An Intimate New Year’s Day Elopement at Gather on Wailea | Maui Wedding Photographer
Planning and coordination were handled by Modern Elopement, allowing the day to unfold effortlessly and with intention.
This intimate New Year’s Day elopement at Gather on Wailea was a quiet, intentional celebration — just the couple, their parents, and their young son — set against the soft afternoon light of Wailea. With no formal timeline and no distractions, the focus stayed where it mattered most: presence, connection, and the people closest to them.
The ceremony took place on Gather’s ocean-view terrace, followed by family portraits and a short sunset portrait session at Poʻolenalena Beach in Makena, where the light softened and the shoreline quieted as the day came to a close. The entire celebration lasted just over an hour, a beautiful reminder that meaningful weddings don’t need to be long to be deeply felt.
Photographed on both digital and 120 film, this elopement is a refined example of how intimate weddings on Maui can feel elevated, relaxed, and deeply personal.
Why couples choose Gather on Wailea for intimate weddings
Gather on Wailea is one of South Maui’s most sought-after venues for small weddings and elopements. Overlooking the coastline, it offers a seamless ceremony setting paired with an elevated dining experience, making it ideal for couples who want a beautiful celebration without the scale of a traditional venue.
For destination couples planning a micro wedding in Wailea, Gather offers:
an ocean-view ceremony space
a refined, modern atmosphere
flexibility for small guest counts
an effortless transition from ceremony to celebration
It’s a venue that works especially well for couples who value experience over production and want their wedding day to feel calm, intentional, and beautifully curated.
A New Year’s Day elopement with family in attendance
With only immediate family present, this elopement felt more like a gathering than an event. The couple’s young son stood close during the ceremony while parents looked on — a reminder that small weddings often create the most meaningful memories.
Intimate weddings like this allow couples to slow down, stay present, and share their day with the people who matter most, without the pressure of a traditional timeline.
Sunset portraits at Poʻolenalena Beach in wailea
After the ceremony, we spent the final moments of daylight creating sunset portraits at Poʻolenalena Beach in Wailea, one of South Maui’s most peaceful stretches of coastline. Known for its soft sand, open shoreline, and glowing sunset light, Poʻolenalena is a beautiful location for couples who want relaxed, natural portraits without the crowds often found closer to resort areas.
Just a short drive from Gather on Wailea, this beach offers the perfect transition from ceremony to sunset portraits, especially for intimate weddings and elopements with a shorter timeline.
Poʻolenalena Beach is one of my favorite locations for intimate wedding portraits in South Maui, particularly for couples planning small, meaningful celebrations.
Photographing intimate weddings on film in Maui
This elopement was photographed on both digital and 120 film, allowing the day to be documented with a balance of timelessness and honesty. Film photography slows the process in the best way — encouraging intention, presence, and a more thoughtful approach to documenting moments as they unfold.
For couples planning a destination wedding or elopement in Hawaii, film photography offers a sense of permanence that beautifully complements intimate celebrations, preserving not just how the day looked, but how it felt.
Planning an intimate wedding in Wailea
For couples planning an intimate wedding at Gather on Wailea or elsewhere on Maui, thoughtful planning makes all the difference. I share venue-specific photography guidance and film-forward wedding coverage to help couples create a seamless, elevated experience from start to finish.
If you’re planning a small wedding or elopement in Wailea and are looking for a Maui wedding photographer, I’d love to connect.
As a Maui wedding photographer specializing in intimate celebrations, I approach days like this with an emphasis on presence, connection, and natural light.
