And now for just a few fun/personal Hawaii pictures! Since Chris and I were out in Hawaii specifically to shoot a wedding, I was feeling a little over-cautious about things and didn’t want to put myself in any situation where I might not be 100% for the Big Day. Meaning, I didn’t want to get sunburned, sick, sore, stung, kidnapped, lost, etc., so Chris and I just hung out around Waikiki most of the time relaxing and taking it easy. Which was totally nice and not a bad time at all. We had been to Oahu a few years ago and did a lot of the must-see stuff, so we didn’t feel like we were missing out. And both of us really needed some time just to rest. (That said, I don’t have a ton of super exciting look-what-we-did-all-over-the-island photos. I have those from our first trip.)
We ended up staying at the Sheraton Waikiki right on Waikiki beach, where we stayed the last time we were in Hawaii. I especially love their pool right off of the beach with the amazing view, so it was an easy decision to book there.
I say “ended up” because we were originally booked at the Aqua Palms, which I selected because it was the closest hotel to the military hotel, Hale Koa, where Jenn and Stephen (the bride and groom) were staying. However, when we checked into the Aqua Palms and went to our room, I discovered that it was a room above the street that was a little noisier than I could handle. To be fair, I’m a super light sleeper, and very sensitive to noise. No other rooms were available, and I never fell asleep that night! So in my exhausted state, I blearily hopped onto the Internet kiosk in the lobby and booked a room at the Sheraton for the remainder of the week. (I have to mention though, that the staff at Aqua Palms were really sweet and very accommodating for the night we were there. And it’s a good value for a hotel right in the heart of Waikiki.)
The vacation gods were smiling upon us as we checked into the Sheraton, because they upgraded us two levels to a luxury suite! Check out the amazing ocean view from our lanai, looking right at Diamondhead:
And this was our view further to the right:
We took this cute trolley around the city when things were beyond walking distance. $2 each way…can’t beat it.
Waikiki is pretty touristy, but is kept really clean and manicured, and still has a good bit of lush tropical flora amongst the high-rises.
And two last random photos – a self-portrait on our lanai, and our fresh flower leis. Jenn and Stephen gave one to everyone in attendance at their wedding!
So, all-in-all the trip was a nice mix of resting and working, and really…how can you really call a wedding in Hawaii “work?”
