Uilani & Mansan's Maui Wedding - Making Haku Leis

They gathered the flowers in paper bags.

Uilani and Mansan had a lovely Hawaiian wedding on the island of Maui.  The day before the big day, grandma, aunts, cousins, and family gathered in the cozy living room of the rental apartment to make haku leis.  These are the headbands of fresh flowers you often see on Hawaiian brides. 

Flowers were picked all along the streets, laid out in flattering bunches, and carefully woven onto homemade braided strands that tie around the head.  It was not only our privilege to photograph this happening, it was also a learning experience as I got to try to make my own.  Lets just say mine didn't turn out good enough for me to wear, but it was beautiful in it's own way.

I loved seeing all the different flowers that grow in that tropical climate, much different from my home in a mountain desert.  Here are just a few of my favorite pictures from that event.

Laying out her ideas

Some of the vibrant colors we got to work with

The braided strand where it all begins

Braiding my own strand with long strips of garbage bag since we ran out of raffia

Grandma teaching us how it's done

Modeling the haku leis for me