Holoholokai Beach

HAWAII-Wedding Day

Ceremony

Fish Hopper Kona

Reception

Mill Creek Park Lodge

Iowa Reception

Lost Dutchman State Park

Arizona Reception

Summer

Our Wedding

Where did our story begin?

Our story began where a lot of relationships do now days... online. We met on Facebook dating.

When did we meet?

We had our first date on June 14, 2021. We met for Mexican at Rancho de Tia Rosas and went to a local bakery (Rise Up Bakery) for dessert.

What do we like to do?

Well, we both have our hobbies. Jillian loves to hike and video for her channel. Amy loves to do house projects and craft things.   We love doing whatever we can together from going out, to watching tv or movies together. Our favorite thing is traveling together from local trips to international adventures! We love to travel together.

Our Story

Photos

Joining us on The Big Island (Invitation Only)...

Wedding festivities will all be taking place in the Kona area, on the West side of the Big Island of Hawaii.You have two airports to choose from:Kona (KOA) on the West side of the island andHilo (ITO) on the East side of the island. It takes 1.5 hrs. to drive from Hilo to Kona. We recommend flying into Kona, that is what we will be doing. Keep in mind that most flights returning to the mainland are evening/night flights. Transportation:We recommend getting a rental car and exploring some of the island during your stay.If staying close to your accommodations you can Uber/Lyft, or schedule a shuttle to/from the airport. Keep in mind you will need to travel to the ceremony location &amp; reception location. Accommodations:There are lots of hotels, Airbnb, and VRBO's to stay at in the area and on the island. On our first trip to the big island we stayed at the Royal Kona Resort. It was a nice hotel and the room was great. (We always recommend getting a room with a lanai (balcony)).On our wedding scouting trip in August we stayed at the Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. It was nice, the only downside was that the hotel sat back just far enough that we could not hear the waves at night, a big draw back for us.We recommend two main hotels:<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/EPFTPym4xD3AxFdL9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Courtyard by King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel</a>and<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/BGBM86ZD79rgT5CU6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Royal Kona Resort</a> We have stayed at both of these hotels and highly recommend them! The Big Island shoreline is mostly lava rock, if you are wanting a place to stay with a sandy beach area make sure you do your research as most places do not have a sand beach. The Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel has a sand beach area. For sand beaches you often have to drive to a public beach. We do NOT recommend staying in Hilo or on the East side of the island, it is the rainy side of the island. We did on our first trip for a few days, and it rained everyday, we moved to Kona.

Things to DoWell besides seeing us, some things you can do in the area are...It's Hawaii there are a million things to do!! Hike, water activities, dinner cruises, see an active volcano, excursions, and of course relax on the beach. Some companies we have used in HI: We have used Body Glove for a dinner cruise, it was really delicious!<a href="https://www.bodyglovehawaii.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.bodyglovehawaii.com/</a> We have used Aloha VIP for a Circle Island Tour, to book a Luau , and for a transfer - both of those experiences were top notch!<a href="https://alohavip.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://alohavip.com/</a> We have not done the snorkeling yet, but would recommend both these above companies, as they have worked for us in the past! Don't forget your water shoes as the lava rocks and coral can be sharp and there are ocean critters you won't want to step on like sea urchins.

Big Island, Hawaii (Invitation Only!)

Joining us in Iowa...

Reception will take place at The Lodge @ Mill Creek Park, Paullina IA. Transportation:If driving yourself, Paullina is located in northwest Iowa.If flying into the area and getting a rental car the closest airports are...Sioux City, IA: Very limited airlines. A 1 hour drive to Paullina.Sioux Falls, SD: More airline options. A 1.5 hour drive to Paullina.Omaha, NE: Larger airport in the area. A 2.5 hour drive to Paullina.Des Moines, IA: Larger airport in the area. A 3.5 hour drive to Paullina. Accommodations:There are lots of hotels, Airbnb, and VRBO's to stay at in the area as well as cabins and other lodgings.Paullina:Cabins at Mill Creek Park, reserved thru https://www.mycountyparks.comWhite House Inn (712) 448-3782Old Market Antiques &amp; Bock Suites (712) 949-4949Other local towns for lodging within a 30 minutes drive of Paullina:Cherokee: Cherokee Inn, Best Western La Grande Hacienda,Sheldon: Holiday Inn Express &amp; Suites, Cobblestone Inn &amp; Suites, Super 8Orange City: Hampton Inn, Dutch Inn and SuitesPrimghar: Cobblestone Court (712) 221-0346Sutherland: Cabins at Dog Creek Park, reserved thru https://www.mycountyparks.com

Joining us in Arizona...

Reception will take place at Lost Dutchman State Park on the far East Side of the Phoenix valley. Transportation:If driving yourself, Lost Dutchman State Park is located 5 miles east of Apache Junction.If flying into the area and getting a rental car the closest airports are...Mesa (IWA): 30 minutes from Lost Dutchman State Park.Phoenix (PHX): 45 minutes from Lost Dutchman State Park. Accommodations:There are lots of hotels, Airbnb, and VRBO's to stay at in the area. Lost Dutchman State Park also has cabins for rent.

Well besides seeing us, some things you can do in the area are...

The Big Island of Hawaii:It's Hawaii there are a million things to do!! Hike, water activities, dinner cruises, see an active volcano, excursions, and of course relax on the beach. Iowa:Enjoy the slower pace of Midwest America. Check out the local shops in Paullina and surrounding towns. Arizona:Well we are in the Phoenix area, so there are tons of things to do. Hiking, check out the local lakes, shopping, Queen Creek olive Mill, Zoo, parks, concerts, sports events, and lots of other events and activities.

Amy & Jillian

Amy & Jillian

Where did our story begin?

When did we meet?

What do we like to do?