Christine and Paula are the dynamic duo behind Maui Luxe Picnics. Inspired by their love of food, nature, and gatherings, together they create unique and intimate experiences on the beautiful island of Maui. These amazing ladies designed a magical and memorable atmosphere for my husband and I to toast our wedding anniversary. The backdrop—the sun setting just in front of us on the horizon of Mōkapu Beach.
They found a talented photographer to capture the memories, and a ukulele player to set the mood. Their resources are endless, and you can add-on videography, drone footage, hula dancers, fire fighters, and more.
The best part was that after a few friendly conversations with Christine, she understood exactly what I was looking for, and we simply showed up to enjoy the evening! It was one of the most seamless and effortless events I have ever planned, which made me a bit nervous, but it was truly perfection! When our magical evening ended, Christine and Paula arrived to congratulate us, and to take care of all the packing and cleaning. It was such a delightful, carefree evening—as all special occasions should be.
I am absolutely thrilled to share our conversation about intimate gatherings, being surrounded by beauty, and sourcing both healthful and delicious celebratory foods.
If you are planning a celebration but cannot get to Maui, you will find useful tips for planning your own intimate celebration.
Q&A
AF: Your mindfully curated grazing board for our picnic was both beautifully placed and delicious. When putting together your platters where do you start? What is the process, your recipe for success?
MLP: We usually work on our grazing boards as a team. One prepares the foods by cutting and handing them over to the other one who arranges everything on the board. By doing so, we try to pair items that complement each other like cheeses with meats, and veggies with dips and crackers. We choose fruits that add color pops to the board and fill little gaps with nuts and dried fruits. The last item to be added is normally the chocolate.
AF: Please share with us your favorite picnic locations on Maui.
MLP: We prefer the Wailea area for its beaches. They are the easiest accessible and offer the best sunsets. As a contrast to that, Polipoli is the place both of us would choose for a personal favorite picnic spot. Unfortunately, we can’t offer this location for clients as we are not able to obtain permits but it’s ideal if you want to set up your own.
AF: What is your go-to healthful indulgence to bring to a picnic?
MLP: If it’s available at the upcountry farmers market, we love to include moringa pesto by Niu Life Kitchen.
AF: Where do you source your decorative items? From the vintage beach umbrellas to the romantic rugs, blankets, and pillows—all curated for maximum impact, with a magical mix of color and texture—simply gorgeous!
MLP: Thank you, Annie. We have collected all our items from different vendors and platforms like Etsy, Amazon, Pier1 and small sellers on Instagram. For example, we have blankets from Sardinia, Turkey, and Australia. Some items were gifted to us and others – like our umbrellas – are not being sold at this time.
AF: Do either of you have a background in interior design? We were surrounded by beauty, both natural and created which adds so much to any gathering. It helps create more mindful moments. What inspired the offering of such a curated space?
MLP: No, neither of us have a background in design but we both have an eye for detail and aesthetic. At the beginning, we were motivated by picnic companies in Australia, and we now continue to be inspired by the diverse and incomparable landscapes of Maui.
AF: What is the most important thing to keep in mind when shopping for picnic items?
MLP: We try to keep our style as we shop for setup items but still want to be able to create different schemes. We are constantly trying to improve and add to the diversity.
AF: It seems more and more people are celebrating life’s milestones with intimate gatherings rather than big, blow out events. Perhaps encouraged by the pandemic, but do you feel these more personal fetes are here to stay?
MLP: Yes, this is exactly what we are witnessing right now, and we are expecting it to stay like this for a while. It feels like people are exploring new ways of celebrating different occasions and personalized picnics are the perfect way to do so. We are happy about it and don’t think it will get old any time soon.
AF: Our picnic foods were sourced the same morning at a local farmer’s market. Please share with us your favorite Maui markets, and your go-to vendors.
MLP: We try to get most of our veggies, fruits, and flowers from the Upcountry Farmers Market at Kula Malu. The following are a selection of vendors we use frequently:
Niu Life Kitchen for their moringa pesto
Devine Dahlias for her flowers
Maui Raw for the nut-based dips
AF: Do you have a favorite recipe you could share, ether one of yours or something a chef or caterer created for a party you created?
Chef Nicot’s Saffron Risotto with Scamp, and his Avocado Shrimp Ceviche.
