Longtime Big Island residents Gwen Ilaban and Raphael Chaikin were wed Oct. 25 in Las Vegas. Chaikin and Ilaban have been a couple for 21 years and divide their time between Waimea, Kona, Santa Monica, Calif., and Ketchikan, Alaska. The
Longtime Big Island residents Gwen Ilaban and Raphael Chaikin were wed Oct. 25 in Las Vegas. Chaikin and Ilaban have been a couple for 21 years and divide their time between Waimea, Kona, Santa Monica, Calif., and Ketchikan, Alaska. The two met as neighbors in Kona in 1990 and their relationship evolved from there. They share common interests in the environment, health care causes and philanthropy.
Chaikin is a retired banker and Ilaban has been active in environmental causes. She was also formerly on the board of the Planned Parenthood Organization, Hawaii.
Ilaban’s parents and family reside on the Big Island and in California. Chaikin’s family resides in Kailua-Kona, Molokai, California and New York.
The two have been celebrating with friends and family in California and will be spending their honeymoon in the South Pacific.
