The Bride Wore a Cathedral-Length Veil and Her Grandmother’s Traditional Hawaiian Jewelry to Marry on Oahu
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When New England Patriots player Jaylinn Hawkins first saw Jayda Howard while attending UC Berkeley, he knew she was the one. “I’m not trying to sound corny, but it was kind of like love at first sight,” shares Jaylinn. “I didn’t know how or when, but I knew she was going to be in my future somehow.” The two student-athletes started their relationship just as friends, since they were both dating other people. “The more I got to know her, the more I saw how real she was, how smart, and how I admired the way she carried herself,” says Jaylinn. “It went way beyond beauty. I can honestly say I liked her for who she was as a person first.”
After graduating, Jayda moved to Los Angeles for work and Jaylinn was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons. But they were able to reconnect in 2020 when Jayda came to Atlanta for a friend s birthday. “I finally got the chance to shoot my shot—and she curved me,” says Jaylinn. “That made me like her even more!” The football player did a small April Fools’ joke on Jayda when he was back in California during the offseason and finally, there was a spark. “We’ve talked every day since,” says Jaylinn. “When something’s meant to be, it will always find its way back to you.”
Jaylinn made sure to set up another fun surprise when he proposed to Jayda in July 2024. Jaylinn told Jayda he was going to be busy at a charity event all day, so she agreed to join her friend as a plus one at an event at the Montage Laguna Beach. “The theme of the ‘event’ was Summer Nudes, so I had been looking for cream dresses to wear,” says Jayda. Her friend drove her to the hotel and a staff member escorted them down to where the “event” was to be held. “Once we got down to the lawn area in front of the beach, I saw Jaylinn at the center of a beautiful flower and candle set up and immediately knew I had been set up and that it was happening,” says Jayda. “He proposed and then surprised me with dinner with our families who had come in for the engagement.” Later that night, their best friends joined in the celebrations, too.
The couple didn’t want to wait too long to tie the knot, but they also had to contend with the busy schedule of football season. So, they had an idea they would get married in June the next year. “June felt perfect…until my best friend and maid of honor dropped the sweetest surprise: She was expecting, and due right around our wedding date! So, we threw the plan in the air and moved to March—less than four months away,” says Jayda.
Since her mother’s family is from Hawaii, the bride had always dreamed of getting married at Kualoa Ranch on Oahu. However, there were no available wedding dates that following year. When the need to move up to the date arose, luck was on their side. “I reached out one last time in November, and like magic, a spot had just opened up: March 23,” says Jayda. “It felt like divine intervention—everything falling into place exactly as intended.”
Creating an authentic love letter to Hawaii and their guests was the goal when planning the wedding. “It meant everything to us that our guests didn’t just attend a wedding, but truly felt the spirit of the islands we love so much,” says Jayda, who worked with Laura Armendariz of Fawn Events to craft the celebration. “From the florals to the food and drinks, everything was locally sourced and crafted with so much heart and intention.”
When choosing her wedding day attire, Jayda wanted to wear something minimal to complement the grandeur of Kualoa’s backdrop. “With the wedding being both outside and in Hawaii, I also knew I didn’t want a big heavy dress,” she says. “Still, I wanted some drama.” The bride decided on a two-piece set by Sept by Sarah Seven, complete with a custom-made long-line corset and a pleated chiffon skirt. The designer also helped her create a dramatic moment with a cathedral-length veil lined with the same lace as the corset. For her footwear, Jayda knew she didn’t want to wear a heel. “I’m already tall and didn’t want to worry about the grassy terrain or being uncomfortable,” she says. So, she decided on Chanel Mary Jane flats that she wore from the start to the finish of the day. To accessorize, she borrowed Hawaiian jewelry from her grandmother, including a plumeria necklace with matching earrings, a ring, and a bangle.
