This wedding is from over a year ago, but we just got back from Maile’s sister’s wedding this week. It was on the same island of Oahu, and involved celebrating with many of the same people, so I had this wedding (that I hadn’t managed to share in the last 15 months) on my mind.
Both of these weddings are so special to me. While Maile’s family is from Hawaii and she moved back there maybe 20 years ago, she spent her growing-up years in Milpitas, next-door to me :) I met Maile when I was 11 years old and, looking back, I have no idea how in the world I got so lucky as to move in right next door to another 11 year old girl! And not just any 11 year old girl. This one would introduce me to poetry, and environmentalism, and drag queens, and poi, and dancing, and eyelash-curling, and euthanasia, and my first R-rated movie, and eventually, my husband.
If you’ve ever asked Shawn and I how we met, we love to answer with this: “He’s my next-door neighbor’s older sister’s ex-boyfriend’s nephew’s best friend”. So regardless of how much time we don’t get to spend together nowadays, Maile is forever intertwined into our lives. She was one of my bridesmaids almost 18 years ago and I got the even better job of being her photographer last year.
Her and Kawika got married at the Hale Koa in the Maile Gardens!! :) I clearly don’t know Kawika like I know Maile but it’s easy to tell that the warmth of his smile goes way deeper than just that.
(*you’ll note an image with a couple of my children plotting to dive their faces into the cake :))
And here’s one of me and Maile. It’s out-of-focus as I wasn’t the one taking it, but I love it. I feel like Maile put on her tweenage smile for this one :)
