How a girl from the islands met a boy from the mountains.
私たちのこと
Hawai'i and Lebanon are a long way apart. Somehow they met in the middle — and decided northern Japan was the place to make it official.
We are happiest outdoors, surrounded by family and far too much food.
- Lauren is from
- Waimea, Hawai'i
- Hadi is from
- Beirut, Lebanon
- We now live in
- Somewhere in between
- Our shared love
- Horses, the sea & long meals
How we got here
馴れ初めStudy abroad at Kansai Gaidai
We met as exchange students at Kansai Gaidai, just outside Osaka. Late-night convenience-store runs, fumbling Japanese, and a first trip up north together — Japan has been our shared language ever since.
Two worlds, one table
Lauren's family taught Hadi to ride; Hadi's family taught Lauren that there is no such thing as too much garlic. Sunday lunches became a happy collision of cultures.
Back to Aomori
A slow autumn trip through northern Japan — coastal trails, apple orchards, and a quiet shrine on a gull-covered island — and we both knew this was somewhere special.
The proposal
On the rocks at the Tanesashi Coast, with the wind doing its best to ruin the moment. She said yes anyway.
Why Aomori?
Neither of us is from Japan — and that's exactly the point. We wanted somewhere that belonged to both of us equally; a neutral, breathtaking place to gather the people we love from opposite ends of the world. Hachinohe is rugged, warm-hearted, and unforgettable. We can't wait to share it with you.