Hiking Hawaii: Diamond Head Crater

Thought I would take a little break from wedding posts to share some of my favorite experiences since we moved to Hawaii.

One of the first things that Shaun and I did once we arrived here, was hike Diamond Head.

I've now done this hike twice, the first time with Shaun and the second time with some lovely ladies that I've gotten to know through our boat.

This is, what I would consider, an easy hike. It is kid-friendly, but definitely not stroller-friendly. You do gain some elevation on the way up and there are quite a few stairs, but there are spots where you can  move off to the side of the trail and take a break. The second time I did this hike, one of the girls I was with, had her 26 lb. son in an Ergo carrier and she made it up with no problems.

If you ever get to visit Hawaii, I definitely recommend doing this hike.

Diamond Head from Waikiki.

The mountain to the left is Koko Head Crater and just over the one to the right is Hanauma Bay, a famous snorkeling spot.

Beautiful view of Honolulu and Waikiki.

The views that I have seen from the many mountain tops here are incredible and it seems like each new hike outdoes the previous. I feel so blessed to be living in such an amazing place and hope you all enjoy reading about it!

Thank y'all for stopping by!

Our Wedding, Part 3 - First Look & Bridal Party Photos ~

Good morning!

Today I'm sharing our 'First Look' photos. I wasn't 100% convinced to do the first look in the beginning, but our photographer kind of talked me into it and I'm glad she did.

It was a great way to save some time and get some pictures done early so we could get to our reception sooner. I think it also helped calm some nerves ;)

We did our first look photos at Wide Awake Park, just down from our venue, Old Wide Awake Plantation

Here are some of my fave shots.

All photos by Aaron & Jillian Photography

Location: Old Wide Awake Plantation, Charleston, South Carolina

Dress: Austin by Watters

Jewelry: Nicole Miller via Rent the Runway

Bridesmaids Dresses: Mori Lee 682 in Ivory and Blush

Groomsmen's Suits: Jos. A. Bank

Bow-ties: CCADesign

Thank y'all for stopping by!

Our Wedding, Part 2: Getting Ready & the Details ~

Back to my favorite topic, our wedding.

Have I mentioned how unbelievably perfect the day was? It will forever be a day that will live on in my memory and in my heart for always.

Our wedding took place on Sunday, April 13, 2014. The weather was perfect, 75 degrees and sunny.

We were very fortunate to have a space at the venue to get ready. The upstairs of the house on the property had a bridal suite as well as a second bedroom, not to mention a beautiful wraparound second-story porch.

Once the guys arrived, they were able to use the downstairs living room to finish getting ready.

Take a look!

All photos by Aaron & Jillian Photography (formerly Aaron Nicholas Photography.)

Location: Old Wide Awake Plantation, Charleston, South Carolina

Dress: Austin by Watters

Jewelry: Nicole Miller via Rent the Runway

Bridesmaids Dresses: Mori Lee 682 in Ivory and Blush

Groomsmen's Suits: Jos. A. Bank

Bow-ties: CCADesign

Thank y'all for stopping by!