Professional officiants offer convenience and expertise, while friends or family members add sentimental value but require more planning and preparation, with key considerations being their proactivity and public speaking skills.

The first time I ever chatted with this darling bride, I was so nervous. I had never had another wedding planner consider me for their wedding day and I knew if I got this job, it would be the ultimate compliment! Needless to say, I got the job and I am so glad I did. Not only was it a huge compliment, but this couple was a dream to work with. The bride's vision for this wedding was so much fun. The overall look was a blend of burgundies, ivory, lush greenery and gold pineapples. I had the pleasure of designing the florals and they turned out to be some of my all time favorites. The ceremony took place on Secret Island which the guests accessed by a private catamaran ride. Dinner began with a gorgeous cheese board at each table. The brides father hand crafted each cutting board which were later gifted to the wedding party. After dinner, guests danced the night away only to take momentary breaks for the gelato that was served instead of wedding cake. My only regret with this wedding is that I didn't get to work with this couple longer!

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!

This destination wedding was the ultimate vision of an amazingly sweet and creative blogger bride. We spend over a year planning this wedding via email. She wanted to make sure that her guests flying in from all over the world had a blast. Yellow, white and pops of strawberry red were incorporated into all the décor. We had a beautiful lounge set up with hand sewn pillows, a kids station with water balloons and coloring books, and Hawaiian inspired photo booth with the beach as a natural backdrop. Guests were serenaded by a local duo, wowed with gourmet food stations, and surprised after sunset with Polynesian drummers and fire dancers. Hand crafted details were incorporated via signage, the table décor and the flowers. The bride even designed and assembled her own bouquet. The most heartwarming part was that no one wanted to leave at the end of the night!

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.

All brides dream of a picture perfect wedding, but for some, the idea of planning it can be very stressful. This was the case with this sweet, soft spoken, geophysicist bride. We were more than happy to help! She gave us a good starting point with a budget, location, and guest list. Once she chose an invitation we took the color scheme and ran with it. The wedding took place at the groom's family home. The ceremony was held in front of the vegetable garden with the Olympic Mountains in the background. Cocktails were served on the lawn among games of croquet. The bride handmade the guest favors (hand thrown pottery) and the groom's sister baked the cupcakes that served as a wedding cake. The flower arrangements were made the day before by the bridesmaids and the groom's sisters. The love and homespun touches that went into this wedding made it oh-so special.