Oooooh... pretty linens!

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"!

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)!

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 :)

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!

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

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

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

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

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!"

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

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

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. NEVER put your registry information on the invitations. If you have a wedding website, you can include that on the site.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. For eco-conscious brides, instead of doing different inserts for maps/directions, and activities...etc., you can include those information on your wedding website.
8. 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?! :)
9. 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

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!

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"!

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

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.