2005

1071. “Thank you” – Michael and Sie from Devonport, Auckland – New Zealand – 12/29/5 – 5 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1070. “Wonderful ceremony – it was so meaningful for you to perform the renewal of vows – we are so glad that Maile was able to sing” – Jeff and Anita from Brentwood, TN – 12/20/5 – 6 guests at Honokohau Harbor for a 25th ROV ceremony (Jeff is my best friend. We have known each other since kindergarten. We got into all kinds of trouble in high school and then came to faith in Christ back in the 70’s. I was the best man at Jeff and Anita’s wedding. This is a first for me – to be the best man at a wedding and then come back 25 years later and perform the renewal of vows. Seeing how much Jeff and Anita love each other and their children, spending time with them and performing their ROV was like my Christmas gift from God. I love you guys, Thank you for your generosity)

1069. “We just wanted to call and thank you very very much for the ceremony. Please thank Maile. She did an outstanding job. What a beautiful voice. You were absolutely right about her – I just wanted to let you know that we’re grateful and thankful. God bless you” – Mark and Barb from Captain Cook, HI – 40 guests by the ocean at Living Stones Church (Maile and I do the worship every Sunday morning here at the church. It is always special to do something a bit different. Thanks Mark and Barb for letting us do the music at your wedding. We had fun)

1068. “Beautiful ceremony – thank you so much” – Doug and Dawn from Harvest, AL – 11/15/5 – 30 guests by the ocean at Living Stones Church

1067. “That was perfect – better than I expected – thank you so much” – Randy and Pauley from Appleton, WI – 11/11/5 – By the ocean at Living Stones Church

1066. “Beautiful ceremony – we enjoyed it very much” – Sam and Nicole from Irving, TX – 11/10/5 – the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1065. “Thank you so much Keith, we appreciate it” – Bryan and Lori from Chino Hills, CA – 11/6/5 – 12 guests at the Palace Lawn at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

1064. “I loved your words” – Andrew and Kristy from Melbourne, Australia – 11/4/5 – 10 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1063. “Good job” – Philip and Melissa from Spiro, OK – 11/3/5 – 2 guests at the Palace Lawn at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

1062. “Thank you so much” – Clive and Stephanie from Lexington, KY – 10/27/5 – Palm Grove at the Four Seasons Hualalai

1061. “That was just great – thank you so much” – Joe and Sherry from Danville, CA – 10/25/5 – the wedding tree at the Four Seasons Hualalai

1060. “Aregato” – Ryuji and Masako from Yokohama, Japan – 10/24/5 – 2 guests at Eva Parker Cottage at the Mauna Lani Bay Resort

1059. “Aregato” – Koto and Yuki from Yokohama, Japan – 10/24/5 – 10 guests at Turtle Point at the Fairmont Orchid

1058. “Awesome” – Patrick and Cindi from Denver, CO – 10/23/5 – 2 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1057. “This is the happiest day of my life – thank you so much” – Joe and Jessica from Caroga Lake. NY – 10/20/5 – the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1056. “Fantastic – thank you so much – I loved how you wove the wedding vows into the three covenants – Robert and Marianne – 10/8/5 – 55 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1055. “Thank you so much for the beautiful words – no matter what, we have to keep God as the center” – Jeff and Aimee from Laverne, CA – 10/6/5 – 80 guests at the Palace Lawn at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

1054. “Thank you” – Richard and Kimberly from Little Silver, NJ – 10/5/5 – 30 guests at the Palace Lawn at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

1053. “Thank you” – Evan and Sarah from Evanston, IL – 10/4/5 – the Wedding Tree at the Four Seasons Hualalai (The bride wore the most beautiful lei. I had never seen one like it before)

1052. “You did a great job – we appreciate it very much” – John and Myrna from Torrance, CA – 10/3/5 – 10 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1051. “Thanks so much – that was amazing” – Joe and Mary from Chula Vista, CA – 10/2/5 – 30 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Palace Lawn (I teamed up with a judge who is a family friend to perform this wedding. Good fun.)

1050. “Your ceremony was sweet and aimed at the heart” – Jesse and Nikki from Bothell, WA – 10/1/5 – 12 guests at Makai’ulu Bay (This was my first wedding at this beautiful beach. The news was predicting a big storm that would bring flash flooding and thunderstorms across the state. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. Jesse and Nick stopped by the church the night before so we could pray)

1049. “Thank you” – Kawika and Tarah from Kailua-Kona – 9/30/5 – 80 guests at Kukio (This was a local style – get everyone involved kind of wedding. These guys did a great job of setting up and decorating)

1048. “Tremendous” – Danny and Liz from Wheaton, IL – 9/29/5 – 30 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Palace Lawn

1047. “We really enjoyed you marrying us. I don’t know if you remember but we were supposed to be married in New Orleans in September. After Hurricane Katrina, Jeremy and I decided not to wait any longer to marry. That is when we made the decision to get married on our honeymoon at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. You made out BIG DAY very memorable and it felt like it was meant to be. I wanted to share our pictures with you and two of them are attached. I hope all is well with you and your family” – Jeremy and Sara from Baton Rouge, LA  -9/29/5 – the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (Jeremy and Sara were both in white, they looked so good, you would have never known they just flew in from a hurricane)

1046. “Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and kind letter. We would also like to thank you for performing such a beautiful ceremony. We were very touched by the beauty of how our most beloved state of Hawaii was incorporated in the ceremony. It’s exactly what we had hoped for. Hawaii is indeed a place of great beauty. We don’t live there, but the beauty of the state and its wonderful people are deep in our hearts. Thank you, thank you for putting into words what is in our hearts. The ceremony was perfect. Our guests were as deeply touched as we were. Thank you again for such a beautiful ceremony. As we celebrate our vows, you will always have a very fond place in our hearts. Mahalo” – Chuck and Diane from Placerville, CA – 9/27/5 – 10 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1045. “Thank you” – Charles and Jamie from San Leandro, CA – 9/26/5 – 25 guests at the grand Staircase at the Hilton Waikoloa Village (What a happy group! This is only my second wedding at the grand Staircase; it is a beautiful site)

1044. “We enjoyed our ‘lava cliff’ renewal so much. You created a wonderful atmosphere with your words. Maile’s angelic voice made the mood real. Dennis and I are talking all the time about our 20th dream vacation. We owe special memories to you. Thank you so much. Please if you can, stay in contact with us. Maybe someday we will drop in for another Kona visit! Love always” – Dennis and Sue from Hutchinson, KS – 9/22/5 – 10 guests for a 20th anniversary renewal of vows at the old Airport (This was the first ceremony that I have done where Maile played ukulele – in the past I played keyboards and she sang and danced. We were perched right on top of a blowhole so the water was rushing in and out underneath us. I think Maile was a little scared, but after she sang the Hawaiian wedding song everyone clapped. I love working with all the musicians, but her voice is in a class of its own)

1043. “Thank you so much – God bless you” – Mitch and Michelle from Colorado Springs, CO – 9/21/5 – 20th anniversary renewal of vows at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1042. “Thank you so much” – Jake and Adrienne from Santa Ana, CA – 9/19/5 – 4 guests at the Four Seasons Hualalai Wedding Tree

1041. “Thank you, very nicely done, good ceremony” – Scott and Lynzee from Andover, KS – 9/17/5 – 5 guests for a 1st anniversary renewal of vows at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1040. “Aregato” – Kei and Asako from Japan – 9/17/5 – 25 guests at Living Stones Church

1039. “Beautiful ceremony – thank you so much” – Cary and MJ from Honokaa, HI – 9/10/5 – 90 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (Cary and MJ both work at the Hilton. It means a lot to me to be able to do something for the people who make the Hilton such a great place)

1038. “We wish to thank you so much for making our wedding so special. The location, atmosphere, and service were better than anything we could have ever imagined. It was truly a day we will always cherish and never forget. We appreciate the addition of the ceremony notes to the letter you sent. Your advice has been taken to heart and applied to our daily lives. You were wonderful for going above and beyond helping us with the location and pictures, thank you again. The pictures came out great! A few are attached. Aloha and Mahalo” – John and Stacie from Houston, TX – 9/7/5 – Queen’s Bath at the Old Airport Beach Park (This was my first wedding at this spot. We had the entire area all to ourselves. It was beautiful. Thanks for your generosity)

1037. “I wanted to thank you for the beautiful ceremony that you performed for us. It meant a lot for me and the family to come together even though we had a little rain and had to hide out in the men’s bathroom. Thanks again” – Win and Cindy from Kailua-Kona – 9/7/5 – 10 guests at the Kukio Beach (Win’s mom is one of the very special moms here at our church. She is 88 and blind. She comes early on Sunday morning to play hymns on the piano. Win and Cindy live close to the church and I was so glad I got to be part of their wedding)

1036. “Thank you so much – it was so meaningful” – Carlos and Jolene from San Diego – 9/4/5 – 15 guests at the Eva Parker Cottage at the Mauna Lani

8/29/5 – Our prayers go out to the survivors of the hurricane Katrina – especially those couples whose ceremony I performed. Please let us know you are okay.

1035. “Thank you – it was lovely” – Alex and Kaori from Forest Hills, NY – 15 guests at the Milo tree at Mauna Lani – 8/28/5 (It had been a long day. After the ceremony I jogged a while and took a swim. I love this island. It is truly beautiful. I am so thankful that I have been able to soak up the Big Island every day for the past 22 years. Thanks to all the couples who allow me to be part of your wedding. You are such a blessing to my family and me)

8/28/5 – Today we celebrated 22 years of ministry at Kona Church of God. We had open mic and people came forward to share about our ministry and encourage us. There is nothing greater than being a pastor. I seldom realize the positive influence Susan and I have in people’s lives. It was overwhelming to listen to the stories of people that we have impacted. After church we enjoyed the best part of being a pastor – church potluck! Thanks to everyone in Kona Church of God for their outpouring of love and support. We love you guys so much.

1034. “Thank you so much” – Alan and Courtney from Washington, NC – 8/27/5 – Anaeho’omalu Bay (This was great, I got to do a sunrise ceremony and a sunset ceremony on the same day!)

1033. “That was great – exactly what we wanted – we feel blessed – many many thanks for being such a special part of our wedding – peace & God bless” – Scott and Mindy from Ringwood, NJ – 8/27/5 – Keiki Beach at the Mauna Lani (I haven’t done a sunrise wedding in many years. This was very special. Everything was so serene, cool, and beautiful. Thanks guys for doing something unique)

1032. “Thank you so much” – Kimo and Vanessa from Los Angeles, CA – 8/24/5 – 4 guests at the gazebo at the Royal Seacliff (Kimo called late on the 23rd and said that they were getting married but their minister had canceled on them at the last minute. He then told me that I had performed his dad’s wedding – 4/23/5. I always tell couples that things usually work out the way they are supposed to. It felt great to meet more of the family. Kimo had been born in Hawaii. It always seems right when someone who was born here, gets to come home for their wedding. This was my first wedding at the gazebo. I didn’t even know it was there. Guests can be married at the gazebo free of charge, which is a great deal. If you aren’t staying at the Seacliff, you can still be married there for a fee)

1031. “Everyone needs to hear your message that love is a covenant” – James and Stacey from Bridgeport, WV – 8/23/5 – 12 guests at the Milo Tree at the Mauna Lani (I just love the folks from West Virginia. This group lives close to where my grandfather pastored. James and Stacey had known each other since kindergarten. You could tell by their body language that they were very much in love. She came to Hawaii as a cheerleader in high school. How wonderful she got to come back for her aloha kiss wedding. None of the wedding party had ever been to Hawaii, but they had always dreamed of coming. I love to see dreams come true.)

1030. “This really meant a lot to us – thank you very much” – Glen and Lisa from Reno, NV – 8/22/5 – 2 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel for a surprise 25th anniversary renewal of vows ceremony (Glen had been planning this for a year. You could tell by Lisa’s tears how much this meant to her)

1029. “You did a good job – thank you very much” – Mike and Kristy from Lodi, OH – 8/21/5 – 10 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Palace Lawn

1028. “You did great – we are very happy – you made us cry” – Robert and Kathy from Moberly, MO – 8/17/5 – Aio’pio Beach at the Kaloko National Park

1027. “Thank you for performing our wedding ceremony. It was so beautiful. We will always remember that special day. Thank you!” – Steve and Galen from Walnut Creek, CA – 8/16/5 – 20 guests at Keiki Beach and the Mauna Lani

1026. “That was a lovely ceremony – thank you” – Anthony and Jacqueline from Westminster, CA – 8/14/5 – 50 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Palace Lawn

1025. “You married me and my husband Greg a couple weeks ago at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. We were so busy doing photographs that I never got a chance to thank you for the wonderful ceremony you did. You far exceeded my expectations as to what the service would be like and you performed a very meaningful, heartfelt ceremony. Thank you so much for the kind note along with the script of the vows you sent us after the ceremony. I will definitely hold on to them for memories. Thank you again, and God bless you and your family” – Greg and Sarah from Apple Valley, MN – 8/10/5 – 20 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1024. “Thanks, this really means a lot to us” – Bryan and Melissa from Holden, WV – 8/7/5 – Honokohau Harbor (I have always wanted to perform a wedding in this spot. Bryan and Melissa had never been to Hawaii. They got in their rental car and started scouting for a place to get married. They picked this spot, which I found fascinating. After performing over 1000 weddings on the Kona Coast, I had never done one here. There is a little garden area right at the mouth of the harbor that is beautiful. Bryan and Melissa live about 20 miles from where my grandparents lived in West Virginia. Who knows, maybe my grandparents performed a wedding for some of your family 50 years ago)

1023. “We are a Catholic family. We really appreciate how you brought Jesus into the ceremony” – Bill and Liz from San Francisco, CA – 8/6/5 – 15 guests at the wedding beach at the Four Seasons Hualalai (Bill and Liz met Brent and Laura at the pool. Because I had done their wedding the day before, Brent and Laura put in a good word for me with Bill and Liz. By the time I showed up for the ceremony, it was like we were already friends. Thanks guys, you are great)

1022. “That was awesome – We are all crying – We wanted to let you know how special you made our wedding day. We absolutely loved the ceremony – and could not have imagined it to be any better. You were great! The personal touches and calmness added warmth and personality to the wedding. Thanks again for making it so special, Sincerely” – Brent and Laura from the Woodlands, TX – 8/5/5 – 4 guests at the wedding tree at the Four Seasons Hualalai. (Many couples ask me, “Do we need to do a rehearsal?” Every couple is different. Usually we do rehearsals for ceremonies that have lots of bridesmaids and groomsmen. This wedding was very simple, but the rehearsal made all the difference. During the rehearsal, the sun was right in Brent’s eyes. We tried different positioning but nothing seemed to help. Finally we decided to change the location. By changing the location, we were in the shade and the ceremony was much more enjoyable. The rehearsal also gave me time to bond with the couple and their parents.  Because we had spent time building our relationship, I believe the ceremony was more meaningful for everyone. On a totally different note, a sea lion was taking a nap just a few feet from where we had the wedding. I’ve never had a sea lion attend one of my weddings!)

1021. “What an incredible ceremony! We really liked it! – Leon and Donna from Bossier City, LA – 7/27/5 – 10 guests at Turtle Point at the Fairmont Orchid (Leon and Donna came to Hawaii on vacation. They got engaged on Oahu and decided to get married once they arrived on the Big Island. When we say that Hawaii is romantic, we mean romantic on an extreme scale! Leon used to photograph weddings. He has been to a lot of weddings. His positive comments about his wedding reminded me how special this place is, and how wonderful Hawaii weddings are)

1020. “I can’t think of a more romantic spot. Thank you. It was a lovely ceremony” – Tom and Elizabeth from Campbell, CA – 7/19/5 – 5 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1019. “Thank you” – Chris and Shawlyn from Garberville, CA – 7/19/5 – the Hilton Waikoloa Village Palace Lawn

1018. “That was perfect” – Andrew and Katie from Lawrenceville, GA – 7/16/5 – 30 guests at the wedding beach at Four Seasons Hualalai (About 10 years ago, Andrew’s older brother was on a high school soccer team I coached. Andrew used to come work out with the team. Almost 30 years ago, Andrew’s grandfather built the church that I have pastored since 1983. While talking to Katie’s dad, I found out he supplies newsprint to the local newspaper where I grew up in Tennessee. It really meant a lot to me to get to do this wedding. I have lots of connections with this family.

1017. “Thank you sir, that was beautiful” – Ron and Sheril from Corona, CA – 7/12/5 – 25th anniversary surprise renewal of vows ceremony at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (I believe it is so important for parents to let their kids know how much mommy and daddy love each other. I don’t think these 3 children will forget this ROV)

1016. “Thank you” – Keith and Kim from Allen, TX – 7/12/5 – the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

1015. “That you. That was so touching” – Lou and Rose from Madison, NJ – 7/11/5 – Surprise 25th renewal of vows at the wedding tree at the Four Seasons Hualalai (Mom, Dad, and the kids were in matching Aloha attire; everybody looked great!)

1014. “Thank you very much. That was fantastic” – Leslie and Cheri from Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia – 7/8/5 – 10 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (Lester and Cheri had visited the Hilton years ago, when they passed the wedding chapel, they knew that was where they were going to be married. Thanks guys for coming so far that we could celebrate your love with you)

1013. “You’re good!” – Jason and Tina from Valencia, CA – 7/8/5 – 10th anniversary surprise renewal of vows at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (What a delightful couple. Some people are just so happy to be together and it shows)

1012. “Thank you” – Lou and Evelyn from Chadds Ford, PA – 7/6/5 – 20th anniversary surprise renewal of vows at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (It isn’t easy keeping something like this a surprise. Lou and the kids pulled it off. I strung her along for a while right before we told her. At the right moment I cued Lou and he said, “Will you marry me?” Evelyn was beside herself. The expression on the bride’s face was priceless)

1011. “Thank you, that was a beautiful ceremony” – Bill and Velvet from Alpharetta, GA – 7/4/5 – Coconut Grove at the Fairmont Orchid (Here is a great idea, get married on the fourth of July and then enjoy the fireworks right after your ceremony! We had a bit of inclement weather blow in right as we were beginning the ceremony. The hotel did an excellent job setting up quickly. The ceremony went ahead and actually had a more intimate feel because of the summer shower. I was so impressed with this couple. They overcame the weather challenge with such poise and grace. What a great couple!)

1010. “Thank you very much. We appreciate it” – Jonathan and Sandra from San Diego, CA – 6/26/5 – 3 guests for a 19th anniversary surprise renewal of vows at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (Jonathan and Sandra’s first date was their senior prom. After the wedding they came to Hawaii for the honeymoon. They’ve been coming back ever since. How special to renew their vows here!)

1009. “Thank you so much for officiating our ceremony. It was our dream wedding come true & the ceremony was beautiful. Thank you for making it so personal and putting your heart into it. Thank you.” – Nick and Amy from Tok, AK – 6/17/5 – 50 guests at Coconut Grove at the Fairmont Orchid (Nick and Amy have known each other their entire life. They went to kindergarten together. They were king and queen of their prom. They just finished college and came to the Big Island to celebrate their wedding. They have been to the Big Island many times. They had a great reception on the beach. Many people went to the microphone to toast them. No one could toast them without crying. What a great wedding)

1008. “Outstanding. I will always remember this” – John and Tami from Modesto, CA – 6/15/5 – 20th anniversary surprise renewal of vows ceremony at the Four Seasons Hualalai north beach (What a great family, what a great ceremony. I am always so impressed with these surprise ROV ceremonies. We all laughed and cried ourselves silly. This was my first time to perform a ceremony at this spot and it was my first time working with two new wedding coordinators at the Four Seasons – Jessica and Kaleo)

1007. “This is paradise” – Steve and Judith from Tinley Park, IL – 6/14/5 – Hilton Waikoloa Village Gazebo (Steve and Judith worked together 18 years ago. Three years ago, Steve was shopping where Judith works. They recognized each other, one thing led to another and they had the perfect aloha kiss wedding)

1006. “Thanks so much” – Christopher and Melanie from Tuscaloosa, AL – 6/14/5 – the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (The Hilton has a new wedding coordinator – Kai. I really enjoyed doing this wedding with her. Great job Kai!)

1005. “Thank you so much” – Bruno and Beth from Buellton, CA – 6/12/5 – 10 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (What a great couple, Beth used to live here in Kona. She worked in the same restaurant where my daughter works)

1004. “This is beautiful” – Ryan and Jennifer from Miami Beach, FL – 6/9/5 – 4 guests at Kikuau Point Kukio Nui (We had the entire beach to ourselves, this evening was the Big Island at our best)

1003. “Thanks” – Marc and Denise from Redmond, WA – 6/6/5 – 10 guests on the Palace Lawn at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

1002. “That was perfect, you did great” – Mike and Missy from Warner Robins, GA – 6/5/5 – 10 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (Sometimes I’ll joke with couples about the kiss. Mike and Missy really put a lot of love in their kiss. I whispered to them, “Great kiss!” Missy came up for air, winked at me and said, “We’ve been practicing”. I get the greatest brides. I hope you guys never stop practicing.)

1001. “The ceremony had a lovely spirit” – Mike and Janis from Torrance, CA – 6/4/5 – 25 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (Janis had selected readings for her various guests to share. It gave the ceremony a fun and personal style)

1000. “Yuriko worked in Waikiki. This has always been her dream to get married in Hawaii. Thank you.” – Shoji and Yuriko from Saitima, Japan – 6/4/5 – the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (Wow! 1000 weddings. I had a lot of emotions preparing for this ceremony. It has been such a joy to meet couples from all over the world: Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Mexico, Germany, Switzerland, England, Canada, all 50 states, and so many other exotic places. Thanks to all of you for trusting me to bless your marriage. Thanks to all the wedding coordinators who I have enjoyed working with over the years. It seemed appropriate to do this wedding with the crew from the Hilton: Robert, Annette and Heather. I always enjoy working with you guys. I am especially grateful to Heather. I’ve done more weddings with Heather than any other coordinator. You are the quintessential professional and you have been my friend. Thank you God for all these blessings)

999. “That was such a lovely ceremony – thank you” – Warren and Jenny from Austin, TX – 5/28/5 – 20 guests on the Palace Lawn at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

998. “Great ceremony – best ever – thank you so much” – Jacquez and Yoshiko from Dallas, TX – 5/28/5 – 25 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (What a fun family)

997. “Thanks” – Matt and Lisa from Charlottesville, VA – 5/18/5 – the Palace Lawn at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

996. “That was wonderful. I loved your words” – Trevor and Lisa from Reno, NV – 5/15/5 – 10 guests at the Eva Parker Cottage at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel (This was my first wedding with Pinkey. She issues most of the marriage licenses for the weddings I perform. We have know about one another for years, but had never worked together. Thanks Pinkey for inviting me to do this ceremony)

995. “Aregato” – Morio and Junko from Tokyo, Japan – 5/14/5 – 15 guests at the Eva Parker cottage at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel (This was my first wedding at this location. When I first started doing weddings at the Hilton in the spring of 96 I worked with Emiko doing Japanese weddings. I rarely see her. It meant a lot to me to do this wedding with her after all these years)

994. “Thank you so much for making our wedding so special! It was truly a wonderful service. Incredible!!! God bless you and your family.” – Scott and Suzie from Keller, TX – 5/13/5 – 20 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (Scott and Suzie invited me to KPC for dinner with everyone. It was a great group and we enjoyed ourselves. Thanks guys)

993. “Thank you” – Chris and Kim from Laguna Niguel, CA – 5/10/5 – 50 guests at the Palace Lawn at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

992. “Pastor, what a beautiful ceremony. I love your words. They really make you think” – John and Sylvia from Glendora, CA 5/7/5 – 70 guests at the Keauhou Beach Resort (This was a lot of fun for me. One of the ladies from our church coordinated this wedding. We ate the hotel’s buffet for the rehearsal dinner. The reception was a private buffet in the garden. Everything was so beautiful. Jon was born and raised on the Big Island. It was great he was able to come home to the Big Island to celebrate his wedding. Both Jon and I graduated high school the same year, then in 1983, he moved to the mainland and I moved to Hawaii. What a coincidence. Thanks guys for including Susan and me in all the fun)

991. “Thank you” – Damen and Julia from Satellite Beach, FL – 5/5/5 – 4 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (Julia’s mom was married at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel in 2000. Julia’s ceremony meant a lot to her because of that and it brought back lots of memories for her mom)

990. “Thank you very much” – Eric and Judy from Martinez, CA – 5/1/5 – 25 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

989. “Pastor, you did such a lovely job. I’ve been to a lot of weddings, but your words were just phenomenal” – Mark and Kim from Colleyville, TX – 4/30/5 – 20 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

988. “That was such a beautiful ceremony. Thank you so much. You mad me cry” – Mark and Jenny from Escondido, CA – 4/25/5 – 3 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel

987. “Thank you” – Ephrem and Christina from Lihue, Kauai – 4/23/5 – 3 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (One of my favorite parts of doing weddings is to hear their story of how they met. Jenny owns a deli. 12 years ago, Mark ate his first turkey sandwhich at Jenny’s deli. What a great story. Thanks guys)

986. “Thank you so much. That was awesome” – Ryan and Tymarie from Orange, CA – 4/22/5 – 20 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (I am a soccer fanatic and this is a soccer family. The bride was team captain for the ASU soccer team. I was impressed! What a great family) 

985. “Everyone is raving about what a great ceremony we had” – Tom and Carla from Greenwhich, CT – 4/21/5 – 15 guests at the Four Seasons Hualalai Wedding Beach (This is the first wedding I performed at this particular spot. What a great family)

984. “Thank you very much. That was awesome” – Michael and Michelle from Sacramento, CA – 4/18/5 – 2 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Palace Lawn

983. “Good words” – Steve and Donna from Kailua-Kona, HI – 4/17/5 3 guests in the garden at their home

982. “Thank you” – Ardell and Jodi from Papaikou, HI – 4/15/5 – 30 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Palace Lawn (I love it when couples are able to express deep emotion. Ardell and Jodi tearfully let each other know how much they loved each other)

981. “Thank you so much” – Ryan and Jen from West Allis, WI – 4/12/5 – 35 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Palace Lawn

980. “Thank you very much, the ceremony was beautiful” – Rich and Cheri from Belle Plaine, MN – 4/11/5 – 2 guests at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Wedding Chapel (They visited church before the wedding. I love it when that happens!)

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