In a rather unspectacular watering hole in England, Craig Caffrey conjured romance out of thin air. “I barely did anything more than say hello,” the charming Londoner recalls of the moment he met Chanel White. Sparks ignited, nonetheless. Ask the quietly elegant Chanel what initially attracted her to the graduate student and she doesn’t hesitate. “His tallness.” The native Australian eyed Craig from across the crowded pub, instinctively calculating that his height exceeded her own, in heels. She was smitten at first sight. “It felt like we had known each other for years. I quickly fell in love with him,” she says. “Craig is an extremely kind, optimistic person and it doesn't hurt that I find him very attractive!”
The King’s College graduate students parted ways for the evening with more than a flickering hope of crossing paths again some day. Hours of distracted time spent in the library soon followed. The pair was instantly unified by their unconventional career goals; they were both pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Intelligence and International Security. “When you meet someone on a course as specific as yours, you are bound to have shared interests,” Craig says. “We clicked straight away. I just loved spending time with her.” And just as love so often guides the paths of one-time strangers, Chanel changed her plans to return to Sydney, opting to create a home with Craig in London.

Three years later, Craig began choreographing a series of adventures leading to a surprise proposal in New York City. He added a healthy dose of storybook romance in for good measure. On a particularly chilly day in Central Park, Craig and Chanel sat side-by-side in a rowboat precariously perched in the middle of the lake. He says, “I made an attempt at gracefully getting down on one knee in our four foot boat and asked Chanel to marry me. There was a brief nod, I think, certainly not a yes, but definitely lots of crying which I interpreted as good news! I quickly put the ring on her finger.” In a classic New York moment fetched straight from a Woody Allen film reel, nearby spectators couldn’t help but express their delight, and a round of cheering and clapping ensued. Celebratory champagne at The Boathouse Restaurant was in order, followed by a leisurely dinner at The London Hotel, Gordon Ramsay’s sensational establishment.

When ones’ friends and family are scattered across the globe, where does one begin to select a wedding locale? The bride jokes, “We decided to make it mutually inconvenient for everyone and host our wedding in the most isolated group of inhabited islands in the world! All joking aside, we’ve always loved Hawaii and wanted to share it with everyone.” The international couple selected the low-key sophistication of the Olowalu Plantation House on Maui’s Western coastline. The historic beachfront estate takes its ambiance from the modest plantation-style homes built in the early twentieth century when sugar cane and pineapple agriculture were the island’s main industries.

Vintage Hawaiian postcards beckoned guests to “save-the-date” for a destination wedding in the springtime. After scouring stationery stores and paper studios throughout London, Chanel was left feeling uninspired. “I really struggled to find an invitation designer that deviated from traditional form and style,” she says. Then she came across paper atelier La Belle Vie and commissioned the artist to design an invitation suite with a stylish interplay of elegant and fun. A lovely batch of paper ephemera followed: escort cards, a ceremony program, menu, table numbers and signage for the cigar bar. The creative process inspired Chanel to start her own line of distinguished stationery, Amelia Lane Paper. “I truly believe stationery sets the tone of the event to follow,” she says. “That piece of paper should excite and intrigue, especially if hosting a destination wedding where guests travel for miles and miles to attend.”

On Good Friday, the bridal party touched down on Oahu to spend the weekend exploring Honolulu from a tour of Pearl Harbor to hula lessons on Waikiki Beach. The jovial bunch hopped an inter-island flight to Maui to attend a welcome dinner hosted by the parents-of-the-bride at Kimos in Lahaina. Handmade screen-printed gift bags filled with Kona coffee and macadamia nut cookies, coconut balm and a disc of the couple’s favorite summer music awaited each guest upon arrival. On the eve before the wedding, a rehearsal dinner commenced at Merriman’s by the Sea, one of Chanel and Craig’s all-time favorite restaurants. A week-long stay in the Hawaiian Islands insured plenty of opportunity for relaxed indulgence. The bride was in “complete vacation-mode,” opting to begin her auspicious day with an early morning swim. It was the beginning of a beautiful wedding day.

On April 30, 2011 sweet jasmine, plumeria and the salty sea perfumed the air. The bride and groom exchanged vows on the grass, framed by towering palms. Bright magenta paper parasols lined the aisle to shade the celebrants from the afternoon sun. Chanel’s look was refined yet effortless, her hair tied back in a braided low bun. The groom was classically debonair in a Paul Smith suit. “The first time I saw Chanel on our wedding day is something I will never forget,” says Craig. “She was beautiful.” Pastor Vance Rosete sounded a conch shell as the glowing newlyweds sealed their union with a kiss.

For the alfresco soiree, Chanel and Craig wished to capture a feeling of ‘Old Hawaii’ with elegant adornment and still express their easygoing style so they enlisted the expertise of Event designer Lori Lawrence of Tropical Maui Weddings. Lawrence let the island seascape inspire the relaxed décor. Beautifully laid tables were dressed in a pale, creamy color scheme with chambray blue linens. Florist Della of Dellables sprinkled in notes from nature— imperfect sea shells, driftwood, foggy sea glass, succulents and salt and pepper sand— to balance the serene setting. Della was able to source magnificent coral peonies for the bridesmaid’s bouquets, an uncommon bloom for the springtime in Hawaii. The lush mix of flowers paired perfectly with the bridesmaid’s one-shoulder maxi dresses in a deep raspberry hue. The newlyweds kicked off the festivities with an upbeat jive dance to “Reet Petite” by soul singer Jackie Wilson. Friends shared warm stories of the couples’ life rich with education and travel over a wonderful meal by Cafe O'Lei. In between dancing, the party-goers retreated to a sleek lounge area adorned with linen pillows and candlelight. At night’s end, fanciful pastries and desserts were presented: Kona coffee créme brulee, lilikoi cheesecake and a coconut wedding cake, for tradition’s sake.

After an impromptu two-night stay at the St. Regis Princeville on the Garden Isle of Kauai, the newlyweds continued living their happily-ever-after in London. It wasn’t long before they retreated to the exotic Maldives for a honeymoon stay, basking in the memories of their unforgettable celebration of love.

When one's friends and family are scattered across the globe, where does one begin to select a wedding locale? The bride quips, “We decided to make it mutually inconvenient for everyone and host our wedding in the most isolated group of inhabited islands in the world! All joking aside, we’ve always loved Hawaii and wanted to share it with everyone.” The international couple selected the low-key sophistication of the Olowalu Plantation House on Maui’s west side. The historic beachfront estate takes its ambience from the modest plantation-style homes built in the early twentieth century, when sugar cane and pineapple agriculture were the island’s main industries.

Vintage Hawaiian postcards beckoned guests to “save-the-date” for a destination wedding in the springtime. After scouring stationery stores and paper studios throughout London, Chanel was left feeling uninspired. “I really struggled to find an invitation designer that deviated from traditional form and style,” she says. Then she came across paper atelier La Belle Vie and commissioned the artist to design an invitation suite with a stylish interplay of elegance and fun. A lovely batch of paper ephemera followed: escort cards, a ceremony program, a menu, table numbers and signage for the cigar bar. The creative process inspired Chanel to start her own line of distinguished stationery, Amelia Lane Paper. “I truly believe stationery sets the tone of the event to follow,” she says. “That piece of paper should excite and intrigue, especially if hosting a destination wedding where guests travel for miles and miles to attend.”

On Good Friday, the bridal party touched down on Oahu to spend the weekend exploring Honolulu from a tour of Pearl Harbor to hula lessons on Waikiki Beach. The jovial bunch hopped an inter-island flight to Maui to attend a welcome dinner hosted by the parents-of-the-bride at Kimo's in Lahaina. Handmade screen-printed gift bags filled with Kona coffee and macadamia nut cookies, coconut balm and a disc of the couple’s favorite summer music awaited each guest upon arrival. On the eve of the wedding, a rehearsal dinner commenced at Merriman’s, one of Chanel and Craig’s all-time favorite restaurants. A week-long stay in the Hawaiian Islands insured plenty of opportunity for relaxed indulgence. The bride was in “complete vacation-mode,” opting to begin her auspicious day with an early morning swim. It was the beginning of a beautiful wedding day.

On April 30, 2011, sweet jasmine, plumeria and the salty sea perfumed the air. The bride and groom exchanged vows on the oceanfront lawn, framed by towering palms. Bright magenta paper parasols lined the aisle to shade the celebrants from the afternoon sun. Chanel’s look was refined yet effortless, her hair tied back in a braided low bun. The groom was classically debonair in a Paul Smith suit. “The first time I saw Chanel on our wedding day is something I will never forget,” says Craig. “She was beautiful.” Pastor Vance Rosete sounded a conch shell as the glowing newlyweds sealed their union with a kiss.

For the al fresco soirée, Chanel and Craig wished to capture a feeling of ‘Old Hawaii’ with elegant adornment and still express their easygoing style. They enlisted the expertise of event designer Lori Lawrence of Tropical Maui Weddings. Lawrence let the island seascape inspire the relaxed décor. Beautifully laid tables were dressed in a pale, creamy color scheme with chambray blue linens. Florist Della Peacock of Dellables sprinkled in notes from nature—imperfect sea shells, driftwood, foggy sea glass, succulents and salt and pepper sand—to balance the serene setting. Della was able to source magnificent coral peonies for the bridesmaid’s bouquets, an uncommon bloom for the springtime in Hawaii. The lush mix of flowers paired perfectly with the bridesmaids' one-shoulder maxi dresses in a deep raspberry hue. The newlyweds kicked off the festivities with an upbeat jive dance to “Reet Petite” by soul singer Jackie Wilson. Friends shared warm stories of the couple's life, rich with education and travel, over a wonderful meal by Cafe O'Lei. In between dancing, the party-goers retreated to a sleek lounge area adorned with linen pillows and candlelight. At night’s end, fanciful pastries and desserts were presented: Kona coffee crème brulée, lilikoi cheesecake and a coconut wedding cake, for tradition’s sake.

After an impromptu two-night stay at the St. Regis Princeville on the Garden Isle of Kauai, the newlyweds continued living their happily-ever-after in London. It wasn’t long before they retreated to the exotic Maldives for a honeymoon stay, basking in memories of their unforgettable celebration of love.