Made in Hawaii Weddings? Or Albums?

Both times I visited Hawaii, I was surprised at the number of Asian brides I saw in white wedding attire having pictures taken on Waikiki Beach.

Hawaii must be a popular spot for destination weddings, I commented to our Segway guide as we passed a bridal couple - and their photographer -  standing on the sand.

They don't all get married here, he told me. Some of them are already married. They have come here to have pictures taken for their wedding album.

His comment reminded me of a wedding album one of my immigrant students showed me years ago. Instead of pictures of the wedding, the album had photos of the couple in different outfits with different backdrops. Was this the same thing?

I looked up Hawaiian wedding photography online to see if this is a service commonly offered by photographers: pictures only, no wedding. But I was only able to find information on destination weddings (which seemed surprisingly affordable!)

So I'm not really sure whether these brides and grooms are in Hawaii to get married - or simply to add exotic photos to their wedding albums. But you do see them often on Waikiki Beach.

Sculptured Hawaiian Pottery

Since starting my pottery classes, I have been interested to see what others do with clay.

My recent Hawaiian vacation gave me lots of ideas...













I'm not sure what this sculpture is. Making something so perfectly round would be a challenge.












I wonder if these little bundles with faces are hollow. Do they serve some practical purpose or are they merely decorative?











I'm not the only one fascinated with faces...


















Or fish!














Several blow fish  lamps like this were hanging on a balcony. I'm not sure if it's pottery or plastic.

These lovely painted tiles remind me of Hawaiian quilt squares.

I've returned with lots of ideas to try!

Quilted History

I have often thought it would be interesting to create a historic family quilt, with squares designed to mark significant family events. But I have never gone beyond wondering What if? and How? The idea seems somewhat daunting: Would it always be a work in progress?!

An interesting quilt hangs in the Hawaii State Art Museum. A memorial to the many Asian workers who labored in Hawaii, it is a kimono on a black background. The inner kimono design is a patchwork of authentic fabric taken from clothing worn by these Asian workers. What an attractive way to make a historic statement!

A Pink Hotel

One of the loveliest places we visited on our recent Hawaiian vacation was an old pink hotel, the Royal Hawaiian.

Built in the 1920s, it was one of the first elegant hotels built on Waikiki Beach.

One side faces the ocean: the nearby beach is dotted with pink beach umbrellas.

The other side faces a grassy area where we saw children play.












The nearby veranda has a dozen or more rocking chairs where one can sit and rest.













A friend suggested we go there for a drink.













Instead, we visited the gift shops...













... several times!

A lovely, restful place to take a break!

Visiting the Hawaii State Art Museum

The Hawaii State Art Museum is the only gallery we managed to visit during our week in Honolulu.


The historic building that houses the art museum was formerly a YMCA.

The mosaic fountain outside is a recent gift from the king of Morocco.













Inside, we got a taste of Hawaiian art.













I was particularly interested in seeing examples of Hawaiian pottery.

Art is valued by the people of Hawaii.














In fact, a set portion of tax money is used to purchase works of art for museums and public places.











There was an impressive display of youth art.

I picked up ideas for future pottery sculptures!

Later we stopped for lunch in the museum cafe, where I noticed framed botanical prints on the walls.

Artists formed part of the crew of Captain Cook and the other European explorers who discovered the Pacific islands.

















In those days, before the invention of photography, they were needed to paint the trees and flowers that were unknown in Europe at the time.

Hawaii's State Flower

Orchids are everywhere in Hawaii!

In our hotel lobby...














In our Mai Tais...














We made leis with orchids...

There are so many species of orchids that one Hawaiian gardener has managed to collect 1000 kinds! He has them growing in his back yard and overflowing into his sister's! I had no idea there were so many kinds of orchids!

Imagine my surprise to discover that Hawaii's state flower is NOT the orchid...














But the yellow hibiscus!

Making a Flower Lei

One of the cultural activities offered at our hotel was a class in flower lei making, so my daughter and I signed up.

Making a flower lei is easier than making a leaf lei - though neither is that difficult.














Basically, all you need is a long needle, a double strand of cotton embroidery cotton, and a lot of flowers!














The instructor brought a box of orchids for us to make our leis with.














The most important thing is to make sure the needle goes into a firm part of the flower at the center - or before long, it will fall off.














When the lei is long enough to fit over the head, it is ready for both ends of the thread to be joined together.


















All that's left to do is trim the ends - and wear it!