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UPDATED 3/6/2012 10:15 a.m.

Washington Place has been reserved for private use next month for a wedding reception for the daughter of a well-connected engineering executive.

The reception is for Lois Lani Mitsunaga, daughter of Dennis Mitsunaga, president of architectural, engineering and construction management firm .

Mitsunaga, his daughter and associates were major contributors to Neil Abercrombie‘s 2010 campaign for governor, and their includes many government agencies.

UPDATE

Mitsunaga & Associates was also the largest donor — $30,000 — to Abercrombie’s Dec. 9, 2010, inaugural ball.

Abercrombie has said that he wants to make greater use of Washington Place. He signed civil unions legislation there, for example, and welcomed new University of Hawaii football coach Norm Chow.

Now, Lois Mitsunaga tells Civil Beat the governor invited her to hold her wedding reception there.

An administration spokeswoman says the April 21 wedding reception for Lois Mitsunaga to Ryan Ashley Satoshi Shindo is the first during Abercrombie’s term, that the couple reserved Washington Place and that the governor has been invited to attend.

Private citizens are permitted to rent out the historic site, located directly across Beretania Street from the state Capitol.

But users of the site must adhere to , including instructions on how to print invitations and requirements that events should reflect a “Hawaiian sense of place” — something that the Mitsunaga reception appears to fall short of.

The administration had no comment on the guidelines, nor the campaign donations from Mitsunaga & Associates.

In an email Monday, Lois Mitsunaga said, “Yes, I did donate to Governor Abercrombie because I really believe in him. I’m having my wedding reception at Washington Place because the Governor invited me to have it there.”

Money and Clients

More than a dozen employees of Mitsunaga & Associates gave a total of about $60,000 to Abercrombie’s 2010 campaign. They include several employees that donated the maximum $6,000.

Dennis Mitsunaga gave $3,000 to the 2010 campaign, while Lois Mitsunaga, an engineer, gave $5,000.

Since the election, both Mitsunagas have the maximum $6,000 to Abercrombie’s latest fundraising efforts, though the governor’s re-election is not until 2014. Chan Ok Mitsunaga, a company vice president, also gave $6,000.

Among the government agencies on Mitsunaga & Associates are seven state agencies, including the Department of Accounting and General Services, the Department of Education and the Hawaii Community Development Authority.

Other clients include the University of Hawaii, the City & County of Honolulu and the counties of Maui and Hawaii.

On Historic Register

Besides being the last residence of Queen Liliuokalani, Washington Place was also home to a dozen territorial and state governors.

It was built in 1847 by the family of the American trader John Dominis. King Kamehemeha III later named Washington Place after the first U.S. president.

In 2001, a 5,000-square-foot home was constructed on the grounds of Washington Place with private funds. That’s where governors reside, while Washington Place for visitors “wishing to learn more about the history of the state.”

The mansion is a registered National Historic Site supported by public and private funds. The Washington Place Foundation requires a $5,000 user fee for the facility, which goes to research, preservation and restoration.

Lois Mitsunaga told Civil Beat, “The normal fee for having an event at Washington Place is a $5000 donation fee to the Washington Place Foundation but I donated $10,000.”

She and her fiance will wed in a private ceremony April 14.

A Font Called Snell Roundhand

Eight pages of are spelled out for Washington Place’s use, and there seems to be little room for exceptions.

“It is important that users express to their guests the historical significance of Washington Place,” the policy states. “Events should stimulate interest among guests about the home’s history and role Washington Place has played in Hawai’i’s history.”

The guidelines extend to the written invitations for the events:

Invitations will include the official state seal and must be printed on #65 uncoated, smooth, pure white cover cardstock. The state seal must be in Gold Foil #120. The size of the invitation should be 9” x 6”, score and fold, 4 ½” x 6”. Envelopes are to be 6 ½” x 4 ¾” with a triangle back flap to include the Office of the Governor as a return address. All wording should be in “Snell Roundhand” font.

The wedding reception invitation — a copy was obtained by Civil Beat — does not follow those guidelines. Nor does it specify attire (“aloha, business, semiformal, evening”) or include “appropriate” American Disability Act language.

Final proof of the invitation “must be submitted” to the “Office of the Governor’s Chief of Protocol” for approval.

Whether wedding receptions are often held there wasn’t clear because Washington Place Director Cameron Heen referred inquiries to Abercrombie spokeswoman Donalyn Dela Cruz.

Dela Cruz only knew of the Mitsunaga reception since Abercrombie has been in office. She said the office did not have a chief of protocol, but she did not respond to Civil Beat’s other questions about the guidelines.

Of note: Ben and Vicky Cayetano were married at Washington Place in 1997 when he was governor.