Continue reading »]]> It was nice to go “over the hill” to the windward side again last Tuesday to attend the NACE Hawaii monthly meeting. It was held at Koolau Ballrooms, so it was nice to see Norman Higashi and Steven Nagamine again. If you recall, I recently worked with Steven at Carol & Martin’s Hawaii wedding in June.

NACE Hawaii is an association of Hawaii caterers and special event professionals. I am a member because I like to network with other event professionals and learn what the current trends are in the Hawaii wedding/special event industry. This month’s topic was Dressing for Success, and it was an interesting and educational experience. Tanna Dang with The Wedding Cafe & Eden In Love gave a wonderful presentation that dispelled seven fashion “myths” and gave NACE Hawaii members some tips on how to inexpensively and easily improve their wardrobe. Did you know that you can easily and inexpensively change the look of your bag by adding a scarf to one end of your bag strap? Brilliant!

Phil Grunenberg with Phil’s Tux Shop delivered a very educational presentation on men’s wear and the importance of choosing the right material when buying or renting a suit or tuxedo. Because I frequently wear tuxedos or suits at the weddings I perform at, the information was quite valuable!

It was nice to learn new trends in fashion and formal wear, so as to share with you when we meet to talk about your Hawaii wedding or special event! This is why I attend these meetings and am a member of this association and other organizations–to ultimately better serve you.

Of course, the food and opportunity to hang out with other Hawaii wedding professionals were great too!

Continue reading »]]> As a Master of Ceremonies and wedding professional, I always make it a point to network with other Hawaii wedding professionals to keep up on the latest trends and ideas to ultimately help you have a better Hawaii wedding experience. As a part of NACE Hawaii, I can frequently be found at the monthly meetings to network, learn, and share. Last Tuesday’s meeting at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel was no exception.

The topic was event costing, and although the topic was geared more towards event planners and caterers, it was interesting to learn about what the total costs are that goes into a successful event. Brides & clients often don’t think of things like parking costs, garbage disposal, security, and cleanup after their event–especially if they have an outdoor Hawaii wedding–but these costs are there, and they are necessary. Of course, I shared my insights as a professional Master of Ceremonies, DJ, entertainer, sound engineer, and production consultant.

Of course, it wasn’t all learning and networking. The buffet was ono (delicious), and the sorbet & coconut cake dessert were amazingly decadent. Overall, it was an interesting and fun experience.

Continue reading »]]> Last January, I was the Master of Ceremonies for Wining & Dining with Chef Jerry Edwards, a special event presented by NACE Hawaii. Click here to read about the experience.

Thanks to Creations in Catering/Dole Ballrooms and NACE Hawaii, here are new images from the event. If you want to see how elegant and gorgeous the room looked, click here to see the new pictures.

 

 
NACE Hawaii President Herb Yamamoto addresses the audience.

 
Chef Jerry Edwards talks about creating a menu to pair with wines at hand.

 

Continue reading »]]> Last night, I had an opportunity to hang out with other Hawaii wedding professionals at the February meeting for NACE Hawaii. The party was at Formaggio Grill in Kailua.

Michael Rabe, the President of Creations in Catering, gave a very informative and interesting presentation on the importance of networking and being involved in the associations you belong to.

Of course, the food was ono (delicious). The lobster bisque was incredibly good. When paired with a deliciously fruity chardonnay, the combination provided a very good sweet/salty contrast.

The prime rib was unbelievably tasty & delicious. So was the brocolli mashed potatoes. The meal paired very well with the merlot that we all had.

Of course, it was a treat to hang out with my favorite Hawaii wedding professionals and catch up! I spent some great face time with Dianna Shitanishi of Hawaii Weddings and Events, Lawrence Medeiros with Crane Media, Susan O’Donnell with Aloha Wedding Planners, as well as NACE Hawaii President Herb Yamamoto.

Continue reading »]]> Last night, I had the privilege of being the Master of Ceremonies for a very special event. Chef Jerry Edwards, an expert on food & wine pairings, presented a wonderful wine & dinner pairing, with the message that one should choose the food to the wine, rather than wine to the food. The wines (Kenwood wines presented by Better Brands) were good, and dinner was exceptional.

Kenwood wine specialist Brian Acker joined Chef Jerry to talk about the nuances of the wines.

A lot of special event professionals came together to make this event a success.

• The event was presented by NACE Hawaii, with NACE Hawaii President Herb Yamamoto serving as the executive producer of the show.
• Dole Ballrooms provided the backdrop and kitchen support for the occasion.
• Mystical Sounds Productions provided the audiovisual services for the show, with James Chun and his crew at Crane Media providing the graphics.
• The beautiful decor was presented by Naomi Lee with Les Saisons and China Anderson with REA Events; Sue Tabbal-Yamaguchi with Su-V Expressions graciously provided the floral arrangements & centerpieces.
• Dianna Shitanishi with Hawaii Weddings & Events and Susan O’Donnell with Aloha Wedding Planners helped to oversee operations and direct the staff of student interns.

Musical entertainment during the cocktail hour in the foyer was graciously provided by Ben & Maila. My assistant Lesley Shibata served as the music & effects director, and of course, I was the Master of Ceremonies.

Here’s most of the production & design team for this show.

Thank you to Jerry Edwards and his wife Julie Brown-Edwards for coming to Hawaii and teaching us something new. And to all of you who attended, THANK YOU. Your attendance is greatly appreciated!

Continue reading »]]> Last night, I had a great time learning and networking with other wedding & special event professionals at the NACE Hawaii general meeting at the Hilton Prince Kuhio Hotel.

While doors opened to the ballroom at 6pm, I hung out in the foyer and talked story. It was great to see a larger-than-average crowd which included people I hadn’t seen in a while. People like Pura Stephen from the Turtle Bay Resort, whom I LOVE to work with but rarely get the chance, and Sandra Williams with Finishing Touch were there, and they shared some great stories about how they were doing.

Our guest speaker was Judy Ng Christensen, and she didn’t disappoint. She spoke about Doing Business with China and shared many facts and entertaining anecdotes about this almost-untapped destination market.

Did you know that Chinese people LOVE coming to America? They love to spend money here, love to buy products “Made in America” (since most of the stuff we buy is “Made in China” LOL), and love to eat anything except Chinese food (since they can get it better at home; get them Hawaiian food instead).

The audience was attentive and eager to learn.

After Ms. Christensen’s presentation, everyone moved to the ballroom next door and shared in a good pupu (appetizer) buffet. NACE Hawaii President Herb Yamamoto talked about the upcoming NACE Hawaii fundraiser.

Herb also recognized Brian Wada with Kamaaina Catering, our newest NACE Hawaii member.

Welcome, Brian!

After the formal meeting ended, some went to Ryan’s Grill to support NACE Hawaii member Ryan Pierce with Lift Your Spiritz Mobile Bartending Service as he competed in the Iron Bartender competition, ultimately placing a very respectable fourth place. Congratulations!

I went downstairs to MAC 24/7 with James & Amel Chun with Crane Media Productions, Sandra Williams with Finishing Touch, Kelly Sugano with A Perfect Day, and photographer David Murphey to help James celebrate his birthday. Instead of a cake, we shared a MAC Daddy Pancake. That monster is HUGE!

Here’s my slice of the “cake.”

As we ate, we shared stories and laughed. It was a great time.

Overall, I enjoyed learning something new, seeing good friends again, and meeting new people. The information Ms. Christensen shared was profound. The networking was great. I can’t wait until next month’s meeting!

Special thanks to Matt Muccio with Techniques Hawaii for providing audiovisual support for tonight’s meeting; Mike Rabe with Creations in Catering for getting Ms. Christensen as our guest speaker last night; and Frank Robinson and Kathy Arakaki with the Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio Hotel for the great food and for graciously hosting us!

Continue reading »]]> I’m still here! I have just been busy. In addition to the Weekly Wedding Tips and this blog, I now write for the Oahu Wedding Association blogs and the NACE-Hawaii blog. I’ll be sharing my expertise and insights on those blogs, so check them out! Some of my posts will be geared to you, while others are geared towards other wedding professionals in Hawaii, to help them with blogging, social media networking, marketing, and much more.

Of course, be sure to check back here as well, since I’ll still be posting stories, advice, tips, and pictures about weddings & special events on this blog frequently as well.