When people say your wedding is the best day of your life, it really is. Reflecting on our wedding in Hawaii last month has allowed me to re-live that day and it truly was the happiest day of my life.
We had about 20 guests travel for our wedding which took place in Oahu at a small, quaint beach house. The setting was breathtaking and so perfect for us.
There was so much anticipation before the big day and I could hardly wait to walk down the aisle. Seeing the venue in person for the first time is something I will never forget and I remember taking a moment and just looking at the scenery in awe. This is where I was going to get to marry my best friend.
I was surprisingly very calm the morning of the wedding. I had breakfast with my family and relaxed at the hotel before getting my hair and makeup done. I was really excited but not nervous at all.
When we got to the beach house, it was decorated so beautifully. It was really everything I pictured on our wedding day and the sight of it made me tear up. There were bunches of flowers hanging from the entryway gate, flowers in vases on the outdoor patio tables in the front yard, flowers at our sign-in table. It literally took my breath away and it was then that my emotions really came to surface. I loved that moment.
Our ceremony was a traditional Hawaiian ceremony. Parts of it were spoken in Hawaiian and then translated as well.
One of my favourite elements that was included in our ceremony was the exchanging of leis. In Hawaii this is what they do instead of exchanging wedding rings. Our officiant wrapped the leis around our hands and blessed them. Then we exchanged leis with each other. It was something really special to us.
The day went fairly smoothly. I really focused on living in the moment and cherishing everything as I really didn’t want to forget any part of it.
Of course every wedding has its share of funny moments and some quirks. In our case, it wasn’t just the wedding, but we had some crazy things happen on our trip. For example, the airline lost our grandma in the airport on our connection to Hawaii. She was quickly scooped up by airline employees on a cart and taken away before anyone realized what was happening. She barely made the connecting flight but had no idea of the panic either, so that was a good thing.
On our wedding day we ended up getting stuck on the freeway in traffic because of a 12-car accident. And what should have been a 20-minute drive back to our hotel was a two-hour trip. There was some worry that we would miss our dinner cruise, which was booked as our reception in Hawaii. But we all made it, although we cut it a little closer than I would have liked.
I did intend to change into another dress but with the unexpected time crunch that didn’t happen. On the dinner cruise there were hundreds of others and as we were taking pictures on the top deck of the boat at sunset, a group of tourists came over and began snapping our picture. This was only the start of pictures that night as tourists wanted me to pose with their children, their families and themselves. Some even wanted us to kiss and by the end of the night I think we were both all pictured-out. It was non-stop and so funny.
It feels incredible to be married and to know that I will spend the rest of my life with my best friend and biggest cheerleader. We are both so excited for what’s to come and can’t wait to go back and visit Hawaii and the people who were a part of our wedding day. The island and the people now hold such a special place in our hearts.
efawcett@reddeerexpress.com
