How To – Hawaiian Inspired Wedding

How To by Jennifer Crone




So you love Hawaii. Maybe you got engaged there, loved your childhood vacation there, or are planning on honeymooning on one of the gorgeous islands. How can you incorporate your love for all things Hawaii into your wedding without having a cheesy luau? Here’s How To:
Having a basket at your reception door full of fake leis is not elegant. But how can you create a Hawaiian feel without the cheese? Use the things that give you the feel of Hawaii while having the elegant wedding of your dreams.
The most spectacular and memorable part of Hawaii for me was the beautiful sunset night after night. Take a cue from those colors with warm pinks and oranges. These colors are also prominent in native flowers. Orchids, birds of paradise, and plumeria are beautiful and succulent flowers that say tropics. Choose your favorite one or a combination and create the lush feel of Hawaii with bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres, and cake decor. For bridesmaid dresses think these brights and use the rich rain forest greens as an inspiration for the accent colors.

photo sources: flowerhawaii.com, Vincent Khoury Tyler, kauaiflowers.com, closetcooking.blogspot.com, bbcgoodfood.com, inspired2cook.com, J.Crew wedding gown, Priscilla of Boston bridesmaid dress, phoenixtropicals.com, Bob Carey, and Oakland Beach, Rhode Island, Zoein Jewelry White Heart Studio Waymark Gallery NOAA National Reso Phonic Guitars, Inc

You can serve pork instead of a beef option but skip the Hawaiian tradition of a Luau in which they cook the full pig in an underground oven. Instead try pork marinated with pineapple or stuffed with cucumber. Take a cue from the tropical fruits of Hawaii and serve mango and pineapple during your cocktail hour. Serve a caprese salad that substitutes mango for tomatoes. How about a signature mango cocktail? Refreshing and delicious!

You don’t have to ask your guests to travel to the islands to attend your Hawaiian inspired wedding. Choose your nearest coast to hold your nuptials on the beach or look into garden venues where you can get the lush greenery and enjoy the sunset. For your bridal party gifts and guest favors look to the symbols of Hawaii. Honor your bridesmaids with jewelry in the exotic black coral, the official gem of Hawaii. The eternal flame, located on Honolulu, is a symbol of Hawaii that also signifies love. Give guests candles as favors with a hang tag explaining the significance.

How To – Spring Blooms

How To by Jennifer Crone
It’s spring in Miami and while we wish we could skip the April showers the weather is gorgeous! Spring is the time of growth and renewal and that means flowers too. With so many beautiful spring blooms, how do you choose which are right for your wedding? Here’s How To:
When choosing flowers consider the following elements:

Smell – Flowers that are too pungent will overpower everything else when in abundance. You don’t want to give guests a headache or mask the smell of your food. Just as you would use unscented candles, flowers with little smell are better.

Longevity – A flower that wilts quickly (i.e. a hibiscus) will just not do. You don’t want the flowers shriveling up by the time your toasts are done. Also many flowers shed when they begin to wilt.

Toxicity – Some flowers are extremely toxic if ingested. Keep these flowers out of a wedding with children present.

Here are some popular spring blooms:

photo sources: www.gardenexpress.com, www.sugarcraft.com, www.squashedtoad.blogspot.com, Tor Hershman, Minx Boutique, Nature Loving, Whole Blossoms, It's Your Soap, Trond Steen, The Carlyle Arts Learning Center, www.gardenpictures.com, Ed O'Keefe, Patty Hankins, Fiber

What to do with all those beautiful blooms after the wedding and reception? Donate them! Go to Flower Power Foundation for more information.

How To – Create Your Guest List

How To by Jennifer Crone

Wanting to celebrate your love and commitment amongst friends and family is appropriate and understandable, but paying additional thousands of dollars for your dad’s golf buddies might break the bank. How do you cut your guest list down to save costs without offending? Here’s How To:
A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t seen someone in 5 years or more they don’t get an invite. You may have paddled in the pool with them in your undies, but if they’ve been absent from you life this long they probably shouldn’t be included in your wedding.

Work friends: If you or your fiance work at a large company don’t feel the need to invite everyone. Etiquette doesn’t call for it and neither does cost! Choose the few coworkers who you are closest to or keep it simple and don’t include any. DON’T invite all but a few coworkers, which singles people out and is not appropriate.

Parents: If your parents are contributing to the cost of your wedding they will have a say in who is invited. Regardless, try to keep their friends who aren’t your friends to a minimum. It’s not necessary to invite your grooms mother’s bridge club or your father’s college buddies. Kindly ask your parents to choose a few friends they would like to attend your wedding and cap it at that.

Children: Children may or may not be an issue in your guest list, but having a “no children” policy will help keep your guest list and your costs down. If a child is old enough to have his or her own chair they will be charged for a full meal even if they don’t eat. A nice way to let guests know you’re having a child free wedding is to watch your wording on your invites and have your bridal party spread the word that you are having a child free wedding and aren’t excluding any particular child.

Calligraphy: Robyn Love, Photo: Dusty Brown

Tips:

1.Create your guest list before going to look at venues. Each venue has a minimum and a maximum head count, so this will shorten what may be an overwhelming list.

2.If you want to have a small wedding and are worried about offending extended family and friends explain to them that your venue has a cap and as much as you would love them to be a part of your day your venue doesn’t allow.

3.If many friends will be excluded from your small wedding host a party after your day at your home or favorite local spot to celebrate with them all!

If creating your guest list becomes overwhelming and stressful remember to breath. Take a moment away with just you and your fiance to think about what’s important to you and who you want to share your day with.