"Centerpiece of the Week"

I really like this week's centerpiece because of the beautiful pink parasols. They are pretty AND functional, especially for a day time outdoor reception. It adds so much to the space as well as colors to the decor.

What a wonderful idea!

Why I love my job!

I met Anna and Elan almost 8 months ago when they first moved to Mau`i and were planning a wedding at the Pua Le'a (Haiku Mill). One day, Anna emailed me and asked if I could help her with her wedding planning. And when we met, we totally hit it off and I knew right there and then that we would be good friends.

Both Anna and Elan were so easy to work with during the entire planning process. Anna was just as laid back as can be (which is perfect for the Mau`i lifestyle), and we had such a blast just trying to put all the last minute wedding preparations together. It was a lot of fun!

As soon as their wedding was over, Anna and I were already making lunch and shopping plans with one another. Elan later found out that I am a HUGE Apple fan (not the fruit, but the computer), so we became instant "Mac Buddies"! Now I have someone to exchange notes with on the latest and greatest Apple products and cool widgets. Yippppeeee! And finally, they also got to meet my hubby - who was in hiding during the whole 6 weeks of their wedding planning. Yes guys, he REALLY exists... I did not make him up! =)

Every now and then, we would hang out with Anna and Elan. Just last Friday, we had dinner together in Haiku and then we went back to their place and watched "No Country for Old Men" in high-def! It was great...

I can honestly say that I absolutely love what I do! I get to meet so many amazing people, whether they are my clients or vendors or business partners. I truly value and appreciate the connection and the friendship that's developed and created during the planning of each event. I am the luckiest gal in the world!

Lena and Noel's Scouting Trip

My October couple from the San Francisco Bay Area, Lena and Noel, were here on their scouting trip. What a darling couple, who is so unique and love to think out of the box! We went to see a few locations, met with photographers, florists, musicians, had food tastings...etc. Now they have a lot of decisions to make, but they have narrowed down their venue to the Sugarman Estate. It's going to be a beautiful and intimate celebration, and I look forward to seeing their vision come to life in about 6-1/2 months.

"Centerpiece of the Week"

Lately, I have been seeing a lot of phalaenopsis orchids being used as centerpieces. Since they come in pure white, they match pretty much any colors you desire. In this photo, they are paired up with the moss green color, giving it an organic and clean look. And when they are in clusters, they have that elegant feel to it.

Karen and Sanjay's Bali Wedding (3/1/08)

Beautiful stage set atop the infinity pool, but because of the rain, the ceremony was moved to the gazebo

Lovely decor for the reception, but again due to the rain,
the dinner was moved to the covered living room area

Traditional Balinese dancers at the beginning of the ceremony

My hubby and I and the lovely couple!

What a cute cake!

This has to be the "Wedding of the Year" although the 4 days that we were in Bali, it rained almost the entire day on the day of the wedding! The ceremony was originally going to be on the stage that they built right on the infinity pool, and the reception was going to be outdoor on the lawn right by the cliff. But the rain didn't lighten up and they had to move everything under the gazebo.

Nonetheless, it was a beautiful wedding and it did not put a damper on anyone whatsoever. We were just all excited to be sharing this very special occasion with the lovely couple and their families. A lot of the guests were from the U.S., U.K., Holland, India, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.

Congratulations, Karen and Sanjay! All the best to you both!

Karen and Sanjay's Sangeet (2/29/08)

Getting the Mehndi Tattoo

The finished product!

Very cool shoes

My hubby and I with the happy couple in our "ethnic outfit"!

Our 2nd wedding related event was the Sangeet the night before the wedding. It was held at the Villa Bayuh Sabbha where Karen and Sanjay's wedding would be. Karen rented it for 3 nights. The Sangeet is an Indian wedding celebration where people come dressed in ethnic attire, and it gives an opportunity to sing songs, eat, drink and dance the night away.

The villa was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It was humongous! I wish we have a similar villa here on Mau`i. There was an infinity pool, a couple gazebos, a nice lobby area, living room, dining area, several guest rooms and the main room... Pictures just don't do justice, you really have to see it in person to know what I mean!

The catered buffet dinner was excellent. It was a mixture of Indian and Chinese cuisines, both are my favorites! Everyone had such a great time getting to know each other, and all the ladies got their mehndi tattoos while the guys sat around and drank. They played really cool Indian music and at one point, I felt like I was in the movie "Monsoon Wedding"! It was nice to have a fun party the night before the wedding. Both Karen and Sanjay looked relaxed.

Karen and Sanjay's Pre-Wedding Drinks (2/28/08)

Ku De Ta in Seminyak

Lovely sunset

I am finally back from Asia. 4 countries in 16 days... Wow, what a trip!

My friend's destination wedding in Bali was absolutely beautiful. The first day my husband and I were there, they had the pre-wedding drinks and dinner at this lovely bar and restaurant in Seminyak called Ku De Ta. It was an unbelievable place to watch the sunset although it was a pretty cloudy day. We all had a great time and it was nice to meet everyone who was going to be at the wedding.