Love Notes

Wedding Decor: Light the Way

 

Colorful votive candles placed strategically throughout a wedding reception will create a naturally romantic ambiance and more importantly, offer soft lighting for your guests. Arrange them on the welcome table or present them to each guest at their place-setting. I've selected my favorite pastels and tropical tones from which to choose. Illume's candle offerings are continually changing— a good thing for you savvy online shoppers. The candles in the Twenty-Three Collection are made of 100% soybeans, blended with essential oils and smell really yummy! My personal favorite is pictured here, coconut milk mango. Simply use the fragrance selection tool on their site to match your wedding color palette! $20 each.

Calypso Christiane Celle has become just as well known for their earthy and exotic summer tunics as their exotic candles. The wax candles, pictured above are available in a range of scents from geranium and sage to gardenia and musky driftwood. gardenia. $38 each.

These vintage-style glass votive candles are perfect for an island style wedding. The botanical palms give them just the right touch of tropical. A set of 3 is just $17. On the same tropical note, the colorful "flip-flop" floating candles are fun and festive for a beach wedding!  A set of 5 is $15. Both available at Pacific WEDDINGS.

xo Shaunna

M.A.C. Bridal Beauty

After hearing about M.A.C.'s recent collaboration with the Parisian artist, Fafi, I had to pop into the store to take a peak at the dreamy new spring collection. When it comes to makeup, M.A.C. adheres to a client-focused philosophy, one that attracts the most desired artists and designers alike to their makeup counters. The evidence is in this outrageously colorful and vivid Fafi collection— just take a look at the fun packaging below! While this may be a little too daring for your wedding day, the pearly shades may inspire a more subtle look. How très chic!

While we are on the subject, check out M.A.C.'s bridal section on their site to further inspire your own wedding day look. I love the 'meet the brides' feature that showcases six beautiful styles (the Paper Cut Bride is pictured above). So very soft and elegant! Go Behind the Scenes to watch the entire creative process. xo Shaunna

Island Cuisine

First impressions are everything, especially when it comes to fine dining. The first visual impact of a  passed appetizer and that first savory bite will set the tone for the entire menu. Keep this in mind when it comes time to select the food for your wedding menu. While it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the options, there are innumerable resources to assist you in your culinary search. The local cuisine is one of the highlights of hosting a destination wedding in Hawaii. And since the Hawaiian culture is known for serving up as many tastes as possible, your guests will thank you! Michelle Nakaya, owner and chef of Ginniberries, is one of Honolulu's most in-demand caterers. She thrives on creating delicious contemporary cuisine using healthy, fresh ingredients. Michelle will arrange all of the fine details of your wedding menu where presentation is just as important as flavor. Ginniberries is also committed to using as many organic and local sustainable products as possible. 

If your wedding celebration calls for an intimate dinner, your discerning dinner guests will love an invitation to Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe. The atmosphere is at once elegant and relaxed, offering unique island-inspired dishes. Here are a few of my favorite picks from the menu:

Appetizer: Tommy's world famous coconut shrimp with papaya-mango chutney, pictured above.
Entree: North Shore Pacific Snapper encrusted with macadamia nuts
Dessert: The pineapple upside down vanilla cheesecake served with caramel sauce, pictured above.

Hawaii Locations:
Mauna Lani
68-1330 Mauna Lani Drive #102
Kamuela, HI 96743
(808) 881-8686

Wailea
3750 Wailea Alanui Drive
Kihei, HI 96753
(808) 875-9983

Neiman Marcus Wedding Event

If you're seeking the best in designer tabletop, fine stationery and unique gift ideas for your wedding, stop by Neiman Marcus at the Ala Moana Center for their annual Wedding Event this Saturday, February 16. Visit the Gift Galleries, Level 3 from 11 AM to 3 PM to peruse the store's truly wondrous floral and decor displays. You can also preview the wedding dining options at Mariposa restaurant where guests will enjoy a champagne tasting and view bridal fashions from 1 PM to 3 PM. Pick up a complimentary copy of Pacific WEDDINGS  at the event for more inspiration and fresh ideas.

We've enlisted the expertise of Neiman's visual stylists for reception decor and tabletop ideas in the past and the results were gorgeous! Pictured here is the feature story, Fashion Plates, showcasing three distinctive tables set with Neiman's Fine China and exquisite floral arrangements by Debbie Hemingway. Click on the images for the complete story in our digital edition! Let us know what you think of the event!

 

Valentine's Day Sales!

That certain holiday is upon us and I can't help but notice all the lovely red and pink hues around me. The storefronts are brimming with chocolate hearts, flowy dresses and delicate jewelry, not to mention lots of sales! Tamara Catz Bridal is celebrating this Valentine's Day with a generous offering. Shop in the boutique from February 14 to February 22 and receive 15% off her line of bridal dresses. Tamara designs her gowns in her oceanfront studio on Maui's North Shore. Each style reflects the island perfectly— light, airy and naturally beautiful.

Maui Girl & Co. just received the 2008 Salinas swimwear collection and it is irresistible! The heart print, bandeau top Copas bikini is pure loveliness (pictured left). How precious are the heart ring accents on the side? The shop is having a great sale at the moment with bikini sets marked down to $30 each. I just may have to treat myself this Valentine's Day!   xo Shaunna

 

Beauty 101: Straight to Style

How do those girls with their oh-so-straight-n-shiny locks maintain their hair so effortlessly day after day? Yes, it has something to do with genetics but we believe in the power of beauty products!  FHI Heat offers the best in professional stying tools and the ultimate in straightening power. While some heated styling tools tend to damage already dry hair, FHI Heat features a variable tempature control and nano silver technology to remove any harmful chemicals. The slim design of the straightening iron is perfect for travel, too!

Aveda has a great straightening lotion to defy humidity and tame flyaways. Just smooth Hang Straight on damp hair before styling and then blow-dry straight. We like that Aveda has been taking an earth-friendly initiative since the beginning by using botanically based products that are good for the planet and most recently, they are manufacturing products with 100% certified wind power. Go green!

Maryjane Wedding Shoes

I have always loved maryjanes, so of course they are on my list of considerations for a memorable wedding shoe. Top designers Christian Louboutin, Chloé and Miu Miu have reinvented this classic "girly-girl" shoe that captures the attention of every female, whether she is three or forty-three. I took a quick tour of Nordstrom's website to come up with a short list for your review, if not for your own bridal shoes, then perhaps for your bridesmaids. I love Kate Spade's candy-colored, hot pink "katies". The creamy patent leather of Dolce Vita's pair with its immense gold button is another one of my favorites. The suede version in a rich eggplant hue with its leafy detail seems perfect for a Wine Country wedding. And ruby red may seem a little "Dorothy and Toto", but if they blend with your color scheme, why not? Linea's animal print (we admit:) is strictly for the bravest fashionatas… but they would be fun hidden under the layers of a wedding dress! While we may be pushing the envelope, rest assured that the iconic fashion of a maryjane will never go out of style.

Fashion Insider: Marchesa

Unfortunately, we could not attend the fashion shows all the way in New York this week, but we are still enjoying the up-to-the-minute online coverage! Did you notice Marchesa's stunning evening wear collection? While the young fashion label doesn't typically design with weddings in mind, their dramatic gowns and elegant frocks are perfectly romantic. British co-designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig somehow fuse an eclectic and funky style with European high fashion. Check out their beautifully crafted 2008 ready-to-wear collection. I love the muted palette! Images from style.com

Vogue exclusively covered the recent wedding of Marchesa co-founder Georgina to Harvey Weinstein at his waterfront estate in Connecticut that included a guest list of 300 fashion starlets. Of course the bride wore a glamorous dress that she designed herself. She describes the stunning gown as "a series of fans made of some 250 yards of pineapple-pleated tulle hand-embroidered in India with silver threads." Georgina tells Vogue in the story, "Awhile back I was asked to make a special occasion, one-off dress for a private client, and I designed several options. I always try on a dress to get an indication of how it is working, and when I put on this particular silhouette I said to myself, 'One day when I get married, this is what I am going to wear.' " The gown is truly beautiful! xo Shaunna

Wedding Love Songs We Adore

Jack Johnson's sweet songs make it easy to be a hopeless romantic. With the release of his new album, Sleep Through the Static, I couldn't resist thinking about that one song that can represent all the romance shared between two people. Jack Johnson is the perfect soundtrack for a barefoot-on-the-beach wedding just as Frank Sinatra belongs in a grand reception hall aglow with candlelight. Jack's gentle rhythms are inspired by life's simple pleasures— the nature of his idyllic Hawaiian paradise, his friendships and family. The simple love song "Angel" is an instant favorite! Vogue recently asked the singer-songwriter about his gift for capturing the vagaries of romance, to which he replied, "Breakup songs are all from watching friends. My wife supplies me with the love songs!"

At the risk of sounding cheesy, I had to propose the question to my fellow Pacific WEDDINGS staff, "What is your favorite love song?" Enjoy the results! 

"How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" by Michael Bolton
"Endless Love" by Diana Ross + Lionel Richie
"Sparks" by Coldplay
"Ice Cream" by Sarah McLachlan
"Lovesong" by the Cure

Love songs that are worthy of a mention:
"P.S. I Love You" by The Beatles
"She's Got A Way" by Billy Joel 
"Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brother
"Unforgettable" by Natalie Cole + Nat King Cole

We'd love to hear your favorites too!  xo Shaunna

We Heart Wedding Favors!

 
February is one of my favorite months, mainly because of the ubiquitous sweets and candies that Valentine's Day brings. Since we are all about inspiration, here are a few of our favorite confections that are both romantic and memorable--the ideal combination for a wedding favor, don't you think?

Wedding Things has an amazing list of favors and wedding details, and we were smitten with their raspberry heart gumdrops. The glass-topped mongrammed tins are perfect containers to reveal a touch of color on your reception tables.

Willams-Sonoma recently relaunched their website and they have added some wonderful new products, like the lucky ladybug truffles crafted and decorated by hand by Philadelphia confectioner, John & Kira's. Nestled in a wooden gift box, each luscious love bug combines a dark chocolate shell with a velvety chocolate ganache center. Ladybugs have long been symbols of good luck – these are simply irresistible!

Buttery vanilla shortbread cookies are sweet replicas of the Valentine's candy we all used to share in grade school. They are hand dipped at Boston’s famous Dancing Deer Baking Company. Each pastel heart is stenciled with a romantic note: “Love U,” “Kiss Me,” “Be Mine” or “Flirt.” When ordered through Williams-Sonoma, they arrive in a wooden Shaker-style box tied with a red ribbon. Packaged individually, we think they would make adorable wedding favors. (BTW~ if you want the "real" conversation hearts, you will find them at Wedding Things.)

Speaking of cookies, Cutie Pie Cookie Co.  is another fun resource for custom favors. The delicious homemade vanilla sugar cookies can bear your own personal wedding mongram, a logo, or even a photo. (We prefer the monogram idea, but we'll leave that up to you:)

If you are a chocolate girl, Beaucoup's heart-shaped lollipops will make both you and your guests smile! Beaucoup offers these chocolate delights boxed in a clear case, each iced with your design and custom message – a great way to have your chocolate and eat it to!

Creative Direction

When it comes to artistic ability, there are two natural talents that I wish I possessed. One, being the ability to draw anything at all, and the other, a steady hand at calligraphy. Add a keen sense of direction to my wish list and I'd be really happy. Laura Hooper is all of the above! She was blessed with the uncanny natural gift of calligraphy at an early age and has quickly become one of the most sought after calligraphers in the country. On top of her myriad style offerings for stationery sets, Laura also creates custom map illustrations for wedding destinations. Her maps are literally a work of art— out-of-town guests will surely hold onto them to remember your wedding celebration! 

xo Shaunna