Claire and Sean's Intimate Maui Wedding at Olowalu Plantation House

Claire and Sean wanted to have an intimate Maui wedding with their family and close friends. They’re fellow Oregonians, so we immediately connected. If you’ve ever lived in Oregon then you know the special bond we all have. :)

Olowalu Plantation House is one of my favorite wedding venues on Maui and it’s perfect for small, intimate weddings. I love the old, antique house and the endless number of backdrops for photos. It’s private and right on the ocean, so basically perfect for a wedding in Hawaii!

One of my favorite moments of the day was when the bride was pooped on by a bird before the ceremony. We were all cracking up and dying laughing. :) I made sure to get a photo. Scroll down to see haha. It’s good luck on your wedding day right? I also loved that they chose a non traditional wedding cake…a donut! Was such a fun idea and they had several varieties from Donut Dynamite to share with their guests. Their ingredients are locally sourced from our beautiful island on Maui.

Huge thanks to Makena Weddings for a lovely evening!!

Hair + Makeup: Love and Beauty
Catering: Cafe o Lei
Wedding Donut: Donut Dynamite
Rentals: Island Events
Wedding Planner, Bar, + Calligraphy: Makena Weddings
Floral: Dellables Wedding Design + Florals + Flowers by Cora

ready to book your intimate Maui wedding at Olowalu Plantation House? contact me. :)
naomilevitphotography@gmail.com
808.250.3424

Best of 2018 >> adventure weddings and elopements in Hawaii and the western US

Wow. 2018 was a doozy. I love doing this yearly roundup because it really puts everything into perspective and reminds me how wonderful the past year was! I am feeling so grateful for all of you that trust me and include me on one of the most important days of your lives. What a blessing it is!

In February, I attended an adventure wedding workshop at Yosemite National Park with The Hearnes and Maddie Mae. This experience was a game changer for me and gave me the clarity to focus on my passion for adventure elopements and small weddings.

In May, I flew to San Diego to shoot an intimate backyard wedding. It was such a lovely celebration with their family and close friends. Garret and I rented a campervan (our dream car…currently on the search for one!) and explored Joshua Tree National Park together. Definitely one of my new favorite places in the world. I would love to head back there for an elopement some day! Then we hopped back to Hawaii and I shot their honeymoon adventure session in Waimea Canyon on Kauai.

Spent the next couple months in Hawaii and then flew to Truckee, California to photograph an epic wedding at Sugar Bowl Resort on Lake Mary in August. Their rock climbing day-after session was a HUGE highlight of the year! Came back to Maui and then back to Yosemite National Park in September for an adventure engagement session and celebrated my birthday in the valley with rock climbing lessons. A terrifying and awesome experience!

In November, I photographed an eco-friendly wedding on Maui which was also a favorite. I’ll be sharing more from this wedding in the future and really hope it inspires my future couples to create weddings that are sustainable and care for our earth. Finished off the year on Oahu with an adventure elopement and the sweetest couple from New Zealand. It was such a fulfilling way to end the year. :)

My goals for 2019

Outsource - this year I definitely reached a breaking point with my work load. I’m committing to outsourcing the business tasks that I don’t need to do, so that I can create more time to spend with my loved ones, enjoy personal adventures, and give more of my energy to my clients.

Give back to the land - I love my partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects planting 50 trees for every shoot booked, but I want to do more. Currently looking for new partnerships and projects to be a part of to help educate and preserve the natural areas in our country. If you know of a meaningful project that needs help please contact me!

Travel by campervan - My husband and I would love to travel more on the mainland during the summer and fall months….which means I’m available for adventure elopements in Oregon, Washington, California, and Utah!! We’ve been on the hunt for a campervan, so we have a mainland rig for adventures. I’ll be heading to Bend, Oregon in May for some sessions and would also LOVE to shoot in the Redwood National Forest and the Oregon Coast this year. Utah is another bucket list location I would love to see again. We road tripped there a few years ago, but would be thrilled to explore new areas there and shoot some adventure elopements!

Phew. What a year. When I look back on the year I feel enormous gratitude for all of the amazing humans I’ve had the honor of connecting with. I wouldn’t have had so many epic experiences if it wasn’t for all of YOU! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. :)

Maui Adventure Elopement near Kahakuloa Hawaii

Crystal and Steve knew that a big traditional wedding wasn’t right for them. They’re both not a fan of being the center of attention and spending a lot of money on frivolous things. Their family and friends had a hard time understanding why they wanted to elope, but for them a private Maui adventure elopement was their dream. I think it’s important to stay true to what you want for your wedding day despite what others may think. There can be a lot of pressure in our society to have a big wedding, and I hope my photography can help inspire future couples to have the wedding day of their dreams.

They also decided not to have a minister during their ceremony. They wanted it to be just the two of them sharing their vows privately on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. I absolutely LOVED this idea. It made the whole experience super intimate and unique. Then they celebrated by popping champagne and going on an adventure with me!

Crystal and Steve had originally planned to elope in Norway, but their plans changed and they decided on Maui and an extended vacation enjoying our magical island. They told me they wanted something different than the usual Hawaiian beach and I knew exactly where I wanted to take them near Kahakuloa. And let me tell youuu, it was perfect. We had this spot all to ourselves. You just never know on an island, especially with the holiday approaching. So happy to be a part of your day you two! Thank you for including me on your very special day. :)

ready to book your maui adventure elopement in hawaii? contact me today!
naomilevitphotography@gmail.com
808.250.3424