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

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.

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.

Astrid & Charlie's fun, chic, and memorable wedding reception

After months of planning and preparation (even down to the wire by the newlyweds), the wedding of ASTRID & CHARLIE last Saturday, May 31, happened even beyond their expectations! When I first met them, they said that they wanted a really interactive, really fun, and very chic and elegant party to entertain their guests, many of whom had flown in from around the world to be there. We had guests not only from Hawaii and California, but also family from as far as the Philippines and London. (Complete with sexy British accent!)

Before going further, it's helpful to read what went into preparing for Astrid & Charlie's wedding day, in order to give you some perspective into what was done to ensure a successful celebration. This post will be more about the results, and Astrid & Charlie's "return on investment".

As I wrote in my last post, I had gotten up on Saturday, May 31, actually around 8:30am. I had breakfast, spent some time with my nieces, and hung out with family. Around 2:30pm, we left home for the beautiful drive to Ko Olina. Arriving at 3:00pm at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort, the weather was gorgeous and sunny--a perfect day for a wedding! After quickly unloading the sound equipment and moving the van to the parking structure, we began setup around 3:30pm. By then, DIANNA with Hawaii Weddings and Events was putting the final touches on the decor and working well with the banquet staff at the Ihilani to ensure a stunning and chic atmosphere.



RICK & SASHA from Cakelava were there too, setting up the beautiful wedding cake.



I quickly set up the sound equipment, ran through the soundcheck, and changed into my tuxedo--ready for Astrid & Charlie to arrive.

By 5:30pm, most of the guests had arrived, and they were enjoying pupu (appetizers), drinks, and beautiful weather on the lanai outside of the Lurline Room. After quickly sitting the guests, lining up the wedding party, and warming up the audience, it was showtime!

"On behalf of the Flores & Ruiz families, it is my pleasure to introduce to you...your wedding party!"

With that, the presentation was underway! The Grand Entrance was a fun and exciting affair, with the party dancing their way in to the music of Pink's Get This Party Started. Not to be outdone, the newlyweds came in with arms above their heads to a standing ovation. The atmosphere was electric! And it remained that way throughout the evening. A fun trivia game kept the guests guessing, laughing, and running to the podium in between courses. The ladies had a fun time with the Circle Dance, a bouquet presentation activity. The highlight for many was the garter game Last Man Sitting, an activity that involved not only the unmarried men, but the audience as well. Because it was a small intimate group (around 65 guests), the action was fast & furious as the men worked with the audience to stay in competition. When we were down to the final two, the game became even more crazy, since the winner would be the first man to text message Charlie with Astrid's married name! The game even went outside to the lanai because the groom and final two contestants lost cellular signal halfway through the texting!





The rest of the night was fun and full of energy. The centerpiece game kept the momentum going. Guests enjoyed the slideshow produced by the newlyweds. And after an original and choreographed First Dance by Astrid & Charlie, the guests took to the dancefloor and danced to almost every song, even doing the Electric Slide to Rihanna's Don't Stop The Music!



All in all, from start to finish, it was an energetic and exciting affair--and most definitely memorable. After the reception, many guests told Astrid that their wedding certainly stands out as being one of the most memorable ones. Behind the five hours of superb celebrating, the 40-60 hours of preparation and rehearsals really made a difference in the success of the party. In the end, it's not about the time spent preparing for the wedding, nor the five hours of the party...it's about the memories that last a LIFETIME.



Special thanks also to JAMES, JOHN, & MARTY from Crane Media Productions, as well as PAUL HAYASHI and his assistant JENNY for documenting this event. Mahalo kakou (Thank you) to RENEE, KEITH (awesome banquet captain), GIDGET, KALAI, DEAN, and the rest of the Ihilani staff for taking care of the newlyweds and guests, and for the ono (delicious) food. Thank you to LESLEY (my assistant), not only for being a super-fantastic assistant and for hitting all the music cues perfectly, but also for taking the great photos you see in this post. Along with DIANNA from Hawaii Weddings and Events, they were all fabulous to work with and made my job as the emcee/entertainer so much easier. If you are looking for a great team to make your wedding day as stress-free as possible, consider these vendors (with me, of course!).

Here is the final timeline for Astrid & Charlie's celebration:

Sequence	Time	Event
0	2:00pm	Convalidation Ceremony at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
1	4:30pm	Cocktail Hour outside on the lanai; Doors to the Lurline Room open only after ASTRID & CHARLIE have seen the untouched room; ASTRID & CHARLIE to take photos around property
2	6:00pm	Welcoming of Guests, Grand Entrance
3		Greetings, Welcome, & Acknowledgements by the Newlyweds
4		Announcements (e.g., parking validations, restrooms, etc.)
5		Invocation/Prayer Before The Meal by Charlie’s niece JESSICA
6		First course (soup) (Trivia Game to determine first table to be served; Song Serenade to include & entertain the guests; both activities repeat throughout the evening during and between all courses)
7		Recognition of Family & special guests
8		Second course (salad)  (see special note below)
9		Main course (entrée)
10		Toasts & speeches by Astrid’s sister AYESA; Best Man DANIEL
11		Dance Performance by Charlie’s family
12		Cake Cutting
13		Dessert course
14		Video/slide Show
15		Bouquet & Garter Activities (Circle Dance, Last Man Sitting)
16		Centerpiece Giveaway (Hot Centerpiece Time)
17		Father/Daughter Dance
18		Mother/Son Dance
19		First Dance (choreographed) (no money dance)
20		Open Dancing
21		Grand Finale
		*  Special note: ASTRID & CHARLIE to take sunset photos with PAUL  around 6:40pm; sunset @ 7:18pm

Here is their soundtrack:

1. Pink - Get the Party Started (Wedding Party Grand Entrance Extended Instrumental) (6:17)
2. Ventures - Hawaii 5-0 (Bride & Groom Entrance) (1:54)
3. Alisha's Attic - Alisha Rules The World (Bridesmaid toast intro edit) (1:30)
4. Duran Duran - Wild Boys (Best Man toast intro edit) (1:52)
5. James Taylor - How Sweet it is (cake cutting) (3:39)
6. Weather Girls - It's Raining Men (instrumental) (unmarried women to the dancefloor)(4:08)
7. Weather Girls - It's Raining Men (circle dance edit) (0:18)
8. Baha Men - Who Let The Dogs Out (instrumental) (single men to dancefloor) (3:16)
9. U2 - Mission Impossible Theme (Last Man Sitting Edit) (3:14)
10. Vengaboys - We Like To Party (Centerpiece Game edit) (3:14)
11. Natalie & Nat King Cole - Unforgettable (Father/Daughter dance edit) (1:58)
12. Israel Kamakawiwoole - Somewhere Over The Rainbow What A Wonderful World (Mother/Daughter Dance edit) (2:06)
13. Julia Fordham ft the Foundations - Hope Prayer and Time (Buttercup edit) (First Dance) (3:53)
14. Kool & The Gang - Celebration (First song to open dancefloor)(5:00)
15. Patti Austin - If I Believe (Special dedication to VIVIENNE & ADEL) (3:28)
16. Seals & Crofts - Summer Breeze (3:25)
17. Joshua Kadison - Beautiful in my Eyes (4:09)
18. Maureen Mcgovern - Very Special Love (4:13)
19. Simply Red - Stars (4:08)
20. Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl (3:05)
21. KT Tunstall - Big Black Horse and the Cherry Tree (4:56)
22. Santana ft Rob Thomas - Smooth (4:58)
23. Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes - (I've Had) The Time of My Life (Last Dance/Grand Finale) (4:45)

Music for cocktail hour and dinner was a mix of Hawaiian music and Broadway love songs. For dancing, a wide mix of music was requested, and we played everything from some oldies all the way to Rihanna and Justin Timberlake. My favorite part during the open dancing was the cool mix of 80s music that was requested and played, including some classic Michael Jackson, Madonna, ABBA, and Bee Gees. When the guests started doing the whole "Stayin' Alive" thing, there was no turning back...

Aloha to our new readers!

The latest Wedding Newsletter is out, and there are a bunch of links within it to this blog! So all of my new readers and visitors...



The latest newsletter has a bunch of ideas and links to help brides-to-be create really FUN, STRESS-FREE, and UNIQUE receptions that they and their guests will REMEMBER FOREVER. There also some ideas for newlyweds on how to keep the romance and passion going long after the "I Do's" have been said.

If you are not on the VIP List, shoot me an email at weddings[at]ninjaentertainment.com, and I will certainly add you!

Wini & Kin's wedding celebration!

WINI & KIN's wedding last Saturday was certainly a unique one: NO DANCING. Yep, the couple were sure that their guests would not dance, so instead they wanted to do something different to entertain them. In fact, Wini & Kin did not even have a First Dance or Money Dance!

So with no dancing, how do you keep 280 guests entertained so as to prevent them from leaving early?

You create a very personalized party that involves the guests throughout the presentation and is a reflection of who the bride & groom is.

We helped Wini & Kin create a celebration fully loaded with interactive activities that engaged the audience throughout the whole night. From the moment they arrived, there was something going on. As they checked in, guests were offered scrips, which they would redeem later on that night for prizes. During dinnertime, the guests tapped the glasses eagerly to see other people kiss, as we did the Kissing Games to keep the guests entertained as they waited for their turn to the buffet. Instead of the traditional bouquet toss, the ladies participated in the Circle Dance, a unique and organized way of presenting the bouquet.

After the traditional garter toss, the garter winner (BEN, one of the groomsmen) thought he was putting the garter on DIANNA, the woman who won the bouquet, but instead, we did the Reverse Garter. Ben, blindfolded and unaware, actually put the garter on another man's leg, and the audience went crazy!

After a "surprise" song serenade by the groom (which caused many of the guests to cry), we played more games like Last Man Sitting, Golf Ball Chop, and The Raffle. In a reception where you would think many would go home once the formal events ended, surprisingly, many guests remained until the very end!

It just goes to show that having a good DJ is nice to have at the end of the night...but having someone who knows how to emcee and entertain the guests for the four hours of the formal program is even much more important! After all, you can hire the best DJ with the best sound system and biggest music library in the whole world...but if your guests do not enjoy themselves during the program and leave once dancing starts, was it not a waste of money and time?

On the other hand, you can have a mediocre DJ at the end of the night, but if your emcee creates such a lively and engaging program which your guests will remember forever, wasn't it worth the investment in a great emcee? Especially if your guests stick around to dance because they had such a great time beforehand?

For Wini & Kin, having music at their reception was not really important...but having a stress-free, unique, and memorable celebration was.



This is the final timeline for Wini & Kin's wedding reception:

Sequence	Time	Event
0	2:00pm	Wedding Ceremony at Atherton Chapel (Central Union Church), followed by photos with SHAWN STARR
1	5:30pm	Cocktail Hour; Doors to the Leahi Ballroom open to the guests; Receiving Line
2	6:30pm	Welcoming of Guests, Grand Entrance
3		Greetings & Welcome by the Newlyweds
4		Announcements (e.g., parking validations, restrooms, etc.)
5		Lion Dance by the WAH NGAI LION DANCE ASSOCIATION
6		Recognition & stories about the Families, by Wini’s friends ALAN & JAN
7	7:00pm	Meal Kissing Games to entertain the guests as they wait for their turn to the buffet Sometime during dinner, WINI to change into 2nd gown Towards the end of dinner, WINI & KIN WAI to go around & toast each table After toasting all of the tables, WINI to change into 3rd gown
8	8:00pm	Video/slide Show, presented by WINI & KIN WAI
9		Speeches & stories by ALAN & JAN, followed by open floor
10		Speech of Gratitude & Acknowledgments by WINI & KIN WAI (they will also recognize out-of-town guests)
11		Cake Cutting
12		Bouquet & Garter Activities (Circle Dance; traditional garter removal & toss; Reverse Garter)
13		"Surprise" Musical Performance by KIN WAI
14		Interactive Games
15		Centerpiece Giveaway (Hot Centerpiece Time)

And here's their soundtrack. Please note that the links to youtube videos may not represent the final edits used for each song. In some cases, the songs were edited or cued to certain points of the music for greater impact on the presentation, or to time the music better with my vocal cues for the activity at hand. These edits were done for several days before the wedding, as part of the prep work for Wini & Kin Wai's celebration.

1. Dido - Thank You sample (thank you speech) (0:53)
2. Justin Lo - Best Thing in My Life (cake-cutting)(3:09)
3. Nelly - Hot in herre instrumental sample (unmarried women to dancefloor) (3:36)
4. Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get It Started (Circle Dance Edit) (0:24)
5. Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get It Started instrumental(unmarried men to floor) (4:47)
6. Herb Alpert - Love Potion #9 (Garter Removal & Toss) (3:03)
7. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On (Reverse Garter)(4:03)
8. Shrek soundtrack - I'm A Believer(Reverse Garter Reveal) (1:12)
9. TV THEMES - Price Is Right (Raffle Game) (7:55)
10. U2 - Mission Impossible Theme (Last Man Sitting Edit) (3:14)
11. Danny Elfman - PeeWee edit (Golf Ball Chop edit) (3:45)
12. Boots Randolph - Yakety Sax (Benny Hill Theme - Heineken/chopsticks game) (4:28)
13. FRANK SINATRA - LOVE AND MARRIAGE (Newspaper poetry game edit)(2:35)
14. Vengaboys - We Like To Party (Centerpiece Game) (3:14)

Music for cocktails and dinner consisted of a great mix of jazz, love songs, and Chinese music specifically chosen by Wini & Kin. Grand entrance music was performed live by Wini's cousin PATRICK, a classically trained violinist, who played Pachelbel's Canon in D as the wedding party entered.

Special thanks to ALAN & JAN, who co-hosted the party with me last Saturday. Originally, they were asked to emcee the entire five-hour event, but thankfully for them, they only had to tell stories about the couple and make a few announcements in Chinese for the Chinese-speaking-only guests. Most of the time, ALAN relaxed with friends and his girlfriend at his table, and JAN enjoyed herself among her friends, many of which she told me later that she had not seen since they had left for the mainland many many years ago! This was one big class reunion for them!

Wini & Kin's wedding was an awesome way to kick off the new year!