It is not every day that I get to work with clients who share my eclectic and bohemian style. It was so much fun to challenge the traditional with every part of this wedding. The couple chose Waimea Valley as their venue for the lush botanical gardens and their dedication to keeping the grounds a nature preserve. They worked with the on-site caterer to create a menu that featured all local and organic ingredients. The bride wanted to include as many had crafted elements as possible. All of the couple's friends and family (and us at Love Letter Weddings) pitched in to make the invitations, photo booth, centerpieces, escort cards, signage and bunting. My all time favorite was the toy animals the bride collected and spray painted gold for the guest favors. Each one had a satchel tied to its back with local Hawaiian candies inside. She told me that she wanted her guests to leave laughing. Between the DIY decorations and the musical talent of so many of the couple's friends you could truly feel the love in the air all night long!

As much as we love all of our clients, we have a soft spot for the ones who tell us to run with whatever design ideas we envision for them. This was the case with this couple. The bride, a self proclaimed anti-bride, gave us a list of things that were important to her; the food, looking awesome on her wedding day, and having an impressive dessert bar. After spending weeks hunting for a beach front venue, the couple fell in love with Waimea Valley. Although it was not the beach front venue they had originally envisioned for their wedding backdrop, they felt it would still give their guests the tropical Hawaiian experience they were going for. As the exclusive caterer for Waimea Valley, Ke Nui Kitchen created a one of a kind menu that combined the bride's love of Italian food with the groom's love of local Hawaiian food. To create the perfect elegant vintage feel with the decor, we arranged a variety of flowers in the bride's favorite color, purple. The mix of lavender with dark plum really popped in the green surroundings of the valley. We accented the tables will custom made wood table numbers and lots of soft candle light. Instead of a typical wedding cake, the bride opted for a dessert bar. To give the desserts another level of interest, we made a dozen crystal cake stands using found pieces from thrift stores. Between the cake stands and the impressive line up of cheesecakes, cookies, fresh berries, and mini tiramisu the dessert bar looked like a million bucks! All the guests couldn't help but try at least four desserts each.