Pacific Aisle Style

Sneak Peak: Carissa + Mike 10.09.09

What's an island inspired wedding without some COLOR!  After all, Hawaii IS officially known as the Rainbow State, and for this fun couple, color = happiness. 

Stay tuned for more photos from Carissa & Mike's October Lanikuhonua wedding!

Happy Weekend!

Betty + Kent 09.20.09

What more can we say about Betty Lee & Kent Kurihara's Big Island Wedding except that it was truly an AMAZING day.  It was such a joy working with Betty and exciting to see the creative genius of her design background approach every detail, and we mean EVERY DETAIL, that  she worked so hard on in the months before the wedding.  It was even more fun to open and discover the contents of all 23 (and counting) boxes that were shipped from Oahu to the Big Island, filled with details and surprises that we had the pleasure of decorating with for the Big Day.  

While we're have yet to see all the wedding photos from Betty & Kent's day, we're excited to share a fun preview and a little about what fun Betty & Kent had planned for 60 or so of their closest family and friends! 

***  ENJOY ***

The shoes... ah yes the shoes. Betty's love for beautiful shoes made me realize it's time i update my shoe wardrobe.  Seriously!   And i love that Betty's shoes garnered their own mini photo shoot in the cottage as Betty and the girls got ready for the ceremony at hand.  

AND while these fabulous shoes above didn't make it to the actual wedding, they did make a fun appearance on their SAVE THE DATE postcards that we adored:

The ladies relaxed as they got their hair and makeup done at Puakea Ranch's Miles Away Cottage...

 

...meanwhile, up at Yoshi's House, the wheels were set in motion and last minute touches were placed as guests arrived and a smiling groom (in cowboy boots!) awaited patiently near the KISSING TREE for 4pm (and his bride!) to arrive.

 

While it was important to Betty & Kent that their guests feel comfy and "at home" at the Ranch, it was also important that a bit of their own style and personalities infused into their wedding equaled fun and unexpected touches at every turn.  Guests helped themselves to Betty & Kent's favorite ice cold IZZE sparkling juices and limited edition designer bottled water by Christian Lacroix for Evian.  Batten Lace Parasols kept guests cool in the warm Hawaiian sun, and pashminas offered cozy warmth for later in the night, when upcountry Big Island's temperatures tend to dip towards chilly.

Flowergirls dressed in adorable white cotton eyelet dresses walked ringbearer, Kea (Betty & Kent's beloved pooch), down the aisle and to their awaited seat on the tree swing as they turned their attention to the bride, dressed in Monique Lhuillier, and her father as they made their way to the 1001 strung crane adorned monkeypod tree.

With the ceremony short and sweet, guests tossed dried Lavender, a symbol of devotion and longevity, in celebration as the bride and groom kissed and were announced as the new, Mr. and Mrs. Kent & Betty Kurihara!

 

While the newlyweds were whisked away for photos, guests were invited to take their own self portraits at the informal photo booth that was set under the KISSING TREE, complete with props that ranged from masks to funky sunglasses to mustaches and fun hats.  

And... as the sun began to set, Betty ducked into the cottage for a dress change into a stunning Pronovias Gown, and festivities continued in the reception tent to the bride and groom's favorite jazz playlist as guests dined and toasted well wishes for the newlyweds, amidst tables draped in specialty lavender, ivory and chocolate linens and set with manzanita style candelabras that held tea light candles and mini birds nests. Each place setting was set with home made fabric flower pins (for the men) and fabric wristlets (for the ladies) that held each guest's name printed on fabric scraps, and a menu that Betty had printed on paper lunch sacks. 

Lacey details, strings of pearls and vintage style ribbons held table cards to chairs, and home made garlands made from cupcake liners in whimsical colors and patterns to compliment Betty's vintage modern theme adorned chair backs and tent poles to add touches of whimsy to the celebration.  A large bird cage chandelier created by the groom, hung over the bar, 

 

 

After dinner and cake, Betty and Kent topped the night off with a game of pinata (an adorable creation by the Bride herself) filled with surprises for the guests (to scoop up and fill their paper sack menus with) and a warm bonfire to gather around and enjoy home made s'mores.

Congratulations, Betty & Kent Kurihara!

Images Courtesy  Punam Bean

Venue  Puakea Ranch

Catering  Paradise Gourmet Catering

Cake  Short N Sweet Bakery 

All Work and Some Play!

Just what are these random photos all about?  

Click on over to the Pacific Bride Guide blog for a sneak peak of what resulted from all this hard work (and some goofing around in true Pacific Aisles style) for this fun wedding at Puakea Ranch on the Big Island of Hawaii, AND be sure to check back in on Monday for more details on this unique vintage inspired wedding!

Creating "wind proof" Centerpieces...

 

 

Yours truly shredding fabric for special touches... 

 

Tara penning escort rocks for some last minute guest additions...

 

Hawaii Event Lighting, creating the mood...

 

Mama J's sign of the times...

Stringing 1001 cranes for the ceremony...

 

AND... goofing around with photo booth props (we just couldn't help ourselves)

Happy Weekend!

Back on the Blogging Band Wagon

I know, i know.  It's been a REALLY long time since i've posted anything to the Pacific Aisles blog.  What can i say,  it was a busy spring & summer here in the Hawaiian Islands, and last month's two weddings rounded out an amazing summer wedding season. Congratulations to all of our spring and summer newlyweds:

Mio Osaki & Sean Gano Loulu Palm Estate, North Shore Oahu

Jackie Lee & Siggy Ferstl Loulu Palm Estate, North Shore Oahu

Danielle Blecha & Arash Bashirullah Lanikuhonua Oahu

Vicky Marquez & Jason Crowder Molii Gardens at Kualoa Ranch Oahu

Jessica Fung & Michael Ho  Lanikuhonua Oahu

Jenny Shum & Starr Tze  Lanikuhonua Oahu

Teyhou Smyth & Adam Vittozzi Secret Island and Molii Gardens at Kualoa Ranch Oahu

Amy King & Brian Wells Loulu Palm Estate, North Shore Oahu

Tanisha Estrada & Jessie Jimenez Private Estate, North Shore Oahu

Betty Lee & Kent Kurihara Puakea Ranch Big Island of Hawaii

We hope to post sneak peak snapshots and eventually the pro photos from these amazing weddings soon.

Meanwhile, we are looking forward to upcoming fall and winter weddings:  Carissa Hermosillo & Mike Caloud (Lanikuhonua), Carol Fu & Keith Hamasaki (Turtle Bay bound), Heather Lew & Stuart Bachelder (Loulu Palm Estate), Paradis Uyehara & Mark Reed (ringing in the new year at the Westin Moana Surfrider) and Lisa Burgess & David Weinberg (Lanikuhonua bound).

And... Welcome aboard to our newest couples:  Becky Rivera & Micah Stevens (tying the knot at the Four Seasons Hualalai, Big Island), Nicole Partington & Dean Burge (getting hitched at Ihilani at Ko Olina), Jana Yee and Josh Lam (planning a unique celebration at their family estate on Oahu).  I'm so excited to see what we dream up together for your big day!

Danielle + Arash

It's amazing sometimes, what brings couples together, especially when they reside in different cities, on opposite sides of the continent.  That was the case for Danielle and Arash, both waiting for a delayed flight that would unexpectedly have them chatting to pass the time away. When their flight was finally ready to board,  it was a sure sign when Danielle gave up her First Class seat to sit with Arash, who was traveling in Coach, to continue the conversation they had started hours before... and the rest is history! 

So it would only seem fitting that these two would jump on a plane to fly to the Hawaiian islands for an intimate celebration. Their requests were simple, but everything had to be perfect in every way:

A private venue (Lanikuhonua)

A Meaningful ceremony, customized with personal vows

Hawaiian Slack Key Guitarist...

Amazing photography (Visionari)

 

Perfect Sunset Views

A Private Oceanside Table, Set for Two (Designs by Hemingway)

An island inspired Gourmet Dinner (Memoirs Hawaii) 

It was truly an evening that, in Arash's words, was perfectly simple and simply perfect. 

Congratulations, Danielle & Arash!

Congratulations Mike & Jess!

As wedding plans started taking shape via hundreds of emails and phone calls, just hearing California couple, Mike and Jess, interact with each other, even from a distance, were amazing lessons in love.  

i think that's why i was extra excited to witness their wedding day unfold into an inspiring, intimate and heartwarming celebration that was truly focused on friendship, family and love.  And what a beautiful thing that is to witness...

(Witness it here)

Congratulations, m*hearts*j!  I can't wait to hear all about the honeymoon!

Where Heaven Meets the Earth: Lanikuhonua. 

Dream catchers:  Visionari Photo.

Dancing Feet:  DJ Teley, Showtime DJs.

Finishing Touches:  Debbie Hemingway, Designs by Hemingway.

Specialty Decor Rentals, Event Essentials Hawaii.

Yummmm:  Catering Connection Hawaii.

To the Rescue:  Vicky Choe, Makeup Hawaii.

Congratulations Kenzie & Ipolito!

I loved the simplicity of this intimate and memorable wedding we helped orchestrate for Kenzie and Ipolito Malloy, who flew in from the great Northwest to tie the knot here on Oahu.  While it's true i tend to tear up at many of our weddings, the love and emotion that this couple displayed for each other had me reaching for tissues time and again.

I enjoyed seeing them celebrate the day with 20 of their closest friends and family, and the simplicity of their day reminded me how beautiful LOVE really is...

Congratulations Kenzie & Ipolito!

 

Photos Courtesy of Ryan and Lisa at Dulce by Visionari

Congratulations Won-Kay & Keith Ancheta!

OOOh how excited i was to find some gorgeous photos from a recent Pacific Aisles wedding waiting in my inbox for me this morning! 

I had such a blast planning this wedding with Won-kay and Keith, and given their fun and energetic personalities, i knew the planning process would be fun from the very start! 

I remember Won-kay telling me the story of how they met: They simply worked together in the same office, and that fate somehow managed to set their desks a few desks apart from each other.  

But the fact that they shared an office wasn't what lead them to make a connection.  It was more then fate that led Keith's sweet tooth to somehow find the hidden stash of candies that Won-kay always kept in her desk drawer.  And it was more then fate that lead Won-kay to discover who it was that was stealing her goodies from her desk!  A confrontation turned into a connection, and here we are today, reminiscing of their fun and beautiful wedding.

Lanikuhonua was set in splendor as these two tied the knot before 250 of their closet family and friends. After the ceremony, as guests enjoyed a host of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, the bride and groom along with their bridal party made their grand entrance, dancing at the heels of lion dancers, who were brought in to celebrate good luck and good fortune, and to honor Won-kay's Chinese ancestry. After dinner, the couple took the time to visit each and every table, for a toast to a good life.

Later in the night, Won-kay changed into traditional Chinese dress, and after entertaining toasts by friends and family, the newlyweds took to the dance floor for their first dance, then danced the rest of the night away.

Congratulations Won-kay and Keith! Here are some favorite images from their day...

 

Images Courtesy of the ever amazing Frank Amodo

Congratulations Celeste & Alfonso!

I love that i'm finding myself on the gorgeous island of Kauai for more and more weddings these days, as it seems by the time i finally unpack all supplies i'm checking off my packing list to prep for yet another Kauai wedding!

We were honored to help Los Angeles couple Celeste and Alfonso plan their Kauai nuptials this past August, with a small ceremony at Saint Sylvestor's Catholic Church in Kilauea, and a simple and intimate reception nearby at yet another gorgeous North Shore private estate on a bluff overlooking the ocean.

A tent was set with glowing white paper lanterns and four simple but stunning candle lit tables, which wrapped the dance floor to create a cozy and intimate setting.  Dynamic design duo Casey and Dode of Martin Roberts Design did a fabulous job tying in Celeste's love for modern/clean design, her passion for Cymbidium, Phalaenopsis and Mokara orchids, and our color palette of clean whites with splashes of amethyst and lilac. Celeste's bouquet was drop dead stunning!

Besides flawless execution for every moment of the day from behind the scenes, my biggest task for this mellow crowd was to make sure that everyone had a margarita in hand (or the groom's favorite POG garnished with pineapple  AND can't forget the cocktail umbrella) and that everyone, and i mean EVERYONE, got on the dance floor. Thanks to the wonderful DJ's at Kustom Sounds Kauai, the  mission was easily accomplished!

 

 

 

Congratulations Celeste & Alfonso!

Images Courtesy of Kilohana Photo.

Hot off the Press!

Full of gorgeous editorial, fantasy tabletops, real wedding features and some of the best and brightest wedding vendors in the islands, the latest issue of Hawaii Bride & Groom is set to impress!  We've enjoyed seeing this locally published magazine come into it's own and rival some of the best bridal publications in the industry, since publishers Julie Aragaki and Gavin Kobayashi purchased the magazine in 2006. We have to say that this is their best issue yet, and not JUST because one of our real weddings is featured on pages 56 - 60!

Available at your nearest newstand and by subscription at Hawaiibride.com