One of the coolest things about working in the wedding industry in Hawaii is discovering new event locations in unsuspecting places. Maui’s Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center has been around for years, but until recently, has played host to some fun and offbeat weddings. Moana and Mark’s island celebration is one of them. The bride, who grew up on Maui and now calls California home, says, “The Hui was always a special place for me: I took art classes there as a kid, and my family went to gallery openings and there annual holiday festival every year. It also made sense for my husband and myself as we are both working in the arts (film and television). An art center just matched our sensibilities.” Moana called on her close childhood friend and photographer Joanna Tano to capture the day.
When it came to selecting her dress, Moana considered the weather conditions above all. “I wanted a dress that could handle the potential mud and dampness on the north shore. I wanted something simple and lacy,” she says. She opted for a custom-made wedding gown by Los Angeles designer Matrushka Construction. She says, “An additional and unexpected bonus of going this route was that it was shockingly less expensive.” The couple enlisted the help of their crafty friends and family members. The bride says, “It all came together and it was really DIY.” Her mother made fruit jam for the guest favors and the bridal party joined together to make lei. On the morning of the wedding, a group of friends arrived to help with last minute details. “Just seeing how happy my husband was at the alter really made the day special,” Moana says.
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