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Bridget and Daryl reached out to TGA early 2019 to assist them with their wedding. They had booked their venue and a few vendors, but because this was a destination wedding for them, they needed someone who could help them on the ground figure out the details of their day. They planned to be married at the Moana Surfrider, the oldest hotel on the island of Oʻahu. My dad spent 30 years of his life working at this hotel and I remember doing easter egg hunts, New Yearʻs Eve parties, and playing yard games with the other employees kidʻs when I was little, so having an event on the Diamond Lawn was a bit nostalgic. Both, Bridget and Daryl, looked absolutely stunning on their wedding day. Bridget wore one of the most amazing gowns I have ever seen and Daryl sported a custom suit that matched his groomsmen. They looked like royalty as they walked down the aisle at the famous pink hotel, The Royal Hawaiian. They were escorted in by their loved ones and fur baby, Henny! Choosing to get married at two separate locations required us to bring on more staff than usual. At the time we had never executed a wedding with multiple locations, but it went absolutely seamlessly as we escorted guests over to the Moana Surfrider. Both hotels have such a rich history in Waikiki, so it was a treat for even us to be in attendance. Right from the start, I knew that Bridget and Darylʻs style was impeccable. Bridget had dreams for a clean white elegant wedding with elements of rattan and wood to add in warmth. Everything she chose for her wedding was carefully considered, down to the custom laser cut name tags placed at each seat and the gorgeous white hydrangeas that sat in the middle of the tables. Because this was the first time to Hawaiʻi for a lot of their guests, the couple made it a point to create an experience for their attendees. A musical performance from local artist Kaipo Kapua and a tahitian group that featured a fire knife dancer were just some entertainment for their guests. They even brought in Roman from Kolohe Kai to sing their favorite song for their first dance, while a drone dropped rose petals from the sky. Seriously, how romantic is that? To create more of that dreamy ambience, Bridget and Daryl rented lounge sets that scattered the terrace. They were perfect for their guests to kick up their feet and relax in between dances. They also rented a marquee sign that sported their first name initials, which made the perfect backdrop to photos. Overall, the wedding turned out to be a perfect Thursday evening filled with laughter, good food, strong drinks, and a ton of love. After the event, we checked in with Bridget and Daryl where they said that even to this day they cry thinking about how perfect their wedding was and we were so thankful to them for allowing us to play a role in their wedding day. Interested in having us a part of your special day. Send us an inquiry! We canʻt wait to chat! Vendor List Photo: Tropical Media Group Florist: Vida Chic Events Planner: The Gay Agenda Collective DJ/Emcee: Team Bride Team Groom Hawaiʻi Fire Knife: Chief Tui Music: Kaipo Kapu and Kolohe Kai Venue: Moana Surfrider and Royal Hawaiian Event Rentals: Accel Rentals Lounge Set: Aloha Artisans and Ambient Rentals Dress: Panache Pasadena

At the end of each year, I take some time to reflect on the past yearʻs goals and see the ones we were able to accomplish and which ones we missed the mark. During this time, I also begin planning for the next year. Personally, I love goal planning! It sets the intention for the year to come and provides a clear plan of attack. It keeps me focused on how I make decisions to ensure that each step I make brings me closer to accomplishing my goals. I used to just write my goals as one off sentences that gave no context or tangible plan to achieve them, but now I have a system that allows me to reach the majority, if not all of my goals! Now, I have to be honest, my goal planning system is not something I came up with myself. A few years back, I did a seminar with Oak + Pine and it was here where I began formulating my tools for goal planning. If you search “goal planning worksheet”, you will find a plethora of documents to help you goal write. The common thread between all of these resources - having a clear plan of attack. Robert Herjav, from my favorite show Shark Tank said it best – “A goal without a timeline is just a dream.” You have to set action steps in order for your goal to be achievable, so here is what I do. Step One: Figure Out The Goal The first step is pretty simple – figure out the goal. The reason I reflect on my past years achievements and plan for the future, all in the same sitting, is because this gives me a marker of what we were able to accomplish and what we should be wanting for the upcoming year. The goal should be the overall objective. Whatever your goal is, I suggest making it something that is challenging, yet achievable. I have made several ostentatious goals in the past and beat myself up when I didn’t reach them. Now, I set goals that are manageable in a calendar year. One goal that I have for 2022 is to increase our engagement on Instagram. We will use this goal as an example for everything. Step Two: Figure Out How To Track Your Goal You are going to want to record where you are in your efforts to achieve your goal, which is why it is important to have your goal be something that can be tracked. Using my goal as the example, I will track my engagement weekly on our third party social media management app to make sure that we are hitting at least x% of engagement on each post. This allows me to see if there needs to be any adjustments made to our strategy. The best way to track a goal is through a number based system. Maybe you have this goal of 10,000 followers. Actually, your goal would be to “increase your following” , but tracking this goal would be getting to 10,000 followers. This shifts your mindset creates a goal that can be measured. Step 3: Set Your Action Steps Now that you know what your goal is and how you plan to track and measure that goal, it is time to figure out how you will execute everything. Your action steps should be tangible ways that will help you reach your goal. I like to write down at least three ways that will help us get from point A to point B. I treat these steps as mini goals. For our engagement goal, the four things I plan to do are… Post consistently on my feed using all forms of Instagram media. Create action based captions that ask our followers to do something with our posts. Only put out content that is meaningful to me, our brand, and our clients. No more posting just to post. Authentic posts means authentic engagement. Engage with other pages to create a relationship. For these steps, they each implement actions that will lead me to my overall goal of increased engagement on Instagram. Your action steps should relate back to the main goal. Step 4: Figure Out Your Why Next step and probably the most important is to figure out why this goal is important to you. This will help you when shit gets hard and you hit that plateau that we know all too well (10 minute version, #iykyk). Knowing your “why” makes the goal mean something to you and turns it from something general, to something that personal. For me, having more engagement on Instagram is important because it means we increase our relationship with our followers with the hope of turning them into clients that represent and align with our brand. It also means that we are putting out content that people actually like and helps them in their planning process. Step 5: Set A Timeframe You know what your goal is, how you plan to track it, what your action steps are, and why it is important. Last step is to set a timeframe. The timeframe of when you want to accomplish this goal should be realistic. One thing I used to do and then beat myself up about, is set a timeframe that is completely unobtainable. Your action steps will put things into perspective, that, your goals take work and time, so be mindful of that when setting an end date. Some goals may take longer than others, especially if they are big ones! And that’s what I do! Now, this might not work for everyone, but I found that it has helped me tremendously with keeping me on track and accomplishing my goals each year. Whatever you decide to do this year, write it down, so that you can reflect back on what you wanted to do and what you actually did. As a business owner, goal setting is the foundation of success. You should be doing this yearly and checking in on yourself quarterly to see how you are doing. The last tip I will give is to be kind to yourself. The last two years have been tough for us and not all of our goals were accomplished and that’s okay. If you don’t reach every single one, that doesn’t mean you are a failure. It just gives you a new goal to accomplish next year! You can download my goal planning worksheet here!

We are a few days away from 2022 and it is time for us to look towards the new year for all the new (and old) wedding trends to expect. I love trends because it sparks inspiration for those unsure of what to do and directly relates back to what is currently happening in our society. Trends emote a feeling, you either love them or hate them. Out of this list, I love them all, but you be the judge. Keep in mind that these are just my trendy thoughts and not necessarily the only things coming down the pipeline. Photo Credit: Jon Cu Photo Weekday Events: 2020 and 2021 we experienced a ton of postponements and cancellations of weddings due to the pandemic. People who planned to be married moved their wedding day to dates in 2022 and 2023 just to be safe. What that caused is a huge scheduling issue, where most weekends were taken up with already engaged couples who had a previous date, and left little to no room for those newly engaged couples to book a weekend event. That means that in 2022, we are most likely to see a ton of events happening during the weekdays. Just on our calendar alone, we have a handful of Tuesday and Thursday events. Personally, I love weekday events. You can sometimes get a more affordable price with your venue and even narrow down your guest count (since most people work 9-5ers). If you can’t find weekend availability at your must have venue, maybe think about having your event mid week! Longer Wedding Weeks: Piggy backing on that topic…for the ones lucky enough to snag a weekend event, we are going to start to see weddings extend past just a single day. Wedding weekends are gaining popularity, especially amongst those having a destination wedding. People are having their pre-wedding party, main wedding, and post-wedding brunches over the course of an entire weekend. I mean, we spent months locked up. People are ready to party, celebrate, and they don’t want just that one special day - they want the whole week. Of course, this comes with a little more money and a lot of commitment from your wedding party and guests, but party on you little animals! Images from the Bride & Breakfast Blog - “This Couple Threw an Epic Wedding Weekend to Remember!” Photography: RainbowFish Photography Out With The Out-Dated Traditions: This has been a recurring trend and is getting more popular each year. Couples are tired of these outdated traditions and are ready to make their own! One tradition that I have been seeing getting the boot is the garter and bouquet toss. People no longer want to put their single friends on blast and most brides (and guests) cringe at the idea of removing a garter in front of their loved ones. Plan to see less cake cuttings, parental dances, being given away, and expect to see more fun and unique ways to celebrate your love. I encourage my clients to seek out meaningful traditions to include on their wedding day, instead of feeling forced to include the ones they feel they have to. Bolder Color Palettes: Anyone else super over the white, neutral color palettes? Neutral boho weddings have taken over the industry to the point where it’s all I ever do. I blame pinterest. Generally, I have no problem with this palette (and if you are a client who is doing this, know that I love you). I actually think it is pretty nice, but after doing so many of them, I am ready for a change. That is why I am so excited that we are going to see some fun colors in 2022. Think oranges, blues, purples, fuschia, and YELLOW! Color can be scary if done over the top, but with the right creative eye, color can be a fun way to spice up your wedding day. Palettes from TulleandChantilly.com Silver Over Gold: Gold accents have also hijacked the wedding industry for what feels like FOREVER and I am pleased to say, gold's little sister, silver is making her comeback. I have been scouring the internet and have seen so many amazing inspo pics where silver accents have become the star and we are here for it! Mixing metals is also something to expect in 2022. I am a gold girl to my core, but silver is no longer second place. It is giving main character energy. Photos: HubPages Blog (top left), Elegant Wedding Blog (top right), WedLuxe (bottom left), A Practical Wedding Blog (bottom right), Themed Weddings: I don’t know if this is legitimately a trend, or if I am projecting my own desires, but theme weddings are making a comeback. Do you both have a favorite movie? A favorite book? Maybe you love Disney? Creating a theme around your event, even if it is just a color theme is a way to have fun with your event in a unique way! I love the events that go over the top with a theme, but even a subtle homage is a nice way to add a little spice. Photo Credits: The Singlers Digital Invites: As couples begin leaning into sustainable options for their event, it comes as no surprise that digital invitations are so popular. Honestly, the digital invitation suites have gotten so good that I prefer them over paper. The ability to directly link your wedding website, add as much information about your wedding day, and RSVP all within a few clicks is awesome. In this day and age where wedding details are changing constantly, having the ability to reach out to your guest through sites like paperlesspost.com and greenvelope.com make it so easy for you to quickly send updates and details. Plus, I think it is fair to say that rarely do you hold on to paper invitations and most times, as pretty as they are, invitations end up in the trash. Save your money and a few trees in 2022! Mixing In Faux Flowers: Another sustainable trend in 2022 are faux flowers. Wedding flowers are gorgeous and one of the most sought after decor items for weddings, but man, can it get pricey. In 2021 we saw a record high for fresh blooms and it is because of this that I think couples will move to faux flowers. Places like Something Borrowed Blooms create stunning and realistic floralscapes that are a ⅓ of the cost of real flowers. Plus, by renting your florals, you are able to reuse these arrangements over and over, creating less waste in the long run. I think we are going to see a mix of people using real flowers for their personal pieces, like bouquets, leis, ceremony pieces, etc, but for items like centerpieces and runners, we are going to see more people mix in the faux options. I also think that we are going to see people opt for in-season blooms, rather than outsourcing flowers that are not in season. This is a great way to use what is available, while being cost effective! Featured Designs: Ling’s Moment (top left), Mywedding.com Blog (top right), Etsy Shop (bottom right), The Faux Bouquets (bottom right) And those are my trends for 2022. Like I said, this isn’t everything that is to come, but it is a few things I hope to see at future events. At the end of the day, being “trendy” is not always the best way to go about designing your event and you should do something that feels true to you and your other half. Taking a trend and making it your own creates a timeless event that you will remember for years to come. What was your favorite trend? Have an event idea and want to see how we can help? Send us an inquiry about your special day!

Photo: Kenzie Kate Photography You’re engaged and the initial wave of excitement has finally settled (does it ever really though?) and it’s time to start getting serious about planning your next steps forward. Well, first off, congratulations on getting engaged! If you haven’t already checked it out, here’s a shameless plug on my thoughts for Savoring Your Engagement. Now, if you are as lost as I was about where to begin wedding planning, I suggest you hire a wedding planner and see what level of help you might need. After that, you should definitely sit down and think about picking your wedding party support team (and that’s what I’m really here to talk with you about). Selecting your wedding party is such an important step in wedding planning that is often overlooked or seen as a simple task. After the number of weddings working alongside TGA, I can tell you picking your wedding party can either make or break your wedding day. A supportive team behind you makes all the difference when you’re entering into this next big step in your life. Your wedding party is not just there to stand behind you on your big day, but also throw you bach parties, be your confidant, support system, hype you up, show up for all the special occasions, give toasts, and make sure you’re ok and happy along the way. It’s a big responsibility and this decision shouldn’t be taken lightly. There are a lot of things to factor in while making your decision so I’ve gathered my best advice to help you with the process. 1.F*CK Obligation I’ve said this a billion times and will continue to say this, weddings have way too much unnecessary obligation and in my opinion, you should forget about it. If it doesn’t make you happy or stresses you out, then F*CK IT. Oftentimes, people choose based on obligation and end up picking a family member, or someone who asked them, or the person they’ve known the longest to be in their wedding party/best person. Don’t feel obligated to give anyone this honorary title if you even slightly know they’re not the best person for the job. Are they emotionally, financially, and mentally able to do all of it at this time in their life? And if the answer is no, then for the sake of both of you, you should consider someone else (or split the responsibility between two best people). This also goes for the rest of your wedding party, don’t pick people you know may not be able to show up for you because you’ll only end up disappointed. 2. Be Realistic I think people really want to believe the best in their friends and family members. It’s a few months of their life and one big day in yours where you hope they can step up and be the best version of themselves to help make your wedding day as special as possible, but honestly, not everyone will. Not all people are selfless enough to do this one (pretty big) thing for you. It hurts to hear, but I would encourage you to think realistically about the people you’re considering for your wedding party and what your expectations of them are, because some will rise to the occasion, and many will not. 3. Forget A Traditional Wedding Party Gone are the days where you only pick three people because your partner also picked three people to be on their side. My other half and I picked different numbers because we didn’t want to force the other to select another person to be on their side so it would “be even”. There are ways to work around it and honestly just throwing an extra person in the mix for that reason is silly. It’s a lot of responsibility and a big ask just so you can have an even number of people on each side. Also who cares about only picking “the same gender” to be on each side, it’s such a dated, old fashioned, sexist tradition. Pick the people closest to you because you love them, because theyʻve been there for you throughout this relationship, and because you couldn’t imagine your wedding day without them. 4. Be Understanding I take being in a wedding party very seriously now that I fully understand the depth and the responsibility of it. It can be a lot to ask of someone. Sometimes your friends or family members are going through their own stuff, be it medical, personal, financial, etc. and they’re not going to be able to be there for you as much as you’d like. Be upfront of what you are expecting of your party and what their role will be. If they politely decline, understand that this was likely a hard decision for them to make and it doesn’t mean they love you less. Being upfront with what they can or can’t do now is a better approach, rather than not showing up later. On the same note, maybe consider where everyone is at (physically and mentally) before you ask them to be a part of your wedding party. If you’re unsure if this is something they can handle right now, consider taking them out to catch up, and talk openly and honestly before you spring a public and formal ask on them. 5. Consider Their Relationship With You and Your Partner How has this person impacted, influenced, and been there for YOU throughout your relationship with your partner? At the same time, what is THEIR relationship with your partner? Has this person been supportive of your relationship and do they care about your partner, too? You’ll want to be surrounded by love and feel supported throughout this process so thinking bigger picture about how they fit into your love story as a couple is also important. At the end of the day you want not only your biggest supporter, but someone who supports your relationship with your partner. Inevitably, the choice is up to you and your partner. Picking your wedding party support team will be a vital step in the wedding planning process that can help make the journey smooth sailing or a slightly more stressful trip. I wish you the best; may you make your selections intentionally and with love. Photo: Kenzie Kate Photography Other photographers featured in this post: The Singlers Danielle Bennink Jon Cu Photography

We are about a week into the final month of the year, and despite the pandemic not slowing down for anyone, I must say, this year has been pretty busy for TGA. We have a few weddings left to close out 2021, but I decided to take this time to briefly reflect on all of the amazing things that have happened. The first thing we did this year was launch our sister company, Wedcycle Hawai’iin February. After working weddings for a few years, I noticed the amount of waste created during these events and how much money is spent on wedding decor that we only use for one day. I had an idea at the end of 2020 to take some of the excess decor we collected and create a decor rental company that was an affordable and sustainable option to the normal wedding approach (a.k.a buying new). It was a slow start at the beginning, figuring out what we were doing, but we now have Wedcycle fully up and running with new drops every week! The next thing we did was throw our hat into the picnic game! I realized, I was low-key depressed not doing anything wedding related. Things were still pretty up in the air regarding when we were going to be able to have full events again, so picnics were my creative outlet (on a smaller scale) and a way to make a little extra coin while I waited for events to come back. My first few picnics I used items from around my house and literally depleted my living room to decorate the tables. Now, we are able to do full on picnic events (living room staying in tact) hosting two people all the way up to 55 people (our biggest picnic in July). The pandemic did not die down in 2021 and, in fact, got pretty gnarly mid year. We sadly had to postpone and cancel a few events in 2021, but despite that we still walked away completing 15 projects! My goal this year was to do at least 12 events, so we beat the goal by three. Pretty impressive if you ask me. I am excited to say that we have already blown past that number for next year, making it our busiest wedding season yet. Something fun, was that I was the maid of honor for 2/15 of those events. Let me just say, being a MOH and the wedding planner, NOT EASY, but I was happy to be there for my best friend and cousin. I learned a lot this year about wedding planning and it gave me the push to begin restructuring my business for 2022 to allow more of a work life balance. Speaking of business growth, we hired some help! For the last 3 years of TGA, I was pretty much doing this business thing on my own. I had my wife, who is still one of the biggest helpers, but I knew that I needed a few more hands if I really wanted TGA to boom. We started with a hiring call in March and brought on two assistants, followed by a social media manager, and an accountant. Our team is filled with other Native Hawaiian, Wahine, and Queer folk. It has been one of my biggest flexes this year, because we are creating a collective that represents who I have always wanted this business to be for. I am excited to say that we are hiring more hands in 2022 to help with our busy season! In August of this year, we also launched our TGA merch line. I love graphic design and wanted to create a few pieces that represented our brand. We did a super fun launch called the ‘Olelo Pride Line, a collection of merch for the month of October featuring well known pride slangs in ‘Olelo Hawai’i. This is still such a fun project for me and I am excited to release new pieces next year. Finally, we launched this blog! I have always loved writing and I wanted a space where I could write my ideas, thoughts, and share with you all a more detailed look into what it is that I do. I also wanted to create a platform where other writers can share their take about the wedding industry. In July, I wrote TGA’s first piece and since then have released a new blog every Thursday. It has been a great experience that I hope to one day look back on and see how far we have come as a business. Writing it out like this and seeing each accomplishment one after another, I have to say that this year has been an amazing time for TGA. Don’t get me wrong, it has come with it’s downs too. I hit a pretty hard wall at the end of summer this year feeling depressed, lost, and honestly over the wedding industry as a whole. I felt like I could not get out of my funk and it took the love and support of my community to remind me why I do, what I do. Remembering how much we did this year, encourages me to keep setting goals while also taking pause to enjoy the moments of success and hardships. In the moment, my accomplishments seemed small, but in the macro view, I can really see how far we have come. I am excited to close out 2021 strong and even more excited for what is to come in 2022! Photographers featured: Kenzie Kate Photography Iwalani Photography Megan Moura Photography Are you interested in planning your special day with us? Weʻd love to chat with you!

We’ve had the pleasure of working with Tailor Made Custom Catering (TMCC) on a few occasions and were thrilled when they asked us to join their project and help style this shoot. The focus of the shoot was of course, TMCC, Bianca, her wife, and their LGBTQ+, woman, Chef owned and operated catering! As another LGBTQ+ woman owned business, we were definitely feeling the synergy; this collaboration was meant to be. The food for this shoot was just as delicious as it was beautiful, looking back on these photos starting to write this and my mouth is watering thinking about it all. We were welcomed with Black Berry Bubbly drinks garnished with Blood Orange slices. A refreshing treat for the warm North Shore afternoon at Loulu Palm. The pupus in this spread included Garlic Chili Shrimp, Prosciutto Lilikoi Brie Crostini with Wild Arugula, and Garlic Salami Grazing Cones filled with Manchego, Garlic Salami, Strawberries, Herbed Pretzels, Jack & Cornichons. The shrimp was tasty, plump, and perfectly cooked while the crostini was a delightful blend of sweet from the lilikoi, salty from the prosciutto, buttery and creamy from the brie and a light peppery bite from the arugula. The Grazing Cones brought all the fun of a full charcuterie board to perfect individual (covid friendly) portions. At this point I was already full from this cocktail hour, but could smell the main course being finished and couldn’t wait to sit down to eat. For the main course we had an Organic Mixed Baby Green Salad topped with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Spiralized Carrots, Green Onion, and a Lilikoi Vinaigrette, Chicken Roulade & Pan Jus, and Red Rose Mashed Potatoes. The salad was a nice way to start the meal, a very traditional salad topped with a fun vinaigrette dressing with a tropical twist. The juicy chicken was stuffed with spinach, roasted red pepper, and a rich creamy gruyere and paired with some of the best mashed potatoes I’ve had. So fluffy and creamy. As a potato lover the mash was a superb side dish that stole my heart. At this point how could I possibly indulge in any more food… Well, there’s ALWAYS room for dessert. Especially when the dessert menu includes POG Cake Push-Pops, Cream Cheese Lemon Cakesicles, Chocolate Chantilly Cake with Macnuts, Peanut Butter Cup and Toasted Coconut Cupcakes! There was truly something for every dessert lover out there. I had to sample everything. Each cake was moist and so flavorful. It was so fun to see each cake done playfully in a different way, especially the cake push-pops! After this meal I was so excited to talk to Bianca and learn a little more about her. Bianca is a mother, wife, and classically trained chef who graduated with honors from The Art Institute Of California Los Angeles with a degree in Culinary Arts/Management. She grew up in the kitchen alongside her father who was an amazing cook and a grandma and great grandma who were both Chefs. With a family so into cooking it’s no wonder she developed such a passion for food from a young age. “My inspiration for menus and food comes from my passion for food, local flavors, my best memories of food & my clients. I enjoy making a difference, I enjoy helping families and I love being a part of my clients most memorable events.” And after experiencing this meal and talking with Bianca, I could really feel that love and passion she has for her family, food, clients, weddings and CAKE. When we talked about weddings Bianca mentioned she feels for her clients who have had to reschedule due to covid and is so excited for them to finally have their day in 2022. She’s looking forward to a happy and healthy new year. Bianca is as passionate, talented, and kind as she is humble. When asked about her favorite part of her journey so far as a wāhine owned small business, she said it’s “...the opportunity to "create". As a creative, I am very fortunate to have the ability to create my business, menus and help create my clients vision all through food. Early on, while I worked in the hospitality industry it was very male dominated. I had to work really hard to be seen and now to have a women owned business, it's empowering & a huge accomplishment to come full circle.” It truly is full circle and I’m sure the best is yet to come. One of the things Bianca said that struck me (and I’d love to leave you with) was “I believe food is our commonality & we all can be united through food.” It’s such a sweet sentiment and I totally agree. Although we are featuring Bianca in this blog, there were many hands and vendors that made this styled shoot possible! Here is a list of them: Venue: Loulu Palm Styling: The Gay Agenda Collective Decor: Wedcycle Hawai’i Photography: Jeanne Marie Photography Did this vendor spotlight make your mouth water? If you are interested in the services provided by Tailor Made Custom Catering, contact them by clicking this link here: https://tmcustomcatering.com/

Makeup Artist: Kelly Zhang Studio Photography: HPW Productions Tipping in the wedding and events industry is sometimes overlooked and not talked about, but our industry is a service based industry, so we should address it. As a wedding planner, I make sure my clients are aware of tips and factor that into their budget. But who should you tip? And more importantly, how much? Before we dive deep into it, I want to touch on a few important points. The first thing that is important to note, is that a service fee is not the same thing as a tip. A service fee is typically added on to a catering or venue proposal which, more often than not, is a fee going towards the execution of the event, not the service provided by the staff. A lot of times clients will ask, “Do I need to tip even though I am being charged a service fee?” I typically answer, “yes” depending on what is stated in their contract. Sometimes service fees do encompass the gratuity for staff, in which case it is not necessary. Most of the time, this is not the case, in which I would suggest that you still add the tip to the mix. Second thing to note - tipping, truly, is NOT mandatory. I think some couples have a hard time swallowing the idea of a tip out for their vendors, especially when they just dished out thousands of dollars to have them there. Much like going to a restaurant or the hair salon, tipping is a nice way to show your sentiment to your vendors. It shows your appreciation for their hard work. Majority of vendors don’t even expect a tip out, so even if it is a small amount, we get giddy, because it is the thought that counts. True, it is an added cost to your budget, but I think very few of us would dine out, only to leave $0 on the tip line, so the same thought process is for the wedding industry. Officiant: Ipolani Duvauchelle The last thing to note is that tipping doesn’t always have to be in the form of money. While it is the most acceptable approach, gifting your vendors is also a kind sentiment to consider. I was once tipped two very nice bottles of wine from the couple's personal vineyard that I was so thankful for. Another time, the owner of a clothing brand tipped us gift cards to her shop. Again, it is about being considerate and letting us know you were thankful for our work. Okay, so now who gets a tip? If you are asking me and you are my client, my answer will always be to tip everyone. Not because I want an added gratuity to my package price, but because I have been in this industry for a while and I see how hard vendors work to help put on your event. From your photographer, to your florist, to your catering staff, even down to your driver -- they all played an important role in your wedding day and I think it is a kind gesture. As a wedding planner, I sometimes feel like I advocate for my clients, but also vendors. I am working with the vendors just as much as I am working with the client, so I feel this pull to always look out for people. I constantly advocate on behalf of vendors that they should be given some sort of gratuity and at the very, very least, a nice review about their work. As far as what to give, that is up to you. We have created a handy little chart below that we found to be our tip out range. This is not the gold standard for how to tip and truly there are about 1001 different sites that talk about tipping out your vendors with a range of amounts. Our list is just from our research and experience. It is a gauge for you to make your decision. At the end of the day, it is completely up to you if you plan to tip your wedding vendors. Who you tip and how much you tip is also up to you. If you do plan to add gratuity to your budget, I always recommend that you pre-make tip envelopes to give to your wedding coordinator or entrusted point person to distribute on the day of. The name of the vendor on a sealed envelope is more than enough. Your coordinator will make sure that at the end of the night your vendors are taken care of, so you don’t have to. And that’s tipping. A little taboo of a conversation, but a necessary one to make you a good client and to give your wedding vendors butterflies knowing that they did a job well done. Other vendors featured in this post: Photography: Kenzie Kate Photography Venturebel Media Danielle Bennink Photography Dearest Jane Photo Desserts: OnoBerries Liliha Bakery

Before I started with TGA, I worked in a few different parts of the tourism industry here in Hawaiʻi and even got my Master’s in Tourism Management where I focused on sustainable tourism. As a Native Hawaiian, responsible tourism is something near and dear to my heart so this blog is important to me. If you’re here reading this, you’re likely considering a destination wedding in Hawaiʻi. Well, there are a few things you should make note of before you do, to make sure you are doing right by our beautiful islands. Hawaiʻi has long been over-run with tourism and some locals have had enough. We got a taste of what a tourist free island chain felt like during the pandemic and enjoyed experiencing our island to ourselves. Our home got some much-needed rest. Our waters cleared up, animals returned, and nature got a chance to breathe. So how do we find harmony with visiting and planning an event in Hawai’i, while also keeping the ʻāina (land/earth) and our kamaʻāina (native born people) happy? 1.Be Respectful – This is our home, so respect it, it's that simple. Please and thank you go a long way here. Hawaiians are very welcoming people, but that doesn’t always hold true when faced with disrespect towards our ʻāina. We have a deep pilina (relationship/connection) to our land, ocean, and wildlife because we believe they are a part of us. If someone approaches you and lets you know what you’re doing isn’t ok, respect and acknowledge that you’re a visitor in someone else’s home. When you see a sign that says Kapu (taboo, forbidden, sacred), do not enter. There’s a reason the sign is there and you should heed that warning. These are all easy ways to show respect. 2. Stay Safe This sort of goes with our previous point, but follow signage, listen to local advisories, and be considerate of nature. In an island chain where you can experience every type of ecosystem and climates, there are a lot of dangers you should be wary of. By not following directions and rules presented to you, there is a potential to waste precious resources by needing to be rescued because you didn’t follow directions (especially in a pandemic on a small island where our limited hospital beds are crucial). Stay safe and be smart! 3. Support Local There are so many things to do, see, and eat while you’re visiting! Research and support small local businesses to truly experience an authentic and accurate depiction of Hawaiʻi. Eat at small hole in the wall restaurants, buy goodies and snacks from that small local business to take home and avoid the big box, chain restaurant, and convenience stores you can get literally anywhere else (I’m referencing the little tourist traps sprinkled all over Waikīkī). If you really want your tourism “to help locals” then you need to spend your money with them, not at the chain restaurants that don’t really help us in the long run. If you are up for it, I recommend voluntourism; you’ll get hands-on experience, learn something about the people and the place you’re visiting, and gain precious memories to last a lifetime. Not to mention walking away feeling great about doing some good for this world. 4. Be Patient We understand that you’re here on vacation and want to have a good time, but our businesses are just getting back up to speed. We still have a lot of capacity restrictions and shortage in staff, which means places are busier than usual with less help. To help alleviate this problem, it helps to book reservations, tickets, excursions, etc. in advance. You’ll be glad you did when you see how long some of the waits here can get. Be patient with the staff everywhere you go. They can’t help that there are restrictions in place and are just following the rules and laws set forth by the state and their employer. 5. Get Educated Read up on local culture! Anytime you visit somewhere new, it’s a good idea to learn about the place you’re visiting, the people, and their culture. We have a rich history that will surprise you. While you’re here, visit museums, take tours from educated, local guides (not foreigners *people who didn’t grow up here* who have no idea what they’re talking about), and learn Hawaiian place names and forgo the “English” names that erase our history and culture (for example, use Lēʻahi instead of Diamond Head). All of this helps keep the spirit of this place alive. At the end of the day, aloha is a two-way street. If you want to have an amazing time here, all you have to do is be a respectful traveler and the islands and our people will welcome you with open arms. All of these tips are easily adaptable to your wedding planning process as well. Just remember, we don’t mind you visiting, but please go back to where you came from afterwards and leave the places you’ve visited in better condition than you found them, not worse. If you want this beautiful place to survive and generations to be able to enjoy it in the future, we have to take care of the land and the people who reside here. Photography: Kenzie Kate Photography Photography: Kenzie Kate Photography There are so many helpful resources you should check out before your trip to our beautiful island home. Check out our list below as a jumping off point! Go Hawaii – Up to date Travel requirements Go Hawaii – Responsible Travel Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaiʻi - Travel Planner Guide NOAA - Wildlife Viewing Guidelines Travel2Change – Voluntourism Opportunities Sustainable Coastlines – Beach Cleanups Pono Pledge – Hawaiʻi Island Responsible Tourism Pledge

Catering: Tailor Made Custom Catering Photography: Jeanne Marie Photo As some of you may know, I started a second company under the TGA umbrella named Wedcycle Hawai’i. It is a decor rental company that specializes in second-hand, pre-loved event decor, to create less waste in the wedding industry. The thought to start Wedcycle was a realization that people spend a ton of money on decor for their events and after the big day, a lot of that decor is either donated or thrown out. In my career, I have seen a ton of items be single use, when they could have had a longer life span. Rarely do people hold on to their table numbers and 100 candle votives. Most of the time they are cycled through the donation centers, split up amongst the different stores. Once there, sourcing those niche items becomes a game of chance. I know that when I was thrifting for my wedding, I was finding single vases that I mixed matched with other items to create a set. It took a lot of time and even money, since the thrift stores have become more pricey. At the end of the day, even buying second hand is not all that sustainable if you just end up using it for a one time use. Don’t even get me started on buying new. Items in the wedding space, solely because they are marketed as a wedding item, are priced at a premium rate. A simple gold card box costs about $50 on Amazon. Something that is just going to hold a bunch of cards. Pretty crazy! According to The Knot, weddings in 2021 are averaging at around $22,500 total. A huge decrease from the last 5 years due to the pandemic I am sure. What this information told me is that with people spending less than what they were spending in the past, they had less money to spend on decor items, so an affordable (and sustainable) option needed to be available. As a wedding planner who helps couples local to Hawai’i and who are traveling in for their event, I accumulate a TON of stuff. When the party's over, rarely do couples care what happens to their smaller decor, and if they are flying in, they forsure do not want to take it back with them. I became the collector of misfit wedding items. At first, I just had a few random pieces, but before I knew it, I was housing enough products that I could create collections of decor kits. From there it was just taking my idea and putting it into action. I started with my first wedding kit, the Gold Collection (recently renamed the Romantic collection), a collection of 10 curated and cohesive items all with that romantic gold aesthetic. Since then, we have two collections (with more on the way) and a ton of smaller decor to add the finishing touches to your event design. My hope is that people don’t feel pressured to spend $400-$500 on last minute items to complete their space, but rather rent at a more affordable price and in turn create less waste. I want this to be an asset for not just couples, but other businesses as well, so they can afford to rent things at a price that does not take from their bottom line. Going this route, you save money, save time on having to source items, and choose a more sustainable option for your wedding day. Featured Photo Credits: Jeanne Marie Photo Kenzie Kate Photography LM Collective Wedcyle Hawai’i has released their new website that makes the renting process easier. Choose your items, your 3 day rental period, and time to pick up and drop off from our storage. New items will be released every Friday, so make sure to follow us on instagram to stay up to date with all our items available for rent!

“Engagement Season” (typically that period between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s day where it feels like your entire feed bursts with everyone getting engaged) is right around the corner, so we wanted to talk about savoring your engagement! What does that mean? Why would I do that? Take it from a girl who waited over nine years to get engaged and then sprinted to get married in 9 months during a pandemic - take time to enjoy your engagement. You and your partner have finally decided to take this next step together and that’s exciting! Take time to really soak up this moment. You deserve to be happy, feel all the feels, rejoice, cry happy tears, and really SAVOR this moment. Reflect on your relationship, everything you’ve been through as an individual and a couple to see how far you’ve come and look ahead to your future together and what that looks like. I think this is a great time to reflect on life. My engagement (although quite brief) was a very reflective time period where I saw my partner in a whole new light. We talked more about the future than ever before. It was so sweet and really got us ready to finally take the plunge. I hope for you and your other half that you are able to take this time to talk about where you’ve been, what you’ve overcome, and where your future is heading Photo Credit: The Tribe Photo As soon as you get engaged, everyone is likely to swarm around you and start asking tons of invasive questions lol like “when are you getting married?”, “when are you having kids?”, “where are you getting married?”, “am I invited to the wedding?”, and so much more. It can be a lot, and to that I say, tell them, “IDK, I JUST GOT ENGAGED and I’m ENJOYING my engagement!” Go out, have nice meals together, take a short staycation, do something small to mark the occasion; instead of jumping directly into planning the wedding. It can be extremely tempting to immediately plan the wedding, but there’s no need to rush. There is no pressure. If you already have a date in mind, great, if not, it might be a great option for you to have a 18 month to two year engagement. Photo Credit: Kenzie Kate Photography Staying engaged longer can be great and has its own benefits, too! By waiting a year or two to finally tie the knot, you’ll be able to save more money along the way. This is a much better option than taking out a large loan to pay for the wedding and starting off your marriage in debt. Planning a wedding can be very stressful, it’s another whole ass job (that’s why people hire planners) so it’s a lot to deal with while balancing your career, family, home life, and more. It’s less stressful when you can break it into smaller planning pieces along the way. More time means you can enjoy the process of planning, really think about your wedding vision, narrow it down, and slowly find your vendors. There’s less pressure when you have a longer amount of time to get it all done. So the takeaway, take your time and savor your engagement and when you are ready to start planning, you know where to find us! Photo Credit: LM.Collective You LOVE being engaged but you and your partner also feel ready to start planning your big day? Have no fear! Contact us here to get started

Every time fall comes around, I get nostalgic of cool LA night weddings, where it is warm all day and then a rapid 30 degree drop at night; my favorite time of year and place to plan a wedding. Steven and Stephenʻs wedding was my second official event I planned under the TGA brand and, it still to this day, is the event I think about as the pivotal moment in my career. I was approached by a dear friend, Kathleen, who shared with me that her brother was planning his wedding and that he needed assistance. To be honest, I knew that he was engaged and I was hoping that they would reach out to me. After a few hangouts with one another, I felt like I had a pretty good feel of who they were and what help they needed. Both Stephen and Steven are extremely gifted designers in their own right. Throughout their wedding they chose to sprinkle in handmade elements as a part of the design. Steven, a home baker, took on the task of creating their wedding cake, while Stephen designed all the floral arrangements and hand drew their stationary. He even went so far as to design a dress for their wedding singer. All the elements of this wedding were so romantic and classic. S+S frequent Paris, France and you can feel all of the parisian influences woven in their decor. From the ethereal gardenesque arrangements to the curated vintage flatware, each piece of this wedding was meticulously chosen to make you feel like you stepped into a french garden party. When explaining their wedding to me, the couple honed in on how important it was for them to create an experience that made guests feel like they were at an elevated dinner party. The Stev(ph)enʻs entertained often, so they wanted their wedding to feel like an extension of that. Weʻve touched on this before, but chosen families have become a staple in the queer community and a necessity in moments like this where biological family make the choice to not be a part. Stephen and Steven had many heart to heart moments with my wife and I leading up to their wedding. We talked about community, family, obligation, and the joys and fears surrounding their big day. Much like their designs, S+S made careful decisions on who would stand with them. And despite circumstances, the couple was showered with love from their all female wedding party. Talk about #squadgoals The reason I say that this wedding was the pivotal moment in my career is because this wedding let me know that the sky was the limit. For my second wedding, this was very glamorous from a design standpoint. From a logistics standpoint, it took a ton of coordinating with all of the moving parts. I was pretty anxious going into this day, feeling like I did not want to let the couple down. So when it was over and we were able to execute it all, it was at that moment I felt like I could actually do this for a living. Steven and Stephen were so gracious to allow me to be a part of their wedding day. I trip out when I reflect on these initial events, because I am like “Who in their right mind would let me plan their wedding with only a little bit of experience?” I am super thankful they did take a chance on me. Not just because this was the wedding that essentially launched my career, but because I built a relationship with the couple. Steven and Stephen were there for Ipo and I as we started planning our wedding. With similar family backgrounds, they were our support system, showering us with love throughout that season. I might've gone into this for the experience, but I walked away with a friendship. Vendor Highlights: Photography: Jon Cu Event Planning: The Gay Agenda Collective Dresses: BHLDN Groom's Attire: ASOS Rentals: Otis & Pearl Reception Venue: Wattles Mansion Invitations: Stephen Garrett Event Design: Stephen Garrett Floral Design: Stephen Garret Cake: Steven Garrett Beauty: Brittany Delsid Beauty: Nicole Justice Recently engaged and looking to plan your wedding? Thinking you might need some assistance? Contact us here

One of our clients reached out to us with the idea for a farmer’s market themed first birthday party. We were so excited with this idea, we ran with it straight to Pinterest to find some inspiration to supplement the family’s vision. The theme seemed to confuse some of their family at first, but came together and everyone loved it! The family had a few phrases in mind like “Certified Adorable”, “Organic”, “Waialua Grown”, etc. so we hired a calligrapher to do a custom milestone board made for them. The calligrapher (my sister, Chara, who did my wedding) was also able to incorporate some ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) to really personalize the milestone board. It was a cute and unique piece they displayed, and ended up keeping after the party was over. Calligraphy: Chara Kreates Originally, we talked about a balloon arch, but decided against it because it isn’t an eco-friendly option (even “biodegradable” balloons don’t decompose well and pose a hazard for wildlife). Instead we opted to do a fun fabric and tissue paper pom pom arch. Using extra fabric from the table runners we made, we cut strips of fabric and tied them to the arch (available for rent through Wedcyle Hawaiʻi) to create a textured photo backdrop. We then finished the arch off by decorating the top with some large green “cabbage” and “lettuce” pom pom “flowers'' we made. To really tie in the theme we stacked some crates around the sides with some jams, avocados, and even a tiny functional wheelbarrow! With the remaining tissue paper we made cereal “corn on the cob” favors for the little ones (and for adults like us who still love kids cereal lol). With two different shades of green we cut the tissue paper into smaller rectangles, layered them, and tied them around the bag of cereal to create little corn on the cob bags. The other favors we decided on to keep it kid friendly were goldfish “carrots”! Using goodie bags shaped like triangles, we filled them with goldfish and tied the tops with green curling ribbon, but green fabric ribbon would make for a great option as well. We put these favors out on the tables, in some crates, as well as in some of the wood boxes we have for rent from Wedcycle Hawaiʻi. The family also made it a point to celebrate with local vendors who supplied delicious bentos, adorable little desserts, and frozen treats for the hot summer day. Overall a super fun party we were so happy to be a part of. We do so much more than weddings and would love to be a part of your next special occasion!