Let me preface this blog post by saying that I love all of my clients, and every wedding day is special regardless of location! 😉 But now that I’ve said that, excuse me while I freak out *again* because exploring Kauai for John and Allison’s wedding was nothing short of a dream come true.

I remember as a kid telling my mom that I wanted to live in a place where when I looked up there were mountains, and when I looked out there was the ocean. She told me, “Well, you’ll have to move to California or Hawaii.” It’s no shock (or secret lol) that my favorite city in the world is San Francisco! And now I can finally say that I’ve been to Hawaii and it captured my heart with the same magical, mystical triad of sun, sea and air. The sacrosanct marriage of mountains and oceans will forever mesmerize me.

I flew in to Kauai a couple of days before the wedding to scope the island and adjust my body to the time change. My SIL Moriah went with me and the first few days of hiking and beach naps were heavenly! As beautiful as all of the islands are, I’m glad I visited Kauai for my first time in Hawaii. We met more locals than tourists, and were able to more fully immerse ourselves in the native culture instead of tourist attractions.

John and Allison had perfect weather for their wedding day!!
In all of our consult calls and emails, Allison noted that she wanted to take a laid back approach and stick to island time 😉 So we built the timeline to accommodate that! Their guest list comprised of their closest friends and family, and the entire day was relaxed and sacred.

I also have to give Allison huge props for planning a wedding in Hawaii and being such a fun, chill and attentive bride all while pregnant! Truly a legend!

John and Allison both worked for the same company as land surveyors, and that is how they met.
She brought her company safety vest to wear down the aisle as a prank for John …
and he wasn’t sure what to think of it at first haha!

After the beautiful waterfall ceremony and some exploring on a nearby beach for portraits, we all rode back to the hotel for a special dinner and reception!

This is the first time I’ve seen a Ukulele used as a guestbook and I am smitten with the idea!

The love and laughter was so infectious that Moriah and I were dancing in the background with the staff haha.

John + Allison, being a part of your wedding was truly a magical honor!! Thank you for trusting me to document the best day of your life. Can’t wait to someday meet your beautiful little boy.