An Intimate Country Wedding at Kahua Ranch in Waimea, Hawaii

Tara Reed (25 and a medical student) and Shannon Simmons (25 and a maintenance supervisor) first spoke to each other while they were traveling to a track meet in high school. Shannon worked up the courage to ask Tara to the Winter Ball, which led to dating throughout the rest of high school and college. Tara was under the impression that Shannon was flying from Hawaii to California to celebrate her birthday, but he had other plans in mind. When Shannon arrived, he called Shannon to tell her to look outside at her birthday present. To Tara’s surprise, she saw a heart made of red roses spread out on the lawn, with a message displayed in the middle that read, “Will You Marry Me?” The couple got married at Kahua Ranch in Waimea, Hawaii with rolling hills overlooking the surrounding ocean. Tara and Shannon invited 100 of their closest family and friends to the outdoor wedding ceremony and tented patio reception. Peach, pink and ivory flowers decorated the wedding arch, white dining tables and even the four-tiered blue wedding cake! Rustic elements added country flair to the reception, from the wood box centerpieces to the tall lanterns made of branches. “There was a faint mist right after we exchanged our vows, but then the clouds cleared and the sun shown brightly on us all,” says Tara. “Dinner started with the perfect and most beautiful sunset.”