Today we’ve got a darling Hawaiian destination wedding with a Star Wars twist! You read that right, Brittany and Ethan wanted a little personal touch for their event and they got exactly that! The couple shared with us the details and decisions behind their big day.
Halekulani is one of the most beautiful and elegant hotels you can visit on Oahu. It was the first and only venue we looked at when we were shopping around for venues and we instantly fell in love with the intimate setting provided by the “Hau Terrace” (a patio deck and cozy banquet hall that overlooks the ocean). We wanted our wedding to be for the closest of family and friends while providing an upscale, yet relaxed environment (we are in Hawaii after all!). Lastly, Halekulani is known for their exquisite food, desserts, and service… And isn’t that what most guests enjoy in a wedding? It was “perfect” for our needs.
The significance behind the Star Wars theme starts with Ethan’s love for Star Wars. Although we both love a lot of different “nerdy” stuff, we had to narrow it down to something that meant something for both of us – and that was Star Wars. Our birthdays are 5/5 and 5/9, we often celebrate our birthdays together on May the Fourth (a “geek-culture holiday” that doubles as the line from Star Wars, “may the force be with you”). And so, we settled on Star Wars because it was a perfect embodiment of our “nerdy-ness.”
We incorporated it because we wanted to be a little different while staying true to our interests as a couple. A lot of weddings we’ve attended all seemed very traditional, and so we wanted to do things just a tad different. Also, with all the collectibles we have lying around the house and Star Wars: The Force Awakens coming out around the time we were planning, it just made sense to incorporate the Star Wars theme into our wedding.
Our most favorite moment from the day was our “First Look,” there was so much anticipation building up to it (with getting ready and our vendors coming in to capture every moment) and Halekulani offers such a prime spot for this little moment to take place that it felt “perfect.” It was a wave of emotions that hit us as soon as I tapped Ethan on the shoulders and he turned around. At that exact moment, we knew we were getting married and that we would be spending the rest of our lives together. It sounds really cheesy, but in that moment is when the weight of this symbolic event – and everything that marriage stands for – finally hits you! Other memorable moments were the Mother/Son & Father/Daughter dance. We are both close to our parents and so having that private moment with them in the midst of our wedding celebration was a touching moment for both of us. Our last favorite moment was our Grand Entrance, it was such a silly idea to walk into our wedding reception with lightsabers and to do a little Star Wars battle before our first dance, but it was a great encapsulation of who we are as a couple. It was fun, different, and “ours” and that’s what made it so memorable.
The details from Star Wars that we incorporated were a lightsaber grand entrance with a lightsaber duel right in the middle of it using our Force FX lightsaber props and complete with the Imperial March playing in the background. A harpist that played iconic Star Wars tunes for our guests leading up to our wedding reception. A Star Wars themed sign in poster with 1990 Star Wars micro machine collectibles to accent the sign in table. Darth Vader table numbers and storm trooper, rebel alliance, and imperial insignia confetti for table decorations. Custom made Star Wars keychains for each guests. A custom made wedding topper of Totoro (one of Sumi’s favorite anime characters) with lightsaber in hand. And lastly, Xwing and TIE fighter hidden “Easter eggs” on our welcome cards and printed materials.
One last thing we would like to share is that we learned to not worry about making everything “perfect” for everyone else, but to make it perfect for ourselves. We had family members second guess a lot of our choices, but we knew what we wanted and we stuck to it. In the end, everything turned out beyond what we had envisioned and it made for our “perfect little moment” in our new lives together.
Congratulations to the newlyweds!
Destination Wedding Photographer: Creatrix Photography
Wedding Vendors: Favors and Gifts: Candy Art Hawaii, Veils and headpieces: Casablanca Bridal & Formals, Photo Booth Equipment: Crane Media, Beauty: face art beauty, Reception Venue: Halekulani, Linens and Coverings: The Wedding Linen Co.
