"Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records, they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to you, each other, your children, your grand-children and others throughout the generations. Remember, the Savior chastised those who failed to record important events." --President Spencer W. Kimball

December 21, 2010

They're Eternal!

Part III:  Misi's Wedding
The sealing was beautiful.  Elder Samuelson is a close family friend and my dad asked him to conduct their sealing.  I always love going to sealings to hear the blessings and covenants....such a spiritual blessing to be able to be sealed to someone forever and ever and ever.  I can't believe he's married.  What an incredibly emotional day.  I'm so proud of my brother for being who he is.  I'm so proud of him for always being such a great kid and always showing a great example.  I'm so proud of him for serving a mission.  I'm so proud of him for finding a lovely young lady and for being worthy to take her to the temple.  I can't believe all of us are married now (except Leka).  We're all grown up!  What a great day!  I have TONS and TONS and TONS of pictures.....it was hard to choose, but I will just post a few of them.....

These are from the temple right after the sealing...
(keep in mind my computer is broken, therefore no photoshop so I wasn't able to crop out the excess of the pix...)

Some of the groomsmen...

Bridesmaids Leka & Lexi

Some of the flower girls... Lote, Yana, Finau & Liva

Misi's family that was @ the temple

Our Makai family!

The newlywed couple w/ their Makai parents

My little family w/ the newlyweds

Makai siblings w/ husbands, kids & parents
(Lautala was so not cooperating with the camera..haha!)

My handsome boys

Daddy trying to keep his mini-me warm (it was freezing!)

McAbe ~ Pola ~ Misi ~ Ben

All the bridesmaids
All the groomsmen
Their line...

Pola w/ her Maid of Honor
Misi w/ his Best Man

They had their reception luncheon at the Little America Hotel ballroom.  It was set up so beautifully and was big enough to hold everyone.  To be completely honest, I was totally against having a wedding in a hotel (it's expensive and none of us had our receptions there)  Forking out that much money to have it in a hotel seemed ridiculous to me, especially when you can have it in a stake center for free.  My mind was changed after Misi's wedding.  It was beautiful. Since it wasn't in a church people prepared tau'olungas and actually got to fakapale, so the newlyweds got a good chunk of cash to start their lives with.  Tongans don't give gifts, they just don't.  They give envelopes with money for the couple, or they prepare dances for the couple and people can fakapale (throw money).  Since there is no more fakapale in church buildings, and most Tongans don't give gifts......it's just smarter to have it outside a church building (my new opinion...hahaha) Also, it was great because the families got to enjoy the event instead of running around catering and making sure decorations were ok.  And, when it was over, it was over and we all got to go home and leave the cleaning for the hotel staff.  I was totally against it, BUT after seeing how well Misi's wedding turned out.....I told Ova we're saving up cause when our kids get married, we're doing it in a hotel.  hahaha.  It was such a fun reception and I was really enjoying myself, so I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted to.  Here's a few...

Our table
Auntie Namu & Tea w/ my boys.....I LOVE these two women...they ALWAYS
come through to help me with everything!  I'm so blessed w/ them!

Their beautiful cake!


My parents with the Kolipoki's
(Elder Groberg is a good friend of my Dad, he's the one that sealed Ova and I when we got married.  It was nice to have so many church leaders there to support my Dad and my Brother!)

Misi w/ my Dad's brothers...Uncle Taniela & Uncle Tevita
Leka ~ Newlyweds ~Siu ~ Me

A bunch of wanna be's.....hahaha all my brothers...

Such a brat...
She only wanted me....such a Mama's girl...

The beautiful bride Sipola Fakalata Makai

7 comments:

pwincessdi said...

DOUBLE NO TRIPLE WOW!! I don't know what me and Pulu will do when our kids get married!! I'm scared cause poly weddings are so huge!!! I'm like u, cheaper the better! lol...you guys did an AMAZING job tho seriously! What a beautiful wedding! :)

Siu said...

Nice post!! :) I can't believe Misi is married now! :( We're all grown up! lol.. But your right, it was nice & EASY having it at the hotel! So beautiful!

Mauga Fam said...

My brother in law had his reception at that same hotel and it was SO nice. I am with you Mon, it's really nice when the hotel staff does everything:)

IONGI FAMILY said...

Beautiful!! what great pictures, beautiful bride and handsome groom heres to a prosperous marriage

Leilini W. Kinikini said...

I posted this post on my blog...

Melissa Snyder said...

Wow! Everyone looks so beautiful! She is a very beautiful bride. Love her dress and the reception looked like a perfect way to end a perfect day. I am so happy for them. You look really happy too! Your boys in their suits! Oh my goodness! Could they be any cuter? Love it!

Sinai said...

I use to think like you about spending so much money. But like you said, so worth the money. No hassle running around and all that stuff. We too learned when my little brother got married.

What a beautiful wedding -- and a beautiful couple!