This is your one cute couple alert. It’s easy for anyone to look good with the Hawaiian breeze blowing through their hair, and the Pacific sand in between their toes, but these two, they were absolutely adorable. The lovely planners & designers, Mango Muse Events, enlisted the help of Flowergirls to create the florals for the event – which is quickly jumping to the top of my favorite floral designs ever. Live trees as centerpieces, a Bonsai tree as the escort card holder, and, the best yet, those amazing honohono orchid chandeliers. Can I have one of those for every room in my house? Red Heart Photography captured every little detail, every little smile, and every little look shared, to perfection. Click here for the gallery!
Brian and I went to high school together but I joke that if we had ever been in the same class, we would never have ended up together because I was a diligent dorky student and Brian was more of the fun-loving troublemaker. Lucky for us, our paths never crossed in the classroom. Instead, we became close friends over the carefree summer between high school and college before I went away to college in Boston. That was how I thought our story might end. But they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it really must be true because when I returned home for Christmas break, we realized how much we had missed each other and we’ve been together ever since.
Eight years later, we got engaged and started to plan our wedding. We soon realized that we had no idea what to do! We wanted a wedding that would reflect who we are as a couple – our personalities, humor, and quirks. Unfortunately, we had no idea how to translate “us” into an actual event — thankfully, however, our wedding planner did!
Brian and I love the outdoors and Lanikuhonua on the west coast of Oahu turned out to be the perfect venue for us with its grassy field and ocean views. To further the outdoor feeling, we used Ficus trees as our centerpieces that “grew” out of the tables. We incorporated Brian’s love for the beach and my love of cooking with sand filled mason jars at each table. Twinkle lights (my favorite!) were strung up in a clear tent and beautiful orchids were hung from the tent as natural chandeliers.
In keeping with Japanese tradition, I folded one thousand gold cranes as a symbol of patience and a wish for a long and happy marriage. Brian folded one red crane to complete our one thousand and one cranes and we strung them up on a special family bonsai tree – perfectly complimenting the larger trees in the reception area.
We tried to keep things fun and cheerful with cute and casual wedding stationary, a bright green color palate, and a Shaka Booth filled with our favorite costumes and props from home! And, in a nod to Brian’s love for music, we ended the night with a casual outdoor lounge featuring some great live music. Even Mother Nature must have been on our side that day because the weather was just our kind of day with clear skies and a light breeze!
I could not have dreamed of a more perfect day – I married my best friend and we were able to share just a little bit of “us” with our closest family and friends!
Photography: Red Heart Photography / Photobooth: Shakabooth / Flowers: Flowergirls & Mango Muse Events / Event Design: Mango Muse Events / Event Planning: Mango Muse Events / Ceremony Location: Lanikuhonua / Reception Location: Lanikuhonua / Musician: John Cruz / Rentals: Accel Rentals / Catering: Chai’s Island Bistro / Desserts: Sweet Stop / Hair & Makeup: Maleana Cosmetics / Bartenders: Aloha on the Rocks / Plant Rentals: Kamaaina Plant Rentals / Invitation Designer: Upton Designs / Wedding Gown: Nicole Miller / Bridesmaid Dresses: Maggy London / Earrings: George H. Sasaki Jewelers / Brides Rings: The Diamond Specialist Inc.