Dear Maui Bride,
 

Congratulations! Like thousands of our couples who have planned weddings in Maui, you are about to create memories that will set the foundation for the rest of your new life together! Magic starts here . . . in the islands of Aloha.
 

My name is Susan Souter, and I'm a Maui Wedding Planner who has been coordinating Maui weddings for over eight years. On this website, I share with you many of my secrets for coordinating affordable, stress-free weddings here in paradise.

I strive to be the best wedding planner for my Maui weddings couples, so they can concentrate on each other. Over the years I have accumulated a lot of experience by coordinating so many romantic Maui weddings and I will use many of my secrets in planning your very own dream wedding here in Hawaii. I want you to know that each wedding I oversee is unique. So I will be listening to you to find out just exactly what needs to be done to achieve that special wedding of your dreams.

Let me brag a little about Maui. If you've been here before, you know what I mean. You'll discover how incredible Maui is soon after your feet first set down on this Hawaiian island. For years the locals have declared, "Maui is the best." And the island has consistently be voted "world's best island" by those visiting here. I don't think there's any place on earth more romantic.

It's not just the beauty. Or the incredible weather. It's everything about Maui, including the tropical breezes and the fragrant aroma of the flowers on so many bushes and trees... It's the fact you can see the ocean or a beautiful beach almost everywhere you go. You'll find so much beauty and happiness here . . .

And it all cries out . . . saying Love . . . and . . . Romance. You'll just want to be one of those couples who answer the question, "Will you Maui me?" And then you come to these golden shores to tie the knot — in the most memorable of ceremonies — because Maui just happens to be the most incredible place on earth to get married.

     Many thousands of couples have found that weddings in Maui are so awesome. We have the best beaches in all of Hawaii for sunset beach weddings.

     The weather is better and the crowds smaller than any of the other Hawaiian islands. It's also an incredible location for a beach wedding ceremony.

I can't tell you how many times my couples have said to me, "Everything was perfect! Our Maui wedding exceeded our expectations." But don't take my word for it. Look in the right hand column and you can see just a few of the many comments I have receive from each of my Maui weddings.

So you can concentrate on each other. That's what a good wedding coordinator does. I will make certain all of the many details are taken care of so that your Maui wedding comes off like a dream. I do this so all you have to do is show up — and enjoy this intimate, romantic moment.

     Get married at the beginning of your stay. Why? You don't want to spend your entire stay worrying about your wedding. Get married early, then enjoy your honeymoon without any stress. This way we will more likely to get your pictures back before you leave.

     You'll need a wedding license. I'll set up your license appointment with the nearest vendor and give you detailed directions. No need for a blood test.

     Have you been divorced? I'll tell you what you need to bring. I can answer most questions about obtaining a Hawaii wedding license.

     Are you bringing your wedding dress? You can ship it ahead of time to my vendor, and I'll have her press it for you. She can even help you get it on if you have no attendants.

     Don't get sunburned before your wedding! Many couples don't realize how quickly they can get burned. Because you don't want to look like a lobster in your photos, be extra careful about exposure to the sun when you get to Maui.

I'll answer all of your questions when you call. It doesn't matter how simple the question, I'm here to serve you. Together we'll create a beautiful wedding here in paradise that you will surely treasure for a lifetime.

You've made the commitment to spend the rest of your lives together. Now do it with style. Let me share with you some of the secrets to having a truly romantic Maui wedding. Here are just some of my tips:

     Keep your wedding small. The bigger the wedding the more likely that you'll be stressed. Couples who come by themselves or with just a few close friends or family seem to enjoy their moment the most.

     Pamper yourself by letting my hair and make-up specialists do your hair and make-up. You won't have to go into a parlor, I'll send one of my expert beauticians right to your hotel or condo. Your fiancé will be speechless when he sees how gorgeous you look.

     Dress up in full white wedding gown and formal tuxedo. You can't believe how awesome you will look and feel decked out to the nines, in front of a beautiful Maui beach sunset. You don't have to dress up... but believe me, it makes the whole occasion so much more special when you do.

     Increase the romance by releasing butterflies at your wedding. I make certain they won't fly off quickly... they'll stay on your finger and your flowers and add to the enchantment of the moment.

     Add to the dreamlike experience by releasing doves. I use an exquisite Victorian cage, and I'll show you how to release them for incredible photography... which you'll treasure for a lifetime as the two of you begin your own new life together.

     Choose a decent size photography package. A larger photography package with digital editing and special effects will enhance your images. Ask me about our Maui photography services.

     Arrange to have an incredible Maui wedding video of your wedding. Our digital video packages capture the wedding and all the magic of your nuptials including a dreamy montage of your favorite love songs that will bring raves from your family and friends.

     Pamper yourselves with an elegant dinner on the beach. This is probably the only time in your life when you will ever have a gourmet meal served to you on the beach by tiki torch. What more romantic way is there to begin your new life together?

     Have a musician of your choice entertaining at your wedding. You will feel like you stepped right into the lives of the rich and famous.

These are just some of the many little things that you can do to make your Maui wedding oh so romantic and fun. If you have any questions about any of my suggestions, just ask when you call.

Maybe you have already started to think about where you want your wedding to be located? Are you considering a Maui beach wedding? Most couples do. . . But maybe you're thinking about a tropical garden ceremony, or a waterfall, or a quaint Maui wedding chapel. Whatever vision you have in your mind... I can help you achieve it.

Let me share with you some of my secrets for finding you the best Maui wedding site:

     I have a great Maui waterfall site that many couples love. But I don't recommend it for every couple for several reasons...

     If you want privacy and seclusion for your Maui beach wedding... I have a list of perfect sites. But not just one site, I have five different backup Maui beaches which I use (if one is too crowded or rainy or there is no parking).  Let me tell you about them...

     Get married in the shadow of Clint Eastwood's house. Several of my Maui beach sites have a view Clint Eastwood's home in the background....

     If you want a luxurious garden site, I have many different sites to choose from, all on different parts of the island...

     Do you want an inexpensive private site? Most private sites are expensive. I have several that are gorgeous and which are still quite reasonable on the pocketbook...

     If you want a gazebo, there are a number to choose from, each with its own "flavor".  I even have portable gazebos. But I'll share with you the problem which most gazebos present for your photography and videography and how to overcome it...

     If you prefer a Maui wedding chapel or church, I can recommend a wide variety of different locations, including quaint old churches and beautiful wedding chapels. I have something for you depending upon your preferences.

There is nothing wrong with being undecided about where you want your wedding. Actually, many couples don't really know where to have their wedding. More often then not, my couples depend upon me to tell them which beaches or sites are best. When you call I'll tell which wedding sites will work best for your wedding. Feel free to ask me any question when you call.   I've also provided the resource below as a service for those wishing to book their own travel.  Click the button for more information about travel promotions and packages.
 

Many couples worry about the weather.  Especially in winter. They often share their concerns with me on the phone, because they're coming from an area where weather is almost always an issue, or they've heard some forecast that includes rain... Let me share with you just some of my "secrets" in dealing with the weather:

     I'll help you choose the right Maui wedding location. Maui has definite weather patterns. It often rains on the north side of the island, while it is sunny on the south side.

     I choose the best beach locations based upon weather. I know which ones are most likely to have great weather. And where there will be less bathers.

     I also have beaches I go to when the wind is high. Several of these are sheltered so that wind is less of a factor.

     I always have back-up beaches nearby. If it is raining at one beach, it is usually dry at a beach nearby. If one beach is crowded with weddings, I have several great beaches to fall back on.

In almost nine years planning Maui weddings, I have only had two or three weddings that were rained out. And even in those rare cases, the next day dawned bright and gorgeous. By waiting just one day — those couples had a perfect Maui wedding. I can virtually guarantee that we can work around any bad Maui weather, so you don't need to worry it.

I know when I'm coordinating larger Maui weddings, that they will face a whole different set of issues. Yes, I charge more to coordinate larger weddings, but you'll get all of my secrets when I'm your wedding planner.

     Will you be a secluded bride? There are unique challenges for secluded brides at small beach weddings. I know how to work through those issues so your entrance becomes a truly magical moment.

     Do you have bridesmaids and groomsmen? Brides often need help with placement and logistics for their attendants. I'll guide you through setting up where your attendants will stand and how they'll enter. I will also make certain that you are at the right spot so that your Maui wedding photographer and videographer can get great images.

     If you need chairs on the beach, you'll need to know if the County requires at permit. I know which beaches are a problem and which don't require a permit.

     The County requires a permit for many larger Maui weddings. If you need one, I will obtain that permit for you (or show you locations where you won't need one).

     Have the "perfect" large Maui wedding location in mind? Secluded and private, right on the ocean? I have several sites which many other coordinators don't know about.

     Will your larger party need to arrive safely at the wedding site? I can offer a range of great transportation solutions for you, that will save you money.

     Do you want to attend a Maui luau with your guests? I can tell you which is the best... Or even help you create your own private luau at a private location.

     If you are planning a reception, I have everything you need: DJs, special music, hula dancers, catering, PA systems, lighting, fire-knife dancers, conch shell blowers... and so much more.

     Need a caterer? My favorite Maui wedding caterer is very affordable, and offers exceptional service. And (unlike many other vendors) he will give you a solid price.

Because Hawaii is so far away, you will definitely need help pulling together all of the details for your larger, customized Maui wedding. My job is to make it come off like a dream. I'll help you work through everything so you won't forget any of the important details.

Let me assure you, tying the knot here in paradise offers real value over almost any mainland wedding. And you won't have to hop on a jet after the service to get away to a remote destination. You'll already be in paradise. One of the hardest things about coming to Hawaii will be deciding what fun Maui activities you will want to enjoy.

     Get married on the beach. In Hawaii all of the beaches are free, so you won't have to pay any site fees.

     If you can only stay a few days... choose at least a four night package at most resorts and you can get the fifth night free. I know which properties this will work for.

     Stay in a condo instead of a hotel room. Why? Because condos are less expensive, offer a full kitchen, a separate bedroom and most are still located in great spots with awesome ocean views.

     Eat breakfast in your condo. Eating out every single meal can get expensive. If you are staying in a condo you will have a full kitchen with a microwave and a coffee maker. You can eat breakfast on your lanai — and save money.

     Pack some lunches at in your condo. Because condos have a refrigerator, you can make your own lunches for any of your day trips.

     Rent an economy car. Unless you don't plan on going anywhere, you'll want to rent a car. There is a lot to see on Maui and an economy car rental will save you money and get you around.

A Maui wedding will be surprisingly inexpensive compared to most mainland weddings. One of our brides brought 10 people to her wedding from Connecticut, had a private Maui wedding location and all the trimmings, and told me: "You know, even after paying for everyone to come here, this was still much cheaper than what my friend paid at home just for her sit-down dinner reception."

Before you book your flight to Hawaii from the mainland, or reserve your Maui lodgings, I would suggest that you contact me. I am a licensed travel agent here in Hawaii and I have booked the travel for a large number of our wedding couples (and their families). Here are some of my travel tips:

     Don't trust the "stars". Those little stars in online travel brochures don't tell the full story. I live here. I can tell you from extensive feedback from my couples which accommodations are the best.

     Save money on accommodations? I can tell you about some superb Maui locations that are inexpensive, but which my couples rave about. I also know several inexpensive properties where the service is awesome.

     Buy a travel "package" instead of individual fares and accommodations. I can get lower prices because I have great package deals to offer my couples. I've even had mainland travel agents call me to find out how I beat their prices by so much!

     Stay on the South side of the island. Why? Because West Maui is getting more and more crowded with traffic congestion. And this could impact getting to or from your Maui wedding location (on the south side).

     I have my own special travel site for your guests. You can send your guests to my site so that they get great deals and end up staying at the right location.

Because my prices often beaten some of the bigger companies like Travelocity and Expedia, if you haven't already booked your accommodations, you will certainly want to talk to me about travel when you call or email me.

Many of the other companies offering weddings in Maui do not have their own photographer on staff. That means they have to farm out this service to whoever is available for each wedding. And that means you never know how good the photographer is until after you get your photography back.

     Ninety-five percent of our weddings are shot by (my husband), John Souter. You can look all over our website to see the quality of his photography.

     John has shot close to 1400 weddings. His work stands well above most of the other Maui wedding photographers.

     We now shoot only high-quality digital photography. Digital allows John to tell right at the wedding that he has captured the shot. It also gives us the ability to take extra shots and to add special effects and editing if necessary.

Good photography usually comes from good posing. John has a great sense for how to pose you to make you look good. You'll be pleased by how he works with you both to get the best possible images.

     Compare our prices. They are reasonable and affordable.  If you've checked our competition, you see that we provide our Maui weddings at affordable rates. We don't engage in cut-rate pricing, believing that the quality service we provide can be offered at reasonable rates.

     To save even more money, choose one of our Maui Wedding Packages. I've created a lot of different packages which not only save you money, they  make ordering your Maui wedding services... so much easier.

     I list all of our prices right on our website. Why? Because I want you to be able to read the prices ahead of time. You don't want surprises. I will always be completely upfront about our prices.

     If you order a custom wedding or a catered reception dinner, I'll give you a firm price. This is hard to get from most companies. But  the price I give will cover everything. (Some caterers will give a price that doesn't include things like table settings, chairs and the table rentals). We purposely include all of that in our quote so that you will know there are no hidden changes.

     You can book your wedding day on our schedule by giving us your deposit. Our deposit is a non-refundable $200 fee (that is taken off the price of your wedding), and it secures your date.

     We can offer good value for our couples because we perform most of our Maui weddings using our own in-house staff. Because I have my own staff minister and photographer (who just happens to be my husband John), I am able to offer service which maintains my high standards, yet still keep our prices reasonable.

Call Your Maui Wedding Planner

The best way to begin planning your Maui wedding is just to call me on my toll free number. I can quickly lead you through all of the things you must do to make your exotic dream wedding into a success.

If you prefer, you can also email me, using the email button below. I help many brides book their weddings using nothing but email. But remember, I can't help you if you don't contact me.

Even though most of your questions can be answered on our website, don't feel you need to get all of your questions answered before calling.  Save yourself some time because I can usually answer your questions quickly when you call. Here are some of the things you can expect from me:

     I promise to answer the telephone. You don't want to be frustrated at not being able to reach your Maui Wedding Planner because they don't answer their phone.

     If I miss your call, I'll call you back soon. Your time is important, so I always try to call back quickly. You deserve to get your questions answered right away.

     I keep regular hours. This is my full time business, so you will know that I'm almost always here working for you.

     I will treat you with the spirit of aloha. You should notice our attitude right from your first telephone call. I promise never to take you for granted.

     Large or small, your wedding will be planned carefully — that's a promise. You want to know that I'm always just a single phone call away.

     Call me on our TOLL FREE line. You don't have to pay for the call. I have toll free numbers for both the US and Canadian couples. Call 1-800-856-3270 and let's get started.

I should tell you, because he is in great demand, John is not always available. This is one more reason why I suggest that you call me as soon as you decide you want to be married in Hawaii. I can let you know right away about our availability to perform your wedding. Call me now, so that you won't be disappointed.

     You can check up on my service with the Better Business Bureau. You can click on the BBB Logo in the left-hand column and view for yourself how reliable our service has been over the years.

     If you want satisfied brides and grooms to talk to, just ask. I have a number of brides who will share with you about their Maui wedding experiences with us.

Now I'm not saying that I'm perfect. But I work hard to give my couples the romantic wedding of a lifetime. And there is no reason you can't have my quality services working for you — right now.

I love what I do. And I will create for you an intimate and romantic storybook wedding. Because that's what I would like, if I was planning my own wedding. Call right now for more information...

You should know that we don't accept every Maui wedding that comes our way. It's true. Sometimes we are booked and can't take any more weddings on a particular day. Sometimes we realize that a client is asking us to do things that just don't fit our ethics. So we turn down weddings that are not right for our company.

We are also very busy. And when we reach a certain number of weddings each month, we start turning them down. In the past I've had a rented office with three coordinators, a bookkeeper, a part-time videographer, and an errand girl working for me. To be honest, I prefer not to let our company grow that big again.

I enjoy giving personalized attention without all the hassles of having to hire and train lots of employees. And that's why we've decided it's best only to take so many weddings each month — because that's all I can handle.

So, if you want to be get booked on our calendar and be one of the limited number of the Maui weddings that we coordinate each month, don't delay. Call me as soon as possible. By calling early there is a much better chance we'll be available to coordinate the wedding of your dreams.

And one more thing. If you book your wedding before our next price increase, we guarantee that your price won't go up (as long as you've already given us your deposit). So give me a ring now!