wedding than in
paradise? His fiancee Pam agreed, and they decided to have their wedding at the
beautiful Turtle Bay
Resort. Like many destination weddings, they invited an intimate group of very
close family & friends, many of whom were college buddies of Ryan. So it was
very important to Ryan that his guests have a wonderful time. When they brought
Marino on board as their entertainer, Ryan had mentioned that his friends many of his
friends played football with him in college. We incorporated this knowledge by
creating a very original Sports Jam Grand Entrance that would bring back many good
memories for Ryan & his friends, and create new memories as well. Overall, he
wanted a simple, yet fun party!When the wedding day arrived, Ryan & Pam enjoyed a fun and lighthearted wedding ceremony at the gazebo. After saying their "I Do's" and committing their love for each other, they were off to take photos; meanwhile, their guests made their way to the Sunset Room, where Hawaiian music and pupu (appetizers) awaited them. When the newlyweds and their party arrived at the ballroom, they were quickly lined up, briefed about the entrance, and were introduced to the guests in a spectacular display of energy and fun!
"And now, family & friends, let's meet...YOUR ALL-STAR TEAM!"
As each couple was introduced, their stats were read, just like in the Super Bowl...and the experience brought back a lot of wonderful memories for the wedding party & guests. When we announced the newlyweds, everyone rose to their feet and cheered, and in ran Pam & Ryan...with face paint and wrist warmers! The crowd went wild as Ryan led his wife to the dancefloor, and together with their wedding party, started cheering, bumping chests, and psyching themselves up for the big party ahead of them!
The rest of the night was just as eventful. During dinner, in order to get the newlyweds to kiss, guests were asked to demonstrate a kiss, to "teach Ryan how to kiss his wife"...and the highlight was when Ryan asked his first football coach. He stood up, took the microphone, gave a quick "pep talk" to the groom, and then leaned his wife over to kiss her! The audience went crazy!
And when we opened up the dancefloor, everyone had a wonderful time grooving to a wide spectrum of music, ranging from New Edition (Ryan's favorite group) all the way to the Grease Megamix (dedicated to Uncle Al). In the end, with everyone feeling good and happy, Ryan & Pam's guests were very thankful to them for giving them a wonderful party in Hawaii...and Ryan & Pam were very thankful for the wonderful memories they received. Unlike a highlight reel that gets shown once and quickly forgotten, their wedding would be something that they would remember for a very long time.
April 22, 2004: SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO
TAKE A CHANCE. As a DESTINATION WEDDING couple living on the East Coast, CURTIS
& MIZUHO had no way of meeting their vendors (including us) in person and seeing if
there was a personality match. Sure, a lot could be accomplished over the phone or
by email, but for such an important role like the Master of Ceremonies & Disc Jockey,
they essentially were taking a chance at finding the right person to best represent them.So when they began writing to us in mid-December last year, they had a lot of questions. "What kind of music do you play?" "What kind of services do you provide?" "How much do you cost?" Through email conversations and phone calls, we learned all the specifics of their event. It would be a true destination wedding at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort at Ko Olina, with practically all of their guests visiting from around the world! After all, while Curtis was a product of a Hawaii and East Coast upbringing, Mizuho was originally from Japan. They had met at work in Tokyo, and they were getting married in Hawaii as a sort of "bridge" between cultures. This meant much of the celebration would need to reflect the unique heritages of the bride & groom, as well as a few island influences in which Mizuho & Curtis wished to incorporate. With their guests flying in from everywhere, Mizuho & Curtis wanted them to enjoy their celebration as much as possible, and not have to worry about whether or not their guests were having fun. They began to realize that the music and sound system were merely tools used to create memories, and it is ultimately and entirely up to the talent and personality of their chosen entertainer to turn their celebration from a "good" one to a "great one." Above all else, Curtis & Mizuho described their ideal reception as ENGAGING, EXCITING, and FULL OF HAPPY FACES.
After a month of talking it over between the two of them and with their other vendors (asking for their advice), CURTIS & MIZUHO TOOK A CHANCE. With their decision to have us at their reception, the ball was set in motion, and their reception planning quickly took shape. Marino, Curtis, & Mizuho talked frequently over the phone and emails (the filled email folder and long-distance calls will attest to this). The newlyweds would have an idea, and they would ask Marino about its feasability and best place to put it in the program. Together, they developed the soundtrack to the celebration, picking great music ranging from J-Pop (Namie Amuro) all the way to the sublime sounds of Yanni, all of which would enhance the mood of the celebration. A traditional Japanese clothes-change was proposed (it is Japanese tradition for the bride to change 2-3 times throughout the reception), but the full dress-change was deemed too time-consuming...so Curtis & Mizuho decided to do a modified version that incorporated leis, flowers, and a few other island traditions. To further enhance this "style change," Marino researched the origins and history of the "dress-change"--the O Iro Naoshi--and wrote a beautiful introduction describing the tradition and significance of the event. In two months, Curtis & Mizuho's "screenplay" for their special day came to life, awaiting premiere on April 22.
The day came, and the newlyweds were greeted with gorgeous weather and a
beautiful ocean backdrop for their ceremony at the Lagoon Lawn. Friends & family
had flow
n great distances
to see this elegant event, and in front of them, Curtis & Mizuho dedicated their love and made a lifetime commitment to
each other...
When the ceremony ended, it was off to take pictures for the newlyweds, and the guests were escorted to the Malolo Room for cocktails...and fun! Curtis & Mizuho didn't want their guests to be bored waiting around for them to finish with their pictures, so they asked us to begin entertaining the guests as soon as they entered...which is what we did! So to break the ice (and to allow the guests to mingle and introduce themselves to each other), we helped the newlyweds create a simple icebreaker game (which we call THE NAME GAME) that had everyone going to each person in the room and trying to guess the famous personality they were supposed to be that night! Guests laughed and joked around as they asked each other questions..."Am I in music or movies?" "Was I on a reality TV show?" "Am I an American or Japanese personality?" Soon the room was filled with the pleasant sounds of laughter.
For the guests who had already figured out who they were, we had left little "advice cards" on the table for the guests to sign and leave a message or "words of wisdom" to the newlyweds. We encouraged the guests to fill out the cards, and throughout the night we read the guests' often insightful and humorous advice to Curtis & Mizuho. These words of wisdom would be collected at the end of the night and presented to the newlyweds, as a nice and unique addition to their album of memories...
With the guests in high spirits, introducing the Wedding Party was a simple fun affair. After quickly lining up the wedding party and warming them up, Marino greeted the guests, introduced himself, and reminded them that the formal stuff was over...it was time for the fun to begin! It was time to introduce the wedding party!
With Curtis & Mizuho's introduction, they elegantly proceeded to walk around
around the room like movie stars...after all, this was their big night, and they were the
stars! Everyone cheered and clapped as they made their way to the head table, and
the party was off to a great start!
Best Man JEFF delivered a great speech & toast, followed by a speech by Curtis' mentor LARRY. Mizuho's good friend RISAKO gave a very beautiful and sentimental speech that brought tears to the bride's eyes.
Dinner service began, and as the guests ate, they were treated to an eclectic mix of Hawaiian, jazz, and Japanese music in the background. Throughout dinner, Marino would read a few of the "Pearls of Wisdom" the guests had written, creating a quick laugh or light applause.
Towards the end of dinner, Curtis & Mizuho disappeared to take sunset photos and for a "style change." It is Japanese tradition that the bride must change her clothes 2-3 times at her reception--often from a special "single woman about to be married" kimono to a special "just married" kimono after dinner, and then into a standard Western gown near the end. Mizuho wished to honor her past by doing this at her celebration, but they knew it would be a logistical nightmare to ship two expensive kimonos in addition to her wedding gown...so they opted to include Curtis' Hawaii upbringing! Instead of changing from kimono to kimono to wedding gown, Curtis & Mizuho instead decided that, for their style change, they were going to change out of the traditional wedding veil (for her) and boutonniere (for him) and replace them with floral leis around their necks and island flowers in their hair!
For this "second entrance," Marino (along with Mizuho's friend JUNTA) first told the guests about the history and significance of the O Iro Naoshi--the dress change--and its role in the evening's celebration. He explained how Curtis & Mizuho incorporated both Hawaiian and Japanese influences to create a unique memory that was entirely their own...
Guests cheered as the newlyweds entered...and proceeded to each table, lighting a candle on each table and greeting their guests along the
way (another Japanese tradition).
As they
went table-to-table, Marino and his staff quietly and in the background worked with the
video staff to prep the projector and slideshow, so that as soon as the the main candles
on the head table were lit, the lights dimmed...and the slideshow opening credits began
rolling. With everything happening smoothly and every detail taken cared off, Curtis
& Mizuho were able to really enjoy their slideshow and not have to worry about what's
happening next...since we were making sure everything would happen according to their
plan.
Special presentations were given by the newlyweds' friend MARTIN, who sang a combination toast/song of celebration in Japanese. Mizuho's father TADAMI sang a special "fatherhood song" (Akita Nagamochi-Uta (Akita Bride’s Father’s Song)) about losing a daughter...yet gaining a son (and future grandson). Groomsman RANDY told some stories about the groom, and Mizuho's close friends AMI & AYANO delivered a tearful congratulations.
With tears in everyone's eyes at this point, Mizuho caught AMI off-guard and presented her with the bouquet. The tears really started flowing then, and soon the guests could feel the love and support that the women had for each other.
The centerpiece
game (HOT CENTERPIECE TIME) brought the mood back up, and the fun and joyous
cake-cutting made the party even more festive! After cutting the
cake, Curtis & Mizuho were given a microphone, and they said a few words of
appreciation to their guests. With everything running so smoothly and with everyone
having a great time, they were able to enjoy their day. The stress they thought they
were going to feel was non-existent...making this one of the most memorable, enjoyable
experiences in their lives.
But the night wasn't over. "Ladies & Gentlemen, dancing for the first time as husband & wife, one more time for Curtis & Mizuho Washington!"
After a beautiful, choreographed First Dance, we opened up the dancefloor with...the Macarena (as requested by the newlyweds ahead of time). The dancefloor quickly filled as partygoers tried to remember the dance moves...and to help them out, Marino & his assistant Lesley joined the newlyweds on the dancefloor, reminding everyone how to do it! Throughout the night, guests danced, smiled, and partied through a fabulous mix of 80's, 70's funk & disco, J-Pop/Japanese music, and hip-hop. At one point, Curtis--well-known among his college friends for doing a fantastic Michael Jackson impression--put on a white glove and danced along to "Billy Jean," causing all of his guests to cheer him on!
After a smooth-flowing night that was
ENTERTAINING, EXCITING, and FULL OF HAPPY FACES, we asked Curtis if it was worth
the investment they made. After all, at one
point before, they were hesitant about whether or not it was worth all that money.
Now, at the end of the night, all he could talk about was the great party they
experienced, and all the positive comments they kept hearing from their guests. And
it wasn't simply a "nice party" that their guests were describing it as...Curtis
& Mizuho's guests were using words like "best," "most memorable,"
and "wow" to talk about the celebration. They themselves had a great time,
not having any real moment of stress or distraction to worry about. Curtis
kept telling us, "You guys are THE MAN!" although we had to remind him that HE
was THE MAN, and we were merely the facilitators.
So was it worth it? Curtis & Mizuho put their trust in an entertainment company thousands of miles away, across a continent and half an ocean, and asked us to help them create an original, fun, and memorable celebration for their once-in-a-lifetime moment. Through countless emails and long-distance phone calls, we helped them realize their dreams. No money in the world will be able to replace the wonderful memories and terrific experience that Curtis & Mizuho will cherish forever.
But don't just take our word for it. See their story in pictures, and read what they had to say about their experiences with us.
But
this was no ordinary party. Most of the key people lived out of town—Sharon lived in
Korea, the bride & groom-to-be lived in Idaho, Vannessa’s mother lived in
California, and the rest of the wedding party was scattered throughout the continental
United States. Coordinating such a spread-out group would present its own unique
challenges.
When we met Sharon in person three weeks before the party, she explained all the specifics of the celebration—that it was at 3660 On The Rise, it was going to be in the evening, and that many of the guests would be flying in. But most importantly, she wanted the party to be lots of FUN, LIVELY, and UNIQUE, something that Bryan & Vannessa would remember forever. So we looked at the program they had already developed, and we helped Sharon tweak it so that it would be a lot of fun, very lively, and quite unique and different from other weddings that they’ve been to. As the wedding day grew closer, we kept in constant contact, meeting at the restaurant and at Borders to further refine the details for Vannessa & Bryan's special day!
When we met Bryan & Vannessa five days before the wedding, they affirmed that they wanted a FUN, LIVELY, and UNIQUE celebration!
The wedding day arrived, and the reception started with a very casual cocktail hour in which the guests mingled and enjoyed the sights and sounds of NIHOA, a live Hawaiian duo with hula dancers. An hour later, the wedding party arrived on time, along with the Chinese Lion Dancers. After a brief explanation of the Grand Entrance to the wedding party, Marino welcomed the guests, made a few announcements, and asked everyone to have a great time! After all, this was going to be a FUN, LIVELY, and UNIQUE celebration!
In a personalized Grand Entrance chosen by the newlyweds, we announced the wedding party to music that matched Bryan & Vannessa's fun and upbeat personalities. This was followed by a traditional Chinese Lion Dance to bless the occasion, and a quick prayer by a family friend to bless the food.
Dinner began with Italian Wedding Soup, a tradition in Bryan’s family, and then a
delicious open buffet. During this time, whenever guests wanted to see the newlyweds kiss,
Bryan
& Vannessa turned the tables on them and asked
married couples to demonstrate how to kiss! Soon the newlyweds were asking close
friends and family to demonstrate, and everyone was having a fabulous time!
After recognizing the family and out-of-town guests, we read a brief biography of each member of the wedding party, and then we introduced "Bryan & Vannessa’s Love Story," the tale of how they met, fell in love, and eventually led to their wedding on this date. It was a very touching moment as the guests gave the newlyweds a standing ovation at the end of the story!
A round of amusing stories, speeches, and toasts by members of the wedding party and the fathers of the newlyweds followed. Maids of Honor JULIE & CHRISTY told a few very moving stories about the bride, and Best Men SCOTT & DAVID shared a few comical stories about the groom. The fathers of the couple gave great advice on marriage and life.
In keeping with the idea of having a FUN, LIVELY, and UNIQUE celebration, Vannessa & Bryan chose to do a few different things for the bouquet & garter. Instead of the traditional toss, Vannessa played the CIRCLE DANCE to find a winner of her bouquet. Bryan amused the guests with a very funny version of the GARTER REMOVAL & TOSS. Instead of pulling out the garter, Bryan pulled some props out of a box hidden under Vannessa's seat, and everytime he did so, the guests exploded with laughter!
The
guests laughed some more during the WRIGHT FAMILY CENTERPIECE GIVEAWAY STORY, and they applauded as Bryan
& Vannessa thanked them for coming.
After Bryan danced with his mother, it was Vannessa’s turn. She started off by dancing with her birth papa, and in a touching moment halfway through the song, her dad DOUG politely cut in. They danced for a little, but made it a true family dance by bringing Vannessa’s mother CARLA in. And at the end of the song, Bryan walked up, shook Doug’s hand, and took his new wife’s hand for the First in a lifetime of dances.
As the song faded, everyone rose to their feet and gave the newlyweds a memorable standing ovation!
Although the night ended with no open dancing at the restaurant, everyone had a great time, and everyone stuck around to mingle and hang out with the newlyweds until the venue closed its doors. Bryan & Vannessa were very happy and pleased with the success of their once-in-a-lifetime party.
Many brides & grooms will hire a DJ simply for music and dancing at the end of the
night. Sharon, Vannessa, Bryan, and the family asked us to be a part of their day because
they wanted more than just music—they wanted a FUN, LIVELY, and UNIQUE
time the whole reception. And most importantly, they wanted great MEMORIES that
will last forever, far longer than the 2-3 hours of dancing they
decided not to have.
But don't simply take our word for it. See their story in pictures. They had such a great time that Bryan's mother Sharon wrote us back after the wedding and told us about her experiences with us. I think her words speak for themselves. Read her testimonial here.