SUMMARY : Alec and Jessa recently celebrated their wedding after a 12-year love story that began on a tennis court and weathered the challenges of long-distance military training. Their heartfelt ceremony highlighted their enduring bond through personalized vows, featuring sweet memories of a quirky high school “french fry” proposal and the profound relief of finally uniting under the same last name. For couples inspired to host their own intimate, nature-focused ceremony, destinations like Oahu’s Kualoa Regional Park offer a stunning, budget-friendly public beach venue that accommodates small gatherings against the dramatic, cinematic backdrop of the Koʻolau Mountains.
Q: How many guests allowed at Kualoa regional park wedding?
A: Kualoa Regional Park is ideal for intimate, small-scale ceremonies, typically limiting capacity to a maximum of 30 to 50 people for weddings held on the public beach
Q: Do you need a permit for beach wedding Kualoa regional park?
A: Yes, you are required to get a permit from to get married there, and you usually cannot set up structures like arches or chairs on the public beach
Q: How to write wedding vows for a long relationship?
A: You can draw inspiration from your shared history and mundane moments of connection, just as Alec and Jessa did by referencing simple dates to McDonald’s, getting through two-hour bus rides, and making a promise to continue falling in love with every new version of each other as time goes on.
A Love Story 13 Years in the Making
For Alec and Jessa, standing on the beautiful sands of Kualoa Regional Park was the ultimate culmination of a deeply rooted, long-term partnership. Their unique story began 13 years ago on a local tennis court. In his wedding vows, Alec fondly recalled that he initially went to the courts just to watch the tennis club, completely unaware that he was about to meet the person he would spend the rest of his life with. Looking back, they were just kids looking to have fun, but they shared a special connection before they even really started looking at each other. They bonded over mundane but incredibly meaningful teenage moments, from casual walks to visit the “manapua man” to sharing McDonald’s Well Done Fries.
Their love story officially began on February 15, 2014—a date deliberately chosen the day after Valentine’s Day so that their anniversary wouldn’t be “too corny”. About a year into their official relationship, Alec offered Jessa a “Soggy French Fry” and bravely asked her to marry him. While it may have looked like silly high school platitudes to outside observers, Alec noted that the smile and the “yes” she gave him that day were as real as it gets, sparking a serious commitment that would lovingly endure for over a decade.
Weathering the Distance and Finding Home
Every great romantic relationship faces difficult trials, and for Alec and Jessa, the ultimate test of their bond was time and long distance. Early in their relationship, the couple was forced to spend almost two years apart when Alec left home to attend military basic training and military tech school. While Jessa stayed behind to attend school and continue living her life, the physical distance was an immense challenge. Despite utilizing FaceTime and Skype to talk every single day, they both admitted that their days felt incredibly “numb and boring” without each other’s physical presence.
However, that long separation ultimately illuminated exactly how much better their lives were when they were together. When Alec finally completed his training and returned home, Jessa made the life-changing decision to move in with him, firmly solidifying their bond.
Their quiet resilience as a couple was evident even in the earliest days of their romance. In one unforgettable, unscripted moment at the beginning of their relationship, the couple decided to take the bus for a date. Assuming that all buses followed generically the same route, they soon discovered that an expected five-minute ride had turned into a massive two-hour detour. Instead of becoming frustrated by the delay, they simply went along for the ride and were just happy to be in each other’s company. As Jessa recalled during an interview, this mundane mishap really spoke to them, proving early on that no matter what happened in life, they would gladly go through it together.
The Vows: Replacing the French Fry with Forever
Writing personalized wedding vows of your love story for a long-term relationship can be a daunting task, but Alec and Jessa’s words perfectly and intimately captured their immense growth as a couple. After 12 years and exactly 4,383 days together (making sure to accurately include the leap years), Alec proudly announced that he was finally giving his high school French fry proposal a “long-overdue upgrade” by replacing it with a real wedding ring.
His vows were a deeply poignant reflection on how they built their lives side-by-side. Alec lovingly stated, “You were my person when we had nothing, and you were my person as we built everything”. He promised to always be the one trying to make Jessa laugh, even acknowledging that his jokes could sometimes be as questionable as his original French fry proposal. He vowed to have her back, to be her rock when life inevitably gets heavy, and to be her absolute biggest fan when things are bright. Most beautifully, he promised that as they moved through life together, he would “continue to fall in love with every new version of you that I meet”.
Jessa’s vows perfectly mirrored this deep, unconditional level of devotion. She affectionately thanked Alec for being her home, her safe space, and her person for twelve years. Expressing deep gratitude for his patience and understanding, she vowed to give him her forever, promising to stand beside him “when the daylight shines and hold you tight when it heavily storms”. Jessa pledged to actively choose patience when things get hard, to choose honesty when it is uncomfortable, and to fiercely protect and nurture the beautiful life they had built together. Calling him her best friend and soulmate, she proudly gave him her entire heart.
The Ceremony: A Shift from Two to One
When the highly anticipated moment finally arrived to stand across from each other at the altar, the breathtaking, cinematic landscape of Kualoa Regional Park seemingly faded away into the background. For both the bride and groom, their primary thoughts were filled with pure joy and disbelief, thinking to themselves, “oh, this is finally happening after 12 years together”.
For Alec, the pinnacle of the ceremony was the immense gladness of finally being able to give Jessa his last name. For Jessa, officially receiving his last name and formally becoming one entity was a profoundly emotional experience. When the wedding officiant finally pronounced them husband and wife, the couple experienced a massive emotional shift. They vividly described the exact moment as a profound sense of relief and release, stating that they felt “almost born anew”.
Despite facing less-than-perfect weather conditions on their actual wedding day, the couple noted that they would never forget the immense support of the wonderful company who gathered to witness their union. Jessa specifically noted that a decade from now, she would forever cherish Alec’s unique, heartfelt vows, knowing with absolute certainty that his words came straight from the very bottom of his heart.
Tips for Your Own Intimate Love Story Wedding in Oahu
If Alec and Jessa’s beautiful 12-year love story and stunning Kualoa Regional Park wedding have inspired you to start planning, here are a few key Q&A takeaways and expert tips to keep in mind for your own special day:
Q: How do you write vows for a long relationship?
A: Your vows do not need to be formal or traditional to be absolutely perfect. Draw direct inspiration from your own shared history, mundane moments of connection, inside jokes, and the unique challenges you have overcome together.
Q: How many guests should I invite to a Kualoa Regional Park wedding?
A: Public beach venues in Oahu are best suited for smaller, intimate guest counts. Keeping your guest list to a maximum of 30 to 50 people ensures you comply with local guidelines while focusing your attention on the people who truly matter most.
Q: Do I need a permit for an Oahu beach wedding?
A: Yes! Always ensure you apply for and secure the proper City & County of Honolulu permits well in advance of your beach wedding. Be prepared for a beautiful but minimalist setup, as structures like large arches or seating chairs are usually restricted on public beaches.
Q: When is the best time to get married at Kualoa Regional Park?
A: To prioritize your privacy and beat the heavy weekend crowds, opt for a weekday morning ceremony. Arriving early guarantees the best natural lighting for your photography and ensures your guests have access to secure parking.
Start Planning Your Dream Hawaii Wedding Today
Are you feeling inspired by Alec and Jessa’s unforgettable, deeply emotional ceremony under the towering Ko’olau Mountains? Whether you are actively looking to plan your own intimate beach wedding at Kualoa Regional Park, need expert help navigating Honolulu permit requirements, or want to explore other breathtaking Oahu wedding venues for your big day, our team is here to help make your dream a reality.
Get more information by contacting us today, and let’s start planning the next beautiful chapter of your love story!
