Love Notes: The Pacific Weddings Blog

A Vintage Wedding at MacCallum House Inn, Part II

Here is the rest of the story from Nicole and Tony's California wedding at the MacCallum House Inn by the talented Suzy-Q of Q weddings. We hope you enjoy her oh-so-delicious photography as much as we do! xo —robyn

 
 

 

A Wedding at MacCallum House Inn, California

Today we are featuring the "delicious photography" of Q weddings, aka, Suzy-Q, who only shoots film and describes herself as "half retro, half modern". (Perhaps we were separated at birth, Suzy?:) Nicole and Tony's destination wedding at the MacCallum House Inn is so perfectly matched to Suzy's whimsical style. We adore the homespun details and nostalgic flair of their wedding in Mendocino, California. Thank you for sharing these fabulous romantic photos!

 

 

We will be sharing more of Nicole and Tony's wedding tomorrow. xo ~robyn

The Wedding Dress Portrait

I recently received an adorable little package from Atlanta, Georgia photographer, Dorothy O’Connor, with a montage of her lovely wedding dress portaits. I am happy to share them with you today--isn’t this a creative alternative to the “trash the dress” session? At the risk of raising controversy among my many photographer friends and colleagues, I have to admit I am NOT a big fan of “trash the dress” images. Call me old-fashioned, but rolling around in the sand and saltwater in a beautiful Vera Wang gown goes against my eco-minded sensibilities. These ethereal portraits are unique and timeless. 

I prefer this traditional and tasteful approach to honor the delicate beauty of your wedding dress. Thanks for sharing your images, Dorothy! Visit the entire wedding dress portfolio for more inspiration.  xo ~robyn

Charming Tiffany & Co. Bridesmaid Gifts

Tiffany & Co. has long been the choice for sophisticated bridesmaid gifts, and the charm bracelet is an enduring piece of jewelry for any girl. I love that you can change your bracelet as often as you change your mind (well, almost!)—this is a girl's perogative, right?! Here are that latest looks from TIffany's. You will find the sterling versions are reasonably priced ($130-150 per charm) and utterly charming, of course. xo ~robyn

 

 

photos:   "Photo credit: © Tiffany & Co. (top), Carlton Davis (center), Richard Pierce (bottom)

More Than Just a Dress: Alisa Benay Wedding Gowns

I recently received these beautiful gown images from California wedding publicist, Leila Khalil, the guru of Inspired By This who happens to have great taste and the inside scoop on all things wedding. I am happy to share the romantic new gown designs of Alisa Benay, along with a fairy tale story board of her inspiration for the collection. Vintage, soft and very feminine—love at first sight!

 

Guest Blog: Hawaii Wedding Designer Sandra Williams

Today we welcome one of our Preferred Vendors, Hawaii event designer Sandra Williams of Finishing Touch. Sandra has exquisite taste and a unique sense of style, so we are thrilled to add her to our group of contributors. (Photos by Frank Amodo)

I have been anticipating Junko and Oscarʼs wedding for quite some time, because I knew it would be one of our most beautiful weddings in 2009. Junko first contacted me back in late 2008, and I felt an instant connection with her. We both love fashion and bold, dramatic patterns, and we’re big fans of the t.v. show The Hills. I have to admit, I love working with brides who crave a beautiful wedding—from her gown and hair  accessories to her table linens and flowers—everything had to be absolutely chic. The bride compiled meticulous inspiration boards to plan the day. This can be a great tool to give your vendors, particularly when you’re planning a destination wedding. 

 

Junko was unafraid to use a beautiful espresso brown and white floral silhouette linen to give her table that “wow” factor. A Capri blue table runner and matching napkins balanced the patterned table linen. Pink  dahlias, English garden roses, hydrangea and ranunculus adorned the tables, with seven crystal  chandeliers overhead casting a soft, romantic glow at night.

Guests enjoyed an action station menu featuring fresh local seafood. After a few champagne and sake toasts, the night ended with a surprise salsa performance by the newlyweds, who met at a New York salsa dance class 7 years ago!

Wedding Design & Coordination: Sandra Williams, Finishing Touch
Images: Frank Amodo
Floral: Yvonne Design
Wedding Cake: Cake Lava

Claire Pettibone's 2010 Cherry Blossom Collection

Get ready to channel your inner geisha girl with Claire Pettibone's delicate bridal collection for 2010—the airy fabrics and feather-light details are perfect for a destination wedding. Here is Claire's release:
Taking the exalted Japanese flower, Cherry Blossom, as her muse, designer Claire Pettibone recently unveiled her 2010 couture bridal collection on the runway at Buddakan NYC. In a soft and effervescent palette of snow white, metallic silver and gold with accents of pale pink and Empire Red, “Cherry Blossom 2010” is a luminous vision of purity and exotic innocence.

I love the ultra-feminine details and flirty accents. This collection is inventive and refreshingly unique! And I think the China girl bangs have inspired me to cut my hair.  xo —robyn

Planning Your Hawaii Wedding & Activities

 

If you are planning a destination wedding in Hawaii or you are a local girl considering a wedding away on outer island, you will undoubtedly want to treat your guests to the unique offerings of your destination. I was researching a story in the lush setting of Hanalei, Kauai when I stumbled upon the Hawaii Visitor's Bureau video series, Stories of Hawaii. Take some time out and watch these wonderful portrayals. Not only will they give you a glimpse into the lives of our islanders, but they will also heighten your excitement and anticipation of your Hawaii wedding! Send the links to your family and friends so they can share in the activities that may be part of the itinerary. And don't forget your sweetie--here is our list of Hawaii's Top Ten Honeymoon Adventures for the Groom. xo~robyn

Hawaii-Style Food Stations for Your Wedding

Wedding food stations are so of the moment right now, especially with bona fide foodies who consider the menu to be of utmost importance for the big day. If you are planning a destination wedding in Hawaii, your  menu can include all the delicacies of the Islands, from fresh fish to locally grown vegetables. Today I am posting a few links to some of my favorite stories we've produced with Hawaii's top chefs and caterers. Be forewarned, these images are guaranteed to make you hungry!

We love working with Honolulu chef, Michelle Nakaya, the creative force behind Ginniberries, a top catering company in Hawaii. Not only is Michelle fun to be around, but she can also whip up seriously tasty food! The key at these photo shoots is to work quickly so you can eat the "subjects" after:) I love this cheerful summer cocktail table Michelle created for a previous issue of Pacific Weddings. 

The photos above by Visionari were captured for a story called The Art of the Pupu, featuring Maui's premier chefs: Cameron Lewark, Chef de Cuisine of Spago at the Four Seasons Resort Maui, Bev Gannon of Haliimaile General Store,  award-winning chef James McDonald of Pacific'O, and husband/wife team Carol and Mark O’Leary of O'Leary's Catering. We ate quite well on this particular day!

 

Russell and Karolyn Stokes, owners of Kauai Cuisine, prepared a scrumptious menu for our story Serve Chilled, A Hawaii Reception. A variety of colorful dishes looked magnificent stacked atop large blocks of ice carved by Aloha Ice Sculpting.The image above by Visionari was taken at the shoot  prior to the big meltdown. Keep in mind, ice tends to go quickly on a hot Hawaiian day!

We recently shot a cool series of fun summer libations and after dinner drinks, but you'll have to wait for the Winter 2010 edition of Pacific Weddings to enjoy! In the meantime, if you are still longing for delicious wedding reception ideas, visit the PW website. Bon appetit, or as the local boys say, "Let's grind!" 
xo ~robyn

The New Pacific Weddings Movie Room

Grab your popcorn and spend a little time in our all new Movie Room at the Pacific Weddings website! Still in the beginning stages, the Movie Room will soon become the hub for all things wedding: the most romantic honeymoon spots, fabulous destination wedding sites, live film of couples tying the knot, and a fun look behind-the-scenes of Pacific Weddings' photo shoots. We also introduce Our Crowd, a special group of individuals on The List of Preferred Wedding Vendors. These are the people we trust to help you create the wedding of your dreams in Hawaii, California and the Pacific. If you would like to submit a video for consideration in the Movie Room, email us a link to your clip along with the location of the wedding to mywedding@pacificweddings.com. See you at the movies!  xo ~robyn

(photo by Visionari)