by Wade Snider
MAUI, HAWAII
Maui Wedding Photographer
Maui, Hawaii
Maui wedding photographer Wade Snider travels to the island for destination weddings and elopements across the island’s South Shore. Two venues, two completely different experiences. South Maui Gardens in Kihei is a tropical greenhouse hidden behind a bustling flea market that feels like nothing else in Hawaii. Wailea Beach Resort sits above the Pacific with the kind of golden hour that only exists at sea level. Whether you are planning a big destination celebration with a packed dance floor or an intimate elopement on the beach, Maui delivers backdrops that are hard to replicate anywhere else.
MAUI
SAMPLE GALLERIES
MAUI, HAWAII
South Maui Gardens
South Maui Gardens calls itself the hidden oasis of Kihei and that is exactly right. The six-acre property sits in the middle of town but feels completely removed from it. At its heart is a working plant nursery that doubles as one of the most photogenic wedding ceremony spaces a Maui wedding photographer could ask for. Tropical plants on every side, canopy light that flatters every skin tone, and a setting that looks genuinely wild even though you are five minutes from the beach.
Grayson and Francis brought hundreds of friends and family here for a week-long destination wedding celebration. The ceremony was short and exactly what it needed to be. What followed was one of the most packed dance floors I have stood next to. The kind of reception where nobody wants to be the first to leave and eventually nobody is. South Maui Gardens does that to people.
South Maui Gardens FAQ
WHAT TYPE OF WEDDING IS SOUTH MAUI GARDENS BEST FOR?
South Maui Gardens works best for couples who want something different. It is not a beach wedding and it is not a hotel ballroom. It is a six-acre tropical nursery in the middle of Kihei that feels like a hidden world. If you want lush greenery, soft diffused light, and a venue that surprises your guests, this is it.
HOW MANY GUESTS CAN SOUTH MAUI GARDENS ACCOMMODATE?
The six-acre property has space for large celebrations. Grayson and Francis brought hundreds of guests for a full week-long destination wedding here. It handles a big guest list without feeling crowded because the space is spread across the grounds.
WHAT IS THE LIGHT LIKE AT SOUTH MAUI GARDENS?
The plant nursery canopy diffuses the light beautifully. There is no harsh midday sun cutting through the ceremony space. Portraits work at any hour here which gives us a lot of flexibility with your timeline.
Wailea Beach Resort
Wailea Beach Resort is the other side of Maui weddings. Where South Maui Gardens is hidden and lush, Wailea is wide open. The Pacific stretches out in front of you, the ceremony lawn sits above the beach, and the light at sea level does something it never does in the mountains. It goes slow. Golden hour at Wailea lasts longer than anywhere I have photographed and the color it throws across the water is something you plan your whole timeline around as a Maui wedding photographer.
Teagan and Mike kept it simple at Wailea Beach Resort. No big guest list, no elaborate timeline. Just the two of them, the right light, and enough time to actually be present on their wedding day. That is the elopement model done right and the photos from that afternoon are some of my favorites from any Maui wedding I have shot.
Wailea Beach Resort FAQ
IS WAILEA BEACH RESORT GOOD FOR ELOPEMENTS AS WELL AS LARGE WEDDINGS?
Yes. Teagan and Mike had an intimate elopement here with no guest list and it was one of the best days I have photographed. The resort has enough space and setting to work for any size. The beach does not care how many guests you brought.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY TO PHOTOGRAPH AT WAILEA BEACH RESORT?
Build your timeline around the last 45 minutes before sunset. Golden hour at sea level on the south shore of Maui is unlike anything in the mountains. The light goes warm, the water catches it, and everything just works. Plan portraits for that window and the rest of the day takes care of itself.
WHAT CEREMONY SPACES DOES WAILEA BEACH RESORT OFFER?
The resort has oceanfront lawn settings and direct beach access for ceremonies. You have the Pacific as your backdrop with open sky and horizon views in every direction. Reception spaces include indoor ballrooms and open-air terraces depending on your guest count and style.
PHOTOGRAPHER'S TAKE
Maui weddings move at their own pace and that is a good thing. The light is different here than anywhere else I shoot. Softer in the morning, warmer in the afternoon, and at golden hour on the south shore it turns a color I have not seen anywhere else. My approach does not change on the island, show up early, stay out of the way, and make photos that look like the day actually felt.
If you are planning a destination wedding or elopement in Maui, travel is included in select packages. Reach out with your date and venue and we will figure out the rest. I have shot at both ends of the island and I am always looking for a reason to go back.
Get In Touch
Planning a Maui Wedding or Elopement?
I have photographed Maui weddings at South Maui Gardens in Kihei and Wailea Beach Resort on the south shore. I know the light, the timing, and how to make the most of the island.