Pacific Aisle Style

Lost & Found

I made it through many a homesick night in college, listening to Hapa's self entitled, then newly released debut album, dreaming of one day returning to my home in the islands. So naturally, i was sad to hear that this dynamic duo of Barry Flanagan and Keli'i Kaneali'i had split up in 2001 to pursue their solo careers.

Fast forward, 7 years...  

While dining at our favorite Mediterranean Restaurant, Saffron, on Kauai, on a recent planning trip to Kauai for an upcoming north shore wedding, we were thrilled to discover that the restaurant had amazing live entertainment to serenade the night away.

Always on the hunt for amazing entertainers to share with clients for wedding entertainment, I elbowed one of my event managers and urged her to go get his name and number.  She came back with a cocktail napkin, name and number scribbled in black ink. It read: Keli'i Kaneali'i. i couldn't believe my eyes! 

It was quite serendipitous to find him there on Kauai, as one of our Kauai brides had just selected Hapa's Lei Pikake to accompany her down the aisle.  We were thrilled to convince Keli'i to come and sing it for this special couple.  What a perfect Hawaiian song that speaks of beauty, true love and romance for a ceremony processional.  The guests all agreed that hearing Keli'i's remarkable voice sing his own song acapella as the bride approached her soon to be husband gave everyone a delightful chill.

We are glad we found you, Keli'i! 

Congratulations Brandy & Ali!

We've planned enough weddings on Kauai's North Shore to know that a night like this is a true blessing. After two days of set up in the rain and cold, the skies cleared and the moon came out for quite a dramatic end to a lovely evening.

And after this past weekend's wet and rainy weather, it was one of those perfect nights as a coordinator you always dream of!

Congratulations are in order for newlyweds Brandy & Ali Davoudian, who will soon be heading off to an amazing honeymoon in the Maldives.  We can't wait to tell you more about their three-ceremony wedding that kicked off at Wai'oli Church in Hanalei and ended at a lavish private estate in Kilauea, and of course, we can't wait to share with you the moments of their day captured on film.

Image Courtesy of Kilohana Photo

Pearly Shells

Pearly Shells, from the Ocean
Shining in the Sun, covering the Shore
When i See them my Heart tells me that i Love You...
More then all those little Pearly Shells

Quite the perfect little love song and quite the perfect inspiration for an all white Kauai wedding we are planning for Los Angeles based actress Brandy Ledford and husband-to-be film director Ali Davoudian. We have had so much fun working with Brandy over the past year and we can't wait to see all the pearly details come together for a memorable and romantic upcoming event for Brandy & Ali!

Pearly Shells: Lyrics & Music by Webley Edwards & Leon Pober, Made Famous by Hawaiian Music Legend Don Ho. Our Favorite Version: By Seaman Dan and his ukulele.

A Summer Solstice Wedding (continued)

Theme: Modern Vintage Garden Party
Color Palette: Soft Pastels
In Celebration of: Love and Life (and the Summer Solstice of course!)

Our Ingredients for the perfect Summer Solstice Party:

The perfect oceanside lawn: Turtle Bay Resort

Acoustic Guitar to chill to as the sun melts into the horizon: Johnny Helm

Gorgeous, Fragrant Summer Centerpiece Florals: Yvonne Floral Design

An Abundant Feast: Various food stations to entertain and engage even the pickiest guests' palette, our fave: The Chilled Seafood Display of Crab Claws, Shrimp Cocktail, Fresh Island Sashimi and Hawaiian Style Poke

Flowing Bar: A nice wide selection of cocktails and Champagne toasts!

Music to dance the REST of the night away: Dj Troy Michael

Firepits, cushy outdoor lounges & soft, warm blankets for stargazing: Event Essentials Hawaii

Late Night Snacks: Wedding cake, Personalized M&M's and delicious monogrammed home made cookies, to complement the Gourmet Hot Tea Bar, serving the Bride and Groom's favorite Peet's Darjeeling Extra Fancy Tea.

Little Surprises: Mother Earth's nod to love and life and the celebration at hand as the newlyweds took to the open air dancefloor in the rain for their First Dance

The Perfect Ending: A Full Moon Rising

Congratulations to our newlyweds David & Valerie Nikzad!

Photos by the talented Christiaan Phleger & Lexi McKenzie

For more on Valerie & David's wedding, check out the upcoming Fall/Winter issue of Hawaii Bride & Groom Magazine

Celebrating the Summer Solstice

We were blessed to have had the opportunity to work with Valerie & David plan their summer solstice wedding. This LA couple had visited the islands for the very first time during the summer solstice a year prior and had fallen in love with the North Shore's raw energy and charm. It was then that they had decided to return to the North Shore for the summer solstice, and celebrate this auspicious time of year with their closest friends and family as they tied the knot!

The summer solstice, the longest day of the year AND the first official day of summer, has long been considered a very powerful time of year, celebrated by many ancient cultures and religions as a time of cleansing, renewal, growth and abundance. Energies ran high as communities gathered for feasts and joyously danced around bonfires and maypoles as summer solstice celebrations brought together whole communities in reverance of love, life and abundant blessings.

This year, the summer solstice happened to fall on a weekend date, which made this special day in June even more perfect for a destination wedding in the islands. Stay tuned for a sneak peak of Valerie and David's wedding celebration and learn more about how the Summer Solstice played into the inspiration and creation of their Midsummer night's dream.

Photo by Christiaan Phleger

Chandeliers!

We couldn't take our eyes off the Hearts on Fire diamond chandelier that lit up the night for the Architectural Digest's Green Room at the Emmy Awards this past weekend. What a better way to celebrate the Emmy Award's 60th "Diamond" anniversary then to set the stage with a breathtaking diamond chandelier, created with 3,300 perfectly cut diamonds, equaling over 10,000 carats. WOW.

No doubt, we've seen the use of CRYSTAL chandeliers in many styles gain in popularity for weddings over the past two years, and we just LOVE to see our couples' (and their guests') reactions to the sparkle and shine.

Thinking of incorporating chandeliers into your event design? We hope you find some creative inspiration from an elegant 48 foot long floral and crystal chandelier we designed a while back for one of our fun couples, Hayley & Ben in collaboration with Oahu based talented floral designer Yvonne Chapman, for their fabulous wedding at the Four Seasons, Manele Bay.

Oh La La!

Images by the insanely talented Beverly Hills based photography duo: Joe Buissink & Kevin Lubera