Vintage glamour meets runaway boho bride in this Hawaiian wedding inspiration

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Multifaceted brides (as most of us are!) have plenty of inspiration to draw from – from family tradition, vintage glamour, pretty boho styles to modern royal weddings. Well, this Hawaiian wedding inspiration mixes so many of our favorite trends of the past and present, as photographer Melissa Ergo describes it so perfectly, it’s a “time-honored tradition with a glamorous yet free-spirited approach.”

There’s the classic influence: old-school romantic scenes of bride and groom locked in a kiss, with a glamorous sweeping bridal hairstyle and vibrant red lip. Then, there are the free-spirited vibes: an easy-going, off-the-shoulder wedding gown to throw in your suitcase to your elevated, tropical picnic wedding (sweet Hawaiian treats included).

If you’re a frequent visitor of the Hawaiian Islands, you know the not-so-secret value of a killer popsicle & shaved ice. In true Maui fashion, the team forwent the traditional wedding cake for classic local “wedding popsicles” – an essential cool treat for the Hawaiian tropics.

From Melissa Ergo Photography

Magic seems to happen in the space where Old World Europe meets natural Hawaiian splendor. A huge inspiration for this eclectic, mid-20th-century-themed wedding shoot was the venue itself. When we first saw Haiku Mill in photos, I was inspired by the way lush greenery seemingly burst from the old stonework of this historic building. I loved the way fresh growth wove its way throughout the beautifully restored ruins, giving it a new and unique kind of beauty and elegance. I wanted to create a theme that played off of that feel of old meeting new, so I came up with an idea for a classic composition with pops of bold color mixed with edgier elements. The goal was to feel elegant but surprising and fresh.

The theme’s aesthetics have some metaphorical significance as well: The mid 20th century was an iconic and glamorous period that was governed much more by tradition than present day. Today’s couples are reinventing the way marriage is defined and the way weddings are held. The traditions of marriage and weddings are still important, relevant and present, but it is exciting to see the way couples have turned them into something new. The shoot brought together the best of both worlds in that way: a time-honored tradition with a glamorous yet free-spirited approach.

The Flowers

Maui Floral chose to go with a simple King Protea for the bride and fresh tropical greenery with a few King Proteas for the table setting. The King Protea is gorgeous, standout and sturdy- perfect for an elopement. Since we were surrounded with bountiful tropical greenery of the venue, we wanted to let that speak for itself and contrast it with other elements.

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The Dress & Attire

Dreamers and Lovers was my top choice for the bridal gown designer to feature because the gowns are all so perfect for the free-spirited bride who is having a destination wedding or elopement. They are stunning but also practically made to pack up and go. The gowns don’t have stuffing and are mostly made of lace making them easy to throw into a suitcase, fly to the other side of the world, and pull out without finding wrinkles. As for the specific gown we chose, I loved the way it was classically elegant while still being very bohemian.

We opted to dress the groom in a simple, classic gray suit and tie that would touch on the mid-century elegance we wanted to impart on the shoot. I felt that the classic suit would bring out the classic elegant quality of the bride’s dress, making the pair look sharp.

The Decor

You could say that the tablescape was aimed at letting the structures of tradition out a few notches. The low table and floor cushions created a “luxe picnic” feel that brought in that eclectic and free-spirited quality of our shoot. Having floor seating is almost a way of revering the jaw-dropping nature that pops out of the walls of this historic venue.

Kimiko of Elements Luxury Design styled the table to have a decadent spread of fruit, nuts and cheese. The vintage textured glass, marble, wood, brass and greenery were all about creating a luxe, modern and eclectic look. Our bar cart brought in more of the mid-century feel and featured beautiful tropical drinks and Daneson luxury toothpicks.

“Kimiko Hosaki of Elements by K.H & co. infused beauty and creativity into the design of the vignettes, the result of which was a stunning setting that blended vintage and modern.”

– Melissa Ergo, photographer

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The Desserts

Instead of a cake, we featured local Maui popsicles by Shaka Pops! We wanted to do something fun and different for the free-spirited style of the shoot. The popsicles felt so appropriate for a hot and tropical place like Maui, and it allowed us to bring in a local’s tradition.