Halekulani, an elegant venue for weddings in Waikiki

Photo by Russ Ramos Photography

If you have already narrowed down your wedding location in Hawaii to Waikiki, one oceanfront venue to consider is the Halekulani. Known for its excellence in cuisine and service, and choice of many celebrities when visiting the islands, this hotel is highly sought after as a venue for wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Even when the rest of Waikiki seems to bustling with activity, the Halekulani successfully maintains an air of tranquility, serenity, and understated elegance, and the friendly and courteous staff create an inviting atmosphere for the guests' (and brides' and grooms') experience.

Photo by Visionari

The elegantly appointed rooms and suites also make for a wonderful backdrop for those "getting ready" photos, prior to the bride and groom seeing each other for the first time on the wedding day.

Photo by One Wedding Photography

For destination weddings in particular, the premier space at this hotel would have to be the Hau Terrace, with its wrap-around terrace allowing guests a view of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach. The room comfortably seats up to 120 guests and features a vaulted ceiling and accordion doors which open up on three sides.

Photo by Russ Ramos Photography

Photo by Visionari

In addition to the Hau Terrace, the Ballroom is another popular spot for receptions, especially for larger groups. The catering staff is exceptional, very responsive and equally accommodating. Be sure to inquire with them for more information, or speak with your wedding planner about this venue as an option for your wedding.

Tips and Advice: place cards

The tradition of utilizing place cards to mark each guest's seat at a table is a very formal and elegant one, and lends a sense of sophistication to any wedding. They can be beautifully printed, propped up on pretty stands, or embellished with tiny accents to tie into a theme for extra special touches. I especially love the ones done by hand in calligraphy.

Photo by Absolutely Loved

However, many couples doubt, particularly when guest counts creep up to larger numbers, whether it is even necessary to prepare place cards, which designate a specific seat for someone, at an event. Identifying a particular seat for each guest can be cumbersome, tricky, and "political," as it then becomes important to take into consideration whether to seat one guest next to another. Is it necessary? In short, the answer is "no."

Photo by Kris Labang Photography

A word of advice I always give to couples is to consider place cards for the parent table(s). Often times, guests eager to congratulate the parents, pull moms and dads in many directions and thus, parents frequently find themselves the last to take their seats at their table. This usually leaves parents with the worst seats at the table - with their backs toward the bride and groom! Setting place cards in advance for the parents at their table will ensure them a place of honor and a wonderful view of the stars of the show, the bride and groom.

Photo by Eugene Kam Photography

Wedding Cafe Workshop Series

Mark your calendars! The semi-annual series of educational wedding-related workshops put on by The Wedding Cafe (TWC) in Honolulu starts next Wednesday, January 26, 2011, and is certainly worth attending if planning a wedding. Each workshop takes place on a Wednesday, commencing at 6:30pm in the conference rooms on the second floor of Ward Warehouse. The workshops cover a variety of topics, such as attire, entertainment, catering trends, decor, and more! At each workshop, vendor experts provide valuable tips and attendees get the chance to meet several vendors at once, and sometimes, even get to sample food. I'll be speaking at the February 9th workshop, "Budget, Planning and Timeline," so stop by if interested in gaining insight into this particular area of weddings.

For a link to TWC's Spring 2011 series, go to: http://theweddingcafe.net/calendar.html. Be sure to visit the website, as some of the workshops take place elsewhere, and are free unless otherwise noted. As proven in the photos, these workshops consistently draw a large crowd of brides, grooms, friends, and family, so don't forget to RSVP in advance! For those planning from afar, fear not, as TWC posts a link to recent workshops on their website. Happy Planning!

Featured Wedding #9: Nancy and Lance

Nancy and Lance tied the knot on August 7, 2010, in the Sanctuary of Central Union Church, followed by a stunning reception in two ballrooms of the Sheraton Waikiki. After months of planning, Nancy and Lance had every detail thought of, and their personal touches marked on just about everything possible, making it truly, their once-in-a-lifetime event to remember.

The adorable ring bearer pillow, featured a mocha sash and tie in the same, luxurious shade as the bridesmaids' dresses.

Nancy, Lance, and their bridal party traveled in style, with not one, but two limousines: a Hummer and a Lincoln Navigator.

For their wedding cake, Nancy and Lance chose six-tiers of culinary artistry by Cake Works, and for their cake topper, Nancy chose a crystal-encrusted, monogrammed "O" for their last name.

Silver charger plates and full bloomed roses adorned each place setting, and guests received a four-piece box of delightful Godiva chocolates.

A hedge of flowers lined the edge of the head table, while the rest of the tables were topped with alternating floral arrangements of tall and low designs.

Orange up-lighting strategically placed set the two ballrooms aglow in a pretty shade of tangerine orange, and chocolate brown chiavari chairs to match the autumn colors of the wedding were brought in, replacing the hotel's existing chairs.

One of the most unique elements of Nancy and Lance's wedding was their live entertainment: traditional Okinawan dance performances, a nod to their shared cultures. The dancers' beautiful kimono even matched the color palette of the wedding!

Glass cylinders filled with floating candles in varying heights lined the dance floor, and the flickering light during the dancing portion of the reception made for a romantic evening.

Instead of tossing her bouquet of delicate gardenia blossoms, Nancy had floral designer, My Florist, design a bouquet of money, sure to get any single lady interested in catching these flowers!

The Sheraton even went so far as to display Nancy and Lance's engagement photo on the multi-screen reader board, positioned prominently at the top of the escalators.

Nancy and Lance "had it all" when it came to their wedding, with no expense spared from making it the gala affair Nancy had dreamed of, but what made the wedding a show-stopper is Nancy herself.

The statuesque bride radiated beauty in her stunning dress, and while she would have loved to walk down the aisle with her beloved father, who had passed away, she chose to process in solo, holding her head high with each step she took down the aisle. The serenity and beauty of the moment was enough to take anyone's breath away.

Following the ceremony, Nancy posed with her mother and sister, who had flown in from Okinawa to celebrate the occasion with her.

Congratulations, Nancy and Lance! It was my honor to have had been a part of your wedding. Thank you so much for your kindness and friendship.

photos by Eclat Photo

Wedding Style Tip #6: Notice Your Napkins

Photos by Dave Miyamoto & Company

One element that can make a simple and thoughtful statement in the overall look of your wedding decor is the napkins on your table tops. Get creative with the napkin fold; ask the hotel, caterer, linen provider, or wedding planner/designer if they would be able to get creative with the napkin fold. With the napkins shown above, we incorporated the bride's gold, braided cord and folded the napkins around the menu cards for a perfect fit, cuffing one edge of the napkin to reveal the other side of the napkin, which was a more tangerine shade.

Photo by Chrissy Lambert Photography

One of my favorite ways to add a "wow" factor to the napkins is by placing a fresh blossom on each napkin. In the photo below, a force-bloomed, fresh rose on each napkin looks fantastic; the size of the rose is significant enough to balance with the size of the charger. Any smaller blossom would have appeared dwarfed by the large scale of the napkin, folded as a wide vertical band over the charger.

Photo by Eclat Photograhy

On a side note, we have finally arrived at 2011 and I look forward to sharing more thoughts, ideas, tips, and featured weddings with you this year. Happy New Year, and may 2011 bring you and your loved ones much happiness, prosperity, and love!