Oahu Wedding Association's saywhat: News, Information, & Gossip About Hawaii Wedding Professionals

OWA-NACE table contest- teams

Themes and table prices.
 
 1 (feathers, black backdrop, dark colors): Sue-V, China Anderson. $1000 
 
 2 (Moroccan theme): Naomi Lee, Kelly Sugano. $1500 (overall winner) 
 
 3 (Carved watermelon & fruits):Dianna Shitanishi/ Naomi Lee. $625 
 
 4 (elegant display): Michelle Garabay/ Naomi Lee $550 
 
 5 (carved tree trunk centerpiece, organic "natural" design): Karine 
 France-Matsumoto, Emi Hanamizu. $367 
 
 6 (elegant tablescape, personalized accents): Susan O'Donnell, China, 
 Aubrey & Eric (Na Mea Maika'i), Friston Ho'okano. $538 (runner-up) 

OWA-NACE table contest- Hawaii's top designers

  

 

OWA/NACE Hawaii Joint Meeting Tabletop Design Contest Rules

Are you planning to participate in the TABLETOP DESIGN CONTEST at the upcoming OWA/NACE Hawaii joint meeting? In addition to the cash prizes to be awarded at the end of the night, this is your opportunity to showcase your design skills and talents.

Here are the rules to participate:

• Teams will consist of a minimum of two people, and a maximum of four people.
• There is a $40 entry fee per team.
• Your design will be a scaled-down design for a table of four. Sheraton Waikiki will supply a 30" round table and four standard banquet chairs. You are free to bring your own. If you want to use Sheraton's equipment (e.g., silverware, china, linens, etc.), please submit a list of your needs to OWA President Dave Miyamoto so he can request the items on your behalf from the hotel. Your list is due no later than Monday, October 4. In addition, if you are bringing in your own specialty items (e.g., linens, furniture, etc.) and need access to the loading zone area, please advise Dave so that the hotel can be notified.
• Decor setup time will consist of two hours on the day of, between 3:30-5:30pm. All decor must be brought on location that day and will be taken down at the end of the event.
• Setup location is the Ni'ihau Room Foyer.
• Your team will need to provide the price and information for your design, based on a table of ten (10).
• Your final design and layout will be kept anonymous for judging and will not be revealed until winners are announced at the end of the night. This gives you a fair, unbiased opportunity to be judged on your creativity and talents rather than your popularity among your friends and colleagues.

Members of both organizations will vote to pick the winning entries.

To register your team for this event, please contact your organization's president:

NACE Hawaii: Herb Yamamoto, herb.yamamoto@pacificbeachhotel.com or 921-6194 (office) or 782-0132 (cell)
OWA: Dave Miyamoto, owapres@gmail.com or 396-5599

Thanks to OWA Past President Susan O'Donnell for putting together the rules for this contest. Good luck with your design!

You're Invited: The Upcoming OWA/NACE Hawaii Joint Meeting

You're invited!
 

  The Oahu Wedding Association and the Hawaii Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives invite you to a night of fun, entertainment, and more as the two industry associations join forces to throw the industry party of the year! The party is on October 13 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel (2255 Kalakaua Avenue).

Highlights of the meeting will include:

• A keynote presentation by Kelly Sanders, General Manager for the Sheraton Waikiki, on "Closing the Deal In This Economy,"
• Tours of Sheraton's newly renovated facilities,
• Special lighting by Mystical Sounds Productions,
• Musical entertainment by Ocean's Fire Band,
• A very special, locally grown dinner menu, utilizing the freshest ingredients from local farmers and producers,
• And the TABLETOP DESIGN CONTEST. (Click here for rules and information about the contest.)

OWA Members, please RSVP by October 9th. Your investment to be there is $30.

See you at the party!

Hawaii Wedding Professionals Learn About Waikiki, Eat Good Food, Have a Great Time at Willows Restaurant for OWA September Meeting

Hawaii wedding professionals spent the evening networking, sharing, and learning at last Tuesday's meeting of the Oahu Wedding Association. Rick Egged, President of the Waikiki Improvement Association and the keynote speaker of the night, spoke about the changes to Waikiki that have occurred in recent years which ultimately will help revitalize the area for visitors and kama'aina (local residents).

Attendees were also treated to an amazing spread of ono (delicious) appetizers and a variety of wines, courtesy of The Willows Restaurant.

Hawaii Wedding Professionals were also updated on future happenings with the association. Members were asked to contribute their time, talents, and resources to upcoming fundraisers like the HUGS Respite Program in December, as well as asked for their input on the direction of the association in the coming year.

Aside from the wonderful food and information, guests also took advantage of the numerous opportunities to network with many of the best wedding professionals on Oahu.

The association greatly appreciates the following individuals and companies for making last Tuesday's event a success:

• Rick Egged with the Waikiki Improvement Association, for sharing his stories, ideas, and his thoughts on the future of Waikiki;
• Keri Wood and her staff at The Willows Restaurant, for hosting the event; and
• All of the attendees, for coming out and supporting the association with your presence and participation.

The next meeting is in two weeks, on October 13, rather than typically at the end of the month. This will be the joint NACE Hawaii/OWA event. Click here for more information on this upcoming party. See you there!

OWA Videoblog Fun: Hawaii Wedding Professionals Party at The Waterfront at Aloha Tower

OWA general membership meetings are a blast!

Check out this videoblog by

OWA + Aloha Tower Waterfront from KAIMEDIA on Vimeo.

 

You're INVITED!

 September General membership meeting

When:  Tuesday, Sept 29, 2009   6-8pm

Where:  The Willows Restaurant

             901 Hausten St

Cost:  $10

Why: A Place to meet cool wedding vendors.

Board Meeting Tonite- 9/22

Board meeting tonight at Coffee Talk in Kaimuki at 5:30 pm. Eugene to present web makeover proposal and other upcoming projects. Emi to present advertising budget for 2009-2010. Members welcome. 

Hawaii Wedding Professionals Enjoy Great Food, Unique Entertainment at the Waterfront at Aloha Tower for August Oahu Wedding Association Party

Hawaii wedding professionals were treated to an incredible spread of food, an informative presentation on new social media, and some exotic entertainment at last Tuesday's Oahu Wedding Association party at the Waterfront at Aloha Tower.

The highlight of the night was a well-prepared presentation by Hawaii wedding photographer Jeanne Viggiano with Jeannemarie Photography on the importance of new social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and how she uses it effectively to market her name and establish her brand.

Guests also enjoyed getting intricate henna tattoos, as well as unique and up-close bellydance performances by male dancer Michael Azure and tribal fusion dancer Natalie Phoenix.  It went well with the Morroccan-inspired theme found throughout the decor.

The food, as prepared by Chef Chai from Chai's Island Bistro and the chefs at Gordon Biersch Restaurant, was another highlight.  Guests enjoyed the delicious spread, and they were able to speak to chef Chai about his creations.

Of course, part of the fun was in the networking, and with the nice weather and festive atmosphere, Hawaii wedding professionals took advantage of the opportunity to connect.

Many hands went into making this month's party a success, but the Oahu Wedding Association would like to thank the following in particular:

• Jeanne Viggiano with Jeannemarie Photography, for the informative and inspirational presentation;
• Crystal Evans, David Booth, and the staff at the Waterfront at Aloha Tower, for hosting the party;
• Chef Chai from Chai's Island Bistro and the chefs at Gordon Biersch Restaurant, for the ono food;
• Dave Miyamoto with Dave Miyamoto & Company, for taking the great photos you see here;
• Marino M. Regalado with Ninja Entertainment and The Voice of Your Celebration, for once again being the "ringmaster" of last night's festivities;
• Troy Michael with Troy Michael DJ Entertainment, for providing the screen & projector for Jeanne's presentation;
• Natalie Phoenix & Michael Azure, for the great belly dancing entertainment;
• Jennifer & Dennis with Hawaii Tents & Events, for the the beautiful tents and the Morroccan-inspired design;
• Naomi Lee with Les Saisons and Vignette, for the gorgeous decor and linens that made the space come alive;
• Sean, Kalani, and Eliza with Mobile Gamer Guys, for the fun Guitar Hero and racing games;
• And of course, YOU, for being there and helping to make this party another success!

The next meeting is on September 29 at the Willows Restaurant.  Rick Egged with the Waikiki Improvement Association will be our keynote speaker, and he will talk about the changes, events and purpose of the Waikiki Improvement Association and how it relates to the Honeymoon/Romance Industry.  We'll see you there!

Upcoming Oahu Wedding Association Meetings & Events

Mark your calendars for the following parties and events that are coming up:

Tuesday, August 18: Join the OWA Board of Directors for the monthly board meeting and leave your input on the direction that the association will take for the second half of the year and beyond. Topics to be discussed include:

• The budget for the rest of the year and next year
• Revamping of the website
• Upcoming community service projects
• Agendas & updates on upcoming 2009 meetings
• Possible print advertising for 2010
• And more.

The meeting begins at 5:30pm and will be held at CoffeeTalk in Kaimuki. Your 2009 board greatly appreciates your participation and input! We'll see you there.

Monday, August 24, and Wednesday, August 26: Join OWA VEEP Marino M. Regalado (Ninja Entertainment) in two bike rides this week. Relieve the stress of the month by getting some exercise, networking with other Hawaii wedding professionals, and eating some good healthy food afterward. Click here for more info and rules, based on past rides.

Tuesday, August 25: Join the monthly Oahu Wedding Association Party at the Waterfront at Aloha Tower. Registration & check-in starts at 5:30pm. There will be great food, opportunities to network with Hawaii wedding professionals, and much more. Don't forget to bring a "goodie bag" of stuff, which will be given to the North Shore homeless community at a once-a-month church, or to the Next Step Homeless Shelter in Kakaako if there is enough to go around to both. Your goodie bag can include small travel-sized hotel shampoos & stuff you've collected from your travels, as well as canned goods, Spam, or nonperishable food products.

We'll see you at the upcoming parties & events!