Last year I was in Bali on my honeymoon. Before embarking on our trip my husband and I had heard rumblings of a possible volcano eruption but we were hellbent on getting out of dodge so we crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. So yes. We went, enjoyed our stay, and on the day that we were leaving there were announcements of increased volcanic activity. With butterflies in our stomachs and a longing to get home to see our pup we headed to the airport. As a twist of fate while wandering the terminal we ran into a friend of mine from California that I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. What luck! We mused over the fact that the increased activity was worrisome and were thankful that the board announcement confirmed our flights were both on time. When the hour struck we boarded our plane and were off to begin our 16 hour flight. The day after we arrived home news broke that the eruption had finally happened. We left the island just in time.

Six months later my cousin John and his fiancé Christi were due to be married in Hawaii. Kilauea had been on the verge of an eruption and in true family fashion there was no hesitation in moving forward with their plans. My family and I landed in Maui a few days before the ceremony so we could enjoy all that Maui had to offer and we joked that my husband and I were somehow, quite innocently, caught up in a game of playing “I double dog dare you” with yet another volcano. Thankfully, even though Kilauea was active while we were in Hawaii, Maui was far enough away to be unaffected. The wedding itself was intimate and beautiful and I witnessed a true Hawaiian luau for the first time in my life. Congratulations to John and Christi! Here are a few images I snapped during their day of celebration: