music"
and had seen family members serve as the hosts for those parties. Because of this, they
had been to many parties in which, although there was some good dancing in the end, no one
really stuck around because the formal program just wasn’t fun and involving to keep
the guests there. So it was a pleasant surprise when they learned that there were
entertainers who looked at the "big picture" rather than simply the hour of
dancing afterward. They became intrigued when we proposed to them some ideas on how to
make their party at the Sheraton Waikiki FUN, EXCITING, ELEGANT, & ROMANTIC.
They didn't want their party to be boring--they wanted it to be memorable! And
Marino understood their vision from the beginning...and thus was laid the groundwork for a
great wedding reception!Brandon & Hannah met Marino several times before the wedding day. The meetings were essential in helping Marino prepare for a great presentation and to better understand Brandon & Hannah's wishes. With each meeting, the program began to take shape, and by the time the last meeting took place a week before the wedding, all the details were in place. All Brandon & Hannah had to do was show up and get married!
Finally the day arrived, and the weather on August 7th was simply gorgeous. In front of family & friends, Brandon & Hannah formally became husband & wife. (They were already legally married with two beautiful children, but the wedding made it "official"!)
With the wedding over, it was time to party!
Doors opened to the guests at 5:30pm, and as they entered, they were greeted by the newlyweds and their families in a receiving line. Live upbeat Hawaiian music filled the air, and guests admired the grandeur of the night. It was such a festive ocassion!
By 6:30pm,
most of the guests had arrived, so Marino and Brandon's sister-in-law TRINA (the family
coordinator for the evening) quickly gathered the wedding party in the foyer. After
warming up the court and going over their roles, it was time to introduce them.
Brandon & Hannah chose to do a very traditional and elegant Grand
Entrance, and as each couple entered, the guests clapped. Finally, as Marino
introduced for the First Time officially as Husband & Wife, MR. &
MRS. BRANDON TORY, the guests rose to their feet and gave them an incredible standing
ovation! Hannah later remarked how the moment made her feel very honored, as all of
her 600 guests were clapping for Brandon & her! At that point, she knew she was
in for a great time.
After Brandon & Hannah quickly welcomed the guests and thanked them for coming, Brandon's father LOUIS delivered a very beautiful prayer to bless the food and festivities. Dinner began...and so did the fun! As the first wave of tables were sent to the buffet, the waiting tables began tapping the glasses to get Brandon & Hannah to kiss. But officially, they had only been married for three hours; they were "new" to this whole kissing thing. So they asked married couples in the audience to "demonstrate" how to kiss! Soon everyone was having fun and laughing as Brandon & Hannah chose fun, outgoing couples to "teach them how to kiss!" These Kissing Games helped to make dinner a very FUN & ROMANTIC time!
As dinner ended, the guests were treated to some great Tahitian
dancing & entertainment provided by the LEEWARD DANCE STARS. It was
particularly memorable when they brought Hannah & Brandon to the dancefloor to
participate...and Brandon really got into the spirit of things and made it a lot of fun!
After a quick recognition of the family, out-of-towners, and brief wedding party biographies, the speeches were next. Brandon's sister SANDRA & brother MICHAEL (who respectively were also one of the Maids of Honor and the Best Man) delivered humorous and lively speeches that kept the party entertaining. Sandra then presented a hula in honor of the couple. At the end of the dance, it was Brandon's turn to rise and lead a standing ovation for his sister!
Brandon & Hannah had agreed far in advance (at our second meeting) that the cake cutting was going to be messy. Did they back down and keep it "nice"? Nope! It simply wouldn't have been them if they didn't smash cake in each other's faces, so they did, and they laughed throughout the whole experience. So did the guests! So far, everyone was having fun and having an exciting memorable time. And it wasn't about to end...
The newlyweds wanted to make their bouquet & garter events memorable and unique, so instead of doing the traditional tosses (which they admitted to have seen at many of the past weddings they've been to), they wanted to do something different. So we suggested the Circle Dance to give away the bouquet, and Garter Removal with Props for the garter. They loved the ideas, and were even more pleased as the activities unfolded that night! As Hannah bumped into one of her favorite aunts as part of the Circle Dance, the crowd erupted with applause, and applause turned into cheers as Hannah removed her blindfold and saw who had won! Likewise, as Brandon pulled out various props in search of the garter, the audience laughed and drew closer to the dancefloor, just to be near to the action.
With everyone
having fun, we helped Brandon & Hannah take their party up another level by running
the Reverse Garter. Guests were practically doubled over with
laughter as Hannah's good friend unwittingly put the garter on Hannah's uncle TADD...and
TADD made the moment even more memorable by playing the part! And as Hannah's
friend removed the blindfold and realized he had just put the garter on a MAN, the room
exploded with incredible laughter!
With the energy running high, we maintained it with a very fast-paced and interactive centerpiece giveaway game! This also gave the videographer enough time to get set up, and as soon as they were ready, the game ended, and everyone was feeling great!
The slideshow (produced by DIGITAL EXPRESSIONS) was very elegant and beautiful, and it flowed well into the Father/Bride Dance that followed. Hannah had always been close to her father, and so this dance took on a very special meaning for everyone. As everyone shared in their moment, Hannah began to cry tears of joy...so her father CLIFFORD began to cry tears of joy...soon everyone was crying tears of joy. It was such a profound and memorable time...and it was made even more profound when, at the end of the song, as the last chords were playing, Brandon walks up to his wife and father-in-law, and cuts in. Clifford shook Brandon's hand, hugged his daughter, and gave her away to the man she loves. Clifford walked off the dancefloor with tears of happiness in his eyes, leaving the newlyweds on the dancefloor for their First Dance.
"Dancing for the First Time as Husband & Wife, Brandon & Hannah Tory."
Brandon & Hannah's First Dance soon segued into the traditional
local-style Money Dance, and they were showered with gifts once again by their
guests.
Surprisingly, many guests stuck around after the Money Dance, just to what else Brandon & Hannah had planned. Having gone through a fun, exciting, and romantic formal program, the guests seemed to expect that the dancing was going to be just as entertaining. And it was! Throughout the rest of the evening, Brandon, Hannah, their family, and friends celebrated and danced to a wide mix of music ranging from some fun 60s tunes by Elvis and Chubby Checker, all the way to today's hits by Usher and Beyonce. By the end of the night, everyone was tired, but not tired enough for the Grand Finale! As Brandon & Hannah returned to the floor, we invited everyone to join them for their last dance--I've Had the Time of My Life, by Jennifer Warnes & Bill Medley (from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack). With everyone surrounding them in a circle, singing and dancing along to the music, Brandon got down on one knee and serenaded his wife...
I've Had The Time Of My Life
And I've Never Felt This Way Before
It's The Truth
And I Owe It All To You
Everyone could feel the love and passion in the air, and the night ended with everyone clapping, smiling, and hugging the couple, telling them that this was the most memorable reception they've ever been to.
In the end, Brandon & Hannah knew they made the right choice in having Ninja Entertainment as their entertainment specialists for their once-in-a-lifetime celebration. We helped them to create a FUN, EXCITING, ELEGANT, and ROMANTIC reception. Most importantly, they will forever have great memories of their wedding day.
But don't just read about it here. See their story in pictures, and read what they wrote about us after their event.
detail-oriented and analytical, and she knew that even the smallest detail could create
major stress for her on her wedding day. Garret’s main concern was that he wanted his
guests to have a great time. So when we met them, they asked us to help them create a
unique, fun, and low-stress party that they and their guests would remember forever.
Tiffany in particular thought that she would be stressed on her wedding day no matter
what, and she didn’t want to have to additionally worry about the timing and pace of
the program. After an elegant wedding ceremony that afternoon, she just wanted to have fun
and party during her celebration!So they trusted us with their entertainment and program, and we helped them create a very original celebration that incorporated their unique vision for their special day. They were well-aware that most of their guests at the end of the night wouldn’t want to dance, but would rather want to sit around and talk story, so they understood the importance of having a memorable and fun program. That, after all, is what the guests would remember after all the festivities were over...
The party started well before doors opened. Marino and his team, along with the banquet staff at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort, welcomed Tiffany, Garret, the families, and wedding party, and warmed them up for the party to follow. By feeling more relaxed and happy, the wedding party understood their important role in Tiffany & Garret’s reception—to help create lasting memories!
Doors opened to the guests, who were treated to a very nice cocktail hour. Hawaiian music filled the air as guests were welcomed by the couple and their families in the receiving line, and they enjoyed delicious pupus and appetizers.
Once the guests were in, Marino lined up the wedding party behind the scenes, reminded them about the Grand Entrance, and warmed them up again for the celebration! At the podium, he greeted the guests, thanked them on behalf of the newlyweds, made them laugh a little, and then proudly announced, "Family & friends, it is my honor to introduce to you your wedding party!"
For the Grand Entrance, we had helped Tiffany & Garret create an original, one-of-a-kind entrance that involved the ladies riding on luggage carts being pushed by the guys. When the first couple "rolled" in, the guests applauded at the sight. From this point on, everyone knew that this was not going to be the same old wedding reception. This was going to be original and fun!
When we
introduced Tiffany & Garret to the elegant music of Kenny G, they walked in very
traditionally. But halfway through, Garret surprised everyone, including his bride, by sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to the head table!
Immediately after the guests were seated, Marino read a quick introduction about Lion Dances. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, his assistant Brandon was cueing the Lion Dancers, readying them to go on.
"Family & friends, bringing good luck to Tiffany, Garret, and you tonight, please welcome the lions of the Chinese Physical Culture Association!"
With that, the lions entered on cue, and the guests were treated to a fun original ethnic performance.
Near the end of the Lion Dance, Marino reminded Tiffany’s friend STEPHANIE that she would be leading the blessing of the food, giving Stephanie time to mentally prepare for her big role. Tiffany didn’t have to worry about whether or not Stephanie knew she was next…because we took care of it for her.
During dinner, Tiffany’s cousin HEATHER entertained the guests with a hula. The program began with the recognition of family & out-of-town guests, followed by a very elegant and entertaining cake-cutting. Tiffany’s aunts enlivened the mood when they presented a very funny and original Chinese toast, and the atmosphere was further enhanced with great banzai presentations from Garret’s uncle DENNIS and groomsman GRANT. Matron of Honor CHRISTINE’s speech brought some sentimentality to the newlyweds, and Garret’s brother RYAN made everyone laugh with a short, simple toast. What made it even more funny was that Garret had asked for a "music drop" when we introduced Ryan. So as we announced, "Ladies & gentlemen, saying a few words to our newlyweds, please welcome our Best Man RYAN NISHIKAWA!", we immediately put on "I’m Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred. The guests exploded with laughter!
For the bouquet toss, Tiffany wanted to do the traditional bouquet toss, but with a twist. She wanted to "psyche
out" her single friends by tossing not the bouquet at first,
but a few
funny props to keep them guessing. So as Brandon and Les (the videographer) lined up the
single ladies, Marino secretly slipped Tiffany a basket of "goodies" to
toss—items included toilet paper, a soft basketball, and a bag of candy. As Garret
counted down, the ladies anticipated catching the bouquet, only to end up
catching…something else. It was a funny moment when one woman caught the roll of
toilet paper, and it kept them guessing until Tiffany finally threw the real bouquet.
Everyone cheered as Tiffany congratulated all of the winners of the toss.
Garret chose to do a traditional garter toss, and it was followed by a modified version of HOT CENTERPIECE TIME, a fast, high-energy centerpiece giveaway game. As the guests competed for the prize, Brandon let Les (the videographer) know that he was next, so as soon as the centerpiece game ended, we rolled smoothly into Tiffany & Garret’s slideshow.
After a very sentimental dance with her father, it was time for their First Dance. Garret took Tiffany’s hand, the music to "You’ve Got A Way" (Shania Twain) began, the lights dimmed, and the memories began.
The First
Dance flowed smoothly into the always fun Money Dance, and from there, it was on to great music and the
opportunity to dance. As predicted, a few of her guests came up to dance to certain songs, but most wanted to simply
hang out, talk story, and catch up. They still had a great time, listening to wonderful
music, watching others dance, and they talked about the original things they saw and
enjoyed during the program. In the end, as they were packing up and leaving for the night,
Tiffany thanked us for a job well done. Many of her guests told her that they genuinely
enjoyed her celebration, and most importantly, she didn’t stress one bit. She was
able to fully enjoy her celebration and not worry about anything. Was she happy?
Absolutely!
Ultimately, isn’t it all about the great memories that she and Garret will cherish forever?
But don’t just read about it here, see their celebration in pictures…
numerous
receptions in the past, and they had seen firsthand a lot of the stress a bride can go
through on her wedding day, as well as how boring a reception can get if not
well-executed. So through all our phone conversations and at the first meeting with us, we
kept hearing, "I want it to be fun. I don’t want it to be boring. And I want to
feel as little stress as possible." Judy wanted the party to run smoothly, and she
wanted her guests to be totally entertained and immersed in her celebration.Sean, too, just wanted to relax and enjoy the celebration. He knew that a lot of his friends were flying in specifically to see him get married, and he wanted to spend as much time as possible celebrating with them. On the day of the wedding, he did not want to get caught up in worrying about the details and making sure his guests were having a great time—he wanted to be having a great time along with them!
So they entrusted us with helping them create an original, one-of-a-kind celebration that would entertain their guests and help Sean & Judy create wonderful memories to last a lifetime.
The party at the Hale Koa Hotel began with a very nice cocktail hour. After being personally welcomed by the newlyweds in the receiving line, guests were treated to the tasty treats of the chocolate fountain and wonderful Hawaiian music in the air. Guests who weren’t big chocolate fans could watch a fun slide show put together by the groom, showcasing Sean’s favorite hobby—fishing!
Once the guests were in the ballroom, it was time to introduce our wedding party. With the help of GRACE from Weddings by Grace & Mona, MARINO lined up the wedding party and explained to them the concept of the Grand Entrance. With everyone understanding their roles, it was time to welcome our wedding party! Using very elegant classical music, we introduced Sean, Judy, and their court.
Immediately after the introductions, Sean & Judy welcomed their guests and thanked them for coming, reminding them to stay and enjoy tonight’s festivities!
Once dinner began, the guests were treated to a wide array of entertainment. The couple’s friend NOLAN brought in his taiko group, and they performed several numbers that were fun to watch and clap to. Comedian ANDY BUMATAI had the guests laughing as he poked fun at married life, the war in Iraq, and Hawaii’s ethnic stereotypes. Judy’s coworker LUZ danced a beautiful hula entitled "Venus" to honor the newlyweds.
Throughout the
night, if guests wanted to see Sean & Judy kiss, they clinked the glasses…but
there was a catch! Sean & Judy, being the newlyweds, needed to be "taught"
how to kiss like a married couple, so they would call out married couples in the audience.
These couples would then "demonstrate" how to kiss! Of
course, if Sean & Judy liked the kiss, they would have to imitate it!
The program began with a brief moment for recognitions. It was important to Sean & Judy that we recognize their immediate families & out-of-town guests, as a way of thanking them for coming all this way to see them get married.
After a very elegant cake cutting and a few fun toasts, it was time for the bouquet & garter events! Sean & Judy didn’t want to do the traditional bouquet & garter tosses, so they opted for a few original interactive games that really got EVERYONE (not just the single people) involved! Judy gave away the bouquet using the CIRCLE DANCE game. And after a traditional garter removal, the guys competed in LAST MAN SITTING, a fun, quick, high-energy game that involved the guests in the audience as well the single men. The guys were asked to run into the audience and find various items or perform specific tasks with audience members, and we quickly began eliminating contestants. When we were down to the last two competitors, their last task…was to find SEAN. Of course, we had told Sean to go hide somewhere in the audience. So the men ran through the tables looking for the groom! When one of the guys found Sean, to ensure his victory, HE PICKED SEAN UP and carried him to the dancefloor—and we declared our winner!
But it wasn’t over…as is "Hawaiian tradition," the person who won
the garter had to put it on the woman who caught the bouquet. It was time for the Reverse
Garter! Of
course, he had to
do it BLINDFOLDED! So after we had settled the woman into the chair and blindfolded our
garter winner, we secretly replaced the woman with…Best Man BRYAN. The audience
roared with laughter as our hapless garter winner had no idea of the situation he was in,
and when he removed the blindfold…there was an incredible explosion of cheers and
applause that could be heard throughout the ballroom! Boring? Not at all!
The centerpieces were given away with HOT CENTERPIECE TIME, a fast, quick "pass the buck" type of game, and it was followed by a wonderful video slide show produced by Images in Motion. Then we asked Sean & Judy to the dancefloor along with Sean’s mother and Judy’s father, and they enjoyed their dance with their parents.
Then it was time for their big dance together. "Ladies & gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, dancing for the first time as husband & wife, your newlyweds, Mr. & Mrs. Sean & Judy Masaki."
The party didn’t end after the First Dance & Money Dance. A great mix of music ensured that everyone danced, and many even stuck around until the end to see if there were any more surprises in store for the guests. Those who did stay until the end were treated to a very special and memorable Last Dance Grand Finale that involved Sean, Judy, and their guests in a warm and memorable moment of love!
One of the most poignant comments that Sean told us at the end of the night was that he and Judy didn’t have to stress out about anything that night. They were able to simply relax, have a fabulous time, and not worry about when things were going to happen. Many of their guests had also noticed just how incredibly smooth and polished their reception was, and many had told Sean & Judy that their reception was the best one they had ever been to.
At the end of the most important day of their lives, Sean & Judy had a lot of great memories to cherish…for the rest of their lives.
But don’t just read about it here…see it all in pictures.
Day. They knew they wanted to get married outdoors, like at Foster
Point at Hickam Air Force Base. They also knew that they wanted to have a low-stress
and fun time, and they wanted to treat their guests to an enjoyable and memorable party!
After all, many of their guests were flying in from the mainland, so Garrett & Olivia
wanted them to enjoy their stay and have a great time at their reception. The rest were on
active duty with Olivia & Garrett, and the newlyweds wanted them to "take a
break" for one night and to simply have fun! So when they met us in January, told us
their wishes and dreams for their day, and chose us to help them create it, the race was
on!Since they worked different shifts, and with Garrett constantly out at sea for periods at a time, working out the details proved to be an experience for both. But we patiently listened, and through meetings and phone calls, carefully helped them create a program that was FUN, SMOOTH, and ELEGANT.
Finally, the day arrived, and during our setup, a sprinkle of rain blessed the day, indicating that this would indeed be a special night for all. Soon the guests began arriving, and when Garrett arrived, he was pleasantly relieved to find that we had taken care of EVERY DETAIL…meaning all that he had to do was worry about saying "I Do" without laughing or crying! As the sun set, Olivia arrived, and soon they were husband and wife.
But the party was just beginning! After Marino explained the whole Grand Entrance concept to the wedding party, Olivia & Garrett were introduced with a very romantic "Make A Wish" Grand Entrance. It was time for some fun! During dinner, guests rang tiny bells to get Garrett & Olivia to kiss, but the newlyweds turned the tables on them: they requested that their guests "teach Garrett how to kiss his new bride!" The toasts were both sentimental and funny, with a few of Garrett’s shipmates saying a few words about how he now must settle into domestic life rather than the "Navy life."
After traditional bouquet & garter tosses, the guests were entertained with the Reverse Garter, as BRANDON, the garter catcher and one of Garrett’s really good friends, was blindfolded and had to put the garter on Maid of Honor JOCELYN'S leg…Little did he know that we secretly switched Jocelyn with the Best Man STEPHEN! What made it even more profound and memorable was that Stephen went above and beyond the "call of duty" and shaved his legs for the role! Therefore, Brandon had absolutely no idea he was putting the garter on another man's leg!
A hilarious Centerpiece game ensued, followed by a very elegant First Dance. And once we opened the dancefloor, guests came out and danced to everything from Motown to today’s music. With the help of Olivia’s friend Tony (who surprised all and serenaded the newlyweds with a Motown classic), we had everyone having a great time!
In the end, after only two months of planning, Olivia & Garrett ended the night with a LIFETIME of wonderful memories. But don’t just read about it here…see their story in pictures.
entertaining. So when we suggested the notion of playing wedding games (The
"Wedding Olympics"®) to release the tables to the buffet, Charleen immediately
latched onto the idea! She was very receptive to other game ideas—games to give away
the bouquet, garter, and centerpieces. In other words, she wanted something very
interactive and involving—she wanted her guests to be ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS in her day,
not just passive observers. For Michael, his biggest concern was that everything must flow
smoothly. He did not want any uncomfortable breaks or stops in the action; he wanted a
smooth-flowing well-directed program.On the day of their wedding, after a very beautiful and elegant wedding by the beach at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel, it was time for the fun! After a unique Grand Entrance that started with a contemporary hip-hop introduction of the wedding party (Michael’s choice), Michael & Charleen entered to a very romantic candle-lit "Make A Wish" entrance. The Wedding Olympics® was an entertaining diversion for guests as they waited for their team leader to win them the chance to go to the buffet; family & friends really took on the competitive spirit, all in good, clean, and tasteful fun! The formal program was VERY interactive, with fun, humorous speeches & toasts by Charleen’s brother Michael, bridesmaid Sharla, and the men of the wedding party. Charleen & Michael used BOUQUET SURPRISE to get the single ladies onto the dancefloor for the bouquet presentation; they played CIRCLE DANCE to give away the bouquet. After a hilarious prop-filled garter removal, Michael tossed his garter, with Best Man Evan catching it. Then, we surprised Evan with the Reverse Garter gag, and had the audience rolling with laughter! A thrilling centerpiece giveaway game followed, and after a few touching moments during the First Dance and Charleen’s Dance with her father, it was time to boogie! A good mix of oldies, Top 40, and a generous taste of 80’s hits kept the dancefloor moving…and we partied all the way until closing. During the last dance of the night, we brought EVERYONE out to the dancefloor, and in truly interactive fashion, we organized the guests in a circle around the newlyweds. The night ended with Charleen & Michael getting a huge HUGE GROUP HUG on the dancefloor from their family & friends. Charleen & Michael’s night truly was an fun, unique, smooth, and most importantly MEMORABLE experience.
But don’t just read about their story…see their story in pictures here.