Brianna

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After our first three days in Princeville, we made our way down to Poipu to spend the remainder of our honeymoon at the Koa Kea Resort. When we arrived, we popped open a complimentary bottle of champagne and went to dinner at Red Salt at our hotel. The food was delish, and you better believe we ate the bread loaded with butter and dipped in their signature Red Salt. Zero regrets. When we got back to the room we noticed there were quite a few nats in the bathroom and bedroom (which is common during sunset and vital to leave your screen door shut when you go in and out) so the resort upgraded our room to their nicest ocean-view villa for the night- QUITE the treat. Needless to say, I didn’t want to check out the next day, but was such an incredible way to start the trip. 

They also comp’d our dinner and provided complimentary breakfast the next day. Of course we went big and got the lemon soufflé pancakes and lobster  benedict… to die! The customer service went above and beyond; we’re definitely going back and can’t recommend it enough.

One of our favorite dinners was at Beach House Restaurant. This is another nice fish house, but the view is one of the best. The entire restaurant has a view of the ocean with glass doors that surround the perimeter of the restaurant and open up to create the ultimate island ambiance. I definitely recommend going for sunset!

The southern coast isn’t as known for the hikes, but they still have some beautiful trails. Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail is one we did a few times, perfect for a sunrise or sunset because the whole trail is ocean view. We started at shipwreck beach, about a 5 minute drive from our resort, and went a little bit further each time. 

One of the nights we went to the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club in Lihu’e stages a torchlighting ceremony. They had small vendors where I bought homemade coffee + coconut body scrubs to bring back as Christmas gifts. They had an “open bar” with beer, wine and blue mai tais along with the traditional buffet style dinner. When booking, apparently Charlie told them we were on our honeymoon, so they made sure to reserve our seats at a front and center table and called us on stage to slow dance in front of few hundred people…A hula show we’ll never forget, hah! 

Who knew engagement photos could be so much fun! After exploring countless options for potential locations, we finally decided to stay local and take them in Laguna Beach. We first narrowed it down to our top 3 places, the other two being Palm Springs or the Horseshoe Bend in AZ.  The deciding factor was the ocean! 

I think the most important thing is to tie in your wedding venue and overall theme when planning engagement photos. Since our venue was in San Clemente, the decision became a no brainer. 

Choosing the right photographer is also key, not only for the visual aesthetic or theme, but personality wise too. Most people meet with 2-3 photographers to interview then test their favorite with the engagement shoot. To be honest, I just did a  TON of Instagram stalking and found Chase Sevey. He’s located in Arizona, but his packages and travel fees are very affordable.  Charlie and I show rarely show PDA and are very awkward when it comes to these posed photos, but Chase is funny and came with full enthusiasm and direction, which helped to make the experience so much fun.

 

I would highly recommend him for anyone who likes his over tone and aesthetic. Information below if interested! 

 

Chasesevey.com

https://www.instagram.com/chasesevey/

 

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I knew Charlie was quite the romantic, but he really stepped it up in orchestrating such a special proposal. Not only did he plan a trip to Maui, but made sure to include my family, which meant the world. After landing in Hawaii, we settled in and got ready for a sunset dinner at Dukes at the Honua Kai Resort where they were staying. As the sun went down faster than anticipated, everyone inhaled their dinner as my mom INSISTED we all catch the first sunset of the trip out on the beach. Charlie and James went ahead, while the girls went to the restroom, and as the sun began disappearing by the second, my mom and sister were screaming “RUN!!”.  

Completely out of breath, we approached Charlie on the beach standing alone (James hiding in the bushes with a camera). Megan and my mom stopped running along side me and I started asking what was going on. I walked down a path of photos planted in the sand guiding the way towards him. Each one was from a different year we dated with a reason why he loved written at the top. When he got down on one knee, I think I mentally blacked out when I realized what was going on. But I do know he said some of the sweetest things I’ve ever heard come out of his mouth. He popped the big question and I of course said YES.

We all celebrated through the night with champagne and dancing to Blues and Beyoncé’s “if you liked then you should have put a ring on it.”