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Emily Justine Robb to Richard Samuel Kelway Argall
December 30, 2005 Kaneohe Bay Yacht Club, Emily Robb quite literally fell head over heels for Richard Argall upon meeting the English sailing enthusiast at the University of California, Irvine. “When the coach of our sailing team signaled for me to join Richard in the two-person boat, I was so nervous that I slipped and fell right into his lap,” Emily says. Evidently, Richard didn’t mind. After a brief two year courtship, he proposed on New Year’s Eve atop a snowy Colorado mountain at twilight. With their mutual passion for sailing, the couple was naturally drawn to the Kaneohe Bay Yacht Club on the island of Oahu, Emily’s childhood home. “It’s such a beautiful outdoor location,” says Emily, “Plus the yacht club is sentimentally significant for me as I grew up sailing there.” The bride’s parents, Dean and Betsy Robb, welcomed out-of-town guests to their home with a rehearsal dinner. Guests dined alfresco on the lawns overlooking the Nuuanu stream. Everyone cozied up around a bonfire, enjoying Thai food and wine at the lighthearted celebration preceding the big event. On December 30, 2005 a bag pipe sounded in the distance announcing the bride’s arrival, as Emily was skippered to shore by her father and brother in their family sailboat, the Elixir. The mother-of-the-bride coordinated the unforgettable event as an homage to the sea. The sun shone brilliantly through the clouds as officiant Marion Lyman-Mersereau read the letters that Emily and Richard had written to each another expressing their intimate vows of love. “Everyone in the entire place had tears in their eyes,” recalls Betsy. Her beautiful hair crowned with a lei po‘o, Emily was radiant in a beaded silk satin gown. Bridesmaids wore matching haku lei of fragrant tuberose. Carrying bouquets of red heart-shaped anthuriums, they each walked the aisle barefoot in true island style. Richard and his attendants wore National Cornish tartan kilts staying true to a promise they once made to one another during their school days in England. “The ceremony was a beautiful display of cultures with the American, Hawaiian and Cornish flags flying overhead, and a wonderful mix of casual and formal attire,” says Betsy. The mother-of-the-bride made a special trip to Bali before the wedding and brought back festive Balinese flags that resembled the tall sails of a ship as the perfect adornment for the aisle. Immense paper lanterns were strung from the coconut trees that grace the exquisite yacht club grounds. “We wanted the ceremony itself to be the focal point of the day, so we created a very simple yet stunning decor,” says Betsy. Guests gathered on the yacht club terrace where a sumptuous display of Pacific Rim cuisine was served. The nautical setting was fittingly bedecked with crisp white orchids, paper lanterns and flickering candlelight. The cultural celebration continued in full swing with bluegrass music by The Squirrel Hunters. The lively music kept guests on the dance floor for most of the evening, with a few of the celebrants breaking into square dance routines that lasted nearly an hour each. Emily surprised friends and family when she danced a special hula in her husband’s honor and the Cornish lads sang robust sea shanties for all to enjoy. As the evening came to a close, revelers gathered at the water’s edge for a brilliant fireworks display as the newlyweds sailed off to spend the night at sea. Not wanting the joyous occasion to end, Emily and Richard look forward to celebrating their union in classic English style in the groom’s homeland. And it just so happens that the ancient countryside church of Richard’s boyhood can only be reached by boat—at home on the sea again. Photography by Christiaan Phleger + Lexi Mackenzie Text by Shaunna Keough |
