Events by Evonne, LLC

New Events by Evonne Blog

2009-02-21T00:05:00.002-10:00

YAY! I am very excited to announce the brand new home of Events by Evonne Blog - "AWAY SOIREE"! As our company grows and the direction that it's heading, it is time for our blog to finally has its own identity. Please be sure to update your blog readers to the following address:

http://awaysoiree.com

This blog will still be here for those who want to check out the older posts, but it will no longer be updated and will remain as an archive as of today. I am glad that my blog content will no longer belong to Google now! :) Again, please don't forget to update your blog readers to "Away Soiree". See you all there!

Pancake and Franks

2009-02-20T00:03:00.005-10:00

No, I am not talking about breakfast food, but Pancake and Franks is this wonderful letterpress invitations and greeting cards company based in the Mission district of San Francisco.

Stacy Pancake, the designer and owner of the studio, recently sent me her portfolio of all the designs and they were simple yet absolutely beautiful. Please check out their website above.

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

EBE Loves SMP and WSJ too!

2009-02-19T13:06:00.004-10:00

The acronyms are too confusing for you? 2 days ago, I came across a little article in The Wall Street Journal about blogs in general, and they mentioned one of my favorite wedding blogs - Style Me Pretty.

Yesterday, I had to email Abby (founder of SMP) to let her know that she received the "Blog Luv Award", so I briefly mentioned to her about the article as well. Little did I know that she was going to blog about it today on her lovely blog. Click HERE to see her post!

Thanks for the credit, Abby! Actually, that credit should go to my wonderful hubby, Darren, 'cuz he was the one who said: "Look, honey... Style Me Pretty is in the Journal today"! Needless to say, I am very impressed that he knows about SMP! :)

Blog Luv Award

2009-02-18T00:02:00.003-10:00

Thank you to Charlotte at Delovely Designs for nominating Events by Evonne for the Blog Luv Award. It means so much to me to be recognized by fellow professionals in the wedding industry. Mahalo for the support!

This is how the award works:
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link of this post to the person from whom you received the award.

It's so difficult to narrow down to just 10 as there are so many other blogs that I absolutely love, but here is my blog list (in alphabetical order):

Chewing the Cud
Critsey Rowe Photography
DK Designs
Melissa's Smitten
Project Wedding
Savadelis Films
Southern Weddings Magazine
Style Me Pretty
The Bride's Cafe
The Flirty Guide

One of my weddings is featured in Project Wedding!

2009-02-16T14:15:00.007-10:00

I am very excited to see that Lena and Noel's October 12th wedding at the Sugarman Estate is featured on Project Wedding's Blog this week, as well as on their Real Weddings page.

Thank you, Margaret, for such a lovely post!

Photo Credit: Amity Mason

Great promotion for Events by Evonne clients

2009-02-16T00:05:00.002-10:00

Last July, I made a post about this wonderful jewelry company called Adorn Brides, where you can rent those lovely baubles for your wedding. They are graciously offering all Events by Evonne clients a 10% discount of all fine jewelry rentals on their website.

If you are interested, please go to their website and start shopping for that special necklace and earrings for your very special day! The Events by Evonne promotional code is listed on the brochure below, as well as the promo banner on the right under "PROMOTIONS". Have fun!

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T00:22:00.000-10:00

Wish all of you a very Happy Valentine's Day! I am really looking forward to spending time with my hubby since I didn't see him for almost 3 weeks while I was in Toronto. He is going to make dinner at home tonight, and we plan to go see "Slumdog Millionaire". It seems like the entire world has seen it already!

What are your plans?

2009 WPPI Conference

2009-02-14T00:01:00.002-10:00

The biggest show in Vegas this week is the WPPI conference. Almost all of the wedding and portrait photographers I know are there right now, checking out the greatest and the latest in wedding photography... can't wait to catch up with them on their blogs, Twitter and Facebook page to see what's happening! I know Canon has a HUGE both there!

Paper Source Weddings

2009-02-12T00:15:00.003-10:00

For those of you in the San Francisco Bay Area, don't miss out on an exclusive event hosted by one of my favorite paper store... Paper-Source. Please see below for details:

Come join us for a Paper Source Weddings 2009 exclusive event!
March 5, 2009, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm, Berkeley.

Sip sparkling champagne and enjoy chocolate dipped strawberries
while you create a full suite of wedding samples —
including a select group of letterpress invitations,
escort cards, favors and table accents.

Registration is required to attend this special event.
Seats are limited to 15, so don't delay.

Sign up with a friend and receive $5 off each seat!

2009 WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award

2009-02-09T15:46:00.002-10:00

Events by Evonne is extremely honored to receive the 2009 WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award for "Wedding Planning" in the Hawaii region!

The Bride's Choice Awards recognizes vendors in the top 3% of the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride's Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds (brides and grooms) through surveys and reviews. The winning vendors have set the bar high for this competition, demonstrating excellent service and expertise in their industry.

Mahalo to all who voted for me! Your support, as always, is greatly appreciated!

Vera Wang gowns

2009-02-06T12:52:00.002-10:00

The other day, I passed by the Vera Wang boutique on Avenue Road and Bloor Street West here in Toronto. They had the most beautiful gowns displayed. I saw a lot of them with ribbons, ruffles and bows, which seems to be the trend for 2009. The fabric's also very flowy and light.

I wasn't a huge fan of Vera's gowns until one of my 2008 brides wore one on her wedding day. It was the most beautiful and romantic gown I'd seen so far. If I ever have a vow renewal someday, I will definitely check out some of Vera's new gowns! :)

Photo Credit: WedLuxe

Bloggers GTG - Toronto, Canada

2009-02-04T22:20:00.003-10:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Holly Hatam of Teardrop Weddings today in downtown Toronto. It was a really cold day too (minus 12 degrees Celsius = 11 degrees Fahrenheit), perfect weather for a cup of hot green tea at Starbucks inside the Indigo bookstore.

Holly and I have been reading each other's blogs for months now, and I have always loved her illustrations and her wedding invitations design. In fact, I did a post on her last September on some note cards she did for Events by Evonne.

If you are looking for cute invitations that reflect your personality, make sure you check out Holly's website above and her blog here.

It was great meeting up with you, Holly. Hopefully you and Steve will make it to Mau`i one of these days... but if not, I will be back in Toronto soon. Congrats on your upcoming destination wedding!

WEDLUXE

2009-02-01T00:11:00.006-10:00

I fell in love with WEDLUXE a few months ago when my dad sent me a copy of it from Toronto. It's Canada's luxury wedding magazine, very similar to the Pacific WEDDINGS magazine that we have here in Hawai`i. They actually have 2 different editions - one for Toronto and Eastern Canada, and another one for Vancouver and Western Canada.

Of course when I first arrived in Toronto last week, I had to get the latest Winter/Spring 2009 copy! It's full of wonderful articles, beautiful Real Weddings and lots of great ideas and inspirations. If you are ever in Canada, make sure you pick up a copy of this awesome magazine!

Featured Wedding - Jaime and Peter

2009-01-28T16:19:00.000-10:00

I had a wonderful time planning the wedding with my Canadian couple, Jaime and Peter. They are such a fun and laid back couple. When Jaime told me that her New Year's Eve wedding was going to be all black and white, I got really excited because I have always wanted to do a black and white wedding on Mau`i.

FLORALS: Bella Bloom. LINENS & LIGHTING: Pacific Event Group. PHOTOS: Bill Stockwell. RENTALS: Pacific Isle Rentals.

Jaime's parents spend 6 months out of a year here on the island. There was no better place to have this lovely wedding than at the lawn and pool deck of their house in Wailea. They are such a wonderful family. Jaime wore a beautiful Vera Wang gown and Peter was in his stunning Georgio Armani suit. Everything was perfect from the flowers to the decor to even the weather. It was still pouring even the night before the wedding!

Congratulations, Jaime and Peter! All the best to both of you and hope to see you again here in Hawai`i or in Vancouver!

The Couture Couple Contest

2009-01-24T22:42:00.003-10:00

I just received a press release from my wonderful friends in the bay area - Maria Chang of Professional Makeup Artistry, and Jennifer Skog of Jennifer Skog Photography. They are offering a Valentine's Day giveaway for couples in any market nationwide. Here are the details:

DETAILS

A full-day stylized photo shoot with Jennifer Skog and hair and makeup design by Maria Chang of Professional Makeup Artistry. The Shoot includes up to 3 different looks and an opportunity for a Couple Boudoir in the bedroom.

REQUIREMENTS

In about 1,000 words share your love story. The most romantic story will be the winner and will be announced on Friday, February 20th. Jennifer Skog Photography will not actually be picking the winner; a carefully chosen panel of colleagues will judge the stories.

WHO CAN ENTER

Everyone! This contest is not limited to California residents – they will actually go to any location nationwide to do the shoot!

HOW TO ENTER
Email submissions to: seduction@jenniferskog.com
Please include 1 or 2 of your favorite photos together (1000 px max).
As well as your name, city, state and email address.

CONTEST DEADLINE
Valentine's Day (February 14th) at 12:00 Midnight!

Best of luck to everyone!

"Gung Hei Fat Choi"!

2009-01-21T00:05:00.002-10:00

I am very excited to celebrate the Year of the Ox with my family in Toronto this year. I haven't seen them for over a year now and it's been ages since I have spent the Chinese New Year holiday with them, plus my brother (who lives and works in Hong Kong) will also be there. I am beyond thrilled and I can't wait to eat some GREAT Chinese food! :)

With that said, I am flying out to Winter Wonderland today and will be there till February 8th. I will have limited access to emails and hopefully will have some time to update this blog while I am all bundled up!

I am glad that the temperature has gone up a little. It was freezing there last week: -17C (1.4F) and -30C (-22F) with windchill. Brrrrrr.... For someone who's used to wearing tank tops and flip flops in the winter months, that's DEFINITELY more than I can handle! But I love snow in the winter, so I guess that's the sacrifice! I am sure it's beautiful there... will post some photos soon! :)

Photo Credit: Daily Dose of Imagery

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

A Great Day

2009-01-20T15:23:00.003-10:00

What a historical day... a man of color becomes the 44th President of the United States today, and it happens that yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day. If Martin Luther King is still alive, he would be so happy and proud to see that his dream of racial equality finally comes true. And only 60 years ago, people of color — blacks, Hispanics, Asians — were still discriminated against in many ways.

Here in Hawai`i, we all love the Obama family. We are very excited to see new changes within our country and for the rest of the world. We know it's a tough time now for Barack to take office, but we are hopeful and we have faith in him and his administration that things will get better. It obviously won't happen overnight, but I know things have to get better and if we can all do just a little bit to help make this a better country and a better world, then hopefully there will be less violence and hatred. I am very proud to be an American. God Bless America!

Contest - Win 2 FREE tickets to the Movie-Me Seminar!

2009-01-19T12:10:00.015-10:00

For all of you San Francisco bay area couples, today is your lucky day... well, actually for the next 2 weeks! Between January 19th and February 1st, you will have the opportunity to win 2 FREE tickets to the "Movie-Me" do-it-yourself wedding video seminar (valued at $98)! Please leave a comment on this blog post or send me an email and give a short explanation as to why I should select you as the winner of this contest. I will announce the winner here on this blog on February 2nd.

Here are the details of the seminar:

"Movie-Me" is presented by Chuck and Jewel Savadelis of Savadelis Films, an award-winning husband-and-wife team who are outstanding presenters with an engaging and lively style, who draw from their experience as wedding cinematographers and their long-time avocation as avid movie buffs.

Have you ever seen a really bad DIY wedding movie before with shakey footage, poor sound/audio quality with no editing whatsoever? This 4-hour informative, fun seminar will teach you how to DIY a wedding video the RIGHT way, in which a professional videographer will be filming a series of enactments of a ceremony, entrance into the reception, toasts, cake cutting and first dance. Attendees will see on a screen in real time what is being filmed, with narration of the right and wrong way to do it. There will also be a demonstration of how to edit.

This seminar is perfect for the brides and grooms and their friends who (1) will shoot and/or edit the wedding; or (2) are going to edit the wedding that a professional videographer shoots, or (3) will shoot and edit Fri and Sun activities (a professional videographer shoots the wedding).

Attendees will come away with: 5 common mistakes and how to avoid them, 5 ‘must have’ shots at the ceremony and 5 ways to make the video interesting. Easy tips and tricks will also be discussed, such as the single most important tip of how to frame an image, 4 ways to hold a camera steady, how to record sound and how to choose the best (unobtrusive) angles.

This is a great way to learn by seeing a professional do it than by reading a book, plus it will be a fun experience. What better way to spend a nice Sunday afternoon?! So what are you waiting for? Sign up now! For $49 per person, you cannot find a much better deal than that. On top of that, you can win a Flip video camera by entering the drawing online at www.movie-me.com. No purchase necessary and attendance is not required.

Again, here are the details:

WHERE: Julia Morgan Ballroom at the Merchants Exchange Club
465 California Street, 15th Floor, San Francisco, CA
WHEN: Sunday, March 22, 2009 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
MORE INFO: www.movie-me.com
QUESTIONS: info@movie-me.com

Wedding Magazine Galore!

2009-01-18T00:08:00.000-10:00

I love reading wedding books and magazines, and to be a good planner and designer, I need to keep up with the latest trends and designs. There are so many publications out there, but I am excited to say that I have added 2 more to my "favorite list"!

SAN FRANCISCO BRIDES
Thanks to my wonderful friend, Jewel Savadelis of Savadelis Films in San Francisco, I received a copy of the premiere issue of this magazine in the mail a few days ago. It is published by the same folks at the SAN FRANCISCO magazine (also one of my "must reads")! This magazine is chock-full of ideas for location, invitation, gifts, dresses, accessories... and it has an event calendar detailing all of the wedding-related events that are happening in the San Francisco bay area. An absolute beautiful magazine!

WEDDINGS UNVEILED

This magazine is geared toward Southern weddings. I absolutely love the colors, the look and feel and the decor of these romantic nuptials. All of the real weddings are very inspiring and it's very refreshing to see so many talented vendors in the Southern states - definitely an overall well put together magazine.

Casual Dining @ Matteo's

2009-01-17T23:22:00.003-10:00

My clients always ask me for casual dining suggestions and recommendations during their wedding week here on Mau`i. Matteo's Pizzeria in Wailea is one of my favorites. They have a pretty extensive menu from appetizers to salads to pastas to pizzas to desserts...

Tonight, my hubby and I went there for dinner and we ordered a 10-inch Meat-Lovers pizza and a Spaghetti Bolognese to share. They were delicious and we were so stuffed. Their prices were also very reasonable. It's definitely worth putting on your dining list!

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE
Spaghetti pasta, veal, pork, beef, tomato ragu, sans parmesan cheese

10" MEAT-LOVERS Pizza
Margherita pizza with ham, bacon, sausage, pepperoni, green peppers and black olives, sans cheese

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Christine and Jay's Scouting Trip

2009-01-17T00:00:00.004-10:00

I had a fabulous couple of days with my San Francisco couple, Christine and Jay. They are so easy going, fun and we really had a great time together on their scouting trip. Christine and I have very similar personalities, so I know we are going to get along really well and have tons of fun planning the wedding together. And Jay is just super laid back and cool with a great sense of humor. They make such a great couple!

During one of our site visits, we were talking and I told them how much I love taking photos of food because I love to eat! That evening when they were at dinner, they took a photo of the pizza and wine that they had and they texted me the link to view the picture. They did the same thing the next night... how cute! :)

It was a very productive trip. We looked at most of the private estates, had a food tasting and a few cake tastings. Hopefully when they get home this weekend, they will have a much better idea on their location as well as their date. I am looking forward to their wedding this Fall!

Holiday cards from clients

2009-01-15T00:04:00.000-10:00

I meant to post this at the beginning of the year but didn't get a chance to take the photo until now.

It's always a treat for me when I hear from my past clients, and it's especially nice to see their wedding photos gracing the cover of their holiday cards! I never get sick of looking at them! Hopefully this will give my 2009 clients the idea for their holiday cards this year!

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Welcome/Rehearsal Dinner @ Tommy Bahama Cafe

2009-01-13T00:02:00.002-10:00

My hubby received a $50 gift card in the mail from Tommy Bahama a few months back, and the expiration date on the gift card was this past Saturday. So our plan was if he couldn't find anything he liked in the store, we would have lunch at the Cafe instead. We went to the one at Shops at Wailea. Now based on the pictures below, you know what we ended up using the gift card for! But the question of "Why would they send him a gift card?" remains a mystery.

His reasoning was because he spent quite a significant amount at their store at the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto 3-1/2 years ago for all of his groomsmen gifts. But that was 3-1/2 years ago. Why would they wait so long to send him a "Thank You" gift card? Hmmm... Maybe it took them this long to track us down and finally realize that we have relocated to Mau`i? :) Who knows?!

Mango Iced Tea

Sour Dough Bread

SOUTH SEAS SCALLOP SLIDERS
Two sauteed jumbo sea scallops served between mini buns with Asian slaw,
roma tomatoes, fresh basil, chipotle aioli all topped with crispy "Tobacco" onions

ARUBA ARUGULA SALAD
Caribbean cracker-meal seared jumbo shrimp and scallops on a bed of fresh baby arugula,
tossed with tamarind vinaigrette. Garnished with sliced papaya and chopped peanuts

SABA STEAK SALAD

Marinated and char-grilled tenderloin medallions, served over a bed of fresh mixed greens,
tossed with tamarind vinaigrette. Garnished with grilled potatoes, vine-ripened roma tomatoes, shiitake chips and garlic aioli

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Anyhow, the food at their Cafe was excellent. The service was wonderful and it's at a great location. If you are thinking of having a welcome dinner or a rehearsal dinner on the south side of Mau`i, you should definitely consider the Tommy Bahama Cafe. Or even if you want to do just a bridal party luncheon, it will be a great spot for that as well.

P.S. These pictures were taken with my new Canon lens 50mm f/1.4 USM!

2009 Internship Opportunities

2009-01-10T01:10:00.009-10:00

Recently, we have been approached by a few college students asking about internship opportunities at Events by Evonne. As our 2009 wedding season is fast approaching, it's time to start the search and the interviews.

If you are interested in wedding/event management and have what it takes to work in a fast paced, high pressure environment, please email your cover letter and resume by February 28th to evonne@eventsbyevonne.com. We do not accept any applications by phone. Please see details below:

We are looking for two to three qualified candidates to assist us throughout our 2009 season. I will begin interviewing those who qualify starting in March.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Maintain communication between team and vendors
Assure effective coordination during the event
Assist in set up, facilitate both ceremony and reception alongside a team member

EXPERIENCE & REQUIREMENTS

College junior or senior in a related field preferred
Strong organizational and leadership skills
Excellent interpersonal communication and phone skills
Must be a dependable proactive team player who is able to multi-task and think on their feet
Must be detail oriented and work well under pressure
Must be energetic, fun, with a positive attitude
Previous event experience a plus

COMPENSATION, HOURS & LOCATION

This is a part time, non-paid internship
Hours will vary by event (mostly on the weekends and some weekdays/weeknights)
Most events are on Mau`i where we are based, but we travel throughout the Hawaiian islands (any costs relating to travel to the neighbor islands if necessary will be covered)

Events by Evonne's New Assistant

2009-01-10T00:00:00.001-10:00

After months of searching, I have finally found my new assistant and here he is, hard at work and reading all of my brides' emails!

Please join me in welcoming Sheldon to the team, and if you have any questions on your wedding, please feel free to email Sheldon and I... we will take very good care of you!

Photo Credit: Evonne's hubby!

Here is Sheldon after a VERY long day at work!

Thirsty, anyone?

2009-01-08T00:03:00.000-10:00

With the warm weather we have here in Hawai`i all year round, it's nice to offer your guests some lemonade or cucumber water as soon as they arrive, especially if the ceremony and the reception are at the same location. Yes, your guests can certainly help themselves with a bottled water or canned iced tea in a tub, but there is nothing like having these refreshing drinks served in a cute glass jar! And it's also the little details that your guests will always remember about your wedding! :)

Southern Weddings Magazine

2009-01-06T21:18:00.003-10:00

Our friends over at Southern Weddings Magazine have just launched the premiere issue today. Congrats, ladies! I know every page is going to be fabulous and full of amazing ideas. I just hope I will be able to find it here on Mau`i! The cover photo is by none other than the talented Jose Villa!

You can find the magazine at retail outlets such as - Army & Air Force, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, Bi-Lo, Brookshire, Grocery, Bruno's Supermarket, Fiesta Markets, Food Lion, Gerlands Food Fair, Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Homeland Supermarkets, Lowes Marketplace, New Center, Niemann Foods, Piggly Wiggly-Carolina, Publix, Rice Rood Market, Rouse's Supermarket, Safeway Rand-Thumb, Super S Food, Sweet Bay/Kash N Karry, Target, United Supermarkets and Winn Dixie.

Photo Credit: Jose Villa

iWedding app for iPhone

2009-01-06T00:25:00.006-10:00

Serendipity App Company recently introduced their new iWedding application for the iPhone. For $7.99, you get a comprehensive tool to help you organize all the decisions that you make for one of the most important days of your life.

On the home screen, there is your Top 5 To-Do List in addition to the countdown to your wedding day:

Other features include:

Full integration with Contacts/AddressBook - Giving direct application access to Telephone, Email and Address information and applications
Recording of extensive information including times, dates, deposits, total costs for many areas, including: venues, flowers, transport, catering, favors and even the honeymoon
A To-do List (which can be expanded with custom To-dos)
Budget Planning (which can be expanded with custom expenditure)
Guest List Planning - All Day and Just the Evening, including custom Meal Preferences
Seating Arrangements (up to 40 tables)
Summaries available On Screen and as customized Email
Suggestions for First Dance Songs and even Gift Registries

This app is only good for one wedding and is more geared toward the bride and the groom. I wish they can create one for professional planners! :)

The Wedding University

2009-01-04T00:01:00.001-10:00

The Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley in East Palo Alto, California, is going to host the First Annual Wedding University. According to their press release, "The Wedding University is an educational seminar that provides brides with the tools and resources they need to plan their ideal wedding. The Wedding University is an all day affair taking place on Sunday, February 8, 2009 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

"Brides will enjoy the sounds of a harpist while wine tasting and menu sampling from the culinary team at Four Seasons and roaming models will provide a preview of the current season’s wedding gown trends. They will also have the opportunity to attend a variety of presentations from top wedding planners, acclaimed designers and celebrated photographers who will share their secrets for planning a successful and memorable event.

"Attendees of The Wedding University at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley will be able to select from a variety of presentation topics and educational seminars, including the following:

• Secrets of designing a beautiful and personalized wedding
• The impact of music at a wedding and first dance instruction
• What to consider with photography and videography
• How to select the perfect wedding gown and accessories
• Learning to manage a wedding budget and event flow
• Keys to designing a delectable wedding menu

'We know that planning a wedding is no small task,' says Kelly Nelson, Director of Marketing at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley. 'The Wedding University will undoubtedly be the premier resource for the upper tier of wedding services in one place at one time. We hope to make wedding planning easier and more enjoyable for brides by providing the tools they need for a truly remarkable event.'

"Brides-to-be will have access to the region’s most celebrated wedding professionals, who will be available to answer questions and provide helpful tips to ease the planning process. Guests of The Wedding University will also be entered into a contest with the chance to win a honeymoon stay at a luxurious Four Seasons Hotel and they will depart Four Seasons with a goody bag assortment of items from top wedding vendors.

"Valet Parking will be available at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at a discounted rate for guests. Tickets for the event are $25.00 for one guest and $40.00 for two guests. To purchase tickets, please click here or call Cassie Conching at (650) 470–2894."

Sneak Peek of Jaime & Peter's wedding

2009-01-01T15:13:00.017-10:00

Happy New Year! Yesterday's New Year's Eve wedding in Wailea was unbelievable and it was such a gorgeous day after almost a week of rain. We couldn't have asked for a better day and everyone had such a wonderful time. Thanks to all who did the "sun dance" for me! It worked! :)

Here is a sneak peek of the fabulous black and white decor that I took with my brand new DSLR camera (please click on the photos for larger view). Stayed tuned for the professional photos by Bill Stockwell of Photos on Maui, and Matthew Alvarado of Beloved Weddings!

The lounge and cocktail area

Beautiful chandeliers

One of the lovely centerpieces

Black & white napkin with personalized menu on a black square charger

Place setting for each guest

Amazing table setting for 52 guests

Awesome view of the ocean from the dining area

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Mahalo!

2008-12-31T00:07:00.000-10:00

As we bid farewell to 2008, I would like to take a moment to thank all of you loyal readers for your continued support throughout the past year. It has been an amazing year since I branched out on my own in Fall 2007, and I couldn't have accomplished this much without all of you!

I would also like to thank all of the wonderful wedding industry professionals out there from the mainland to even all the way from Europe and Asia, who emailed me about your wonderful products and services. I am very blessed to be working with a lot of talented individuals, and I look forward to continue to collaborate with all of you in 2009 and beyond! Keep up the great work and Hau`oli Makahiki Hou!

Rain and Wedding = a BIG no, no!

2008-12-30T18:58:00.006-10:00

I am all geared up for the New Year's Eve "Black and White" wedding tomorrow, but the weather hasn't been cooperating in the past few weeks. For the 3-1/2 years that I have lived on Mau`i, I have never seen this much rain all within a month. I am hoping that the Rain Goddess will be kind to us tomorrow and decide to take a break for just one day. It will be an absolutely amazing wedding and I can't wait to see how everything comes together. It's going to be a lot of fun! Please... rain, rain, go away! :(

Photo Credit: Jessica Claire

Photo Credit: Blue Orchid Designs

Photo Credit: Estilo Weddings

Signature Cocktails - Ruby Red

2008-12-28T00:08:00.002-10:00

If your wedding color is red or with red accent, this is YOUR month! I'd like to share with you some yummy "red" cocktail recipes:

RED MARGARITA
Fruity, delicately tangy drink for the evening
1 oz. tequila
1 tbsp. grenadine
2 tsp. raspberry flavored liqueur
2 tsp. lemon juice
Garnish with an orange peel twist

MONTE ROSA
Light aperitif
1/2 oz. vodka
2 tsp. triplesec
2 tsp. Campari
2 tsp. orange juice

VODKA CRANBERRY
Social cocktail hour drink
1/2 oz. vodka
Fill with cranberry juice

RED SLIP - NON ALCOHOLIC
Sweet fruity event drink
1-1/2 oz. of strawberry syrup
1-1/2 oz. grapefruit juice
Bitter grapefruit juice for topping off
Garnish with a strawberry or lime

My best Christmas gift(s)...

2008-12-26T18:51:00.012-10:00

OK, besides the Canon EOS Rebel XSi Digital SLR camera that I got almost 2 weeks ago (and which I used to take this photo), the next best Christmas gift is probably the Spring/Summer 2009 issue of the Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine!

Events by Evonne Hawaii Online Listing

I didn't expect to see the magazine in my mailbox as the Spring/Summer issue usually hits the newsstands the first week of January, but as a Platinum List® member we get our complimentary issues a week earlier! YAY! Needless to say, I am all curled up with a cup of hot chocolate (yes, it's a little nippy here on Mau`i) and the magazine in my hand, enjoying every page of pure fabulousness!

Please be sure to check out my listings on page 196 for Hawai`i and page 200 for Northern California! :) As always, thank you all for your support!

Mele Kalikimaka...

2008-12-25T00:09:00.000-10:00

... me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou! Happy holidays from our family to yours, and all the best in 2009!

xoxo,
Evonne, Darren, Stanley and Sheldon

Left to right: Stanley (Blue Mackerel Tabby Longhair Scottish Fold)
and Sheldon (Blue Tabby & White Longhair Scottish Fold)

"Wedding Chic"

2008-12-23T11:31:00.006-10:00

I have been eagerly waiting for this book for quite some time now, and it's FINALLY here! If you haven't done so already, you need to head to your nearest bookstore or Amazon.com and pick up a copy of "Wedding Chic: 1,001 Ideas for Every Moment of Your Celebration" by the one and only Colin Cowie. It might just be your best Christmas present this year!

You will find tons of amazing ideas on the traditional wedding elements such as flowers and cakes, but there is a section in the book that's dedicated to ceremony decor for beaches, gardens...etc. for those who are having a destination wedding. It's a MUST READ!

With the holidays coming up in just a few days, what else is better than to curl up by a fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate in your hand and reading this wonderful book by Colin? Or if you live in the tropics like I do, you can curl up on your beach blanket! :)

Cute lil' petit fours

2008-12-21T00:02:00.000-10:00

For those of you who know me well, you know how much I love sweets, chocolates and dragonflies (and green cymbidium orchids too)! Now if you put 3 of those 4 together... VOILA, you get these yummilicious petit fours by Dragonfly Cakes in Sausalito, Calfornia.

Photo Credit: Dragonfly Cakes

When my hubby and I used to live in San Francisco, we would drive up to Sausalito on some weekends to grab a nice brunch and walk around the cute little town. And just a few days ago, he had the opportunity to try a piece of the lemon flavor.

He emailed me right away and said: "Honey, have you heard of Dragonfly Cakes? We received a box of these petit fours at the office today. It was really good, you'll like it... also good gift idea for brides."

Well, thanks, honey! I will like it if I get to try one, so did you save me a piece? His answer was: "Oh... let me see if there is any left!" :)

Note: My hubby did save me a piece (it was chocolate) and it was sooooo good. It was soft and not very sweet - just perfect!

Engagement Session - Liz and Nelson

2008-12-19T12:03:00.000-10:00

Liz and Nelson are getting married in September 2009, but they were out here on Mau`i for their scouting trip this past November. I had such a great time hanging out with them and taking them to all the vendor meetings. On their last day here, Liz had a hair/makeup trial and they decided to do an engagement session with the photographer of their choice - Amity Mason.

It's an excellent idea to do an engagement shoot while you are on your scouting trip for your destination wedding (and even if you are getting married locally). That way, you can have a trial of your hair and makeup, and also get to know your photographer before the big day. I highly recommend it!

Here are some of those amazing photos from Liz and Nelson's session. I can only imagine what their wedding photos will be like... can't wait till their "NYC/Sex and the City" style wedding is here. I know it will be absolutely fabulous!

Photo Credit: Amity Mason

Cute ring bearer photos on Style Me Pretty

2008-12-18T14:07:00.005-10:00

A few weeks ago, I received an email from Style Me Pretty, asking all of us Little Black Book members to submit photos of the cute little ring bearers from our weddings. I submitted the following and they posted them on their blog today! You can read the post HERE!

This first ring bearer photo was actually from my very own wedding at the Moana Surfrider on O`ahu on June 2, 2005. Our ring bearer, Langston, was my hubby's nephew. He was 4 at the time and he did so well walking down the aisle all by himself. As we were lining up, I remember him asking his mom why the flower girl was crying! Needless to say, the flower girl didn't walk down the aisle as planned (but she was totally fine during the rehearsal). That's how children are, they can be unpredictable and we just have to go with the flow! :)

Photo Credit: Sanford Barr

This 2nd ring bearer photo was from my September 13, 2008 wedding at the Haiku Mill. Evan was the nephew of my beautiful bride, Angela. His brother Caleb also walked down the aisle with him. I love this photo because as sharp as Evan looked in his tux, his little tie was all crooked and his shirt wasn't even tucked in anymore right after the ceremony! :p How cute was that?!

Photo Credit: Tad Craig

Featured Wedding - Eri and Aris

2008-12-17T00:05:00.001-10:00

Eri and Aris are such a sweet couple. I met them the first time when I flew over to O`ahu for their scouting trip on Valentine's Day, and Eri's parents flew in from Japan as well. It was fun spending time with them, checking out different locations and meeting with vendors.

After the scouting trip, the rest of the planning was all done via email as Eri spent most of that time in Japan, but everything went very well on the day of, and it was exactly how they envisioned their wedding to be.

CATERING: D'lish Catering. FLORALS & LINENS: Yvonne Floral. PHOTOS: Visionari. RENTALS & LIGHTING: A'A Party Rentals.

Eri and Aris had their wedding at Lanikuhonoua, which is one of my favorite locations on O`ahu! Eri chose lime green, coral and yellow for their decor colors to complement all of her bridesmaid's dresses. The colors were just perfect, even for a November wedding. In fact, a lot of my 2009 brides have asked me about those colors for their wedding next year! It was such a gorgeous day with absolutely no wind and rain. - practically a planner's dream! We couldn't have asked for better weather, and Eri looked stunning in this wedding gown that she selected with her mom.

The highlight of this wedding was the entertainment toward the end of the reception with the hula dancers and the fire knife dancer. It was a surprise for the guests and I think everyone enjoyed it.

Congratulations, Eri and Aris! All the best to both of you and hope to see you again here in Hawai`i or back in Northern Cal!

Thi Make Up Studio Grand Opening Event

2008-12-15T00:07:00.000-10:00

Taylor Pham is one of my favorite makeup artists in the San Francisco Bay Area, and she is the owner of Thi Cosmetics. For all the brides-to-be, please mark your calendar for this wonderful event - the Grand Opening and Holiday Shopping Soiree of Thi Makeup Studio in downtown Palo Alto. Please see below postcard for details.

Report from the "Bride Wars" premiere for Entertainment Tonight!

2008-12-12T02:00:00.005-10:00

"Bride Wars" starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway will premiere on January 9th, 2009. Entertainment Tonight is teaming up with Kate and The Knot.com for an unbelievable treat for one lucky, engaged bride-to-be!

They are sending an engaged bride-to-be to the film's New York premiere, with the chance to interview Kate and Anne on the red carpet!

Here is a sneak peek:

On the red carpet, you'll get to interview Bride Wars stars Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway while schmoozing with other A-list celebs. After the premiere, they'll whisk you off to the exclusive after-party at Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue! To enter, email them at contestant@theknot.com with the following info:

Your full name
City and state (and city and state where you're getting married if it's different)
Phone number
Photo of yourself
Share your "bride war" story with them. Have you had a bridezilla moment? Or has there been a time when one of your friends or family members gave you -- let's just say "unsolicited" -- advice?

They'll announce the winner the week of December 26!

For rules and regulations, please click HERE!

One more wedding in 2008!

2008-12-11T00:11:00.006-10:00

Just when I thought my wedding season has ended for 2008, I just took on another one today for New Year's Eve! Yes, 20 days from today! My good friend Debbie of Pacific Event Group mentioned to me that this bride really needed a coordinator to help her on the day of, and since we both work very well together at all of my events, she thought it would be great if I could take on this last minute wedding.

About 6 months ago, I stopped offering my day of wedding as well as partial planning and coordination services. I prefer to plan the entire wedding from start to finish. That way I know exactly and have more control as to what's going on throughout the planning process. It's always hard to jump in the last minute to try and figure out how the day is going to pan out. But the bride, Jaime, seems like a sweetheart and I just couldn't possibly say no when she said she'd love to have me there to help her.

Photo Credit: Jessica Claire

Photo Credit: Project Wedding

I am hoping to get more information from Jaime in the next few days, so that I can start compiling my 10-page+ detailed wedding day timeline and the complete vendors' list for her! According to Debbie and Nicole (the floral designer), the decor is going to be black and white. I have always wanted to do a black and white wedding, and I can't wait to see how this beautiful wedding turns out! :)

San Francisco Vendors/Bloggers GTG!

2008-12-10T00:05:00.009-10:00

Even though I was only in San Francisco for 2-1/2 days, I had the privilege of meeting my fellow wedding colleagues and friends - Jewel Savadelis of Savadelis Films, Viola Sutanto of Chewing the Cud Weddings and Stacie Tamaki of The Flirty Guide. We had such a wonderful time at Hotel Sofitel, catching up over a few drinks... If the bar wasn't closing, we probably could have talked all night!

One of the many reasons that I love what I do is because I am constantly surrounded by talented professionals in the wedding industry, and I am so blessed to be able to collaborate with them and call them as friends. These 3 ladies are truly inspirational, and I have to say that they are all on the top of their field. I know that we are going to be friends for a long, long time.

From left to right - Jewel, Viola, Evonne and Stacie!

Besides being talented, Jewel, Viola and Stacie are all super sweet too... they are like sisters I never had! Look at all the goodies I received from them:

A bottle of dessert wine (my favorite)

Stationery samples - did I mention they are letterpress? :)

Desk accessory/cake topper - in my company colors
(green and brown)!

Much mahalo, ladies! I can't wait to see you all again the next time I am in town - which is May 2009! It's going to be a blast I am sure, and hopefully it won't be as cold! Brrrrrr... :)

Oooooh... pretty linens!

2008-12-09T12:14:00.006-10:00

When I was in San Francisco this past weekend, I was able to visit the Wildflower Linen showroom in Potrero Hill. Thanks so much, Lily, for taking time out of your busy weekend (AND day off) to show me your beautiful linens. I really appreciate it. Needless to say, I was in love with all the colors and fabrics! :)

With all the weddings and events that I have seen and planned in the last few years, flowers and linens are pretty much what makes the event stands out. If you want to "WOW" your guests, that's definitely one area that you should not skimp on.

Here are some of the photos I took during my visit:

All the linens were displayed according to the color scheme,
making it easier for clients to browse through

Lovely table settings to give clients all the different ideas
and color combinations

Linens and chair covers with beautiful texture and colors

Great idea for a sweetheart table

More colors and ideas...

Hmmm... yummy colors!

Owner, Youngsong Martin, was a fashion designer.
That's where she got all of her tabletop and chair cover ideas from.

Here are all the matte satins in a rainbow of colors for clients to choose from!

Can't go wrong with the black and white. Perfect for a holiday wedding or event!

For those of you who are in the Southern California Orange County area, you will have a chance to personally meet the owner of Wildflower Linen, Youngsong Martin. Please see the details in the flyer below...

Off to my "other home"!

2008-12-05T00:21:00.001-10:00

My hubby and I are leaving for San Francisco today to visit my mother-in-law. She is in between her chemo treatment right now, and we wanted to make sure she's doing OK and basically just spend a nice weekend with her.

But being the workaholic that I am (or should I say the "Social Butterfly" that I am), of course I have to try to squeeze in some time within the 2-1/2 days that I am there to visit with my wedding colleagues as well. I will have a full report on that when I return next Tuesday. Ahhh... wish I have my new DSLR already!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Photo Credit: [b]ecker

Bloggers GTG (get together)!

2008-12-04T23:59:00.003-10:00

I am so excited that today I finally got to meet my "blogger" friend Diane of DK Designs in San Jose, CA. We have been following each other's blogs for months now, and she's in town this weekend to work on a wedding.

If you are not familiar with Diane's work, she makes these AMAZING clay flowers - bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces... as well as invitations. You can check out her website here.

We had such a wonderful time catching up with each other today. First, we had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants - Cafe O'Lei. Then we went back to the Grand Wailea Resort (where Diane is staying) to meet with her client for some last minute details. And then we spent another few more hours just chatting and exchanging wedding ideas! Haven't had a girl's night out in a long time, so it was super fun!

Diane was so sweet... she knew that I love green cymbidium orchids, so she made this clay arrangement as a gift to me! I LOVE it!

And with our businesses, we both constantly have to be connected to the outside world. Sorry, it's not a great picture, but I want to show the "Battle of our Smart Phones - the iPhone (me) vs. the Blackberry Storm (Diane's)"!

Thanks, Diane! I had a great time tonight and we'll have to do this again next time in the Bay Area! :)

Hmmm... Sweet Favors :)

2008-12-03T16:59:00.007-10:00

OK, who doesn't like chocolates? Imagine making your own chocolate truffles as your wedding favors, or you can even include that in your dessert buffet if you'd like. Now that the holiday season is just around the corner, I would love to share with you one of my favorite chocolate truffle recipes.

With San Francisco being my 2nd home, of course the recipe calls for my personal favorites - Recchiuti or Charles Chocolates, but you can use whatever brand chocolates you desire:

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup organic heavy cream or whipping cream (try to find cream that is not “Ultra-Pasteurized)
1 whole vanilla bean
8 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a gentle boil. Remove from heat
Split the vanilla bean open and scrape out the vanilla seed into the cream and let steep for 10 minutes
Bring the cream back to a gentle boil over medium heat
Pour the cream over the finely chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes
Whisk the chocolate and cream mixture together until very smooth. This is referred to as ganache, a mixture of chocolate and cream
Refrigerate in an airtight container, for at least 5 hours or overnight
Using a small melon baller or a small teaspoon, scoop small balls of ganache into your hand and roll until somewhat smooth and round. These should be approximately 1” in diameter
Place cocoa powder in a shallow bowl or pan. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder to coat
Truffles may be stored for up to two weeks at a cool room temperature (55-65 degrees) in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate or freeze; this damages the texture of the creamy ganache

Have fun and enjoy! Let me know how yours turn out! :)

A new Weddingbee blog!

2008-12-02T20:32:00.012-10:00

For those of you Weddingbee fans out there, it seems like you need to set aside even more time now to catch up on their 2nd blog which launched today - the Weddingbee PRO! It's a group blog updated everyday by top wedding vendors across the country. You will find tons of great ideas, inspirations, photos, videos from the pros on there.

I just sent in my application to be one of their bloggers. Hopefully Mrs. Bee will send me an invitation to join their wonderful team! If not, then this is still where I am going to be at! In fact, as Events by Evonne keeps growing, this blog will have a completely new name, new domain, new look, new colors, new identity... so stay tuned for the "transition" post! :)

The SoleMates

2008-12-01T00:38:00.001-10:00

I came across this website about a week ago - The SoleMates, and also thanks to one of my very loyal blog readers, Abby, for letting me know about this company as well. This product might actually solve all the problems that most of my brides have when having their ceremony on a lawn.

The SoleMates is actually a piece of plastic that can fit snugly onto your stilettos or heels, so that you won't damage the heels or that the heels won't get "stuck" in the soil at a lawn ceremony! I am not sure if they work perfectly as I haven't heard anything, and none of my clients has used them yet, but if you have tried it and it works well, please send me an email to let me know.

The Mike Colón Experience

2008-11-30T23:58:00.004-10:00

Mike Colón, one of my many favorite destination wedding photographers from Newport Beach, California, is having his educational workshop "The Mike Colón Experience X - Retreat in Paradise" here on Mau`i from Sunday, December 7th to Friday, December 12th. Although I am a beginner/amateur photographer (and I don't plan on becoming a wedding photographer), I really would love to meet "the legend".

If you are reading this post, Mike... I'd love to come by and say "aloha" and perhaps sit in on one of your sessions! I know your workshop is for professional photographers only, but I am a huge fan and just wanted to meet you! :)

Signature Cocktails - Go Green

2008-11-29T01:47:00.000-10:00

A few months ago, I blogged about how popular signature drinks are now, and almost every one of the wedding that I plan has one. Not only do they match the colors of the wedding, they are also very yummy!

This month, I'd like to share with you a few "green" recipes of these delicious drinks:

SONIA
Spicy cocktail or after dinner drink
1 oz. vodka
1 oz. green peppermint flavored liqueur
Garnish with mint

BLUE MOON
Fruity and refreshing drink
1/2 oz. gin
2 tsp. Blue Curacao
2 tsp. Cointreau or other orange flavored liqueur
2 tsp. pineapple juice
Lemonade for topping off
Garnish with a pineapple or lime

GREEN PEACE
Sweet and refreshing drink
1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. dry vermouth
1/2 oz. Pisang Ambon
2 tsp. apricot brandy
Top off with pineapple juice
Garnish with a cherry or lime

Wedding day survival kit

2008-11-28T00:38:00.000-10:00

As a planner, I always have my "emergency kit" with me on the day of the wedding, just in case if my client needs anything last minute. However, some brides are very prepared and have their own as well.

You can get your very own at Ms. & Mrs. The kit includes:

Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Dental Floss, Mints, Drinking Straw, Pain Reliever, Antacid, Hand Lotion, Emery Board, Clear Nail Polish, Nail Polish Remover, Facial Tissues, Deodorant, Tampons, Adhesive Bandages, Hair Brush, Hair Spray, Bobby Pins, Interior Mirror, Lint Remover, Mending Kit, Scissors, Safety Pins, Stain Remover, Static Remover, Super Glue, Double-Sided Hem Tape, Earring Backs, Corsage Pins and Extra Wedding Bands!

That should cover it!

"OMG, my wedding is on TV!"

2008-11-26T00:04:00.003-10:00

No, no, no... not my own wedding, but one of my June 2008 weddings will actually be featured on the new TV segment - "OMG, my wedding is on TV!" of Get Married. I don't have the exact air date yet, but as soon as I find out I will post it here. YAY! That's very exciting!

AND... Colin Cowie, my idol and wedding planner extraordinaire, is going to be the new host of Get Married starting on January 5th... so don't miss it!

Pink Tiki

2008-11-25T00:03:00.002-10:00

For those tying the knot on O`ahu, now you can check out the "Pink Tiki" at the Tiki's Grill and Bar in Waikiki for your girls' or guys' night out!

Tiki’s Grill & Bar, located across from Waikiki Beach launched a weekly club night called Pink Tiki on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 10:00 pm. Building on its current success of nightly live music, Pink Tiki will be featuring a DJ in the Ocean Room, drink specials, VIP Bottle Service, dancing and a late night class on drink making.

A long time community supporter, Tiki’s has created a drink called “Pink Tiki,” and a dollar for every Pink Tiki drink purchased will be donated to the Queen’s Cancer Center. A unique pink ceramic tumbler will be featured on the daily menu to support the Queen’s Cancer Center on an ongoing basis. Tiki’s will also be giving the Queen’s Cancer Center, unlimited VIP cover passes to give out to donors, volunteers, and cancer survivors.

“Pink Tiki is the something we have wanted to launch for a long time but have been busy with other projects.” said Bill Tobin, Tiki’s Grill & Bar Managing Partner and CEO. “We are looking to attract a late night crowd after our dinner rush. Tiki’s has always been about bringing fun back into Waikiki!” Additionally, prior to opening Tiki’s, owners Tobin and Kelly McGill, and Greg Montgomery as well as other Tiki’s managers worked in nightclubs and lounges and all agreed that they missed the energy that a great DJ can create in a club.

The 10,000-square-foot, 380-seat Tiki’s Grill & Bar, featuring a South Pacific ambiance with a casual island theme, is located on the second floor of the ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel at 2570 Kalakaua Avenue. Tiki’s Grill & Bar, open from 10:30 am to midnight, serves lunch and dinner, and is a popular venue for island entertainment. Free validated valet parking is available.

Inviting Ideas

2008-11-23T00:05:00.003-10:00

A lot of my 2009 brides have started working on their wedding invitations already. Here are a few tips and advice especially if you are planning a destination wedding:

If you want all of your paper products to be personalized and have the same "look and feel", make sure that when you work on your Save-the-dates and your invitations, you are also thinking about your programs, escort cards and/or place cards, your menus and possibly your thank you cards as well.
Since most of the guests will be coming from out-of-town, it's a good idea to send out the invitations 3 months prior to your wedding. That will give them enough time to book their travel arrangements.
An RSVP deadline of 4 to 6 weeks prior to your wedding is highly recommended. That will give the planner, the caterer and the rental company enough time to finalize all the details.
NEVER put your registry information on the invitations. If you have a wedding website, you can include that on the site.
If you are having a smaller, intimate wedding and not inviting all of your friends and family, you should send out announcement cards after the wedding. Include a nice little wedding photo, and thank them for their thoughts and prayers.
You can certainly hand cancel each invitation, but the post office will still run them through their machine. If your invitations are delicate, it's a good idea to include both an inner and outer envelope.
For eco-conscious brides, instead of doing different inserts for maps/directions, and activities...etc., you can include those information on your wedding website.
Always order at least 5 to 10 extra invitations with envelopes. As for thank-you notes, you should order an extra 50 to 100. You are going to get gifts all along, from your engagement to your shower to your wedding... why not have a full set of thank-you notes with both of your names on there?! :)
It's VERY important that you proof read every single draft from your designer, and it's always a good idea to have at least one or two other sets of eyes to look through everything. Once the invitation goes to print, that's it... any changes after that point will be costly.

Photo Credit (top to bottom): Smitten Invitations, Bella Figura, Cards De Luxe

Featured Wedding - Lena and Noel

2008-11-21T00:07:00.005-10:00

Lena and Noel are such a laid-back couple. They have been together for 14 years and they finally tied the knot on October 12th at the Sugarman Estate. I met them for the first time when they came out to Mau`i on their scouting trip back in March. As I get to know them better, I realized that they love things that are unconventional. Instead of going to a bridal salon to pick out her dress, Lena had it made by a designer in San Francisco. It was beautiful.

Here are the professional photos by Amity Mason:

CATERING: Aloha Events Catering. FLORALS & LIGHTING: Dellables. LINENS: Pacific Event Group. PHOTOS: Amity Mason. RENTALS: Pacific Isle Rentals and Envisions Entertainment.

As we started the planning process, Lena told me that she liked crimson red, teal green and bronze. We tried to incorporate all of those colors in her decor, from the flowers to the dining canopies to the lounge furniture...etc. Everything turned out perfectly.

Congratulations, Lena and Noel! All the best to both of you and hope to see you again here on Mau`i!

Happy Birthday to my hubby!

2008-11-19T01:23:00.008-10:00

Yes, it's my hubby's birthday today but we celebrated this past weekend. We went out with some friends on Friday night, then I took him out for dinner on Saturday at Merriman's Kapalua and we went to see the new James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" on Sunday.

Here are some pictures of our dinner at Merriman's. OMG, the food was AMAZING; the service was impeccable and the restaurant and view was just unbelievable. I have to say it's our favorite Mau`i fine dining restaurant right now. Joanie and Brandi, thank you so much for your wonderful hospitality. We had a great time and it was the best dining experience ever! Stay tuned for a later post on the restaurant, and more photos to come.

Oh, and the 007 movie was fun and action-packed; not to mention that Daniel Craig was just pure eye-candy. Even my hubby thought he looked pretty suave! :)

Pupu #1: House-made sausage and clams
with tomatoes, garlic and parsley in a broth

Pupu #2: Tempura shrimps

My pan-seared scallops with Kula sweet corn,
asparagus and Apple smoked bacon

My hubby's "Mixed Plate" - beef filet, mahi mahi and ahi tuna
with macadamia nut brown rice and greens

Dessert #1 - Flambe peppered pineapple,
with caramel sauce and vanilla ice-cream

Dessert #2 - The chocolate molten purse
(phyllo dough with melted chocolate)

That's us!

"Life is Like a Movie"!

2008-11-17T00:09:00.002-10:00

I would love to take this opportunity to introduce you to Jewel and Chuck Savadelis of Savadelis Films. This wonderful husband and wife team is based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, and their work is just AMAZING! Just see it for yourself...

Here are some notes from Jewel of what it took to make this 3-minute movie trailer:

1. When we saw their logo, we thought it was very nice. So we asked for and received the Illustrator files of the logo from the graphic designer and animated Emily and Danny's logo.

2. Emily's Mom and Dad were at the second story window looking out. The window was too blue, due to the reflection of the sky and ocean. Chuck masked the window and color corrected it so their skin tones looked normal. He then gave a different color correction to the area outside the window so it matched the other images of the exterior of the building. Then, he did the same thing for each FRAME (there are 30 frames per second). We color correct pretty much every clip in the entire wedding movie. This adds 2-3 weeks of effort. We also modulate and "sweeten" the sound throughout a wedding movie.

3. At the last minute, Emily and Danny asked us to do a time lapse of empty to full seats. Since this was the weekend of the women's golf tournament, we could not leave a camera outdoors unattended. So, at our own expense we hired someone to "camera sit" just to get that 3-second shot.

4. After the bridesmaids walked down the aisle and Emily was waiting alone in the foyer, we finally see a bit of her nervousness. It was charming.

5. By coming to every rehearsal (no extra charge), we know what is going to happen and when. So, we were in the best positions to catch Emily hugging her in-laws and Danny hugging his in-laws.

6. Chuck caught Emily's favorite uncle sketching at the rehearsal. He finished the drawing during the ceremony. We were able to scale the sketch to create the maximum impact when we dissolved from the sketch to real life. This impact can only be achieved in a moving picture medium. A photo would not convey the same dynamic feeling nor the emotions it creates. This unexpected event inspired the opening and closing scenes of this piece. Chuck bought a special piece of software to create a look that was similar to the Uncle's art style.

7. During the table toasts, we wanted a specific look. It was very dark in the ballroom, so we needed small (20 watt) lights. Instead of having them mounted on the camera which would light people from the front, giving an unflattering flat look, our assistant was lighting each scene from the side, for a softer and more sophisticated look - still using only a 20-watt light. We aim to be unobtrusive. In fact Emily's parents thought Chuck was the only cinematographer there. They never saw me or our assistant! And the only reason they saw him was because he was in the foyer with them just before they walked down the aisle.

8. We went back to the Ritz and filmed the ocean scenes on a non-wedding day.

9. The scene where the camera pulls back from a couple standing at the window watching the sunset? It was shot much earlier in the day when the sky was blue. Chuck color graded it to look like it occurred at sunset to match the other images immediately prior.

10. Because Emily and Danny are real foodies, we made special arrangements in advance with the staff at the Ritz to be able to film the food preparation without interfering in the flow of their work.

11. The second course was burned on the top, so Chuck lightened just the burnt tops so they looked more appetizing. (No need to mention this, as it's a poor reflection on the Ritz.)

12. We knew the photo booth would be a centerpiece of the reception. So, the week before the wedding we spent several hours experimenting to determine the best combination of strobe flashes per second, direction of supplemental lighting, and a few other factors which matched the photo booth flashes best. So, on the wedding night, we were able to flash our strobes for less than 3 minutes total time. Everyone thought the strobes were the band's mood lights.

13. We asked for and received the DVD of all 663 photo booth images. We combed through every one of them to find the ones that matched our footage and found some additional ones that had a lot of energy.

14. We strongly suggest couples engage us until the end of the evening because you never know when great moments will happen. The bride's cousin started break dancing. This occurred well after the end of our contracted time. We had packed up and were ready to go. Nevertheless, we grabbed a camera and shot this scene.

15. In order to know what images we need, we storyboard a short piece like this. That takes hours. We allow for whatever will happen at a ceremony, but we need to think through transitional elements in advance to give a sense of movement. For example, we knew ahead of time that we would need to film a steadicam shot entering the front of the Ritz and a steadicam shot following some couple, any couple, out to the gazebo area. So, we put these shots into our schedule for the day.

16. In general, we have close-up and wide shots, camera angles that are on the ground and way overhead. There are small camera moves and steady shooting. It is a matter of knowing which of these techniques to use and when to restrain your movement for maximum effect.

17. And, we need to know who are the key people and capture them without fail.

18. We looked at over 500 pieces of music to find the one that had the right beat and mood to match Emily and Danny's personalities AND match the images we brought back.

As you can see, it requires at least 100 to 200 hours of editing time to create each of their wedding movie. Every little detail and emotions are captured on film. In fact, I cried watching a few of them because I was so touched by everything... and I didn't even know the people who were at the wedding!

If you are interested in seeing more samples or hiring them for your wedding, please send me an email.

Wedding feather banners

2008-11-15T13:02:00.006-10:00

The first time I saw these wedding feather banners, it was at my friend's wedding in Bali this past March (photo #1 below). They look amazing in person and will definitely transform your outdoor wedding to something extraordinary. I just wish they come in different colors to match my clients' decor.

For my clients who are interested in these banners for your wedding, please send me an email.

Critsey Rowe Photography's new boudoir site

2008-11-13T13:31:00.012-10:00

One of my good friends, Critsey Rowe of Critsey Rowe Photography, just launched her new boudoir site and she is having a contest. Please read below for details:

Critsey Rowe of Couture Boudoir is having a fabulous contest! The contest includes a four day three night stay for the winner and a guest at one of the Couture Boudoir tour locations.

Boudoir is the hottest new trend in bridal photography!

Imagine having your Couture Boudoir session photographed in a suite at the W Hotel overlooking Times Square, on a white sandy beach in the most crystal clear blue water or in a Chateau with the Eiffel Tower peeking in the window. Imagine yourself having a fabulous time in a beautiful location while getting pampered and surprising your fiancé, husband or boyfriend with the most gorgeous photos of yourself.

This would be a great girls weekend! Share the experience with a friend while you shop, explore, couture boudoir!

Here is the scoop on The Couture Boudoir Contest:

The winner will receive a luxurious Couture Boudoir session to include a Custom Designed Couture Boudoir Album with the session photos. The session includes a fabulous Hair and Makeup Stylist to create different looks throughout the shoot plus multiple wardrobe changes. A $100 lingerie gift card from Victoria's Secret. A four day three night stay for the winner and a guest. The Couture Boudoir Tour is starting in New York and going cross country then abroad, ending in Paris in April.

Check the calendar for dates in select locations on the Couture Boudoir website:

New York
Chicago
San Francisco
Puerto Rico
South Beach
Germany
Italy
London
Paris

To enter, submit the following to critsey@critseyrowe.com

A short story about you and your guy;
Two photos of yourself; and
Your name, location and phone number.

And don't forget to mention that you saw the contest on Events by Evonne's blog! Contest ends on December 15th and the winner will be announced on the Couture Boudoir website.

Valentine's is just around the corner - what a great surprise!

Sponsors are:
The Bridal Showcase
Joni Lineberger Stylist
Best Wedding Blogs

Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine Platinum List

2008-11-11T00:19:00.008-10:00

Events by Evonne is extremely honored to be invited by the Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine to join their Platinum List of vendors for 2009. The listing will be under "Destination Wedding Planning" in both Hawai`i and Northern California.

The magazine is one of my all time favorites, and it is the most stylish one you will ever see out there. If you haven't read it before, you NEED to get a copy at your nearest bookstore right now!

I feel privileged to be listed among all these amazing and talented wedding professionals in the U.S., as well as Australia, Canada, Caribbean, France, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.K. Again, thank you very much for the invitation, and I look forward to seeing my listing in the January 2009 issue!

Liz and Nelson's Scouting Trip

2008-11-09T00:06:00.007-10:00

I spent all week with Liz and Nelson meeting with vendors and going to food/cake tastings. It was a lot of fun! They thought they had their venue all figured out until I showed them this last estate yesterday. Now they are going to select this private estate in Kapalua for their big day. It is everything they are looking for - a private, gated, oceanfront home that has upscale and modern architecture.

Their wedding will be fabulous as we are going to bring New York City all the way to Mau`i! It will be totally high style, trendy, chic and modern (think "Sex and the City"), and I will finally get to see Liz's "Carrie Bradshaw's" blue Manolo Blahnik's! Can't wait to put together this wedding with my design team... 10 more months to go!

Featured Wedding - Lesley and Kris

2008-11-08T12:54:00.008-10:00

I met Lesley and her mom Barbara back in February when they flew out to Mau`i for the scouting trip. They were such joy to work with and it was a blast planning their wedding together. Barbara is such a sweet person that I actually asked if she would adopt me as her 2nd daughter! :) And Lesley is just a doll... every time when we talked on the phone or in person, we would burst into laughter. She is always so happy and you can see it in all of her photos.

FLORALS: Bella Grace Flowers. LINENS: Pacific Event Group. PHOTOS: Amity Mason.

Lesley and Kris had their Catholic ceremony on September 23rd at the Saint Theresa's Church in Kihei, and the reception afterward was at the Five Palms Beach Grill. Lesley loves vibrant colors and she chose orange, fuschia and purple for her flowers and decor. They totally complemented the bridesmaid's clover green colored dresses. It was an amazing wedding and everyone had a wonderful time!

Congratulations, Lesley and Kris! All the best to both of you and hopefully I will see you guys again either here on Mau`i or back in California!

Events by Evonne is featured on Melissa's Smitten Blog

2008-11-07T18:50:00.005-10:00

Events by Evonne is honored to be featured on the Melissa's Smitten Blog. You can read the post here. Melissa, thank you so much for featuring me again. Keep up the great work! :)

If you are looking for amazing invitations ideas, please check out Melissa's website at Smitten Invitations.

Sneak Peek of Eri & Aris' wedding

2008-11-05T00:15:00.004-10:00

Here is a sneak peek of Eri and Aris' wedding at Lanikuhonua, O`ahu on Monday, November 3rd. It was a gorgeous day with clear sky - no wind and no rain! The votive candles actually stay lit the entire night! :)

Can't wait to see more professional photos from Visionari. The finale of the wedding was a Polynesian show with hula dancers and the fire-knife dancer! It was awesome. Stay tuned...

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Uber Amazing Blog Award

2008-11-04T20:05:00.008-10:00

Events by Evonne is very honored to receive a nomination for the "Uber Amazing Blog Award" from Christine Saunders of the Wishpot Wedding Blog.

So now it’s my turn to pay it forward. Here’s how it works, from what I understand:

The Uber (synonym to Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites that:

inspire you;
make you smile and laugh;
or maybe give amazing information;
a great read;
have an amazing design; and
any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!

The rules of this award are:

* Put the logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing!
* Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.

It's so difficult to just select a few blogs as my nomination for the "Uber Amazing Blog Award". I think they all deserve the award, but if I really have to choose then these will be the ones (in alphabetical order):

Augie Chang Photography
Critsey Rowe Photography
DK Designs
Dulce by Visionari
From "I Will" to "I Do"
Hostess with the Mostess
Inspirations and Transformations
Melissa's Smitten
Style Me Pretty
The Flirty Guide

Off to an O`ahu wedding

2008-11-02T00:05:00.004-10:00

I am heading over to O`ahu today for my November 3rd wedding at the Lanikuhonua. I will be working with talents such as Yvonne Event Floral & Decor and Visionari... Can't wait to come back and share this amazing wedding with you all. What a great way to end my 2008 wedding season! Stay tuned...

On that note, I will respond to all emails and voice mails by mid-week next week. Thanks so much for your patience.

A "Montage" wedding

2008-10-31T16:23:00.008-10:00

I know I am spoiled by the natural beauty and all the wonderful resorts here in Hawai`i, but if I have a chance I'd LOVE to do a wedding at the Montage in Laguna Beach. It's one of my favorite luxury beach-front resorts in Southern California.

It's situated on a coastal bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The beautiful architecture together with the rugged coastline, makes it one of the premiere destinations for weddings. Everything about this resort is amazing, from its location to its rooms, restaurants, swimming pools, the Spa (awww)! I can just go on and on. Check out their website (link above) and see for yourself!

Photo Credit: [b]ecker

New Projects

2008-10-29T00:11:00.003-10:00

As our busy wedding season is winding down, I am delighted to announce that Events by Evonne has a lot of exciting new projects in the works for the upcoming months. Here is a sneak peek of what we will be working on between now and April 2009:

BLOG - It will be totally redesigned and re-engineered, so stay tuned for the new site and I will announce the move here!
BOOK - Errrr... no, I am not writing a book... at least not yet, but one of my August 2008 weddings will be featured in this wedding planning book that a Colorado planner is currently working on... and that's all I can tell you right now! :)
PHOTO SHOOT - A collaboration of a handful of top wedding/event vendors here on Mau`i with beautiful table settings, floral and decor...
TV - One of my June 2008 weddings will be featured in a new segment of "Get Married - OMG, My Wedding is on TV"!
WEBSITE - There will be a slight update and an addition of a new section called "Featured Weddings"

And of course, besides all these cool projects, I will also be working on all of my 2009 weddings as well! It sure will be a very busy 6 months ahead!

Photo Credit: WEDLUXE

Featured Wedding - Ketty and Shaun

2008-10-28T00:01:00.013-10:00

At least 80% of the time, I would meet my clients during their scouting trip to Mau`i; but with Ketty and Shaun, I planned their whole wedding just via email and it still worked out beautifully.

They had a very small yet intimate wedding at the Poli Makai Estate in Haiku, with only their parents and immediate family members. It was a gorgeous and slightly breezy day, but everyone looked incredible and Ketty was in this stunning white chiffon gown before she changed into her beautiful red dress for the Chinese Tea Ceremony.

There were just way too many amazing photos that I would like to share. So here is a slideshow of a few of my favorites... all taken by the talented Ann Hamilton and Gene Higa from San Francisco.

FLORALS: Dellables. LINENS: Pacific Event Group, Inc. TABLES/CHAIRS: Pacific Isle Rentals. TENT: Maui Rents. PHOTOS: Ann Hamilton and Gene Higa

Congratulations, Ketty and Shaun! All the best to you both, and hope to see you again either on the East Coast or in Asia! =)

Dress shopping - beware!

2008-10-27T00:25:00.006-10:00

For those of you who are about to go dress shopping for your big day, I'd love to share this story with you, and hopefully this doesn't happen to you.

One of my lovely brides was just on a European cruise this past summer. It happened that her favorite dress designer was Pronovias, and Barcelona, Spain was one of the ports of call. Perfect... she could get her dress at their flagship store and that would be one thing checked off of her to-do list.

Photo Credit: Pronovias

When the ship docked, my bride went to the store with her mother-in-law. She tried on a few dresses and found the one that she liked, but she wanted to change the neckline in addition to the regular alterations. The store promised her that they could get her a brand new dress since the factory was right there, and everything would be done within 2 days and that they wouldn't charge her extra for the alterations.

My bride picked up her dress on the last day that she was in Barcelona, paid the remaining balance and headed back to the ship. That night as the ship set sailed, she checked her dress and she couldn't believe her eyes... there were several parts of her ruffles that were ripped, and there were a couple dirty spots as well. When she looked at the alterations, the hemming was very sloppy. That didn't sound like a brand new dress to me, but at that point, it was too late because the ship had already left the port and my bride couldn't go back to the Barcelona store.

When she came back to the U.S., she called the Pronovias flagship store in New York. Unfortunately, the regional manager told her that there was nothing they could do because they had no jurisdiction over the stores overseas. Since that didn't go anywhere, my bride contacted her credit card company to see what kind of consumer protection it offers.

She talked to someone in billing dispute... only to find out that she couldn't dispute the charge unless the merchandise is returned. She tried to explain that it's not that she didn't want to return the merchandise, but that the vendor was unresponsive and wouldn't take it back. But ultimately that was a dead end. Then they transferred her to retail protection, only to find out that this program offers protection against fire, accidental damage, and theft, but only up to 90 days from the date of purchase. So really, for brides-to-be, the only "protection" is smart-shopping and common sense.

My bride told me this story when she came out to Mau`i for her scouting trip a month ago. I felt so bad that she had to go through this... so I suggested that perhaps she could call up one of the bridal salons in her area and their seamstress might be able to help her fix all the rips and hemming. Sure enough, she called and explained her situation, and the bridal salon was totally sympathetic. They had her bring her dress in a couple of hours later so their in-house seamstress could look at it. Unfortunately, they did not have the machine necessary to fix it... but their outside preferred seamstress did. They called her to make an appointment for my bride even though she didn't buy her dress from them.

Two days later, my bride picked up the dress from the seamstress and now there are no more rips and gaping holes. The seamstress was appalled at how poorly the alterations were done. She told my bride other horror stories regarding dress designers and alterations (and that she had to fix), so this kind of thing does not seem to be as uncommon as we all thought.

So when you are ready to buy your dress, please make sure that you check the dress thoroughly before you pay your final balance, and before you bring that dress home.

DK Designs Giveaway

2008-10-25T00:05:00.002-10:00

My good friend, Diane, of DK Designs is having an exciting giveaway of her amazing clay flowers on Melissa's Smitten Blog! Simply send an email to info@smitteninvitations.com with your name, email and snail-mail address and wedding date to enter! Please mention that you saw the contest on the Events by Evonne Blog! Contest ends on November 7, 2008. One entry per person per day. Be sure to email all your friends to let them know about this fun giveaway! Details below...

Gardenia Hair Flower - $20 value:
Gardenias are a very popular flower to wear in your hair on your wedding day. Why not try a handcrafted gardenia hair flower! This way it will last you through the ceremony, reception and beyond! The gardenias are slightly off-white, but not ivory. They are 3.5 inches in diameter and are VERY lightweight. The flowers are attached to a U-shape hairpin to fit securely in your up-do or low-do hairstyle.

Gardenias in Something Blue - $75 value:
This beautiful light blue latte cup is brimming with gardenia blossoms! 2 buds, 2 half open and 3 full gardenias mixed with some light blue floral fillers finish this piece off. It measures approximately 6 inches in diameter and 4.5 inches high. It's clean, stylish and sophisticated. This would make a great gift for a bride or even a centerpiece for a bridal shower!

Passionate about Peonies - $100 value:
This arrangement is called, Passionate about Peonies. It measures 6 inches high by 7 inches across the top. It's filled with light pink and fuchsia pinkish-red peonies, both in full bloom and in bud form! The full bloom peonies have over 30 petals, all handcrafted one petal at a time. The flowers are arranged in a 3 inch square white ceramic cube vase. If you love peonies, you will absolutely love this floral arrangement.

The flowers are all handcrafted by the artist featured on the Martha Stewart Show, utilizing Claycraft by DECO soft clay, which enables the artist to create lifelike flowers one petal at a time. Diane’s work has been featured in For the Bride Magazine, In Style Weddings Magazine (via http://www.estiloweddings.com/) and Pacific Rim Weddings Magazine. The bulk of the Diane's work is in custom bridal bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres and other floral decor. So click on the banner below and don't miss out on a great opportunity...

Parents' Album

2008-10-23T21:48:00.019-10:00

After almost 3-1/2 years of marriage, my parents finally asked us: "When are we going to get your wedding album?" Whew... I thought they were going to ask the "KIDS" question! =)

Well, I feel pretty bad about it. We have just been so busy with our lives in the last few years that we haven't had the time to make one for them (and my mother-in-law as well). It took me 1-1/2 years just to figure out which photos I wanted for our OWN album!

So now I have about 3 months to create theirs before I go visit them in Toronto next January! Oh boy, the pressure is on... Should I use Blurb, or My Publisher, or iPhoto? Any suggestions or recommendations?

Photo Credit: Eugene Kam

Photo Credit: Sanford Barr

Ceremony arches

2008-10-22T00:04:00.007-10:00

If you want to add more colors to your outdoor ceremony decor, the arches and chuppahs are great additions to any other decor you may have. There are so many options we can do... we can drape fabrics over it; we can hang leis from the top and of course we can add flowers in your choice of colors...

Or if your ceremony location happens to have a "natural arch" (with 2 trees right next to each other like the last photo below), then it will be fun to hang strings of flowers from them!

Don't they all look romantic and dreamy?

Photo Credit: DrewB Photography

Photo Credit: Yvonne Event Floral & Decor

Photo Credit: Designs by Hemingway

Photo Credit: Designs by Hemingway

Trust your vendors!

2008-10-21T00:16:00.021-10:00

I once had this client who did not trust any of the wedding vendors at all. She thought that all of us are out there, trying to rip her off. It was the most difficult wedding that I have ever had to plan from day one, and on top of that she was very rude in her emails. The emails got so bad that the stationer that I recommended had to cancel her order and gave her a full refund because she couldn't deal with her rudeness. A few days later, the client emailed me back to tell me what an "incompetent b**ch" (verbatim) the stationer was. I couldn't believe what she said. I even confronted her before over the phone about her emails, and she told me that if she was "nice and sweet", things would not get done. What kind of logic was that? So she thought being rude and nasty, people would give her what she wants? I don't think so!

Photo Credit: Ann Hamilton

But I am not a quitter so I tough it out. It was very challenging in the next few months. The client could not visualize any of her floral and linen decor and wanted the florist and the linen company to put together mock-ups for her at no charge, which we couldn't do because the flowers and linens have to be flown in from outside of Hawai`i. And when she hired her own photographer from the mainland, I kindly reminded her that her photographer would need to get a photographer's permit in order to take beach photos here in Hawai`i. She emailed back and said (verbatim): "how convenient of you to tell me about this permit now!" Well, the permit just went into effect the day before I emailed her, I couldn't have told her any sooner! Not only did I not get a "thank you" for the reminder, I actually got a slap in the face.

Then she accused me of overcharging her on everything and that I "deceived" her with my pricing... so then she wanted to contact the vendors directly and handle her own planning. Why she hired a planner to help her in the first place, I have no idea... but I have had so many happy clients and successful weddings (as you can see from my website and this blog) that I am not sure why it is only this one particular client that feels differently about my planning process and pricing schedule!? I thought it was pretty straightforward and everything was spelled out in my contract. It's got to be something in her head. She must have some kind of acute paranoia and just doesn't trust anyone.

Finally, she canceled my contract and my services 6 weeks prior to her wedding day. Who in the right frame of mind would do that when I basically had everything all planned out for her already? All of the other wedding vendors told me that if I wasn't going to be her planner anymore, they would not want to work with her directly because of how rude she was.

So now she's threatening me that if I don't give her back the venue deposit, she is going to sue me. First of all, SHE was the one who canceled my contract and according to my contract which she signed, the client owes me the full planning fee if they cancel 90 days out. She also owes the venue the remaining site fee for canceling her wedding 45 days out, but she is demanding for a refund after I spent 8 months working on her wedding, and after the venue held her date for this long? She can't be serious! This might actually make a great episode for "Bridezillas" on the WE channel!

What I am trying to say with this blog post is that... with planning a wedding, especially a destination wedding, if you don't trust your vendors, there is nothing we could do to help you plan the wedding of your dreams. We do what we do best and we are here to help you create wonderful memories, not work against you. We are always looking out for the best interest of our clients and trying to work within your budget. A happy client is our number one priority, so please help us help you!

Sweetheart table

2008-10-18T00:12:00.011-10:00

A lot of my clients, especially those with slightly larger weddings, usually opt for the sweetheart table at the dinner reception. If you read the etiquette books out there, they generally do not recommend it because it seems like you are "ignoring" your guests. Nowadays, however, the logistics of seating divorced parents together or married attendants with their spouses and children have made it very challenging.

When I got married 3 years ago, I had a sweetheart table and I loved it. I was able to eat and have some time to sink it all in with my hubby. Friends and family came by to say hello and to congratulate us, and we also "worked the room" after dinner by visiting every guest table. If a sweetheart table is what you want for your reception, then go for it!

P.S. A special shout out to Augie Chang (another one of my favorite photographers in the SF bay area) for this beautiful photo of a sweetheart table.

Photo Credit: Augie Chang

Sneak Peek of Ketty & Shaun's wedding

2008-10-15T23:05:00.008-10:00

Here is a sneak peek of Ketty and Shaun's wedding today at the Poli Makai Estate in Haiku. I had the honor and privilege of working with a few of my favorite photographers and videographer from my hometown (San Francisco) at this wedding:

Ann Hamilton
Gene Higa
Anton Lorimer

Can't wait to see their photos and their videos! So stay tuned...

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Sneak Peek of Lena & Noel's wedding

2008-10-12T23:54:00.005-10:00

Here is a sneak peek of Lena and Noel's wedding today at the Sugarman Estate. I never thought I'd like red linens and decor, but I changed my mind after today's wedding.

More photos to come soon, so stay tuned!

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Wedding benches are here!

2008-10-11T00:02:00.005-10:00

For those of you who want something "different" other than the regular chivari chairs or the padded folding chairs, we have a wonderful alternative for you. These beautiful benches are finally available here on Mau`i! Each bench can seat up to 3 guests comfortably and you can use them for your reception afterward as well.

For my clients who are interested in renting them for your wedding on Mau`i, please send me an email.

Photo Credit: Beloved Weddings Photography

Featured Wedding - Ivy and Howard

2008-10-10T00:03:00.003-10:00

Ivy and Howard was such a fun-loving couple. I felt like I have known them forever. I started planning the wedding with Ivy exactly 12 months prior to the big day. Even though I didn't get a chance to meet them before like I did with a lot of my other clients, when I saw them it was like old friends seeing each other again.

ARCH: Pacific Isle Rentals. FLORALS: Maui Floral. LINENS/TABLES/CHAIRS: Island Rents . PHOTOS: Rachel Robertson Photography.

Ivy is super organized and that made my job so much easier throughout the planning process. We had such a great time planning it together, and everything looked beautiful on the day of from the flowers to the colored linens to the decor. Rachel Robertson flew in from O`ahu and took all of these wonderful photos; she was such a great gal to work with and her assistant Greg was great. We all had so much fun!

On the day of the wedding, Ivy gave me this bag. I thought it was additional items and decor that she wanted me to set up, but she said: "No, that's for you!" I opened the bag and it was full of my Trader Joe's treats with a note saying: "Here's a lil' something for you from home!" I think one time when we were talking on the phone or exchanging emails, I told her that I miss Trader Joe's in the San Francisco bay area (that's where Ivy and Howard are from too).

So a week before the wedding, she called up my hubby at work (I mentioned to her before where he works) and tried to find out what I like from TJ. She also told my hubby not to tell me about her phone call! They kept it a secret from me for a week! That was so thoughtful of her.

Well, congratulations, Ivy and Howard! All the best to you both, and hope to see you again when we go back to the bay area to visit! Again, thanks for the treats! I am savoring every bite! =)

I've Been Blog Tagged - Compliments of Diane Phillips of DK Designs

2008-10-09T19:26:00.010-10:00

Ahhh... I have just been blog tagged by my good friend Diane of DK Designs. I wonder how many of these will show up in blogs in the next few days. It will be interesting to see all of them!

So here goes...

4 THINGS I DID TODAY:
1. Booked a flight to Honolulu for next week to pick up my new kitty, Sheldon (photo above). The breeder is shipping him from Nashville, TN to Honolulu, HI via Atlanta, GA. Why Honolulu you may ask... all animals flying in to Hawai`i have to pass through the Quarantine Station in Honolulu. Unfortunately, Delta Airlines do not participate in the "Outer Island Airport Direct Release" program! =( Sheldon is a long hair Scottish Fold cat (look at those cute folded ears). He will be joining our other Scottish Fold, Stanley.
2. Did my lap-swim at the Kihei Aquatic Center.
3. Confirmed all the vendors for my Sunday, October 12th wedding.
4. Sent out proposals to a few potential clients.

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4 THINGS ON MY TO-DO LIST:
1. Work on my website update.
2. Brainstorm for my February photo shoot.
3. Put together a list of photos of weddings that I plan for my interview on The Wedding Planning Audiocast.
4. Continue to grow my company and hopefully have a few staff to help me with everything!

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4 OF MY GUILTIEST PLEASURES:
1. Desserts!
2. Desserts!
3. Desserts!
4. Desserts!

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4 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:
1. I am not a very domesticated person, but I do love to bake ('cuz I love desserts)! =)
2. I was on the swim team since 5th grade, and I still try to swim 3 times a week.
3. I LOVE to travel and hope I can visit all of the continents before I turn 50!
4. I used to show my cats at regional cat shows! =p I love dogs too, but my current lifestyle doesn't allow me to have one right now... maybe someday!

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I AM NOW TAGGING:
1. Augie Chang of Augie Chang Photography
2. Melissa Bumstead of Melissa's Smitten
3. Critsey Rowe of Critsey Rowe Photography
4. Rebekah and Ami of Elizabeth Anne Designs

Laura Hooper Calligraphy

2008-10-09T00:01:00.001-10:00

Laura - thank you so much for sending me your lovely invitation album that showcases your amazing work (love that Tiffany blue color)! I can't wait to show them to my clients when they fly out here to do their scouting trip.

If you are looking for letterpress invitations and cute maps, logos and monograms for your destination wedding, make sure you check out Laura Hooper Calligraphy. She also does calligraphy.

Love the squares...

2008-10-08T01:03:00.007-10:00

Lately, I have been getting a lot of requests for square tables instead of round ones for wedding receptions. I don't know what it is, but square tables seem to offer a cleaner and more modern look with the rest of the tablescapes and decor, even though they still seat 8 guests comfortably. Square tables definitely facilitate conversations better than long, rectangular tables although that's one of my favorites too.

When you start thinking about your table arrangements, make sure you consider the square tables as well. There are tons of possibilities! =)

Photo Credit: Justine Ungaro

Photo Credit: Wildflower Linen

Dessert towels

2008-10-06T21:32:00.005-10:00

Looking for something unique as your wedding favors or table decor? How about these cute dessert towels? They actually look good enough to eat! Not only are they elegant and "sweet", but they are also very functional and I am sure your guests will be ecstatic to receive one of these towels at the end of your wedding reception.

Please visit Le Viette to see more of their lovely creations.

San Francisco, here I come!

2008-10-04T18:03:00.009-10:00

My hubby and I will be in San Francisco for 2-1/2 days from December 6th through the 8th to visit my MIL. Augie and Stacie... and any other industry professionals, if you have time I'd like to meet up with you guys either Saturday or Sunday evening after dinner for dessert or a night cap. Please leave me a comment and let me know your availability. Diane, I will see you on the 4th here on Mau`i!

YAY... I am very excited to visit my 2nd home! =)

Photo Credit: "The ever-so-talented Becker"

Beautiful tents... on Mau`i soon!

2008-10-03T00:03:00.009-10:00

I am very excited to hear that one of our key wedding vendors, a boutique rental company located on the island of Mau`i, is acquiring some truly unique tents. They are due to arrive on Mau`i early February 2009 and will be available for rent immediately upon arrival. These tents are unique and innovative. Designed with the timeless tradition of skilled craftsmen working with the finest materials. Contact me directly to find out more about these tents and what color combinations will work best for you.

These romantic and beautiful tents are ideal for the lawn, poolside or landscaped area, the regal "Mele Ena (Honeyglow)" tent conveys an aura of the Hawaiian majesty of days gone by and is perfect for a refined, romantic setting. For a larger gathering, multiple tents can be fitted together to create a continuous space, or several individual tents can be set up to form an ‘encampment’.

Each tent is 20 ft. by 34 ft. and made from traditional bamboo frames. With separate interiors, exteriors, scalloping and drapes, the "Mele Ena (Honeyglow)" tent can be adapted to fit your event. Accentuate your theme with lighting and accessories. Each tent will accommodate up to 60 guests comfortably for a sit-down dinner or 100 guests for a cocktail reception. For larger weddings or events, you can put two of these tents together running side by side or length wise to form one long dining canopy or one large tent which will seat 120 for dining or 200 for cocktails.

These beautiful tents have been featured in many notable wedding publications and television shows such as Los Angeles Weddings, Bride & Bloom, Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Elegant Brides, The Today Show, Town & Country Weddings, Modern Bride, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine & so many more.

The tent package includes the tent ceiling liner, pole draperies with tassels, 2 crystal chandeliers, tables, Chivari chairs, matte satin linens and chair ties (6 popular color schemes available), flatware, stemware, glassware...etc. Linen subsitutions can be made for an additional rental fee. For my clients who are interested in booking the beautiful "Mele Ena (Honey Glow)" tent as a stand alone product or the entire promotional package, please send me an email.

Michelle and Henry's scouting trip

2008-10-01T19:17:00.007-10:00

I am having a lot of fun with Michelle and Henry this week, going to vendors' meetings, food tastings as well as checking out all of the venues with them. They are such a sweet and laid back couple and I know their wedding next year is going to be awesome. I sure can't wait.

Here are the estates that we are checking out this week... it will be interesting to see which one they end up selecting!

Pua Le'a Estate (aka Haiku Mill)

Olowalu Plantation House

Kahana Estate

Sugarman Estate

Makena Estate

Wishpot

2008-09-30T22:10:00.004-10:00

I am very delighted that Wishpot contacted me and asked me to guest blog on their site as well as to become one of their wedding experts.

Check out their wonderful wedding blog and hopefully you will see a post of mine on there soon!

Thanks so much, Christine ("gift girl") for inviting me!

Outdoor weddings

2008-09-29T23:00:00.019-10:00

At the moment, I am working on a few items as well as the floral decor with all of my 2009 brides. I thought this would be a good place and time for me to share what works and what doesn't here on the islands.

1) Tall centerpieces such as the one below will work in a ballroom wedding, but not outdoors when we have to deal with the wind factor:

Photo Credit: Jessica Skog Photography

2) Low centerpieces will be perfect for both indoor and outdoor receptions, but tealight candles will only work under a tent or indoor:

Photo Credit: Yvonne Event Floral & Decor

3) Floating candles such as this one might work outdoor if the flame is completely inside the vase:

Photo Credit: Designs by Hemingway

4) Large hurricane vases ALWAYS work for outdoor events, as well as indoors but tables, chairs, lounge furnitures...etc. are not allowed on the public beaches in Hawai`i:

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Messina

5) Menus and single flowers should be tucked into each napkin for all outdoor receptions:

6) Place cards / escort cards such as these one will work better at indoor receptions. For outdoor events, it's best to place them below the napkin (please see photo #5 above):

Photo Credit: Amity Mason Photography

7) Stilettos such as this pair of blue Manolo Blahniks that was worn by Carrie Bradshaw in "Sex and the City" will be tough to walk in at any outdoor lawn weddings:

Photo Credit: Jessica Strickland Photography

8) Most brides usually change into their bridal flip-flops after the ceremony:

Photo Credit: Visionari

9) Petals on the table only work for indoor events:

Photo Credit: Augie Chang Photography

Thank you for your birthday wishes!

2008-09-28T18:27:00.004-10:00

I had a wonderful birthday weekend full of great food and great friends... Thank you for all of your birthday wishes.

CLICK HERE for pictures of the delicious food! =)

Birthday dinner with wonderful friends at Flatbread, Paia

Birthday lunch with hubby at Umalu, Hyatt Regency Mau`i

Birthday dinner with hubby at DUO, Four Seasons Mau`i

Hanging out at Big Beach with hubby and Michael Buble on my iPhone!

Kahana Estate

2008-09-27T21:06:00.004-10:00

This afternoon, I did a site tour of a private estate in Kahana for a possible wedding location. They happened to be setting up for a wedding, so it was perfect timing. It can hold up to 100 guests for both ceremony and reception. It has a gorgeous view as you can see from the photos, and it also has a small, beach area for beach photos afterward.

If you are interested in booking this location for your wedding or event, please visit Events by Evonne, LLC or send me an email.

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

50 years - what has changed?

2008-09-25T23:16:00.010-10:00

I just received "Dialogue" the bi-monthly magazine issued by the Association of Bridal Consultants (in which I am a member of). Inside, there is an article comparing weddings from 50 years ago with today. Here are some of the statistics:

1958 Wedding

2008 Wedding (Mike Sidney Photography)

NUMBER OF WEDDINGS:
1958 - 1.5 million
2008 - 2.4 million

ANNUAL BRIDE'S INCOME:
1958 - $1,572
2008 - $30,719

GOWN COST:
1958 - $135
2008 - $1,317

BRIDE'S LIFE EXPECTANCY:
1958 - 65
2008 - 78

BRIDE'S AGE:
1958 - 20
2008 - 26

ANNUAL GROOM'S INCOME:
1958 - $2,396
2008 - $34,167

TUXEDO RENTAL:
1958 - $5.50
2008 - $69.95

GROOM'S LIFE EXPECTANCY:
1958 - 57
2008 - 70

GROOM'S AGE:
1958 - 22
2008 - 28

POSTAGE:
1958 - $0.03
2008 - $0.42

SLICE OF CAKE:
1958 - $0.35
2008 - $4.52

GALLON OF GAS:
1958 - $0.30
2008 - $3.80

HONEYMOON COST:
1958 - $237
2008 - $3.680

PROJECTED DIVORCE RATE:
1958 - 33%
2008 - 50%

PROJECTED NUMBER OF CHILDREN:
1958 - 3.6
2008 - 2.1

In addition to the statistics, there were some other interesting notes:

In 1958, Winston and Clementine CHurchill celebrated their 50th anniversary; in 2008, it was Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward
The most popular 1958 honeymoon destination was Niagara Falls; 50 years later, it is Hawai`i
IN 1958, the couple was likely to get away in a Chevy Impala convertible, costing $2,700; this year, it is a Toyota Camry, costing $18,570
The most trendy gift in 1958 was a $12.95 Corning Ware casserole; the 2008 gift of choice is a $399 Nintendo Wii game console
FIfty years ago, the hottest music was the Everly Brothers' "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and Danny and the Juniors' "At the Hop". This year, it's Alicia Key's' "No One" and Madonna/Justin Timberlake's "4 Minutes"

Pretty interesting, huh?

Sneak Peek of Lesley & Kristopher's wedding

2008-09-23T23:57:00.000-10:00

Here is a sneak peek of Lesley and Kristopher's wedding today at the Saint Theresa's Catholic Church and the Five Palms Beach Grill. More photos to come, so stay tuned!

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Please don't drink and drive!

2008-09-22T11:46:00.005-10:00

As a planner, I want everyone to have a great time at the wedding... but I also need to ensure that everyone is safe as well. If you or your guests are planning to have more than one or two drinks during the entire evening, please either have a few designated drivers in the party, or as a host/hostess of the wedding, provide shuttle transportation for your guests. That way, we can be sure that everyone will have a good time without endangering their lives or other people's.

DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated), depending on which state you are from, is a very serious offense even here in paradise, and especially when you are an out-of-state driver. This is a good website to familiarize yourself with the Hawai`i DUI laws. We don't want anyone to get into trouble, so please be safe!