May 13, 2020
Tomorrow May 14 is our 7th Wedding Anniversary and the start of Smith Story Wine Cellars too! It rained hard that afternoon 7 years ago. We spent the prior week on the sunny beaches of Kona and lounging at the Mauna Kea beach resort. On May 13, we drove to Kona to sign our marriage license, it was then and there that we both heard the words "Smith Story" said out loud when signing our license in very romantic cinder block government office on the Big Island.
Off we went to relax on the beach one more time before checking into our new inn above Kona in a little town surrounded by coffee bean plantations and tropical flowers. We had planned for our ceremony to be outside in the garden on May 14. The next morning of course I had a hair appt. for the big day and within 2 hours watched the sunshine vanish into dense dark clouds and watched my hair turn into after mardi-gras level humidified bigness.
Moving on... our plans for an outdoor ceremony was now NOT gonna happen. The minister reached out to us after gathering fresh water from the ocean that morning for our Hawaiian ceremony to calm us "In Hawaii, rain is considered a blessing and a good omen. This isn't just a saying to make you feel better, it is deeply rooted in Hawaiian language and culture. The Hawaiian word for water is WAI and the Hawaiian word for wealth is WAIWAI. You will be blessed with both of these".
Okay, that sounded cool, we we went with it, moved our 3-person ceremony onto the gorgeus lanai overlooking the garden while it rained and I mean rained sideways while we said our vows and officially tied-the-knot. Eric and I were a beautiful wet mess after the ceremony, the wind and rain made the afternoon a little more exciting as we sipped champagne and cut into the most beautiful wedding cake ever seen (and tasted!).
We vowed to stick it out with each other forever that afternoon, promised to support, love, inspire and laugh with each other along the way too. In sickness and health, in adversity and prosperity and to be true and loyal to each other as long as we live. Whew, I'm misty-eyed typing this.
Not gonna lie, reading our wedding vows each year on our anniversary is always a welcomed refresher! So please join us Thursday and raise a glass to weathering the storm with us. Seven years of being newly wed, seven years of entrepreneurship and seven years of one Helluva ride together. We are so glad to know you and to have earned your friendship and trust in Smith Story Wines too.
Cheers to living aloha!
- Ali Story (follow us on IG tomorrow for some epic wedding day photos!).
• A - ala: watchful, aware, alertness
• L - lokahi: working with unity and understanding
• O - oia'i'o: truthful, honest, forthcoming
• H - ha'aha'a: humility, grace
• A - ahonui: patience, perseverance