Paul and Carolyn Rentz were already worried about their daughter's Waikiki Beach wedding before the lights went out Friday night.

Alone in the dark without a place to shower and prepare, the couple from Atlanta hoped power would be restored in time for their 26-year-old daughter to say her vows yesterday afternoon.

"She had a hard time getting in (to Honolulu). She got stuck on the runway here," said Carolyn Rentz, speaking outside of the Sheraton Waikiki, where daughter Brigette was staying. "It was scary. She's had a hard day."

All over Waikiki yesterday, visitors from afar recalled impromptu candlelit dinners, a night spent reading by emergency light, and long waits for elevators.

The islandwide blackout that started at 6:30 p.m. Friday canceled and interrupted more than a few plans.

Disabled city traffic signals created a chaotic traffic jam for residents and visitors driving into and out of Waikiki.

Unlike the blackout that followed the earthquakes of 2006, the majority of hotels had backup generators capable of powering at least one elevator and emergency lights to illuminate hallways and other walkways.

Dick Gosling, a 65-year-old engineer from the United Kingdom who lives and works in South Korea, said he was sitting in his room at the Sheraton Waikiki when everything went black.

"There was power in the corridors in my hotel, so I propped open the door and read a book and drank a rum and coke," Gosling said. "It's certainly not what happened the last time I was here."

Gov. Linda Lingle said she spoke with many people who were dining in restaurants Friday night and was told that those with gas grills and candles continued to serve their customers.

"One person I spoke with said it was like nothing happened," said Lingle, speaking to reporters during a conference call. "I think the people in Waikiki did a terrific job."

At the Pacific Monarch, guests reported very little light outside of the emergency lights used to illuminate stairwells and other walkways.

Peter Scherrer, a 70-year-old retired banker who splits time between Hono-lulu, Zurich and Vancouver, said he had a battery-powered lamp that allowed him to see around his room on the 18th floor.

"I had a lamp and I drank a beer. It was a new experience for us," Scherrer said. "We didn't have any problems with it."

At the Sheraton Waikiki yesterday, a sign in the lobby posted in English and Japanese informed visitors about the power outage and provided a list of what was and was not working with the lights out. The hotel had two working elevators, but no hot water or telephone service.

"I'm just looking for a cup of coffee," said Marcus Landsberg, a 33-year-old city public defender who lives in Waikiki. "I went to sleep early (Friday night)."