Destination Wailea

By Natasha Garber | Make Favorite

Photo: Courtesy of Grand Wailea

THE GRAND WAILEA - A WALDORF ASTORIA RESORT

Surrounded by 40 acres of lush tropical landscape, and featuring manicured gardens, dazzling pools, a $30-million art collection, and a shopping promenade filled with designer boutiques, The Grand Wailea is a true destination resort—one that you and your wedding guests may never want to leave.

Seaside Ceremony

Intimate outdoor ceremonies at The Grand Wailea take place on Molokini Bluff, where views of neighboring islands Kaho’olawe and Lanai, as well as the magnificent West Maui Mountains, provide “a truly Hawaiian backdrop for your ceremony,” notes social catering manager Vivien Leuenberger. Seeking shelter from the ocean’s breezes? “Our Chapel Gardens offer colorful flowers and plants, and are dotted with three wrought-iron gazebos—ideal for an intimate ceremony for two,” Leuenberger adds. “With the Wailea Seaside Chapel as its centerpiece, plus a koi pond, and an ocean view in the distance, the garden welcomes couples wishing for an outdoor setting, but with the grandeur and elegance of a traditional chapel in the backdrop.” For the ultimate in climate-controlled comfort (yes, we know you, Houston to-be-weds), the gleaming wood-paneled chapel itself offers evocative stained-glass murals and three handcrafted Murano-glass chandeliers, along with air conditioning and a church-like ambiance. 

Island Style

When it’s time to celebrate, the resort’s Molokini Gardens beckon revelers with “a beautiful grassy lawn and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean surrounded by palm trees,” Leuenberger says. If something a little more formal is part of your Maui destination wedding plan, opt for the resort’s Grand Dining Room—“an elegant outdoor reception area which features panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, and provides a spectacular backdrop for formal sit-down meals or festive buffets, as well as ample space for up to 100 guests to dance the night away.”

FAIRMONT KEA LANI

Intimacy, relaxation and refined elegance are the hallmarks of the Fairmont Kea Lani, Hawaii’s only all-suite/villa resort, and a coveted destination for weddings with impeccable service and breathtaking ocean views.

Lush Lawn

“Our most popular wedding location for outdoor ceremonies is our oceanfront Polo Lawn,” notes Fairmont Kea Lani wedding designer and catering manager Veronica Torres. Located steps from Wailea’s picture-perfect Polo Beach, this stunning beachfront space can accommodate up to 300 guests, and can transition from ceremony to cocktail reception to dinner, with ease. “Some of our wedding couples choose to reserve our oceanfront villa accommodations for the bridal party,” Torres adds. “The two- and three-bedroom oceanfront villas directly face the Polo Lawn, and provide easy access for guests.”

Idyllic Escape

Designed to accommodate families, while providing plenty of options of grownup relaxation and rejuvenation, the Fairmont Kea Lani is an ideal destination choice for an extended wedding weekend. 

Golfers can take advantage of Maui's award-winning Wailea Golf Club, located just minutes from the resort. For spa aficionados, the Kea Lani’s award-winning Willow Stream Spa is a must—especially the Wailele (waterfall) Suite, which offers sensory-experience showers inspired by Maui rain. Younger wedding guests will enjoy their leisure hours in the Keki Lani Kids Club, where a performance stage, flat-screen monitors and craft stations offer endless diversions. And everyone in attendance at your Kea Lani wedding can indulge in the resort’s Hawaiian Cultural Program, which includes cultural tours, canoeing, and hula and ukulele lessons. Plus, since “Wailea is located on the driest part of the island, we enjoy nearly 360 days of sunshine,” Torres adds.

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