When I tell you I continue to be unreasonably obsessed with my couples no matter HOW many weddings I photograph, I mean it. I am head-over-heels, over-the-damn-moon in love with Malia + Spencer’s wedding day last spring and all the dreamyyyyy tropical, Hawaii-inspired decor & traditions they incorporated into it. From the first champagne toast in the morning while they got ready with their BFFs to the final cheers at the end of the night under disco balls & starry skies, this south Kona wedding was what tropical wedding dreams are made of.💃 

Plus they got married at one of my all-time favorite 5-star south Kona wedding venues: the Club at Hokuli’a! You’ll soon find out why I love it so much and why Malia + Spencer chose it for their special day 😉

Malia + Spencer’s Tropical South Kona Wedding Day

Dreamy tropical wedding decor galore

Let’s start this off real quick by gawking at the SHEER beauty of the tropical decor Malia + Spencer incorporated into their south Kona wedding – trust me when I say that it’s some of the most ass-kickin’, jaw-droppin’ Hawaiian-themed wedding decor I’ve seen yet. 

One of the things I loved most about Malia’s bridal look is the way she kept her outfit fairly simple so that the flowers and decor could shine.✨She picked an assortment of stunning yet minimalist jewelry to add a little sparkle to her dress, including a pair of single-pearl earrings and a thin gold necklace with a glistening diamond pendant. When you have such stunning decor, details, and landscapes on your wedding day, you can absolutely let all that speak for itself and keep your own look on the simpler side, if that’s what feels best for you.

If you’re just as in love with Malia + Spencer’s tropical wedding decor as I am, then you won’t want to miss the blog post I recently put together with all kinds of Dreamy Tropical Wedding Inspiration: Decor, Florals, & More!

An abundance of jaw-dropping local florals 

Moving onto the jaw-dropping florals that these two lovebirds invested in: damn did they do their job well. You simply cannot have a Hawaiian-themed wedding celebration without incorporating the bounty of local blooms & greenery that the islands are bursting with, and Malia + Spencer did just that with not only their bouquets, but their ceremony arbor, their evening table arrangements, and even the accessories they wore!

Their florist did an absolutely phenomenal job curating the tropical floral arrangements of my dreams, including local elements such as massive monstera leaves, glorious protea (aka sugarbush) flowers, glistening anthurium blooms, and plenty of vibrant ginger plants. Malia looked like an absolute goddess with her traditional Hawaiian flower crown (or her lei po’o), while Spencer rocked a classic haku lei a little later in the evening!

The most spectacular ocean-view ceremony

And let’s talk about their ceremony real quick: I’ll be damned if I’ve ever seen a more picture-perfect Hawaii wedding ceremony setup in my life than Malia + Spencer’s. It was simply ✨chef’s kiss✨ They decided on a minimalistic, circular arbor that allowed the natural beauty of the south Kona landscape to shine, and then added a little spice🔥 in the form of two symmetrical floral arrangements, filled to the brim with massive local blooms & monstera leaves galore. This fabulous ceremony arbor + the glorious ocean views = a scene that belonged on the back of a damn postcard!

P.S. Malia + Spencer had an artist literally PAINTING the scene in the back as their ceremony happened. I have never seen something so cool.

Looking for more Big Island wedding venues with spectacular views like these? Check out my blog post featuring the 14 Best Big Island Wedding Locations + Venues!

A fabulous, Hawaii-inspired evening soirée 

After these lovebirds wrapped up their ceremony overlooking those epic south Kona views, they transitioned into a delicious cocktail hour & evening celebration with all of their guests. With local musicians playing in the background, an array of stunning tablescapes, and a bounty of delicious food & drinks, the atmosphere of this tropical party was an 11/10. 

As the newlyweds made their grand entrance into the reception, their loved ones cheered away & it was obvious that everyone was ready to dance the damn night away under the bright, neon pink lights & glittering disco balls! And obviously I snuck them away for some sunset portraits a little later in the evening – I hope you’re ready to pick your jaw up off the floor at the absolutely INSANE sunset + rainbow-colored skies we got 😉

P.S. how epic is Malia for her outfit change part way through the evening?? That silver, sparkling jumpsuit is an absolute STUNNER that I need in my own closet ASAP🔥

Their 5-star south Kona wedding venue choice: the Club at Hokuli’a

And now for a little bit about the venue that Malia + Spencer picked, plus why it’s become one of my all-time favorite south Kona wedding venues. The Club at Hokuli’a is really one of the only luxury event spaces in the area, offering a magical blend of the rural south Kona vibes many couples love AND all the advantages of an upscale, high-end wedding venue. Malia + Spencer were able to make use of the fully-equipped getting ready rooms, both offering plenty of space for their friends & family members, as well as the charming, secluded garden where they had their first look. 

They chose the spacious, vibrant green lawn for their ceremony (only one of Hokuli’a’s multiple ceremony sites), and the fabulous open-air pavilion for their reception. I absolutely LOVE this pavilion because it protects you & your guests from the south Kona afternoon rainstorms, while still allowing you to feel the warm, evening ocean breeze. A win-win if I do say so myself!

I could go on & on about why I adore the Club at Hokuli’a as a south Kona wedding venue – which is why I went ahead and wrote a whole separate guide to How to Get Married at the Club at Hokuli’a 😉 In this guide, you’ll learn more about where the venue’s located, the amenities it offers, the collection of ceremony & reception spaces you have to choose from, the world-class dining & culinary team, and more!

I think that’s enough oohing & ahing for now – as much as I wish I could go on forever about this glorious south Kona wedding with the sweetest couple, I’ll save it for another time 😉 Congrats to you, Malia + Spencer, my darlings – your special day will live on forever in my memory (and through these photos)!

Feeling inspired & want to gawk at some more stunning Hawaii wedding content? Browse through my Hawaii-related wedding resources here!