Love Notes: The Pacific Weddings Blog

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)

Down the Isle: Enter to Win a Wedding at Four Seasons Resort Lanai

Kama‘āina couples, this could be your lucky day! We recently heard from our friends at the fabulous Four Seasons Resort Lanai that they are giving away a wedding to one deserving couple, and after reviewing the vendor list, it's going to be extraordinary. The venue itself is absolutely breathtaking, photographers Jon Lagon and Mike Joy from Visionari are documenting the event, and Yvonne Chapman will take the lead for the wedding design and floral arrangements—this will be an event to remember!

If you have plans to be married soon or if you know a local couple who deserves a beautiful wedding, enter to win by October 19, 2009.  Visit KGMB's site for more information to win a Hawaii wedding, or check out the official press release below. With only ten more days we hope you will help us spread the word, so please share this post with your friends and family. This is an amazing opportunity they won't want to miss!  xo~ Robyn

Here is the official press release: Four Seasons Resorts Lāna‘i and Sunrise on KGMB9 are pleased to announce the inaugural Down the Isle wedding promotion, offering a fairytale wedding on the private island of Lāna‘i to a fortunate kama‘āina couple.  The Down the Isle promotion will air from September 2009 through February 2010 and will rely heavily on viewer participation to plan this dream wedding, hosted by Four Seasons Resorts Lāna‘i.

“We are honored to partner with Sunrise on KGMB9 to offer an unforgettable wedding to a deserving island couple,” said Tom Roelens, general manager of Four Seasons Resorts Lāna‘i.   “Lāna‘i is an idyllic destination for weddings, offering more ceremony locations than any other resort in Hawaii, so the possibilities are endless.  Whether high atop the cliffs overlooking the ocean at The Challenge at Manele golf course or in a sophisticated upcountry garden at Koele, the loyal Sunrise viewers will undoubtedly select the perfect wedding elements to complement the couple’s taste, combined with impeccable Four Seasons service.”

The Down the Isle wedding, scheduled for February 18, 2010, will be worry-free for the bride and groom, especially since they will not have one decision to make – instead, Sunrise on KGMB9 viewers will vote online for all of the wedding elements on behalf of the couple.  Voting will begin in November, with the first category dedicated to selecting the Down the Isle couple, chosen from four finalists.  

Once the couple has been selected, Sunrise viewers will have the opportunity to “plan” the wedding by voting online each week at KGMB9.com, throughout December and January.  The wedding categories include the ceremony and reception location; wedding bands, wedding attire; bridal hair and make-up; reception entrée; wedding cake; florals; photography and entertainment.  The elite wedding planning team, led by Four Seasons Resorts Lāna‘i, includes The Wedding Ring Shop, Casablanca, Yvonne Floral Design, Visionari, Digital Expressions, Envisions Entertainment and Productions, and Island Air, to create a wedding so sophisticated and elegant only this talented team of specialists could produce.  

“We’re excited about coming together with our partners to engage the community in planning this very special wedding,” said Candace Hirleman, KGMB9 Marketing Director.  “Hawaii has never seen a promotion of this scale before, and it will be an event that the winning couple – and the entire state – won’t soon forget.”

Sunrise on KGMB9 will begin accepting applications on Monday, September 14 through Sunday, October 19, 2009 for a chance to win the Down the Isle wedding on Lāna‘i.  Visit www.KGMB9.com for more information, application and official rules.

A Hawaii Wedding at Palms Cliff House Inn

I am happy to start off a very busy week with a beautiful wedding on Hawaii's Big Island in the peaceful surroundings of The Palms Cliff House Inn. The sleepy town of Hilo, Hawaii is often overlooked by travel writers, but it remains one of my favorite destinations in the Islands. It is here that you will discover the "Old Hawaii" of friendly smiles and a genuine appreciation among residents that you've chosen this idyllic spot for your wedding. Tucked above staggering ocean cliffs, The Palms Cliff House embodies this welcoming aloha spirit that Jeannine Ishi and Thomas Gomez desired for their destination wedding.

The couple escaped with their closest family and friends to exchange vows overlooking the majestic Hamakua coastline. The wonderful thing about Palms Cliff House is that you and your family members can literally take all the rooms on the property (eight total and all with fabulous ocean views!) and relax together in the days preceding the wedding. Isn't the view amazing? Maybe I should skip work this week and hop on a plane to Hilo!

The secluded location and warm hospitality of proprietors, John and Michele Gamble, make Palms Cliff House a magical getaway. Michele will even help you plan the details of your Hawaii wedding. For this event she and Jeannine took a cue from the natural beauty of the Islands, using a palette of sunset orange, tropical green and contrasting black lava bridesmaid dresses with tangerine sashes—an unusual combination that works well with the location. (Photos by Mark Nomura, Honolulu, Hawaii)

Vintage Palm Tree Wedding

Hawaii wedding details often take their cue from the intoxicating natural beauty of the islands, and a palm tree motif can be beautiful in this tropical context. This article, which first appeared in Pacific Weddings® in July, 2002, was inspired by European botanical prints from the 18th century. Honolulu cake designer, Lillian Masamitsu, created royal icing panels on the wedding cake, which provided a perfect canvas for the hand painted palm tree renderings. The regal pineapple cake topper was sculpted out of gumpaste, and a pearl and white harlequin pattern is accented with intricate lace icing on each tier.

  

 

Baby's breath in tall ceramic vases mimic a palm tree's graceful curves. A lei of crown flowers connects each vase. The table was set on the ocean front lawn of the Four Seasons Resort Wailea, Maui, a fabulous wedding and honeymoon spot. Wedding bouquets and centerpieces in shades of white and pale green reflect the natural color palette of the islands. (Flower designs by Sheryl Suzuki and Eileen Woods-Takayesu of Town & Country at the Four Seasons; photos by the amazingly talented Hawaii photographers Chrissy Lambert and Dave Miyamoto)

 

 

Exotic Honeymoon Travel: Afar Magazine Launches Soon

If you who are planning your honeymoon and seeking an experience beyond the commonplace, we've got good news. As a bona fide Dwell groupie, I was on the list to receive word about the summer launch of a magazine called Afar. The new title and website are the brainchild of globe-trotting entrepreneur Greg Sullivan and Joe Diaz, a former teacher who grew up "with one foot in Spain and the other in California". The two seasoned travelers presumably hatched the idea for AFAR Media over a beer on a beach in Goa, India. Here is the basic premise in their words:

Travel is changing. The world has grown smaller, more accessible, yet homogenized and less exotic. Today's travelers want to get beyond the superficial, the mass-produced, the mass-consumed, and the mass-experienced. They look for the authentic in people, places, and things. Introducing AFAR Media: for a different kind of travel. What is experiential travel? Experiences that connect you with the essence of a place and its people.

AFAR understands that simply seeing the sights is no longer enough. Experiential travelers want to venture beyond the beaten tourist paths and dive deeper into authentic, local culture, connecting with people from other cultures in ways that enrich their lives and create lasting memories.

Afar promises to be an amazing resource to plan an unforgettable, meaningful honeymoon. I have already subscribed, so we will keep you posted on the Afar adventures ahead.

(cover courtesy of Afar Media)

A Wedding on Kaua‘i

We recently ran a story on Pacificweddings.com called "A Destination Wedding Close to Home" introducing our readers to this popular alternative to a hometown event. More and more couples are considering destinations closer to home that still offer family and friends the chance to get away and reconnect in a beautiful locale. The options in Hawai‘i are seemingly endless with quick inter-island flights and innumerable settings, whether it be a pristine beach, a private estate or a luxurious resort. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a friend's wedding on the island of Kaua‘i, a short distance from my home on Maui, and only a twenty minute flight from the couple's home on Oahu.

Lauren and Mason chose to host an intimate ceremony and reception in the tropical gardens at the Anahola Taro Patch, a hidden gem on the northwest coast of the island. It was truly one of the most naturally beautiful and unconventional wedding sites I have ever seen! There isn't too much information out there on this place aside from local concert reviews (the Taro Patch Stage hosts big name musical acts), but I did learn that this historical site is the land base for the Anahola Ancient Culture Exchange, AACE. It is a well-loved outdoor venue for Hawai‘i's people and is funded exclusively through donations and proceeds from educational and cultural programs. A few things you should keep in mind if you're considering a wedding on the Garden Isle of Kaua‘i is the steady rainfall that makes this island so lush and green! Luckily, we had blue skies all weekend long but a grand white tent was necessary. Also, there is a long, winding dirt road that leads to the Taro Patch, and while it provides spectacular jungle views it may be difficult for elderly guests. To learn more about this special place, AACE can be contacted by phone at (808) 822-3157 or by email. 

Making our way to the wedding site in Tamara Catz dresses!

Maui No Ka Oi: The Best!

The results are in and Maui is once again named the "golden child" of idyllic retreats. Having had the privilege of living here for 18 years, it doesn't surprise me. There is so much more to the island of Maui than the amazing white beaches and tropical allure—it is the people and their culture that make this place truly unforgettable. I could go on, but I will save that for another day!

Today is a day of congratulations to all the people who have made it possible for the prestigious media accolades. Each year Condé Nast Traveler publishes its "Gold List - World's Best Places To Stay" and the new list recently appeared in the January 2008 issue. Not surprisingly, Four Seasons Resorts Hawai`i claimed the top four spots in Hawai`i in this year's list. Led by Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, which was named the top-scoring property in the United States, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka`upulehu, Four Seasons Resort Lana`i, The Lodge at Koele and Four Seasons Resort Lana`i at Manele Bay followed as Hawai`i's top resorts (check out the new White Issue for our stunning feature on the Lana`i properties).

Maui also took the lead in Orbitz’s "Top 10 List of U.S. Winter Beach Destinations" (based on bookings from 2005-2008):

1. Maui, Hawaii (but, of course!)
2. Daytona Beach, Fla. (hmmm?)
3. Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (another great selection!)
4. Key West, Fla.(beautiful and there is the Hemingway draw)
5. San Diego, Calif. (nice!)
6. Charleston, S.C.
7. Fort Lauderdale/Miami, Fla.
8. Sarasota, Fla.
9. Santa Monica, Calif.
10. Fort Myers, Fla.

I would add the islands of Kaua'i and O'ahu, as both have incredible white sand beaches and offer much more romantic surroundings than any of the Florida locations mentioned. We've visited many of the top spots for destination weddings, so please post your questions and we'll get back to you! Aloha~

[The image pictured above is The Lodge at Koele by Christiaan Phleger]