Sukhi and Gordy’s Ballroom Layout from Video 21 Productions on Vimeo.

I had a blast working with Sukhi and Gordy to help them create a traditional Sikh Indian style wedding with a modern flair.  The couple, who live in Vancouver B.C., hired us to plan both their ceremony and reception, as well as a luncheon right after the ceremony.  In typical Indian fashion, the ceremony and luncheon were held earlier in the day with the reception / dinner starting later that evening.  We decided that using the black and silver linens on the tables with the dramatic black glass vases filled with warm vibrant colored florals would be a good way to incorporate the modern elegance they were looking for.  We  brought in black leather lounge furniture, as well as placed additional over sized large black glass vases filled with black bamboo and silver tipped sticks throughout the venue to add more drama.  We draped the stage area behind the d.j. booth with a cool textured hanging curtain and also draped off part of the high ceilings in the room above the dance floor to help make the large room seem more intimate and comfortable.   Red lighting was used throughout the setting as well, in order to create the warm feeling that we wanted to portray.  As the sun set for the evening the beautiful red glow of the room became more apparent and created a nice “night club” style vibe for the remainder of the evening.  This couple and their guests had a great time dancing the night away and partying til dawn.  It was an exciting event to work on and to finally see the entire event come together was awesome.  Check out these links to see the highlights from this event.

1.  Do allow enough time for friends and family to plan their trip over with you.  Many of your guests may need time to request vacations, plan their budgets etc. so giving them plenty of leeway, will help ease stress for everyone.

2.  Do create a realistic budget upfront.   Many of my clients have never planned or even given much consideration as to the costs for many of the wedding related items and vendor services they require.  This is totally normal, as it isn’t everyday that one hires a videographer to follow them around for a day, right?  So, in order to come up with a realistic budget, speak to someone who is familiar with the location and the vendors in the area who can give you some basic pricing for the various services you will need.  Trying to plan a full scale wedding for 100 guests with $10,000. is probably a “little” unrealistic.   So, speak to a wedding specialist before you get started in order to set your budget and make sure that you will be able to have the wedding of your dreams with the amount you have.

3.  Do your homework.  Hawaii is one of the most popular destinations in the world for weddings.  There are many wedding vendors and many options for pretty much everything you will need.  While I realize that all of the information out there online can be completely overwhelming, I just suggest that you cover all of your bases as you go thru the planning process.   If someone offers to serve a meal for your 100 guests for $2000.00, I would really be a bit skeptical.  If it sounds like too good of a deal, be a bit wary.  There are many vendors here that do offer these types of deals, however, the quality and service that you will get will most likely be sub-standard.  Ask your vendors  if they know of, or have worked with your other vendors before, in order to get some feedback.

4.   Don’t panic or get stressed out if small things go wrong.  Perfection is of course, always expected, however there are almost always small items that happen throughout the day that maybe aren’t quite according to plan.  Have a realistic attitude and don’t sweat the small stuff.

5.   Do plan for the heat!  Hawaii is almost always warm and sunny.  Tell your guests to dress cool and please don’t make your groom to be, wear a suit or a tuxedo!  He will be much happier in a nice dress shirt or a nice island style button down.  Pants are o.k, although many of my clients have a back up pair of nice shorts to change into if the heat get’s to be too much.  Shoes are another thing that you may decide to make optional.   If you are getting married on the beach, shoes can be a little unnecessary.  If you are having a more formal affair at a resort or private estate, shoes are fine.