Do you have to serve dinner at your wedding?

Your wedding is a very, very special moment in your life – so it is only normal that you want everything about it to be both very personal and more than perfect too.

Does that mean you have to serve dinner at your wedding, though? We have gathered some of the most important things you should know about this – so read on to find out more.

• In short, no. You don’t have to do anything at your own wedding. This is your moment and it should be about you, your love story and who you are as unique individuals and as a couple too. Therefore, if you feel that serving dinner is just not “your thing”, you can definitely choose not to do it.
• Instead, you could have a lunch, brunch or even breakfast reception. This is a wonderful way to add uniqueness to your wedding and it can also save some pretty serious money too. Moreover, it can be extremely fun and it is a good way of having an alcohol-free reception too (especially since not many of your guests will want to serve alcohol at breakfast or lunch – and even if they do, they will not have more than one-two drinks).
• Furthermore, having a cocktail reception or a simple evening reception with passed appetizers is a great option too. The appetizers can be anything – ranging from “comfort foods with a twist” (e.g. tomato soup shooters and mini grilled cheese sandwiches) to fancy hors d’oeuvres (e.g. salmon fume bruschetta).

Regardless of what type of food you choose to serve at your wedding, we guarantee Wedding Planner 808 can help you plan everything down to the smallest details. Contact us and allow us to help you have a fantastic wedding in gorgeous Hawaii!

Photo source: flickr.com/ California Avocados

Coordinating your bridesmaids’ dresses with your wedding dress is a great idea!

Your bridesmaids are your best friends and the attendants who will stand by you as you spell out two of the most important words of your life: I Do. Therefore, matching their dresses with yours is a really great idea. Not only will it help you create a well-pulled together wedding, but it will also look amazing in the pictures!

How to do that? What are some of the best ideas when it comes to matching bridesmaids’ dresses with your own wedding gown? Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• The same neckline. If you want to offer your bridesmaids the freedom to choose dresses that flatter their body types, settle on bringing their looks together with yours by choosing the same neckline for their dresses and yours.
• The same cut. Planning to wear a long, sheath dress? Then choose the same design for your bridesmaids’ dresses too. Again, if you want to give your best ladies some freedom, you can allow them to choose from a variety of shades or you can encourage them to choose different necklines.
• Floral details. If you want to wear a dress with flower appliques, bring this into your bridesmaids’ dresses too. This is a fun and stylish detail that will look absolutely gorgeous on a variety of designs, so both you and your bridesmaids have plenty of options to choose from.
• Design details. If you don’t want the exact same cut for your dress as you want for your bridesmaids, but still want a major detail to connect your looks, search for common design details. For example, if you will wear a long peplum dress, your bridesmaids can wear shorter peplum dresses too.

Wedding Planner 808 can help you put together all the amazing details of your Big Day in Hawaii – so if you plan on having your wedding here and you want it to be flawless, contact us and find out more about our wedding planning services!

Photo source: flickr.com/ flowerfactor

Do you plan on writing your own wedding vows? These traditional vows offer great inspiration!

Your wedding vows are the brick and mortar of your future marriage – they are the rules upon which the two of you choose to build your future, they are your hopes and your expectations and, ultimately, they are sacred promises you make in front of the one you love and everyone present there for you.

Writing your own wedding vows is a really great idea if you want to add a touch of personality and uniqueness to your vows – but that doesn’t mean you cannot steal inspiration from the more traditional vows too. Here are some of the most beautiful traditional vows to help you write yours:

• In protestant weddings, most of the wedding vows are similar and they follow the pattern of the Basic Protestant Vows: "I, … , take thee, … , to be my wedded husband/wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith [or] pledge myself to you."
• In Jewish weddings, the vows depend on the particular branch the couple belongs to. In very traditional Jewish weddings, the groom places a ring on the bride’s finger, saying “Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel”. Also, a less traditional (but truly beautiful) wedding vow includes a phrase from the Song of Songs: “I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.”
• In Quaker weddings, the vows are somewhat similar to the ones used in most Protestant and Catholic weddings – with the difference that here, the people gathered at your wedding will be included in the vows as well: "In the presence of God and these our friends I take thee, ______, to be my husband/wife, promising with Divine assistance to be unto thee a loving and faithful husband/wife so long as we both shall live.".

Wedding Planner 808 is a professional wedding planner who can help you have a truly magnificent wedding day in Hawaii – so if you plan on saying your vows surrounded by the exotic air of the island, contact us and we will make your dream wedding come true!

Photo source: flickr.com/ GoonSquadSarah

If you are thinking of having an adult only wedding be sure you know how to properly plan it

In a modern world where brides and grooms can choose to do whatever they want on their Big Day, it comes without saying that they are also allowed to invite only the people they want as well. Of course, this can also include having an “adult only” wedding too – and there are plenty of reasons that may push you into choosing this type of event.

How do you plan it, though? How do you have a “children free” wedding without offending anyone? We have gathered some of the most important things you should know about this – so read on and find out more.

• First and foremost, do not write “Adult Only” on the invitations. This can hurt your guests’ feeling to the point they won’t attend your wedding anymore. Instead, get the help of your close friends and family to spread the word. Also, if you have a wedding website, feel free to write about it there.
• To make it very clear from the very beginning, address your wedding invitations with “Mr. and Mrs.” – and not with anything that might suggest that the entire family is invited. Also, include your guests’ specific names on the RSVP too. This way, most of your guests will understand that only they are invited.
• If it seems that any of the guests may have misunderstood the meaning of your invitations, do call them and clarify the situation. You don’t need to over-explain yourself (and you most definitely have to hold your grounds and not give up under pressure!). Just tell them that your budget is a bit more restrictive and you cannot have the children invited too.
• Last, but definitely not least, having an adult only wedding doesn’t have to mean you cannot have a Ring Bearer and a Flower Girl. They are part of your wedding party and your guests will most likely understand this.

Searching for an experienced and talented wedding planner in Hawaii? Contact Wedding Planner 808 and we will make sure to provide you with superior, sophisticated and truly professional wedding planning services – so that your Big Day turns out absolutely amazing!

Photo source: flickr.com/ emilygoodstein