We landed in Honolulu mid-day on August 17th, but of course jet lag had us feeling like it was time for bed already. Work had been stressful lately, so we were looking forward to a week of relaxation and adventure. We stopped for lunch on our way to the AirBnb we would be sharing with my parents and brother the next couple days, fighting off our exhaustion with some delicious vegan hot wings.
We dropped off our luggage, and met up with family at the Outrigger Reef restaurant overlooking beautiful Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. The sun was shining, the mai tais were flowing, and the music was soothing.
Still exhausted, we went back to the AirBnB, only leaving once more that evening to find somewhere to eat for dinner that was within short walking distance. We stumbled upon the most authentic Japanese restaurant we’ve ever been to, the only non-Japanese people in there, being welcomed by an extraordinarily friendly staff. Sometimes it’s nice to have surprises instead of having everything picked out already through research. But only sometimes.
I woke up at 4 am the next day, my body thinking it was 9 am. I eventually dozed off for just a little longer, and at 6, we got up and around, heading to the beach before the crowds arrived. We walked a long way on the beach, past several ocean-front hotels, until we found a stretch that seemed the best. The water felt incredible, and only a handful of other people were out that morning.
I sat on the beach awhile longer while Anthony swam, and once we finally got bored, we decided to walk through town to a little vegan café for brunch.
On the way, a man wearing a cat ears headband was walking toward us on the sidewalk. I tried to shuffle out of his way, but he felt the need to elbow-shove me out of the way anyway. Anthony didn’t even notice this happen, but I was fuming. Fortunately, our brunch was in peaceful surroundings, and the fresh and light meal was exactly what I needed to face the rest of the day.
It was my brother’s wedding day, so we went back to the apartment to get ready. A complete makeup novice, I struggled with putting on eyeliner and lipstick, and instantly felt like I needed to wash my face. But, my brother Tony told me I looked like I was glowing when he saw me, so maybe I should attempt it more often?
I was a groomswoman, so I met up with the rest of the wedding party at a hotel, and we climbed into a limo to drive out to the Waimano Bay area on the other side of Oahu. The drive was so beautiful, a welcome change to busy Honolulu with its sky-rises surrounding its beaches and streets.
The ceremony was at Pukalani Falls, across the street from a gorgeous beach where Anthony and I decided to have our own photoshoot.
It was humid next to the falls, but the officiant kept the ceremony short and sweet, with touches of Hawaiian culture mixed in. I love weddings. Seeing Theresa’s eyes well up as she said her vows to my brother got me all choked up, and then a hula dancer hopped in to bring a smile to our faces.
We drove back to Honolulu, for the wedding reception on the rooftop at Tiki Iniki bar. We were so high up, and the view from there was breathtaking, the sun slowly setting over the water, only to be replaced by beautiful city lights brightening the night.
Dinner was delicious, and it didn’t take long before we were out on the dance floor in-between playing with our niece and nephew. Truly a wonderful evening.
