1. Real Weddings

Colorful, Elegant Wedding in Kapalua, Hawaii

While living in San Diego, Evgeniya Vasilchenko (30 and a project manager) and Alex Bazhynov (30 and an auto broker) always knew they wanted to get ma

While living in San Diego, Evgeniya Vasilchenko (30 and a project manager) and Alex Bazhynov (30 and an auto broker) always knew they wanted to get married in Maui—their favorite destination. “We wanted our wedding to feel vibrant, bold and colorful,” says Evgeniya. “We love Maui and so we wanted to share all of the native colors and flowers with our guests.” They worked with a bright color palette that drew from the location’s vibrant natural foliage—yellows, oranges, and deep pinks sidled up next to crisp white and green.
After an outdoor ocean view ceremony at the Montage Kapalua Bay Hotel, the couple held an intimate oceanside dinner for their guests on the hotel's grounds. Florist Lauryl Lane created elegant compositions for Evgeniya’s bouquet and dining table centerpieces using the king protea, white orchids and lots of greenery. "We used all local grown tropical flowers. Ginger, ferns and orchids were just a few of our favorites," says Evgeniya. The party also included some very hot local entertainment—namely, a fire dancer. The wedding was a celebration on many fronts; Evgeniya and Alex’s family members traveled far to meet the couple in Hawaii, many coming from Russia and the Ukraine. “Maui was the perfect place as it allowed us to have both our wedding and the first family vacation at the same time,” says Evgeniya. —Carolyn Meers

Bettylu Paperie helped create the couple's tropical-inspired invitation suite, which included bright pink and orange blossoms.
Evgeniya's engagement and wedding rings were classics, featuring round diamonds.
Evgeniya sat with a young guest as she prepped for the ocean view ceremony at Maui's Montage Kapalua Bay Hotel.
Florist Lauryl Lane created elegant compositions using the beautiful exotic flowers—like white orchids—and lots of greenery. "We used all local grown tropical flowers. Ginger, ferns and orchids were just a few of our favorites," says Evgeniya.
"The elegant, chic and romantic mermaid gown was designed by Ines Di Santo and was perfect for Hawaii," says Evgeniya. In a nod to the verdant setting, the groom donned a bright blue suit with a floral-print tie.
For their intimate reception, the newlyweds treated their guests to an ocean view dinner on the grounds of the Montage Kapalua Bay.
At the reception, tables were topped with centerpieces made with colorful blooms and glossy green fern leaf. Brightly-hued glassware tied the table settings into the reception's oceanside location.
Florist Lauryl Lane crafted colorful tropical flower chair decorations for the bride and groom.
"Our dinner consisted of one u-shaped table so that everyone could interact with each other, family style," says Evgeniya. "Each place setting had a hand torn linen ribbon with guests names painted on them."
The couple's simple two-tiered cake was decorated with a single tropical green leaf.
“Maui was the perfect place as it allowed us to have both our wedding and the first family vacation at the same time,” says Evgeniya.