When a wedding designer plans her own nuptials it would seem difficult to find fresh inspiration. Having grown up on the island of Oahu, Christina Lei Hassing knew instinctively where to begin when she and Rob Farrow considered their own wedding. “Everything from our theme, colors, design, and details were inspired by the land and our love for the formality of old Hawaii,” says Christina.

To set the tone from the beginning, the couple worked together with Christina's business partner and bridesmaid, Maggie Campolong, to design stationery that would announce the occasion with quintessential Hawaiian style. They accomplished this with an old hula print Christina found serendipitously at an antique store in Chinatown. She says, “We wanted to bring our invitation design to life and selected flowers, colors, and natural textures to complement our stationery.” Even their apparel suited the casually elegant occasion. Rob selected a silk aloha shirt in a rich tone to match the theme. Christina was simply stunning in a strapless silk dress designed by her sister Tamar.

The landscape of their tropical venue provided inspiration for nearly every aspect of the celebration. Exotic orchids, a golden-amber color palette, and rustic woods were integral to the event design. Christina utilized her innate sense of creativity to incorporate the outdoors without compromising her elegant vision. Coconut bark enhanced the invitations, menus, and bar displays, and this same fabric-like element was wrapped around each tier of the wedding cake. Flowers were arranged in richly polished monkeypod bowls, and the wood was repeated at each place setting with guests dining on traditional wooden plates. The entire celebration embodied the sense of old-fashioned Hawaiian hospitality the couple holds so dear.

In the days preceding the wedding, Rob enlisted the help of friends and family members to cut strong guava branches from their land to build three cabanas that would define the reception space. Woven fabric and tropical foliage created a sense of softness. Comfortable pillows, scented candles, and a glowing fire at each cabana completed the ambience of a stylish outdoor lounge that the couple envisioned. Christina also hired an event lighting company to bring the garden to life after sunset. Tall amber beams lit up the surrounding coconut groves while guests danced the night away under the stars. “Our closest friends, relatives, and future neighbors joined us to celebrate,” says Christina. “A special toast to the newlyweds was offered at the end of the night to officially welcome us to the neighborhood!” Surely just the first of many wonderful family gatherings to come.