For more than 20 years, my husband Mike and I co-owned and operated Kauai Island Weddings, one of Hawai‘i’s leading full-service wedding companies. Over time, we grew to become the island’s busiest wedding provider, helping 300–400 couples each year say “I do” in paradise.

Then, everything changed in 2020. When the global pandemic struck, Hawai‘i imposed a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all visitors from the mainland. What we thought would be a brief pause stretched into more than a year of shutdowns. By the time restrictions were lifted in April 2021, 300 weddings had been canceled, and our once-thriving business had been brought to a standstill.

The financial and emotional strain was overwhelming. We kept our payroll afloat for two months with a PPP loan, but eventually had to scale back, keeping just one essential staff member. Constantly changing state mandates only added to the uncertainty, and what had been a dream career in weddings turned into a daily struggle of cancellations, bookkeeping, and questions about the future.

In the midst of this upheaval, I found myself asking: What’s next? Out of that question—and out of necessity—Mad About Merino was born.

Discovering the beauty of merino wool gave me fresh inspiration at a time when everything else felt uncertain. I was drawn to its softness, natural elegance, and versatility. Creating Mad About Merino became more than just starting another business — it was about channeling resilience into something meaningful, something that could bring comfort, beauty, and quality into people’s everyday lives. What began as a challenge has grown into a passion, and today I’m proud to share that passion with you through every piece we create.