by Joel McDonald | Mar 22, 2017 | Kauai Wedding Photography, Kauai Weddings
A Swiss Couple gets married on Kauai!
Not something that happens every day … after all, Hawaii is on the other side of the world to Switzerland. However, that didn’t stop Swiss couple Sandra and Patrick from choosing a Kauai destination wedding. The couple got married on Kauai at Tunnels Beach on the North Shore on January 17th, 2017, on a bright sunny day in January, which is supposed to be the “rainy season”. However on that day the weather was perfectly clear without a drop in the air.
Sunny day at Tunnels Beach: what a way to get married on Kauai!
Love is Beyond Language
The parents didn’t speak a lot of English – luckily for us both Joel and I speak German and Spanish (and Joel speaks Japanese too). The family had a hard time parking at Tunnels beach. Even just parking a few cars there turned out to be way more difficult than anyone would’ve thought on a weekday morning during non-peak season. Once everyone finally got their cars parked the wedding started quickly and effortlessly. There were three of us working the wedding, plus the bride, the groom and two guests.
To get married on Kauai often means to do a ring exchange on the beach.
From Switzerland, the Other Side World to Hawaii …
The brides’ parents were unable to make it from Basel Switzerland. One of the most touching moments of the ceremony was when the mother of the groom hugged the bride – you didn’t need to speak their language to see that she loved her like a daughter. There embrace was exaggeratedly long. It was clear that this family was a unit and loved each other deeply.
Exquisite Turquoise Ocean and Scenery
We found a nice shady spot even though it was 11:30 in the morning. We did the service right next to the exquisitely gorgeous turquoise and blue ocean, standing underneath the most magnificent sheer tropical cliff. I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful setting surrounded by the lush Napali Coast, plus the amazing whales which are around and jumping this time of the year. And, to top it all off, some of the most exquisite blue and turquoise colors I’ve seen in a long time!
Great Kauai Weather for Wedding Photography
After the ceremony we took some group photos and then the bride, groom and I went in the sun to the waters edge for a couple shots. The weather could simply have not been more perfect. It was hot enough to want to stand in the shade but not uncomfortably hot – it was so sunny it may taking pictures easy and once they were edited the colors were magnificent. There was just the right amount of cloud cover to be comfortable and yet make the photos pop.
This couple decided to rush their photos for only $40 and received them 3 days later – they were thrilled!
Congratulations Sandra and Patrick!
This wedding was performed by Aloha Ever After, with wedding photography taken by Timory McDonald Photography.
by Joel McDonald | Mar 14, 2015 | Kauai Weddings
Kauai wedding minister Joel McDonald during a lighthearted moment at a Kauai beach wedding ceremony. The bride tries hard to get the ring on the groom’s finger!
Is there a typical Kauai wedding minister?
We conducted an interview with Joel McDonald, Kauai wedding minister and co-owner of the popular Kauai wedding planning company Aloha Ever After. Joel works alongside Timory McDonald at many weddings; together they are a husband-wife minister-photographer team.
Question: Why did you become a Kauai wedding minister?
Answer: I have always had spiritual leanings, and in my youth enjoyed exploring different religions, philosophies and spiritual traditions. I attended a religious Catholic school; I studied yoga intensively in India and Thailand; I trained as a Zen buddhist monk in Japan; I practiced Sufism (the Path of the Open Heart) here in Hawaii. Being a Kauai wedding minister allows me to participate in a profound, spiritual moment in people’s lives, which I cherish.
Question: What’s so unique about performing weddings on Kauai?
Answer: Well, for starters, you’re normally standing outside – in the sun, in the rain, in the wind, whatever the weather may bring (actually very few of my weddings have ever been postponed due to the elements). I have performed entire ceremonies in light rain! The Hawaiians used to consider rain a blessing on your wedding day. But it’s certainly very different to standing inside a Church, chapel or other building.
As a result, people are generally more carefree, casual and relaxed when they choose to get married on Kauai. There’s less stress and pressure. Destination weddings are weddings and honeymoon all rolled into one.
There is something magical and sublime about having Nature as your witness. Many couples whom I marry are lucky enough to have a rainbow or pink-and-orange sunset as their backdrop when declaring their vows. It is breathtaking and unforgettable. You really can’t compare it to getting married inside of 4 walls.
Question: Is there a stereotypical Kauai wedding minister?
Answer: In short, no. The State of Hawaii allows many ordained ministers of different faiths to perform weddings here. There are some male Christian ministers with local or Hawaiian ancestry here, but there are also some wonderful female Kauai wedding ministers, and people of all faiths and ethnicities. I think the ratio reflects the general ratio of different people on the island.
Question: What is your favorite part of being a Kauai wedding minister?
Answer: I like many aspects of it – getting to know the couple, working in such a beautiful environment and being part of someone’s special day. However, my favorite part is leading people into their hearts during the ceremony, helping them remember Who They Are and why they are doing this. I like to bring out the raw emotion of the moment in people. It’s a big thing to declare a life commitment to another person in public. It’s a real buzz to feel the energy, depth and sacredness of it, and to assist people by guiding them through that.
