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Black and Gold Moody Kualoa Ranch Wedding

December 4, 2023 | justine

Darrick and James selected Hawaii as their wedding destination, finding it to be the perfect midpoint between their hometowns in Australia and New York. Their decision was solidified when they discovered their stunning venue with its epic mountain backdrop. In planning their Kualoa Ranch wedding, they focused on reflecting their personal styles,  drawing inspiration from the colors and themes prominent in their apartment and photography work. Opting for a combination of dark and moody wood tones–highlighted by contrasting dark and gilded accents and adorned with lush greenery and white florals–they crafted a vision that felt uniquely theirs. Fortunately, their team of vendors grasped this vision and exceeded expectations by going above and beyond to bring it all to life.

The beginning of the couple’s special day was marked by heartfelt “I do’s” shared amid nature and with their closest loved ones. Enhancing the breathtaking surroundings, they adorned the space with a unique display of greenery pillars, creating a beautiful frame around the mountain views. As touching as these moments were, the couple aimed to surpass them with their tented reception. They welcomed guests to the celebration with long banquet-style tables awaited, adorned with elegant black and gold settings and a warm glow from numerous candles.

The two grooms made a beautiful and inviting setting to enjoy and soak in all the special moments together. They mixed in parts of their traditions thoughtfully, showing off their personalities. To see more, take a look at these incredible photos by Keani Bakula and enjoy all the details of their lush and romantic celebration.

The Couple:

Darrick and James

The Wedding:

Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii, United States

The Story Behind Their Kualoa Ranch Wedding

We chose Hawaii because it is the midpoint between Australia and New York, where we are from. We also knew we wanted something other than a beach or hotel wedding, which further narrowed down venue options. When we saw the photos of Kualoa Ranch and the epic mountain backdrop, we were sold. How could we pass on an opportunity to get married where Jurassic Park was filmed? This was a more complex venue as everything from the chairs and utensils to the tent and bathrooms had to be brought in, but we had confidence knowing that our planner was a seasoned professional who had planned many weddings at that spot.

Infusing Hawaiian Flair and Their Moody Personalities Into Their Wedding Design 

We wanted the wedding to reflect our styles. Drawing upon colors and themes we like to use in our apartment and photography. We settled on dark and moody wood tones, contrasting gold and black accents, and lush greenery with white orchids. To embrace our wedding destination, we mixed custom Hawaiian motifs subtly in our stationery and asked our florist to incorporate tropical greenery into her design. Finally, we used a mix of candles and different styles of chandeliers to create a warm but elevated atmosphere for the guests after the sun went down.

Intentional Moments to Soak and Enjoy Their Kualoa Ranch Wedding

We snuck away from dinner for a few minutes to spend time with one another and fully take in the evening and our surroundings. Seeing the moon rising over the majestic Kualoa mountain range was surreal. As we looked back at our guests and the wedding tent lit up. We are glad we made a conscious effort to stay present throughout the wedding day and cherish the moment together as a couple. The evening flew by so quickly, but we’ll always have these special memories to think back on.

Advice: Hire Help From Professional Vendors (Especially Wedding Planners)

First, hire a wedding planner if your budget allows for it. Given our venue’s complexity and carte blanche nature, it would have been impossible to plan this wedding on our own. Our rockstar planner Angelica had a lot of experience with this venue. And brought up things we would have needed to consider. Like where to position the tent vs. the ceremony set-up to maximize views, number of generators required, etc. Second, trust your wedding planner and your vendors. They know what they are doing and have great advice from the other weddings they have worked on before. Finally, feel free to have open conversations with your wedding team about what you really want and use your vision and their experience to create something unique for you as a couple.

Boarding Passes and Hand-Written Notes: Personalized Moments at Their Wedding

We’re proud that our wedding felt authentic to both our personalities. We skipped traditions or customs that did not resonate with us and focused instead on injecting our personalities and stories into the details throughout the day. We had a lot of fun with this part. For instance, because James is a pilot, we created boarding passes for the escort cards and used airport codes for table numbers. We also had personalized notes on the boarding passes to thank guests for coming to Hawaii to celebrate our wedding.

Crafting a Personal Soundtrack That Defined Their Wedding Moments

Music is a big part of our relationship, and we have many artists that we love listening to together, such as Rufus Du Sol and Odesza. We carefully picked songs for big moments throughout the night (e.g., champagne pour, ceremony recessional). And it felt like we were living in a movie with our soundtrack. In addition, our DJ Toshi of Spectrum Entertainment created a lit dance floor by mixing in songs and artists that we love while also playing crowd-pleasers that had people out of their seats.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Keani Bakula
Event Planning – Forever Amour Events
Venue – Kualoa Ranch
Floral Design – La Flor Events
Catering – Memoirs Catering
Officiant – Kelehua Kawai
DJ – Spectrum Entertainment
Live Music – Ono Kine Entertainment
Videography – Twin Fin Filmworks
Makeup Artist + Hair Styling – The First Second
Rings – Cartier
Rentals – Aloha Artisans + Ambient Rentals + Accel Rentals
Transportation – Rio Limo Hawaii + Royal Star Hawaii

 

Congratulations to Darrick and James on their black and gold moody Kualoa Ranch wedding. And huge thanks to Keani Bakula for capturing every magical moment and stunning detail.

Choosing a bold color scheme is an excellent move if you want your wedding to stand out. Keep in mind that bold doesn’t always have to be bright. Using deep, moody tones like black is a unique and daring way to make your wedding distinctive. To make your wedding truly unique, explore our guide for creative ways to subtly and not-so-subtly bring black into your celebration.

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Classy Disco Western Telluride Ski Resort Wedding

December 3, 2023 | justine

Picture a beautiful celebration nestled in the grand Telluride mountains, where every little detail captures the magic of a love story against nature’s stunning backdrop. Michela and Greco’s Telluride Ski Resort wedding was a mountain adventure and a tribute to happy memories with the bride’s godmother. The couple embraced the Wild West vibe and asked their loved ones to join in the fun by dressing up in cowboy hats and boots. With the help of their reliable vendors, the couple brought to life their dream wedding against breathtaking natural scenery.

With towering mountains as witnesses and flowers mirroring the changing trees, they kept things timeless and elegant, allowing nature to shine as the true star. As the celebration moved indoors for the reception, the tablescape came alive with delicate flowers and flickering candles. The space was adorned with scattered disco accents, adding a playful touch. Later, the party moved outdoors again, dancing under the enchanting glow of string lights, putting the perfect finishing touch on this picturesque celebration.

For an up-close view of all the beautiful details they crafted, scroll through these captivating photos captured by Mikayla Renee Photo. Each image is filled with inspiration that you can use to create your own romantic outdoor celebration in nature.

The Couple:

Michela and Greco

The Wedding:

Telluride Ski Resort, Colorado, United States

The Meaningful Reason Why They Chose to Have a Telluride Ski Resort Wedding

It was super important to me to acknowledge our loved ones who were no longer with us, such as my godmother and our grandparents. I grew up traveling to Telluride with my godmother. She passed away unexpectedly in 2013. I knew immediately that it needed to be in Telluride if I ever got married one day. We also wanted to embrace the Western vibe and asked our guests to don “classy western wear,” including bolo ties, cowboy hats and boots, fringe, leather, and whatever felt Western. We also chose to embrace the mountains. The San Juans that surround Telluride are so spectacular and magnificent on their own that we didn’t want to do anything to distract from them. We chose flowers to compliment the changing aspen trees and added details to compliment the Western feel, like cowhide rugs, disco ski boots, and custom ski signs.

Cowgirl Meets Parent Trap Bridal Attire

I love the western, cowgirl vibe mixed in with a little classic Ralph Lauren. My dress from Rue de Seine gave me a Western feel with the hand-embroidered lace and the custom bolero. At our reception, I wore cowboy boots, turquoise jewelry, and a custom-shaped cowboy hat. After the reception, I wanted a western meets Parent Trap vibe and changed into a sleeker, more simple strapless dress, but accessorized with my black cowboy hat and cowboy boots for the night.

Appreciating Their Loved Ones Who Went the Distance (Literally) to Be at Their Wedding

I can’t pick one favorite moment because nothing will ever beat having all our favorite people in our favorite place to celebrate a huge moment. Most of our guests had to take two flights and then drive 1.5 hours to Telluride. Thinking that 80 people committed to that for us is mind-boggling, and it made us feel so loved and special. So I guess walking up to our ceremony spot, overlooking Telluride at 10,540 ft elevation, and seeing all of the people who showed up for us would be the most memorable moment of the day—that was pretty cool.

Advice: Stay True to Your Wedding Vision and Don’t Get Caught Up in Trends

It’s hard not to get caught up in what’s trending in the wedding world. There were times when I questioned my vision because of the current trends. But it’s essential for couples to stick with their vision because, truly, that is what makes your wedding so special. You should do whatever feels right for you and your partner on your wedding day. Couples should also be confident to trailblaze new wedding traditions without sticking to the traditional wedding script. I’m very proud of the team of vendors that I brought together to make our day so magical. All of our vendors were just really awesome, cool, kind, and genuinely good people.

 

How The Couple Personalized Their Celebration: From Hand-Painted Ornaments to Personal Welcome Notes

I am genuinely proud of all the tiny details I could incorporate and how these small details stayed so true to us–the hand-painted ornaments, personal handwritten welcome notes to each guest, my disco ski boots, having all three of our dogs, having custom cookies, and baking and decorating my own wedding cakes the morning of. These are all of the small things I am so proud of. We had a long 2.5-year engagement, so I had a lot of time, but I hand-painted a Christmas ornament for each guest to take home. Each ornament had different scenery from Telluride so our guests could remember the weekend!

Honoring Late Loved Ones on Their Telluride Ski Resort Wedding Day

It was super important to me to acknowledge our loved ones who were no longer with us, such as my godmother and our grandparents. We had open chairs for them at the ceremony to honor them and a memory table of pictures of them at the reception. I had my grandmother’s engagement ring reset so that I was able to wear it on my wedding day, and I had one of my godmother’s old western hats as well.

Their Unwavering Decision to Include Their Fur Children in Their Telluride Ski Resort Wedding

Having our dogs there was essential. We have three large dogs who we drove cross-country to get to Telluride for them to be a part of our wedding. They’re our children! It was never an option for them not to be a part of our day.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Mikayla Renee Photo
Event Planning – K2 Event Co
Ceremony Venue + Catering – Telluride Ski Resort
Reception Venue – The Peaks Resort and Spa
Floral Design – Flower Disco
Videography – Dustin Miles
Invitation Design – Haleigh Glynn
Makeup Artist – Erin Cain
Hair Styling – Kylie Brochers
Wedding Dress – Rue de Seine
Bridal Accessories – Van Crafted Studio
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Reformation
Groom’s Apparel + Groomsmen’s Apparel – The Black Tux
Rings – Marrow Fine
Rentals – Amend Collective
Transportation – Mountain Limo
Live Painter – Torregrossa Fine Art
Wedding Cookies – The Little Italian Baker
Donuts and Dosants – Baked in Telluride
Custom Bolero – Nova McLaren
Dog Handlers – Pups Plus One
Cowboy Hat – Crossbow Telluride
Cowprint Nails – Nail Bar Collective
Oxygen Bar – O2 Delivers

 

Cheers to Michela and Greco on their stylish disco Western Telluride Ski Resort wedding! A big thank you to Mikayla Renee Photo for beautifully capturing all the stunning details and meaningful moments. 

This couple’s wedding highlights a valuable lesson: having the right team in place is crucial to bringing any wedding vision to life. Ready to build your dream team? Check out our directory for professionals who understand your dreams and have the expertise to turn them into a beautiful and memorable event.

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Whimsical Yet Edgy Wish Well House Wedding

December 2, 2023 | justine

Megan and CJ stayed true to themselves every step of their wedding planning journey, from picking out flowers to enjoying tacos for dinner. They aimed for a celebration that captured both a whimsical and edgy vibe while maintaining a timeless feel. With the help of their vendors, their vision for a Wish Well House wedding exceeded their expectations. The considerable time and effort invested in creating a memorable experience for their cherished guests proved to be worthwhile. After all, these are their favorite people, and they naturally wanted them to have the best time possible!

The courtyard ceremony was all about simplicity, with just two floral pillars framing the couple as they exchanged their vows. However, the real enchantment unfolded at the reception. Maintaining a sleek atmosphere, they embraced a tablescape adorned with low floral clusters, purple taper candles, and touches of black accents, adding an unexpected edge to the romantic ambiance. To elevate the scene further, an overhead greenery installation tied everything together seamlessly.

The pair put a lot of thought into every little detail, and it paid off. If you dream of a classic wedding with a personal touch and a dash of edge, you should check out this couple’s celebration. Maddison Kennedy did an excellent job capturing every moment, so take a look and enjoy the beauty of their special day!

The Couple:

Megan and CJ

The Wedding:

Wish Well House, Texas, United States

A Journey of Five Wedding Dresses

I tried on five wedding dresses—all vastly different from each other. I had no idea what I wanted until it happened. After I found the dress, it all fell into place from there. I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for when shopping for sleeves, so I reached out to House of Deane, and she brought my vision to life! I wanted something classic with some drama and flair, and my custom sleeves precisely did that.

Celebrating Love with Their Favorite People

From the groom, he says, getting to watch me walk down the aisle takes the cake for him. Overall, this is the first and last time that we will have that many of our favorite people all in one place at one time, and that was something we did not take for granted. It was important to us to soak in this time with our loved ones and try to take intentional pauses to be present with one another and with our guests. It is special to be so well-loved that many people show up to celebrate you.

Focus on You Two: Best Wedding Advice

Our most significant advice is that at the end of the day, your wedding is about the two of you. It is easy to get swept up and overwhelmed by the influence and opinions of those around you. Often, it is hard to set that aside and remember what the two of you want. It was important to us to honor and respect the people that we are and what we wanted. You want to be able to step back and look at your big day and feel like it is you that you see in all of the details.

Creating a Guest-Centric Wish Well House Wedding Day

CJ and I pride ourselves on the experience we can give our guests. A lot of time and effort went into the experience we tried to create. These are our favorite people, and of course, we want them to have the best time> From the live guest painter, the photo booth, and the cocktails we selected, we kept our guests in mind at every turn while still sticking to what we wanted from our big day.

Letting the Venue Speak: Their Wish Well Wedding Story

We wanted a venue that was able to speak for itself. You can tell the amount of time and care put into Wish Well House—from the tile to the textures, the wallpaper, and even the appliances in the getting-ready suites. Having an outdoor wedding in Texas, it was essential to find somewhere that we loved the rain plan just as much as the original one, and for us, Wish Well had it all.

Personalized Ceremony Melodies for This Wish Well House Wedding

For the ceremony, we talked to the DJ about playing instrumental covers of all our early 2000s favorite songs (think lots of Blink 182 and Mayday Parade). The groom said it was so fun watching the guests realize what song was being played and then start nodding along to the song. Additionally, one of my childhood best friends was our flower man and truly stole the show! Another one of our friends was our officiant, and it felt so special to have so many people we knew and loved involved in the ceremony.

Unconventional Tokens of Love: T-Shirt Toss and Dog Treat Favors

For wedding favors, we took a non-traditional route. We ditched the bouquet/garter toss and opted for a t-shirt toss. The t-shirts have a picture of the groom and me on them, and still, to this day, people send us pictures of them wearing them out and about, and we get giddy over it every time. Additionally, we had dog treat bags for people to take home to their pups as a nod to our dog Morgan who was not physically present but present in many of the small details (dog treat favors, a mini figure of her on our wedding cake, her picture at the bar). Our friends and family will love Morgan, and we must incorporate a bit of her into our day.

Personal Touches from Save the Dates to Signage

I DIY’d the save-the-dates, invitations, wedding programs, and signage for the wedding. They were created mainly in Canva and printed through Zola, except for the envelope liners and programs printed at Office Depot. As for signage, I designed the signage, but my mom helped in bringing it all to life for me. My dad built the frame for our seating chart, and my mom took care of everyone’s names.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – MKPhoto
Event Planning – Amusé Event Co
Ceremony + Reception Venue – Wish Well House
Floral Design – Remi & Gold
Catering – Peached Tortilla
Cake – Morgan Pearl Cakes
DJ – Out West
Videography – Wes Raitt Cinema
Makeup Artist + Hair Styling – Etoilly Artistry
Wedding Dress – House Of Deane
Transportation – Ninja Buses

 

Congratulations to Megan and CJ on their whimsical yet edgy Wish Well House wedding. A big thank you to Maddison Kennedy for capturing all the beautiful details, joy, and love that filled their big day. And a special shout out to Junebug member Amuse Events Co. for flawlessly planning the entire celebration and making it very special for the couple. To see more amazing affairs they’ve organized, check out their profile in our directory of the world’s best wedding planners.

We’re seeing more and more couples that are breaking the rules. And if you too want to plan an unconventional celebration that stands out, consider a bold color palette. Bold doesn’t always mean super bright. Dark and moody shades like black can be unique too. Check out our guide for cool ways to add black to your wedding, making it subtly or not-so-subtly different from the usual.

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