Tips

You are currently browsing the archive for the Tips category.

Fun & Creative Guest Book Alternatives

January 17, 2012 in Design, Finishing Touch, Tips | 1 comment

A wedding should be special and truly reflect a couple.  Find a way to incorporate your personality/hobbies/interests into your wedding including your guest book.  A wedding guest book doesn’t have to be a book full of names and addresses that you never look at again.  If you like to cook, have guests sign your favorite cookbook.  If you like to surf, ask guests to sign a life size surfboard to display in your home.  The possibilities are endless!

Check out these fun, unique, and creative ideas to use as your “guest book.” ~ Tristin

Well Wish Cards - Guests can write special notes and wishes for the bride and groom and hang them on a “wishing tree.”

Puzzle - Ask your guests to pick a puzzle piece and write a short sentiment on why the couple is a “perfect fit” for each other. Then with all the pieces you can put together the puzzle and frame it.

Handmade Quilt - Cut squares of fabric and have guests give advice on what makes a long lasting marriage. Use the patches of fabric to make a keepsake quilt.

Thumbprint Art Work - Get a custom drawing and have guests place their thumbprint on the drawing. This will make a great piece of art to hang in your home.

Escort Card Display

October 17, 2011 in Design, Finishing Touch, Tips, Uncategorized | No comments

Escort card display often helps to set the tone for your event as it is the first thing your guests will see when they arrive at your reception. First impression is everything, right? We always try to come up with new and unique ideas for escort card display, and here are just a few I love. Many of these are displays we’ve done at a Finishing Touch event; others we can’t wait to try at our future events! ~ Tristin

An old shutter door makes a perfect shabby chic prop to display escort cards. Source: www.finishingtouchhawaii.com

Classic tented escort cards are always in! Source: www.finishingtouchhawaii.com

Rustic display using twine, clothes pins and an existing bench at the venue. Source: www.finishingtouchhawaii.com

Escort cards staked into wheat grass block. Cute! Source: www.finishingtouchawaii.com

Have your favors also double as escort cards.  Love the succulents! Source: www.emalinebride.com

Love the handwritten names on this window pane. Source:  BeyondWhite on www.etsy.com

Use vintage frames to display guest names & table assignments. Source: www.polkadotbride.com

Seashell accent escort cards, perfect display for a beach chic wedding! Source: www.finishingtouchhawaii.com

Wedding Shoe Solution

September 9, 2011 in Tips | No comments

The phrase “Beauty is Pain” is something all women who own stiletto heels, pointed toe pumps, and strappy sandals are all too familiar with . . . until now.  Women can find a variety of shoe solutions at Apara Footcare. My favorite items are the Gel Soft Spots and Gel Strappies. If you are concerned about being in heels all day at your wedding, definitely consider these!

Gel Soft Spots

These great gel pads can provide quick relief to the different pressure points and are small enough to throw in your clutch for an emergency comfort fix.

Gel Strappies

These flexible gel cushions are perfect for keeping shoe straps in place and preventing blisters on heels.

Say goodbye to shoe discomfort and hello to fashionable footwear! ~ Tristin

Signature Cocktails that hit the spot and NOT the waist line

August 22, 2011 in Finishing Touch, Tips, Wedding | No comments

We all love a delicious cocktail when we are out to dinner, at a party or even spending a Friday night at home but, what we don’t like is the amount of liquid calories we are consuming.

Here are some delicious low calorie options to indulge in without feeling guilty. They are also great options to consider as your wedding signature cocktails. Cheers! ~ Tristin

Sangria Sparkler

From: Fitness Magazine

Ingredients:

750 ML bottle dry red wine

1 cup light orange juice

¼ cup brandy or cognac

¼ cup orange liqueur

2 tablespoons sugar

2 oranges, sliced

2 cup club soda, chilled

Crushed ice and/or orange peel curls

In a large pitcher, combine wine, orange juice, brandy, orange liqueur, sugar, and orange slices.  Chill at least 2 hours.  Add club soda before serving.  Serve over crushed ice and/or with orange peel curls, if desired.

Calories:  100

Golden Sparklers

From:  Diabetic Living

Ingredients

12 thin wedges or orange, lemon, or lime

Water

3 cups orange juice, chilled

3 cups apricot nectar, chilled

2 cups ice cubes

1 750ML bottle champagne or sparkling wine

Place a thin wedge of orange, lemon, or lime in each compartment of an ice cube tray, with one end of the wedge extending above the tray about 3/4-inch. Fill tray with water and freeze for 2 hours or until firm.

Pour orange juice and apricot nectar over ice in a large (11-cup) glass pitcher or punch bowl. Add champagne, wine, or sparkling water, stirring gently. Place a Citrus Ice Cube in each champagne glass or punch cup. Pour or ladle over ice. Makes about 20 1/2-cup servings).

Calories:  68 per ½ cup serving

Bombay Magic

From:  Health.com

Ingredients

½ a shot glass of Cointreau

¼ shot glass of Tequila or Vodka

Lemon Juice

Club Soda

Mint Leaf

Squeeze ½ lemon in glass.  Pour half a shot glass of Cointreau, ¼ shot glass of either tequila or vodka.  Top it off with club soda.  Use a mint leaf for garnishing.

Calories:  109

The Best Nail Polish Ever!

August 9, 2011 in Tips | No comments

I love getting pedicures when I go to the nail salon but typically decline the addition of having a manicure because it never fails that my nails chip within a week or sometimes even a couple of days!  It baffles me when I see other people and their nails look fabulous because no matter how careful I am, I always ruin my manicure . . . until now.  I have recently discovered Gelish Color Gels by Hand & Nail Harmony.  This polish comes in a wide variety of colors and is applied like any other nail polish but lasts MUCH longer.  My last manicure was about 3 weeks ago and my nails still look amazing!  The gel is applied in a couple of coats and then sealed between coats in a LED or UV lamp.  This polish is awesome because I can go about my everyday routine and not worry about any chipping or peeling!  Gelish Color Gels is a definite must try item! ~ Tristin

Seashell, coral and ocean. Yi Bing and Josh’s perfect tropical wedding.

August 1, 2011 in Design, Tips, Wedding, Weddings | No comments

Yi Bing and Josh got married at the luxurious Paul Mitchell Estate in Lanikai. Lanikai is known for its crystal blue water, and Yi Bing couldn’t have selected a better color palette of light turquoise and coral to compliment the beautiful setting. Yvonne Design did an amazing job on the flowers incorporating different types of exotic shells and corals. Stacey of Bradley & Lily Fine Stationery created a letter pressed invitation which was individually boxed and packaged with natural raffia and a starfish. All these little details pull together such a cohesive event in style and ambiance. Thank you to Frank Amodo for capturing the day so perfectly! ~ Sandra

Food Truck Wedding

July 29, 2011 in Tips | No comments

Food trucks are all the rage these days, and some of the tastiest food trucks can be found here on Oahu. Although I have yet to find a couple who want to hire a few food trucks to cater their entire wedding, but I did come across a local food truck that is perfect for weddings and special events. Fairycakes is a dessert food truck, serving anything from cupcakes, brownies, cake pops to their famous whoopie pies. I always tell my brides that the way you present your favor is as important as the favor itself. I find that guests love to be surprised! Instead of having a standard cupcake tower, how about having a food truck roll up at the end of your reception to pass out cupcakes as a midnight snack? Not only will your guests enjoy the cupcakes, they will also be amazed by their creative presentation! Want to learn more about Hawaii food truck trends? Follow @streetgrindz on Twitter! ~ Sandra

Homemade Skin Treatments – look picture perfect on your wedding day!

June 14, 2011 in Tips, Wedding | No comments

We all know that a picture can tell a thousand words, but there is only one word that a bride wants to hear when someone looks at her wedding photos, “GORGEOUS!” I am a big fan of getting facials and different skin treatments at pampering spas and salons, but it can get a bit pricey if you have frequent visits. On my last spa visit, my esthetician gave me some tips on home made recipes that were effective and most of all, affordable! *She also mentioned that there are numerous all natural websites with different recipes, but since everyone’s skin is different, I should try a variety to see what works best for my skin type.

Here are a couple of recipes that I have tried and absolutely LOVE!


Sea Salt for Exfoliation

This is great for removing dead skin and impurities from your face.

1. Combine 3 tablespoons of coarse sea salt and 6 tablespoons of warm water in a mixing bowl.
2. Splash some water on your face to moisten your skin. Gently rub the salt grains in a circular motion on your face.
3. Keep the salt on your face for about 3 minutes.
4. Rinse your face with warm water and pat dry. Don’t forget to moisturize when your skin is dry!

Aspirin Spot Treatment

This is an inexpensive way too help spot treat blemishes.

1. Wash & clean your face as normal.
2. Crush 1 uncoated or lightly coated aspirin and place in a small bowl.
3. Slowly add drops of water until it forms a paste.
4. Apply a small dab of the paste on blemishes and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
5. Wash the paste off your face and follow with your usual toner & moisturizer

Now you can keep your skin looking great without breaking the bank! ~ Tristin

New Spotlight Bride

August 5, 2009 in Miki, Spotlight bride, Tips | No comments

I am in the midst of a very busy wedding-filled August, but I thought I would mention that I finally updated the “Spotlight Bride” section on my website. I know, I know… this is the one section that rarely gets updated, so sorry! This time we are featuring our beautiful bride Miki who got married last October. Visit our website, click on “Spotlight Bride” on our home page, and begin to read about Miki’s thoughts and tips from a bride’s perspective. I hope you will enjoy this “bride-to-bride” moment as much as I do!

My Seven Buck Chuck

March 14, 2009 in Finishing Touch, Tips, Wine, Yellow Tail Shiraz Cabernet | No comments

While I patiently wait for Trader Joes to arrive in Hawaii, I have found a great cheap bottle of wine to replace TJ’s famous “Two Buck Chuck”.

Sending your hubby to the store to get wine is usually not a good idea, because you just never know what you may end up getting. But since I was busy preparing dinner, I had to count on Marvin to pick up a “decent” bottle of wine. I gave him 2 very simple instructions: 1) Get a bottle of Shiraz or Cabernet, 2) Keep the price point to under $15 per bottle.

Marvin came back with the $6.99 Yellow Tail Shiraz-Cabernet blend. To my surprise, it was actually really good. I would say the bottle tasted like something you can get at Tamura’s for $20 – $25 a bottle. A wine expert once told me that a bottle of wine is good wine as long as it tastes good to you personally. I couldn’t have agreed more. Who would have thought my beer-drinking, poke-eating hubby would find my new “Seven Buck Chuck”?

For brides who are having an off-premise wedding (such as Lanikuhonua, Loulu Palm Estate, HSAM….etc.), consider serving the Yellow Tail Shiraz-Cabernet as your red wine option. Your guests will probably never know it costs only $6.99 a bottle!

« Older entries