kaesha gives us the incredible details on her Hawaii destination wedding.
Posted
Tuesday, March 24, 2009 3:29 PM
Knot Name: kaesha
Wedding Date: August 18, 2009
Knot Annie: Tell me about the Knotties on your board that you post on. Have you ever joined them for a GTG?
kaesha: There’s no way we could plan this destination wedding in Hawaii without the help and advice of the other Hawaii Knotties! They’re a really warm, friendly bunch of girls (and occasionally guys too). I also post regularly on my club board: August 09. Although the board has girls on it from all over the world, some of us from the Toronto area have met up in real life. I’ve been joking about being excited about meeting Internet strangers, but it’s been incredibly fun to meet up with people who you consider friends online.
KA: Describe your wedding.
kaesha: If I’m going to brand this event, I’ll say we’re going for “casual elegance with a touch of whimsy.” I’m a high school drama teacher, so I’ve been trying to approach the wedding the same way I would a school production. Our venue is an oceanfront plantation house on Maui with an expansive lawn; I think that really defined the tone of the wedding for us. I love that the rustic feel to the house is tempered by its historic formality. It’s this dynamic energy that really drew me to the location. Our families love to laugh and play games together -- extreme croquet is one of our cottage favorites -- so we plan on setting up bocce and croquet for our guests (and hopefully us) to play during the cocktail hour. I’ll deem the wedding a success if, by the end of the night, our guests’ stomachs hurt from all the laughter.
Even though we’re planning a destination wedding, we’ve tried to incorporate local artisans wherever possible. For one example, my dress is being made here in Toronto by local designer Barbra Allin. Additionally, I’m a firm believer in eating locally, so in the spirit of the 100-Mile Diet, we’ve asked our caterer to use produce from Hawaiian farmers and fishermen.
KA: How have the Knotties on your board helped you plan?
kaesha: I wouldn’t have known where to begin with planning this destination wedding without the knowledge of the Hawaii Knotties. They’ve been instrumental in suggesting locations, providing restaurant reviews, and sharing all their beautiful pictures from their amazing photographers.
KA: Favorite bio on The Knot and why?
kaesha: It’s a toss-up between preplumeriapal (an insanely thorough, beautiful bio), redshoegirl (who’s one of the funniest Knotties I’ve had the chance to chat with) and myday1708 (whose casual, elegant style is beyond compare).
KA: Best vendor that you’ve worked with and why?
kaesha: Hands down, it’s my caterer/coordinator Joan from Celebrations Catering. I cannot recommend her enough. We just clicked when I started emailing her -- she’s the whole reason I decided to go with the company. She’s been so accommodating with all of my off-the-list menu requests and made so many great suggestions for our day. She has developed the most delicious signature cocktail menu for us: Lilikoi (passion fruit) Mojitos, Ginger-Pear Saketini, and the Aqua Pearl. Although I wasn’t looking for a coordinator, I find myself turning to her whenever I have questions or feel stressed. On top of that, she’s just a warm, wonderful person to chat with.
KA: What will make your wedding stand out to your guests, and where did you find the inspiration?
kaesha: There are many things I hope our guests will appreciate about the wedding. I’ve been deeply inspired by the spiritual side of the Hawaiian Islands and the spirit of aloha, hospitality, and interconnectedness. So, tangibly, that’s being expressed through the food, decor, and guest comfort. For example, I’ve spent hours agonizing over the menu, so I hope the food reflects the spirit of the Hawaiian Islands and showcases the best of regional, sustainable cuisine. We’re planning on ending the night with locally produced organic gelato.
Guest comfort is another area both my fiance and I feel strongly about. With so many guests flying in from different countries (Canada, the USA, England, Japan, Australia, South Africa), we really want them to feel like we’ve taken care of them. So, we’re arranging OOT bags to be at their hotels/condos for their arrival, are hosting a welcome event, are arranging for their transportation to and from the wedding, and have planned activities they’re welcome to join or forgo as they please. Realistically speaking, though, more than any of these things I’ve just mentioned, I think our guests are going to remember our priest (my uncle) opening the ceremony with a quote from my favorite movie: The Princess Bride. He’s promised he’ll say, “Mawidge is wot bwings us here twogevver…”
KA: What are you looking forward to most on your wedding day?
kaesha: I love the feeling of anticipation. So, I think what I’m looking forward to right now is chilling on the lanai of the Plantation House, getting my hair and makeup done while sipping champagne, and looking out at the ocean.
That and kicking my husband’s butt at our first game of extreme croquet!
Thank you, kaesha! You are such an inspiring Knottie and I can't wait to see your wedding details come together.
Link to bio: http://community.theknot.com/cs/ks/user/default.aspx?UserName=kaesha