Haleʻiwa Aliʻi Beach Park

Stargazing

Ko Olina Ocean Adventures

Catamaran Sail and Snorkel (Limited Seats Please Confirm Your Spot with John or Arraya)

Wedding Day

Secret Island at Kualoa Ranch

Ceremony

Moli'i Gardens

Reception

Aloha Family and Friends,&nbsp; Fly away with us to this beautiful island and be apart of our wedding in paradise. It is our dream to be able to exchange our vows in a smaller and intimate gathering by the beach.&nbsp; We know making this trip may not be easy for everyone. Please join us if you are able, but we will gladly accept your warm wishes and support from afar!&nbsp; We hope you will be able to make the journey and we can't wait to celebrate with you! Love,John &amp; Arraya RSVP Closed on March 1st. If there are any changes, please contact one of us directly. See you soon!

Our Wedding

Wedding Timeline

Monday, May 22, 2023

Thank you for joining our wedding celebration!

Reminder: Our ceremony is located on Secret Island and requires a boat ride that will depart promptly at 3:30PM. Please plan to arrive to the Secret Island Parking lot early and account for any traffic you may encounter on the island.

AddressSecret Island Boat Dock49-345 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744

We're excited you'll be joining us at the wedding! We've arranged some activities for anyone who would like to join us! Since many people will be making an extended vacation out of their trip, please feel free to join if you'd like, but do not feel pressured if you want to make your own vacation plans.

Private Show with Stargazing of Hawaii

Tour of the constellations and stars. View satellites, planets, double stars, star clusters, galaxies, and nebulas.&nbsp;With space/astronomy stories by Nick Bradley. All are welcome to join! Address: Haleiwa Alii Beach Park66-167 Haleiwa Rd, Haleiwa, HI 96712 Casual: Guests may hang out at the beach that day and watch the sunset before stargazing. May bring chairs, blankets, food, drinks, etc. Recommend eating before show starts. Want to know more about Nick Bradley?<a href="https://www.stargazersofhawaii.com/about" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.stargazersofhawaii.com/about</a>

Catamaran Snorkeling Adventure

Please Confirm your spot with John or Arraya for this event as seats are limited. Check-in information: Catamaran Sail and Snorkel Tour: CHECK-IN TIME 12:30 PM (TOUR 1:00 - 4:00 PM).You will be required to sign a waiver during check-in. Address: Ko Olina Marina92-100 Waipahe Pl. Kapolei, HI 96707 Parking: The marina parking parking lot is open daily from 5:00 am to 8:30 pm. Parking is available for $15.00. Things to Bring: Swimsuit, towels, reef safe sunscreen, light jacket or cover-up. The tour will be providing snorkel gear and life jackets. You may bring your own fins and snorkel gear if you'd like. However, full face masks are not allowed and no external floaties. They'll have a cash bar available on the boat for $5 per drink. You may bring your own lunch and snacks but no alcohol. Unlimited soft drinks and water are included. I hope y'all are excited because we'll have the boat all to ourselves.

CEREMONYOur ceremony will be held on the Secret Island at Kualoa Ranch. To get to the ceremony site, you will take a short ride on a catamaran to a private beach. Please plan to arrive at the dock by 3:00 PM to board the boat at 3:30PM. If you miss the boat, you will not be able to get there! Please plan to come early. Attire: Island Casual Address: Secret Island at Kualoa Ranch49-345 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI, 96744 RECEPTION5:30 PM–9:00 PMCocktails and Dinner to follow the ceremony at Moli'i Gardens.

Luau

We'll be attending the evening luau at Toa Luau. All are welcomed to join so if you are interested we recommend purchasing your ticket ASAP as they may sell out early. Ticket and booking information below. Tickets: To purchase your ticket, please call Toa Luau at 808-460-4102 (for Simon) or 877-778-0273. Tell them you are booking in the John Stinson group to receive your 10% discount!This group reservation is based on the purchase of the gold package for Wednesday May 24th evening luau. (Price for adults is $145 before the discount) For more information check out <a href="https://www.toaluau.com/prices" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.toaluau.com/prices</a> Address: Toa Luau is located in Waimea Valley.59-864 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI 96712.&nbsp; Attire: Between casual and aloha wear. No Swimsuits allowed. Each ticket includes a Waimea Valley Pass allowing you to visit the waterfall and their botanical gardens so you'll definitely wanna come early to see all that before the luau begins. Please allow yourself at least 2 hours before the luau starts to explore the valley and Waimea falls.

Kualoa Tours + Activities

Kualoa is a 4,000-acre private nature reserve on the windward coast of Oʻahu. Also known as Jurassic Valley, it is a popular tourist attraction and filming location for Elvis, 50 First Dates, Jumanji, Godzilla, Jurassic World, Jurassic Park, LOST, Hawaii Five-0 and Kong Skull Island. Kualoa Ranch has a Jurassic Valley Zipline, Electric Bike Tours, ATV Tours, Horseback Tours, Jurassic Jungle Expeditions, Ocean Voyage Tours and the always popular Hollywood Movie Site Tours. If you are interested in any of these activities, we are able to get 20% off their tours and activities for our wedding guests which will be valid for 1 week prior to our wedding and run through 1 week after our weddingUse Promocode: STINSON20*Valid for tours from *5/15/23-5/29/23 Visit their website to book your reservation:<a href="https://www.kualoa.com/kualoa-tours-activities/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.kualoa.com/kualoa-tours-activities/</a>

Events

Are you curious about our love story?

Aloha!

We met at work in 2012 and over a couple months got to know each other. Our first date wasn't exactly conventional. What ended up being a cancelled work team activity ended up just the two of us watching a movie together. After that, we were inseparable and I knew that she was special.

First Date

Our first adventure together, we went to Paradise Island in the Bahamas. We had a great time and love the beach and island life. I can't imaging traveling the world with anyone else. We've gone to France, Japan, and Cancun and Maui of course. Still on our list... Thailand!

Our First Trip

After dating for a little over three years, I asked Arraya to move in with me. It took a bit of searching but we found a nice spot that was situated somewhat between both our places of work in Farmers Branch. It also took some courage to ask her parents. While we stayed there, we also adopted our dog Nova. Eventually, we both left those jobs and we're now living near downtown Dallas.

Moving in Together

I had been thinking about the when and where I should propose since the start of the year. We talked about taking a trip to Maui and I thought that would be a great place to do it. It was such an enjoyable trip made more memorable by her saying "Yes"! Since Hawaii is such a big part of our lives now we decided that it should also be the place we say "I do."#ShakaSheSaidYes

The Proposal

The Next Chapter Awaits.....

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Getting to Oahu

The airport to fly into Oahu is Honolulu International Airport (HNL). It is located just 5 miles northwest of downtown Honolulu and 10 miles northwest of Waikiki Beach. HNL is an international airport and there are several airlines with service to Honolulu. Have you tried Google flights? Use google flights to compare flight deals on your travel date. <a href="https://www.google.com/flights" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.google.com/flights</a>

Traveling on Oahu

We recommend that you rent a car to get around the island. Car rentals are very high in demand, so please plan to make reservations in advance. Enterprise, Avis, Hertz, Budget and many other major rental companies are available from the airport. <a href="https://airports.hawaii.gov/hnl/getting-to-from/ground-transportation/car-rentals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://airports.hawaii.gov/hnl/getting-to-from/ground-transportation/car-rentals/</a> Another car rental option you could try is Turo (a company that connects local vehicle owners with people who are looking to rent a car in the area). We’ve tried this on our trip on Maui and got a better rate and fairly easy rental process. We did add additional insurance coverage as a piece of mind. Connect with us if you want to know more about our experience on Turo.&nbsp; <a href="https://turo.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://turo.com</a> City transportation, trolleys, shuttles, taxis and ride shares are also options if you’re not planning to travel much around the island.

Travel Restrictions

Beginning March 26, 2022, there are no COVID-related requirements with travel to Hawaii. The federal mask mandate have ended on April 18th. We will continue to check for updates if there's any changes. <a href="https://www.gohawaii.com/travel-requirements" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.gohawaii.com/travel-requirements</a>

Travel

There are several accommodation options to choose from on Oahu. We will not have any hotel room block to give everyone the flexibility to choose where to stay based on budget and preference. After all, this is also your vacation. We hope the following guide will help you decide where best to stay. Short Term Rentals (AirBNB and VRBO).Oahu has a short term vacation rental law which requires a minimum of 30 days to book in residential areas (will change to 90 days on ​​Oct 23, 2022) . When booking a rental through AirBnb or VRBO, please make sure that their listing is legal and compliant with Bill 41 or Ordinance 22-7.&nbsp; The rule will not apply to resort-zoned areas in Ko Olina, Kuilima (near Turtle Bay Resort), Makaha, and parts of Waikiki. We recommend searching for properties near these resort zone, double checking with the host and visit the link below to review specific zoned areas that permits short-term rentals. More information on short-term rentals: <a href="https://www.honolulu.gov/dppstr" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.honolulu.gov/dppstr</a>

Oahu Best Areas to Stay

North Shore (Turtle Bay Resort)The north shore is a great area to stay if you want to get away from the city and crowd. You will enjoy the laid back Hawaii surf culture. Turtle Bay Resort is located here!&nbsp;If the rates for booking directly with the resort sounds crazy to you, you can check VRBO rentals for better rates.&nbsp; WaikikiWaikiki is a popular place to stay on Oahu. It is a large beachfront city with lots of hotel options from budget-friendly hotels to luxury resorts. Waikiki beach is world-famous and gets lots of crowd and tourism. There may be additional daily parking rates if you have a car rental. It is 10 miles from the airport (~20 minutes) and 22 miles to Kualoa Ranch (~40 minutes). Ko Olina&nbsp;The Four Seasons, Marriott and Disney’s Aulani are big resorts in Ko Olina. The Leeward side is the drier and sunnier side of the island. Also check out VRBO for rentals nearby.&nbsp;It is 20 miles from the airport (~25 minutes)&nbsp;and 37 miles to Kualoa Ranch (~47 minutes)&nbsp; Windward East (Kaneohe / Kailua)This side of the island is mostly residential and has very little resort option. If you find a short term rental in this area, please check that it is legal.

Where To Stay

We hope you'll make this trip a vacation of your dreams. If you're looking for things to do on the Island, here's a few recommendation we have for you.

Beaches

It's Hawaii... of course there are beaches.

Waimea Bay Beach Park

Kawela Bay Beach Park

Waikīkī Beach

Kualoa Ranch

This is where our wedding will be at. Kualoa Ranch has a Jurassic Valley Zipline, Electric Bike Tours, ATV Tours, Horseback Tours, Jurassic Jungle Expeditions, Ocean Voyage Tours and the always popular Hollywood Movie Site Tours. If you are interested in any of these activities, we are able to get&nbsp;20% off their tours and activities&nbsp;for our wedding guests which will be valid for 1 week prior to our wedding and run through 1 week after our weddingUse Promocode:&nbsp;STINSON20*Valid for tours from *5/15/23-5/29/23 <a href="https://www.kualoa.com/kualoa-tours-activities/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.kualoa.com/kualoa-tours-activities/</a>

Jurassic Adventure Tour

ATV Raptor Adventure

Jurassic Valley Zipline

Water

From surfing to snorkeling, there is a little bit of everything you'd like to do on the water.

Surf HNL

Atlantis Adventures Oahu - Warehouse

Hawai‘i Nautical

Hiking

Oahu sports many beautiful state parks and nature reserves to hike or walk.

Waimea Valley

Kahuku Farms

Diamond Head State Monument

Museums

Get your knowledge on.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Iolani Palace

The Byodo-In Temple

Polynesian Cultural Center

Golfing

There are many golf courses on Oahu.

Bayview Golf Course

Hawaii Prince Golf Club

Please visit <a href="https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/oahu/things-to-do" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">GoHawaii</a> to see more options.

Things to Do

John and I will be on Oahu from Wednesday May 17th to Friday May 26th. We will be staying at a Turtle Bay Condo @ Kuilima Estates West 57-101 Kuilima Drive 51 Kahuku, HI 96731. Check out our Travel and Where To Stay page for more information.

Arraya & John