Malia & Dave

 
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We're Married!

I have updated this planning bio to add a few pictures here and there from our wedding so you can see how things turned out.
Stay tuned for my married bio! I will post a link here.

Last update 4/23/2008

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About us
 
We live in Washington, D.C., but got married in Hawaii because I grew up in Kailua!
We met at a black-tie charity fundraiser in Washington almost four years ago and got engaged during a weekend trip to San Francisco in February 2007.
In April 2007, we headed to Hawaii to scout out wedding locations and meet our wedding planner... Photos of the sites we visited below. Enjoy!
 
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Our Wedding Date
 
Sunday, February 17th (President's Day weekend)
 
Here's how we selected that date: I wanted to get married in Hawaii. Dave wanted to marry me as soon as possible.
I said if it's in Hawaii, it has to be in a year (2008) to give guests time to plan!
Dave said no way was he waiting more than a YEAR to marry me!
So as it turns out we'll be getting married one week shy of a year after we got engaged. How 'bout that for a compromise!

 

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Ceremony & Reception Location
   
Lanikuhonua, Phase II

And that is how we ended up at Lanikuhonua, which was actually my #1 pick from the start.

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Photos from our site visit to Lanikuhonua (4/2007)

(Click to see a larger image)

Wedding at Lanikuhonua, Phase II

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Above: Lanikuhonua Phase II wedding coordinated by Parasol Events, photos by Visionari.
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Update! Our wedding at Lanikuhonua, Phase II

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Below photo from our wedding day. It was perfect!
Lanikuhonua is such a beautiful site. Hands down it was the best choice for our wedding! Our guests still can not stop talking about how beautiful it was.
And to top it off, a giant turtle joined us on the beach next to the ceremony site! We're told it's a sign of good luck.



Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Photos of the Ihilani lawn

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Photos of Paradise Cove

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Photos of Turtle Bay Resort

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Photos of Kalama Beach Club, Kailua

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Photos of The Willows

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Photos of Niu Iki

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For events up to 100, booking through Kathy Muller Hawaii Oceanfront Rentals.

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Photos of Waimanalo Blooms

(Click to see a larger image)

For events & vacation rentals (4BR/3BA at $6,500/week), booking through Kathy Muller Hawaii Oceanfront Rentals.

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Photos of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Waikiki

(Click to see a larger image)

Block of rooms

JW Marriott  Ihilani Resort & Spa

Guest Count

Rehearsal Dinner, a.k.a., Welcome Dinner

Tiki's Grill & Bar is one of our favorite restaurants. I took Dave here on his first trip to Hawaii - and we went back on our wedding scouting trip. We decided that since the wedding is at Ko Olina, we'd like to give our guests a taste of Waikiki at our Welcome Dinner. We have rented the upstairs Coconut Club on Saturday, February 16th for a sunset buffet dinner. 

Click HERE to see a LIVE Web cam of Waikiki Beach from Tiki's patio!

     

Above: Photos from Wahine-male-hou / SimpsonOhana07.

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Welcome Dinner Menu

Grand Tiki Buffet:
Waimanalo Greens Salad
Steamed White Rice
Stir-Fry Vegetables
Mac Nut Crusted Mahimahi
Teriyaki Chicken Breast
Shrimp Pasta

Mahalo Brunch & BBQ

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Details

I got this glass pitcher from Crate & Barrel ($29.95) and this glass drink dispenser from Pottery Barn ($79 on sale for $29!) for the brunch!

Wedding Coordinator

Laura Lewis from Parasol Events

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Update!

 
Top, left to right: Photos taken by a friend.
Bottom, left to right: 1. Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography; 2. Photo by aunt; 3. Photo by  mom.

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Other Parasol Brides!

Rentals

  
Above: 1. Jill & Blaine wedding, floral design by Flowergirls and photo by Reve Photography; 2. Lanikuhonua Phase II wedding by Parasol Events.

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Above, left to right: 1. Photos from a friend; 2. & 3. Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

Colors

The colors came pretty naturally to us after we chose Lanikuhonua. I wanted to use a palm tree motif, and green and brown seemed so earthy and natural. Once I found the "Old Hawaii" invitation from Savvy Designs, it was settled. My colors are chocolate brown, sand and cream (colors of the invitation), with a splash of bright green flowers such as green cymbidium orchids and anthuriums, which I used in our engagement photo shoot. I think these pictures give you a feel for the color scheme I'm going for... Try not to get too hungry!

      

P a p e r   S t u f f

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We used two of our favorite engagement photos in Sepia tone and a photo of "Save the Date" written in the sand to make the below card on Shutterfly. Note that my head is NOT chopped off in the actual card! We then used Zazzle to make U.S. postage stamps of the "Save the Date" photo. We sent our cards out the first week of June, so approximately eight months before our wedding and four months after getting engaged.

(Click on the stamp image below to customize your own stamp using this photo!)

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Cool Update!

Our Invitations

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We chose the "Old Hawaii" invitation from Savvy Designs and plan to customize it by using stamps I made at Zazzle from a photo I took on a vacation that my fiance and I took two years ago of similar-looking palm trees!

(Click on stamp image below to customize your own stamp using this photo!)

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Update: The "self assembly" thing was actually quite painless!
My sister and I assembled about 110 invitations in one night, while watching "Heros" and "The Bachelor"!
I'd say the whole thing took us about 4 hours, but we used the time to girl talk and watch our shows.
My mom stuck the stamps on the "Reply" cards and my fiance even got in on the action - He came in and stuffed the cards into the pocketfolds.
(I think he secretly wanted to watch "The Bachelor" with us!)
Anyway, it was great! Very easy, I'd totally recommend.

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Unfortunate Update:

Savvy Designs has closed, as of Jan. 1, 2008. Please see below for other invitation options we considered.
 
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Other Invitations we liked

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Top, left to right: 1. Bliss Ink; 2. Unknown; 3. Unknown.
Bottom, left to right: All three invitations from Olio Style.

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Engagement Party Invitation & Bachelorette Party Invitation
   
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Above: Photo by T.Todd in San Francisco a day after getting engaged; Both cards by my bridesmaid Chimmy.
 
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Bachelorette Party Thank You Cards

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This was my first DIY project! I got some square red paper and black paper and square red envelopes - and rhinestone stickers - all from Paper Source. I also decorated red bags to hold the books (below left) I gave my hosts as gifts. Below middle is my inspiration picture, followed by my cards!

    

      

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Update!

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At the urging of redshoegirl, here are some pics of my RED SHOES worn at my bachelorette party! I got them on sale at Steve Madden.

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And photos of the party ...

My girlfriends are awesome, for my bachelorette party, they hired a photographer and planned a Little Black Dress photo shoots! 

We rode around in a limo sipping champagne and taking  photos all over Washington, D.C. It was so much fun!

  
   
   
   
      
     

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Thank You cards & Return Address labels & Stamps
 
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Pre-Wedding Thank You card & stamp

I made this card (below left) on Kodak Gallery for use BEFORE the wedding.
I tried to keep up with gifts and send a card within 2 weeks and card matched our invitations.
I made the stamp (below right) to use with these cards.
It's the same image I used on our invitation stamps (see above) so I think it coordinated quite well!

  

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Post-Wedding Thank You card, return address label & stamp
 
After looking at Shutterfly, Kodak Gallery and Snapfish, I decided to use our new iMac to make our Thank You cards! I used the editing tools on iPhoto to give the pictures an "antique" look to match our "Old Hawaii" theme and our Sepia STD cards. Cost was $1.59 per card, which is a volume discount from the regular cost of $1.99/card. I ordered 100.

Inside is says:   Mahalo (Thank You)



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I used Vistaprint to make these cool labels with our wedding picture! This photo was also in "antique" to match.


 
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These are the stamps that we chose! It was a tough call between "Thank You" and "Mahalo" but I just liked how the TY one came out more.
DH wrote the words in the sand at Kailua Beach on Oahu on our way back to DC after our honeymoon.
I used iPhoto go give the image the same "antique" look as the photos on the TY card. This stamp is also for sale in my public gallery at Zazzle.com.
CLICK HERE or on  any of the photos below to check out my gallery!

 
 
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Shower Thank You Card



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Other Post-Wedding Cards & Stamps

At a fellow Knottie's request, I made notecards to match my "Mahalo" and "Thank You" stamps, which are available in my Zazzle Gallery.
CLICK HERE or on  any of the photos below to check out my gallery!
I also made stamps and notecards for "We're Married" but I haven't decided yet how to use that... It's cute though, right?
My DH wrote these all in the sand, so sorry about his messy handwriting! I photographed them. Taken on Feb. 29, 2008, at Kailua Beach.

   
 

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QUESTION: What airport should I fly into?
ANSWER: You should fly into Honolulu (HNL) on the island of Oahu. 

Q: What airlines fly into Honolulu?
A: Most major airlines fly into Honolulu, although the main ones are United, Delta, Northwest and US Airways. Other airlines to check include American Airlines, Continental and ATA. From the West Coast, you could also look at Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, which is offering guests of our wedding a 5% discount through their Wedding Wings Program.
Click here for link

Q: Where should I search for flights?
A: The easiest place to look for flights is Kayak.com (link below) because this search engine looks at all major airline Web sites as well as Orbitz.com and Cheaptickets.com, so it's a very efficient way to search, especially if you customize your search to look a few days before and after your target travel dates. Travel on Wednesdays or Thursdays usually offer the best fares.
Click here for link

Q: How can I monitor flights to Hawaii?
A: A great way to track airfare ups and downs is to sign up for a FREE account at Travelocity.com (link below), then enter your departure city and Honolulu in the "Fare Watcher" section. When the price goes up or down, you'll get an e-mail letting you know!
Click here for link

Q: How long does it take to fly to Hawaii?
A: You can fly direct from most West Coast cities and the travel time is around 5 hours. There are 8-hour direct flights from several Midwest hubs, such as Chicago, Cincinnati or Dallas. From Washington or the New York City area, you'll most likely need to make at least one stop. You should aim for a flight with a total travel time of about 11-14 hours, including layovers. Flights from the East Coast that have two or more stops usually mean a stop in the Midwest, then again in California. Those can run 16+ hours and are brutal. Really try to avoid those.

Q: What time of day should I travel?
A: Flights going TO Honolulu from the East Coast tend to depart very early in the morning (6 a.m.) while most flights headed FROM Honolulu tend to be red-eyes that depart in the late afternoon (4 p.m.) through late evening (10 p.m.), returning to the East Coast the following morning or mid-day. These flight times are pretty typical, so be prepared to alter your plans accordingly.

Q: How much does airfare cost?
A: Prices really vary, depending on if you are flying from the East Coast or the West Coast. In February, you should expect to pay lower than during other times of year. E-mail either of us directly for some help figuring out if the airfare you are quoted is too high or a good deal.

Q: Can I use mileage?
A: Yes! Book early to use your mileage. It costs 35,000 miles for a roundtrip ticket on United and 30,000 miles for a ticket on Delta.

Q: What is the time difference?
A: Right now, Hawaii is six hours behind East Coast time, five hours behind Central time, four hours behind Mountain time and three hours behind West Coast time. However, since Hawaii does not go on Daylight Savings Time, in February, the time difference will only be five hours from the East Coast, four hours from the Midwest and two hours from the West Coast. Click on the link below for more information on time zones.
Click here for link

Q: Should I rent a car?
A: Renting a car is a good idea if you plan to spend several days on Oahu. If you stay at the Ihilani or a Bed & Breakfast or house elsewhere on the island, a car will make it easier to get around. If you are staying in Waikiki, you won't need a car unless you want to travel outside of Waikiki, which we recommend if you want to see the "real" Hawaii. For a good deal on a car, we like to use Priceline.com (link below), which allows you to set your own price. Dave used this on our last trip to Hawaii to get us a sweet convertible for only $20/day!
Click here for link

Q: What about kids?
A: If you plan to travel with your children, let us know. We would be happy to help arrange for babysitting services during our wedding and can let you know what other events may be open to children. We are still finalizing many details, so letting us know your plans will help us plan.

Q: What is the weather like?
A: Um, perfect? Well, considering that most of the mainland will be frozen over in February, Hawaii truly will be paradise. Temperatures in February range from lows of 65-70 to highs in the 80s. There may be some showers, although Ko Olina (location of the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa and Lanikuhonua, our wedding site) tends to be dryer than other parts of the island. Check out the link below for a customized page on our wedding weather.
Click here for link

Q: So ... What should I pack?

A: For the wedding, attire is "Beach Chic." Another term is "Island Festive." For guys: Leave those ties at home! A collared shirt, light jacket or Aloha shirt is appropriate. For ladies: Sundresses and cocktail dresses galore! Consider bringing a shawl for the evening. Make sure you wear shoes comfortable for walking on grass - and dancing! The ceremony will be outdoors on a grassy lawn, with the reception at the same location, under a tent. For the rest of your vacation? Bring a swimsuit, flip flops and a sexy sarong. Guys, skip that last suggestion.

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Finally ... The Dress!

I always thought I wanted a strapless gown... But when I put on this gown by Amsale, I didn't want to take it off! My heart was literally racing and I couldn't believe how excited I was. 

I ordered the dress in all ivory, so it won't have the rose hue that the photo on the Amsale photo has.

I also got a full-length Spanish lace veil and some very beautiful white flower hair pins, all from Kleinfeld in New York City.

 
    

Top, left to right: Amsale; My Day magazine for Washington, D.C., area brides.
Bottom, left to right: Town & Country Weddings magazine; 2. The Bride & Bloom magazine; 3. Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine, 2006.

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Update!

I LOVE MY DRESS!!!!!! It was absolutely perfect, comfortable, light, and just made me happy all night long!

 
Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Hair Pins & Veil

I got these also from Kleinfeld. The veil is cathedral length and trimmed in lace. I love it!

  

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Update!
 
 I LOVE MY VEIL!!! It was PERFECT with my dres and definitely gave me the look I wanted. It was heavy though, and windy!

  
Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Accessories

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Jewelry

I got several pairs of earrings to try on with my dress... Basically the top three. I decided on the Ann Taylor pearls! THEN they broke, while I was at the bridal salon in my dress! Ack! Unfortunately I bought them several months prior at the AT Outlet and they are now sold out. So I went online and found the bottom middle and right earrings on eBay and ordered them as backups. I also like the below left earring, which is a La Sposa from a local bridal salon.

    
        

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Shoes

Got these fabulous silver Kate Spade heels from Zappos.com. Splurged a little, but I love them! I also bought several white flip flops from Victoria's Secret. I plan to wear the high wedges when I need a break from the silver Kate Spades... And I like the low wedges for the after-party and/or brunch. I'm returning the narrow wedges, didn't like them.

    

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Update!

  Here are the pro shots of my accessories!

  
Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Rings & Ring Orb
   
I don't know yet whether we'll have flowergirls or a ring bearer. In the meantime, isn't this a cool way to carry the rings?! I saw it on redshoegirl's bio (she got it from mrsmek) and loved it! Bought it online at Scarlett Alley for $29.95 plus shipping. It's made by Everyday Artifact in Santa Fe, N.M.
 
   
   
 
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Other members of the Ring Orb Club:

phattiusmax, texacaligirl, happysigh, mrshananoki ("double happiness" wording), TheFutureQueen (not a fan), photogirltx (green interior), liubride510, whymercy ("double happiness"), jord.taylor, blondeG8Rbride, Nov08Bride, Soon2BWilcox, soontobemrshampton, toolongengagmnt (lavender interior with "love" and red heart wording), blaynen (lavender interior), Jap-Rish Wedding and WeddingBee blogger Miss Kiwi.

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Other possible ring holders that I considered:


Above all from Propper Topper in Washington, D.C.

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Our Wedding Rings

Our rings! We got them from Celeste Jewlers in Livingston, N.J. I took these photos...

  

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Update!

Professional photos of our rings with the ring orb!


Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Hair & Make-Up 

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For the Bride

Jacque Rojas

Jacque did my hair & make-up for my engagement photo session and I was very pleased with her work. I especially loved the fake eyelashes she put on! I didn't want to take them off! Jacque does hair & make-up for the models in Pacific Rim Weddings. She listened well to what I wanted - a "natural" look - and effortlessly made it happen! I want to have my hair up in a tossled but elegant up-do. Here are some photos of what I'm looking for:

    

    

          

Top, left to right: 1. & 2. Kate Beckinsale sports an elegant but voluminous and messy updo at the Golden Globe Awards; 3. soon2bmrs.stone
Second left to right: 1. soon2bmrs.stone; 2. dejajolie planning bio; 3. MillyJ planning bio.
Third left to right: 1. Unknown; 2. Scarlett Johansson; 3. Unknown
Bottom, left to right: 1. djrs; 2. &3. LukyNLuv

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  Hair Trial Photos
 
Here are the photos from my hair up-do trial, which was on Feb. 14 - Only three days before the wedding!
I showed Jacque a color print out of the above photos and she worked magic. Yay!

   

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Update!

Here's how my H&M turned out! I was really happy with Jacque's work... She used 5 of my hair pins and showed me how to secure the veil.

 
Above, left to right: 1. Photo from my MIL; 3. Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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For the BMs, MOG, MOB

Dorys Foltin

I was actually scheduled to have Dorys do my hair & make-up for my engagement photo session, but something came up for her at the last minute and she had to cancel. However, with all the Knotties raving about her, I just had to book her for my girls. As you all know, Dorys' offers extremely affordable prices and high quality. She'll do my six bridesmaids, one junior bridesmaid, MOG and MOB. I'm paying 1/2 of their services as part of my thank you to them.

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Bridesmaids

The girls are wearing this chocolate brown "Magnolia Georgette" strapless dresses from Ann Taylor and carrying bright green bouquets. My two sisters, who are my co-maids of honor, will wear the necklace & earrings on the left while the other four bridesmaids will wear the necklace & earrings on the right. All six will also have matching bracelets. 
All jewlery, which is part of their gift, came from Sigrid Olsen.

      

         

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Gifts

I got all the girls these cute COACH wristlets! They are chocolate brown with silver accents. I couldn't resist! I also got a white one for me... 

I plan to give them each their Sigrid Olsen jewelry to wear that day, a COACH wristlet, a green pashmina shawl and chocolate brown flip-flops.

 

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Groom's Attire

Khaki suit with white linen shirt and dark brown leather belt from Banana Republic.

Brown leather flip-flops are Clarks "Cape May" sandals from Zappos.com ($63.95).

He'll also wear a pikaki/maile lei (NOT the brown kukui lei he's wearing in this picture!)

    

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Update! 

My handsome groom!

Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Groomsmen

The men are overjoyed that they don't have to wear tux's at the beach! 

Instead, they'll wear these lime green "Thai Bo" Tommy Bahama camp shirts with Banana Republic "relaxed Dawson chinos in stone" and dark brown kukui nut leis.

   

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Update!

The guys looked great!

 
Above, left to right: 1.& 2. Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography; 3. Photo from a friend.

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Groom's Gift

I surprised my FI on our wedding day with an iPhone! What can I say, my DH is a lucky guy!

  
Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography

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Gift for my Dad

I ordered this hankerchif from Felicia's Fancies to give my dad right before he walked me down the aisle.
My dad actually carries hankerchifs in his pocket so I grew up having to fold them whevever we did laundry!
I thought it would be a fitting gift for him and a way to let him know how important he is to me.
(And, no, Dad was not sad that he got a hankie and not an iPhone! He has been showing it to everyone!)

The first photo below shows the hankerchif folded in fours, so you can see what it looks like compared to the way you would regularly fold a hankerchif.

  
Above, left to right: 1. Photo from a friend; 2. & 3. Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Reception Table

I really like the coordinated look that this table has going. Our table will also have a chocolate brown table cloth and a green flower arrangement...


Above: Photo from Yvonne Floral Design.

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Card Box

We'll have this dark brown woven card box (below), which I got from Crate & Barrel for just $14, and three silver Kate Spade pompano point frames - they match our cake serving set! We'll frame and engagement photo in the 8x10 and frame child photos of both of us in the two 5x7 frames.

   

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Kid Pics

Here are two sets of kids pics that we like... Can't decide which to use!

    OR    

IN THIS FRAME:  
 

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Escort Cards

We  plan to have  escort cards at the reception table. Not sure how we'll display them, but here are a few ideas I like:

     
      
     
Top, left to right: 1. lisakeiko used double-stick tape to affix her escort cards to the green ribbon; 2. Unknown; 3. Unknown.
Middle, left to right: 1-3. beachbubbles tied her escort cards to a tree/plant.
Bottom, left to right: 1-2. Unknown; 3. Unknown; 4. soon2bmrs.stone.
 
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Update!

How our it all turned out!
I had thought that we were getting a chocolate brown table cloth so I was surprised to see the white.
But, honestly, by that point, I didn't really care about the details anymore, I was so excited to get married!

  
  
Top, left to right: 1. Photo taken by a friend; Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.
Bottom, left to right: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography

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Grandparent Photos

These photos were to go on the reception table but we ended up putting them out on their own table and I think it came out nice!
I scanned the photos in and made the prints on Shutterfly. The silver frames were from Ben Franklin in Kailua.


Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Guest Book
   
I have noted with interest the idea of including in out of town bags an addressed and stamped postcard so guests can write you a note and mail it to you.
I think this would be really fun to get in the mail when we come home from our honeymoon!
However I think this could also take the place of a guest book.
We'll provide self-addressed vintage Hawaiian postcards from Island Art Cards for guests to write to us at the reception.

Update: Here is the sign (from Knottie KShiz at CryBabyInk) that will sit at each cocktail table, explaining to guests how it works!



We're planning to display the post cards as part of the cocktail table decor.
Each of the 10 cocktail tables will have cylinder glass bowls like the ones pictured below right.
They'll be filled part way with sand, such as the photos below middle and below left, and also include a couple cowry shells - my favorite shell! - the post cards and a couple pens.

    

Tip: I got three bags cowry shells at Pottery Barn of all places - 12 shells for $6.99 on clearance!
Another great Pottery Barn find is this antique post card rack, below right. I don't think we'll use it, but how cute is that?!?!



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Update!

Here's how it turned out!

 
Above: Photos taken by a friend.

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Postcards Post-Wedding

I'm not sure yet what I'll do with the post cards, but one idea would be to use photo corners to mount them in a nice Kolo album!

   

Two other brides (mauisue and djrs) incorporated post cards at their wedding, but djrs (photos below) had guests write directly on the exterior of the cards and then mounted them in a frame:

       

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Other Guest Book Ideas

Before we decided on the post card guest book idea, however, there were a ton of other ideas we considered. Here is a list of options:

1. A regular guest book for guests to write their name and address.

2. Polaroid guest book.
(Creative twist on this that plumeriapal did: She rented a five-foot tall Tiki statue and provided guests with a basket of props to use, such as coconut bras, giant sunglasses, grass skirts, etc.)



3. Similar to the Polaroid Guest Book, but you would ask guests to each bring their favorite picture with you or your FI to the wedding to add to the book.
You then have a blank book with pens, photo corners, tape, stickers and cards so they can each add a picture, write a note, or if they are creative - decorate their own page! A friend of mine is really into scrap booking, so I took on this project as my gift to her for her wedding.

4. Make a Kodak Gallery, Shutterfly, Snapfish or MyPublisher photo album of your engagement photos and let people sign that book
(below example from chinorican).



5. Similar to above, but you instead make a photo book collection of a lot of photos of you and your FI - Not just e-pics, sort of like a collection of you both from childhood to now.

6. Get a beautiful Kolo album in your choice color with cream pages and then print your e-pics in 4x6 and 5x7 matte prints and mount them in the book using photo corners.
I just made a chocolate brown album of our e-pics for my FMIL and it came out GREAT!
Not sure where the below example came from:

     

7. Choose your favorite e-pic and enlarge it and put it inside a wide white matte. You then provide pens and let guests sign the photo matte.
Photos of this very popular idea below (from Mrs.Stephanini, neilsapril, kastle and socal_bride):

   
 
 
8. I have seen brides use white pitchers or plates that guests sign with a black pen. Or have guests sign a glass bowl with a diamond-tipped pen that writes directly on the glass.
Here is a pic from The Knot of guests signing a wine bottle with a silver pen:



9. Get a beautiful coffee table book of your wedding location (Hawaii, Oahu, Waikiki) or honeymoon destination (Tahiti, Italy, etc.) and let guests write notes on any page in the book.
Would be a great memento of your wedding...

10. At one wedding we went to, the MOH passed out index cards to the guests after dinner and asked people to write a message to the couple. Problem was we were all pretty drunk by then.

11. Ask guests to write on white muslin pieces of fabric with fabric paint or permanent marker and make a picnic tablecloth with it. Or a quilt. I have a friend whose mom mailed everyone a piece of fabric prior to the wedding for inclusion in the guest book quilt... It came out nice but my piece sucked.

12. Props to my mom for coming up with the most unusual idea...
There is a plant in Hawaii called the 'autograph' plant. People used to use it to write notes on because its post card-size and thick, and you can write on it and when it dries it keeps the signature.
You could have bowls of 'autograph' leaves with pens/pencils. Not sure what you'd do with all these leaves, but it'd sure be fun for guests!

13. Provide guests with addressed and stamped postcards so they can write you their guest book comment and mail it to you.
Just think, you'll come home from your honeymoon to find all the post-cards in the mail. Display them  in a large frame, card box or album.

14. Similar to above, but instead of having the post cards mailed, just ask guests to sign on the cards with a thick black marker, like what djrs did.
Then you can frame your post cards. You can get cards from your wedding location or honeymoon location - or places you have traveled - so they all work together!

15. Create one or several time capsules that you would open on your 1-year anniversary, 5-year anniversary and 30-year anniversary.
Ask guests to make predictions, write thoughts and favorite parts of your wedding day for you to reflect on later in life.
This idea came from my sister, who is getting married in July 2008. I love it!

 

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Program
Programs from the very talented Knottie KShiz's paper company, CryBabyInk!

E-Mail Kristen for prices and details at crybabyink at gmail dot com

Front & Back

  

Inside Left & Right

     

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Palm Fans

Yes ... I'm jumping on the palm fan trend! 
Dave and I went to in Puerto Rico last year that was SO HOT everyone was sweating and fanning their programs like crazy.
I think the fans will offer guests comfort while also adding a touch of "Old Hawaii" style.
I plan to wrap the handles with chocolate brown ribbon and attach a short one-page program to the back, like the photo below.

Tip: I ordered 8 dozen fans (96 total) from Koyal Wholesale (thanks to sunnygyrl for the tip!) for only $0.50 each.
After some FedEx delivery drama, I got my fans! With shipping, total price came to $64.16.
For comparison, these same palm fans at Bliss Wedding Market cost $0.95 each (or $9.50 for 10) and at Asian Ideas cost $0.67 each (or $8 for 12).
However, as lisakeiko found out, shipping costs may vary.

  
 

Top, left to right: 1. chinorican; 2. day-z;
Bottom, left to right: 1. Mrs_Marcos; 2. Mrs_Marcos.
 
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Wrapping the fans...
 
Here is my first batch of palm fans wrapped with chocolate brown ribbon!
I am thinking about tying a lime green ribbon around them and attaching my programs to them.... Hmmm.
(I got 5/8" ribbon and E6000 glue from from Michaels for the project. For detailed instructions on how to wrap the fans, see plumeriapal's bio.)

  

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Update!

 
We attached my program to the palm fans! It was a last-minute idea that I think worked perfectly!

 
Above, left to right: 1. Photo taken by a friend; 2. & 3. Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Chair Flowers

We'll have simple green anthuriums or other green flowers attached to every other chair along the aisle. (Not the pomanders, but aren't they cute?!)

    
Above, left to right: 1. Wedding at Nui Iki, coordinated by Parasol Events, photo by Chrissy Lambert; 2. JulieD2 wedding in Hilton Head, S.C., with photos by Karyn Iserman; 3. ktwill2007.

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Update!

Here is how the chair florals turned out! I love it!
As an added bonus, my WC transferred the flowers to the tent after the ceremony to be tied around the pole drapes.

 
Above, left to right: 1. & 2. Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography; 2. Photo taken by a friend.

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Parasols

Also with our guests comfort in mind, we also are considering getting a few plain white parasols. Not for everyone, but just a few for older relatives who may need to get out of the sun. 
My mom recalls a wedding she went to at a west Oahu beach that was so hot she pulled out her umbrella! I think if anyone, my mom would appreciate a parasol.

Tip: I found some plain parasols at Pearl River for $4.50 each for a 32-inch parasol and $5.95 each for a 44-inch parasol.
I may order these, or get them in Chinatown or at the Aloha Swap Meet. 
Or, I may borrow them from my wedding coordinator. The name of her company is Parasol Events after all!  
   

     
      
  

Top, left to right: 1. FutureMrsBall, 2. djrs, 3. soon2bmrs.stone; 4. vallartatiffany.
Bottom, left to right: 1. vallartatiffany; 2. Unknown; 3. Arrowhead Photography, as seen in Modern Bride.

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Update!

We ended up getting about seven chocolate brown parasols for free from my Wedding Coordinator! She had them left over from another event.
We tied favor tags around the handles with chocolate brown ribbon to coordinate with our other paper elements.
My mom used one to walk down the aisle! Then, later in the night, our guests used them on the dance floor!
   

 
Above, left to right: 1. & 2. Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography; 3. Taken by a drunk friend.
  

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Ceremony Arch

It'll be a Jewish interfaith ceremony that includes the signing of a Ketubah, breaking of the glass and will be held under a chuppah, such as the lovely arches used below. 
I'd like the arch to be like the one on the far left, a dark wooden arch with flowy white fabric and NO flowers. 
We'll also get a white orchid petal aisle, again, like the photo on the far left.

    
     

     
Top, left to right: 1.& 2. redsgirl; 3. mieko75
Middle, left to right: 1. mauidjenn; 2. Yvonne Floral Design; 3. ngochris, photograph by Stefanie Riedel.
Bottom, left to right: 1. Yvonne Floral Design, photo by Visionari; 2. plumeriapal wedding by Aaron Willcox Photography; 3. beachbubbles.

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Update!

Here's our arch! It's actually two single arches made of dark bamboo that we rented from our florist for $75 each. She provided the cloth to tie them together.
The petal aisle is made up of 1,500 white orchid heads that I got for $150 from my florist. It's considered "light" coverage.
      
Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Ceremony Details

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Officiator

Jimmy Heumann, a really nice guy and an interfaith officiant we met thru our wedding coordinator.

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Update! 

Jim did an AMAZING job! We wrote our ceremony and he put it into his own words. 
People are STILL talking about how much they loved our ceremony! Of course it helped that Jim speaks Hawaiian and Hebrew... And Japanese, but we didn't use that skill.
   

Above: Photo from my aunt.

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Ketubah

We decided on the Tree of Life-Reform & Interfaith Ketubah from Ketubahs and More.
Click on the link for the site to read the words in a larger format... They are really beautiful. We are hoping to have it read at our ceremony as well.


 
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Goblet for the Blessing of the Wine 

FMIL found FI's silver Kiddush cup, a Jewish cup used for his Briss and Bar Mitzvah!
It is engraved with his name and birthdate. We used it for the wine ceremony during our wedding.

 
Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Lei Ceremony

We're planning to incorporate the Hawaiian lei ceremony into our wedding.
Not sure yet if we'll present each other with leis, but we are definitely planning to present our parents with leis.
I like the photos from Mrs.BigIsland, who incorporated this beautiful tradition into her wedding.

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Update!

We borrowed this wooden bowl from my WC to hold the leis for the parent lei exchange.

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Update!

We presented leis to our parents and I'm so glad we did, it was such a special moment.
We asked FI's neice and nephew to help us with the leis. It was a great way to include them in the ceremony!

     

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Breaking of the Glass
 
This is a neat idea! We can get a colored handblown glass vessel wrapped in muslin inside an ivory satin bag from CBL Fine Art in West Orange, N.J., to smash at the end of the ceremony - Then we can keep the glass shards! I'd like to put the broken glass in a clear vase with sand from Lanikuhonua and shells to remember our day.



Update: These glass orbs come in a plain white satin bag and cost $30. I was about to buy one but my fiance and FMIL talked me out of it. We are now planning to smash an existing glass that we already own. I'll still save the shards and put them in a vase with sand from Lanikuhonua!

Another Update: We have decided to use the last remaining glass from a set given to me by a close friend several years ago. I asked my friend to make the bag that we'll use at the end of the ceremony to smash it and she has agreed! This is considered an honor and is another way to involve people in our wedding. I couldn't be happier about this resolution!

Tip: I found this How-To guide from Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine about how to make a bag to smash the glass!


 
Click Here for article

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  Update!

My friend made this bag to use for the breaking of the glass, which was also a gift from the same friend. I love how it came out!

 
Above, left to right: 1. taken by a friend; 2. Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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 Yarmulkes
 
Shaloha!
Isn't that great?! We have decided to order 30 Yarmulkes in Hawaiian print for our guests to wear, as is a tradition at many Jewish weddings.
Cost is $5 each and they are custom ordered from Hawaiian Judacia so you can choose your own prints and colors! We're getting chocolate brown on one side and a vintage Hawaiian print on the other, with tags that will commemorate our wedding date!


      

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Toasting flutes

I haven't decided yet whether to get special glasses... But aren't this glass gorgeous (bottom left)?
I found it thanks to a tip from plumeriapal. They are sold by Island Plantations at Macy's in Hawaii. Or you can order online.
They have etched glass with hybiscus flowers, plumeria, etc., for $20 each.

We  plan to walk down the aisle after our ceremony, and immediately grab a glass of champagne for a toast. We have asked our caterer to have champagne ready for our guests.
So maybe it would be a good idea to have our own glasses...

Here are some inspiration pictures for that toast.

    

Above flutes from Propper Topper in Washington, D.C.

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Update!

So I didn't end up getting toasting flutes ...

But I DID get our caterer, INDIGO, to be ready with champagne for our guests immediately following the ceremony!
I asked my florist, Michelle from flowergirls, get 300 green orchids to use in the champagne and for the place settings.

This was by far one of my most favorite moments of the day! My dad can't stop talking about it either, he loved it.
We wanted to set the tone of celebration and fun and we figured what better way to do that than for the bride and groom to immediately raise a glass after the ceremony.
Plus, I knew by then we'd both need a drink!

   
Above: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved Photography.

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Signature Drinks

My WC had a great idea for signature drinks: Find some cocktail books, choose my favorites and color xerox them and frame them!

These were the drinks I narrowed it down to: Mai Tai, Honolulu Martini, Pineapple Mojito, Kiwi Martini, Mango Bellini, Blue Hawaiian, Passionfruit Margarita and a Mangorita.



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I decided to go with 3 drinks and picked these:  Kiwi Martini, Pineapple Mojito and Mango Bellini.

I figured these were my favorite drinks with a tropical twist! Plus, the green matched my wedding colors!

 


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Unfortunately, my caterer said they were too hard and time-consuming to make! Thankfully, Greg at INDIGO had some really great ideas for what to serve instead!

"Bay of Passion" Martini
Vodka, Pineapple Juice, Cranberry Juice and Lilikoi (same as Passion Fruit)

Lilikoi Kir
Champagne with two drops of Lilikoi Juice Concentrate into a flute and garnished with a orchid

Lychee Martini
Lychee Syrup and Vodka in a Shaker Packed with Ice, poured into martini glass, garnished with a bamboo skewer of lychee and an orchid

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Update!

The "Bay of Passion" Martinis were a HUGE HIT! They ran out by the very end of the night. The Lilikoi Kir was also a smash. I drank numerous of both and loved them!

Unfortunately, I was not able to make a cute drink sign for the bar like the ones above since I didn't have photos of the new drinks!
So, I just wrote the names of our three drinks with a black pen on a charteuse green paper and put it in a 5x7 silver frame.
Since I never made it to the bar at the wedding, I have no idea how it turned out!

My bridesmaids and friends, however, apparently LOVED the "Bay of Passion" Martini!


Above: Taken by my bridesmaid

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Favors
 
 It's so funny because when I thought of this favor, it was before I discovered The Knot, so I had no idea that it was already a pretty popular idea!
Oh well, it works with my theme of "Old Hawaii" and I like it, so there.
I plan to use small lauhala boxes, which my mom says she can get at the Aloha Swap meet for 25 cents each.
I'll fill them with organza bags filled with chocolate macadamia nut balls, my favorite!
Again, as you'll see from the below photo to your right, this was also not as original of an idea as I thought!
Oh well, they're still yummy! Anyway, I'll tie the box up with a lime green ribbon and chocolate brown raffia.

     
       
Top, left to right: 1. Unknown; 2. mauidjenn, who got her favors from Auntie Nalani's Cookies; 3. Unknown; 4. Zun-Shyne, tag by KShiz of Cry Baby Ink.
 Bottom, left to right: 1. mauidjenn; 2. MrsPip; 3. Unknown; 4. Unknown.

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Lauhala boxes:

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My mom picked up 100 of these beautiful mini lauhala boxes from the Swap Meet at Aloha Stadium on Oahu for only 25 cents each!

(They measure 2" by 2")

    

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Organza bags:

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I bought four sets of 30 ivory organza bags for only $2.70 each (that's only $0.09 each)!

(The bags are 3" by 4" and I got them from www.yourorganzabag.com)

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Favor tags:

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My favor tags, from the very talented Knottie KShiz's paper company, CryBabyInk! 

E-Mail Kristen for prices and details at crybabyink at gmail dot com

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