LOVE STORIES
Family ties bloomed in classic courtship
This is the first in a series of love stories in The Advertiser focusing on couples who've been recently married. After today, they will appear each Sunday on the 'Ohana page.
By Tanya Bricking Leach
Advertiser Relationships Writer
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| Elmer and Florence Pascua married on Valentine's Day. He proposed with the old "something in my shoe" trick.
DaveMiyamoto.com |
Florence Pascua loves that her sweetheart is a man of simple tastes, romantic enough to suggest they get married on Valentine's Day so he would never forget the date.
Their love story began as many do in Hawai'i, built on family ties. Elmer's sister-in-law's sister, who works with Florence, a nurse at St. Francis Medical Center, introduced them on a group date at the former Pier Bar at Aloha Tower Marketplace. (Florence, a stickler for dates, remembers it exactly: Feb. 3, 2001.)
Their romance grew slowly, with Florence baking him carrot cakes and Elmer being old-fashioned enough never to sleep over (especially because he didn't want to offend Florence's mom, who lived there). He also was respectful enough to follow Filipino traditions regarding introducing the families over dinner.
Other dates stick out in Florence's mind, like Sept. 28, 2002. They were in the car, driving to someone's wedding.
"He told me to reach in the back seat for something in his shoe," she said. Ah, yes, a romantic proposal. The old shoe technique. "He said he wanted to propose to me on my birthday (Oct. 21), but he just couldn't wait."
Elmer Pascua, 37, of Kapahulu, and Florence Ganal, 34, of Kalihi, married yesterday at the Waikiki Beach Marriott, where Pascua used to work in the banquet department. The Rev. Frank Mak officiated. Before his banquet days, Pascua was clueless when it came to tying the knot. Neither had been married before.
"Up until then, I always thought a wedding was a big lu'au," he said. That was before he learned it was a bigger ordeal, with a guest list of 400. "I would have been happy with a wedding on the beach and a reception in the garage."
The groom, son of the late Ely L. Pascua and Avelina F. Pascua, was reared by his father's second wife, Benedicta Pascua, and is a city and county environmental services maintenance worker. He also is a 1984 Kalani High grad who attended Heald College. The bride, daughter of Dolores Ganal and the late Regino Ganal, is a 1987 Farrington High grad who attended the University of Hawai'i. They live in Waipahu.
They say they were attracted by each other's low-maintenance ways. But in some ways, the newlyweds are opposites.
He loves to surf and fish.
She hates the water and can't even swim. But he did talk her into climbing in the ocean in her dress clothes for an engagement picture that includes his surfboard and a backdrop of Diamond Head.
Anything for love.
To submit your story or wedding announcement for consideration, fax the details to (808) 525-8055 or e-mail islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com. Check the requirements at www.honoluluadvertiser.com.
Tanya Bricking Leach writes about relationships for The Advertiser. Reach her at tbricking@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8026.
