
WEATHER WOES
Our couple had opted for an outdoor ceremony and an indoor reception for their Kapalua wedding. It was February and the island experienced severe storms all week, causing serious flooding island-wide. While their wedding day would not necessarily experience rain, we knew it would the grounds would be very muddy and the ceremony would need to take place indoors. Within 24 hours, Tori redesigned the entire ceremony design, bought the materials needed to create the same garden feel indoors, created a different floor plan to accommodate all of the changes, and hired the labor necessary to make it all happen. We built a live 64 square foot floral/foliage backdrop for the ceremony that also camouflaged the DJ. The event space looked absolutely beautiful and everyone had an amazing time. These photos reflect the plans and the final product.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN
THE FINAL PRODUCT
TRANSPORTATION TROUBLES
Our couple had a Maui wedding at a venue that was driving distance, but not walking distance, from their wedding guests' various accommodations in Kihei and Wailea. Since the majority of their guests were not renting cars, and there were not enough UBER drivers in the area to accommodate their guests, the couple wanted to hire transportation. Unfortunately, the costs of hiring the necessary transportation to accommodate their guests' needs was unaffordable for their budget, so we offered a workable solution for which they were grateful. In order for our couple to have what they wanted and needed, we rented four 15-passenger vans, hired drivers for all of the vans, insured the vans and drivers, provided meals for the drivers, and made transport available for the entire duration of the wedding celebration. We collaborated with the couple to create the timing and logistics of each van's pick up and drop off so that all guests couple be transported to and from their own accommodations. In addition, we created signage for guests to see the schedule that we posted at the Meet & Greet/Welcome Party, and we made signs for each van. Tori provided each driver with maps, timelines, guest names, bottled waters to distribute to passengers, and accessibility to parking and restrooms at the wedding venue.
Everyone was so appreciative, especially the couple..."We truly were so thankful how creative you were and helpful in solving vendor issues - from MBC to transportation. The 4 drivers were SO kind and professional, we even got feedback that one of them gave a short verbal tour of Kihei to the guests and they loved it."
FORGETFUL BRIDE
Often times our brides want the personal flowers delivered to their room ahead of the ceremony time so the photographer and videographer can document them with the other details during Getting Ready Photos. Our bride, female attendants, and moms all got hair and makeup services in the bride and groom's hotel suite, where we had left the flowers with strict orders to keep them cold and remember to bring them to the ceremony. Unfortunately, in all of the excitement, everyone departed the couple's suite with their belongings and forgot to make sure the bride had her bouquet. The bride arrived to the ceremony site to walk down the aisle sans bouquet. While the couple was getting married, Tori got a key to their suite, hustled to the suite to retrieve the bouquet, and ensured the the bride had her bouquet for her recessional walk with her groom.
WELCOME BAG MADNESS Often times, in an effort to stay in budget and share their crafty DIY skills, couples will opt to make their own centerpieces, place cards, menus, signage, and favors. Celebrations by Tori was hired as DAY OF COORDINATOR for an Oahu wedding, which places us in collaboration with the couple 6 weeks out from the wedding date. The couple had planned on purchasing items and assembling welcome bags for their guests once on island for their wedding day. However, the couple overfilled their schedule and underestimated timing and distances, leaving them no time to shop and assemble. The Bride and Groom called Tori in distress and Tori offered her assistance. Within the budget provided, Tori drove all over Honolulu to purchase fabulous items for the welcome bags, picked up the empty welcome bags from the couple, filled the bags with the purchased goodies, created a beautiful presentation, delivered and set up the filled bags at the couple's Welcome Party venue an hour before guest arrival. Tori definitely decreased the stress for her couple and saved the day.
MISCOMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
When your wedding takes place at a hotel, the typical process is a salesperson handles the contracting of your wedding date. Your file is then assigned to a banquet events coordinator who works for the hotel and handles the details of your wedding. Sometimes that will include only food and beverage, but it often can include more if they are handling other details like rentals, flowers, photography, officiant, DJ, and more. The important thing to understand is that the hotel coordinator is responsible for the direction of the people hired BY the hotel for your wedding. That person is NOT responsible for the direction of vendors you hire, the set up of your additional wedding items (place cards, wedding programs, menus, fans, favors, decor, signage, etc.) or remaining throughout the duration of your event. The hotel coordinator is not your resource, guidance, or support for everything wedding planning. So, when the couple showed up to their final meeting with the coordinator two days before their wedding with everything for her to do on their wedding day, and she said that wasn't her job, they went numb. They had assumed that because she was the coordinator, that she would handle all of those details for them. Fortunately the hotel coordinator provided my contact information to the couple, and fortunately Tori was available for hire. Their wedding went off without a hitch (well, I mean, THEY got hitched, but no other hitches), and Tori made sure their wedding day was PERFECT and stress-free.
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