Tandy & Bob, Her Father :: Chris & Tandy’s Wedding, Poipu, Kaua’i

Chris & Tandy’s Wedding, Poipu, Kaua’i

Dallas & Rachelle :: Chris & Tandy’s Wedding, Poipu, Kaua’i

Chris & Tandy’s Wedding, Poipu, Kaua’i

Chris & Tandy’s wedding ceremony began at 11am on the Regency Club lawn of the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa in Poipu (the site says Koloa?). Everyone who flew into Kaua’i for the wedding was greeted with a kukui nut lei. In the past, kukui nuts showed a mark of rank and importance. Back in the day they were only worn by Hawaiian ali’i. Today they are worn both formally and casually and are sometimes given out on special occassions as a sign of respect and love.

The ceremony was conducted by Chris’s father, who is a minister. It wasn’t too terribly long, but it was so hot and sunny that I’m surprised people didn’t start falling over and passing out from standing at the alter for so long!

See also:
» Dancers (.mov, 19 sec, 528k)
» Chris & Tandy’s Wedding (Kodak Gallery, 70 photos)

More after the jump -

Following the reception was a cocktail hour with pupus and then lunch. Luckily lunch was inside an air conditioned ballroom. A Hawaiian band played while we were eating and some hula and tahitian dancers came out and did their thing. It was very luauish. Remember last year when Dallas was chosen to learn how to do the hula? They did the same thing at the wedding, but with some haole boys from Iowa who couldn’t hula to save their life. It was fun(ny).

After lunch the band and dancers left and there were many speeches and stories told by the wedding party about Chris and Tandy. I found it really interesting since I don’t know Chris and Tandy that well. .. it helped me learn more about them, how they met, and their 8-year long relationship. There were people at the wedding from all over the world, Hawaii, the mainland, Japan, to name a few places, so I’m sure that this was fun for them too.. to hear stories from all different aspects of Tandy & Chris’s lives.

Each of the tables where the guests sat was named for something in Chris & Tandy’s lives. One was the Wiamea table, one the Iowa table, one table was called “8″ representing how many years they’ve been together. Our table was “Food Network vs. ESPN”. Apparently they fight over the remote! After talking story for quite some time, Marissa, Tandy’s sister introduced everyone who’d travelled to attend the wedding. Quite a lot of people.. and like I said, from all over the world. Next Tandy made up a story using the terms represented on each of the tables. It was kind of like Mad Libs and when she pointed to your table you had to shout out the name of your table to finish the sentence and continue on the story. Kind of hard to explain but it worked out really well.

Next, the bride and groom did the traditional bouquet/garter toss. The wedding was small enough that they had a list of the single people and if you were single and didn’t participate your name got shouted out over the microphone and you were peer pressure forced to participate!

Finally, everyone mingled around with drinks in hand. It was a fun, laid back kind of wedding. It was great to feel the love in the room, the friendship between the people attending and how much they loved and respected Chris and Tandy and how they all traveled so far to be there and show their support. Definitely not one of those weddings you attend and feel like you don’t know anyone or like you’re not sure what’s going on with the couple.

In addition to the kukui nut leis, Chris and Tandy gave out personalized chopsticks and small rice bowls.

Later on that night Chris and Tandy had a really informal party at Kekaha Beach. A few people went swimming, but mostly we sat around for sunset and the evening, eating pupus and drinking beer and talking. A bonfire was built and some people also caught some crabs on the beach. A nice way to unwind after a long, stressful day for a some people, I’m sure.