religious but he made it very fun, light-hearted and special. We got so many compliments on everything. There are a couple of things I would advise asking about before making final decisions on vendors - Laurie and Cindy will have the answers, but I wish I had more clarity on these few things, and it was mainly just my own lack of awareness: - Confirming the time your venue closes and when you can start the ceremony. I wanted to stretch it out for as long as possible. I believe most venues in Maui close relatively early (10pm) and they will have last call drinks at 9.40pm. - Confirming what chairs, tables, lighting, arch etc is included at the venue and what you may need or want to hire. We ended up renting most of these things as I preferred a slightly different style to the "standard" stuff at the venue and I would have liked to factor that in to our budget a bit earlier in the process. - DJ/entertainment. Cindy recommended a DJ they usually work with, and I was slightly disappointed with him. It was the only vendor I felt could have been a bit better. There was a bit of an awkward gap after our first dance and although we didn't have that much time on the dance floor (our speeches went a little long) I thought we could have had a bit more energy from him. This could have just been an off day for him and it was such a small thing in the overall amazingness of the day, I feel a bit petty for even mentioning it. But if this is something you really care about, perhaps do some of your own research and see if they can accommodate your preferred choice of DJ/entertainment. It an amazing day, and if you are planning your wedding remotely like I was, Makena will do an absolutely incredible job!

ors to choose from. Everyone from the florist to the photographer to the videographer to the bar service to the DJ was outstanding. As the date got closer, Cindy and Laurie were great about talking me through all the details and logistics and allowing me to be as involved or uninvolved in all of the decisions as I wanted. But the real miracle work came on wedding week. Let me tell you a little bit about the crazy week that was my wedding... it definitely did not go as expected. During our week in Maui we were faced with Hurricane Lane, followed by a fire, followed by a power outage. Dinners and events we had planned for months were canceled as were several of our guests’ flights taking us from a 40 person wedding down to 25. The day before my wedding I learned that my hair stylist and close friend would be unable to make it to the wedding due to flight changes and on my wedding morning, I learned that my Maid of Honor wouldn’t be able to either. I scrambled to process my disappointment while also struggling to find a new hair stylist, make last minute changes to the seating chart, acquire a new MOH... all things you never plan to be doing on your wedding day. Then I found out that the musician we hired wouldn’t be able to make it either. Everything I planned was crumbling before my eyes. I arrived at my incredible outdoor wedding venue Olowalu Plantation House on the sunny afternoon of August 25 but about 30 minutes before guests arrived, the rain starting pouring down. Luckily for us, our wedding planners were absolute professionals, prepared for anything. Due to a power outage in Lahaina, we would not have had electricity (no lights, no mics, no DJ!) but luckily our planners brought generators so we had everything. They brought in a tent and quickly moved our entire ceremony set up underneath it. They also found a last-minute guitarist to play for us! Despite having one of the craziest wedding stories, everything day-of ran seamlessly as Makena Weddings helped us deal with each new change. I absolutely could not have done it without them. Our wedding was memorable, incredible, and full of joy. Thank you Makena Weddings!

akena. They followed my Pinterest page and made many notes after our numerous phone calls and email correspondence. We were able to visit Maui one year to the date, before our wedding. Cindy met us at the venue (Olowalu Plantation House) as well as arranged dinner reservations with Cafe O'lei (who catered our wedding) and had the samples of our wedding cake there! It was hard planning from so far away, but I am glad that I trusted Cindy to understand what I was picturing. On the day of our wedding, I was completely blown away by the outcome. This would not have been possible without Makena. They took out the hard work, made us feel comfortable and truly made the experience enjoyable. Not once did I become Bridezilla and I was able to relax during the week of the wedding knowing that everything was taken care of. I wish I could relive our wedding experience all over again <3

le to get a credit towards a professional photographer I went with instead of using theirs. One thing that was critical was keeping our planned wedding date in the email subject line to avoid confusion, particularly when plans are over a year away! Not doing this initially did cause some confusion. Getting us the necessary legal documents, taking care of beach permits, the pastor (Al was awesome with us & our kids!), ukulele player, etc. was all very helpful in relieving us of duties we would've had to figure out how and when to do. So one could say they did help lower our stress levels. I'm a motorcycle guy and I noticed Al had a pair of sweet custom rides (one he is building himself) so I said it would be okay if he showed up on his ride. Well, he did! The thumping heartbeat of a beefy V-twin announced his presence and was that nice touch for me to have a fellow rider with a great sense of humor officiate our ceremony. One thing to mention that we found very odd -- but thoroughly enjoyed it! -- was that there is a lot of kissing involved *during* the ceremony. Just a FYI if you go for a little more Hawaiian slanted ceremony.

s of questions we had, and helped us pick who they thought would be the best fit for us (and the visions had for our wedding) From lawn games, decor, photographers to caterers. On the wedding day, Cindy and Laurie were instrumental in helping keep everything on schedule, and adapting the schedule even when my future mother-in-law was an hour late. They helped us manage our stress and nerves, and above all, shared their love and joy in celebrating our marriage as if they were part of our family and friends. Reverend Al was such a sweetheart and it felt like we'd known him forever. He made the ceremony really special, intimate, and just the right balance of sentiment and humor. Our day ended up being the most incredible and amazing day ever. It was all we asked for and more. We cannot thank you all enough.

ponsive. I felt no stress at all and knew if there were any problems they would be taken care of. Laurie was my main contact and she was wonderful to work with. You can tell she loves what she does. Reverend Al made the ceremony SO special. It felt like we had known them for years. The price was really reasonable too. If you are trying to figure out which Maui wedding planner to use, look no further!

Ulua Beach was a amazing 2nd location. They truly exceeded all of my expectations. I have no regrets with choosing Makena Weddings. Thank you, ladies for helping to make my wedding day so amazing!

on spot , Maui. We wanted a ceremony that honored our commitment to each other but wanted to keep all of the details minimal. From the initial email all the way through the beautiful ceremony on the beach officiated by Al, everything was just as we had hoped and even then some. I would recommend Makena Weddings to any couple looking to have their ceremony in Maui.

hrough everything and really put us at ease. I felt like we were in really good hands. Laurie was also very good at listening to my preferences and trying to understand my vision. In the end, we were so happy with our wedding and how the day turned out. It was a dream! Thanks so much Makena Weddings.

hands! We had three wedding events: a day-before welcome cocktail reception, the actual ceremony and reception, and a day-after brunch. Everything, seriously everything, went so smoothly and miraculously enough for us, completely stress-free! Like us, all of our guests were blown away as well! Practically everyone has told us, both during and after our wedding, how "chill" and smooth our wedding flowed. We had so many people come to tell us they had the best time at our wedding and that our wedding was by far the best wedding they had or would ever attend! In fact, it's almost a two months later and everyone is STILL talking about it! Honestly, all my husband and I had to really do was tell Laurie and Cindy an idea of what we would like, and they exceeded all our expectations! Laurie and Cindy are complete pros at what they do! They helped give my husband and I THE dream wedding we never knew we wanted, but are so happy and feel so lucky to have had.

ng for us. We met Laurie and Cindy and also met two photographers that we were interested in. Everything turned out beyond perfect. I was the kind of bride who was on top of everything and sent the planners pictures of everything I imagined and it truly was our dream wedding. Also, Al was such a great officiant. Laurie told us we would feel like we've known him for years even though we did not have a chance to meet with him before the wedding and she was right, he made us feel so comfortable and relaxed during the ceremony. We met with Laurie and Cindy in Maui a few days before the wedding and they walked us through everything and made us feel at ease. We did not have to worry about a thing the day of the wedding! Thank you Makena Weddings!! *The only thing we would change was how quickly the waiters took our guests food and cake. The cake was cut and a piece was delivered to each seat as we were all dancing. I got to take one bite of my cake when I went for a drink break during dancing, I went back and my piece of cake was gone, and I was SO looking forward to our cake. They cut it all even though some people did not want it and I would much rather have had a few pieces cut and had it sitting on the cake table and have people take it as they want it so we could have had the rest saved and eaten it the next day.*

s than desirable state as they were technically out of season, Laurie found a way to get some that were perfect. When it was raining as I arrived to my venue, she ran out with an umbrella to greet me. When the humidity was almost overbearing due to a lack of the trade winds blowing through, she had fans waiting on the chairs for each of my guest. Also, after looking at photos of the many weddings she has planned, I gave her free reign to decorate how she wanted based on my color scheme and a few photos I posted to Pinterest.... and yes, it turned out to be gorgeous and dreamy. I found myself sitting at the reception table trying to fully comprehend how absolutely beautiful and magical it all was. When Laurie wasn't available, her assistant Cindy was there to help me. I seriously can't say enough great things about them. She made the whole planning process so easy and made me feel secure in that she knew exactly what she was doing.

1 day before the event. Laurie made everything so stress free and her guidance was priceless. Thank you so much for everything :) I am thinking maybe to renew my vows in 10 years  just to repeat the moment

than the 6 months of email correspondences and on the morning of our ceremony and meeting Al, there was an instant connection and a trust that he would conduct a beautiful and heart felt ceremony. He did that and more. Mahalo Makena Weddings :-)

we wanted or needed, they would do their best to provide and figure out. They made the day of execution so comfortable as we knew they were handling every detail. Laurie is such a great person, great to talk with and share ideas and stories. Her passion is so evident and she is a joy to work with. With the Makena Weddings Team and all of the vendors that we had, we were able to have the wedding of our dreams. Thank you to Laurie and your wonderful team!

th people who clearly care about what they do and those they help on this special day. Al, Laurie and Cindy were all amazing. You can't find a better person to marry you than Al - guaranteed! We instantly felt a connection with him. They also recommended a photographer that GREATLY exceeded our expectations (Michael Stuarts who works for Chris Evans). There was an additional charge for this higher end photographer but he was worth every penny. We didn't really have the money to add this additional cost, but I have zero regrets. What great photos. And what a great wedding. Do yourself a favor and reach out to the kind folks at Makena!

accommodate our budget without sacrificing the elements of our wedding that we wanted. It really made the experience as stress-free as possible with next-to-nothing to worry about! Reverend Al was wonderful and conducted the ceremony beautifully. Our venue (Olowalu Plantation House) was the perfect setting and the food provided by Café O’Lei in Kihei was beyond delicious! Many of our guests have commented on how our wedding was the best one that they have ever been to and we owe that to Laurie and her team. We would recommend Makena Weddings time and again to anyone looking to get married on Maui! Mahalo!

rest. The ceremony was perfect. Every detail was taken care of, and Rev. Al made it more personable than we thought possible. We look forward to working with this team again in the future for our vows renewal ceremony, and have already highly recommended them to friends considering a destination wedding. Thanks for making our perfect wedding a reality!

l spread sheet comparing 10 different MAUI wedding planners AND that I had a very specific vision in mind. While many of the wedding planners that I emailed had great ideas and were able to accommodate our budget, none of them quite compared to Laurie. Laurie was kind enough to offer a phone interview to help with the decision process and after speaking to her, I instantly felt at ease. She very kindly explained that she can make any budget work for a Maui wedding and promised that she'd do her best to help my vision come to life. We had about a year of emails & phone calls back and forth- talk about patience! My questions were always answered, my ideas were always acknowledged, and any discrepancies in cost or budget were always reconciled quickly. Because she has been in the business for many years, Laurie has intimate connections with all of her vendors and so I felt comfortable trusting her suggestions. We got married at Olowalu resort and our wedding day was a magical dream! Everything turned out better than expected, and Laurie was there to keep everything running smoothly. From start to finish, Laurie handled the planning process in both a professional and genuinely-loving manner. It's obvious that she's passionate about what she does, because her heart seemed to be in it every step of the way. I would highly recommend her to future brides.

me my dream wedding in Maui. They were efficient, responsive, calming, and creative. They went above and beyond to deliver my vision and helped me deal with stressful issues (like our hotel being under construction) that did not add to their commission in the slightest. Laurie knows all the right people and the vendors they suggested were just perfect. Al was fantastic - warm, funny, and authentic. I could not have envisioned a better ceremony. Endless thanks to this outstanding team!

, music and performers, all were exceptional. Being the bride and letting Laurie handle all the details once we made our selections made my wedding day easy. She calmed any nerves before they started. She and Cindy made the day perfect. Everyone she recommended did an outstanding job and made our day something to truly be thankful for!:) We feel blessed to have found them and worked with such wonderful people. They are truly the best and bring the best out in people. Words can't express how wonderful they are at bringing your vision to life. MAHALO

ever. He made our ceremony all that much more special. Anyone who is considering their wedding in Maui should definitely go with Makena Weddings, they are a great team and I couldn't thank them more for making our day a day to remember.

wanted it to be. We wanted simple and it was much more than we imagined. Laurie took all the photo's and captured every moment. It was a day we will always cherish and have the photo's to look back on and share with our loved ones. The best choice to begin your journey together is Makena Weddings. Al and Laurie know just what to say and how to help you put it all together . They will share the love and warmth and magic of the beautiful island of Maui Aloha and much love Kathy and James

ay she sent us a list of photographers and we chose Scott Drexler who did an incredible job. Laurie took my daughter’s rather vague description for flowers and had it executed to perfection. There are so many things involved in planning a wedding and we could always get a hold of Laurie and her excellent team to work out the details. Laurie also offered excellent suggests for pre- and post-wedding activities. Laurie has an expression she uses a lot “Don’t worry. It will be fabulous.” With Laurie on your side you won’t worry and the wedding will indeed be fabulous!

am walked us through every step of the way and really took our every desire into consideration and made us feel completely comfortable and cared for. After choosing the venue (Kukahiko Estate) and the vendors, we took a more "hands off" approach with our planning and told Makena Weddings our main requests and general feel that we wanted to achieve. From there, Makena Weddings made the wedding magical for us. We knew that our wedding day was going to be special, but the amount of care that went into all of the small things that were planned out for us did not go overlooked or underappreciated. They really took the time to make every detail just right. But aside from all of the details of the wedding itself, the entire process was fun and all the stress of planning a wedding was non-existent. They made us feel completely comfortable and cared for and treated us like we were family. There is something to be said about wanting to stay in touch with our wedding coordinator even after it is all over. We can't tell you how much we enjoyed working with Makena Weddings. We wouldn't have had it any other way.

lovely and helpful, and answered all my questions - it was meant to be! My now husband and I booked our wedding date with her a year in advance. The planning phase was great - she was very informative and honest, and gave us lots of options for various elements - everything from flowers and music to our marriage license and different activities and restaurants around the island. The couple days leading up to our wedding were not panicky or stressful at all - again, Laurie demonstrated her experience with wedding planning by going through all the last minute details with us and answering our final questions with confidence. I realized I didn't have a pretty hanger for my dress and she got one for me, plus she arranged a petal path for our ceremony the day before - I decided I wanted it at the last second. She also organized a mini rehearsal for our families beforehand, which isn't something she normally does but I had requested it and she made it happen. Our wedding day was incredibly humid, and Laurie was there to help get my dress on, making sure we started on time and having water/tissues/everything in between on hand for our families at the venue. I think she even managed to shoo away some passersby from the public access path around the estate! All in all, she was instrumental in making our wedding day very memorable and everything we wanted. And of course, we have nothing but wonderful things to say about Al! He performed an awesome ceremony and made it funny, heartwarming and romantic. He was great with our six-year-old nephew, who was our ring bearer - fist bumps and everything! Could not have asked for a better minister. If you are thinking about a destination wedding in Maui, definitely look up Laurie and Al at Makena Weddings. Love their work!

ose from (photographer, hair/makeup, etc) they were always very prompt to respond. They were always very accommodating as we had planned our wedding during a very busy week in May but it could not have gone smoother. They always had time to answer our questions or concerns even though we had a very small wedding. As soon as we arrived on the island we got in contact with Cindy who also works on the team and she could not have been any nicer to work with. She told us exactly what we needed to do to prep for the wedding and called us to let us know how things were progressing. We ended up choosing Po'olenalena Beach in Kihei and had a sunset wedding on May 14, 2015. Since she was handling a lot of the details this allowed me and my wife to enjoy and relax in beautiful Maui as our wedding date approached. On the wedding day we finally got to meet Reverend Al, he performed a beautiful traditional ceremony including a lovely traditional hymn for us and always kept us loose and would always know to say to keep us laughing. This was truly a memorable day, and I am glad to have chosen the team at Makena Weddings to coordinate and plan our special day. They really go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and relaxed and it's really those special little touches that made our wedding day that much more memorable. Aloha!

njoy bringing people together. From a small ceremony or a large one, I would recommend them to everyone!!

end Al’s sincerity and humor created a causal and warm atmosphere. We love how he incorporated the Hawaiian traditions of the “Oli Aloha” greeting chant, and the lei exchange. We highly recommend Makena Weddings to handle your wedding too. Mahalo nui loa December 30, 2014 Doug & Jean Fulton

th no stress and get married without having to please anyone or worry about anything. Laurie delivered! I couldn't have asked for a better day! I had been communicating with her from the mainland for months before we even arrived. She was always fast to respond to emails. When we got there, we met at her house/office to go over the final details. Next, we were sent down the street to get our marriage license. Laurie had everything arranged and we were able to get in and out in a matter of minutes. Other couples sent from other planners were there for at least an hour as they didn't have the correct information or documentation. We were already looking at beaches while other couples were still having a "DMV" experience. This is how Laurie operates. The day of the wedding went insanely well. Regina, my hair and makeup lady, met me in my room while my then fiancé played golf. She made me look both beautiful and natural. No nasty airbrushing or contouring. My normal seaweed on a rock hair looked full and incredible. We then drove down and attended our wedding. Everyone was there waiting for us and it was a beautiful afternoon. Her husband, Reverand Al, is a pro and even had a tissue for when I started welling up. Laurie even made us reservations for dinner at our favorite restaurant after. Our photos turned out incredible. If you want a stress free, reasonably priced wedding where you can just focus on your day, Makena Weddings is the way to go. The attention to detail and quality of vendors is amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Weddings, so I went in based on a recommendation. They handled the details, including my extra requests to bring my own minister and an all-white bouquet. I was so concerned about not having enough time with the photographer that Laurie made a call, got us extra time, and never raised the fees. When my pastor was 45 minutes late to arrive, Laurie did a great job keeping everyone calm and rolling with it to make sure we didn't miss the sunset for photos. Our guitar player was fabulous and our photographers (MeewMeww) and videographer (who will also get rave reviews) were outstanding, staying late to take pictures because we lost 45 minutes of time with the delay. Everyone went above and beyond. After reading others' horror stories of working with coordinators, I highly recommend Makena Weddings. They know their business and worked hard to make everything perfect. It was the most fun I've ever had! Thanks Al and Laurie!!!

hands on person that organizes and makes almost anything from scratch. But with the wedding being in Maui and me being all the way in Canada, I knew I had to get a knowledgeable local to help me. Boy was she worth it! From beginning to end, Laurie was sincere, courteous, warm, friendly, understanding and compassionate. I feel like I've made a genuine friend! Every detail was so well organized and professional executed. From the cake cutting with the perfectly timed sunset behind us to making sure I was well hydrated and remembering to relax. The vendors that she recommended and worked with at my wedding were very much like her as well. Everyone "working" felt like they wanted to be there as opposed to just being there for a job. I couldn't believe how great our day turned out. Being very much a perfectionist in everyday life, I would even go as far as to say that the day went flawlessly. Makena Weddings was the best darn choice we made for our wedding! PS her husband Reverend Al was awesome. EVERYONE loved him.

ecommended Laurie and Al and raved about them. From the first contact with Laurie I was totally confident we had made the right choice in wedding planners. She was on top of everything from the beginning and took all the stress out of planning a destination wedding. I gave Laurie a color pallet we wanted to use and let her do her magic. The table decor, outdoor decorations and bouquets were all chosen by Laurie and they were beautiful. We literally showed up on the wedding day, got married and had a fun, relaxing day/night with our friends and family. Reverend Al was amazing as well. We chose a traditional Hawaiian ceremony. Rev Al made us laugh and cry while still keeping the tone light. All of the staff that worked our wedding were so friendly and helpful.I would recommend Makena Weddings to anyone planning a special event in Maui. You will not find anyone better!! Thank you Laurie and Al for making our wedding day so special.

ot to Maui. But Laurie and Al made us calm and secure with evertyhing, they really know what they are doing. We met each other some days before the wedding at Laurie and Al's house, and went through the whole ceremony. It was just me and my husband on the wedding so it was very small, but Laurie really made us feel important and wanted to make our day perfect for just the two of us. She made us feel like we were the only couple they planned wedding for. Very proffessional. I wanted to have a bridal bouquet, but was not so sure how I wanted it to look, so I just told Laurie the colors that I wanted. We got married at Makena Surf Beach, and I really reccomend that beach!!! When we got there, Laurie and Al and the photographer, Chelsea Cheffer, was already there. And when I got to see my bouquet I knew that the wedding was going to be absolutley perfect! Laurie really knew me and my husband, for real. The wedding was the best, and the sunset was perfect! When it was over we said goodbye to Lauire and Al, and they told us that if there was something we needed help with at our vacation on Maui, we should call them and they would help us. It was so nice to know that we had someone there for us, even when the wedding was over. Thank you, Laurie and Al!

livered with both, and she went above and beyond with the most beautiful plumeria bouquet, exactly like he pictures I sent her. I was worried a few months before the wedding about researching and picking our beach but Laurie reassured me we would go over that when we met the day before. It was hard to take a breath and trust....but when we met she gave us two beaches to go check out that were both so perfect that we had a hard time choosing between the two. Laurie also arranged hair and makeup to be done at my Villa as a late add on to my package and Jean was just wonderfu! Al has a very special gift and made our ceremony very intimate and personal, and even funny in some parts after just having met us the day before. From the moment we met them in person they both put us at ease. I have seen the pictures of all the different sizes and styles of wedding they do and would not hesitate to recommend them to friends, family or anyone looking for help with planning a wedding in Maui. They take the stress out of long distance planning and you will not be disappointed! Not to mention all the invaluable recommendations on local cuisine and hot spots!

ual ceremony. Al & Laurie were very accommodating and helpful. We didn't have to worry about anything. Simple & easy, thank you!

communicate with (especially with the 6 hour time difference!), thorough, and helpful on the day of even picking up an extra camera! Reverend Al helped make us feel comfortable and gave us the Hawaiian beach ceremony we will not forget! I cannot say enough about Makena Weddings, our experience was perfect!!

ble during the ceremony. We're so lucky to have found these amazing people and would definitely recommend them to anyone!

s love for what he brings to every ceremony. From the moment he shook my hand to the time he reached out and put his hand on my shoulder, I knew that this was how I always wanted to remember this day. He married two people who had been looking for each other all of there lives, both wanting to find someone who wanted to be loved as much as they wanted to love someone. The ceremony then is still captured in my memories as I can still feel the breeze of the ocean and the warmth of the sun on my face. June 6th of this year my wife, my ten year old daughter and I stood on a beautiful secluded beach on the island of Maui, and listen to Rev. Al as he performed a ceremony for the renewing of our wedding vows. Almost fourteen years after our first meeting, my wife and I along with our daughter stood in front of the same man who had married us in the 2000. His calming voice and gentle smile seemed to calm all reality as he performed our ceremony in both English and Hawaiian, as he sung the Hawaiian song of Marriage the tears poured down our faces as they did at the beginning of our joining in 2000. Rev. AL and his wife Laurie are truly what the Aloha spirit is all about, from my first phone call last year explaining to Laurie of our plans of our trip to Maui in June. And my wanting to surprise my wife by renewing our vows with Rev. Al during our stay and how I wanted them to make my daughters involvement in it to be special. Laurie and I spoke several times and emailed many more, right up until our arrival in Maui. Although I must tell you that I did eventually let my wife know of my plans, so that she could prepare and shop for dresses for our daughter and herself, and clothes for me. We kept it a surprise from our daughter. Every since my daughter could remember I have spoke of Rev. Al, because during our stay in 2000. I purchase a CD of Rev. Al singing songs of the Hawaiian Islands. My daughter and I have listen to the songs on that CD a thousand times. We woke up the Wednesday before our renewal and told her we had an appointment. Well we were on our way to meet with Laurie to review our ceremony arrangements, when we arrived Laurie meet us outside and introduced herself to us, because in 2000 we did not have the opportunity to meet her. She welcomed us into her home as if she had known us all of our lives, her detail to every request was spot on as were all of her suggestions. Rev. Al had to perform a ceremony earlier that morning and arrived before we departed. He was as we remember a man whose heart was as big as he is. He walked in and and said hello and hugged my wife and I. He then turned his attention to my daughter as she told him how she listens to his music all of the time. He listen to her as she told him how happy she was and that she was going to be part of the renewal vows. He explained to her how special she was and how much we loved her. And told her that she would always be part of their Ohana. Bottom line, I wrote a story Rev. AL and Laurie's love for what they do. These are two of the kindest people you will ever meet, they make each and every ceremony a event that you too will remember as we do. You will always remember the day you marry, Makena Weddings will make that happen. ALOHA

the MOST affordable wedding officiants of Maui. Believe me...I looked at ALL the companies. #3. They were straight forward with what they offer and didn't spam me with junk emails trying to upgrade me to higher packages like other wedding companies. Laurie&Al were so welcoming to us when we signed all the remaining documents/paperwork the day before our wedding at their home. It was so peaceful and relaxing sitting on their on the back patio listening to how they met and connecting with us. Laurie had set up our state marriage license appointment to be right after our appointment with them which was located right down the street which made it super easy. We loved Al's Hawaiian style ceremony where he sang a Hawaiian song for us and assisted us in the bridge groom lei exchange (leis provided by them) which was very special to us. The quality of the leis that came in our package with them were beautiful and it also saved me time from running around the island trying to find the right ones. I'm so glad we found Laurie&Al they made our day smooth and memorable at the best price possible, you just cant beat it! THANK YOU for making our day the best! Jeff+Samantha McDougal

Al were so warm and made our day special for the two of us. Laurie even called me the day of our ceremony to make sure I was feeling great and to offer any help I may need, it was nice as we were so far away from home. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone who wants to get married on the beach with low stress and no hassle. Especially if you are planning from far away like we did, it can be daunting but I never had any doubts with Makena weddings that they had us covered!

ths Laurie was there every time we needed her to answer all of our questions and address all of the concerns. She went out of her way to negotiate all the prices to make sure we got the best deal and the best service on the island. Her attention to detail and patience is beyond believe, nothing gets left behind. Now, I should say a little bit about our wedding. My husband is originally from Maui and has many friends there, and I am from Russia, we live in California now, so our wedding brought together friends and family from across the world. We had a large wedding with many special requests and lots of entertainment for guests. Our wedding was also kids-friendly. Laurie arranged amazing Musician who played during the ceremony and reception, hula dancers that taught our guests how to dance hula during the reception hour, she also brought a balloon artist and a face painting artist, both were a great hit with kids, we had a photo booth that turned out to be our guests’ favorite and Polynesian fire dancer produced a show that even Maui natives called the best one they’ve ever seen. And of course there were tons of dancing and music for everyone to enjoy. Another fact that speaks to Makena Weddings level of professionalism is the fact that on the day of our wedding it was heavily raining for several hours right during the time when everything had to be installed and set up (from 10 am to 4 pm!). The rain was not in the forecast and I personally observed clear skies on my smart phone screen when it was pouring like crazy outside. How about that for a real wedding test?! The wedding took place outside and everything from the tent and a wedding arch, to a dance floor and lounge furniture had to be installed and connected. We had LED TV screens to show our pictures during dinner, sound system, lights, and all the electronics that had to be installed during the rain. I have no idea how Laurie and her Team managed to do that (giving the fact that Laurie was checking on me multiple times reassuring that the rain would pass), but when I was walking down the isle (the rain magically stopped right at 4 pm when the ceremony started), everything looked amazing. And I mean amazing, just perfect. Laurie took care of us from the day we met her just to “talk about the wedding”. She is not your average wedding coordinator, she is truly a producer who delivers high quality event just the way you envision it with the most personal and kind attitude possible. During the wedding she was on site to oversee her staff and make sure everything went as planned. Everything that we talked about before the wedding was completely carried through and we were able to just live in the moment and enjoy our wedding because we had such a great team taking care of everything else! Special words should be said about Al who was our Minister and led the ceremony. He is exactly the person to trust with such a special moment: wise, calm, kind, loving, with a great sense of humor, the one who respects traditions and fills each of his words with meaning and appreciation for love and family.I also wanted to mention Amie, Laurie’s assistant, who helped us with lots of special requests. http://scottdrexler.com/sugarman-estate/katejohn/

iving together. The wedding came together @ Makena Beach, with Reverend Al and of course Laurie, whom invited Vic and I into their beautiful Home and set the Wedding in motion. Al's hydroponics garden(s) and Laurie's after beach Wedding dinner was superb. As a retired Architect and lazy Groom, I was thoroughly impressed. I just stood back along with my Best Man Duncan and my Mentor, Bill W. Thank You so, Rev. Al and Laurie..................Dallas Olson, Camano Island, WA. g

ination wedding. Laurie and Reverend Al treated us like family from the moment we met them. They were so helpful every step of the way. The vendors they team with are also fantastic! My bouquet was beautiful and fresh, all my guests leis were gorgeous and our little personal cake was sooo good (which honestly, with my history of trying wedding cakes I did not expect!) They have so many amazing photographers to chose from (with the right package) and honestly I was just blown away with how beautiful everything turned out! They are so professional but also easy going and comfortable to work with! Use Laurie and Al, you won't regret it! Laurie and Al, thank you so so much again for all the work and love you put into our wedding! It was such a beautiful, special day and I will never ever forget it -Jen and Keegan Andersen

to receive so many compliments from those having been there, not to mention others that are seeing the pictures for the first time now. You provided great suggestions to match our preferences, selections of choices and network of connections. We know we would not have been able to put everything together without you both to make for such a wonderful day! Bless you both for everything you do, every single day....

hs of planning with Laurie. But no! Thanks to Laurie we had Plan B just in case, and that was to move our beach wedding indoors and have it just as nice. It was so easy to work with Laurie from start to finish. We discussed everything we wanted from photographers, to musicians, to food and drink, and to our colors of the wedding. Well, on our wedding day the Storm Gods blessed us with a beautiful day. Although the sun was not shining brightly, there was no rain and we were able to have our wedding outdoors just like we dreamed! The photos turned out so nice and we couldn't have asked for a better wedding. It was really easy to work with Laurie and her team. Laurie was always willing to work with our schedules for conultation meetings and emails and always answered our questions. We felt completely comfortable with Laurie handling everything and valued her suggestions. Reverend Al was the best and made the ceremony so fun. Makena Weddings truly made our very special day the most memorable occasions. I would recommend Makena Weddings to everyone. They are the best!

us and move it to the day before. They were able to help us in a very stressful situation and coordinated everyone the day before the event, since the date changed. Al did a great job with the ceremony and added a very relaxed playful atmosphere. We would highly recommend them for your special day!

e overwhelmed at the photography and the video they took was overwhelming! My bouquet was just as I asked for it to be and the leis for our guests were beautiful. The Beatles music performed by Tarvin was great! All the vendors she works with we're awesome!

at we were required to have a local coordinator because of the location we chose and welcome Laurie and Al. Don't let their laid back attitude make you nervous. Because when show time arrives, they are all business. Laurie makes things happen, the way you want it, or offers her advice or guidance when you're not quite sure. We bounced ideas off each other and I let her have free reign where I didn't really care. She doesn't let a single detail drop off her radar. It's amazing. Considering she's doing several of these ceremonies and weddings per week! There were a couple times when I had that panic-stricken moment of "Oh my god, I forgot _______." I emailed or called Laurie, and she had already taken care of it. Come the wedding day, I had nothing to think of save enjoying myself. Laurie made sure we got fed, had enough water (and alcohol) to drink, and that everyone had a good time. The vendors she works with are top-notch - and you get the bonus of having her husband, Rev. Al officiate! Now onto Al...like I said, these guys are doing multiple/several ceremonies per week. You would expect people that do that to be dry, monotone, unemotional, and boring. If you asked me to only use antonyms when describing Al, that's what I would say. He makes the ceremony so special, romantic, fun, and all around perfect. He's such a warm, kindhearted person, I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to marry us. As another bonus, their assistant Amie is PHENOMENAL. She's a jack-of-all-trades and a get-it-done type of girl. Love her! And she managed to snag one of the best photos of the night on her iPhone!! I'm so happy to call Laurie and Al friends of ours now. You won't be sorry if you work with them for your wedding in Maui!

y free; I felt very taken care of even from across the globe in Canada. Laurie went above and beyond the call of duty extending her knowledge and assistance even the weeks after the wedding during the rest of our stay on Maui. Rev. Al was the perfect person to marry us. We couldn't have had a better person. He is so loving and joyous and made our ceremony very fun and personal. He included our two daughters to bring our blended family into one. There wasn't a dry eye there. It was a ceremony that will be remembered by us and everyone there always. Makena Weddings also worked along with other exceptional people. Sasha Prince our photographer and Marbelle our videographer were fabulous! They captured the most amazing, beautiful moments and made our time with them so fun and easy. Absolutely stunning work by both artists. There aren't enough words or gratitude to say how happy we are with Laurie and Al and all the wonderful people that work within Makena Weddings. We can't ever thank you enough for all you have done to give Ray and I the most perfect wedding day. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We would recommend Makena Weddings to everyone a million times over! Nissa & Ray Wareham

anned everything over the year with phone calls, emails, texts, and Pinterest. Laurie has great relationships with all the top vendors on Maui and everyone she chose did an incredible job! We got married at the Sugarman Estate with close to 100 of our family and friends from around the world and it was the best day of my life! The setup was even better than I envisioned...Laurie went above and beyond. From the wedding arch with a petal aisle to the clear tents with strings on lights and chandeliers...it was all executed with perfection. She even surprised my husband and I by getting us a six foot locally hand painted Seating Chart. It was so elegant and beautiful and I was so touched by her generosity. It was actually raining the day of our wedding up until I put my wedding dress on. Laurie had everything ready to set up as soon as the rain stopped and everything looked so perfect once I started walking down the aisle you would never have known it was pouring 20 minutes before. I am so thankful for the incredible wedding Laurie and her staff executed for us. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT!! THANK YOU LAURIE!!!!

and haven't just had the pleasure of working with them, but have gained friends in the process, whom we will I am sure try and visit every time we go back to Maui in the future! Maybe that makes it not quite fair that I am reviewing, since, why wouldn't we give them the highest stars (though I would give them 10 stars if I could!), but I think that speaks to how great they and the team (especially Amie) at Makena Weddings conduct themselves, especially in such a stressful event such as a wedding, and all the personalities involved. Laurie was recommended to us by my fiance's family, who kept hearing about Laurie and Makena Weddings from family friends and people they met in Maui. Al was recommended to us by my fiance's uncle who used to live in Maui, and attended Hope Chapel in Kihei. The pastors there recommended Al only, they would not recommend anyone else, for a true Hawaiian-Christian-based minister. We did not want a generic officiant, we wanted someone who embued the spirit of Aloha and would bring our Christian faith into the start of our marriage, and the only one that we kept hearing about was Al. The fact that the recommended coordinator and pastor were married... made it destiny for us to not only want, but NEED to have them help us with our wedding! Al made everyone at the ceremony at ease. He made everybody laugh, cry, and have a genuinely good time at our ceremony, which I know can often have the cookie-cutter feel. I could feel everybody's love for us at the ceremony, and did not once worry that people were thinking about the cocktail hour or food/drinks after, Al kept their attention and focus on us the entire ceremony, and we thank him for that. We would recommend Al to everybody! Laurie was with me from the very beginning, planning, coordinating, organizing, contacting the vendors, and making sure all the details and big ideas came together. Through our conversations, she brought our ideas to light, and I trusted her enough to have free rein with some ideas of her own, which enhanced and added to what I imagined my wedding would be. I was completely comfortable and confident in her abilities, and I knew she always had our best interests at heart, no matter what anyone else suggested or requested. We had the perfect wedding, everything came together beautifully and I didn't have to wonder if a vendor would show up, or how everybody would work together, Laurie took care of everything behind the scenes and always had a happy smile when she came to check in on us to make sure we were happy and having the best day of our lives. My only complaint is that there wasn't enough time!! Makena Weddings made our wedding so much fun that nobody wanted to leave after 6 hours of ceremony/cocktail/reception/dancing, that's how good they were, we could have probably gone for another 4 hours and never have known what time it was!! BEST WEDDING EVER!!! Mahalo nui loa Laurie, Al, Amie, and the entire Makena Weddings ohana!! Me ke aloha, Mr. & Mrs. Danny and Leslie Ward

d Laurie as our wedding planner for Sugarman's Estate in Maui, HI. At first we wanted to plan the wedding ourselves, but we quickly realized that we were not locals and it would be hard to connect with vendors from California. She drove us around West Maui and South Maui to pick a location. She was very insightful in terms of explaining the pros and cons of each location. Also, she gave us a quick estimate on the spot for each location. We chose our location and reserved Sugarman's one year in advance. Within that year, my husband and I began to brainstorm various ideas for the wedding. We sent these ideas to Laurie who gave us suggestions when we ran into stumps. I am a very detailed oriented person, and I wanted every aspect of the wedding to be perfect. I gave Laurie my grand dream, and she executed that plan to perfection. Imagine yourself looking at some amazing photographs online, and you think to yourself "I want this for my wedding." After you do that a few times, you think to yourself that this might not be possible because it's so amazing to plan something that beautiful. Well, it did happen. Laurie took those gorgeous photos and turned them into reality. She even added some extra finishing touches to make the dream even more memorable. We are so glad to have chosen her as our planner. One thing to note is that we live in a fast paced society where we want e-mails answered right away. We had contacted her a few times very early on. She didn't respond as fast we had liked, but remember that she has many weddings per week, so if you contact her 8 months in advance, don't expect instant responses. Just believe that your dreams will come true, and they certainly will. If you let her, Laurie will take the stress of planning off your shoulders. That's what she is there for: to make your experience amazing and at the same time unstressful. Laurie, from the bottom of hearts, Tony and I are grateful for everything you have done for us to make our wedding a fairy tale.

i, Al and Laurie had everything under control and needless to say, it was the happiest day of our lives. No stress.. Just a worry free wedding day. Everything from the bouquet, to the music, and photography. Stunning.. And this could not have been made possible without Al and Laurie Terry with Makena Weddings. We will forever remember the tone of Al's voice, as he reminded us that the Lord had brought us together to become united as one on our special day. We are forever blessed. Thank you Al and Laurie Terry.

, nudged when necessary, always helpful with suggestions for flowers, location, etc. Kim wasn't sure what she actually wanted and Laurie gave her many options to choose from. She gave Kim a ceremony none of us will soon forget. The location was gorgeous, she accommodated some elderly guests, she worked within the budget -- she simply bent over backwards to make it as gorgeous as possible. Reverand Al was kind and gentle and loving and warm and he actually sang a beautiful Hawaiian love song to the couple. There wasn't a dry eye on that bluff. I would recommend Laurie and Al to anyone, anytime. I'm even thinking of renewing my vows one day just so I can work with Laurie again!!

ecial and memorable! He was a big teddy bear! The live music and DJ couldn't have been more spot on and i never even requested a song! Every detail was beyond perfect and surpassed any expectations! The crew was so friendly and they all worked very hard to make things smoothly! The food was as scrumptious as if we were at a 5 star restaurant and the servers and cooks were just as amazing! The bartenders were so sweet and hard working! Our crowd was rowdy and they kept up with us no sweat! The shaved ice station was a must for my husband and it was a nice treat! The cake and cupcakes were delish and couldn't have been more perfect for us! All together, this crew of local business owners treated us like family and I couldn't think of 1 thing that I would change! To top it off this was the easiest, most stress free planning experience and I owe that all to Laurie and Al! It would be stupid to go any other way but to hire Makena Weddings!!!

everyone does their job to her satisfaction which is TOP NOTCH! She types out an agenda with a time line and makes sure that all of the main people associated with the wedding has one and that they stick to the Program. The shuttle busses compliment her and say they love doing weddings that she is in charge of because she always makes sure that people are waiting at the exact time of pick up and her weddings never run the shuttle buses behind schedule. She stays with the wedding all the way through and makes sure the caterer is on time and that the food's presentation and taste is first class. Her Husband Al is the preacher and does a FANTASTIC job at everything! He designs the ceremony so that the photographer can capture some amazing photos! He's truly the BEST! His personality tops it off and it assures a Wonderful Wedding experience. We as a family wouldn't change ONE thing about our Makena Wedding experience and every penny spent was well worth it! Maura Gillman (209) 304-4674

d a first dance on the beach while Reverend Al sang the Hawaiin Wedding song.and a photographer to catch ever moment. It was everything I could of imagined. I will remember every minute of the day forever!

you as a couple and not just another wedding event. Things turned out perfect on our wedding day. Laurie had a solution for all the little problems that came up (extra tissue/hair ties/fans for the guests, etc). Al was also wonderful as our officiant and put us at ease and made it a really fun ceremony. Really lucked out to get to work with Laurie and Al together for our wedding!

call, text or email with any question.

back to us right away and was extremely knowledgeable and patient through any and all questions we had. Her suggestions for vendors all turned out to be better than we ever expected, and the way she anticipated our needs was incredible. Her husband Al was our reverend, and there are truly no words to describe how sincere and special he made our ceremony. Our friends and family were simply amazed at how wonderful both Al and Laurie were, and we completely agree. I would recommend them 110%! They are simply the best!