Menguin customer weddings: Alana and Lina’s Hawaiian vows

Alana & Lina were married in Hawaii because in their words, “It’s Hawaii”. This Menguin couple embraced their culture and added a few details to make it their own.

Q. When and where was your wedding?

A. September 19, 2016

Ceremony: Hilton Hawaiian Akala Chapel

Reception: Moana Surfrider – The Ballroom

Honolulu, Hawaii

Q. Was there a reason behind choosing your location?

A. We chose Akala Chapel because of its interior and its location. It was in town and only about a 10 minute drive away from the reception location.

We chose Moana Surfrider for the reception location because of its history and design. Another reason was because one of my good friend who worked there helped hooked us up! One of the great things of Hawaii is the connections you make with other people. Our entire wedding had hook ups here and there, which helped us save a lot of money.

We decided to have it in Hawaii because most of my friends and family live in Hawaii. I was born and raised there. Also, it’s Hawaii!

Q. Did you have a theme to your wedding?

A. We didn’t have a theme, but we tried to have colors that matched with the bridesmaids dresses (in addition to her wedding dress): white, pink, and blue.

Q. Tell me about the first time you met.

A. The first time we met was at a bon fire with our friends in Hawaii. We had drinks and made S’mores with the sounds of waves in the background.

Q. What was your favorite part of your wedding day?

A. My favorite part was when we had our first dance at the reception. My wife’s favorite part was when we were at the altar for the ceremony.

Q. If you could re-do one thing about your wedding day, what would it be?

A. Stay hydrated. My lips were dry, so it was cracking from smiling all day for pictures. Other than that, nothing really. The wedding was perfect. There were some minor problems, but it wasn’t a big deal.

Q. What’s something you’ve learned about each other since you’ve been married?

A. We have to be patient with each other.

Q. How did you incorporate your culture into your wedding?

A. Our wedding wasn’t as traditional as other Asian weddings, but we did hire a lion dance performance. Instead of asking for wedding gifts, we suggested red envelopes with money. The bride also changed dresses throughout the reception (I think it’s a Chinese thing?)

Q. What are ways that you personalized your wedding?

A. We had a back drop with our names and wedding date for photo taking at the reception entrance. We also had a static monogram with our initials and wedding date lit up in light pink behind where we sat at the reception.

Q. What food did you have at your wedding? What was your favorite?

A. To be honest, we didn’t have much time to eat and enjoy our food.

Q. Was Menguin helpful to you in your wedding process?

A. Menguin was extremely helpful in our wedding. It was one less thing to worry about. I would definitely recommend it to any guy getting married or attending a wedding.