Weddings are always family affairs, but this one is especially meaningful, and we’re honored to get to share it on Junebug! Wedding planner Kelly Simants and her talented team from Sweet Pea Events planned the ultra pretty Maui wedding of her brother Ryan to his sweetheart Hisako, and it was simply a picture perfect event!

The Couple: Ryan and Hisako

The Wedding: 10.6.12 – Hotel Wailea – Maui, HI

What three adjectives best describe your wedding? Romantic, classic, and heart-warming.

What was your wedding color palette? Pale pink and white, very romantic.

What inspired your personal wedding style, and how did you incorporate your style and personalities into your big day? Kelly’s design board! As my sister-in-law, she knew my personality and style, and she coordinated the wedding I wanted.

Looking back, what are the moments, decisions or memories that you love the most about your wedding? One of the big decisions was the venue: Hotel Wailea. Id never been to Maui before our wedding, and I had to choose the venue only by checking websites. I chose the hotel because I liked the gazebo site, dining room, and the concept of small boutique hotel. I wasnt completely sure that it was the right place, and it was pretty much my decision; Ryan supported it because he knew I liked it. But we visited the hotel the day before the weddings and was convinced that it was the perfect venue. We loved the hotel, and on the day of the wedding, we decorated the gazebo and dining room. We had beautiful weather and wonderful food–it was perfect.

Another moment that jumps out at me is my fathers speech. My dad is not a very good public speaker, and hes a very quiet person, so together, my family wrote a speech in Japanese and Ryan translated it into English. I knew my dad practiced it, but I still wasnt sure how it would turn out – and it was beautiful. He also made his own speech in Japanese as a surprise for me.

Lastly, the dancing. In Japan, people dont really dance at weddings. I dont even know how to dance, so I wasnt exactly excited about that part of the wedding. But surprisingly, we got everyone on the dance floor and had a wonderful time. My parents were dancing from the very first song, and I knew my mom loved that. To top it off, I danced gangnam style with my husband – that horse-riding dance craze from Korea.

What piece of advice would you give to a bride planning her wedding today? I don’t really have any good advice, but just believe in what you want, and choose wisely! Enjoy the planning process!

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Sara & Rocky Photography
Event Planner: Sweet Pea Events
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Hotel Wailea
Paper Production Design: Chips & Salsa Designs
Linens: BBJ Linens
Catering: Capische?
Florist: Dellables
Live Music: Maui Sunset Music
Favors: Honolulu Cookie Company

Thank you, Hisako and Ryan, for sharing your romantic and classic wedding story with us!