Love Notes Destination Wedding Blog » behind the scenes

Pacific Weddings Celebrates at Tommy Bahama, Wailea

Robyn Iaea — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:57:53 +0000

Tommy Bahama is the definition of laid-back luxe. They take their brand seriously, exceeding expectations in every facet from the understated clothing line to fresh island fare. Pacific Weddings was honored to invite an A-list of Hawaii wedding talents to our summer launch party, and we were all treated to the signature gracious hospitality that is Tommy Bahama. Wine pairings, several amazing courses and delicious desserts—let’s just say no one left hungry! Thanks to Maui photographer J. Anthony Martinez we have these great photos to share.

The newly renovated open-air dining room is private from the main restaurant, perfect for one of the many wedding events you may host: rehearsal dinner, welcome party or a day-after gathering. Impeccable attention to detail and quietly attentive service make it one of my favorite spots… that and the amazing chocolate butterscotch pudding! Our go-to for catering, Tommy’s will work with you to create a custom wedding menu that—like all things they do—with exceed your expectation in every way. (Flowers by Bella Bloom) xo ~robyn

Don’t Miss the Hawaii Bridal Expo in January

Robyn Iaea — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:12 +0000

The Hawaii Bridal Expo is coming up January 20th to 22nd in Honolulu at the Blaisdell Exhibition Center. Get the girls together and make a weekend of it! Kahala Limo and the PW girls will be there to hand out copies of the latest issue of Pacific Weddings and a bag full of lovelies!

Pictured above is the adorable and talented Wendy Mansperger from L’amour Photography (we’re guessing hubby Eric took this shot) and Visionari‘s sleek set up photographed by Evonne Wong. Take in fashion shows, prizes and a long list of wedding talents all under one big roof. xo ~robyn

The J.Crew Fall 2011 Catalogue: Beauty Inspiration

Shaunna Nygren — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:00:58 +0000

Dare we claim that J.Crew gave us the confidence to don a bold lip color no matter the occasion? In 2010, it was all about the orange pout in The Wedding Shop {see our favorite outtakes below}. J.Crew’s creative director Jenna Lyon continues to master that perfect combination of coral, pink and nude shades, even going so far as to collaborate with Poppy King on a signature J.Crew hue. Jenna once credited J.Crew’s head women’s stylist, Gayle, for her own adventures in bright lips. “Gayle has the boldest colors— whether it’s an orange, red or a coral,” she tells Huff Post Style. “We do what we love in the catalog as well as on JCrew.com. As we start to infuse more color combinations, when it comes to makeup, less is more. Beautiful clean fresh, bare, dewy skin, nothing on the eye, brushed browns and a flash of color on the lips. It looks great on the everyone.”

We got a sneak peek of the September catalogue via Refinery29 {they sat down with Jenna to talk beauty styling}. Looks like they’re mixing it up a bit with a softer lip to play off the vibrant colors in the Fall line. The inspiration behind the Fall 2011 Collection? “The J.Crew fall look is very classic. It was based on two movies, Bonnie and Clyde and The Great Gatsby. So, there’s a lot of whimsy, but also lots of structured garments and the color is very intense and bright. We really wanted to focus on tailoring and clean brights, so it’s more primary than we’ve done in the past. To pair the makeup with that, we played down the face a little bit and allowed the lip to pop in certain areas of the catalog.”

Jenna states with confidence, “For J.Crew it’s usually about the lip.” We couldn’t agree more.

Behind the Scenes: Marimekko Fashion Shoot Inspiration

Robyn Iaea — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:40:14 +0000

Many hours of research and design strategy go into the production of a feature story in Pacific Weddings. I thought you’d like a look behind the scenes at our style sheets for the Marimekko wedding shoot this issue (featured in yesterday’s post). This was our jumping off point for Yvonne Chapman’s team at Yvonne Design.

Think mod 50s and 6os with bold colors and mid century elements. Marimekko is all about graphic patterns, with the most recognizable design being the poppy.

PW staffer Nikki Simat assisted with pulling the looks for the day—here are a few we had in mind from BHLDN, Ivy & Aster, Sretsis, and Anne Bowen. Since many of the dresses are flown in from New York, we hold our breath to see what actually arrives! Jacque Rojas worked her magic with hair and makeup to create the retro look.

It’s always fun to see how a shoot evolves, especially when you’re working with someone as fun and talented as Frank Amodo. We barraged him with famous fashion images from the era prior to the shoot, with legendary photographer Richard Avedon among our favorites. While he was quite famous for his Parisian fashion images, the ones above were shot in a studio. Frank’s photo below was captured on the upper pool deck at The Waikiki Edition—thankfully our model is also a ballet dancer! Don’t you love the drama? xo~robyn

Submission Guidelines: How to Get Published in Pacific Weddings

Robyn Iaea — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:30:29 +0000

Whether you are a bride, a talented photographer or an event designer, we would love to hear from you! We receive hundreds of submissions each issue, so I have composed a few suggestions for getting published. What makes a submission stand out? We love a good story, gorgeous images and lots of detail shots. And the deadline to be considered for the Winter ’12 edition is October 10th, 2011. (Spreads below appeared in the Summer ’11 issue, photos by Joanna Tano and Stephen Ludwig.)

Keep in mind:

we do not accept previously published weddings (this includes blogs and printed matter)
send us 30-50 low-res photos of a single wedding or a link to the images online
an excellent description (we choose based on the photos and the story, so share your vision and inspiration as well as how you met)
credits for all wedding talent
detail shots (the more the better!)
images a minimum of 600 pixels wide
specify if you are interested in being featured on the blog or only in Pacific Weddings magazine

The not-so-fine print
Things you need to know before you submit: please resist the temptation to blog about your wedding or share the photos ahead of time with other blogs and bridal magazines. Once we break the story, we don’t mind if you share the images. (It’s a journalism thing!)
Email our art director, Halii Iaea, at halii@pacificweddings.com or yours truly at robyn@pacificweddings.com
Besides being exceptionally talented, Halii’s a really nice guy and he reviews each and every one of the submissions we receive. You can simply email your names, wedding date and location, a good description and a link to your photos. If they are not posted online, you can send us a selection of low resolution images and—viola—the submission is under way.
Give us your autograph
If your wedding is selected for publication (either online or in the magazine), you will be asked to complete a formal submission form which requires the signatures of the couple as well as a photographer’s release.
The interview
An editor will then call you to get a personal account of your story so you can share the finer (juicy) details of your courtship and wedding day firsthand.

Keep on submitting! If you are a photographer who has submitted before, don’t be discouraged. We have more opportunities than ever to share your work via our blog, website and magazine. Besides, we love to support our fellow colleagues whenever we can, so send us all your best weddings, not just one. Also keep in mind, we give preference to our sponsors out of fairness.

We look forward to hearing from you before October 10th! xo~robyn

The List of PW Preferred Wedding Talent

Robyn Iaea — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:00:04 +0000

Over the past twelve years, we have curated an extensive “little black book” of wedding talent that we call “The List“. These businesses are an elite group of photographers, floral and cake designers and event planners who also happen to be super fun people to work with! If you’re a bride, this will be your planning guide (you can even download and print it as a wedding journal). And if you have a business you’d like us to consider, email Barbara Lewis (barbara@pacificweddings.com) for an invitation to be part of The List. xo ~robyn (Special thanks to the Visionari team, who photographed our gorgeous fashion spread for the Summer ’11 issue.)

Meet the Girls from Merriman’s Kapalua: A Guest Post by Elizabeth Ferrer

Robyn Iaea — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:27:01 +0000

Those who have been to Merriman’s Kapalua will tell you a few things. The location is stunning. The food, divine, and in terms of the view—simply breathtaking. But when it comes to selecting a Maui wedding location, especially from afar, I wanted to know what else makes Merriman’s Kapalua stand out from the rest. Writer and publicist Elizabeth Ferrer recently sat down with the ladies of Merriman’s, General Manager Brandi Romain (pictured left) and Events Manager Danielle Kuck (picture right), to find out just what makes getting married there so, well, special. To our surprise, the view was just the beginning.

Why Choose Merriman’s Kapalua?
Brandi: “Merriman’s is the most beautiful location on the island—for large or small parties there is no place more spectacular to have an ocean front reception. Our handcrafted cuisine by award-winning Chef Peter Merriman is the best in Hawaii, which makes a winning combination for any foodie couple.”
Danielle: “Here at Merriman’s nothing needs to be brought in. You have an ideal ceremony location with a built-in caterer and coordinator overseeing each detail from start to finish. This takes a lot of stress off couples planning their wedding from a distance.”

What advice would you give to a destination wedding couple?
Danielle: “Make sure you remember a destination wedding is all about fun! Try not to do everything yourself like you might have done at home. The reason you have chosen a destination wedding is to escape the stress of a traditional wedding. Leave the details up to a professional who knows the area, knows the vendors and can take care of the details for you.”
Brandi: “Years from now your guests will remember the view and the food. Not your favor boxes or the color of your napkins. A warm ambiance and stand out cuisine are never forgotten.”

What are trends are specific to Merriman’s Kapalua?
Brandi: “Couples love to work with our mixologists to create their own signature cocktail. Our bar staff members are ‘Certified Specialists of Spirit’ and can create a truly unique cocktail for any occasion.”
Danielle: “Maui grown Catuai coffee and hot malasadas (Hawaiian style doughnuts) are wonderful accompaniments to the wedding cake. Our homemade macadamia shortbread cookies also make great takeaways for guests.”

Summer ’11 Sneak Peek: Ojai Valley Photography Workshop

Robyn Iaea — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:22:26 +0000

I had so much fun speaking at Jill La Fleur’s Photography Workshop a few months ago in Santa Barbara, and I couldn’t wait to share a sneak peek of the gorgeous photos Jose Villa captured that day. We featured these images and more in the new Summer edition of Pacific Weddings, which will be on newsstands later this week. If you regret missing out on all the fun, then consider Jill’s next exciting workshop taking place in Maui, January 2012! Registration opens soon online.

Jill is an amazing wedding designer, and she happens to be as sweet as she is talented. After speaking at the WPPI Conference last year, she decided to launch a series of photography workshops to share her expertise more personally. Photographers had a chance to shoot alongside lensman Jose Villa to document floral details by Camilla Svensson Burns and an invitation suite by Ceci New York. Everyone’s favorite wedding blogger, Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty, gave a one-hour live Q&A on “Using the Web to Build your Brand.” The stylish Ceci Johnson flew in from New York to share her tips on branding, and cinematographer Joel Serrato stole everyone’s heart with his one-of-a-kind 8MM films (and his killer sense of humor!). Brian Greenberg of Richard Photo Lab presented the latest printing techniques and shared his business savvy. The fabulous Ojai Valley Inn & Spa offered a perfect backdrop. Tiffany Emch, Ojai’s Catering Manager of Weddings & Social Events, offered her perspective on how to make it into a resort’s A-list of preferred photographers. Believe me, there was some serious note taking happening in this jam-packed session! My husband Halii (PW’s creative director) spoke along with me about how our team selects real weddings for publication, as well as how to define a unique brand. Attendees left with more than a little inspiration!

If you’re a photographer, don’t forget to save the date in January, 2012—I promise you’ll leave with a whole new perspective. Registration opens soon online—I hope to see you there! xo ~robyn

Sneak Peek of Pacific Weddings Summer ’11 Edition: The Fashion Issue

Robyn Iaea — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:20:03 +0000

This issue is truly breathtaking. So I’ll let my words be few and allow your imaginations to conceive of the fresh ideas that encompass the 2011 Fashion Issue of Pacific Weddings. But you only have to wait until next week when the issue hits newsstands! For now, here is a taste of summer portrayed in a tantalizing mix of colors and textures, including Maggie Labaugh’s au courant wedding cakes. We’ll share a few more pages this week. xo ~robyn

Elsa Peretti’s Bottle Pendants: The Inspiration

Robyn Iaea — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:47:52 +0000

I am fascinated by the creative process and how unique it can be among individual artists. Tiffany & Co. recently emailed us Elsa Peretti’s sketches of her bottle pendants, and I thought you’d enjoy a look behind the curtain. I’m drawn to the organic, liquid quality of her pendants, a distinctive nod to the ’70s era which I love. Inspired by her visits to Italy in the 1960s, Elsa says the necklaces bring to mind the beautiful women she saw there, each with a gardenia in their hand. She wished to create a vessel that would keep the flower alive and sketched a design based on beautiful antique bottles. I picture them layered over a loose cashmere hoodie, don’t you? xo ~robyn