MY RATING SYSTEM
RECOMMENDED = I would fully recommend this vendor to a friend
RECOMMENDED, with reservations = While I would recommend this vendor to a friend, I would point out a few things that could have gone better
NOT RECOMMENDED = I would never recommend this vendor to a friend
(Some of the following services were provided by family and friends who are not vendors, but I thought I'd share my thoughts about each and give props where they're due.)
attire
vows bridal & formals
RECOMMENDED
Vickie and her girls were wonderful! I really appreciate the personal attention I received there and respect their professional advice and opinions. I was a clueless
bride-to-be and desparately needed some help and guidance on what styles would work best with my body shape and height, time of day, formality, and venue.
I especially appreciated the fact that they only showed me dresses that were within my budget. In the end, I went with a dress that was a little more expensive than I originally had budgted for, but it was reasonable and I absolutely loved my dress and how it made me feel on the day-of. I went to one store where I told them what my budget was and the first dress they brought out for me was more than 3 times what I had told them I was willing to spend. Vows didn't do that to me and I really appreciate that.
They do come into the room once you've slipped the gown on so they can help zip/lace you up. So, just a warning, don't wear any undies that you don't anyone else to see. And, if you normally go commando, you might want to slip something on for this occassion. :P
They don't allow photos before purchasing a dress. They also remove the manufacturer labels from their gowns. However, I did some sleuthing and noticed that they sometimes leave those other miscellaneous tags on there. If you really wanted to, like me, you could definitely Google some clues from these tags to find out the dress brand and style.
The alterations were done perfectly after only 1 fitting. I loved that I still had a little mini-train after my gown was bustled, too.
We ended up getting my gown, veil, headband, bra, the BM dresses, Groom and GM tuxes, and fathers' suits from Vows. So, basically, everything. Vickie even gave us a little discount on the tuxes and suits. I'm not sure if it was because we were getting so much stuff from her or if it was because our tuxes took a little longer to come in due to prom season (DH was the one who took care of this transaction and didn't ask). But, we appreciate the discount regardless! All the guys looked so handsome!
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I especially appreciated the fact that they only showed me dresses that were within my budget. In the end, I went with a dress that was a little more expensive than I originally had budgted for, but it was reasonable and I absolutely loved my dress and how it made me feel on the day-of. I went to one store where I told them what my budget was and the first dress they brought out for me was more than 3 times what I had told them I was willing to spend. Vows didn't do that to me and I really appreciate that.
They do come into the room once you've slipped the gown on so they can help zip/lace you up. So, just a warning, don't wear any undies that you don't anyone else to see. And, if you normally go commando, you might want to slip something on for this occassion. :P
They don't allow photos before purchasing a dress. They also remove the manufacturer labels from their gowns. However, I did some sleuthing and noticed that they sometimes leave those other miscellaneous tags on there. If you really wanted to, like me, you could definitely Google some clues from these tags to find out the dress brand and style.
The alterations were done perfectly after only 1 fitting. I loved that I still had a little mini-train after my gown was bustled, too.
We ended up getting my gown, veil, headband, bra, the BM dresses, Groom and GM tuxes, and fathers' suits from Vows. So, basically, everything. Vickie even gave us a little discount on the tuxes and suits. I'm not sure if it was because we were getting so much stuff from her or if it was because our tuxes took a little longer to come in due to prom season (DH was the one who took care of this transaction and didn't ask). But, we appreciate the discount regardless! All the guys looked so handsome!
bamboo stalks (favors)
kimi's bead shop | chinatown | (808) 524-6698
RECOMMENDED
I went with Kimi for convenience. My other option was to order from an online vendor and keep my fingers crossed that the goods would arrive on time, in tact, and not
get held up by agricutural inspections. The online vendor was about 50% cheaper than Kimi.
I bought 280 stalks for $112. The bamboo looked a little beat up, a couple of the stalks were dead, and most had spots and slightly damaged leaves--probably stuff that only a bride-in-planning would notice. I know she stores the bamboo in bulk and in bundles of 10. I suspect this might be why the stalks get damaged. However, I have not heard any reports of my guests' bamboo dying on them, and the leftover favors that I took to work are flourishing!
I'm glad I bought from Kimi and not from my online vendor. The peace of mine was totally worth it.
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I bought 280 stalks for $112. The bamboo looked a little beat up, a couple of the stalks were dead, and most had spots and slightly damaged leaves--probably stuff that only a bride-in-planning would notice. I know she stores the bamboo in bulk and in bundles of 10. I suspect this might be why the stalks get damaged. However, I have not heard any reports of my guests' bamboo dying on them, and the leftover favors that I took to work are flourishing!
I'm glad I bought from Kimi and not from my online vendor. The peace of mine was totally worth it.
cake
tiers of joy
RECOMMENDED
Everyone raved about how yummy the cake was!!! I didn't even get to eat a piece during the reception aside from the 1 forkful I had during the cake-cutting. :( LOL, we
have since decided to eat the top-tier we froze. About half of it is gone. :P
We had a 3-tier, square, offset cake frosted with buttercream. The frosting was finished so smoothly that some people thought it was fondant from afar. All 3 tiers were the same flavor--White Chocolate Raspberry. There were white chocolate chips and fresh raspberries throughout the cake and white chocolate mousse between the layers of each tier. It was heavenly.
The cake was perfectly decorated with 3 different types of fresh chrysanthemums and candy bamboo. Leigh even decorated the cake table with a few loose chrysanthemums. She captured our theme perfectly.
Communication was excellent. Leigh also has a full-service design & catering company with her sister. If you inquire about a cake, she'll probably also talk to you about her other services.
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We had a 3-tier, square, offset cake frosted with buttercream. The frosting was finished so smoothly that some people thought it was fondant from afar. All 3 tiers were the same flavor--White Chocolate Raspberry. There were white chocolate chips and fresh raspberries throughout the cake and white chocolate mousse between the layers of each tier. It was heavenly.
The cake was perfectly decorated with 3 different types of fresh chrysanthemums and candy bamboo. Leigh even decorated the cake table with a few loose chrysanthemums. She captured our theme perfectly.
Communication was excellent. Leigh also has a full-service design & catering company with her sister. If you inquire about a cake, she'll probably also talk to you about her other services.
ceremony venue
best bridal hawaii | paradise cove crystal chapel
RECOMMENDED
Gorgeous venue complete with a breathtaking oceanfront view! JoAnn,our chapel coordinator, was a pleasure to work with and bent over backwards to help make our
day fabulous and stress-free! She was always happy to answer all of our questions and, on a couple of occassions, spent over an hour talking to me on the phone! She not
only took care of our ceremony, but was genuinely interested in helping in whatever way she could by giving me advice and talking with me about the other aspects of
our wedding day.
JoAnn's staff was wonderful, as well! They were so nice and polite and were always willing to help. They took care of all the behind-the-scenes logistics (music, ushering, etc.) and accompanied us on our post-ceremony beach photo shoot to help with purses, shoes, (wedding gown) train management, etc.
JoAnn even came to my hotel room at 6AM on the morning-of to deliver our bouquets, bouts, and corsages. She was nice enough to pick them up for me from the florist the night before. I feel that JoAnn went above and beyond. I have absolutely no regrets about this splurge. It was my dream come true!
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JoAnn's staff was wonderful, as well! They were so nice and polite and were always willing to help. They took care of all the behind-the-scenes logistics (music, ushering, etc.) and accompanied us on our post-ceremony beach photo shoot to help with purses, shoes, (wedding gown) train management, etc.
JoAnn even came to my hotel room at 6AM on the morning-of to deliver our bouquets, bouts, and corsages. She was nice enough to pick them up for me from the florist the night before. I feel that JoAnn went above and beyond. I have absolutely no regrets about this splurge. It was my dream come true!
dj
tom vu | family friend
A friend of DH's, Tom Vu, has a DJ/MC business on the side. He normally only does Vietnamese weddings (let me know if you want his contact info), but was happy to
provide his DJ services as a wedding gift to us. He did a great job and brought some great equipment with him. We're really thankful that he offered to help us out on our
special day. I couldn't have asked for better!
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eyebrow waxing
paul brown salon | waikele
RECOMMENDED
My eyebrows looked great the day-of. They lady who did my brows seemed a little unfriendly, but she delivered. I actually ended up trimming them a little when I got
home because I thought the beginning of my brows looked a little too angular, but that's just personal preference. I'll go back there again. :)
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florals
ribbons 'n rainbows | kapolei
RECOMMENDED
Annette and her team did a great job! I presented her with a unique floral scheme and some taller-than-she-was-comfy-with vases and they made it work.
My bouquet was a bit more "leafy" than I wanted and my girls' bouquets weren't as full as I was expecting, but they were still very pretty. They were going to charge me a $35 set-up fee to put the pre-arranged centerpieces out on the guest tables. I passed on that offer and had a family friend put them out for us instead.
Other than these minor things, everything else was perfect! They did a great job with my centerpieces and made some great suggestions along the way. At my request, Annette also attached a silver butterfly brooch that belonged to my recently departed grandmother to my bouquet. I'm happy I went with a "non-wedding" florist. I think this saved me a ton of money for the same quality!
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My bouquet was a bit more "leafy" than I wanted and my girls' bouquets weren't as full as I was expecting, but they were still very pretty. They were going to charge me a $35 set-up fee to put the pre-arranged centerpieces out on the guest tables. I passed on that offer and had a family friend put them out for us instead.
Other than these minor things, everything else was perfect! They did a great job with my centerpieces and made some great suggestions along the way. At my request, Annette also attached a silver butterfly brooch that belonged to my recently departed grandmother to my bouquet. I'm happy I went with a "non-wedding" florist. I think this saved me a ton of money for the same quality!
garter
ebay seller beegaboo | ebay store just for bride
RECOMMENDED
I LOVE Snoopy (it's a childhood thing) and I stumbled upon a Snoopy garter on eBay made of a Valentine's Day Snoopy print fabric. I contacted the seller and asked if she
could custom make a Snoopy garter for me in my wedding colors. She said it wouldn't be a problem, however, she didn't have one already made to show me. I thought
about it over the next couple of days and then got distracted with other wedding-related things and never got back to her. To my surprise, she contacted me a couple of
weeks later and sent me some photos of a garter she made in the colors I had requested. I was completely sold!
Communication and customer service were excellent and the garter arrived in about a week to me in Hawaii. It's well made and still looks great after wearing it on my wedding day.
The garter is made of navy blue organza and the elastic is encased in navy blue satin ribbon. I just love the Snoopy charm in the middle of the bow! Too cute!
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Communication and customer service were excellent and the garter arrived in about a week to me in Hawaii. It's well made and still looks great after wearing it on my wedding day.
The garter is made of navy blue organza and the elastic is encased in navy blue satin ribbon. I just love the Snoopy charm in the middle of the bow! Too cute!
gown preservation
keepsakes wedding gown preservation
RECOMMENDED
Gabriela was a pleasure to work with! She came to my home to pick up my gown and veil for cleaning and preservation. There was a little damage to my gown and veil,
but they include such minor repairs in their price! Gabriela came back to my home to drop everything off a couple of weeks later. She explained the preservation process
and showed me how to properly care for my preserved gown.
After she had left, I noticed that the damage to my veil (caused by my rascal little cat, Chester) had not been fixed. I gave her a call and she was very apologetic. She came back to my home a few days later, picked up the veil and returned it to me a couple of days after that.
Excellent customer service and value!
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After she had left, I noticed that the damage to my veil (caused by my rascal little cat, Chester) had not been fixed. I gave her a call and she was very apologetic. She came back to my home a few days later, picked up the veil and returned it to me a couple of days after that.
Excellent customer service and value!
hair & make-up
dorys foltin
RECOMMENDED, with reservations
I loved Dorys and think she made me look beautiful on my wedding day! My hair and makeup were great! I asked Dorys for more definition in the curls in my updo on the
morning-of and she totally delivered. The lip stain she used on me did not last. By the time the ceremony was over, I definitely needed a touch up and my lips were really
dry and kind of icky looking.
For some reason, our styling shedule was a little off. My MOH, BM and I were all supposed to be ready shortly after 6AM so we could all get dressed and be ready to go for our 7AM pre-ceremony photo shoot. I was pretty much ready on time, but my girls were not ready until about 6:40AM and I needed people to help me get laced up, etc.
Needless to say, it was a mad rush to get everyone dressed in 20 minutes, not to mention trying to get my corset back tied up nicely. As a result of the rushing, I wasn't really happy with how the corset was tied and Dorys either forgot or didn't have time to do the touch-up on my wrist I requested (I have some eczema-related discoloration that makes me self-conscious).
I think what happened was that when my girls' hair was done or had curlers setting, the stylists started on the mothers' & FSIL's hair and then didn't get back to my girls' makeup until after the mothers' & my FSIL's hair was done. I'm not really sure why this switch occurred.
Since we didn't have a lot of time to get dressed, my "getting ready" shots were also rushed and I don't think my photographer was able to get very many pics.
BUT, Dorys is extremely talented and I would go with her again in a heartbeat! She delivered what she was supposed to--hair and makeup. She's also great with correspondence and is very flexible.
In retrospect, I should have confirmed the styling schedule with her again (it had already been confirmed several times via e-mail) on the morning-of. By then, I was trying so hard to keep calm and was so oblivious that I forgot to ask. On the day-of, you just go with the flow and everything has a way of working itself out. :)
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For some reason, our styling shedule was a little off. My MOH, BM and I were all supposed to be ready shortly after 6AM so we could all get dressed and be ready to go for our 7AM pre-ceremony photo shoot. I was pretty much ready on time, but my girls were not ready until about 6:40AM and I needed people to help me get laced up, etc.
Needless to say, it was a mad rush to get everyone dressed in 20 minutes, not to mention trying to get my corset back tied up nicely. As a result of the rushing, I wasn't really happy with how the corset was tied and Dorys either forgot or didn't have time to do the touch-up on my wrist I requested (I have some eczema-related discoloration that makes me self-conscious).
I think what happened was that when my girls' hair was done or had curlers setting, the stylists started on the mothers' & FSIL's hair and then didn't get back to my girls' makeup until after the mothers' & my FSIL's hair was done. I'm not really sure why this switch occurred.
Since we didn't have a lot of time to get dressed, my "getting ready" shots were also rushed and I don't think my photographer was able to get very many pics.
BUT, Dorys is extremely talented and I would go with her again in a heartbeat! She delivered what she was supposed to--hair and makeup. She's also great with correspondence and is very flexible.
In retrospect, I should have confirmed the styling schedule with her again (it had already been confirmed several times via e-mail) on the morning-of. By then, I was trying so hard to keep calm and was so oblivious that I forgot to ask. On the day-of, you just go with the flow and everything has a way of working itself out. :)
ihilani suite
jw marriott ihilani resort & spa | ihilani suite
RECOMMENDED
OMG, two words: Absolute Luxury!!! The "Ihilani Suite" was amazing! We stayed there for 3 nights and are so glad we splurged on this! DH and I plan to stay in the exact
same suite for our anniversary!!! The suite was more than large enough to accommodate me, my MOH, my BM, DH, the Best Man, 1 GM, 2 moms, 1 FSIL, 3 hair and makeup
artists, and 1 photographer. That's 13 people! Our suite had a huge lanai (which we partied on after the wedding), gorgeous ocean views, mountain views, a whirlpool tub,
walk-in closet, 1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms...need I say more???
If you're a Hawaii resident, definitely always ask about Kama'aina Rates. For 3 nights, we paid about what it would have costed us to stay here for 1 night at full price. Granted, one of our nights was complimentary for a smaller room and we just paid a couple hundred to cover the difference. But still, can't beat those Kama'aina Rates!!!
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If you're a Hawaii resident, definitely always ask about Kama'aina Rates. For 3 nights, we paid about what it would have costed us to stay here for 1 night at full price. Granted, one of our nights was complimentary for a smaller room and we just paid a couple hundred to cover the difference. But still, can't beat those Kama'aina Rates!!!
invitation supplies
creations unlimited
RECOMMENDED
Norice and the other ladies were awesome. They helped me come up with designs for my invites and table numbers. Such inspiration! They have a wide variety of papers
in various colors, thicknesses, and textures. I got all of my papers, envelopes, inks, etc. from CU. I'm glad I found them!
RECOMMENDED
I used a brass bamboo stencil from this company to do the Dry Embossing for my DIY wedding invitations. It's a great, durable product that I have used to make dry embossed paper goods as gifts for others.
RECOMMENDED
I used a couple of different inks from this company for my invites and thank you cards with great results. I also use the Tsukineko line for my other personal DIY paper
projects.
RECOMMENDED
Someone gave me bamboo and chrysanthemum rubber stamps from this company. I was surprised at how much detail both stamps had and how well they showed up on
paper. I used these stamps for our thank you cards and table numbers. They matched our theme perfectly!
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limousine
duke's limousine, inc.
RECOMMENDED
We got a great $60 per hour rate at the Bridal Expo for an 8 passenger Lincoln. The limo that picked us up on the day-of was hot-looking and gorgeous!!! :) The driver was
right on time with the pick-up, was very polite, and was very helpful with getting me and my dress into and out of the limo.
The only hiccup was that the driver told us on the morning-of that he had to have us back at the Ihilani by 10:30AM because he had another job to get to immediately following ours. My contract stated we would be picked up from the chapel at 10:30AM. I told the company that we might need to be picked up at 10:45AM, depending on how we were doing with the schedule and I was told it would be no problem and that I could pay for the extra time on the day-of. We had to shave about 15 minutes off our photo shoot to round everyone up and make it back to the Ihilani in time. This didn't cause a huge problem, but it was just a little distressing on the day-of.
I didn't realize it until after the wedding, but the limo that picked us up was not the one we had reserved. Instead, it was a 10 passenger Chrysler 300! Whether intentional or not, the unexpected limo "upgrade" was pretty awesome.
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The only hiccup was that the driver told us on the morning-of that he had to have us back at the Ihilani by 10:30AM because he had another job to get to immediately following ours. My contract stated we would be picked up from the chapel at 10:30AM. I told the company that we might need to be picked up at 10:45AM, depending on how we were doing with the schedule and I was told it would be no problem and that I could pay for the extra time on the day-of. We had to shave about 15 minutes off our photo shoot to round everyone up and make it back to the Ihilani in time. This didn't cause a huge problem, but it was just a little distressing on the day-of.
I didn't realize it until after the wedding, but the limo that picked us up was not the one we had reserved. Instead, it was a 10 passenger Chrysler 300! Whether intentional or not, the unexpected limo "upgrade" was pretty awesome.
manicure
l'mour nail & beauty salon | pearlridge shopping center
NOT RECOMMENDED
Keep in mind this was my first manicure. Ever. I had a UV Gel French tip nail enhancement, i.e. fake nails, done. Also keep in mind that many different nail technicians work
at this salon and my MOH and BM both had great results from their nail technicians. Mine seemed a little unfriendly, but this might be because English was not his first
language and he might just be the type whose M.O. is strictly business.
My nails looked great the day I got them (less than 48 hours before my wedding), but they already started to lift near my cuticles the very next day, and lifted more and more every day thereafter. I have since had the same nail enhancement done at another shop (Diva Nails | Waimalu Shopping Center | 808-484-4508) and have had such great results (ask for Richard)! They are cheaper than L'mour, too!
Regardless, the results served their purpose for the day-of. However, I don't plan on going back here again. It's just too much of a toss-up for my money.
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My nails looked great the day I got them (less than 48 hours before my wedding), but they already started to lift near my cuticles the very next day, and lifted more and more every day thereafter. I have since had the same nail enhancement done at another shop (Diva Nails | Waimalu Shopping Center | 808-484-4508) and have had such great results (ask for Richard)! They are cheaper than L'mour, too!
Regardless, the results served their purpose for the day-of. However, I don't plan on going back here again. It's just too much of a toss-up for my money.
mc
herman ventura | family friend
A long-time friend of MH's family acted as our MC. If you have a family member or friend who is willing to fill this roll, I would highly recommend tapping into this resource.
Everything went great and we saved a ton of money by not hiring a paid professional. Since our MC personally knew both of us and our families, he was able to make our
reception extra special. I'm so glad things worked out the way they did and we are both thankful that our friend was such a special part of our day.
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officiant
pastor greig porter of hookipa weddings | (808) 753-2267
RECOMMENDED
Pastor Porter was contracted with the chapel we got married at. He speaks fluent Japanese and the majority of the ceremonies he performs is for Japanese-speaking couples. It was so funny because, during our rehearsal, he had to pause a couple of times to translate the ceremony wording back to English because he's so used to performing the ceremony in Japanese!
Needless to say, we really enjoyed Pastor Porter and he performed such a nice ceremony. It was short and to the point, but I still cried because of his warmth and sincerity (I cried again 2 years later after watching our wedding video!). My family enjoyed his company as he was able to attend our rehearsal dinner. I really hope that our paths cross again in the future.
UPDATE! Pastor Porter performed my SIL's ceremony on September 12, 2009. It was so awesome to see him again. I actually cried. :)
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Needless to say, we really enjoyed Pastor Porter and he performed such a nice ceremony. It was short and to the point, but I still cried because of his warmth and sincerity (I cried again 2 years later after watching our wedding video!). My family enjoyed his company as he was able to attend our rehearsal dinner. I really hope that our paths cross again in the future.
UPDATE! Pastor Porter performed my SIL's ceremony on September 12, 2009. It was so awesome to see him again. I actually cried. :)
photography (e-pics & day-of)
mark nomura photography
RECOMMENDED
I love our photos! Mark got so many great shots and captured so many touching moments. We are so pleased with what he did for us. His style of photography is just what
we were looking for. I would say that his photos tend to look more on the "natural" side (for lack of a better word), meaning that his work doesn't appear to be as
extensively post-processed as other photographers. We feel that our photos really give us a true remembrance of our wedding day.
Mark was always pleasant to work with. I never had any problems with rudeness or attitude. My family loved him on the day-of, saying he made them feel at ease in front of the camera. We felt this way, as well. I was also surprised at how unobtrusive he was! I barely noticed him on the day-of. As I looked through our photos, I often thought, "Wow, how/when did he get that shot?" His GF usually comes along to the weddings to help with the camera gear and to make sure that everyone looks their best: dress-fluffing, taking care of upturned collars and errant hairs, etc. She is super sweet. I love talking to her. Unfortunately, his GF couldn't make it to my wedding so Mark brought his friend, another photographer named Michelle Davies, instead. Michelle did a great job helping us! She brought her camera with her and got some great shots of her own.
Mark does a lot of weddings, so sometimes it takes a few days for him to get back to you. I usually sent an e-mail and he usually got back to me by the next day. If not, I just followed up with a phone call.
It took about 6 weeks to get our proofs, digital images, and film negatives back from Mark because he got really sick right after our wedding and was out of commission for a couple of weeks. Mark provided us with over 1,200 proof prints of all our film and digital photos, 2 DVD copies of all the hi-res digital files, all of our film negatives, and full reprinting rights. His packages also come with 1 or 2 Kolo albums that you can use to store your proof prints, and some type of print or album credit that you can use towards reprints, enlargements, and/or the purchase of a professionally created wedding album. I can't really speak for his albums except to say that the samples we looked at were pretty awesome. We have not yet decided if we will get a "professional" wedding album.
You can check out more of our photos here.
I uploaded most of our photos, but I left out a good amount of candids/stills with family and friends. I didn't think anyone would really be interested in these. :P
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Mark was always pleasant to work with. I never had any problems with rudeness or attitude. My family loved him on the day-of, saying he made them feel at ease in front of the camera. We felt this way, as well. I was also surprised at how unobtrusive he was! I barely noticed him on the day-of. As I looked through our photos, I often thought, "Wow, how/when did he get that shot?" His GF usually comes along to the weddings to help with the camera gear and to make sure that everyone looks their best: dress-fluffing, taking care of upturned collars and errant hairs, etc. She is super sweet. I love talking to her. Unfortunately, his GF couldn't make it to my wedding so Mark brought his friend, another photographer named Michelle Davies, instead. Michelle did a great job helping us! She brought her camera with her and got some great shots of her own.
Mark does a lot of weddings, so sometimes it takes a few days for him to get back to you. I usually sent an e-mail and he usually got back to me by the next day. If not, I just followed up with a phone call.
It took about 6 weeks to get our proofs, digital images, and film negatives back from Mark because he got really sick right after our wedding and was out of commission for a couple of weeks. Mark provided us with over 1,200 proof prints of all our film and digital photos, 2 DVD copies of all the hi-res digital files, all of our film negatives, and full reprinting rights. His packages also come with 1 or 2 Kolo albums that you can use to store your proof prints, and some type of print or album credit that you can use towards reprints, enlargements, and/or the purchase of a professionally created wedding album. I can't really speak for his albums except to say that the samples we looked at were pretty awesome. We have not yet decided if we will get a "professional" wedding album.
You can check out more of our photos here.
I uploaded most of our photos, but I left out a good amount of candids/stills with family and friends. I didn't think anyone would really be interested in these. :P
reception
jw marriott ihilani resort & spa | malolo room
RECOMMENDED
We worked with Terri Hyden, an event manager at the Ihilani. She was awesome! She made sure everything was just as we wanted it and made sure all of our questions
were answered and that we were all on the same page. I can be indecisive and a bit of a control freak at the same time. Terri was so patient and helpful. She sent us a
bottle of champagne the night of our wedding, which was totally unexpected. She also pulled some strings and got us a last minute reservation for a party of 22 at Ushio-Tei
for our RD, which was the very next night. I'm so glad we had the opportunity to work with her.
One thing I would like to mention is that the Ihilani will not decorate your reception site for you. They will put your favors out on your tables and set up some complimentary candle votives, but that is the extent of their involvement. I'm sure this is for liability reasons so they are not responsible if someone drops one of your centerpieces or if something happens to your decorations,etc. Make sure you find your own people to take care of this.
We did the "A Hillside in Napa" lunch buffet with 3 entrees. The food was absolutely delicious! Even our GM, who is a bit of a food snob, raved about the food. Sadly enough, I did not get to eat very much. Not because I was running around visiting with guests, but I didn't have much of an appetite. I think it was a combination of nerves and not being able to breathe! LOL, no, it wasn't that bad, but I was tied into my dress and I think my stomach was being smooshed by the rest of my internal organs. There was no room in there for food! :P We were served by Michelle, the Banquet Captain, so I did get to taste everything (not in great quantities, though) and it was yummy. The banquet staff seemed very friendly and accommodating.
I think the Malolo Room worked out well for us. I was concerned about the non-rectangular shape of the room and the 2 columns in the middle of it, but everything worked out just fine. This room had 6 ft. (72 in.) rounds covered with 2 offset, square tablecloths. The chairs were a neutral beige color . I'm so glad I didn't spend money on renting chair covers and speciatly linens. Everything looked fine, and I don't think guests really notice these kinds of things anyway.
And kudos to the Malolo Room for being Blue! How perfect is that? It was a sign from the start....
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One thing I would like to mention is that the Ihilani will not decorate your reception site for you. They will put your favors out on your tables and set up some complimentary candle votives, but that is the extent of their involvement. I'm sure this is for liability reasons so they are not responsible if someone drops one of your centerpieces or if something happens to your decorations,etc. Make sure you find your own people to take care of this.
We did the "A Hillside in Napa" lunch buffet with 3 entrees. The food was absolutely delicious! Even our GM, who is a bit of a food snob, raved about the food. Sadly enough, I did not get to eat very much. Not because I was running around visiting with guests, but I didn't have much of an appetite. I think it was a combination of nerves and not being able to breathe! LOL, no, it wasn't that bad, but I was tied into my dress and I think my stomach was being smooshed by the rest of my internal organs. There was no room in there for food! :P We were served by Michelle, the Banquet Captain, so I did get to taste everything (not in great quantities, though) and it was yummy. The banquet staff seemed very friendly and accommodating.
I think the Malolo Room worked out well for us. I was concerned about the non-rectangular shape of the room and the 2 columns in the middle of it, but everything worked out just fine. This room had 6 ft. (72 in.) rounds covered with 2 offset, square tablecloths. The chairs were a neutral beige color . I'm so glad I didn't spend money on renting chair covers and speciatly linens. Everything looked fine, and I don't think guests really notice these kinds of things anyway.
And kudos to the Malolo Room for being Blue! How perfect is that? It was a sign from the start....
rehearsal dinner (venue #1)
roy's restaurant | ko 'olina
NOT RECOMMENDED
(I would like to emphasize that this review pertains only to the Ko 'Olina location and the following experience happened in March 2007.)
Technically we never "used" this vendor. We never made it to that point, but I wish I had not wasted my time, energy, and emotions on this one.
We were extremely disappointed with the customer service and handling of our RD reservation. First, there was some kind of mix-up with our reservation and it mysteriously disappeared. We re-reserved and decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. We figured that Roy's Restaurant would hold true to their reputation of fine customer service and we were looking forward to their delicious food.
We were given conflicting information each time we spoke to our contact at the restaurant. The day before our RD, I called to confirm our headcount, at which time I was told that a party of our size would not fit in the space we had reserved. I had been told otherwise when I spoke to this same person just a week and a half earlier. Instead of being cooperative, I was bascially given no options and a "take it or leave it" attitude.
I ended up cancelling our reservation for 22 people 24 hours before our RD. I just could not deal with the uncertainty and drama 2 days before our wedding day. Our contact called me the following day to ask why I cancelled. Upon explaining, I was told exactly the same thing as the previous day--no apology for any misunderstanding or offering of solutions or concessions. Needless to say, I was more than happy to take my business, and money, elsewhere.
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Technically we never "used" this vendor. We never made it to that point, but I wish I had not wasted my time, energy, and emotions on this one.
We were extremely disappointed with the customer service and handling of our RD reservation. First, there was some kind of mix-up with our reservation and it mysteriously disappeared. We re-reserved and decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. We figured that Roy's Restaurant would hold true to their reputation of fine customer service and we were looking forward to their delicious food.
We were given conflicting information each time we spoke to our contact at the restaurant. The day before our RD, I called to confirm our headcount, at which time I was told that a party of our size would not fit in the space we had reserved. I had been told otherwise when I spoke to this same person just a week and a half earlier. Instead of being cooperative, I was bascially given no options and a "take it or leave it" attitude.
I ended up cancelling our reservation for 22 people 24 hours before our RD. I just could not deal with the uncertainty and drama 2 days before our wedding day. Our contact called me the following day to ask why I cancelled. Upon explaining, I was told exactly the same thing as the previous day--no apology for any misunderstanding or offering of solutions or concessions. Needless to say, I was more than happy to take my business, and money, elsewhere.
rehearsal dinner (venue #2)
jw marriott ihilani resort & spa | ushio-tei
RECOMMENDED
In the end, I am so happy that things did not work out with Roy's. That experience truly was a blessing in disguise. We had a wonderful time at Ushio-Tei. And it was
cheaper than Roy's, too! Everyone raved about the delicious Tabehodai (All-You-Can-Eat) buffet. The service was absolutly top-notch, as well. They were so warm and
seemed genuinely happy to have us at their restaurant. Cheyeanne and Oliver helped us that evening. When Cheyenne found out it was our RD, she brought out a
complimentary congratulatory tempura ice cream dessert for me and Brian! Yum-o!
Since our reservation was last minute, Terri Hyden told me that they could only seat us from 5:30PM-7:0OPM. However, when I confirmed this with Cheyenne, she told us not to worry and to take our time. We ended up staying until close to 8:00PM and we were never pressured to leave or given the rush act. We all had such a great time. We went back again a little over a month later to celebrate DH's birthday and we were served by Cheyeanne again! Yay! This place is on our list of faves and we have since dined here on many occassions.
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Since our reservation was last minute, Terri Hyden told me that they could only seat us from 5:30PM-7:0OPM. However, when I confirmed this with Cheyenne, she told us not to worry and to take our time. We ended up staying until close to 8:00PM and we were never pressured to leave or given the rush act. We all had such a great time. We went back again a little over a month later to celebrate DH's birthday and we were served by Cheyeanne again! Yay! This place is on our list of faves and we have since dined here on many occassions.
rings
the wedding ring shop
RECOMMENDED
I love Maria Montes! We got my e-ring and both of our wedding bands from Maria. She took such great care of us and I absolutely love our rings!!! Maria is such a warm
and sincere person. She never made us feel like we had no business being in their shop (as some other shops made us feel) and never pressured us to look at something
that we clearly could not afford. She also did a lot of research on different designs, options, and pricing for us.
Now that I'm married, I would not have chosen anything different and will never "upgrade" as some folks do. We were able to get exactly what we wanted and I will cherish these symbols of love and commitment forever.
UPDATE! In celebration of our 1st anniversary, DH returned to The Wedding Ring Shop and purchased the same ring as my wedding ring and gave it to me as an anniversary band! I absolutely love it. I also go to the shop periodically throughout the year to have my rings polished and checked. Maria always takes time out to chat with us when we visit.
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Now that I'm married, I would not have chosen anything different and will never "upgrade" as some folks do. We were able to get exactly what we wanted and I will cherish these symbols of love and commitment forever.
UPDATE! In celebration of our 1st anniversary, DH returned to The Wedding Ring Shop and purchased the same ring as my wedding ring and gave it to me as an anniversary band! I absolutely love it. I also go to the shop periodically throughout the year to have my rings polished and checked. Maria always takes time out to chat with us when we visit.
shoes
zappos.com
RECOMMENDED
Zappos is awesome! Their free shipping and return policy prompted me to buy 4 pairs of shoes from them. I found the perfect pair on Zappos: "Odessa" by rsvp. My feet hurt
by the end of the ceremony, but they looked absolutely fabulous!
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video slideshow
scott nishi | family friend
Scott is DH's co-worker and a friend of ours. We were in a pinch to find someone to do our slideshow. He totally delivered and then some. I think we've watched the slideshow with various family and friends (and also alone) at least a dozen times since the reception! Our guests really enjoyed it and felt it was very entertaining.
Scott does freelance work for Video Dreams Hawaii. Although he did our slideshow as a gift to us, I just wanted to give him some props. :)
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Scott does freelance work for Video Dreams Hawaii. Although he did our slideshow as a gift to us, I just wanted to give him some props. :)
videography
video 21 productions
RECOMMENDED
Janice and Davis Lauderdale were wonderful to work with! They are such sincere people and you can tell that they really love what they do. The communication during planning was excellent.
I was orignally dead-set against hiring a videographer because I didn't think it was necessary and I wanted to cut costs. However, I am so glad I had a change of heart about half-way through wedding planning! The day was such a blur and there was no way that I would have been able to take it all in the first time around. Also, having video highlights to look at after the wedding really helped with the post-wedding withdrawals. :P
We had 2-camera coverage at both our ceremony and reception. Davis attended our rehearsal and really put us at ease by telling us what to expect and explaining where they would be set up so we wouldn't block the camera shot, etc.
We got 2 different video highlights about a month after the wedding, and our edited DVD arrived in the mail about a month after that. The quality of the DVD is awesome. They shoot in HD and we got an HDTV as a wedding present. :D How perfect was that? Anyway, the clarity is amazing! We got a custom "Menu" screen featuring one of our pro wedding pics as the background, another screen for chapters/scene selection, background music of our choice, and a custom DVD case, again featuring 2 of our pro pics.
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I was orignally dead-set against hiring a videographer because I didn't think it was necessary and I wanted to cut costs. However, I am so glad I had a change of heart about half-way through wedding planning! The day was such a blur and there was no way that I would have been able to take it all in the first time around. Also, having video highlights to look at after the wedding really helped with the post-wedding withdrawals. :P
We had 2-camera coverage at both our ceremony and reception. Davis attended our rehearsal and really put us at ease by telling us what to expect and explaining where they would be set up so we wouldn't block the camera shot, etc.
We got 2 different video highlights about a month after the wedding, and our edited DVD arrived in the mail about a month after that. The quality of the DVD is awesome. They shoot in HD and we got an HDTV as a wedding present. :D How perfect was that? Anyway, the clarity is amazing! We got a custom "Menu" screen featuring one of our pro wedding pics as the background, another screen for chapters/scene selection, background music of our choice, and a custom DVD case, again featuring 2 of our pro pics.
day-of wedding coordinators
leilani lu | fred & sandie nagao | family friends
Aunty Leilani, who has coordinated weddings for many members of her church, agreed to be our DOC. I couldn't see myself paying big bucks for a "professional" DOC. Our event was pretty low key and straight-forward so I didn't think a "pro" was necessary. Plus, we did a lot of DIY so we didn't have to coordinate with any vendors on the day-of. She did a great job with all the behind-the-scenes stuff. I didn't have to worry about a thing and trusted her completely.
The only problem was that I needed someone to set up the Malolo Room for the reception. The earliest we could get into the room was 8:00AM. Our ceremony was set to start promptly at 9:00AM. We were worried about finding someone to set-up the room for us since we really wanted all of our family and friends to be at the ceremony. (The Ihilani staff will not decorate your reception site for you--see Reception review for details).
Our saviors were Fred and Sandie Nagao, the parents of my co-worker and cubicle-mate, Reid. They like to do this kind of stuff so my co-worker asked his parents if they would be willing to help. They were so sweet and did a bang-up job decorating and setting-up the Malolo Room. I'm so glad that they stayed for the reception, too.
We visited the Malolo Room before signing with the Ihilani. It was set up for a small wedding when we visited so I figured I knew what to expect on the day-of. I was sorely mistaken. When we made our grand entrance into the Malolo Room, I was in awe and completely blown away. It looked so great--better than I had envisioned. I am eternally greatful to Aunty Sandie and Uncle Fred. :) Oh yeah, and you too, Reid. :P
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The only problem was that I needed someone to set up the Malolo Room for the reception. The earliest we could get into the room was 8:00AM. Our ceremony was set to start promptly at 9:00AM. We were worried about finding someone to set-up the room for us since we really wanted all of our family and friends to be at the ceremony. (The Ihilani staff will not decorate your reception site for you--see Reception review for details).
Our saviors were Fred and Sandie Nagao, the parents of my co-worker and cubicle-mate, Reid. They like to do this kind of stuff so my co-worker asked his parents if they would be willing to help. They were so sweet and did a bang-up job decorating and setting-up the Malolo Room. I'm so glad that they stayed for the reception, too.
We visited the Malolo Room before signing with the Ihilani. It was set up for a small wedding when we visited so I figured I knew what to expect on the day-of. I was sorely mistaken. When we made our grand entrance into the Malolo Room, I was in awe and completely blown away. It looked so great--better than I had envisioned. I am eternally greatful to Aunty Sandie and Uncle Fred. :) Oh yeah, and you too, Reid. :P
