Our Oahu wedding at Paliku Gardens

It’s no secret that I’ve taken my sweet time writing this blog post. I mean, we got married in May! But each time I open up a fresh page to write out what our wedding day felt like, I always come up short. Our wedding day was perfect. It didn’t start perfectly, and a lot of things went wrong, but after everything ended, I couldn’t help but feel so grateful that this was our wedding story.

Our wedding day

Garrett & I woke up next to each other on our wedding day. A lot of people may find that weird, but for us, it was perfect. A few of our friends quickly whisked Garrett away to do “groom-like” things (I didn’t ask questions), while my best friend Sarah took me to get my nails done. Thanks to tropical weather, we drove in the rain, and it was perfect! We’d picked May in Hawaii for several reasons, one being that while it did rain, these storms were sporadic and short. My perfect kinda rain! However, being practical and knowing that we didn’t have a rain plan, I was really hoping that was the only rain we’d see that day!

After nails and coffee, my sister, Sarah and I drove to the venue. Garrett & I chose Paliku Gardens because of it’s breathtaking views of the ocean and imperious mountains. Having mountains and ocean all in one frame for our wedding was my dream come true – and we got to live it!

Right when we arrived, I remember walking around the grounds and taking it all in. It was surreal. As a wedding photographer, my whole heart goes into serving my brides to make them feel loved, beautiful and comfortable. But it was my wedding day, so everyone was serving me! It was so weird being on the receiving end! Perks of being a bride? You don’t have to refill your mimosa glass once!

My favorite moment

Finally it was time for our First Look. I could see Garrett from a distance, and I knew that he’d be nervous (hence why we chose to share a First Look!) I remember walking up to him from behind, watching him anxiously shift his feet in the grass, right and left. When he turned around *pausing because I have no words just yet as I type this, and it’s really hard to type when you’re teary-eyed* he looked so handsome! He burst into the smile that captivated me from the beginning, and I was instantly so thankful for everything that led us to this moment. For choosing to start my business instead of travel to Scotland for school. For working in that little coffee shop where I first saw him. For having the courage to call him that first time. For everything.

The rest of the day was perfect, and I’m so thankful for everyone who made it possible. Honestly, I’d rather get to the beautiful photos that Natalie took of our day than try to write any more because #tears.

Thank you

But first, I need to thank everyone who made our day so beautiful! To our parents, friends and siblings who made it out to Hawaii to celebrate with us: we love you more than you know. Thank you for embracing us together. We are so thankful for your love and support! We look back on our days in Hawaii as the best days of our lives. That is all because of you. We are blessed beyond measure because of your friendship and guidance, and we can not wait until the next time we’re all together!! Ireland trip next, right? A special thanks to my brother-in-law, Jeremy. Thank you for leading us into marriage and being the best brother-turned-officiant out there! You are so special to us!

To all of the vendors who made our day perfect, thank you! Photography: 4 Corners Photography / Planning & Coordination: Opihi Love / Hair & Makeup: REVEAL Hair & Makeup / Invitations: The Impressionist / Floral Design: Passion Roots / Venue: Paliku Gardens at Kualoa Ranch / Catering: Nicole Sharer Events / Bridal Gown & Jewelry: BHLDN / Ringbox: Handmade by Garrett!