Marie and Nate were married on September 8, 2017, at Lanikuhonua, the oceanfront estate at Ko Olina on Oahu, with their two little girls in their wedding party. Here are 377 photos of their day, from getting ready in Waikiki to sparklers under the trees. See how the day ran hour by hour on our blog: Lanikuhonua estate wedding timeline.
Morning in Waikiki
Marie Gets Ready
Marie got ready in a high-rise suite above Waikiki Beach, with Diamond Head out the window and the pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel below. A satin robe that said The Bride, studded blush heels, a beaded lace gown, pink and white roses, then makeup, an orchid in her hair and a braided updo.
Glowing already
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The girls
Robes, Crowns & Giggles
The bridesmaids and the little girls wore matching floral robes. There were gifts from the bride, bubbly for the grown ups, dancing and jumping on the bed, white flower crowns for the flower girls and lots of hugs and kisses for Mom. Then the bridesmaids helped Marie into her gown.
Sisters by heart
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Before the ceremony
Bridal Photos Above Waikiki
In her gown, Marie posed on the balcony with Waikiki and Diamond Head behind her, then with her bridesmaids in blush dresses and pink flower crowns, in the hotel lobby, by a colorful mural and beside the white limousine that carried them all out to Ko Olina.
Blue skies for a bride
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The guys
Nate Gets Ready in Waikiki
Nate and his groomsmen got ready at a hotel high above Waikiki Beach: cufflinks, brown leather shoes, a white bow tie and a pink rose boutonniere. Then they headed down to the sand for photos with Diamond Head behind them.
Quiet thoughts before the vows
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The details
Pink Roses at Lanikuhonua
At the estate, everything was pink, white and green: an arch dressed in pink lilies and roses, a photo guest book, baskets of sunglasses and fans for the guests, menu cards painted with flowers, clear acrylic table numbers, an advice card for the newlyweds and a four tier naked cake topped with pink roses, waiting in the shade of the old trees.
Sweetness in the shade
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The processional
Here Comes the Bride
The wedding party crossed the wide green lawn toward the sea: bridesmaids in blush pink and flower crowns, groomsmen in navy, a ring bearer with his pillow and three little flower girls in cream lace. Then Marie walked in with her family, carrying pink roses.
Held by the ones who love her first
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The ceremony
Vows Where Heaven Meets the Earth
Under a flower arch on the edge of the ocean, Kahu Elias Parker, in a red sash and maile lei, blessed Marie and Nate in the Hawaiian way. An aisle of pink petals, coconut palms overhead, family all around, and their first kiss with the sea behind them. Then they signed the pink marriage license at a little table under the trees.
The first kiss, where heaven meets the earth
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Up close
Vows, Rings & Leis
Kahu Elias spoke with the couple in the Hawaiian way, and there were smiles, laughter and a few happy tears as Marie and Nate said their vows. The ring bearer brought the rings, family came up with hugs, Nate placed a white lei over Marie’s head, and the flower girls got leis of their own, with kisses from Mom.
The first kiss as husband and wife
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Just married
Back Down the Aisle
Husband and wife in their white leis turned to their cheering family and walked back down the petal aisle, with the wedding party close behind.
A path of petals and cheers
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Ohana
Family & Friends Under the Palms
After the ceremony came the photos in the palm grove: the whole wedding party in pink and navy, the groomsmen and their pink socks, family in leis, and quiet portraits of Marie with her lace veil and pearl earrings.
The whole crew in the palm grove
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The party begins
Grand Entrance & First Dance
The wedding party danced their way into the reception, and Marie and Nate followed as husband and wife. Their first dance was under a clear tent on a white dance floor, then special dances with family, and a keiki hula show with live music.
The first dance as one
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Golden hour
Sunset on the Estate Shoreline
As the sun went down, Marie and Nate slipped away to the estate’s own little cove: soft sand, dark lava rocks, tide pools and the Waianae mountains on the horizon. A kiss on the rocks, arms raised to the sky, and a twirl of satin on the sand.
A kiss where the island meets the sea
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Under the lights
A Night Under the Clear Tent
When night fell, the tent glowed with string lights and paper lanterns. Hula dancers in blue taught everyone to dance, a singer played the guitar, and the toasts brought laughter and a few happy tears.
A canopy of stars, made by hand
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Celebrate
Cake, Bouquet, Money Dance & Sparklers
They cut the cake together, the little girls peeked over the table, the bouquet and the flower garter flew, and friends and family pinned dollars on the newlyweds for the money dance. To end the night, sparklers drew a glowing heart around them under the trees.
A heart of light to end the night
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The venue
About Lanikuhonua
Lanikuhonua means “Where Heaven Meets the Earth.” Long ago this stretch of shore was a favorite retreat of Chief Kakuhihewa, a ruling chief of ancient Oahu. In 1939 Alice Kamokila Campbell, daughter of James Campbell, chose it for her home and named it Lanikuhonua. The land had been a bare old fishing village, and she turned it into a tropical garden by the sea.
Today the estate is cared for by the Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute, a nonprofit affiliated with the James Campbell Company that supports Hawaiian cultural education. Its oceanfront lawns, old shade trees and quiet coves host weddings and private events, and those events help fund its cultural programs.
Lanikuhonua is at Ko Olina on Oahu’s west side, about 25 miles from Waikiki. See more Oahu estate weddings and Ko Olina weddings.
A little cove of paradise all their own
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Lanikuhonua Wedding Questions
Where is Lanikuhonua?
Lanikuhonua sits on the oceanfront at Ko Olina, on the west side of Oahu near Kapolei, between the Ewa and Waianae districts. It is about 25 miles from Waikiki, usually a 35 to 45 minute drive depending on traffic.
What does Lanikuhonua mean?
Lanikuhonua means “Where Heaven Meets the Earth.” Alice Kamokila Campbell, daughter of James Campbell, gave the estate its name when she made it her home in 1939.
Can we get married at Lanikuhonua?
Yes. Lanikuhonua is run by the Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute, a nonprofit affiliated with the James Campbell Company, and it rents its oceanfront lawns for private events and weddings. Event proceeds help support Hawaiian cultural programs. We can help you plan the ceremony, flowers, minister and music.
Who performed Marie and Nate’s ceremony?
Kahu Elias Parker, a Hawaiian minister, in a red sash and maile lei. He led the vows under the flower arch by the sea and signed the marriage license with them afterward. See our Hawaii ministers.
Can we have a reception at the estate too?
Yes. Marie and Nate held an all evening reception on the lawn in a clear tent with string lights and lanterns, with hula dancers, a live singer, toasts, a naked cake topped with pink roses, a money dance and sparklers to end the night.
Where did the bride and groom get ready?
Marie and her bridesmaids got ready in a suite above Waikiki Beach, and Nate and his groomsmen at a Waikiki hotel too. The guys took photos on Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head behind them, and everyone then drove out to Ko Olina for the ceremony. See our Oahu hotel weddings.
