A smiling officiant looks on as the bride and groom share their first kiss at their Hawaiian-inspired backyard wedding.

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Their Love Story

Let me share the sweet story of how Bre and Josh first met. It all began when Bre’s best college friend, Amanda, who also happens to be Josh’s older sister, introduced them. Bre and Amanda have been best friends since their college days, and their friendship means the world to them.

One night, Amanda invited Josh to join their girls’ night out in Denver after he turned 21. While they didn’t start officially dating until the following year, there was a connection brewing between Bre and Josh from the start. However, Bre hesitated to acknowledge her feelings because Josh was her best friend’s brother. She didn’t want to risk jeopardizing their friendship.

But luckily, fate had a hand in their story. After receiving Amanda’s subtle approval and support, Bre finally embraced her feelings for Josh. With Amanda silently cheering them on, they went on their first date, and the rest, as they say, is history.

  • The bride stands in front of the groom as they hold holds.
  • Hawaiian-inspired wedding bouquet.
  • A traditional portrait of the bride and groom at their Hawaiian inspired wedding as they stand beneath an arbor and smile at the camera.
  • Bride in long dress with train and Hawaiian headpiece under and arbor.
  • Close up of a lei with kukui and greenery on a groom.
  • Portrait of a groom standing beneath a wedding arbor with Hawaiian-inspired flowers.

The Wedding

Josh’s parents opened their home for the wedding ceremony and reception. The adjacent park that backed up to their property made the perfect ceremony space to shade the couple from the sunshine. It also offered the ideal orientation for guests to witness the event without the glare of the sun.

Rather than asking guests to dance on the grass, his parents added a large patio in their backyard off the deck. Given all of the dancing and celebration following the ceremony, this decision paid off and the patio stayed packed with dancers most of the evening.

Attention to Detail and Hospitality

The bride drew on her Hawaiian heritage and incorporated the tradition of giving leis to the family. She chose a beautiful wedding color scheme of navy blue, rose pink, sage green, light blue, and olive green.

Throughout the wedding, various details made everyone feel at home and comfortable. Various signs helped guests to understand the wedding timeline and pointed to where key activities took place.

The ceremony included the sharing of Josh & Bre’s story, a Bible reading, reciting of vows, signing of the marriage license, and an exchange of rings. After the officiant presented them as a couple, Josh and Bre had their first kiss and walked down the aisle as guests launched nature-friendly biodegradable confetti sticks for a dramatic exit.

Final Words

Josh and Bre, I am so honored to have been a part of your day and your special wedding team circle made up of family, friends, and special vendors. I will always remember your joy and laughter and the happy tears. I found this quote on Google, since I’m not gifted in Hawaiian, that made me think of you: He ‘Olina Leo Ka Ke Aloha – Joy is in the voice of love. May you always find your joy in the moment and throughout your future years. Aloha Nui Loa.

Hawaiian-Inspired Backyard Wedding Photo Gallery

  • An outdoor wedding arbor decorated with Hawaiian flowers and a cream color drape over wooden frame.
  • Hawaiian inspired florals for the best backyard wedding in Thornton, Colorado.
  • Hawaiian-inspired joyful backyard weddings include flowers like these.
  • Gold wedding rings on Hawaiian flowers strewn on the grass.
  • The groom places kukui lea on best man.
  • A lei made of kukui and greenery worn by the groom.
  • The groom escorts his grandmother to her seat.
  • Grandparents of the groom wait seated on white chairs for the wedding to start.
  • Close up of an engineering tie.
  • The guests talk amongst themselves and eagerly await for the wedding processional to start.
  • The matron of honor and best man walk arm in arm down the aisle.
  • The flower girls wearing brightly colored leis walk down the wedding aisle with a basket and toss petals on the ground.
  • First glimpse of the bride wearing a Hawaiian style headpiece with greenery and white flowers walks arm and arm with her father.
  • The eyes of the groom fill with tears as he glimpses his bride for the first time in wedding attire.
  • Wide angle view of Thornton outdoor owedding.
  • The bride and groom at the arbor with their officiant.
  • The bride smiles at the groom during the ceremony.
  • The father of the groom dabs at his teary eyes under his sunglasses during the wedding ceremony.
  • The animated officiant keeps the bride and groom on their toes.
  • A smiling bride holding her vow book.
  • An officiant holds up the gold wedding bands during the ceremony.
  • Close up of the bride and groom holding hands during their ceremony.
  • A smiling officiant looks on as the bride and groom share their first kiss at their Hawaiian-inspired backyard wedding.
  • The bride and groom exit the wedding ceremony beneath a flurry of biodegradable confetti.
  • The groom covered in confetti leads his bride as they exit the wedding ceremony.
  • The bride removes confetti from the grooms hair as he wraps his arm around her back.
  • The sister of the bride and matron of honor kisses the bride on the cheek.
  • The groom and best man hold the wedding bouquet.
  • A wedding party at a backyard ceremony pose for a traditional portrait.
  • A wedding snack bar to tide guests over until the buffet begins.
  • The bride and groom raise their arms together in victory as they make their grand entrance to the reception.
  • The bride and groom hold hands and raise their outer arms in a dramatic pose during their grand entrance.
  • The bride and groom dance as his parents look on.
  • Close up of the bride and groom as he dips her during the first dance.
  • A sign reads "Taco about love" on a wedding buffet table.
  • The bride and groom wear aprons over their wedding attire and are ready to serve their guests food from their buffet.
  • The bride and groom serve their guests food from the taco buffet.
  • A guests serves up a plate of tacos and adds one of many available sauces on the top.
  • The father of the bride holds onto his notes and a microphone as he prepares to give a toast.
  • The bride hugs her father following the beautiful toast he just gave as the sun sets in the background.
  • A bride bends over and laughs as her sister gives a toast at the reception.
  • The matron of honor points at the bride and groom during her toast.
  • The best man and brother of the groom takes the microphone for a toast.
  • The groom and the bride react to the best man's toast.
  • The groom hugs his mom and his bride following the mother and son dance.
  • As the sun sets, vthe bridal couple look out at their guests inside tents as the toasts are going on.
  • Large overhead group shot of the guests with glow sticks on the dance floor.
  • The bride and groom cut the wedding cake located behind the stacks of donuts.
  • Action shot of the bridesmaid catching the brides bouquet.
  • A guest holding glow sticks dances at the wedding reception.
  • The groom dances with a glow stick and waves it over his head.
  • Hawaiian-inspired backyard weddings include the giving of leas to family and members of the bridal party like the groom shown in this photo.
  • Hawaiian-inspired backyard weddings have fun details like this photo station with a mirror and a camera to take selfies.

Wedding Team

Wedding volunteers smile at a friends wedding as the DJ works in the background.

Leave a Congratulatory Note

Please share a favorite wedding day memory below. Or, if you were not able to attend, feel free to leave a congratulatory note! Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the comments section.

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Photographer

Anne Stephenson is a Denver, Colorado photographer who captures honest, unscripted moments rooted in connection and story—reflecting who you truly are at weddings, mitzvahs, and beyond.

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