Oahu, hawaii

 YOU HAD ME AT ALOHA

Weddings are a magical thing. You fall in love, gather your entire family and various social circles, make promises to last you a lifetime, and then immediately after, you take the best vacation imaginable.
So here I am, writing to you from the other side. I have joined the planet’s fleet of married individuals.

Gone are the days of stamping envelopes and hunting down RSVPs. For the next eight days, my husband Carson and I have exactly zero plans—and we couldn’t be more excited. The only thing for certain
is that soon we’ll be overlooking the shores of Waikiki at the all-new ‘Alohilani and heading on over to Maui for luxury living at The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. But before I give you my detailed play- by-play of warm waters, watercolor sunsets, and frozen Kahlúa drinks from a swim up bar, I should probably mention that we actually chose Hawaii as our wedding venue in the first place. We’d already been here a week snacking on macadamia nuts and cooling off with shave ice before any I Do’s were said.

THE ‘ALOHILANI

With a silvery tinsel departure under the stars, Carson and I ran through our tunnel of guests and said our goodbyes to a perfect, joy-filled evening; island breeze and all. The funny thing was that our guests also seemed to be beaming just as brightly—probably because they too had plans to stick around on the island for a while. We hop in the car and drive to the famed land of honeymooning, Waikiki.

Awaiting us is the ‘Alohilani, the all-new oceanfront resort boasting rich Hawaiian heritage with a chic, modern twist. The lobby features grand displays of rustic, natural elements as an ode to Hawaii’s own beauty, along with highlights of elegant gold, white coral, and cool stone. We’re greeted by our congratulatory bellhop, and he places leis over our heads. We’re both still sporting our wedding attire, so we gladly accept them and embrace this most royal moment.

The next day we head back down to the lobby to check out the world famous Oceanarium. It’s a 3-story aquarium filled with other 1,000 tropical fish, eagle rays, and eels. We plan to return to one of the live feedings at 10:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. Our tour continues with a stop
at the rooftop fitness center, which is remarkably characterized by a full-sized tennis court and an unrivaled view of Waikiki’s high-rise life. I lead us down toward the Malie Organics boutique, and I pick up a reed diffuser labeled Island Ambiance with the hope that it’ll infuse our life back home with the kind of sweet coconut that’ll have us securing a return trip to Hawaii in no time.

Our next stop, this time for lunch, is at Momosan. We’re dying to see what the original Iron Chef—Chef Morimoto—has up his sleeve at his Waikiki outpost. We order the duck tacos with apricot sweet chili and crispy gyoza skin and enjoy a sunny spot along the street. It’s just a stone’s throw from the long, calm Waikiki waves and its sun-soaked vacationers. Carson and I take our first bites of the tacos and become instant Morimoto fans. Having devoured our tacos all too quickly, we make reservations for tonight’s dinner at Morimoto Asia Waikiki for another chance to experience firsthand Morimoto’s creative genius and his famed love of duck. We order the Deconstructed Duck Caesar Salad and polish it off with something called the Chocolate Sphere, made with chocolate sorbet, whipped cream, chocolate ganache, and streusel. Our waiter arrives, and in a show-stopping plot twist, he lights the sphere on fire, melting the surrounding ball of chocolate to reveal a gooey, rich center. All that to say, both items end up being quite a hit.

Our time has passed blissfully slow at the ‘Alohilani, yet surprisingly, our last night on Oahu still somehow creeps up on us. We take one last dip in the rooftop’s saltwater infinity pool, lovingly gaze upon the Pacific, and return to our room to gather up our luggage. I go out onto our high-rise balcony to hang the last of my wet swimsuits, and sit down to enjoy the moment before it’s gone. it’s not every night that you get a warm ocean breeze lulling you to sleep. The stars are bright and the waves roll along softly. Diamond Head is in view and it too looks sleepy with its dark volcanic silhouette nestled into the rim of the island. The whole scene has me fading pretty quickly but I can’t bear to leave. There’s just something about Hawaii that makes you feel like your best, most relaxed self. I guess it’s no surprise that so many people take a quick trip to the islands and it turns into a forever- cation.

FOUR SEASONS RESORT MAUI AT WAILEA

The next item on our honeymoon agenda takes us to the exotic Valley Isle, Maui. We catch that highly anticipated first glimpse of the island from the air, and we’re already dreaming of what our days will be filled with—infinity pools, fine dining, beachside naps, snorkeling, and couples massages (okay, maybe that’s mostly just my dream). No doubt, The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea will fit the bill just wonderfully. We hop in our rental car, a silver Jeep, and instantly feel our primal sense of adventure heighten. Should we tackle the Road to Hana? Summit Haleakala? Or maybe just head straight to the resort for a poolside drink and some playtime in the Wailea waves? We choose the latter, at least for now.

We drop off our luggage, gawk at our room, and navigate past an oasis of pools lined in fresh white, reminiscent of a Santorini color palette. We make plans to return to the pools and falls after our ocean dip. We head down toward the shore, passing the keiki pool and several mermaid children playing, and reach the ocean. We have two reserved lounge chairs outfitted with large, soft towels, sunscreen, and freshly squeezed fruit juice—like our own ocean concierge. We get in the warm water, float on our backs, dive under the crashing waves and are graced by a friendly sea turtle who pokes its head out for a little sun. Having an unexpected encounter with one of my childhood heroes, the turtle, seals the deal for me: this day is one of the best on our Hawaii vacation. We continue to fall in love with Maui’s most sun-filled coast until our stomachs begin to growl in anticipation for tonight’s dinner.

Wolfgang Puck’s Spago is on the docket, and we arrive just as the sun beings its marvelous descent. We’re escorted to a table overlooking Wailea Beach and catch quite possibly the best view of the swirling pink and purple clouds mixing with the remaining rays of the sun. It’s a captivating arrangement of colors, one that grabs everyone’s attention, including the waiters’. That’s when you know it’s good. We order a couple of drinks to start, and we’re instantly refreshed after our long day in the salty sea. Our bellies also leave quite happy. Steamed Onaga “Hong Kong” style with ginger bok choy and shiitake mushrooms. Thai Seafood and Pineapple-Coconut Red Curry with mahi mahi, opakapaka, and kaffir lime. Miso Marinated Walu “Loco Moco” with pickled cucumbers, togarashi, and sesame aioli. Clearly, Carson and I have little to no restraint when ordering food on vacation. But how else are we going to sample the best that Maui has to offer?

Our next day brings along a new experience for us—a couples massage. I try to play it cool but there’s no hiding that I’m ecstatic—for a solid hour someone will be rubbing the wedding knots out of my back. We decide to await our appointment with some cold drinks at the infinity pool (wow, what a day of luxury), and then we ready ourselves at the spa. An assistant escorts us to a wooden hut overlooking the Wailea waves, and we each choose our oil of choice. Our hut fills with the combined scent of orange and lavender, and I almost fall asleep to the sound of chirping birds and the muffled roar of the ocean. This, I’m certain, must be a scene straight out of heaven itself. My masseuse introduces herself as Marie- Claude, and she uses the warm oil and steady pressure of her palms to relax my arms, slowly flattening out my upward facing forearms with increasing pressure. This technique quickly becomes my favorite. I reach a new level of relaxation mode and bask in the thought of Carson lying somewhere alongside me getting this same type of royal treatment. We take a post-massage visit to our respective sides of the spa, and I leisurely sample the coconut lemongrass body wash and eucalyptus spray. If I buy all these fragrances and oils at home, surely my own shower could rival this type of botanical bliss? I take note of the winning combos for my next farmer’s market visit.

We’ve saved Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante for our final evening and dress in the last of our honeymoon finest. After seeing our oceanside table, we know we made the right choice. Our waiter congratulates us on our wedding and humbly offers up a curated list of their most famous dishes. He somehow also manages to become our photographer for the evening, offering to take our photo, and then returning for a shoot when the sunset starts to become a true stunner—tangerine and sapphire this time. We order the famous Meatballs ‘Al Forno’ with creamy parmesan polenta, tomato sugo, and crisp rosemary and talk of our week filled with relaxation and island adventure on Oahu and Maui. Did I mention that our trip also happened to include several outings to Makena Beach, Twin Falls, and West Maui? The Four Seasons was a superb launching point for many island adventures, yet we were far guilty of not wanting to leave the property. I guess it’s just hard to beat that Four Seasons service, especially when it comes with a backdrop of a citrusy sunset and its reflection on the Wailea waves. We toast to our wonderful wedding, our incredible guests, a lifetime of love, and the surprise sea turtle that made its honeymoon appearance.

Turns out, there’s a lot of magic to be had in Hawaii. Whether or not it’s the setting of your unforgettable wedding or honeymoon, that’s up to you. But it’s also never too late to start making it your anniversary tradition. *

Photos by Riboldi Ventures
Flowers by Pamakani Lehua Pico Purdy