The Perfect Wedding Maui

I wanted to wait to write a review until we received our wedding photos so future brides could see what I mean when I say The Perfect Wedding Maui crushed this wedding.

When we first got engaged in 2020, things were pretty uncertain in the wedding world. The top 2 biggest priorities for us at the start of our planning journey were to get our venue and then hire a coordinator. Once we locked in our location in Maui, we asked the venue and some locals friends to give us a list of coordinators they preferred. The Perfect Wedding + Cherise stood out (with flying colors).

When my husband + I first met Cherise at Olowalu Plantation House, she reminded me a lot of my mom. I know that sounds kind of funny but I was looking for a coordinator that was going to really fight for our wedding vision, had a lot of experience and a solid vendor list while also keeping us within our our budget and settling our nervous hearts being on the mainland in California.

I can confidently say that Cherise was literally one of my favorite vendors I've had the pleasure to communicate with. So many people told me how daunting it would be to plan a destination wedding but I can confidently say I really miss the planning process and getting to chat with Cherise. It was so fun and easy. From the moment you book, you get the package giving you a full breakdown of what to expect and how this process is going to look... for my type A brides this was a dream to get.

Getting a wedding coordinator is quite literally the most important part of the process and I do not recommend trying to plan a wedding without one. From start to finish, Cherise was organized and provided a quick turn around time in response time. We had so many email chains with so many different vendors, it just really spoke to her professionalism... You have to remind yourself that you're not their only bride but she made me feel like I was.

From the overall outline of the wedding, timeline, and vendors to the nitty gritty details like how you want your napkins folded, what kind of signature drinks you want, table placement and the color palette, she provided options to choose from as well as a couple of preferences from previous brides, etc so you didn't feel too overwhelmed with choices. We had a few video calls to discuss each big step in the process. One of my favorite little touches (that I've literally never heard of from any of my friends) was Cherise asked us to make a Pinterest vision board and then we broke down each section of the board when it came to florals, decor, the aisle, etc. I was so excited to see it all come together.

So when we had our BIG DAY, Cherise gave me some lavender oil to help calm me down because I was so nervous! 2 years of planning and it's all happening right now! After I got into my dress, I remember her coming to me and saying, "Remember, this is YOUR day. You get to decide how the timeline goes and what you want to do." It's nice to have someone on the day of your wedding in your corner because your family members will want to step in or make changes or say something and as the bride you're feeling so many emotions that you aren't sure what to say and I really feel like Cherise went to bat for me in those moments.

Also, the way she communicated our vision to our vendors!!!! Oh my gosh.... the florals, the decor, the colors....everything was exactly what we wanted. I could cry just thinking about how beautiful it was!! The photos came out amazing!!

She went unnoticed when the event actually started but she was doing the absolute most in those 6 hours, only coming up to us when necessary and moving us right along through out the night, making adjustments to the timeline as needed/communicating with vendors but she did it with such elegance and grace that I didn't even notice as a bride and really just got to soak in the day. At the end of the evening, she managed to clean up the guestbook, card box, the film cameras, package up our neon sign, etc. so it was ready to go in for us to take back. There wasn't one thing missing from the clean up and distributed our tip for us.

I feel really lucky as a 2022 bride. I see a lot of people on social media saying their regrets and such about planning, their vendors or even their big day but I just can't really relate to that. I truly believe that your vendors can make or break your wedding, just like your coordinator can make or break your excitement and Cherise made sure that the day was about my husband and I. I feel like I've gained a friend throughout the planning process and can't wait to go back to the island for an anniversary and hopefully see her.

Trust me when I say it is worth the investment to have a solid coordinator and you will not be disappointed with Cherise.

T + J