Chic, Oceanside Destination Wedding Inspired by Local Fruits and Honey in Hawaii
Melissa and Matt's meet-cute had the former finally believing in the power of fate. "From the night we met, I kept being pulled back to Matt," Melissa says of their chance encounter at the bar Matt worked at in Seattle. Though she was only in Seattle for a few days, the two kept in touch after she headed back to the East Coast, where Matt eventually joined her. "Little signs kept showing me that we were meant to be together, like Matt having a tattoo on his arm of a rose, which is my middle name. I learned a few months after meeting Matt that this tattoo was to cover an original tattoo of a bee. My first name, Melissa, means 'honeybee.' There it was, my entire name, already tattooed on my future fiancé's arm," she adds.
As for the proposal, Matt devised a creative plan to pop the question—one that asked the couple to dress up as a bride and groom. "I told Melissa that I wanted to connect with her friend Kim to create a wedding-themed shoot in the Hamptons to get the word out about my business, Paperplane Cocktail Club, a craft cocktail bartending experience for events and weddings," Matt says. At the end of the shoot, he got down on one knee surrounded by their friends.
When it came time to plan their nuptials, the couple knew they didn’t want a traditional hometown wedding, and that they wanted their guests to feel deeply appreciated. Hawaii was the perfect setting for the wedding since it held personal significance to both. “We felt that a place that represents creation was the perfect backdrop for starting our chapter as a married couple. The magic in Hawaii is palpable, and we were grateful to be surrounded by it,” the bride says. For Matt, who had lived on Oahu for many years, and Melissa, whose family had long ties to Kona, it felt like a homecoming. In addition, their love of honey bees was serendipitous since honey is one of the top exports of Hawaii.
From the moment guests arrived, hospitality was at the forefront. The couple greeted their loved ones with customized welcome bags, each embroidered with the couple’s monogram, full of goodies to thank them for their long journeys. To ensure they spent some quality time with guests, the nearlyweds staggered arrival times during the welcome bag pick-up. Melissa, an event planner, and Matt, a bartender, infused their expertise into every detail. From the signature cocktail menu featuring Matt’s twist on the classic piña colada to the grazing table spread of local favorites and delicacies, everything was carefully curated. The couple also designed custom bar menus and sourced vintage Hawaiian matches and stirrers as a nod to the tropical paradise.
During a casual ceremony, the two exchanged vows with the ocean as their backdrop, and had a close friend officiate the ceremony. Melissa and Matt even fed each other honey as part of the ceremony, a nod to Melissa’s name, her father’s beekeeping hobby and the island’s reputation as a top honey producer. Melissa adds, "We wanted to create a shared family tradition that felt like us, a secular ritual rooted in our love of community, optimism and timeless romance. We discovered a tradition in Persian and Greek culture where the bride and groom feed each other honey before their first kiss."
Their fashion complemented the laidback vibes of the Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa, while still bringing a touch of elegance. Melissa chose a sleek, strapless gown with a with a high slit for a more modern touch. For the reception, she changed into a chic, silver second look that let her dance the night away. Matt opted for a light sage custom suit that worked with the tropical climate and matched the surrounding greenery.
The reception played off of Hawaii’s natural beauty and flora with a color palette of chartreuse, boysenberry and light pink. The wooden dining tables were adorned with local produce like jackfruit, jaboticaba, mountain apples, banana flowers and eureka lemons for an organic and lush vibe. “From the food to the centerpieces, we hoped it would feel like an elaborate family-style Hawaiian dinner where the host went a little wild with the decor. The tablescapes stole the show during golden hour,” says Melissa.
One of the most meaningful touches of the day was the couple’s mead toast. The toast honored a newlywed tradition from medieval times that involved guests giving the couple a moon cycle's worth of honey wine, which is said to be how the term "honeymoon" came to be. The couple even sourced mead from local honey producers, adding a sense of place to the ritual. Each guest also took home a jar of honey from Melissa’s father’s hives, a sweet memento to remember the day. But it wasn’t just the traditions that stood out. Matt and Melissa's shared creativity and attention to detail were everywhere. Instead of traditional place cards, Melissa hand-embroidered vintage handkerchiefs with each guest’s name, which guests could take home as a special keepsake. Melissa says, “Matt and I wanted to ensure that our loved ones not only had a good time, but felt cared for and valued.”
Throughout the event, guests enjoyed tropical cocktails, danced under the stars and even indulged in a 12-foot long key lime pie, a show-stopping dessert that was the perfect beachy alternative to a traditional wedding cake. Reflecting on their celebration, Melissa and Matt emphasize the importance of focusing on the guest experience. “Whenever we were unsure of how to structure an element of our events, we put ourselves in the guests' shoes,” the couple says.
Melissa’s advice to other couples planning a destination wedding is simple but powerful: “Filter your decisions through the lens of a best friend or beloved family member and be sure you have a wedding planner you trust deeply to help you navigate those important decisions.” In their case, this approach created a wedding that was both beautiful and unforgettable.