WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF TONGA!

WOW. What a trip!
This was the first time I got to take this long adventurous journey to the island WITH my husband! Oh how much nicer it was to have him with me through travels, especially being pregnant! Except for the fact that it wasn't as exciting as I am used to being there because I wasn't seeing him after missing him andddd I knew that he was coming home with me. I didn't really think about it before but I realized while we were there it wasn't as exciting or "valued" I guess because I wasn't time I couldn't be spending with him at home. With that being said, it was a BLAST being back with his family and experiencing my first Tongan traditional wedding. Blast isn't the only word I should use though, it was exciting, stressful, filled with laughter and tears, loud music, and it lasted FOUR days! I have to admit, I couldn't have handled being a bride there. I was pretty relieved to think about our small and simple wedding and how perfect it was and be a little thankful we got married here. The only thing I would have wanted different is actually having his family there!
The main reason we went to Tonga when we did was for the wedding. So that was definitely the main focus. As soon as we got there the planning and preparing were under way. They had pigs to catch/buy, ngatu to make, dresses to measure for, a wedding dress to alter and smiles to keep up! Everyone who has gotten married, been in a wedding or anywhere near a wedding knows the stresses that can take control of anyone involved! Especially the bride and groom! The men are in charge of the food in Tonga. Like always. And the woman are in charge of the dresses, the ngatu (I have pictures) and the smiles!
Nu'u jumped right into helping with the preparation and being pregnant in Tonga pretty much means you're allowed to do NOTHING! Which honestly? Was okay with me at most times throughout this whole thing. The only thing that sucked about Nu'u being involved in all the boy stuff was that I barely ever even saw him let alone spent time with him. I tagged along for the occasional trip to town or the store to buy food with the girls or to buy the HUGE pig but for the most part I was stuck in my room, good thing I had an amazing book to read! (At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks <3). The final preparations finally started on Thursday. The only good thing about no personal/home fridges in Tonga is that ALL the food is fresh, including for a whole wedding. So they prepared the pigs, the sides, the melons, and the chicken all the day before. Talk about some hard labor that lasted all day and all night!

 This is Grandma putting the finishing touches on the Ngatu.

And this is how big it is....

 Shredding coconut for dinner!

Cleaning the pigs to be prepared for cooking!

So once all the preparations were done it was time to get the party started! Friday night kicked off the celebrations and it was spent in the village of Lakepa for a dance. Church dances are very much similar there except way more fun! They don't do any of the bump and grind stuff, they just dance in somewhat of a circle in like groups of people/friends. They also do what they call a program with some of the traditional stuff just like we do sometimes traditional "rehearsal dinners" they have traditional dance that they do during the dance. The bride does a dance called the Tao'ulunga (money dance). She wears a traditional attire and Nia's was homemade by Grandma which I'm really upset I didn't get a picture of (grinding the shedding out of the coconut husk). But this is what the finished product looked like..

 The bottom piece (skirt) with the wrap (belt)

 The top piece

Other side of the bottom and wrap with the ankle and hand wraps

Here is her dance in her absolutely perfect attire!

Since Nia served her mission in Chicago and knows a little bit of American culture she did want to do something like a "first dance" that normally they wouldn't do in Tonga. She asked me to accompany their song with the song From This Moment by Shania Twain. They did this following another tradition which was a song to give time for all the guests at their wedding dance to give them a lei and congratulate them on their marriage! So filled with leis up to where they almost couldn't see they danced and I sang!

Yeah you heard right, I am the "boss" in their house! That was close to the last thing before the dance being over. After that there was a little more dancing, a little bit of talking, then a long greeting line including pictures before everyone left. 

Saturday was the longest but the best day! It started first thing in the morning when I got the bride and the bride's younger sister ready! I was about halfway done with her sisters hair when I was told that the bride had to be ready in about 1 1/2 hours. I quickly let someone else finish the sisters hair while I started on the bride. I knew that I would have a little bit of extra time to restyle a little after the sealing before she had to come out. People in Tonga are much more patient waiting for the bride and groom to come out! So I got the bride ready a little bit rushed and with the extra stress that basically her entire line of girls had piled into my bedroom waiting on her to be done... (meanwhile I was in my pajama dress). The bride got up and ready for her traditional attire for the "Government" part of the wedding day. Unlike the states, they are unable to just pick up a certificate for the wedding day. They are to appear to a Government official to be signed off as "legally married".

 Helpers getting the bride "wrapped" in all the traditional attire.

 And she is ready! Rain of shine it's time to get MARRIED! <3

 Youngest sister and her "Maid of Honor".

 Uncle, who got the privilege of giving this beautiful girl away.

So in to the temple we go! One of the most honorable moments of my life so far is when Nia asked Nu'u and I to sit in as her parents in the sealing. Her mom is here in the states working in California and her dad was busy preparing everything for the feast to follow the sealing so neither of them could make it. I was in charge of getting her dress and everything with it to the temple, including the ring for her groom! It was such a special sealing (even though I couldn't understand most, I could feel the spirit) I absolutely loved the opportunity to be there for them on their big day and help Nia get ready! So when the sealing was over (tears and all) we got in to the bridal room to get this girl ready for the party! We put her in her dress and I basically had to restyle her hair, because I had the time and it had to work for her veil. She put her shoes on, touched up a little bit of make up and she was ready! And she looked beautiful! <3

The bride and groom were absolutely glowing! They took tons and tons of pictures in this spot because it was the only covered area keeping out of the rain that wouldn't stop! :/

I would have spent an hour longer with them taking pictures in the beautiful parts of the temple but the rain just wouldn't let up and no one wanted to be soaked, including the bride of course. So once they were done with really all they could take we headed off to the next thing on the agenda! The FEAST!

They are off to probably the favorite part of all the festivities. In the states it would be considered the "reception" part. They leave the temple and come to the grooms house where there is a HUGE tarp set up with a ton of tables underneath. There is a section left for the dance floor and then a big table up front for the bride and groom and their party. We waited for all the guests to get there and sit down before the party had their entrance and the bride and groom followed.

 Maid of Honor and best man making their entrance.

Bride and Groom with their party (30 bridesmaids and groomsmen)

When the bride and groom are "presented" in front of the guests they are also presented from their families a remarkable amount of handmade traditional things to put in their house called Koloa.

The tables are previously set sporadically with pigs and different types of "side" items such as noodles, chicken, potato type stuff etc.

This is actually a picture of the party table which was set by Nu'us family. Certain member of both side of the family are traditionally assigned to certain sections or tables at the feast.

The last thing for the couple to do before they sit down and eat with their party is to cut the cake!

Finally the couple sits down to eat. Their table is set by the uncle who gave the bride away.

While the bride and groom are eating they and their families present gifts to the couple and to one another. The gifts from the brides family included an entire house of furniture, kitchen table and chairs, couches, a bed and bed frame, a dresser and a chest and a washer and dryer. They also brought a HUGE live pig for the family to choose what to do with it. I didn't get all that the grooms family presented back to the bride and her family but it included tons of blanket and Ngatu and stuff to decorate their house with also of course HUGE pigs. Quite a few of them..

And now of course the party begins! I love all the traditional parts of a wedding in the island except the time! haha The celebrations last 4 days long and it is basically 4 ENTIRE days. This day started at 10:30 am and didn't get done until about 10 at night. So it's been a LONG day. But this is the fun part. Member from both sides of the family perform for the bride and groom and people come up as they're dancing and slap money on them.

They gave speeches for each others families and all there guests to end the night! Nia had a hard time not having her mom there through it all so it was filled with a lot of tears and Tuiaki's family lost their dad a while back so it was all a little bitter sweet when they would talk but it was beautiful. They are such a beautiful couple and it was so fun celebrating with and for them! Oh did you think I was done? Far from it. Now SUNDAY.

They have a special meeting during Sacrament called their "first sunday". It's basically just a testimony meeting in their normal ward but the new couple starts it off then whoever in the family wants to get up and talk does. Sunday night they have what they call a fireside for the couple and family and friends. It's more spiritual and centered around their special occasion. After the fireside that night there was a car accident where a little girl got ran over by a car, tire marks on her face, and she's fine.....

Monday, finally, the last day. This is a celebration just for the 2 immediate families to share and have fun. They had another pig presented and Nu'us family gives more to the couple, a TV and table to put it on. 

FINALLY the celebrations are over and real life begins for the new couple! Nia went back to work 2 days later and all Tuiaki's family that came from New Zealand traveled home! As did we. It was an AMAZING experience and so much fun. The worst part for pregnancy was the 19 hour in flight travel to get there and back. I really don't want to ever do that again but if I had to it wouldn't be the worst thing.