KONA, HAWAII
KONA, HAWAII
Travel dates: May 15 — 25, 2015
Where we stayed: Marriot Waikoloa
Where we ate: Splashers Grill
Lava Lava Beach Club
Scandinavian Shave Ice
Song we were obsessed with:
My House — Flo Rida
The Lead Up
Wilson and I met in September 2013 through an internship at CLA Church. We started off as friends but in April 2014 he asked me to be his girlfriend. We dated for 4 months before we got engaged and began planning our wedding. When we got engaged we had a pretty clear idea of what our wedding would look like, who would attend and where it would take place. Our wedding was planned in full by the end of 2014. Our vendors were paid and our date was set for July 18, 2015. That winter many things changed for us. My health both mental and physical took a serious turn. We sought help in everyway we knew how but decided to cancel our wedding and book a trip to Hawaii with plans of eloping. Guilt overcame us and we invited our immediate families to join us in Kona, Hawaii for a private wedding on May 16th, 2015.
We chose The Big Island because I had lived there for 4 months in 2012 and knew my way around. I knew the island to be more cost-friendly and held few tourists. It also held a special place in my heart; a place I was excited to share with Wilson. I was confident in the island’s beauty and already had a place in mind for our reception dinner. (See Splashers)
The Wedding
The morning was quiet, filled with the sunshine and a fresh Hawaiian breeze. The girls got ready together and the boys did as well. Wilson and I did first look photos because the day was so casual we hadn't yet picked a spot to get married. After first look photos, the photographers and videographers looked for the perfect spot and when they found it, we walked over. We exchanged vows and rings, tears and laughs and we were married, not a single hair turned gray. We took some photos and we ate some food, and we made a lot of memories.
Kona, Hawaii
We explored beaches like Mile 88, Hapuna, and the pier, we went to the volcano park and over to Hilo, spent a lot of our time at the hotel, in the pool. We ate a lot at of burgers at Splashers Grill, on our wedding night, for breakfast, for lunch, and for dinner. We stayed in Waikoloa Village and spent a lot of time at the shops there.
Hawaii was amazing and there are few things I would change about our experience there. I have compiled a list of do's and dont's for our time in Hawaii that will hopefully help you in your travels.
DO: Order food by the pool; go to Splashers; eat Kona Coffee ice cream; shop at the Queens Shops; go to the volcano, get Scandinavian Shave Ice; explore non-tourist locations (talk to a local and ask where to see turtles); go to the end of the world; splurge on a day bed for a pool day; use sunscreen (even if you're not prone to burns); buy $0.99 water; and explore.
DON'T: spend everyday at the pool; book rental cars through third-party sites unless you're sure the rental place with honor your rental; forget water; forget sunscreen; get tattooed in a high tourism area (they change the price from person to person); waste your time.
We learned from our mistakes and I hope you can too, sunscreen and water are the two most important things that will help you enjoy your time, but being there with the people you love most will also enhance your experience, greatly.
