After meeting Kate and Rich for our morning engagement session – I knew this would be a wedding to remember! I love Maui Pineapple Chapel weddings and Kate and Rich’s wedding was no exception.
I asked them to think about their day – and this is what they had to say!
Thoughts leading up to their Maui Pineapple Chapel Wedding
Rich: These are some deep questions! Honestly, we had about 16 months from the time we were engaged until the actual wedding, so I think our thoughts were probably a rollercoaster and definitely at times were in different places. I think we instinctively knew we were going to be together forever for a long time, and I think that helped bring some calm and focus even when we were stressed about time or the sheer volume of things we had to sort out. What helped is as we made each choice, particularly when it came to the team we were building around us, we realized how our instincts were really on point. We really loved meeting our team and I think fundamentally knew they were a good match for us on many levels.
The actual wedding day was amazing – it really flew by. I think it was equal parts relief that things went so well but also just sheer joy to have this moment together.
Kate: I agree with Rich on the rollercoaster leading into the wedding! I feel like growing up, I always considered having a wedding, but as I became an adult, I wasn’t sure if I really wanted a wedding given the sheer cost and energy. After Rich and I discussed extensively, we decided we did want to do something. And the most natural location for us to get married was Maui given our love for the place. Rich actually brought me a vacation to Maui for my 30th birthday, and we took that trip exactly two years before our wedding date.
Why did you choose the Maui Pineapple Chapel for your wedding?
Rich: We honestly contemplated what to do for a wedding for quite some time. We wondered about everything from whether we wanted to do a formal ceremony/party to the number of people to the location. We realized that if we were going to go through this enormous effort that we should try to do this in a place we loved. Maui quickly surfaced as a place we both loved that was still fairly practical. I know Kate had her eye on a few venues but Maui Pineapple Chapel became a strong contender early on. We had some friends visit the Chapel to do some video walkthroughs, and visited it in person a few months ahead of the wedding. Like so many aspects of our planning, we were relieved to see that our instincts were correct! The venue is lovely, and the overall location of Kapalua was wonderful as well.
Their favorite parts of their wedding at the Maui Pineapple Chapel
Rich: Honestly there were many. I loved the actual ceremony. It was beautiful and Kate was stunning. I loved our First Dance – it was SUCH a relief that it went well because we worked so hard to get it right. And then I really loved actually heading off for photography and filming along the Kapalua cliffs – it was really fun and peaceful and allowed us some time together in a really fun and chill setting. (And Angie and Kent from Ohana Films just made everything even more fun!)
Kate: I agree with Rich that the First Dance and time enjoying the photography and filming along with Kapalua cliffs were such highlights! I also loved the fun photography sesh involving fire that we did with Angie and her super fun sound effects at the end of the night. I also personally had a lot of fun with my friends at the venue getting ready – it was a time of day where I was able to spend designated time with some of my closest friends and family, and I really appreciate having that time.
Their favorite Maui Wedding details
Rich: Kate has a really good eye for detail – we both work in PR but she is very familiar with developing and hosting events. Honestly every detail was fantastic, but I was really happy to see how all of our floral and dining selections flowed together to make for a really stunning and colorful reception.
Kate: The flowers turned out super well – I loved them so much! I sent along some inspiration, but I never saw exactly what they were going to look like, so it was such a relief and so fun seeing how they turned out. I also of course loved wearing my dress, which I am so happy I still liked months after purchasing (and am thrilled it still fit). It was also fun seeing all the bridesmaid dresses in different colors matching the florals.
Why they chose Angela Nelson Photography as their Maui wedding photographer
Rich: Kate will definitely have more to say here as she found you first – I remember sitting down to consider various options. Kate kept returning to your work. One thing that I always prefer are photos that capture the essence of a person (or a couple). I always find that works best if the photos aren’t aggressively staged and feel spontaneous. Your work always captures a lot of that, and I think when we first chatted with you I could just tell that your demeanor and perspective and presence would be perfect not only to capture that “natural style” that I personally want, but that you would just be a warm and welcome part of our wedding.
I’ve honestly never had more fun taking photos than when we were doing our engagement shoot in January 2024 or the actual wedding photos. I love taking photos with Kate, but I am not a photo guy. But I genuinely enjoyed working with you on all of this and would easily recommend you for literally any occasion. It honestly felt like we had a friend we’ve known for a long time just hanging out with us – and taking photos.
Kate: I came across your photos on Instagram a few months before I actually set up time for us to chat. I really felt a deep connection to the photos and find them incredibly unique (I know I messaged you this recently, but I can now tell your photos apart from others pretty instantly – I saw one and knew it was yours before I even looked at the credits). I looked into other photographers available for lower price points but never really felt a deep affinity with them – I remember I looked into one, and she wasn’t available, so I knew it was a sign to set up a call with you. After we met with you virtually, we knew we wanted to move forward with you, and we had such a fun time with our engagement session, which really helped seal the deal and let us know we’d booked the right person.
Their wedding advice for future Maui couples
Rich: We went through the full journey of how we wanted to celebrate our marriage – from simply eloping to weddings big and small, local and destination. Our north star, which we agreed on early and had to reference quite often (for our sanity), was that this had to ultimately be something we wanted to do and therefore that we wanted to be a part of. We realized that our friends and family would almost certainly understand that but ultimately what we would remember is our own personal experience.
The other thing I would suggest – meet the team you are building around you. Meet your DJ. Meet your officiant. Meet your photographer. Pick people who you vibe with and who will capture your relationship and your personality the way you want it. Your wedding can be whatever you want it to be and never let anyone tell you otherwise. The people who help you bring this giant party to life are a critical part of making that happen!
Kate and Rich – thank you for trusting me to be your photographer for your Maui Pineapple Chapel wedding. I’ve looked forward to this day for so long – to spend it celebrating you both was an absolute gift.
Thank you to our fabulous Maui Pineapple Chapel wedding vendors!
Photography – Angela Nelson Photography (@angelanelsonphoto),
Planning – Food for the Soul (@foodforthesoulmaui)
Videography – Ohana Films
Hair and Makeup – MeiLi Autumn Beauty (@meiliautumnbeauty),
Venue – Maui Pineapple Chapel
DJ – Dj Dan (@djdanmaui)
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