Sunrise ceremony, choreographed first dance in the sand, and a sunset dinner over looking the water. This elopement on the Big Island Hawaii had it all!
These two are the perfect example of just because Plan A didn’t work out initially, you can’t go through with Plan A later on. Technically, this was still a version of their first plan but hey, we got pretty close.
H & S were supposed to elope with their closest friends in Kauai over 4th of July weekend in 2020. Obviously, that did not happen. So instead they celebrated more local and did their legal ceremony in the San Juan Islands (see that blog here!). Once Hawaii started to open back up again, we started re-planning their Hawaiian elopement!
If you have been following Hawaii travel and safety restrictions, you know that Kauai was the last of the islands to open up to tourists. So while we were hopeful, we knew by a couple of months out we had to change it a little. Insert The Big Island and all of her unique and magical glory!
Siena had the dream of saying their vows with their toes in a white sand beach. So I pulled a whole variety of location ideas for them to check out. We ended up with the most perfect option. What is fun about these full weekend elopements is the opportunity to incorporate a few different locations and really explore for your celebration.
We did a sunrise adventure session that I cannot wait to share, their sunrise ceremony on the beach. Then took a nap/pool break for the day only to meet up later in the day at yet another beach. After getting into the water well past our knees, we made our way over to Fairmont Orchid. There we enjoyed dinner and all further celebration with their friends at Brown’s Beach House. Their ceremony incorporated lots of traditional Hawaiian elements (like washing the rings with sea water) and a lei exchange passed through the hands of their loved ones.
They rented a private seating area sitting right above the ocean and despite the gail force winds, it was a literal dream. I cannot recommend it enough! They also did full group toasts (and roasts) with their friends in a way I had never seen before. I had tears rolling down my face from laughing with them and didn’t want to leave. Receptions and celebrations of this style mean no timeline restrictions, no worry about getting in the random “traditional” things. They just got to be, and laugh, and enjoy their relationships with their best friends and each other in a place near and dear to their hearts.
This group, this couple, this day was so dang special. Please enjoy this tiny glimpse into their epic elopement on the Big Island Hawaii. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to spend two full wedding days with this group in two very different locations and miss them already. You won’t want to miss a single photo! Vendors tagged at the bottom of the post. Cheers!
Vendors:
Florals: Ainahua Florals
Catering: Brown’s Beach House at the Fairmont
Ring: Ultimate Diamond