Kawai & Matt Share Their Love Story

Here is a love story for ya! Two Bay Area singles. A delayed flight. A celebrity sighting? These are the makings of Kawai and Matt’s love story…which all took off at Logan International Airport. Newlywed Kawai recalls their chance meeting, non-traditional proposal, and eventual wedding, plus shares the engagement photos they took to immortalize their high flying first encounter.

Kawai, a former technology consultant who is currently working towards her MBA at Berkeley, found herself at Logan International Airport in Boston three years ago waiting for a delayed flight to San Francisco. Matt, a Columbia Law grad and now High School Dean, barely made it to Logan on time for the same flight, only to realize he was going to have to wait as well. Waiting was about to get a whole lot more bearable. A pick-up line aided by a fortuitous celebrity spotting brought them together for the first time.

A Love Story That Starts With A Flight Delay

“I was already sitting at the gate for the same flight and didn’t see him until I got up to find a seat near a power outlet for my computer,” Kawai explained. “When he tells the story, he says I was so smitten that I came over to sit by him. The truth is I didn’t actually notice him until he leaned over to me and asked me if I wanted to watch the TV show, ‘The Office.’ I thought it was a weird pick-up line, but when I said yes, he pointed out that the man sitting across from us was Dwight Schrute.” (Actor Rainn Wilson, one of the stars of the show.)

That coincidence seemed to break the ice, and like any good love story that starts in the airport the new duo chatted about their lives and interests for five hours and multiple delays. Kawai says, “We didn’t even really hide the fact that we were flirting with each other. Over and over again, we mentioned to each other how serendipitous our meeting was.”

When it was time to finally time to board the plane, Kawai made sure to get a seat next to Matt. They were able to continue their “date” for 5 hours and, of course, she got his number after landing. A few weeks later they found themselves across the table from one another at a candlelit restaurant on their first real date.

A year later it was Kawai who proposed. “I have a great appreciation for men who propose to their girlfriends because it actually took me three tries to finally propose to Matt.” First she tried cooking a fancy Chinese meal at his place, but got too nervous to pop the question. The second time was meant to take place Thanksgiving Day around family after dinner, but the timing didn’t feel right. Finally, on Matt’s birthday, Kawai knew she had to do it.

She had made two special fortune cookies containing messages that don’t come with your average takeout. “I was so nervous that I couldn’t stop giggling. When I finally settled down, we each took one randomly, and I opened mine first. I looked at it and then showed it to him. It said, “Will you marry me?” Matt was sort of stunned, and then said, ‘Are you serious?’ Then I made him open his, and it said, ‘Yes.’ He smiled, and then said, ‘I guess I have no choice.’”

To match their story, Kawai and Matt’s wedding was anything but typical. It was all held in Portola Valley, California on the campus of the high school where Matt is a Dean. After a short ceremony with Kawai’s best friend officiating, there was a giant party on the soccer fields filled with inflatable games all around a big tent. The fun included an American Gladiators style joust, a giant obstacle course, a big slip-and-slide, a mechanical bull, giant hamster ball races, a small kiddie obstacle course, and a photo booth.

Kawai is originally from Hong Kong but raised in Texas. Matt is a Kansas City native. This presents a barbecue dilemma for many, but they compromised with a buffet for guests that featured both hometown styles. They ended the hot afternoon with a dip in the pool and a karaoke machine on the deck. Kawai says, “We had thought about a traditional wedding, and then a destination wedding, but in the end, we decided on the perfect wedding for us.”

Images by Blueberry Photography

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