New Events by Evonne Blog

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

http://awaysoiree.com

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

Pancake and Franks

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

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

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

EBE Loves SMP and WSJ too!

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

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

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

Blog Luv Award

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

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

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

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

One of my weddings is featured in Project Wedding!

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

Thank you, Margaret, for such a lovely post!

Photo Credit: Amity Mason

Great promotion for Events by Evonne clients

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

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

Happy Valentine's Day

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

What are your plans?

2009 WPPI Conference

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

Paper Source Weddings

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

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

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

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

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

2009 WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award

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

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

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

Vera Wang gowns

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

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

Photo Credit: WedLuxe

Bloggers GTG - Toronto, Canada

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

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

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

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

WEDLUXE

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

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

Featured Wedding - Jaime and Peter

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


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

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

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

The Couture Couple Contest

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

DETAILS

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

REQUIREMENTS

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

WHO CAN ENTER

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

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

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

Best of luck to everyone!

"Gung Hei Fat Choi"!

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

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

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

Photo Credit: Daily Dose of Imagery

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

A Great Day

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


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

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

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

Here are the details of the seminar:

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

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


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

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

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

Again, here are the details:

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

Wedding Magazine Galore!

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

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

WEDDINGS UNVEILED

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

Casual Dining @ Matteo's

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

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

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

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

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Christine and Jay's Scouting Trip

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

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

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

Holiday cards from clients

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

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

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Welcome/Rehearsal Dinner @ Tommy Bahama Cafe

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

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

Mango Iced Tea

Sour Dough Bread

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

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

SABA STEAK SALAD

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

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

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

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

2009 Internship Opportunities

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

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

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

RESPONSIBILITIES

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

EXPERIENCE & REQUIREMENTS

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

COMPENSATION, HOURS & LOCATION

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

Events by Evonne's New Assistant

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

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

Photo Credit: Evonne's hubby!

Here is Sheldon after a VERY long day at work!

Thirsty, anyone?

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

Southern Weddings Magazine

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

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

Photo Credit: Jose Villa

iWedding app for iPhone

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

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

Other features include:

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

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

The Wedding University

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sneak Peek of Jaime & Peter's wedding

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

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

The lounge and cocktail area

Beautiful chandeliers

One of the lovely centerpieces

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

Place setting for each guest

Amazing table setting for 52 guests

Awesome view of the ocean from the dining area

Photo Credit: Events by Evonne

Mahalo!

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

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

Rain and Wedding = a BIG no, no!

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

Photo Credit: Jessica Claire

Photo Credit: Blue Orchid Designs

Photo Credit: Estilo Weddings

Signature Cocktails - Ruby Red

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

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

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

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

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

My best Christmas gift(s)...

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

Events by Evonne Hawaii Online Listing

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

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

Mele Kalikimaka...

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

xoxo,
Evonne, Darren, Stanley and Sheldon

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

"Wedding Chic"

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

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

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

Cute lil' petit fours

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

Photo Credit: Dragonfly Cakes

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

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

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

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

Engagement Session - Liz and Nelson

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

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

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

Photo Credit: Amity Mason

Cute ring bearer photos on Style Me Pretty

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

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

Photo Credit: Sanford Barr

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

Photo Credit: Tad Craig

Featured Wedding - Eri and Aris

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

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


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

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

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

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

Thi Make Up Studio Grand Opening Event

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

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

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

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

Here is a sneak peek:

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

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

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

For rules and regulations, please click HERE!

One more wedding in 2008!

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

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

Photo Credit: Jessica Claire

Photo Credit: Project Wedding

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

San Francisco Vendors/Bloggers GTG!

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

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

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

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

A bottle of dessert wine (my favorite)

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

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

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

Oooooh... pretty linens!

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

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

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

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

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

Linens and chair covers with beautiful texture and colors

Great idea for a sweetheart table

More colors and ideas...

Hmmm... yummy colors!

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

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

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

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

Off to my "other home"!

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

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

Have a great weekend everyone!

Photo Credit: [b]ecker

Bloggers GTG (get together)!

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

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


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

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


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


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

Hmmm... Sweet Favors :)

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

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

INGREDIENTS:

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

DIRECTIONS:

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

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

A new Weddingbee blog!

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

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

The SoleMates

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

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