A Retro, Hawaii-Themed Wedding at National Tropical Botanical Garden in Poipu, Hawaii

When Ashlee Domann (31 and in finance) and Bryan Wheeler (39 and a hot rod builder) opted for a Hawaiian wedding, one thing became more important to them than any color scheme or theme. “Throughout the planning process, we kept two things sacred: Our wedding had to be fun, and it needed to reflect the real 'aloha' that makes Hawaii so special,” Ashlee says. The two married in the meadow of the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Poipu, Hawaii, with an ocean view, under a canopy of banyan trees. Freshly picked pineapples from the planners' garden, a famous Hawaiian ice brand and even a vintage Volkswagen bus (complete with a surfboard) brought the real side of Hawaii to life on Ashlee and Bryan’s big day. “The Hawaiian phrase, ‘O Ke Aloha Ka 'Iu,’ which translates to ‘love is paradise,’ became the mantra of our wedding and was printed on all stationery—and tattooed on my arm,” Ashlee says. “It reflects who we are as a couple, the spirit of our wedding and what we wanted our loved ones to feel when the night was over.” —Ginger Harris