Travis & Stephanie’s Three-Day Maui Destination Wedding
Some love stories feel destined for somewhere extraordinary.
When Travis & Stephanie Knuppe chose Maui for their wedding, they weren’t just picking a beautiful backdrop — they were choosing an experience. Three days. Warm ocean air. Family traditions. Barefoot moments. A celebration that unfolded slowly and meaningfully instead of being rushed into a single afternoon.
As a Portland-based destination wedding photographer who travels to Maui and around the world, this is exactly the kind of story I love to tell — one that goes beyond the ceremony and captures the full emotional arc of a couple’s time together in a place that feels like paradise.
Their January 12th, 2019 wedding was spread across three unforgettable days:
a sunset coastal session, a heartfelt tea ceremony during their rehearsal dinner, and a breathtaking wedding day tucked into the palm trees of the Kaanapali Coffee Farms. Every day added a new layer to their story, and together, they created something far more meaningful than a single wedding album ever could.
Destination weddings deserve room to breathe — and Travis & Stephanie’s Maui wedding was the perfect example of why.
Day One — Sunset Coastal Session in Maui
A destination engagement session that captured the final moments of their engagement.
Travis & Stephanie’s wedding weekend began the same way their relationship feels — relaxed, joyful, and full of connection.
We met at the hotel where many of their wedding guests were staying, after they had spent the day swimming in the warm tropical waters and lounging by the pool. As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, we headed down to the coast to capture what would become one of my favorite sessions of their entire three-day celebration.
Although engagement sessions are often scheduled months in advance, Travis & Stephanie decided they wanted theirs to be part of their destination wedding experience — fully immersed in the golden light, warm ocean breeze, and tropical energy of Maui. Even though these images weren’t for save-the-dates, they were incredibly special. They captured the final moments of their engagement before becoming husband and wife.
And what a session it was.
The two of them played in the waves, kissed between rolling tides, and held each other as the ocean wrapped around their legs. At one point, I even carefully stepped into the water with them, camera in hand, to capture the magic from their point of view. Their willingness to get wet, laugh, and fully live in the moment gave these images a sense of intimacy and spontaneity you simply can’t fake.
Hawaii helps, of course — the warm Pacific is a little more forgiving than the frigid waters of Oregon — but more than anything, it was their trust in the experience that made it special.
Engagement sessions last about 90 minutes, and Travis & Stephanie used every second of it to create images that felt effortless, romantic, and deeply real.
Why I always recommend a destination engagement session:
For destination weddings, this first day is about so much more than photos.
This session gave Travis & Stephanie the chance to:
Get comfortable in front of the camera
Shake off any nerves before the wedding
Experience Maui together, uninterrupted
Create images that felt like them
By the time their wedding day arrived, we weren’t strangers — we were collaborators. That’s what allows destination wedding photography to feel natural instead of staged.
Day Two — The Tea Ceremony & Rehearsal Dinner
Where culture, family, and emotion come together.
Day two of Travis & Stephanie’s Maui destination wedding was all about connection — not just between the two of them, but between generations, cultures, and the people who helped shape their lives.
Their rehearsal dinner wasn’t simply a meal before the wedding. It included a deeply meaningful tea ceremony, a traditional cultural practice that honors family, ancestry, and respect. One by one, Travis & Stephanie served tea to their loved ones, symbolizing gratitude, unity, and the joining of two families into one.
There were quiet tears. Soft smiles. Moments that felt intimate and sacred — even in a room filled with people.
This is one of the many reasons I love photographing destination weddings: they often create space for traditions that don’t always fit into a rushed wedding-day timeline. When couples travel for their wedding, they tend to slow down. They make room for moments that matter.
And those moments are priceless to document.
What rehearsal dinner coverage looks like:
My rehearsal dinner coverage includes up to four hours, which allows time for much more than just a few quick photos. During Travis & Stephanie’s evening, that meant:
Romantic portraits of the two of them together
Candid interactions between guests
Emotional toasts and speeches
And, of course, the beautiful tea ceremony
From laughter around the tables to the quiet reverence of the ceremony itself, this evening added emotional depth to their wedding story that could never be recreated on the wedding day alone.
Why I always recommend multi-day coverage for destination weddings:
When you choose a destination wedding, you’re not just planning a ceremony — you’re creating an experience. The days leading up to the wedding are often when:
Families truly connect
Friends relax into the celebration
Cultural and personal traditions take place
And the couple gets to actually enjoy being together
By photographing more than just the wedding day, I’m able to tell a richer, more honest story — one that feels like a memory, not just a highlight reel.
For Travis & Stephanie, this second day brought warmth, meaning, and emotional grounding to everything that followed. When their wedding day arrived, it didn’t feel like a beginning — it felt like the continuation of something already deeply rooted.
Day Three — The Wedding at Kaanapali Coffee Farms
A wedding day shaped by nature, family, and everything that came before it.
By the time Travis & Stephanie’s wedding day arrived, it already felt like their story was fully unfolding — not starting from scratch.
Their ceremony took place on private family property at the Kaanapali Coffee Farms, a stunning stretch of land overlooking Maui’s rolling hills, framed by towering palm trees and ever-changing tropical skies. It was intimate, personal, and deeply connected to the land — the kind of setting that makes destination weddings feel both luxurious and meaningful at the same time.
For destination weddings, I don’t believe in placing strict time limits on coverage. Instead, I work with my couples to decide what kind of story they want told. That means arriving as early as they’d like, staying as late as they need, and letting the day unfold naturally.
My assistant and I arrived just as Travis & Stephanie were finishing getting ready, capturing those quiet moments before everything shifted — the nervous laughter, the deep breaths, the anticipation.
Their first look happened beneath a single palm tree, a simple but powerful symbol of the place that had already given them so many memories that week. The ceremony followed under a beautiful cluster of palms, with family and friends gathered close as the breeze moved through the leaves above them.
There were tears. There was laughter. And in one of the most uniquely Maui moments of the day, their officiant even played the ukulele during the ceremony — filling the air with music as they exchanged their vows.
Hawaii’s weather is famously unpredictable, and you can see that in their wedding images — the clouds shifting, the light changing from soft and diffused to golden and dramatic. But the rain held off, and everything felt like it was happening exactly as it should.
Why destination wedding coverage works differently
When you travel for your wedding, you deserve more than a rigid timeline. You deserve someone who adapts to the rhythm of the day — and the place.
That’s why my destination wedding coverage includes:
Two photographers
All-day wedding day coverage
Up to 4 hours of rehearsal dinner coverage
Digital photography + 1 roll of 35mm film
Online client portal access
An online gallery for delivery
All of this begins at a flat base rate of $3,500, with travel added based on location (airfare, hotel, and transportation). This allows couples to experience high-end, editorial-style destination wedding photography with transparent, approachable pricing — no guessing games, no surprise fees.
Whether you’re getting married in Maui, somewhere else in Hawaii, or anywhere in the world, the goal is always the same: to tell your story in a way that feels natural, emotional, and true to who you are.
For Travis & Stephanie, everything we captured over three days came together on this final one — not just as a wedding, but as the celebration of an entire journey.
Love has no borders — and neither do my services.
Destination weddings combine two of my greatest passions: exploring the world and documenting genuine, joyful love stories. They’re not just about where you’re getting married — they’re about the adventure you’re beginning together, and the memories you’ll carry for the rest of your lives.
Whether you’re exchanging vows on a beach in Maui, beneath cliffs in Italy, along the Oregon Coast, or somewhere completely off the map, my goal is always the same: to create imagery that feels honest, emotional, and beautifully timeless.
Let’s Tell Your Destination Wedding Story
Travis & Stephanie’s three-day Maui wedding is a perfect example of what’s possible when you give your celebration the time and space it deserves — sunset sessions, cultural traditions, quiet moments, and a wedding day that feels like the culmination of something truly special.
If you’re planning a destination wedding in Hawaii or anywhere you want to go, I would be honored to be part of your journey.
Reach out to start a conversation about your wedding plans, and let’s create something unforgettable together.