May Day in Hawai'i

Photo courtesy of Christie Pham.

Traditionally, May Day in Hawai'i is May 1. This day was meant to celebrate the Hawaiian customs of making and wearing leis. There is even a song many Hawaii locals know called, "May Day is Lei Day in Hawai'i." On this day, many festivities are held, including lei contests in schools, a Lei Day celebration at Queen Kapi'olani Park in Waikiki, and May Day celebrations at elementary schools.
Clearly, leis are an important part of this day, which also means that florists may be either busy due to a higher demand and/or prices for leis may increase due to the multiple events during this time. Often times, many weddings in Hawaii will have at least one lei involved, whether it is a maile lei for the groom or multiple leis for the VIPs of the wedding like the parents of the wedding couple. With a higher demand, lei prices could increase, which is something to consider when choosing a wedding date or what flowers to use at the wedding.

( Photo on left by Andrew Cha. Photo on right by Kris Labang Photography.)

Remember Your Officiant

Photo by Geralyn Camarillo of Hokuli'i Images.

Your wedding day. Its the day that many have been planning and dreaming about for at least the past few months. All of your check lists have been made and you are slowly working through it. You look at the guest list and see all your loved ones coming...your favorite aunty from the mainland, a best friend from Japan, and of course, the minister that has known you since preschool days.

Depending on the couple, their officiant could be the minister they always see every Sunday during mass or be a reverend that they have chosen for their special occasion. It is up to the couple as to how involved they want the officiant to be; below are some ways an officiant can feel more included in the wedding.

When figuring out what table to place your officiant at during the reception, consider placing him or her at your parents' table. It will make him or her included in your family and gives him or her a rightful place as a VIG (very important guest). After all, this could be a person of the clergy, or someone that has known your family for years and may have even been the one performing the wedding ceremony for your parents.

Another way to include the officiant in this happy event is to send him or her a formal invitation. This way, the officiant will feel more like a guest of the wedding and family member rather than just one more vendor amongst the crowd. It will certainly add a special and thoughtful touch.

Finally, consider a lei for the officiant. Lei represent a gift from the heart and also signify an honored person or guest, particularly at social gatherings. This simple gesture is a beautiful extension of aloha (but check first, if the ceremony is to take place in a religious setting, just in case the giving of lei to the officiant is deemed inappropriate.)

Featured Wedding: Asami and Chris

Date set...Check. Pristine locations...Check. A talented group of coordinators and vendors...Check. Loved ones travelling across an ocean for a special event...Check. Two amazing people in love...Check. Asami and Chris had the ideal ingredients to make their wedding dreams come true.

And their wedding was a dream come true...








Using a decorated white MacBook, guests were registered using iVideo Guestbook.

Emi Hanamizu of Emi's Flowers and Gifts created the floral arrangements for the wedding, including...

the beautiful, composite bouquet made of light pink rose petals with dangling crystals and ribbons.

A delectable Satura Cakes creation was the wedding cake. It was a three-tiered, shortcake sponge with a refreshing mango-passion cream filling, finished with a fresh cream frosting and fresh fruits and sugar flowers.

Before the wedding cake, cupcakes were served at the dessert bar during cocktail hour. The floral designs of the cupcakes were reminiscent of the bride's bouquet and perfectly complemented the pink colors of the wedding.

Mystical Sounds Productions created a custom gobo for the couple.

Of course, everyone was jumping for joy for the newlyweds.

Photos by Eclat Photography

The Challenge to Having an Outdoor Wedding…

Photo courtesy of Christie Pham.

When a couple is getting married, especially in a place as beautiful as Hawaii, they often consider outdoor venues. Just imagine, a wedding reception with a gorgeous crystal blue sky with that famous Hawaiian sunshine that just lights up the well-kept green lawns of Lanikuhonua. However, Hawaii does not always have ideal weather conditions every day of the year. A couple must hope for the best, but plan for those worrisome ‘what-if’ scenarios.

Many couples want to have their ceremony and reception outside to enjoy the natural beauty of Hawaii, but what if it rains? What if it is too hot outside? For such woes, the couple may consider using a tent. While some may not consider tents to be the most glamorous accent to their wedding, with the right decorations, the tent can add to the aesthetics of the wedding itself. Plus, it will protect the couple and their guests from unexpected weather, like rain, or provide a shaded spot to relax and enjoy the festivities without getting sunburnt.

Photo courtesy Stephen Ludwig.

Congratulations Rick Reichart of cakelava!

After much anticipation, the fans of Rick Reichart of cakelava witnessed him in his element when Food Network first aired their Sponge Bob challenge this past Sunday. For this challenge, the four competitors needed to craft a cake for a seven-year-0ld's birthday, whose favorite television show is "Sponge Bob Squarepants." Each of the four competitors was given one character to feature on their cake; Rick's character was Sponge Bob.

All the competitors brought their best efforts to this challenge and in the end, it was a tough call for the judges to decide which cake would be at the lucky boy's birthday party and get the $10,000 cash prize. The final decision...Rick came in SECOND place, a mere two points behind the winner of the challenge. What an amazing accomplishment for Rick, the "newbie" of the group, in his very first Food Network Challenge.

We salute Rick for his outstanding performance and for putting Hawai'i on the map for noteworthy cake artistry. Congratulations Rick, an amazing cake designer, and Sasha, his supportive wife and business whiz behind cakelava!