Hawaii offered the ideal meeting place for the destination wedding of Taejo Kim and Naoko Fujita, whose families would be traveling from the mainland United States as well as Japan. Naoko’s experience in the fashion world gave her a distinct vision for the ideal reception venue. According to Taejo, Naoko was not going to settle for anything less. So after touring ten different locations on the island of Oahu, the couple knew instantly that the illustrious Moana Surfrider was the answer. Known as the “First Lady of Waikiki”, the Moana Hotel is said to have introduced Hawaiian hospitality to the world in 1901. Gracious white pillars mark a grand, formal entrance, the only vestige of Beaux-arts design in the Islands. “We were immediately attracted to the classic architecture and clean lines, and at that moment, it was decided," says Naoko. (See more photos from this wedding on Love Notes, the editor's blog.)

The bride called upon Susan O’Donnell of Aloha Wedding Planners to arrange all of the elegant details of the event. Vivid chartreuse and white letterpress invitations were designed in keeping with the couple’s desire for “organic simplicity”. The color scheme would carry throughout the celebration. Early-arriving guests were welcomed to the resort with Envirosaxs filled with tropical necessities. Their family and friends could be spotted on a regular basis carrying these colorful reusable bags, which came in handy for days at the beach and shopping in Waikiki. The couple delighted in sharing Hawaii’s laid-back lifestyle with their out-of-town celebrants. They began by hosting a rehearsal dinner at Hokua, a friend’s expansive condo that overlooks Ala Moana Beach Park. A local caterer provided traditional island fare for the occasion with lomi lomi salmon, lau lau, chicken long rice, poi and haupia. Then it was off to Apartment 3 for cocktails and dancing, which gave everyone a chance to mingle and get to know one another before the wedding day.

The festivities began on a brilliant sunny day with guests being transported a short distance from Waikiki to Kawaiaha‘o Church for the ceremony. Whimsical pomanders of moss and lime green chrysanthemums decorated each pew. The bride made her entrance on her father’s arm as all eyes turned to take in the moment. Naoko was a vision of grace, dressed in a stunning strapless gown and a couture floral headpiece created by Shin Bu, a Korean label. In her quest for the perfect gown, Naoko had visited all of the top designers to gather inspiration. “I used words such as ‘fitted kimono’ and ‘origami’ to convey my design ideas to Shin Bu, and they created my dream wedding gown,” she says. Gorgeous Prada heels completed her fashion-forward ensemble, a look that echoed the polish and style of an earlier era. For the bridesmaids, she selected pretty romantic dresses by Max Studio to complement their delicate green bouquets composed by Oahu florist Passion Roots. Her own bouquet was a lush blend of ivory roses and ranunculuses edged with silvery Lamb’s Ears.

Taejo was a handsome groom in a black suit and silver tie by Balenciaga. His groomsmen wore matching black suits and donned green ties from Barney’s in New York with boutonnières to coincide with the color scheme. Kahu William Kaina presided over the touching vows as Naoko and Taejo pledged their eternal love in the presence of their dearest friends and family members. The newlyweds were joined by their attendants in the limousine and whisked away for a jovial sunset photo session on Waikiki Beach before rejoining the party at the Moana Surfrider.

As Taejo and Naoko entered the ballroom, their picture perfect wedding materialized. Luxurious white flowers with natural accents adorned each table, evidence of the bride’s keen design sense and love of craft projects. Prior to the wedding, she had scoured Los Angeles flea markets and thrift shops to hand select décor for their wedding. It was Naoko and her friends who arranged all of the flowers with the exception of the sweetheart table bouquet. An artful blend of organic elements including artichokes and ferns made each of the centerpieces unique. The ladies happily worked together to create hairpieces and baskets for the flower girls and a pillow for the ring bearer.

At the reception, guests enjoyed canapés as Naoko’s father delivered a touching speech that brought everyone to tears—even the guests who weren’t able to understand when he switched from English to Japanese midway through the toast! The delicious appetizers were followed by a main course of lobster bisque, fresh greens, filet, snapper and a port mushroom dish. And since the bride loves dessert, the sweets went way beyond a traditional wedding cake. Fruit tarts, chocolate covered strawberries, ice cream and mango samplers from Sakura in Honolulu were presented to the lively celebrants. Reveling in the joy of the occasion (and no shortage of sugar), the wedding party danced alongside their guests late into the evening. Reflecting back on the smiling faces, heartfelt speeches and genuine love shared that night, Taejo says, “I have had the privilege to witness the warmth of Naoko's heart for over twenty years. During that time, I fell in love in every sense of the word. I was attracted to everything about her and will always admire the special bonds she has created with her friends and family.”

In the days following their wedding, the newlyweds asked photographer Stephanie Williams to capture their portraits in the magical setting of Oahu’s North Shore. Surrounded by the shining faces of the sunflowers, it was the perfect ending to their storybook wedding.