A Waterfront, Vineyard-Inspired Wedding at the JW Marriott Ihilani and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii
With the help of the planners at L-4 Love and their own fun-loving personalities, Kristi Sasaki (29 and a senior business analyst) and Kirk Tyau (45 and a pharmacist) pulled off a playful, fun-filled affair at the JW Marriott Ihilani and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii. As a nod to their proposal, the couple decided on a vineyard-inspired theme, complete with wine charm escort cards, grape variety table names and rustic winery details woven throughout.
Having always dreamed of saying “I do” in the sand, the JW Marriott offered the perfect location to host the event, with its stunning views of the water and the island’s white sandy beaches. The Lagoon Lawn played host to the ceremony, where Kristi and Kirk exchanged vows under the shade of two lush trees draped in garlands of bright white orchids. “We held our ceremony a little before sunset so we could see the sun lower over the horizon,” says Kristi. “It was a perfect backdrop for our wedding photos. We also loved that this location was quiet and relaxing, which was exactly what we wanted for our guests.” After being announced husband and wife, the newlyweds danced their way down the aisle, as their families and friends tossed petit beach balls into the air.
Before entering into the Grand Ocean Ballroom for the reception, guests enjoyed a laid-back cocktail hour complete with a fun photo booth and signature cocktails. The evening’s vineyard theme came to life as guests entered into the ballroom, where they were greeted by heart-shaped escort cards bearing shimmery customized wine charms. Wine crates and corks added a note of rustic charm to the sign-in table, and bottles of peach-flavored champagne were styled alongside floating candles and bunches of fresh peach-colored flowers, carrying the theme over to each centerpiece.
Instead of the expected sit-down dinner, Kristi and Kirk surprised guests with a breakfast-for-dinner buffet, complete with an omelet station and mimosas. “This might sound off, but Kirk and I love breakfast food, so we thought it would awesome to have it for dinner, especially since we eat breakfast for any meal of the day,” says Kristi. “We knew not everyone would want to eat just breakfast foods, so we also included a couple of dinner items in the buffet so that all of our guests would enjoy the meal. At the end of the night we received so much positive feedback about dinner.”
Other surprises that evening included a grand entrance set to the sound of the Chicago Bulls pre-game music, a flash mob and a mashup father-daughter dance. “In the middle of our dance to the Temptations’ ‘My Girl’ the DJ changed the song to ‘You Make Me Want to Shout’ and my dad and I started dancing really fast,” says Kristi. “I don’t think any of our friends expected my dad to do that, so they really enjoyed seeing that.”