With the stunning beauty of Oahu as their backdrop, Nicole and Ryo said “I do” in a chic garden wedding celebration in Hawaii.
In the summer of 2021, Nicole wasn’t feeling very optimistic about reinstalling Hinge. But after attending a close friend’s wedding, she decided to give the app another go. Luckily, that’s when she matched with Ryo, a university professor who happened to be a friend of a friend. Once Nicole received confirmation from their mutual contact that Ryo was not a catfish, the pair met for their first date in St. Augustine, Florida.
About a year and a half after they met, Ryo planned another date in St. Augustine to pop the question.
Ryo brought Nicole back to the vibrant Florida city under the guise of attending the Night of Lights, an annual holiday event that illuminates St. Augustine’s downtown in millions of white lights. As the couple enjoyed the event and reminisced about their first date, Ryo proposed.
On June 3, 2024, Nicole and Ryo tied the knot in Oahu in the Paliku Gardens of Kualoa Ranch. Guests sipped on fresh coconuts as the island’s soaring mountains and lush flora provided a breathtaking backdrop for the couple’s outdoor ceremony. The reception that followed featured tropical cocktails, elegant florals, and understated décor that perfectly captured their garden party theme.
Read on for all of the details from the couple’s chic garden wedding in Hawaii!
- Couple: Nicole Jones & Ryosuke Sano
- Occupations: University professors
- Wedding date: Monday, June 3, 2024
- Wedding location: Kualoa Ranch, Paliku Gardens, Oahu, HI
Quick Facts:
- Bridesmaid gifts: PJs and covering the cost of wedding day hair and makeup
- Groomsmen gifts: Ties and covering the cost of suit rentals
- Gifts for one another: Our honeymoon to Japan
- Ceremony entrance song: “We Found Love” by Rihanna
- First dance song: “At Last” by Etta James
How did you meet?
We met on Hinge in the Summer of 2021. I was reluctant to reinstall the app after numerous dating disasters, but after attending a close friend’s wedding, I decided to give it another shot. Surprisingly, we had a mutual friend who vouched that Ryo was not catfishing and reassured me that he was a great guy. The rest is history.
The First Look...
Tell us about the proposal.
Ryo: On our first date, we visited St. Augustine, Florida, a coastal city with numerous tourist attractions. In November 2022, I planned a date to St. Augustine under the guise of seeing the Nights of Lights show. As we watched the lights, I reminded Nicole of our first date in St. Augustine and many of our firsts as a couple. After that, I popped the question.
Nicole: Although the proposal was expected to happen, I was still completely shocked and caught off guard!
Describe your wedding style.
Our wedding attire is best described as garden party chic. I wanted a dress with a timeless silhouette but also one that incorporated the beauty of Hawaii. To achieve this look, I found a beautiful veil adorned with tropical flowers.
As for the suit, Ryo wanted to experiment outside of the black suit norm and decided on hunter green.
What was the wedding shopping experience like for you?
Regarding wedding attire, the experience was pretty easy in the beginning. However, during the wedding planning process, we decided to make a lifestyle change through diet and exercise. While we did see an overall improvement in our health, Ryo gained a significant amount of muscle mass, resulting in ordering another suit a month before the wedding (yikes). Maurisa Collis and her team were game-changers in wedding shopping and planning. Having a wedding planner alleviated the stress of wedding shopping, especially when identifying vendors and venues for a destination wedding.
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Ryo: Be realistic about your wedding budget.
Nicole: Sometimes less is more.
Want more chic Hawaiian garden wedding inspiration?
Click here.
Vendors:
- Planner: Collis Co.
- Photographer: Ashley Purple
- Videographer: Drew Williams Visual
- Makeup: Jenn Tabata
- Wedding dress designer: Made with Love Bridal
- Wedding dress salon: Blue Bridal
- Bridesmaids’ dresses: Azazie
- Shoes: Dolce Vita
- Groom’s attire: Indochino
- Groomsmen’s attire: Men’s Wearhouse
- Guest transportation: Royal Star Hawaii
- Décor rentals: Rio Event Design, The Wedding Linen Company, Accel Rentals & Tents, Aloha Artisans & WedCycle Hawai’i
- Catering: Bamboo Catering
- Front of house staff: Tray’d Up Hawaii
- Welcome Coconuts: Coco Anny
- Bar: Black Book HI
- Florist: Daisy Dukes Flower Farm
- Officiant: Oahu Officiant
- DJ: DJ Troy Michael
- Wedding cake: CakeM
- Signage: Mitchie Made
