What a stunning day this was with Meagan and Jacob, celebrating by the water with their closest family and friends at Turtle Bay Resort with an elegant black tie affair. It is the biggest honor getting to be a Turtle Bay Resort wedding photographer and capturing couples in this dream-like setting along the North Shore of Oahu!
Meagan + Jacob’s Elegant Black Tie Wedding at Turtle Bay Resort
Preparing for the day at Disney Aulani Resort
I am such a big believer in the significance of getting ready photos—a.k.a. Photos of you, your closest friends, and family members as you prepare for this huge & exciting day ahead of you! You’re not just putting on some makeup and a pretty dress; you’re getting ready for one of the biggest days of your lives, with people who mean the world to you, and that deserves to be documented just as much as the rest of your day does.
Anyway, I’ll get off of my photographer soapbox for now and move onto sharing some of my favorite getting ready photos of Meagan + Jacob with you. The two got ready, each with a small group of loved ones, in separate rooms at Disney Aulani Resort in Ko Olina. (By the way, you can absolutely get ready at a separate location from your ceremony/reception venue if there’s not enough space available at the venue itself!)
This stylish bride and groom took “black tie” and ran with it, donning the classiest, most elegant wedding attire you could imagine. Meagan picked a breathtaking satin gown that beautifully blended simplicity with luxury, featuring a classy V-neck cut, lace details along the bottom, and a dreamy train that flowed onto the grass behind her. Paired with a floor-length veil and a minimalistic hairdo with glossy, polished waves, she looked like a real-life Disney princess coming to the island for her fairytale wedding! And there’s no wedding without a partner, of course; Jacob looked just as snazzy in a classic tux, swapping the typical black jacket for a refined cream color instead. I loved this intentional choice and the way his jacket paired perfectly with the white florals, but also created a crisp contrast against his black pants & bowtie. Truly a stunner of a couple all around!
Light, Airy, & Refined Decor Galore
There’s a special place in my heart for classy weddings with a bit of a luxurious touch. Meagan and Jacob had just that: a black tie celebration at a scenic hotel on the water, with elegant decor and attire to match. Photographing their details at the beginning of the day was a breeze, their gorgeous, gorgeous invite stealing the show with its deckled edging, a custom emblem with their initials, and refined fonts that made it feel like you were being invited to a royal event. Combined with a few delicate white & blue blooms from their florals, a dainty piece of ribbon, and their beautiful silver jewelry, this flatlay was the picture of elegance in all its forms!
An oceanfront ceremony at Kuilima Point
Meagan and Jacob’s ceremony somehow took this high-end theme to an elevated level, the front ends of the aisle bursting with greenery and bright white, symmetrical floral arrangements. The aisle was decorated with white rose petals, and at the altar stood two more vases filled with the same light & airy foliage. I adore how these two really allowed the beauty of the Hawaiian foliage & lush, tropical greenery shine with their choice of purely white flowers!
Turtle Bay offers such a wide variety of equally beautiful ceremony sites, so I’m sure it was hard for Meagan and Jacob to choose just one. They narrowed it down to one of their breathtaking outdoor locations, Kuilima Point, right on the water. What a gorgeous spot for these two to tie the knot, with the sun shining brightly behind them as the palm trees swayzed ever so slightly in the gentle ocean breeze!
An elegant reception in the Sunset Pavilion
Once these sweet humans were officially Mr. and Mrs., and after snapping a few (okay, more than a few) portraits of the two of them looking fabulous along the shores, they joined their guests in the Sunset Pavilion for a formal evening reception. Each tables was decorated with the most exquisite details, featuring white plates covered in custom name tags and delicate purple flowers and lined with simple floral arrangements + white candles down the center. The sun sank below the horizon as Meagan and Jacob mingled with their guests, enjoying a delicious meal and the most elegant multi-tiered cake for dessert. This was a really, really well-done reception and a lovely way to end the day, thanks to the hard work the couple put in, the guests who dressed to impress, and every vendor who contributed their efforts!
About Turtle Bay Resort, a Stunning Oahu Wedding Venue
Now for a little bit more about the venue Meagan and Jacob chose for their ceremony and reception, Turtle Bay Resort! Located on Oahu’s North Shore, Turtle Bay is one of the most popular destinations for tourists who come to the island, and doubles as a jaw-dropping wedding venue, as well. With idyllic scenery, pristine beaches, and a wide variety of activities + excursions available for its guests, Turtle Bay makes for an excellent venue for couples who are dreaming of an all-in-one spot to tie the knot, have their reception, and stay the night afterward. I highly recommend extending your trip as long as you can so that you have plenty of time to enjoy all that Turtle Bay has to offer, including horseback rides, surfing, golf, helicopter expeditions, and even a luxurious on-site spa.
Why get married at Turtle Bay Resort?
Along with everything I’ve mentioned above, Turtle Bay Resort is a venue where you can truly create the wedding of your dreams, whether you’d like to have an intimate gathering with 10 people or a grand celebration with 500. No matter which of the many venue options you choose from, you’ll get to enjoy picturesque scenery, well-manicured grounds, tailored food menus, handpicked tropical flowers, and so much more!
Here are a few of the other highlights of Turtle Bay as a wedding venue:
- 1,300 acres of land & beaches to explore
- Varitey of unique venues
- On-site spa & beauty services
- Beautiful accommodations for you & your guests
Below, I’ve listed out the different outdoor & indoor venue options available at Turtle Bay, along with the maximum guest capacities of each (from the max for a banquet reception to the max for a cocktail reception).
Outdoor wedding venues at Turtle Bay Resort:
- Secret Cove | Capacity: 250-300
- Stables Lawn | Capacity: 1,500-2,000
- Bay View Beach Lawn | Capacity: 250-500
- Kuilima Point | Capacity: 600-700
- Sunset Pavilion | Capacity: 40-80
Indoor wedding venues at Turtle Bay Resort:
- Kahuku Foyer | Capacity: 100
- Kahuku Ballroom (Full) | Capacity: 500
- Kuilima Foyer | Capacity: 250
- Kuilima Ballroom (Full) | Capacity: 600-750
Turtle Bay Resort Wedding Packages & Pricing
As far as costs go, Turtle Bay currently doesn’t have any specific pricing listed on their website; however, you can take a look at their wedding brochure to start with, and then reach out to them to request a proposal for your unique day! They even have video tours of each venue that you can watch right away to get a feel for what’s available.
Turtle Bay Resort Wedding Photographer
I may be biased, but I believe that one of the most important parts of your wedding, no matter what venue you choose, is your photographer: without them, the memories of your day will fade away much more quickly, and that doesn’t seem fair for the crazy amount of work you’re putting in 🙂 As an Oahu wedding photographer, I absolutely love photographing weddings at Turtle Bay Resort and will never get tired of the picture-perfect views & amazing spaces that it has to offer! I would love to help you plan your perfect wedding at this beautiful resort, so reach out to me here and let’s start dreaming together, friend.
For more dreamy Hawaii wedding & elopement inspiration like this, browse through the blog here or take a quick peek at some of my recent couples below.
