A Real Wedding in Hawaii
 

The Bride Wore PINK

When she first stepped foot on Hawaii, Wong couldn’t believe her eyes; Hawaii was even more beautiful than she had possibly imagined.

by Joyce Barslow

n early spring of 2005, Sylvia Wong fell in love. At designer Thien Le’s fashion show in Toronto, Wong felt as though her breath stopped and her heart nearly skipped a beat she fell in love with the Italian silk organza and champagne raw silk that made up the original Thien Le wedding dress she knew was made to be hers.  

Le and Wong met through mutual friends. Wong had always been a fan of his work, and had followed and admired his career from its beginning, nearly five years ago. The dress had a strapless fitted corset bodice and a flared A-line ball gown skirt, with pink pearl buttons and ruffles gently cascading down the back all the way to its subtle train, making any bride feel and look like a true princess. To personalize the dress, Wong asked Le to change the common white wedding palette to a unique soft pink, and had the dress adorned with sparkling crystals. 

Wong always knew Chi Chen was “the one.” Following a 10-year friendship, her then-boyfriend surprised her with flowers in their bedroom on bended knee, where she gave her teary-eyed acceptance.  

After a brief conversation with her future brother-in-law about visiting the islands of Hawaii, Wong began to fantasize about a dream wedding held in the tropical paradise.

Wong owns Fa, a flower shop in Toronto. Appropriately named, “Fa” also means the word “flower” in Cantonese, Wong’s native language. Running the shop meant that she had to wait to get married at a time that was right for Fa, as well as for herself and her soon-to-be-husband.  

January was selected as the month of choice, as post-holiday blues meant a low season for flowers and vacations alike. The timing of the fantasy tropical wedding would also be the perfect escape from the blistering grey skies of a January spent in Toronto.

Wong’s sister, Hue Oldham, a resident of Hawaii and an employee of Princeville Hotel on the island, provided a helping hand in choosing rented homes for the bridal party to stay in. Though she was assigned a hefty task, the responsibility did not prove daunting.  

With a budget of $2,000 a week, Oldham helped the blushing bride pick out a beautiful house bedecked with its own small waterfall. Wong viewed the house via the website, www.kauaivacationparadise.com, and confirmed after speaking to its owner, Erik Hanson, who was pleasant and easygoing. After booking Dianne Reynolds, who has a reputation as the best photographer in Hawaii, Wong thought she was well on her way to planning her perfect wedding. 

As the saying goes, you can’t count your chickens before they hatch, and Wong learned this the difficult way, as problems soon arose when the original intimate guest list of a mere 15 people rose to 40. With so many loved ones who wanted to share her day, Wong could not bear to say no. Since her rented house in Kauai would not be able to accommodate the rest of the guests, Wong’s brother-in-law’s wife discovered Mauna Kai #9 on the website: www.summitpacificinc.com; a lovely three-bedroom townhouse. With the help of owner George Nestojko, she was able to book the townhouse for the added guests.

And of course, floral expert Wong would not forget about the flowers! She made sure to incorporate in her bouquet tulip anthurium, a special type of flower only available in Hawaii. Anthuriums are known to have the meaning “think of me.” At the wedding, everyone could not help but to focus on the beautiful bride. 

With the ceremony, reception, housing and the officiant taken care of, the only thing stopping Wong from getting married were plane tickets, which she quickly obtained at Josita Travel.

When she first stepped foot on Hawaii, Wong couldn’t believe her eyes; Hawaii was even more beautiful than she had possibly imagined. She and her guests spent the next few days exploring the island and taking care of wedding details.  

During her last night as a single woman, Wong relaxed with her bridesmaids in the serene Junior Prince Suite, which delivered a breathtaking view of the oceans and mountains in Hawaii.

On the big day, Wong awoke to a beautiful view that was the backdrop for her breakfast. After a trip to the hair salon, Wong walked down the aisle in a perfect ceremony. Portrait shots were taken while guests enjoyed cake and champagne. Everybody soon enjoyed a delectable luau, eating customary Hawaiian food with a traditional roasted pig along with an assortment of meats and salads. There was live entertainment including fire-eaters and luau dancers, which only enhanced the already magical and wondrous night. 

Wong believes that her wedding was the best way to get married, as it proved to be stunning and practically stress-free, and all within her budget of only $20,000.

Visit designer Thien Le at www.thienLe.com

Photos: Dianne Reynolds Photography in Hawaii. Visit www.photophotokauai.com

WeddingsHoneymoons.com | Destination Weddings & Honeymoons | July 17, 2010