Bride’s Vision and Intention

I wanted the day to feel comfortable, intimate, and unrushed; with lots of time to connect with the people we love. Family was at the center of everything. We were married at my sister’s home in Honolulu, at the base of Diamond Head, which made it feel even more personal and grounding.

My brother officiated the ceremony, and one of my sisters who is a folk singer sang and played guitar with her husband while Jake walked down the aisle with his mom and dad. I followed, walking down the aisle with my mom and grandmother, and our nieces and nephews were our bridesmaids and groomsmen.

My other two sisters made our cake and used extra flowers from Annie Lee Florals’ beautiful arrangements so it felt like a natural extension of the floral installations. The cake and florals were beautifully wild and whimsical. Jake’s stepbrother is a hip-hop MC and performed at the reception, which made the night so fun. Everything felt deeply shared and handmade by the people we love.

As an artist, I wanted the day to feel like art. Not just beautiful, but emotionally honest and expressive. Our photographer Megan’s eye for composition and light captured our connection and the natural beauty of Hawaii in a way that felt true to us. Both Annie Lee Floral and Megan Moura have backgrounds in art, which you can really feel in the emotional depth and tone of their work.

Our wedding day was more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. I feel so lucky to have worked with such talented and creative people who brought the day to life, and I’ll forever be grateful to One & Only Events for their creative magic.

What were your priorities, vision, and inspiration for your dress?

I wanted a classic dress that would feel timeless, but also soft and natural in the setting. I found my gown at Bride to Be Couture. It’s an Essence of Australia ballgown.

For contrast, I chose the Zarah heels from Neddledust, with embroidered mirrors, crystals, and pearl tassels. I loved that they added a bit of texture and shimmer against the simplicity of the dress, and felt playful and expressive without taking away from the overall softness of the look.

My vision was that the dress would flow with the landscape instead of fighting it. I wanted it to feel like it belonged in the environment, the same way I wanted all of the design elements to feel like they had grown there rather than been placed there.

How did you meet?
Jake and I had both recently moved to Hawaii and met on Hinge. At the time, I was an art teacher and he was an executive at a software startup. We were both building new lives in a new place and somehow found each other at exactly the right moment.

I knew I loved Jake after our first date. Not long after, he asked me to go to the Big Island with him, and somewhere between long conversations, hikes to black sand beaches, and being surrounded by nature, we started talking about building a future together.