Are you looking for my recent wedding photos? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This page is a direct feed from my Facebook gallery, which gets updated religiously. Enjoy the pics! Oh, and don’t forget to “like” me on Facebook for the latest updates.
There are tons and tons of photos here. I have no idea. Thousands! I took all of them!
I’m not going to bash Valentines, or maybe I am. I know there are a lot of anti-Valentines fans out there and, I do know there are many and many of millions of people who just love this holiday. But I don’t care what you’re opinion is, there are some facts that we can all agree on:
So you get what I’m trying to say here.
Valentine’s day may be a good romantic date night. But for a wedding, it’s probably not a good idea. Because if you get married on February 14th, that means that forever, till death does you two apart, everything will be more expensive and harder to come by. Do you want to go out to dinner to celebrate your wedding anniversary? Oh, well, you better plan that months in advance.
If you choose to get married on any other day other than Valentines Day, you’ll probably save yourself a lot of stress and a lot of money.
Now with that being said – the day after Valentines, things are usually a bit cheaper. I’m not implying anything here. I’m just saying…..
One of the most common questions I get from couples is, “Steve, which luau do locals go too?” There are three primary luaus on Oahu: The Polynesian Cultural Centers, Paradise Cove, and Germain’s Luau; and most locals don’t go to any of them. They either make their own Hawaiian food if it’s a special event. But most of the time, they just go to Costco!
Yes, you read that right. Costco is our one-stop shop for Hawaiian food. Of course, there’s the little hole in the walls which serve Hawaiian food that is great. But when we want to save money, and want some pretty good quality, we go to Costco. And to tell you the truth, it’s pretty good! Better than good. I would say it on either on par or beats most hole in the wall places, restaurants, and luaus. You just need to know what to buy.
So here’s my list of what to buy at for your Hawaiian Luau – The Costco Way!
May’s Kaula Pig
Kaula means to shred; pig is – well, you know what a pig is. So, “Kaula Pig” is shredded pork. It’s made by steaming pork butt/shoulder till it’s fall off the bone tender, then shredding it with a fork. Seasoning is simple. It’s Hawaiian Salt and liquid smoke. The “Hawaiian Way” is to cook in an underground pit with lava rocks and banana leaves. That can be good, but it’s all about seasoning. If they screw up on the Hawaiian Salt and liquid smoke mixture, it can be plain.
The May’s Version of Kaula Pig is already pre-made, pre-cooked, but taste fresh. Put this into a pot, add just a touch of water to it, and heat it up making sure you don’t burn it. Then, add it a bit of liquid smoke to kick it up a notch. It’s pretty awesome.
Pipakaula – smoked meat
I have no idea what this means in Hawaiian, but I know what this is. It’s basically smoked salted beef brisket. This is one of my favorite food to chew on while I watch football. Many supermarkets make a prepared version of pipikaula that mixes jalapenos and spices with slices of pipikaula. Costco sells this piece of meat in one gigantic slab. All you have to do is cut it into thin, bite-sized pieces, put it on a plate, and serve it cold, not hot. This goes really good with football.
Keoki’s Lau Lau
Lau Lau is the perfect low carb food. If you are carb counting, this is heaven. It’s made of taro leaves, pork, butterfish. All those ingredients are steamed together until it’s tender and it’s served hot. It sounds easy to make, but strangely, many places can’t make a good Lau Lau.
I’ll be the first to say that Keoki’s Lau Lau is not the best Lau Lau in town. In fact, it’s not even close to second. The best Lau Lau belongs to a guy who sells it out of a truck by the Hygenic Store in Kaneohe, Kahaluu. (https://www.yelp.com/biz/holo-holo-stop-kahaluu). His Lau Lau is really good. Okay, I’m going off subject here, but I thought I put that in.
But this Lau Lau will do the trick. This is best served if you steam them. But if you just cover them up in the microwave with wet paper napkins, set the micro to two minutes, that tends to do the trick too. Don’t unwrap the tea leaves until after you micro them.
Taro Brand Lomi Salmon
A lot of supermarkets have their own version of Lomi Salmon. It’s really not an ancient Hawaiian food. If it is, I really don’t know where they got the salmon from – haha. Lomi Salmons is quite simple to make. It’s basically diced up tomatoes, round onions, some green onions, and salted salmon. It’s very easy to make. The Lomi Salmon here is good, but nothing beats home cooking.
Lomi Salmon is a bit salty and is best eaten with Poi! I bet you heard about Poi! I’ll get to that later. Make sure when you serve Lomi Salmon, you serve it cold!
Sesame Seaweed Salad
This is not an ancient dish either, but very popular. This salad is made with artificial something, flavored with sesame seed oil and spices. It’s low in calorie, pretty much zero in carbs, and taste great. The only bad thing about it is that it gets stuck in your teeth. It’s very tasty and it also goes well with poi!
Make sure you have dental floss nearby. I wasn’t joking about this stuff getting stuck in your teeth.
Poi – Taro Brand. It’s thick. The Costco Version is big. You may want to try a smaller version at a local grocery store.
All poi is a the root of a plant, that’s pounded into a paste. When you get it in a bag like this, it’s rather thick, so you may have to add water to it, mix it up with your hand, to thin it out. The thickness of it is up to you. Yes, use your hand to mix it, it’s the easiest.
Poi is also known to tourist as wallpaper paste, oh this taste awful, and what the hell did I just eat – but I’m about to change that narrative.
I love poi, and I have no idea what you tourist are complaining about. And when I tell you how to eat poi, you’re going to love it too. Poi is a starch. And like most starches, if you just eat it plain, it tastes like crap. Who the hell eats regular potatoes? Who the hell eats rice with nothing on it? Rice is great when it soaks up all that oil and blood from a perfectly seasoned steak on the grill. And potatoes are awesome when they are baked, served with lots of butter, sour cream, bacon, and my secret – parmesan cheese.
So like all starches, you’re not supposed to eat poi just by itself. You eat it with other salty foods. I love poi with almost any meat. Steak, ribs, hamburgers, even canned corn beef. And when it comes to Hawaiian food, it’s best with Kaula Pig. Poi has a habit of absorbing whatever flavor that meat has, and making it into flavored toothpaste. Steak flavored toothpaste doesn’t sound too bad – if you really think about it.
Moral of the poi story, eat it with meat or something salty. You can thank me later – or even better send me a nice little tip to my PayPal account!
Alright peeps, let me know how it goes!
Here some quick movie reviews to help you start off date-night, awesome!
Get Out to see this!
RATING: A+
When my friend told me they wanted to see this movie, I was reluctant. I saw the previews, and I thought, Oh man – this movie is just going to be another excuse for studios to play the race card. But it’s far from that. The movie is great; there is simple twist in there, sprinkles of comedy, and a lot of “what the!” moments. You should definitely see it. I enjoyed it – immensely.
Matt Damon plays an action hero – again.
RATING: Solid B-
I enjo
yed this movie, but some people just thought it was stupid. There are some stupid parts in there, I agree, but it wasn’t that bad. I did notice Matt Damon’s accent going in and out through the movie. The plot was a bit thin, a lot of common sense holes. But what can you expect? Chinese movies have tons of these plot holes in them
Man, I fell asleep!
RATING: C- to D
Okay, so many people are going to hate me for this rating. The critics loved it; I know many people who thought it was the funniest thing in the world. And you know what, I love comedies. I love stupid humor. I love offensive humor. But much of this movie just wasn’t funny. I wasn’t laughing all the way, though. The characters talk too fast, and it throws off the comedic timing. I really wanted to enjoy this movie. I went on opening night, bought the IMAX tickets. It just wasn’t fun. I even fell asleep a bit!
This is a hit or miss movie
Better than you think!
RATING: A-
Ice Cube always plays the tough guy character, the bully, the alpha-male. He’s pretty much the same guy in this movie. I guess that’s who he is. But hey, it works, and it was funny. The story was really funny. There’s a lot of sex jokes in here that are not appropriate for kids. Leave them at home.
Keanu Reeves knows much more than Kung Fu in this movie
RATING: A
Most action movies don’t have much plot to them. Most sequels to action movies suck. Well, this one has a plot and it doesn’t suck. Keanu Reeves, man – he’s a badass, isn’t he? It’s very violent. I heard the kill count in this movie is close to 2 million?
you probably already saw this
RATING: A
This is probably one of the best Star Wars out there. There are so many holes in it that I wish the writers would have written a more honest script. But hey, it was still good. It answers the question, why was the design of the Death Star soooooooooo stupid. Now we know. And knowing is half the force – G.I. JOE! (okay if you get that humor, you were born in 1977)
This is Magic Island, it’s great, but at the same time, crowded.
There’s ton’s of wedding information on my site, but there’s really no central article that links them all to one place. This is the purpose of this article. To link everything regarding Hawaii Weddings in one place for my clients. I think it’s called a table of contents page? Sounds good, right?
My packages are much different than my competitors. They are simple, consisting only of the basics: minister and photography, Everything else is ala carte. I keep things simple to keep it understandable. More so, you can control your budget more by adding ala carte items.
CHECK OUT MY OAHU WEDDING PACKAGES HERE
CHECK OUT MY MAUI WEDDING PACKAGES HERE
CHECK OUT MY ALA CARTE ITEMS HERE
Gay weddings, yes, I do them! You get the same prices as everyone else.
Polygamous marriages, I’ve never done them, but I will if you want me too. That’s a lot repeat customers too! 2nd marriage, 3rd marriage, with me – I’m sure I can work out a repeat customer discount – haha
Also, if you’re interested, you can read the following article on how other companies pad their packages
PADDING IN HAWAII WEDDING PACKAGES
Getting your marriage license is freaking easy in Hawaii. It’s not like renewing your driver’s license. Issuing marriage licenses is something our government does rather efficiently. Surprised?
Technically, all you need to do is to head down to the Department of Health with your fiance, official picture ID’s, and $65 USD, and that’s it.
CHECK OUT THIS LINK TO FIND OUT MORE HAWAII MARRIAGE INFO
A lot of bride and grooms tell me wedding videos are not for them. They have a point. It’s really not. It’s most likely for your guests if you are having your reception. And, it’s more likely for your kids, if you have or plan to have them. Your kids can look back when they are older and see how mom and dad looked in their prime.
For one camera coverage, it’s $200. for 3-camera coverage and editing, it’s $600. Not too bad right?
CHECK OUT MY WEDDING VIDEOS HERE
Call me! My number is (808) 479-0685. I’m pretty much always available. Please, don’t call when the Super Bowl is on.
My company can perform your ceremony anywhere you want. We’ve done weddings in hotel rooms, in backyards, on private estates; and of course, my favorite, beaches. I prefer beaches and secluded locations. I don’t post them on the net because I don’t want other companies going there. (my site is rather popular).
Don’t know where to have your wedding? Don’t worry, I’ll help you find one.
IF YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RAIN, CLICK HERE
The main reason why you should book with me is that I’m a really cool dude. I take that back. I’m a really cool dooode, with three “o’s.” I mean, yeah, I do great photos and video, I coordinate well, and I’m very handsome. But I’m soooo cool and humble.
All joking aside, I reply quickly, especially if you message me on facebook via that window in the lower right-hand corner. And I always do my best at every wedding. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I can’t satisfy everyone. Like that bride who wanted me to move the sun, or the groom that complained to me why I couldn’t make his wife look like Cindy Crawford. Yes, those are real complaints! But, for the most part, I would say 99.9% of my clients are happy with me! And you will be too unless, you’re crazy – haha.
Troy Childers, a minister who cares about his couples.
Full disclosure: I’m a capitalist, I’m a conservative, I voted for Trump, and I see nothing wrong with being greedy. Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re saying, “Steven, greed is bad. What in the world are you talking about!”
And I have to admit, you’re right. Greed is bad. But like almost everything in life, it’s a double-edged sword. Greed, on one hand, is great because it pushes us to do better. You want that bigger house, an ideal mate, a better job, that all has elements of greed to it. But just how much is too much? That is the true question.
Do CEO’s get paid too much? Do class-action lawyers take too much of the pie? Well, that’s another discussion.
What I’m talking about today are fricken greedy wedding vendors.
Yes. You heard me. And this type of greed is not the type you want your momma to know about. This is full on, robbery.
The other day, I got an inquiry from a minister who wanted to do weddings for my company. His rate was unbelievable. It was the same rate at which my wedding singers work for one hour, the same rate at which I charge my couples for one hour of photography – $250. Minister’s only work for fifteen minutes, so his charges worked out to $200 to $250 for fifteen minutes without travel fees. I asked him how he could justify charging the couples so much? He said, “Because it would take him two hours of drive time.” Seriously? So this minister wanted to get paid to drive to the wedding service, work fifteen minutes, and drive back to the bank? And he wanted to get paid for driving to the ceremony? Greedy son of a ______ . And he’s a minister?
Elias Parker, another great minister who is not greedy
I charge $175 for ministry services, of which my minister’s keep the majority of the meat. And I’ll be blunt here. Out of all my vendors, they make the most money if we would pro-rate their fees. But my minister’s are far from greedy, even though they are probably the best on the island. Their motivation remains to marry people and to do a great job. They could jack up their prices on me, which would force me to charge more, but they know they are compensated very well for their time as it is. And they want to be fair to the couple.
The greed doesn’t just stop there. You have wedding photographers, who upsell couples. Bakers who charge more for wedding cakes, just because it’s a wedding cake. You even have reputable hotels who give free rooms, free tastings, in order to get couples to sign up for the open bar at their reception. You know that that means right? Another $5000 to $10000 for the hotel if that couple agrees.
Now don’t get me wrong. These businesses have all the right to charge whatever they want. The last thing I want is the federal government to come in to start regulating profit. All I’m saying is that; you, as a buyer, need to be careful, like how I am. Make sure you pay for quality. Quality will cost you more. Pay for excellent service. Make sure the are no hidden strings attached to the contracts that you sign. If you feel like you’re getting played, you probably are. If they can’t truly justify why they are charging so much, then they are probably charging too much.
Last word here.
You can count on me that I won’t do you wrong. I’m pretty much a compulsive do-gooder. Ya know, the whistleblower that nobody likes. The Blacksheep in the wedding industry who really gives the middle finger to other companies (that’s why I don’t belong to any wedding association).
So as they say in Modern Warfare (the video game), “Stay Frosty…” which means stay alert.
Our Hawaii Wedding from Steven Young on Vimeo.
The average wedding couple in the United States will spend between $20,040 and $33,400 on their wedding. This figure does include the price of their honeymoon, which can range from an extra $5000 to $8000.
Did you have a heart attack yet?
I realize I’m a bit biased here, but I can think of a lot of different ways to spend thirty-thousand dollars. In some areas of the country, that’s a down payment for a nice house. That’s a pretty good amount to invest into the stock market. Weddings are getting damn expensive and the prices are not going down. They have evolved from romantic one-on-one celebrations to events equivalent to Hollywood after parties.
Normal weddings are expensive because of the huge reception.
So here’s my proposal to you. If you don’t want to go broke. If you don’t want to stress out about all the details of planning a wedding. If you don’t want to deal with the family drama, think about coming to Hawaii to elope. (Of course, if you do this, my company should be at the top of your list! haha)
Yeah, you can bring a few guests, parents, close friends, but don’t go crazy inviting everyone. The fewer people there are, the more romantic and stress-free it’ll be!
The new trending word is “minimalist!” But eloping – small weddings, has been around since the beginning of the time. Hey, Adam and Eve got married and didn’t pay a penny!
If you book with me, weddings can be as cheap as $175 if you only need the minister. And they can go up to whatever amount you want. But most couples spend around $1200 to $2500.
Think about it, and if it’s the right decision you’d want to entertain, hit me up.
One of the best things we get to do here is to plan surprise vow renewals in Hawaii. Pulling a surprise off like this isn’t difficult at all. It just a bit a strategic storytelling. How do we do it? Well, there are three steps in pulling off the perfect vow renewal
#1 MAKING CONTACT WITH ME – DISCRETELY!
Text, email, and Facebook are probably the best way to contact me if you’re interested in pulling off this surprise. You don’t want to call me because your spouse could overhear what your conversations are planning. From there, we can quickly figure out what you’re looking for.
My vow renewal package can be found here.
You can add anything you want, including video, flowers, etc..etc… Videoing the surprise is actually a pretty a cool idea. This is one moment that you two can relive forever.
#2 TELL THEM YOU’RE PLANNING A PHOTOSHOOT ON THE BEACH
This is the best cover story that has worked in the past. It gives your spouse the opportunity to dress up and to also avoid getting a sunburn, until the special day. I will need 50% down to reserve the date. So as soon as you decide to pull the trigger and go forward with the surprise, tell them you’re booking a photo session in Hawaii with Dream Weddings Hawaii. That way, when they see the payment go through, they won’t expect anything.
#3 GO WITH THE FLOW AND TRUST US.
How you break the news to your spouse – is pretty much “free flow.” I’ve seen husbands drop down to one knee, ask their wife to marry them again. In many cases, I’ve had the couple face out towards the ocean, and have our minister sneak up in front of them, when they least expect it. Whatever you have planned, we can work with the logistics to let you know if it’s possible. I’m willing to entertain any ideas. Many times, we will have our ministers hiding out behind trees. Once we had our musician/wedding singer dressed as a local on the beach. He started playing the couple’s wedding song, and then another one of their favorite songs…and well, the wife knew at that moment what was happening. It was a very sweet moment. But before then, she thought he was just a dude with a guitar – enjoying the sun! The key is to just keep it a secret just until after I start taking the first few photographs. Then, at that time, your spouse will not expect a thing.
Here’s pics from a recent vow renewal. The parents thought they were showing up for a vow renewal. The kids pulled off the surprise….
Well well well. Apparently, after twenty years of being in the wedding industry, I’ve finally found my identity! Apparently, I, Steven Young, am an eloping wedding planner! And apparently, in the latest ABC NEWS PIECE, “It’s the new way to wed,” it’s the new trend. Geez, I really appreciate the over-sensationalism, but eloping isn’t a new trend. Eloping has been around since Adam and Eve. Maybe more couples are waking up, possibly reading my blogs, that maybe – just maybe – spending 30k in 6 hours isn’t a good idea.
But that ABC piece said, “Eloping Planners are the next big thing!” Wow, me – big. Name in lights? haha.
Or are they referring to weight gain?
Thanks ABC. I appreciate the promotion. Next time, they should interview me.
Oh boy, am I going to sound like a sourpuss here. But I am not a fan of the outdoor Hawaii Wedding Reception.
I know what you’re saying, “Steven, I have this vision. I saw these pictures. It’s in my dream. It looks so romantic.”
And that’s when myself, as the realist wedding planner, has to bring you a bit down to earth. Or at least play devil’s advocate so there are no surprises.
Here’s why I am not a fan of the outdoor reception.
If you’re wondering about the view and the scenery. They only look good in the pictures, most of the time. When we take those photographs, long exposures can bring out that mountain pretty well. But to the naked eye, you won’t’ be able to see anything but tent.
What do I recommend for outdoor venues?
Well, if you want an outdoor reception, make sure you book something on the west side of Oahu, near the ocean, and on a property that is well manicured – like a hotel. The more you go inland, the more problems you’ll have with bugs.
My best choice for a reception?
Private rooms at high-class restaurants. You’ll get a great view, no fear of inclement weather, you’ll have air conditioning, there will be no bugs. Oh best of all, you can usually dance the night away and not worry about sound curfews at 8 pm. You can also try having your reception at a vacation rental. There is a handful of them that do weddings, and they are just absolutely the best.
Check out this awesome New Years Day wedding at a vacation rental.
Did that headline catch your eye? Well, it better!
I just checked my travel inventory and prices of airfares to Hawaii are way down. It’s not just me who share this opinion. Check out this article by clicking here. Flights are especially cheap if you’re leaving from the West Coast, between Monday and Thursday, and are planning to travel during October. So, if you want a Hawaii Wedding, now’s the time!
You’ll find cheap airfares anytime college is back in session. That’s a good rule of thumb. Kids fly who back home to Hawaii during the summer, families who take vacations because kids are out of school, and wedding couples all play their part in clogging the cheap air arteries during the summer. Now, if you book early enough, you can pretty much get cheap air anytime. That means if you’re planning a summer wedding for 2018, now’s the time to start looking at travel too!
On the North Shore of Oahu. My favorite place to shoot.
What is the downside of getting married in the Fall? Technically, it’s hurricane season. So there is a higher chance of rain. Because of this, make sure you plan to stay at least 7 days and to get married on the 2nd day you arrive. That way if the entire island is predicted to rain, we’ll get you married the day after. If a hurricane is on its way, don’t sweat it. Usually, before a hurricane hits, the weather is great. In fact, it’s great up until the hurricane hits. Here’s a surprise vow renewal we did on the day a hurricane hit our State.
The upside? The beaches and hotels are much more empty. You have cheap hotel nights. Oh, and it’s not as humid. Man, it’s been freaking humid lately in Hawaii during the summer. It almost feels as bad as Florida sometimes.
If you’re planning to pull the trigger, let me know. My company offers travel and maybe we can do a wedding + travel package deal.
On the extreme West Shore of Oahu, Yokohama Beach!
Dream Weddings Hawaii is not only your one-stop shop for all things “Hawaii Weddings,” but we can also be your one-stop shop for all things your travel aspirations Yes, my company is also a small time travel agency. In a way, if we add travel to your wedding package, it becomes an all inclusive wedding package. But I’m not sure it’s 100% all-inclusive because food would not be included.
I have access to wholesale travel for all of our islands. That means many times, I can find cheaper prices than what you can find on the internet (if you book early enough). If you didn’t book your travel reservations to Hawaii yet, give me a call (808) 479-0685 or message me (in that little blue box on the lower right-hand corner)! Maybe I can help you out? Maybe I can help your guest out? I have a lot of knowledge of where to stay, things to do, you name it. Especially when it comes to Oahu, since I live here.
If you’re not booking any wedding with me, don’t worry. Your business is still welcomed.
Houston just got hammered by Hurricane Harvey and now Hurricane Irma is on its way to Florida. And now, my phone is blowing up regarding everything hurricane related questions to Hawaii weddings. So here are my quick answers to the most common questions that I’ve been answering this week.
How common are hurricanes in Hawaii?
Not very. I was born and raised on Oahu and since then, zero hurricanes have hit our island. For some strange reason, Kauai tends to get hit if there is a hurricane. That’s just bad luck. If those two hurricanes would have strayed just a bit, Oahu would have been right in the crosshairs. With that being said, a direct strike to Oahu, or any our islands, is very rare. There have only been two direct strikes to the State of Hawaii since I was born, which was 1977. And since then, we’ve pretty much been free and clear.
By the way, we’re in the middle of hurricane season and it’s been pretty quiet. But all it takes is one, right?
Why are hurricanes not common in Hawaii?
Just to let you know, I’m not a meteorologist, but a wedding planner. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn!
The Holiday Inn told me the reason why we don’t have a lot of hurricanes that hit the State, is because of our location. We have a pretty gnarly wind shear that breaks apart a lot of hurricanes. Not to mention, the cooler waters that surround us are like kryptonite to these natural wonders.
Do you have a backup plan if a hurricane hits Hawaii on our wedding day?
It really depends on the approach of the hurricane and where it hits. Our State is quite big. In fact, it’s one of the biggest states out there, seriously. Our U.S. jurisdiction extends way past our shoreline. We just have more ocean than land.
If a hurricane comes from the North and hits the Big Island first, we still have a few days till it comes to Oahu. The weaker, less stormy side of the hurricane is the south-west wall of the eye. So, if the hurricane passes to the North of Oahu, we’re pretty much free sailing up until the day of the hurricane. Wedding is GAME ON!
If the hurricane comes to us from the south, that means the Hawaiian Islands will be on the North-East wall, the stormiest side of the hurricane. In that case, we’re going to run into some pretty crappy weather leading up to the day of your wedding and will most likely have to wait till the hurricane passes to do your wedding.
Basically, I’ll let you know the game plan for the day of your wedding. We may have to move dates, even do the ceremony one day and the pictures the next. Just be flexible and everything will be ok.
How do we prepare for a hurricane hit?
If you are staying in a hotel and are not on the ground floor, just stay put and stay away from the windows at all cost. If you are staying at a vacation rental that’s on the beach, you’ll have to evacuate. You will be told where to evacuate, which will most likely be a school that’s not on the shoreline. The biggest danger to any hurricane is flooding. And on the islands, flash flooding is nothing to joke about. We have steep mountain cliffs that get filled up with water pretty quickly. And sometimes when it just storms, roads can get flooded real quick. Do not drive through any stream or you will be in danger of getting swept away.
I’m panicking, should I?
Absolutely not. Think about it this way. Since 1977, we have had two hurricane strikes here in Hawaii. Since 1977, there has been over 40 hurricane strikes in the Continental United States. Every decade, there about 17 hurricane strikes on the continental United States. Hurricanes in Hawaii are not very common at all. I would say you can keep this thought in your back pocket, but honestly, it shouldn’t be at the forfront of your wedding planning. There are other things you need to worry about when it comes to wedding planning.
Alright peeps. I’m outta here. If you live in the hurricane zones, please, stay safe. You are definitely in my prayers!
Drum roll, please?
It’s none other than customer service.
I know this isn’t rocket science and probably common sense. But I will tell you right now, that good customer service with Hawaii Wedding Companies, is tough to find. Many wedding companies, even large chain hotels, restaurants, take forever to return emails or phone calls. And it’s freaking frustrating to me, to you, to all of my clients. I swear, I am tempted to make a list of companies with poor customer service but I may not have enough room on this site.
If a company doesn’t return your phone call promptly when it’s trying to earn your business, what will motivate them to operate in a better fashion once they have your down payment? Bad customer service is a precursor to bad business. And bad customer service will stress you the hell out. I don’t care if you’re booking the photographer with the best-looking portfolio. If they can’t answer their phone, return emails promptly, then more than likely you’re not going to get your wedding photos quickly either.
So, what’s the answer?
Honestly, if you’re not booking with me, I don’t know.
Now that may sound quite egotistical, but I’m just telling it to you straight. If they suck, well – they suck. The moral of the story, don’t get stuck with a crappy vendor, haha.
For me, aside from my stable quality of work, I pride myself on customer service. From the moment you contact me, to the day of your wedding, to the time after your wedding, I’m always easy to contact. Hit me up on email, facebook, or through my cell, I’m there. Turnaround times to get your photos and your video is reasonable. If you’re getting married in the slow wedding season, and your skin is not oily, it’s extremely fast! And by a large majority, my couples are very satisfied with the quality that I deliver to them.
I can’t satisfy every one of my customers. Like that one bride who wanted me to move the sun. Or the over demanding groom who married a 16-year-old immigrant (who didn’t speak any English). Oh boy, do I have juicy stories to share.
Anyway, you get what I’m trying to say.
Before I get started, full disclosure:
I was born and raised on the Island of Oahu, so I’m sure I have a bias. Now let’s get down to business.
So, let me guess what your dilemma is. For one reason or another, somehow a Hawaii wedding came up in your conversation with your fiance and now it seems as though you are inching towards making a decision. There’s no doubt you want to come to Hawaii, but now another presents itself. There are five Islands in the State of Hawaii, and you have no idea which one you want to travel too. You hear that Maui is great. Then your travel agent recommends the Big Island (which is what is known as Hawaii). Everyone says you should not consider is the Island of Oahu because it’s too city like.
And then – you talk to me.
Now I’ll be upfront and blunt with you, so this article won’t have to be too long. There is some truth to the rumors about Oahu:
There is some truth to the rumors about Oahu:
But here’s what you may not know:
Yes, Oahu has way more white sand beaches, than all of our other islands combined. It’s because our island is old and technically, it’s eroding away! haha. But not to worry, it won’t erode away by the time you get married. A geologist told me it would take thousands of years for Oahu to erode. And if your fiance takes thousands of years to get hitched, I think you better find another fiance. All joking aside, because we have so many white sand beaches, if you travel outside of Waikiki, away from all the Japanese tourists, you can find a secluded beach rather easily. I have a beach on the North Shore that is really empty, perfect for weddings. Finding a secluded beach on the other islands is tough. I mean it. It’s really hard.
The moral of the story is this –
The only reason why I think Maui is better than Oahu is that because it has Krispy Kreme and we don’t!
The Big Island is better than us because it has an active volcano. Which I have to admit, is quite cool. So, if you want, extend your honeymoon in Hawaii and island hop to the Big Island for a few days to check out an active volcano. But don’t stay longer than a few days because you’ll get bored out of your mind!
I know the best beaches to get married in Hawaii and I’ll give you a hint. They are all on the island of Oahu. Aside from that, I’m not saying anymore because if I spill the beans, thousands of weddings will happen there, and it’ll no longer be awesome.
So what’s a good beach to get married on?
I will tell you right now the beaches that I think are crappy are::
So how do you find out which beach is great? There’s a catch 22. You have to call or email me. You don’t have to book with me. But I’m not posting that info here, haha
I’ll steal a line from our politicians, but “Let Me Be Clear,” that feeling a bit nervous on your wedding day is 100% completely natural. The real question is if it should be of any concern.
There are two main reasons why couples feel a bit jittery on and before their wedding day:
If a couple has not been in touch with any their wedding vendors and can’t get a hold of them in any way, that couple has all the right to be nervous. In fact, their nerves should be rattling because something is terribly wrong! All vendors should be in touch with their couples before your wedding, whether it’s via text, email, a meeting, or a simple phone call.
I’ve been to weddings where a couple hired just our minister and their photographer didn’t show up. Luckily, I had my camera and saved the day. The photographer later contacted the couple and told the bride that he was busy and another photographer was supposed to cover him but didn’t show. The photographer was a college student and apparently, he had his finals. He refunded their money, but that wasn’t the point. Ironically, he was a business major. I tell you what, he may have aced that test but he failed in business that day.
If you can’t get a hold of any wedding vendor, it’s time to kick them to the curb – fast before there’s trouble on your wedding day
If you’re a bride or a groom who is just anxious about everything turning out perfect, that’s natural, but it’s not healthy to obsess over it. If you’re worried about rain, you’re going to be obsessed with checking weather reports. If you’re worried about the color of your table clothes, you’re going to hammer your rental company’s phone. There’s one thing to be concerned, it’s another thing to be obsessed.
This is exactly how Groomzillas or Bridezillas evolve out from rather sane individuals. Don’t evolve into a problem!
More than likely, everything is going to go right with your wedding if you hired out professionals for your wedding. As for controlling the weather, you can plan for the worst, but if it’s going to rain, it’s going to rain, and you just have to accept it.
But overall, just go with the flow for that day and enjoy the moments that unfold. If there are any screw ups along the way, it’ll just be a great story to tell.
I don’t have to say the obvious, but I will. Getting married is serious business. In the next fifteen minutes, everything will change. Your souls will be tied, along with your finances, let’s not forget your name and legal status. If you’re planning to start a family, it could all officially begin in the next fifteen minutes. I say “could” because some couples come to me with a family already started before they get married.
If you’re having doubts, cold feet, trust me, that’s natural. It’s just a big moment.
These days, what I tell my clients to calm themselves is rather simple. I offer them the advice of abandoning all agendas in their mind; to not worry about the future, and to stop complaining about the past. Live in this moment only. It’ll bring you, the bride or groom, clarity. And then, you can think straight.
This works 99.9999999% of the time.
There was a time when it didn’t work ~ wanna hear the story?
I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m no brain doctor. I haven’t even stayed at a Holiday Inn recently! When I was first starting my business, I remember a young bride locked the door to her Bridal room when everyone left.
She sat down and looked at me straight in the eye and poured out her concerns to me, “Steve, I don’t think I can go through with this. I need advice. I don’t want to listen to my parents, my girlfriends, or anyone. I need someone neutral. You need to talk to me. ”
My first thoughts? This is just a usual nervous bride. She’ll snap out of it sooner or later.
The nervous Bride continued to explain why she had cold feet and then I answered. “Look,” I took a breath and basically paraphrased the bible’s definition of love. “You need to ask yourself if you love him. You need to understand that love isn’t a feeling, it’s not an emotion. It’s purely a commitment. It’s unlike any other commitment, but that’s what it is.” I had to throw a joke in there, “So I love my Philadelphia Eagles, but I hate them at the same time. Hate, joy, happiness, sorrow, these are emotions. These are things I experience during one hour of watching the Eagles. But I still love them. Get it? That’s commitment.”
The Bride nodded.
I looked at the Bride straight in the eye and said, “I’m going to leave this room. And you literally have two choices here and two doors. One door will bring you to the ceremony. The other will lead you to the back entrance of the house and straight to the limo. Both decisions are going to affect you forever. Neither is absolutely right or wrong. Just know there’s no turning back whatever you decide.”
I left the room and came back around five minutes. The Bride had left the building and left a note to the groom. They never did reconcile and the Bride did end up marrying someone she loved. She did thank me a few years later but didn’t book me for her 2nd Hawaii Wedding. She thought it would have been awkward for her new husband. She never did tell me why groom#1 wasn’t the man for her. He seemed like a nice guy. Hey, sometimes nice guys finish last.
Here’s a couple who knew who to have fun. Their wedding vacation didn’t start off well. The Bride got her cell stolen. She later got a mild case of allergies. The Groom fell down a hiking trail. On their wedding day, it rained. The next few days later, it stormed really bad. Oh, I forgot to mention, they came to Hawaii because Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, and that’s where they originally were planning to tie the knot.
But despite all of this happening, they still had the time of their lives.
I’ve been getting a lot of inquiries from around the world about getting hitched before the end of the year. Quick answer…
CAN DO! NOW REACH OUT TO ME
It’s not too late to book, even if you are coming to Oahu tomorrow. The key ingredient to make this work is for you to contact me asap so we can get this wedding train moving.
There are only a few days which I can’t work. Christmas Eve and Christmas. Oh yeah, New Years Eve evening. That’s about it. I have weddings in both months, but as long as you are flexible with the day and time of your ceremony, I can make it work. Oh, one more note. I am based on Oahu, so for the most part, make sure you are coming to Hawaii for an Oahu wedding. I can go to the outer islands to help, but you’ll have to be a little more flexible with the date and time.
MY CONTACT INFO:
Cell: (808) 479-0685
email: info@dreamweddingshawaii.com
facebook messenger: use the app in the lower right-hand corner
Since I run a wedding company that specializes in couples who want to elope on the beaches in Hawaii, you would think I’d have a bias here. Afterall, more beach weddings mean more money! And I’m Chinese, that stereotype is true, and we love our money! But I really don’t have a bias here. I just have an observation. I’ve been in the wedding industry for about twenty years in which five of them were spent planning huge gala weddings. I can say that big weddings, yeah – pretty stressful for everyone. The more people you have, the more drama. Most of the stress comes from guest though, not the bride and groom. I think there should be a term called “momzillas” or “guestzillas.”
But we’re talking about eloping beach weddings. Are they stressful?
It really depends on you and your fiance. If you are not laid back, go with the flow peeps, then hell yeah it’s going to be stressful. And if you are not laid back, I probably don’t want you as a client either. I’m serious. Book with the other guy you found on google.
I just had a wedding the other day at Ko’olina and my clients had to leave two hours earlier because the President was in town. Freeways were closed from 2 to 5 pm, traffic was bad. The couple left their hotel at 1 pm, got to the location a bit early, and walked around till it was time for their sunset wedding. They didn’t complain, didn’t fuss, and just “rolled with it,” their exact words. Everything turned out great. We had a romantic wedding on the beach, got great photos, it was a great memory.
On the same beach where my couples eloped, I ran into another wedding company and they said their client was really high strung and had not enjoyed their wedding because President Trump was on the same island as them. Geez, talk about someone with personal problems.
So what’s the moral of the story here? There are some people who just shouldn’t be married…haha. I’m joking, I’m joking. The moral of the story here is to just have fun at your wedding, big or small, Hawaii or no Hawaii. Even if everything hits the fan, just laugh at life’s absurdities…and move on. It’s your wedding day! Smile.
I’ll just come out and say it. I don’t care what the circumstance is, money can make or break a friendship. It can even sever ties between close family members. I didn’t have to say it – it’s common knowledge, right? But lately, in this hipster world, it’s not. Mo Money – Mo Problems, like Puff used to say (or is it P Diddy now, what the hell does he call himself now?)
So, when it comes to your wedding? Who fronts the bill? You, your fiance, your father, your fiance’s mother, your cousin’s best friends roommate’s uncle?
You have bridesmaids. Who pays for their dresses, make-up, and shoes?
And your reception?
And your ceremony?
What about tradition? Shouldn’t the Father of the Bride pay for the reception and ceremony – or was it the other way around… the Mother of the Groom?
Answer: SCREW TRADITION AND YOU AND YOUR FIANCE PAY FOR EVERYTHING.
If you want to keep relationships nice and tidy for everyone, I repeat, you and your fiance should pay for everything. This avoids all drama that money can create. And if you can’t afford to pay for a wedding in Hawaii yourself, then you shouldn’t do it.
Before I piss off some brides who will scream and whine, “Steven, it’s the trend right now for bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses and make-up.” And I will agree with them. But I will also say it’s a stupid trend. You don’t invite a friend to be an honorary guest, then make them front hundreds of dollars to do it. What if they are struggling with bills that month? You just shoved them into debt. I can tell you that I’ve heard bridesmaids gossip at weddings on how much their bride made them pay for their dresses, let’s just say it wasn’t very nice. I’ve seen friendships on bridal courts lost over deciding who pays for what.
So repeat – Pay for everything, end of story.
There are exceptions to my rule “that you pay for everything.” If anyone wants to bless your wedding by paying for something, then it’s 100% okay. That’s different than telling a guest you’re footing the bill for ____________(fill in the blank).
Now, the is conversation isn’t over yet.
Even though you’re not married yet, start acting like one. Marriage in the Bible means that you move one in flesh. Where you go I go, stuff. What you make I make, stuff. Your debt is my debt, and boy you better not buy that without asking me first, stuff. Don’t split the bill for your wedding, honeymoon, or anything. There’s no “I” in “Marriage.” Oh wait, there is, so screw that simile – haha. But you get what I’m saying. Don’t split your finances. Moving forward as one is a very good thing.
Alright, peeps. I’m outta here. You got financial advice and marriage advice, all in one blog.
