Wedding Stationery in Hawaii

As promised, today I have a couple of very different, yet equally great Stationery designers and distributers. I am always more than thrilled to showcase vendors that operate locally in Hawaii. It is admittedly harder to find wedding vendors here in Hawaii in comparison to other major cities like San Francisco and New York, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t exist! Enjoy these pictures and take a look at their websites for even more great ideas for invitations, place cards, thank you notes and all the accessories you need.

Emi Ink by Stacey Emi Shiroma is an adorable line of hand-made (yes, really hand-made) invitations with intricate details and fantastic designs. They are sorted by influence (ie. Asian Inspired, Island Inspired, etc.) She has a ready-made line to choose from, but I think the greatest beauty of Emi’s work is that they are so highly personable. She does custom work based upon the ideas that you will find on her website, and it is just adorable. Rhinestones, paper cut-outs and whimsical fonts are everywhere and these invitations are truly unique. I had the treat of looking at an entire display from the Emi Ink collection, and I just couldn’t get enough of it. Seriously, browse around this website – it’s wonderful!

Another plus is that because everything is hand-made, invitations are sold individually. So, if you are having a more intimate wedding and just don’t need to buy 100 invitations at a time, here is your solution! Each item on the Emi Ink website is priced for individual sale (something that you very rarely see in the stationery world) and since we commonly deal with couples who have smaller-scale guests lists, Emi Ink is a great find – both visually and practically!


"Kathryn" from the "Romantic" Collection and "Posh" from the "Contemporary" Collection


"Daisy" from the "Whimsical" Collection and "Alana" from the "Island-Inspired" Collection


"Keiko" from the "Asian-Inspired" Collection and "Cherish" from the "Contemporary" Collection

Our other featured company today is A Touch of Elegance, a Carlson Craft Company with a studio here in Honolulu! They print many of their designs here, and bring in what seems like endless amounts of other stationery from the mainland and elsewhere. Their website is extremely user-friendly and you can personalize and order your invitations directly from the website! There is a wide price range, starting from under $100.00 for 100 invitations to over $500.00 for 100 invitations, and there is no guessing here – the prices are listed for purchase and there are multiple images of each product.

The variety that A Touch of Elegance provides is unlike anything I have seen locally. These are quality materials and beautiful designs which are easily accessible and affordable.


"Purple Romance," "Silhouette," and "Simple Love"


"Cucumbers and Melons," "Elegant Edge" and "Gathered Together"


"Maple Breeze" and "Red Velvet"

The World Class Wedding Expo in Honolulu

The past few days were eventful ones for the wedding industry here in Honolulu. The World Class Wedding Expo was at the Hawaii Convention Center showcasing Hawaii’s greatest wedding vendors for brides and grooms to view products and interact with the businesses that will be making their wedding day possible.

As a general note, wedding expos are a great way to find local vendors in your area. Companies from the surrounding areas come and set up booths with samples and information about their services. It’s like making all of your first consultations in one day! OK, so maybe it isn’t that easy, but the point is: Wedding Expos are a great way to find established, talented companies that will cater to your needs.

These shows are not only great for business, but are always a learning experience for me. I am always hunting for local companies with great products and services, and walking through a bridal show is sort of like Disneyland for a Wedding Blogger like myself. I have tons of new ideas and recommendations for you all!

Keep reading tomorrow for a couple of awesome stationery artists/companies here on Oahu, and watch for Bridal Shows in your area!

A Gorgeous Garden Wedding!

Oahu Wedding is now offering a One-Day coordination service for couples who would like to be very involved in the planning process, but don’t want to worry on the special day. This is a great way to relieve tension from the bride, groom and family members. An Oahu Wedding planner is yours to confirm with your vendors and to assist and take responsibility for the events throughout the ceremony and reception.

While planning the event “from A to Z” is the best way to create a relationship and truly work with the bride and groom, these One-Day endeavors are a great learning experience for even the most experienced wedding planners. Some couples really do have great ideas, and darling accessories that we can all use for inspiration.

The following are pictures from one of our most recent weddings. Josh and Tracy had a traditional Jewish ceremony in a resort garden setting. It was truly a mix of classic customs and island flair.



Flowers by: Always Flowers, LLC
Cake by: Cakes By Abbi, Abigail Langlas
Look closely at the picture on the bottom left. Those are wooden geckos and slippers made by the bride and bridesmaids. This is what I mean when talk about creativity! They are adorable!

Lastly, I just could not leave out these favors! I did a post a couple of months ago about cookie favors and here is a perfect example. These match the color scheme for the day and the Hawaiian theme of the wedding as a whole.

An excellent Calligrapher

Hiring a calligrapher is an excellent way to add a touch of elegance to your affair. Stationery is used in a variety of ways to personalize your wedding. Invitations, save-the-date cards, table numbers, seating cards, Menus, programs, personalized favors, and many more unique implications of paper goods can really add details that make a huge difference in the look and feel of your ceremony and reception.

Today I would like to share an example of beautiful work from an artist based out of San Francisco. Tracy Joe of Tracy Joe Calligraphy does absolutely beautiful and original work from her home studio in the East San Francisco Bay Area. Her website showcases samples from previous projects and events (it is always smart to request a sample before hiring your calligrapher) and they are wonderful! She has a perfect mix of traditional beauty and modern appeal, and the art of calligraphy is just so unique in itself - her work really speaks for itself.

Here are a few of her beautiful samples:

Hilton's Mandara Spa Waikiki

Recently, I was privileged to a personal tour of the largest, and definitely one of the most beautiful spas in Waikiki. I wanted to post an informational blog about great spas and salons for brides and bridal parties. I made a few appointments and after seeing and experiencing the facilities at the Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Mandara Spa, I decided that this one deserves special recognition.

Mandara Spa is not a trademark of the Hilton, but a renowned spa and salon with location all over the world. They offer signature products and treatments only found at Mandara, and because of their size, they really do have unmatchable facilities. With every treatment, guests receive a day pass to the spas facilities, including an indoor jacuzzi, private outdoor pool, fitness center, dry and wet sauna, and lounge area. You can also purchase a day of relaxation in these facilities without purchasing a treatment for $20 (guests of the Hilton Hawaiian Village) or $24 (non-guests).

Mandara is a full-service salon and spa with services ranging from a simple manicure to a full Spa “Day of Perfect Bliss.” Their facilities include 25 massage rooms and the only triple massage room in Honolulu which is great for bridal parties, or maybe mother, daughter and grandma! You will receive professional treatment by one of Mandara’s certified massage therapists, and also have the opportunity to purchase the products that your therapists use at the boutique in the main lobby of the Spa. They carry Mandara’s signature brands, Elemis and LaTherapie. There is a soothing product for everything, girls!

This spa is also great for the men in the bridal party. Whether the plan is to relax with the guys (try the Men’s Spa Escape), or treat a special someone to a treat a special someone to a day of serenity and romance (try Exploration in Chocolate), they’ve got what you’re looking for.

This spa is particularly great for bridal parties because of the large facilities. There is plenty of room for your entire bridal party, family members and anyone else who wants to enjoy the pampering before the big event. You can choose to relax and be treated separately or together. Also, for you local brides and grooms, Mandara Spa offers 20% Kamaaina and military discounts with proof of ID.

Enjoy these pictures (the lighting with or without the flash doesn’t really do the rooms justice, but you can still get an idea of the beautiful ambiance) and consider Mandara Spa for the most important Spa day of your lives!

Wedding Accessories and Favors

Today I would just like to share a few wonderful wedding accessories. Some of the best events are those that have the smallest finishing touches – things that your guests will not expect, but will remember. When choosing these little details, keep in mind that your wedding day is about you as a couple and your favors and accessories should reflect both you and your life together.

Here are a few frills that I found particularly great:



Starting on the Top right: Chocolate covered bride and groom strawberries by Shari’s Berries. Talk about an adorable snack! She has a whole collection of decorated strawberries decorated for seasons, events and of course weddings. Top Middle: “I’m the Maid of Honor” pin from www.weddingthings.com. Hopefully, your guests will be able to figure out who’s who at the wedding, but these are great for bridal showers, bachelorette parties, etc. Top Left: “Something Blue” candle wedding favors from www.myweddingfavors.com. Perfect for the classic elegant wedding, and for those who follow tradition. The entire bottom row are by Martha Stewart. She just has so many adorable nick-knacks, I couldn’t resist sharing them (from left) Fortune Cookie Favors with personalized messages from the bride and groom (you can find the recipe on the website); “Cake for One” favors made by New York caterer, Glorious Food. These single decorative cake pieces are placed in boxes and topped with ribbon; Parasol Seating Cards in bright colors placed in a tray of sand – how wonderfully creative and perfect for a beach wedding here on Oahu, not to mention cost-effective; Linen ring pillows in various colors and patterns, created to match the feeling of your day.

The Confetti Cakes Cookbook

After my post regarding the beautiful wedding cakes at confetticakes.com, the designers there contacted me with news from their company that is too awesome not to share:

Elisa Straus, head designer and owner of Confetti Cakes has just released the company’s first book! It is filled with great pictures of her creative ideas and step-by-step instructions about how to make the cakes and create the artwork that they become.

Look back at my original post and notice the wedding cake in the top right corner of the arrangement of pictures. Elisa calls that a Pink and Chocolate Embroidery Cake. Her book actually includes instructions on how to create the design in the frosting! Not only is this book great for wedding reference and inspiration, it is also a great cookbook (Elisa’s cakes are no JUST beautiful – they are also delicious). Use it for your baking needs and get ideas for adorable desserts for any occasion.

The book was released in May and is selling in all major bookstores for $29.99 (although, we did find it at barnesandnoble.com for $21.59 on sale). So if you are in a mood for creativity and sweet goodness, here’s a word of advice: Buy this book!