It was a gorgeous evening, the sun was just about to set, and there were whales were playing in the ocean.  Even the sound of a car with a bad case of engine trouble driving by was not heard by me (it was reported to me by the guests later on).  I could only hear the minister’s words, mine and Miche’s. I couldn’t wait to have the ceremony be over, be announced as “husband and wife” and be able to start the party!

The reception was lovely, and I had such a good time!  I was told the food was fantastic (hard to really eat at your own wedding) and there was no shortage of tropical drinks, champagne and wine from the open bar (that part I was able to enjoy!).  My biggest stress was that my tables weren’t going to be set properly (the event planner in me!)..to the exact detail that I wanted.  Thankfully, my handmaidens extraordinaire (Reggie Reyes & Joy Jimenez) did a superb job in laying out the tables the way I had wanted them to be set.  I couldn’t leave that important task to the wait staff, not after me working on my own table decors and centerpieces!

Loved ones came from all over: Miche’s parents, his best man (Tommy, the stop light), Tommy’s brother, flew in from Stockholm.  Guests came all the way from San Francisco, from New York, from Miami, from Vietnam (thanks, Reggie and Pierre-Jean).  It really meant the world to Miche and I to have these wonderful people take the time out of their busy schedules to be with us (and to think we picked the busiest, hardest, most expensive time to travel to Hawaii).

After the dinner reception, we headed for the Four Seasons’ lounge for more revelry.  By this time, I could barely see straight (hahaha)...but of course, it was hard to miss the governor of California and his wife!  Arnold and Maria were at the Four Seasons the same time we were staying there - it was sort of odd to see him so up close and personal each day at breakfast and lounging by the pool!  (Yes, he was nice...always said hello..and no, he isn’t as big as he appears on the screen.)

And as most brides lament...our wedding came and went too quickly.  We were engaged for two years (he proposed while we were in Maui too)  and I planned the wedding for almost a year.  Wish the evening played out in slow motion!  But luckily, guests were on Maui for many days before and after the special day.  We had several fun activities lined up while on Maui, and that made the “wedding feeling” last longer.

On the night before the wedding, we had a luau complete with pig and hula girls (the pig was cooked, and the hula girls danced...just making sure we are straight on that).  The day after the wedding, we had a beach luncheon picnic and then a cake and champagne party (we had so much cake left!).  2 days after, we had a snorkeling trip to Molokini (a marine preserve off of Maui), and of course several “spa days” for the gals and golfing for the boys.

Maui is done...the pictures are such a pleasure to go over.  Now I look forward to the local (SF) marriage celebration party  in July and also the Sweden celebration party in August, where Editha will be in attendance, and hopefully, Reggie and PJ as well (anyone else going to be in Europe around early August?).

If you’d like to see the online photo album from Maui...go to:

www.eventpix.com

click on: event guest

search for “recent event”, type in McGee & Hoffer wedding

password is 162wedding

Our photos will be “live” on this site thru end of June

That’s it for now, off this article goes to Cres for posting.  My warm regards to each of you and I can’t wait for our big reunion in 2006.

Over and out,