LEGO buffet table release for weddings

A delightful conversation with VERMA (wedding on Aug 8, 2009) brought to mind an original and fun way to release the tables to the buffet, using LEGO--those bright yellow, blue, red, and white bricks that we all loved playing with when we were younger.



Several years ago, I did a wedding for JOSHUA & SAMANTHA. Joshua was a contractor/builder, and Samantha had a two year old boy who loved playing with LEGO. So I incorporated both concepts into the reception with a very creative table release! Here's what I did.

Before the reception began, Samantha's "setup crew" and decorators placed several pieces of LEGO on each table next to the centerpieces.

When it was time to release the tables, I told the guests that the banquet captain would NOT release the tables. Instead, I would ask the guests to use the LEGO pieces to build homes, tying in Joshua's career as a contractor into Samantha's son's love for LEGO. The first three teams to complete the project to specifications would go next to the buffet. For example, I could ask for a two-bedroom, one-bath single story home, with two doors and five windows. Using the LEGO pieces, guests on each table built the house I asked for, and they got very creative with the construction. And of course, the first three teams to complete the project went next to the buffet.





While the houses didn't come out exactly like how you see above, the activity was a lot of fun, very personalized, and for many guests, it brought back wonderful memories of their childhood!

And finally, for VERMA, since she and DARREN are also big LEGO fans, here's an original "Save-The-Date" I found on the web.

Wrap This!

In the spirit of the holiday season, here is a fun game that I recently presented to several of my corporate clients' holiday parties (I do team-building exercises and motivational speaking for companies and corporations in addition to weddings). This game can easily be adapted to a wedding, where the wedding party can compete against each other. Or, representatives from each table can compete to win the right to go next to the buffet. The ideas are limitless.

Each contestant gets an assistant of his or her own choosing. The contestant also gets two oven mitts, one scissors, a roll of tape, a roll of wrapping paper, and a gift box (the type that holds clothes, like the ones you can get from Macy's, are best.) When the Master of Ceremonies says go, each contestant must wrap his or her box using the wrapping paper, scissors, and roll of tape. The first one to complete the task wins! Simple, right? Oh yeah, there's a twist--each contestant will be wearing the oven mitts during the task. The assistant's job is to help cut measure out and cut the tape, but the assistant cannot touch the box or wrapping paper.



This game gets CRAZY! Don't believe me? The next time you have to wrap a gift, try it while wearing oven mitts, and give yourself a time limit of five minutes. It's not so easy! When we did it for the corporate holiday parties, the audiences were on their feet and screaming & cheering for their favorites!

Happy Holidays!

I hope you are all having a FABULOUS time! On Christmas Eve, I invited a bunch of friends & family over to my place, and we had a delightful wine tasting! Lots of great wines and foods to go along with it.

The next day, I invited more people over and had a fun barbeque. Lots of great food and fun times. It truly was a great way to cap off the Christmas Holiday.

Of course, this holiday season is a great time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. On the Tuesday before Christmas, I did a benefit presentation for Lokahi Giving Project.



This is an organization that helps the needy, and during the holiday season, they coordinate special drives that bring together the community to help the less fortunate have things that they may need and enjoy. On December 23, I partnered with Lokahi and Creations in Catering to put on a fun and lively party for five deserving families in the Lokahi program who normally would not have anything special for the holidays. Creations in Catering put together a delicious spread of food, and I provided some great karaoke entertainment. The children especially had a blast, coming to the microphone often to merrily sing holiday tunes. It truly was a memorable experience watching these families' faces light up as they enjoyed themselves and, for a moment, forgot about the challenges they faced.

It reminded me of what this holiday season is all about: giving.

Special thanks to MIKE RABE, Ted, Frances, Ron, Barbara, and the rest of the Creations in Catering staff for helping to create such a very special production. To JOHN ROGERS with A Special Moment Photo & Video for documenting this event and giving the families a gift of memories. John went out of his way to get a copy of the portraits he took of the families to the families--THAT NIGHT. Is that not classy? John truly has a heart of gold. And to the staff of Lokahi, they definitely deserve kudos for what they selflessly do.

So as you enjoy the week leading up to the New Year, I hope you had a memorable and fun Christmas holiday. May you also have a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve celebration, and a successful New Year.

All the very best,

Marino M. Regalado
Certified Professional Master of Ceremonies
Ninja Entertainment

Hugh Jackman & Your Wedding

The Associated Press reports that Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine in the "X-Men" movies, Van Helsing in the 2004 motion picture of the same name, and who will star in the upcoming "Australia" with Nicole Kidman, will host the 81st annual Academy Awards.

So what does this have to do with your wedding? Plenty!

YOUR WEDDING IS VERY MUCH LIKE THE ACADEMY AWARDS.

You and your guests are the stars of the night, and you are planning a lavish evening with great food and great entertainment at a very nice location.

• Many of you will hire a producer to help you scout locations and organize the finer details of the evening...in other words, you will hire a coordinator who will help you find locations for your ceremony & reception and help you put everything together.


• You will hire a Hair & makeup artist to make you look stunning.


• You will wear a gorgeous dress to walk down the red carpet...umm, aisle.


• The men, of course, will be in tuxedoes.


• Your set designer...ummm, decorator/linen specialist/florist will help you with the decor and look of the room.


• Like the Academy Awards, you will have photojournalists & cinematographers (photographers & videographers) to document the evening and take pictures of your guests (which hopefully won't get splashed on the tabloids the next day... :)


• The awards show will have many important presenters and speakers. Your wedding will have speeches by the Best Man, Maid of Honor, and other important guests.


• The organizers of the Academy Awards take a year or more to plan for the awards show. Most of you will take a year or more to plan for your wedding.


• The Academy Awards is a big-budget production. Your wedding may be a big-budget production.

And of course, there is Hugh Jackman. As the Master of Ceremonies for the evening, he is in charge of keeping the party interesting, flowing smoothly, and dealing with any awkward pauses in the presentation. He informs the audience as to what is going on, directs the activities, and guides the presentation.

OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, HUGH JACKMAN WILL PREPARE & REHEARSE FOR HIS ROLE AS THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES.

He will not go into it unprepared. With the awards show in February, Mr. Jackman will take the next three months preparing his presentation, going over what he has to say, and rehearsing it over and over until it becomes second nature.

The result of all of Hugh Jackman's preparation and rehearsal will be a very smooth, very entertaining awards show that will be enjoyed by everyone. Those who attend will have some very good memories of what happened, especially if their movie won an award.

HUGH JACKMAN WILL NOT SIMPLY SHOW UP ON FEBRUARY 22 AND TRY TO "WING IT."

If he did, don't you think the awards show would look very unpolished and unprofessional? If the audience tuned out of the broadcast because they were not entertained, don't you think that the organizers wasted their time and money? And wouldn't the terrible news be all over the tabloids and Internet the next day, as what happened with Britney Spears' "comeback performance" at the 2007 MTV VMAs?

So for your wedding "awards show"...will you have a Master of Ceremonies like Hugh Jackman, who will be well-prepared and rehearsed for the presentation, and give you a party that you and your guests will happily remember forever? Or will you have someone who has had little preparation and will try to "wing it", potentially giving you a bad party that will be the hot topic of watercooler gossip at work or among family for years?

Stuff to think about...

Fun Icebreaker Wedding Game for People Who LOVE Going to Vegas

Here is a game we recently played at a wedding where the bride, groom, and their families LOVE going to Vegas. (In fact, that is where they went for their bachelor parties...and honeymoon. And of course, the families had to go too because they all LOVE going to Vegas.) It is very fun, interactive, and involving for your guests.

As each guest arrives and checks in at the registration table, they are each handed a playing card with specific instructions "not to lose the card, since you will be using to win some fabulous prizes later on tonight."

Right before dinner, I will recognize the banquet captain and remind the guests to please wait for him (the banquet captain) to release their table to the buffet. "In the meantime, as you are waiting..."

Throughout dinner, I will call out a poker hand. Guests will introduce themselves to other guests and try to build the poker hand I asked for. The first team that shows me their hand would win a poker chip for each member of that team.


At the end of the night, the person on each table with the most poker chips wins the centerpiece!

This is a highly fun and addictive game that can be played throughout the night. It will motivate your guests and keep the energy going throughout the presentation!

Iandell & Finley's Superbly Fun Wedding!

IANDELL & FINLEY were one couple you just absolutely love to work with. They had an amazing cast of characters and crew for their presentation, and although it was a daytime event, we helped them create a celebration that was full of energy and excitement!



I first met IANDELL and her coordinator PENNY at The Wedding Cafe by accident. I was there for another meeting, and they were meeting KRIS from On3 Photography. IANDELL had heard some very good things about me, so they called a few days later to set an appointment to meet at My Office.

From the first meeting, we knew that this would be a special party. IANDELL had very specific ideas about the look and direction she wanted her celebration to go, but she was also very open to the ideas I presented to help personalize her event and motivate her guests. Over the course of the next few months, Iandell introduced me to her "supporting cast," and I got to know Iandell's mother, her sisters, her brother, and a few of Finley's friends. Iandell, Penny, and I also worked together to create an original soundtrack for her celebration, which reflected her and Finley's unique tastes in music.

By the time November 22 rolled around, everything was set for the big premiere of Iandell & Finley's wedding at the Hale Koa Hotel. Not even dark skies and rain could have put a damper on their spirits. After a wedding ceremony in the backup location, we started the party, and guests took advantage of all of the FUN activities Iandell planned during lunchtime. Throughout the day, the mood remained festive, and the big highlight for everyone was the games to give away the bouquet & garter. The ladies played a round of Circle Dance to give away the bouquet.



The men competed in Last Man Sitting to win the garter. The two finalists were MACOY the Best Man and GRAN, a groomsman. Upon finding out what the last object was, they scrambled around the room to find it, with Macoy even grabbing the microphone and pleading with the audience to help him locate it! When Macoy finally found the object, he picked it up and tried carrying it back to the dancefloor for the win, but he had to get past Gran first, who was trying to steal the winning item away from Macoy! By this time, the audience was rolling with laughter at the hilarity of the entire moment!



Overall, it was truly a sensational event that gave a lot of happy & lasting memories to Iandell, Finley, and their guests. On a more personal note, their wedding was a reminder to me about why I enjoy doing this.

Here is a copy of their reception timeline.

Sequence	Time	Event
0	9:30am	Wedding Ceremony
1	10:00am	Cocktail Hour; Doors to the DeRussy Hall open to the guests; iVideo Guestbook and Candy Bar to entertain guests
2	10:45am	Welcoming of Guests; Grand Entrance
3		First Dance; Greetings & Welcome by the Newlyweds
4	11:00am	Announcements (e.g., parking validations, restrooms, candy bar, ivideo guestbook, etc.); Invocation/Prayer Before The Meal by Iandell’s aunt SUSAN
5	11:15am	Meal; IANDELL & FINLEY to take table photos and release the tables; Kissing Games to honor the sponsors & entertain the guests
6		Song serenade by Iandell’s brother AARON; hula performance by Iandell’s friend PENNY
7		Recognition of Family, Sponsors, Out-Of-Town Guests
8		Cake Cutting
9		Toast & speech by Maid of Honor CHARISSE; Speech & Mabuhay toast by Best Man MACOY
10		Bouquet & Garter activities (Bouquet Surprise; Circle Dance; special gift presentation; garter removal; Last Man Sitting; Reverse Garter)
11		Centerpiece Giveaway (Hot Centerpiece Time)
12		Video slideshow produced by TROY; Ceremony Highlights presented by ADVANCED VISUAL ARTS
13		Money Dance
14		Open Dancing
15	2:00pm	Music ends

And here is the soundtrack for their celebration.

1. Pitbull - Lets Get Krazy (Grand Entrance background riff)
2. Pitbull - Lets Get Krazy (Grand Entrance main riff)
3. Visa commercial clip (for Grand Entrance)
4. American Idol sound clip (for Grand Entrance)
5. Estelle - American Boy (Grand Entrance main riff)
6. Estelle - American Boy (Grand Entrance background riff)
7. Hail to the Chief (Macoy Grand Entrance intro)
8. Lil Wayne - Fireman (Grand Entrance Instrumental edit)
9. Motley Crue - Without You (First Dance)
10. Jessica Simpson - Angels (karaoke version) (song performance by AARON)
11. Keali'i Reichel - Kawaipunahele (hula by PENNY)
12. Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion (cakecutting edit)
13. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child Of Mine (CHARISSE’S toast intro edit)
14. Akon - Locked Up (MACOY’S toast intro edit)
15. INXS - Need You Tonight (bouquet ladies to floor instrumental edit)
16. INXS - Need You Tonight (Circle Dance edit)
17. Natalie Merchant - Kind & Generous (bouquet presentation edit)
18. Herb Alpert - Love Potion #9 (Garter Removal)
19. Guns N Roses - Welcome to the Jungle (Last Man Sitting)
20. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On (Reverse Garter)
21. Shrek soundtrack - I'm A Believer (Reprise) (Reverse Garter Reveal)
22. Vengaboys - We Like To Party (Centerpiece Game)
23. Various - Love Remix (Money Dance)
24. Petula Clark - You & I (dedication to Iandell’s mom JOSEPHINE)
25. B52s - Love Shack (Grand Finale/Last Song)

Special thanks to the following "production crew" who helped make this presentation very FUN, STRESS-FREE, UNIQUE, and MEMORABLE for Iandell & Finley.

PENNY SNELL, Iandell's good friend & coordinator, and Penny's awesome husband TROY
KRIS LABANG with On3 Photography (many of the pictures on this post were taken by him! Thank you, Kris!)
GREG VENTURA, ANDY, BRUCE, & KYLE with Advanced Visual Arts
TONY BARNHILL with iVideo Guestbook
TANNA & BRYSON DANG with The Wedding Cafe, for ideas & support

OWA Halloween Fun

Yesterday, I provided music and served as the Master of Ceremonies for the Oahu Wedding Association's annual Halloween Party.



This year, the event was held at WENDY ROBIN'S Studio W of Honolulu. The fun was evident from the get-go, with people arriving in costume:







The low-key costume contest was entertaining, and the delicious food by VANESSA HOLINGER with Beaches & Backyards Catering was 'ono (delicious). The food was sooo good that all of it (except for six pieces of sushi) were eaten!

All in all, it was a very lively and entertaining experience.



Special thanks to last night's "Production Crew" for making the event such a success:

• Dave Miyamoto & Michelle Gouda, Dave Miyamoto & Co.
• Wendy Robin, Studio W of Honolulu
• Vanessa Hollinger, Beaches & Backyards Catering
• Kris Labang, On3 Photography, for taking all of these great images
• Dina (Wendy's friend), for letting us use her studio next door as well

Thanks also to Ryan Pierce from Lift Your Spiritz for the fun spontaneous flair bartending demonstration!



And to those who came, thank you!

Find more images of this event here on the Oahu Wedding Association blog.

Images & more from Chris & Tia's wedding

In my last blog post, I wrote about how honored I was to be performing at Chris & Tia's wedding last Saturday. I wrote about how I wasn't just making announcements for five hours...I helped them and their families create a lifetime of memories.



Documenting the memories were Kim & Nate from Aihara Visuals, and they have teaser pics up on their blog. Check it out!

This is one of my favorites:



Tia, Chris, and their guests are surely having a lot of fun, aren't they?

Here's another one:



You may be wondering why there is a picture of a Heineken bottle instead of a table number. It was one of the fun ways we personalized Chris & Tia's wedding and how we got the guests involved during dinner.

Those who know Chris & Tia know that they are very social drinkers and connoisseurs of beers and spirits, and they and their friends are very knowledgeable about drinks. So instead of the banquet captain traditionally releasing their tables to the buffet, we played a game! Each table was named after one of Chris & Tia's favorite beers or spirits, and throughout the evening, I would read trivia about these drinks. Guests would guess which spirit or drink I was speaking of, and when they guessed correctly, the table named after the spirit would go next to the buffet. Instead of guests simply sitting bored at their tables, guests got into the fun by yelling out the answers and encouraging the correct tables to go to the buffet! And for those guests who were not drinkers, it helped them to understand one of Chris & Tia's major passions.

Tables were named after the following spirits and were released in random order unless otherwise noted:

• Dirty Skyy Vodka Martini - Chappell/Waits Family Table, first to be released
• Jameson Whiskey - Sablan/Hayami Family Table, second to be released
• Newcastle English brown ale
• Bass English pale ale
• Guiness Irish dry stout (mmmm...Guinness...yum)
• Red Stripe Jamaican lager beer
• Boddingtons English bitter, "the Cream of Manchester"
• Heineken Dutch pale lager
• Pabst Blue Ribbon American beer
• Spicy Bloody Mary
• Bushmill Irish Whiskey

Here's how Chris & Tia's final timeline looked like:

Sequence	Time		Event
0	4:30pm		Wedding Ceremony in the Maile Gardens
1	5:30pm		Doors to the Waikiki Ballroom open to the Guests; Cocktail Hour; Receiving Line
2	6:30pm		Welcoming of Guests, Grand Entrance, Greetings & Welcome by the Newlyweds
3			Announcements (e.g., parking validations, restrooms, etc.); Invocation/Blessing of the Meal by Chris’ uncle TIM
4			Meal (Favorite Beers Table Release; Kissing Games)
5	7:30pm		Recognition of Family & Out-Of-Town Guests
6			Cake Cutting
7			Toasts & Speeches by Maid of Honor MYLA; Best Man DAMON; Chris’ father GEORGE; Chris’ stepfather WAYNE
8			Bouquet & Garter Activities (Bouquet Surprise; Traditional Bouquet Toss; Traditional Garter Removal & Toss; Reverse Garter)
9			Centerpiece Giveaway (Hot Centerpiece Time)
10			Video Slideshow, presented by NORTH SHORE VIDEO PRODUCTIONS
11			Mother/Son Dance (Chris dances with his mother TERRI) (No Father/Daughter Dance)
12			“Father/Daughter” Dance (Chris dances with Tia’s daughter ABIGAIL)
13			First Dance, into Money Dance
14			Open Dancing
15			Grand Finale

And here is Chris & Tia's final reception soundtrack:

1. Kool & The Gang - Celebration (Bridal Party Grand Entrance edit)
2. KC & The Sunshine Band - Get Down Tonight (Chris & Tia's Entrance edit)
3. Bryan Adams - Cuts Like a Knife (cake-cutting)
4. Natasha Beddingfield - Pocketful Of Sunshine (Maid of Honor toast intro edit)
5. Bob Marley - Jammin (Best Man toast intro edit)
6. AHA - Take On Me (instrumental - women to floor for bouquet)
7. The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (bouquet catch edit)
8. Guns N Roses - Welcome to the Jungle (instrumental - men to floor for garter)
9. Herb Alpert - Love Potion #9 (Garter Removal & Toss)
10. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On (Reverse Garter)
11. Shrek soundtrack - I'm A Believer Reprise (RGarter Reveal)
12. Vengaboys - We Like To Party (Centerpiece Game)
13. Kenny Rogers - Through the Years (Mother/Son Dance edit)
14. Temptations - My Girl (Father/Daughter Dance edit)
15. Jimmy Cliff - Rebel In Me (First Dance)
16. Spandau Ballet - True (Money Dance)
17. Percy Sledge - I'll Be Your Everything (Special Dedication to Rachell & Shawn)
18. Semisonic - Closing Time (Last Dance)

Special thanks again to Kim & Nate from Aihara Visuals, as well as Les from North Shore Video Productions, for documenting Chris & Tia's story. They are all awesome people to work with! Mahalo to the catering and banquet staffs at the Hale Koa Hotel for being so super, too!

This is why I do this.

Meet RACHELL & SHAWN, happily married three years ago, on September 17, 2005.

It was truly an honor to be a part of their celebration and the wonderful memories that were created that night.  They have such a loving and supportive family and friends,and I was blessed to be a part of all of it three years ago.


So three years later, when Shawn's brother CHRIS finally decided to marry his longtime love TIA on October 4, they called me.  They had told me that, in between Shawn & Rachell's wedding and now, they had been to several other weddings, but none matched the passion, romance, and fun as they had experienced at Shawn & Rachell's celebration.  So it was again an honor to be asked to be a part of this family's memories.


So when October 4 arrived, it felt great to see everyone again.  Family who I had met three years ago greeted me like no time had passed, and it was amazing to see just how people have changed in three years...and how people have stayed the same.  Shawn & Rachell now have a darling baby boy.  Chris' mother TERRI is still looking lovely as ever, and Tia's daughter ABIGAIL, who was a wee little lass when I first met her, is now blooming into a precocious and active ten year old.


It dawned on me as I welcomed the guests at the start of the festivities just how special this day meant, not just to Chris & Tia, but to their families and friends.  This wasn't just about five hours of eating, laughing, and socializing...this was about coming together as a family and creating a lifetime of happy memories.


And once again, I felt truly blessed to be a part of it all.

Congratulations, Tia & Chris, on your wedding day.  It was indeed an honor to be a part of your memories...and that of your family.  I look forward to continuing to be your family's preferred party host for all of life's most significant milestones.

To my readers:


If you are already married, drop me a line and let me know how you have been doing since your wedding.  It's always nice to hear from you, and how things are different now...and how some things are still the same.


If you are getting married soon and have already reserved me for your wedding day, I look forward to helping you create a lot of positive and happy memories for you...and your family.  Memories that will indeed last a lifetime.

If you haven't booked me yet...what are you waiting for?  After all, I'm not just providing 4-5 hours of MC'ing...I will help you create a lifetime of happy memories for you and your cherished ones.

---

And on that note...the October edition of the VIP Wedding Newsletter will be arriving in your inboxes shortly! Please check it for more tips and advice to make your wedding more FUN, STRESS-FREE, UNIQUE, and MEMORABLE. This issue's main topic is on ethnic toasts: the information will help the people you ask to deliver the banzai, Mabuhay, or any other ethnic toast.



As for my married couples, read about how you and others have been faring since saying your "I Do's". For some of you who just started a family, your first Halloween with children may be right around the corner. The newsletter has some tips on how to have a safe, family-friendly Halloween.

And if you are not a member of the VIP club yet, shoot me an email so we can activate your VIP membership.

I look forward to serving you.

Birthday fun.

Not too long ago was my birthday...and to celebrate, some friends took me out to dinner at Sam Snead's Tavern at the Pearl Harbor Golf Course. Yummy food, good times, and great friends...it was nice to simply relax and not have to rehearse for a wedding the next day.

Here's the handsome birthday boy.



And my goofy nieces. They are awesome.





The food was good.



So was the Guiness.



No birthday cake, but a scoop of ice cream makes a worthy substitute.



I would like to take a moment and say "Happy Birthday" to my "birthday twin" NAOMI LEE with Les Saisons Fine Linens...born on the same date, just several years apart.

Ed & Monica Pingol = Awesome

Back in July, we helped Christy & Kris create a very unique, very memorable, very exciting presentation for their wedding celebration. They had games, surprise dances (including their version of the Evolution of Dance), and even a surprise birthday cake for the bride. Many guests approached the newlyweds at the end of the night telling them just how original and inspiring their celebration was.



To document all of this, Christy & Kris asked Ed & Monica Pingol to photograph their wedding day.



Ed & Monica recently posted some teaser shots on Ed's blog.

I have worked with many photographers...but very few artists. Ed & Monica Pingol are artists.

You can find images of their work at Kris & Christy's wedding.

Here is my favorite, a series of photos of the Reverse Garter:



Notice how much FUN everyone is having!

The pictures will show two things:

• How awesome your wedding can be if you have your wedding hosted by me!
• How awesome your wedding pictures will be if you have your wedding documented by Ed & Monica!

Where's Marino?

Yes, it has been a while since I last posted. Summertime is usually busy with weddings, and this summer was no exception. In between performing at weddings, preparing and rehearsing for weddings, and traveling, finding time to blog becomes a little challenging. But I appreciate all of the support and patience!

Recent weddings include Rayna & Tyrone on August 2:




Celeste & Craig on August 30:




Dayna & Garrett on August 31:




All were very successful, very original, and very entertaining parties. Each one had unique elements to them that made each very special. At Celeste & Craig's reception, for instance, the big highlight was the garter removal. After setting it up like a traditional garter removal, Craig went underneath Celeste's dress and pulled out..."Superman" boxers. As if that was not funny enough, Celeste then stood up, pushed Craig into the chair, and removed the garter from Craig's leg. The audience went crazy!

Shawn Starr pics of Jennifer & Kevin's wedding

Back in October, we helped Jennifer & Kevin make their Big Island wedding celebration very fun, unique, and memorable. Their photographer SHAWN STARR recently put up pictures of Jennifer & Kevin's wedding on his website. Shawn has a fabulous eye for taking fantastic wedding images, so if you want to see a sample of his work, check it out.

Work and My New Addiction

A week ago, I picked up this game at Costco. Two days ago, I got the hang of the online multiplayer mode. And with my bluetooth headset to talk to my teammates, this game has become my addiction, consistently keeping me up until the wee hours of the morning...

Once the novelty of online play wears out, it will be back to normal...

Speaking of work, ROY from Kahana writes in to ask:

Since you do this full-time, what do you do during the day while the rest of us work?

Thank you, Roy, for the wonderful question.

During the week, I actually work for this company I run. Officially, Ninja Entertainment is my employer, and like a good employee, I do have a set time that I go in to work on a daily basis. But because I know the owner, and the owner likes me, I have the flexibility to adjust my day accordingly. :) But in general, this is how my day goes.

I wake up around 6:30am almost every morning, have breakfast with my family, send them off to work, and then take care of my household chores, which include washing the dishes, restocking the water cooler, and making sure the dog has food and fresh water. Then after getting ready, I head out to the office.

At the office, I do paperwork. Like any good business, there is the administrative side of things, so during that time I return calls, set appointments, work on reception timelines, contact wedding vendors who I will be working with soon at upcoming weddings, rehearse the presentation and assemble the musical soundtrack for the next wedding, and write on my blog. Sometimes I will have a meeting with a catering director for a walkthrough of a reception site that I soon will be performing at. At other times, I will have lunch with another wedding vendor, to share ideas and to network. Most people see the five hours of the wedding reception and think that is all I do.

The reality is that I put in at least 40-60 hours before a wedding in order to ensure the success of those five hours of the event.

In the afternoon, if I have a meeting with a client, I stay later in the office for the consultation. If there is no meeting, I get off work around 5:30pm to go for a cardio workout on my road bike or do some weight-training at the gym. By 7pm, I am home, where I have dinner, spend time with family, shower, and get a hit of my new addiction. Somewhere around 2am, I go to bed.

And that is what a typical weekday is for me. Of course, things are different the week of a wedding, because the rehearsals for the wedding presentation intensify. You can read about the experience here.

And you can also read about what happens on the wedding day by clicking here.

Lucky part 3

For 6/7/08, I must have been the only wedding vendor not working on that date. The couple who originally had the date, VANGE & RODEL, moved their date to 6/14, and I was not able to rebook any other brides in that time. But that was okay because it gave me the day off to relax and do something I really enjoy doing in my spare time: ride my road bike. Cycling is my sport and passion (in addition to helping brides & grooms have awesome wedding receptions), and I manage to put in in an hour or two on the bike at least three times a week. It is rare, though, to get in a long ride, simply because there is not enough hours in the day, and on weekends, I am usually performing at a wedding. Since there was no wedding last Saturday, this was the perfect opportunity to get in a long ride. And because I had the whole day to myself (since my family had made other plans), I decided to ride around Oahu.

You did read right, I planned to ride around Oahu. For those of you interested in measuring that, it comes out to about 112 miles, and for you sports trivia buffs out there, the distance is the inspiration for the 112-mile bike leg of the Ironman triathlon. But I digress.

I started out at 7:30pm from my home in Liliha, a little later than I originally planned, but I was hoping to make good time. At my pace, it should have taken me six hours to complete the ride, 7-8 if you count in the stops here and there to refuel and rest. By 9am I was in Hawaii Kai, and by 11am I was in Kailua. My first real "pit stop" was at the Makapu'u Lookout. The weather was gorgeous, and the beach looked really inviting.



7-Eleven across from the Hygienic Store in Kahalu'u was the next stop:



I'd say I still look pretty good after riding 45+ miles.



By 1:30pm, I was in Kahuku, where I stopped for Lunch at one of the many shrimp trucks.



Icee never tasted soooo good.




By 2:45pm I was at Sunset Beach, where the weather was still just as gorgeous as it was on the east side of the island.



I reached Haleiwa at 3:15pm. The stretch of road between Haleiwa and Wahiawa (affectionately known locally here as "Pineapple Hill" because of the pineapple fields that the road intersects) is an incline, and when you couple it with a fierce headwind, made for a very, very painful experience. This killed the ride, and fortunately, I had friends who just got off work at Wheeler Army Airfield, and they graciously offered to pick me and my bike up and take me home.

Oh well, maybe next time I'll make it around the island, when I'm in better shape...

My point in sharing this with you? First, to give you a glimpse of what I do when I am not helping a bride create a fun and memorable party experience. Secondly, to show you just how lucky it is to live in Hawaii!