Marino's Hawaii Wedding Emcee & DJ/Entertainment Blog

My good friend Chuck Lehnard with Maui Mobile Music wrote this a while back, and it’s something that I thought you’d like to know, especially if you’re on the fence about hiring a professional Master of Ceremonies & DJ for your Hawaii wedding:

You can have cold chicken, wilted flowers, disposable cameras and kool-aid to drink, but if your entertainment is good…THAT is what your friends family and loved ones will remember.

One the other hand, you can have the best cake, beautiful flowers, an open bar, the best photographer in the world (which BTW none of your guests will even know about since maybe only 5% of them will ever even see the pictures) but if your emcee, iPod, DJ, or band is bad, THAT will be what people remember. They will remember that your biggest day of your life was boring or no fun.

On your wedding day, I bet your car is good enough to drive you to and from the church, but I bet you will hire a limo.

I bet that you have a friend who can make a cake. But I bet you will hire the best bakery in town.

I bet that your friend has a great new camera from Wal-Mart, but I bet you will hire a professional photographer.

Why would you do anything less than hire a professional emcee & DJ to help make your day perfect?

Wise words indeed.
 

Image courtesy WENDY & ERIC / L’Amour Photography

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, Chuck, DJ, Emcee, Fun, Maui, Maui Mobile Music, stressfree

In this week’s edition of Why I Like…Wednesdays, where I spotlight Hawaii wedding professionals whom I like to work with and recommend, I write about a location that’s familiar to many local Hawaii families: the Hale Koa Hotel. If you’ve ever lived in Hawaii for a period of time, you probably attended someone’s wedding, birthday party, graduation party, or some other special event at the Hale Koa. Why is it so popular, and why do I recommend it?

• It’s affordable. Although you need a military sponsor to reserve the place for your Hawaii wedding or special event, the upside is that it’s very affordable to have your party there. A catered function that normally would cost $45,000 at another location actually costs much less at the Hale Koa. That’s probably a big reason so many local people like having their party there.
• The food is great. As a professional Master of Ceremonies, my clients often invite me to partake with them at dinner, and although it is not required, it is greatly appreciated. Because of this, I get to sample the various banquet menus that many properties offer, and the Hale Koa has one of the best buffet values around the state. Their Aloha Buffet with crab is phenomenal.
• It’s easy to find in Waikiki. If your guests are flying in for your party and staying at a hotel in Waikiki, then having your event at the Hale Koa makes it much more convenient for your out-of-town guests to get there!
• The staff is wonderful. Their catering sales team is awesome and responsive. Dora, Eileen, Michelle, Beverly, Renee, and the rest of their team are so easy to work with, and they make my job as a professional wedding emcee soooo much easier. I very much appreciate them for their hard work and dedication to ensuring the success of my clients’ events.

But don’t just take my word for it: here are some images from Iandell & Finley Tabaniag’s wedding on November 2008, courtesy of Hawaii photographer Kris Labang with On 3 Photography:

The only “drawback” to the place is that you need a military person to “sponsor” your event. Given that the military is a significant part of Hawaii life, for most local people, this isn’t a problem. It’s simply a matter of asking that person to sponsor the event, and you then have a tasty meal at a classy location at an affordable price. And isn’t that a great value?

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: 2008, Advice, buffet, finley, Hale Koa, iandell, ideas, kris labang, november, on 3 photography, tabaniag, venue, wedding, why i like wednesdays

Hawaii wedding photographer Aaron Bernard with Liquid Light Images recently posted a very informative article on the Top Wedding Photography Mistakes. If you’re still in the hunt for a great wedding photographer for your Hawaii wedding, then you will find Aaron’s article most helpful.

Click here to read Aaron Bernard’s article on the Top Wedding Photography Mistakes.

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: aaron bernard, Advice, ideas, liquid light images, photography

It’s the middle of the week, and it’s time for this week’s edition of Why I Like…Wednesdays, where I spotlight Hawaii wedding professionals who I enjoy working with and recommend. Hopefully this will help you as you go about choosing the right wedding professionals to serve you at your Hawaii wedding.

This week’s spotlight falls on Janice & Davis Lauderdale of Video 21 Productions.

Why do I like working with them?

• They’re easy to work with. Not just at the wedding, but before and after as well. As a Master of Ceremonies that help my clients create original and unique Hawaii weddings, it is vital for me to be able to work well with wedding professionals before the wedding so as to make sure that they understand all of the creative ideas and moments that will take place. Janice & Davis are very responsive and thorough, and I greatly appreciate that. They are also great to work with after the wedding, with a very good turnaround time after the day of; you’ll often find your Same Day Edit on their blog a day or two after your wedding!
• They are fun to work with. It is important that all of your Hawaii wedding professionals “gel” together and enjoy working as a team to serve you. The crew at Video 21 are awesome team players.
• Their work is solid. Video 21′s editors have a creative eye for wedding cinematography. Whether you want a classic look or a more contemporary “Hollywood-style” production, they can help you develop that look for your video presentation.

But don’t just take my word for it: here are some clips from past events in which I was fortunate to work with them.

This one is from Ryna & James Yamada’s wedding, October 2009 at the Hale Koa Hotel and Ice Palace.

Ryna and James from Video 21 Productions on Vimeo.

Then there’s Jennifer & Gage Costa, who were such a treat to serve at their wedding in January 2010 at the Hale Koa Hotel–they had a fabulous party that included elements of Las Vegas, because they and their guests enjoy going to Sin City often.

Jennifer & Gage from Video 21 Productions on Vimeo.

Finally, from July 2009, here are ceremony highlights from Pat & Maribeth Gill’s wedding day at the Hale Koa Hotel.

Maribeth & Pat from Video 21 Productions on Vimeo.

There are many more events at which I was able to work with them, and if you check out their blog, you will see many more great examples of their work. But besides the work they do, their ease to work with and fun nature makes any wedding at which they are at much more worthwhile and enjoyable.

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, davis, gage, Hale Koa, ice palace, james, janice, jennifer, lauderdale, maribeth, pat, ryna, video, Video 21, wedding, why i like wednesdays

Today’s Why I Like…Wednesdays Hawaii wedding professional spotlight falls upon Kai Photo, owned by husband & wife team Kyler & Grace Kwock.

 
So why do I like Kai Photo? Three words: Fun, Creative, Professional. They know how to have a good time, keep your mood happy, and keep you smiling throughout your wedding day, thus making it so much easier to do my job as your Master of Ceremonies later that evening. Creatively, they have a very artistic eye when it comes to photography; many of my clients like working with them because they want a different “look” to their album and images, and Kyler, Grace, and their team can certainly deliver! And of course, they’re one of the most professional wedding photography companies I’ve worked with. They are always responsive to any questions I may have when it comes to helping my clients put together their Hawaii wedding reception.

But don’t just take my word for it: here are some images from Ashlee & Alvin Agtarap’s wedding in June 2009 at the Honolulu Country Club:

 

 

 

Images courtesy Kai Photo

To see even more images and get more info about Kai Photo, click here to check out their website, or see more recent images by visiting their blog. And when you do call them, mention that Marino sent you!

P.S. Did you know their dog is named Ninja? How awesome is that? That’s another reason why I like working with them.

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: 2009, alvin, ashlee, grace, Hawaii, honolulu country club, june, kai photo, kyler, photographer, wedding, why i like wednesdays

This is a new feature I’m debuting today and hopefully will be able to maintain: Why I Like…Wednesdays, where I focus on a particular Hawaii wedding professional I enjoy working with! As a Hawaii wedding emcee, I work with a lot of wedding professionals, some good, others GREAT, others…ummm…you get the idea. Each Wednesday, I’ll spotlight a particular Hawaii wedding professional I like to work with, and hopefully you’ll like to work with too.

Today’s spotlight is on The Bridal Boutique, owned by Cecilia Domingo and Joyce Coelho. Why do I love them? Besides their great sense of style, they really know how to make a bride look beautiful in their dress. They can help you choose the right gown for your Hawaii wedding, as well as help you find coordinated outfits for your bridesmaids, if you wish. Many of my clients are Bridal Boutique brides, and they LOVE their dresses. And you will too.

Here’s Nicole Richardson. She got married New Years Eve and wanted two dresses: a formal gown for the formal wedding, and a unique wedding dress for the reception that reflects her rebel “rocker” image. Joyce & Cecilia were able to help her create the right dresses for the occasion:

The “traditional” wedding dress
 

The “not-so-traditional” wedding dress
Images courtesy Norma Allen Photography

The concept of the “not-so-traditional” dress was Nicole’s; Cecilia & Joyce were able to accommodate it, and Nicole was one very happy bride!

I love working with Joyce & Cecilia with the Bridal Boutique, especially since my brides are so happy with them and their services. And you will too! Check them out!

Website: http://www.bridalboutique.com
Blog: http://thebridalboutique.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thebridalboutique
Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridal_boutique
Phone: 808-597-8893

And when you contact them, tell ‘em Marino sent you!

The Wedding Cafe Workshops – Gowns from KAIMEDIA on Vimeo.

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, dress, gown, networking, Partnerships, unique, wedding, why i like wednesdays

It’s the end of an era.

For the past two years, I was fortunate enough to be part of a hui (group) of wedding professionals and businesses who shared office space under the MyOffice name. At the Kakaako Business Center, it was a great place to hold meetings with many wonderful people, especially my clients and friends. I conducted training sessions and workshops in the conference rooms. It was always a nice quiet place with lots of parking and meeting space.

Sadly, Friday, April 30, was the last day it was open. The management decided that it was time to close down, and although they had told me about it a month before, it just seemed surreal. I was fortunate to drop by at closing to say my “Goodbye” to a place that held so many great memories. From the prior owners (Kelly Sugano with A Perfect Day) to the current ones (Mona Kawasaki and Testa Ku), everyone was so kind, helpful, and generous. I’ll miss hanging out with the front office staff (Krystle, Justine, and so many others) who were friendly, cheerful, willing to help out, and always had a great story to share.

I was able to hang out with Testa one last time and see what he and Mona are going to do next. It’s a new adventure for them. And for me too, as now I’ll have to meet you at a Starbucks or Borders close to you, until an opportunity arises again for me to get a new office to meet you in!

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: meeting, office

I’ll be at the World Class Wedding Expo this Friday and Saturday at the Hawaii Convention Center. Click here for a link for more info and to download a coupon for $1 off the admission price.

Drop by, say hello, and check out all of the great wedding professionals eager to help you create the Hawaii wedding of your dreams.

Image courtesy Eugene Kam Photography

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, expo

Image courtesy Dave Miyamoto & Co.

Last Tuesday, March 30, I hung out with some great Hawaii wedding professionals & colleagues at the monthly Oahu Wedding Association party, this time held at Tiki’s Grill & Bar in Waikiki. It was a fabulous opportunity to network, catch up with friends, and meet new people.

Although the theme was 80s, the 80s shirt I planned to wear (that Hula Bowl shirt in the picture) ended up being waaaay too small for me, so I decided against it and just wore the T-shirt & shorts I wore for setup. It wasn’t ideal but was okay for the event.

And because this was a purely social networking type of event with no keynote presentation and just a few reminders by Michael Miller (our host, the Director of Sales & Marketing at Tiki’s), Eugene Kam (OWA President), and social media extraordinaire Jeannemarie Viggiano regarding upcoming events, I didn’t need to be the emcee for this party!

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: 80s, dave miyamoto, meeting, owa, party

Tori Rogers with Hawaiian Island Wedding Planners recently posted a wonderful and informative article for brides who are just starting out with their wedding plans for a wedding in Hawaii. If your fiance recently proposed, and you have no idea where to begin, this article is a great place to start.

Click here to read Tori’s article “Where Do I Begin??”
 

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, planning, preparation, starting, tori, wedding