Cristina and Rex: Celebrating Love in the Time of COVID

Cristina and Rex were first introduced as neighbors, discovering that they also had a mutual friend in common. Both hailing from the Philippines, it didn’t take too long before the sparks were flying and a budding romance was in the air! Now The proud parents of 3 beautiful children, they had been married since 2010 and had decided to celebrate their 10-year anniversary on Maui, which reminded them so much of their homeland when they’d previously visited on vacation. Born travelers at heart, they were looking for a sense of adventure when they decided to become Happily Maui’d in 2020…and they got all that they bargained for and a lot more!

This was our first post-pandemic wedding since the pandemic began in March of 2020. The rules and guidelines were (and sometimes still are!) continually changing, which made for a uniquely challenging setup for their anniversary celebration. Cristina and Rex reached out to Diana and the Happily Maui’d crew early in the process, which allowed for the entire team to come together around the rapidly shifting dynamics of trans-Pacific travel, keeping everyone safe and rolling with the unexpected changes along the way. 

Thankfully, all our amazing vendors joined together with the happy couple in being flexible around the process, complete with extra hand sanitizer, plenty of masks, and a heaping helping of social distancing! Their 10-year celebration was held at the Sacred Heart Mission Catholic Church in Kapalua, a gorgeous parish near to the bay. MeiLi Autumn Beauty and her team were onsite to help Cristina shimmer and shine for their big day, and Nice Print Photos made sure to capture all the magic as it happened. The beloveds were serenaded by the dulcet tones of Irene Harper on the harp (fitting last name, no?) and the couple could hardly believe that their wedding celebration was finally taking place after so much uncertainty! It really just goes to show you: not even an unprecedented, worldwide pandemic is any match for the awesome power of love. 

Being the proud owners of both exquisite taste and refined discernment, Cristina and Rex then hosted the reception at Merriman’s, a world-class restaurant and venue matched to unparalleled views of the ocean. The party soon kicked into high gear as the couple enjoyed the spectacular views and culinary delights with their treasured family and friends. Can you believe these table settings by Set Maui? We still can’t get over it! Accel Rentals, ever-dependable and stylish as always, lent their top-notch materials to the bash, and Dellables made sure to bring the beauty of upcountry Maui to the west side with their incredible floral designs, lending the perfect ambiance and beauty to the festivities. 

We were so proud to be a part of Cristina and Rex’s special day, and we’d love to help make your wedded dreams come true, too! Love is indeed alive and well here on Maui, get in touch with us today to talk about how we can help make your wedding celebration come to life. We’ll help to keep things secure so that you and your loved ones feel safe, and can focus on what’s truly important: making timeless memories here in paradise. Aloha!