A Beachside Luau Wedding at Olowalu Plantation in Maui, Hawaii

Matt Jones arrived at his hotel for President’s Club celebrations in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and headed directly to the beach to enjoy a cold drink and some ocean waves. When he got there, he was immediately drawn to a beautiful girl sitting on a lounge chair and wearing a Toronto Blue Jays baseball cap. Her name was Eileen Hipolito, and after Matt asked politely if he could sit next to her, he spent the rest of his trip by her side. “I knew the moment I saw her, that there was something special about her,” Matt recalls.

When it was time to pop the question and the engagement ring was ready, Matt coordinated a hot air balloon proposal for a Saturday morning flight. He made it all the way to their pickup spot, struggling to come up with excuses as to why he was taking Eileen to a random parking lot at the beginning of winter in Canada – so instead, he proposed right there. Eileen happily accepted, and the pilot arrived within seconds to take the newly engaged couple on an unforgettable flight. 

It had always been Eileen’s dream to get married in Hawaii, so an island destination wedding was an easy decision. The wedding planning process was tricky, however, as neither Eileen nor Matt had been to Hawaii before, and both had hectic work schedules. Fortunately, they enlisted the help of Raun and Jasprit from L’Escape, who were able to capture the couple’s style and piece together the perfect celebration.

As the Hawaiian sun was shining, guests gathered for an intimate wedding ceremony with a ukulele playing in the background. When the minister blew his conch shell and the bride made her way down the aisle, Matt remembers feeling like the luckiest man on earth. The couple exchanged vows while overlooking the ocean and couldn’t have be happier to begin the rest of their lives together.

The wedding venue was the perfect location, capturing the Aloha spirit. Guests were served fresh poke and island drinks while relaxing in the shade of a plantation tree, followed by the luau – a culinary and cultural masterpiece, where everyone was treated to a traditional roast pig. Emotions ran high during the after-dinner speeches by family and friends; and, as a final surprise for their guests, the newlyweds hired Polynesian performers for an incredible a hula and fire show.

For their honeymoon, Eileen and Matt decided to explore the rest of the Hawaiian Islands. They saw an active volcano, hiked to a green sand beach, swam with giant sea turtles, kayaked through barracudas, indulged in a chef’s tasting menu at Iron Chef Morimoto’s restaurant, and drove mopeds around Diamond Head. The best part, of course, was experiencing everything together as husband and wife.