Yumin and Jinfei’s romantic Haiku Mill proposal was filled with flower petals, little surprises, and a whole lot of thoughtfulness. Yumin and Jinfei visited Maui over the holiday season and he thought it would be the perfect time to pop the question after 7 years of being together!

THE PLAN:

Yumin loved the Haiku Mill proposals that he saw on our website but was torn between the beach or Haiku Mill. So we did both! We started out at Haiku Mill for him to propose. After taking some photos there we headed to the beach to get those infamous Maui beach pictures. He wanted to incorporate flower petals, a gift box for the ring, and a little nod to ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Yumin had put so much thought into this proposal. He wanted to make sure Jinfei’s hair wouldn’t be flying everywhere. This man thought of everything.

THE PROPOSAL:

Yumin’s vision really came to life. The moment began with rose petals by a beautifully set table. A heartfelt note, a ring box, and an eternal rose awaited Jinfei. The atmosphere was filled the enchanting charm of Haiku Mill’s lush greenery and old-world elegance. Yumin got down on one knee in the most romantic setting.

Afterward, we explored the stunning grounds of Haiku Mill, capturing sweet and intimate moments beneath the cascading vines and weathered stone walls. Yumin and Jinfei couldn’t stop smiling — their happiness was contagious. To finish the session, they put on their beach hats and headed to the shore. Their personalities shining through their playful beach photos. The way they laughed and embraced under the Hawaiian sun was pure magic.

To Yumin and Jinfei: Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this romantic day. We loved your thoughtful and joyous Haiku Mill proposal!

Haiku Mill Proposal Package

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The Sugar Industry in Hawaii

Before Hawaii became part of the United States and tourism was introduced, agriculture was the state’s leading economic activity. It provided Hawaii’s major sources of employment, tax revenues, and capital through exports.

Sugar was the top crop, and the sugar industry steered Hawaii’s politics and economy for over a century.

Like any industry, sugar had its ups and downs. A few things caused the sugar industry in the Hawaiian islands to explode. In the 1840s, steamships provided a reliable way to transport sugarcane from the islands to the mainland. The California gold rush increased demand.

Production slowed when California became a state in 1850 and created an import tariff that taxed exports of sugar cane and other goods to the United States, but it ramped back up during the American Civil War. Much of the sugar production in the United States occurred in the southern states that seceded from the Union. With the North no longer receiving sugar from the South, the price of sugar during the Civil War rose a staggering 525 percent, from 4 cents a pound in 1861 to 25 cents a pound in 1864.

In 1875, the U.S. made a reciprocity treaty with the Hawaiian Kingdom, eliminating all tariffs on sugar and rice in exchange for Hawaii eliminating all tariffs on cotton and other American products. Eliminating export taxes caused sugar production in Hawaii to skyrocket.

However, the reciprocity treaty laid the groundwork for the Hawaiian islands’ eventual annexation. When the treaty was renewed in 1887, the United States received exclusive rights to enter and establish a naval base at Pearl Harbor.

How Sugar Created Hawaii’s Diversity

A lot of labor is needed to grow, harvest, and process sugarcane. Since the sugar industry required a larger labor force, workers were recruited from overseas. Immigrant workers arrived in waves from China, Japan, and the Philippines. A smaller number of people also came from Korea, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Germany, Norway, Russia, and Spain.

When they arrived, workers were assigned to sugar plantations throughout the islands and given housing separated by ethnic groups. In order to communicate with each other, they created a language called Pidgin English, a blend of all their languages and English, spoken in the present tense with most verbs disregarded. Pidgin is still spoken to this day and was recognized as an official language of Hawaii by the U.S. Census in 2015.

Over 330,000 people came to work the sugar plantations in Hawaii. While many of them returned home once their contracts were up, thousands remained in the islands, sharing their cultures and creating the melting pot that Hawaii is today.

Sugarcane continued to be Hawaii’s main economy, employing one out of every 12 people in Hawaii, until it started to decline in 1959. This is when Hawaii became a state, and the U.S. started to market Hawaii as a tourist destination.

History of Haiku Sugar Mill

The Hawaiian islands are formed from volcanic mountains, some of which are still considered active. Due to the rugged terrain and the nature of soil, only certain low lands near coasts are tillable. Therefore, Hawaii’s sugar companies were all located along the coastlines of the four largest islands, extending into the foothills and upward along mountain slopes.

Haiku is located on the north shore of Maui, approximately 14 miles (22.5 km) east of Kahului. These days, the town of about 8,500 is mostly inhabited by locals, and visitors usually only breeze through when starting their journey on the Road to Hana. However, Haiku was once a hub of sugar production.

The Haiku Sugar Company started in 1858 and was the first sugar enterprise in Hawaii to raise capital through stock. The construction of Haiku Sugar Mill was completed in 1861 and became the first to process sugarcane using a steam engine, cutting edge technology for its time.

Haiku Sugar Mill was the leading sugar processor on Maui for eighteen years, from 1861 to 1879.

The construction of an irrigation system from 1876 to 1878 allowed water to be transported from the wet slopes of Haleakala to the fertile but dry plains of the central Maui isthmus. The increased water flow allowed sugar production to be moved and Haiku Sugar Mill was subsequently abandoned in 1879.

Restoration of Haiku Mill

The abandoned sugar mill was left to deteriorate for over one hundred years. By the time it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, only the stone walls remained and they were overgrown with vegetation.

Inspired to preserve this piece of Hawaiian history, Sylvia Hamilton-Kerr purchased the property and embarked on a journey to restore the ruins of the old sugar factory to the enchanting hidden gem it is today.

Design of the space took cues from its past and the surrounding land. The Haiku area of Maui is lush and green. Instead of fighting this, vines were encouraged to drape the walls. Greenery is prevalent throughout the property and inside the Mill itself, giving magical secret garden vibes.

Restoration was also influenced by the unpretentious lifestyle of the south of France. Antique cast iron columns hold up a glass ceiling that lets in light and keeps you covered in case of rain. A beautiful chandelier hangs above the picturesque proposal spot.

The result is the perfect combination of rich Hawaiian history combined with Old World European elegance nestled in the tropical jungle of Maui. Upon its transformation, the property was given the simpler name of Haiku Mill, also known as Pua Le’a or “blossoming passion” in Hawaiian.

Why We Love Haiku Mill Proposals

If you’ve read everything above, you’ll understand why Haiku Mill is so special and one of a kind. Years of hard work went into transforming the old ruins into a beautiful open-sky cathedral.

Haiku Mill is a private venue, which means when you choose a Haiku Mill package for your proposal, the space is reserved especially for you. This makes Haiku Mill a top contender for anyone who wants an intimate proposal without other people around.

Our directions for proposing at Haiku Mill are pretty simple. You walk into the Mill and get down on one one knee under the chandelier.

Planning a proposal can be a nerve-wracking time. We’re here to help with all the planning and alleviate your stress, but sometimes nerves can be hard to shake. If you feel like you might be a nervous wreck, having a location with simple instructions like Haiku Mill might help you feel better.

Haiku Mill is naturally stunning and doesn’t need any extra decor. However if you want to add flowers to your proposal, Haiku Mill is a blank space that is easy to dress up.

One thing to note though, is due to the age and history of the structure, nothing can be affixed to the structure and we can’t do anything too risky. For example, we once had a client who was interested in a soccer-themed proposal. This wasn’t a good fit for Haiku Mill because of the risk of a wayward soccer ball causing damage.

The layout of the property also allows us to incorporate surprises before or after the proposal.

For Rich’s proposal to Bao, he arranged for her sisters and best friend to be waiting at Haiku Mill before their arrival. We had a table and chairs set up for the couple to sit at before they entered the Mill. One by one, Bao’s loved ones surprised her with different colored roses and a letter from Rich. Each color of roses had a symbolism explained in his letters.

After each person handed Bao their letter and roses, they went into Haiku Mill, using a separate entrance so they could witness the proposal from above.

When it was time to propose, Rich led Bao into Haiku Mill where a violinist played in the background when he got down on bended knee on a scattering of red rose petals.

Josh and Kimi came to Maui from Oahu. Since they live on Oahu and there’s no shortage of pretty beaches there, Josh knew he wanted something different for his proposal location. She thought they were flying over for a Maui adventure, but he actually planned the trip around when he could propose at Haiku Mill.

Josh wanted to incorporate this gorgeous ring box filled with roses that looked and smelled amazing. Since we have a policy of not handling the engagement ring, we came up with a way to use the box without putting Kimi’s engagement ring inside.

He led Kimi into the Mill and to the floral ring box where Kimi read a note asking her to dance. Once she read the note, Josh opened the ring box to take out a bluetooth speaker that was already paired to his phone. He started playing “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. They danced together for a minute and he proposed during the song.

Aron and Julia are a blended family. He has two boys and she has two girls. They have a daughter together and another baby on the way.

Aron proposed to Julia with the kids watching, but it was also important for him to ask Julia’s daughters if he could officially be part of the family. After some family portraits, Aron proposed to the girls with their own rings. It was the sweetest!

Our Proposal Packages at Haiku Mill

Engaged on Maui has two proposal packages designed for Haiku Mill – our Haiku Mill Mini and Haiku Mill Deluxe.

The Haiku Mill Mini package is meant for a proposal and short engagement session at the Mill. The 30 minute time span is just long enough to enjoy all the beauty Haiku Mill has to offer.

The Haiku Mill Deluxe package is the best of both worlds. With this package, you get 1.5 hours of time and two locations. You can have the privacy and lush grandeur of Haiku Mill for your proposal and end your session at a nearby beach for engagement photos that show off Hawaii.

Ready to pop the question at the gorgeous Haiku Mill? Let us help you with that! Fill out our inquiry form to get started!

The post Spotlight on Haiku Mill, A Stunning Venue with a Sweet Past appeared first on Engaged on Maui | Maui Proposal Photographer.

The Best Places To Propose In Maui

Maui exudes romance! With over 30 miles of beaches and a huge variety of settings to drop to one knee, Maui has you covered. We know that choosing the best location could depend on your personalities, her subtle hinting, your sense of adventure, or sentimental incorporations. That being said, we wanted to gather a list of our favorite proposal locations to help you out! Without further ado. here are some of our all-time favorite best places to propose in Maui:

SOUTH SHORE BEACHES

Conveniently located near many of the best restaurants on the island and offering some of the most romantic sunset views, there are dozens of white sand beaches to choose from in Kihei, Wailea and Makena. Black lava rocks are present at many of these ideal proposal locations. These rocks in particular offer a gorgeous contrast to the blue water and colorful sunsets.

THE TOP OF A VOLCANO

What’s more romantic than a proposal in the clouds? Maui is home to the largest dormant volcano. Haleakala (meaning ‘house of the sun’) features otherworldly beauty and is consistently rated one of the best places to view sunrise or sunset. The drive itself is picturesque but you’ll need warm clothing for this location.

JUNGLE

Hanging vines, lush foliage, and fragrant ginger flowers set a tropical vibe for that once in a lifetime question. Follow up with an engagement photography session at the shoreline. Talk about two incredible settings in one magical West Maui location!

HAIKU MILL

There is a reason this is one of the most coveted wedding venues in the state. The Haiku Mill is over 150 years old, with a breathtaking mix of French-inspired décor, vine-draped ruins, and spectacular flora. A stroll beneath the Mill’s archway is like a trip back in time.

SECLUDED PENINSULA

Get a new perspective on Maui and sweep her off her feet, literally! A helicopter tour is the best way to explore otherwise inaccessible valleys and waterfalls. It is also the best way to reach secluded locations. This way, you can be sure to pop the question without an audience.

CLIFFSIDE

Imagine the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks, the Maui sun setting on the horizon. Just the two of you, perched precariously in the most secluded island chain in the world. The imagery of a cliffside location is one of our very favorites and can easily be combined with a beach proposal or photo session.

FOREST

Not just any forest, take her to a stand of Eucalyptus with bicoastal island views. Nothing on Maui is ordinary! A forest offers privacy and a sense of adventure to start your lifetime together.

Need some help in selecting the best places to propose in Maui?

Contact Engaged on Maui to get started!

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Tyler contacted us trying to decide between a proposal at Haleakala Crater or Haiku Mill. He knew Emily would love both, so it was important to discuss the differences of each location. Loving the idea of proposing at a private venue, Tyler decided this romantic Haiku Mill proposal was the ideal setting to ask Emily to be his wife!

THE PLAN:

Haiku Mill is a coveted wedding venue, so we like to check availability as soon as possible. That way, we can have a better chance of snagging a private proposal time. Fortunately, Tyler was able to be flexible with the proposal date and Haiku Mill had availability while they were going to be on Maui! The plan was for Tyler and Emily to arrive at Haiku Mill with Emily under the impression that they were there for a Historical Botanical Tour. Little did she know, that she was about to get engaged to the love of her life!

THE PROPOSAL:

Haiku Mill is a rain-or-shine location. There is a glass ceiling above the proposal area just in case of rain. But we didn’t have to worry about rain at all that day! The sun was shining. Plus,Tyler upped the romance by adding a rose petal scattering right under the proposal site. The tour guide led them into the Mill and left to turn on the chandelier. This was Tyler’s cue to pop the question and photographer Amber captured the whole experience!

THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION:

After the proposal, we took advantage of all the lush greenery on property and also had fun with those rose petals. We love that this venue is available on Maui and these photos will look timeless years down the road!

Tyler and Emily: Congratulations on your engagement! Thank you for allowing Engaged on Maui to capture this unforgettable moment of your lives!

Photos by Associate Amber | Haiku Mill Proposal Package

Contact Engaged on Maui and we’ll help you plan the proposal of her dreams!

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This Star Wars Proposal at Haiku Mill is definitely in my top five favorite proposals of all time!  I’m so excited to share it on the blog today.  Geo contacted me and said he was interested in proposing at the beautiful Haiku Mill.  We love the Haiku Mill for it’s privacy it offers and it’s such a stunning venue.  Everything in this proposal went according to plan.  It was awesome!

THE PLAN:

One thing I loved about this proposal was that he wanted to do something a little different.  He and his girlfriend, Anna, are both really into Star Wars, and Geo wanted to have a light saber fight right before the proposal.  He hoped that their light saber duel would end with him getting down on his knee like she was going to chop his head off with the light sabers and then he would already be down on his knee so he’d just pull out the ring and ask her.

We knew that we wanted to make this proposal extra special since it was such a fun, unique idea.  We decided to add in a few things to make it over the top!  The first addition was when they entered the mill itself we played the “Imperial March“.  As they walked in, there were two light sabers on the stairs.  And we also had a smoke machine going.  It set an EPIC scene.

THE PROPOSAL:

When they arrived, Anna thought they were on a private tour of the mill. When they got to the proposal site, our “tour guide” excused herself from Geo and Anna to go and turn off the smoke machine that she “had forgotten to turn off earlier.”  In the meantime, Geo picked up the swords, gave one to Anna, and told her they ought to have a battle!  She was a little unsure at first, but she fell right into it.  Suddenly, Anna was pulling out all these incredible spin moves, and we thought, “This is clearly not the first time they’ve dueled with light sabers!”

Everything went perfectly to plan!  Nearing the end of the duel, he “fell” to his knees, and she pretended to cut off his head.  Geo grabbed hold of the light sabers, threw them aside, and pulled out the ring!  Anna was SO SURPRISED!  He asked her to marry him, and she said YES!  As soon as he got up from one knee and they were hugging it out, we playing their song over the speakers, “Something Something” by Kaskade.

THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION:

Of course, then I came out of the shadows along with my second shooter, Amber. It was great to have Amber taking shots, too, because we got some awesome other views on the proposal itself.  Then for their engagement photos we went around the rest of Haiku Mill and got some great shots throughout the rest of our time together.  And we just couldn’t resist incorporating the light sabers into a few of the shots. I told you it was a fantastic proposal!

Geo and Anna:  Thank you for choosing Engaged on Maui!  Your Star Wars proposal at Haiku Mill was one of my favorite proposals yet!  We loved being a part of your day, and “May the force be with you!”

Photos by Angie | Haiku Mill Proposal Package

HAVE SOMETHING AMAZING IN MIND FOR YOUR MAUI PROPOSAL BUT NEED HELP PULLING IT OFF?

ENGAGED ON MAUI CAN HELP!  CONTACT US HERE.

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Kevin knows how much Wendy loves all things Beauty and the Beast, he thought incorporating the iconic flower from the movie would be nothing short of spectacular for her.  So we put together a Beauty and the Beast Inspired Proposal at Haiku Mill.  Since the live action movie of Beauty and the Beast had just come out, it was perfect timing to put this proposal together for Wendy.

THE PLAN:

Kevin had told Wendy that they were going to tour a historic sugar plantation–they do have tours of Haiku Mill.  But instead, as soon as they got there, he excused himself to use the restroom.  At that time, my assistant met Kevin around the corner to grab the ring from him.  She was able to plant the ring in this Beauty and the Beast inspired rose box that Kevin had sent to me in the mail.  After my assistant was done planting the ring, Kevin came back from the “bathroom”.

THE PROPOSAL:

When Kevin came back, Shelby, the onsite coordinator for Haiku Mill, led them to the mill area where their favorite song “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran started to play over the speakers.  When he heard the song start to play, he knew it was his time to lead her in. Kevin led Wendy over to the flower, following a path of red rose petals.  He took the flower box, dropped to one knee, opened the secret compartment, and inside was the ring.  He asked her to marry him, and of course the surprised Wendy said yes!

THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION:

At this point, we popped out of the shadows and made our way to them.  We checked out her beautiful ring and did a short engagement session at the Haiku Mil.  We were able to take some shots with greenery, with stone walls, and in the bridal getting ready suite.  It was a beautiful proposal and engagement session!

Kevin and Wendy:  Congratulations on your fun Beauty and the Beast inspired proposal at Haiku Mill.  Thank you for choosing Engaged on Maui to bring your vision to life!

Photos by Angie | Haiku Mill Proposal Package

Do you have an out of the box proposal idea?  We’d love to help you make that a reality.  Contact us here!

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There were laughter, tears, rain, and magic.  Everything came together so beautifully to make this Haiku Mill surprise proposal a success!  Ryan wanted to propose to Caitlyn somewhere unique and full of life.  Haiku Mill was the perfect venue for this proposal!

I’ve got some exciting news regarding Haiku Mill.  I’m going to be partnering with the venue starting in 2017!  It offers a really beautiful, private, lush venue where guys can be assured there won’t be a ton of people watching, if any.  And, of course, the Haiku Mill itself is just magical!

THE PLAN:

The day was intermittent with clouds and rain and sunshine, so we didn’t know what we were going to get for the actual proposal.  About twenty minutes before the proposal it started dumping rain!  Even though it was going to be raining for the proposal, we weren’t too worried because the actual proposal spot was under a glass ceiling.

THE PROPOSAL:

When Ryan and Caitlyn arrived they were carrying white umbrellas.  Shelby, the event coordinator on site, led them to the spot where she told them to wait while she went to turn on the chandelier.  That was the cue for the proposal to happen.  When the chandelier popped on, Ryan put down his umbrella and proposed to Caitlyn.  About halfway through the proposal, we actually ended up losing power, so thankfully that happened after the chandelier lit up when we wanted it to!  Of course there were lots of tears afterward!  We had a beautiful bouquet of a dozen red roses along with five stems of local tuberose done by Kahului Florist that we presented to Caitlyn after the proposal.

THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION:

We stayed on property for about a half hour.  Haiku Mill let us use the bridal getting-ready suite to take some shots that gave us some great vintage images.  From there we went to another location that was near Mama’s Fish House where Ryan and Caitlyn were going to be having dinner. We were able to outrun the rain and we got some beautiful colors in the sky. We even found some coral on the beach that looked like the word “LOVE” that we were able to use for our ring shot!

Ryan and Caitlyn:  Thank you so much for allowing me to photograph your magical Haiku Mill surprise proposal.  I loved every minute of your beautiful engagement!

Thank you to the vendors for helping us pull off another perfect proposal!

Photographer: Angela Nelson | Venue: Haiku Mill | Videographer: Areca Film Company | Flowers: Kahului Florist

Photos by Angie |  | Package:Haiku Mill Proposal and Storyteller Package

Looking for an incredible site like the Haiku Mill to propose to your sweetheart?  We can help!

Get in touch with us here.

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