From a horse on the North Shore to a golden harp on Waialae Beach.
A Proposal, a Song & a Wedding
Their love story on Oahu came in three chapters: a horseback proposal on the North Shore, a ukulele love song at sunset on Kahala Beach, and a wedding on Waialae Beach on March 5, 2022, with a golden harp, a violin, a little flower girl and a monarch butterfly that came to say hello.
A proposal, a song and a wedding
Naomi & Elijah
Some couples come to Hawaii for a wedding. Naomi and Elijah came for a whole love story. In the days before they married, Elijah asked the big question on horseback on the North Shore, then, on a quiet evening at Kahala Beach, he picked up a ukulele and sang her a love song as the sun went down.
On the morning of the wedding Naomi got ready at The Kahala Hotel & Resort with her mom and their little flower girl, then walked across the bridge and down to Waialae Beach, where a golden harp and a violin were already playing and an arch of orchids and roses was waiting by the sea.
Under a canopy of orchids and roses, the first kiss, and the sea holding its breath.
Oahu’s North Shore
A Horseback Proposal
It began with a ride. On a wide, empty North Shore beach, Naomi met a gentle paint horse, a flower crown in her hair and a white bouquet in her hand. Waiting on the sand was a heart of white flowers. Elijah knelt beside the horse, opened his hand, and asked.
She said yes, and then the fun began: a ride along the shoreline, a white veil streaming in the trade winds, and even Elijah taking a turn in the saddle.
Down on one knee on the North Shore, with a gentle horse as the only witness.
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Windward Oahu
Engagement Photos at Kualoa
Newly engaged, they drove over to the windward side for photos at Kualoa, with the little island of Mokoliʻi (Chinaman’s Hat) floating in the bay, green leis, matching aloha prints, and then along the dark lava rocks where the waves roll in.
Mokoliʻi floating in the bay, and two people who just said yes.
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Kahala Beach
A Ukulele Love Song at Sunset
By the palms at Kahala Beach, with the water glassy and gold, Elijah played the ukulele and sang to Naomi in her bright floral dress and sun hat. Watch the moment, and their first dance, in the video below.
He brought his ukulele to Kahala and sang her a love song as the sun went down.
Their story in music: the ukulele love song at Kahala, the horseback proposal, the ceremony at Waialae and their first dance on the sand.
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The Kahala Hotel & Resort
Getting Ready at the Kahala
The wedding morning began in a suite at The Kahala Hotel & Resort: the lace gown on its hanger, a crystal tiara resting on the roses, the rings tucked among the leaves. Naomi had her hair curled and her makeup done by the mirror, the flower girl got her own crown of white flowers, and Mom fastened the last buttons of the gown by the window.
A mother’s hands on the last few buttons, the kind of moment a daughter keeps forever.
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To the beach
Across the Bridge to the Sand
Naomi and the flower girl crossed the little bridge and the lawn to the beach. The conch shell sounded, the flower girl scattered petals from her basket, and Mom walked her daughter down the aisle.
Mom on her arm, petals at her feet, the sea at the end of the aisle.
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Waialae Beach
The Ceremony Setup
On the sand at Waialae: an arch draped in white and crowned with orchids, roses and bird of paradise, an aisle of pink hibiscus and rose petals, white chairs, tropical flowers along the aisle, and our golden harp waiting by the sea.
A golden harp waiting on the sand, the aisle scattered with hibiscus.
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The ceremony
Vows at Waialae
Under the arch, with the ocean behind them, they said their vows and exchanged rings brought by the flower girl. They poured the sand ceremony together at a little blue table, shared a first kiss, signed the license on the beach and raised a toast.
A ring, a promise, and the sound of the waves at Waialae.
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Live music
Harp & Violin on the Sand
A harpist on our golden harp and a violinist played under a striped beach umbrella beside the aisle, classical pieces drifting over the sand with the sound of the waves.
Harp and violin under a striped umbrella, music drifting over the sand.
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A little magic
The Butterfly Release
After the vows, monarch butterflies were set free. One landed right on Naomi’s rose bouquet, and the flower girl, lifted up in Elijah’s arms, reached out to touch it, laughing, before it opened its wings and flew away over the sea.
A monarch lands on the roses, and the flower girl can’t believe her eyes.
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Family
Arms Up Under the Arch
Then everyone gathered under the flowers: parents, grandparents and the flower girl in the middle, arms raised in celebration.
Arms up, hearts full: the family who came to see them say yes.
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Just the two of them
Portraits Under the Palms
Afterward the newlyweds wandered the Kahala shoreline: the water’s edge, the leaning palms, the lava rocks above the bright blue sea, the little bridge, and finally back across the lawn toward the resort.
Leaning palms, a bright Kahala sky, and husband and wife for the very first time.
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Where to Find Waialae Beach
Waialae Beach Park sits on the Kahala coast of east Honolulu, a short walk along the sand from The Kahala Hotel & Resort.
On Waialae Beach in Kahala, east Honolulu, under a flower arch of orchids and roses. They got ready at The Kahala Hotel & Resort, just along the sand.
How did Elijah propose?
On horseback on Oahu’s North Shore. A gentle paint horse, a heart of white flowers on the sand, and Elijah down on one knee. See our horses and proposals.
Who played the music at the ceremony?
A harpist on our golden harp and a violinist, playing under a beach umbrella beside the aisle. See harp and violin.
Did they have a butterfly release?
Yes. Monarch butterflies were released after the vows, and one landed right on the bride’s rose bouquet as the flower girl reached for it. See our butterfly release.
Are these their real names?
No. To protect the couple’s privacy, we use different names on this page. The photos and the story are theirs.
Google reviews
Loved by our couples
★★★★★ 5.0 on Google from 79 reviews
★★★★★
“Paul and his team deserves 100 stars. I truly could not have asked for a better wedding planner than Paul! … What meant the most was knowing I had someone I could trust, even from thousands of miles away. If you’re a future bride, especially planning a destination wedding, I cannot recommend Paul enough!”
“My wedding was impressive. The views, the decoration, the team, everyone made a good combination and a good team, everything was better than I can imagined, and I assure you that it is a good option to get married.”
“My Hawaiian photographer did an absolutely amazing job capturing our engagement, and I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out. The photos are beautiful, heartfelt, and truly capture the love and happiness of this unforgettable moment.”
“Paul and his team went above and beyond to make our wedding day on Kahala beach so memorable. He put a lot of thought into the color coordination, floral arrangements, decorations, layout, and music choices. I really enjoyed his thorough communication, it took the stress off of us.”
“Working with Paul and Dewi was an absolute dream! They made both my fiancé and I so comfortable and confident behind the camera. They are both incredibly genuine people who truly care about your experience.”
“I called several wedding planners around the island, none had captured me the way Paul talked to me for the first time. Right away it was an instant connection, and all the anxiety slowly lifted off my shoulders.”
“Paul and his team were fantastic throughout the entire wedding process. All I had to think about on the day was getting myself ready and everything else was taken care of exactly as I would have wanted it. Our photos turned out beautifully.”
“We hadn’t wanted a stuffy, formal wedding, we wanted something that felt relaxed and natural. You did so much work, planning out all the details and coordinating the people and events. You made the final product exactly what we wanted! It was beautiful!”
