new peeks: kinohi designs

tropical tryst

the iffy economy is putting a squeeze on many budgets including pricey wedding celebrations for both island and destination brides & grooms. as someone who planned every single detail of my big day without a hired gun by my side, i know firsthand that it is possible to throw a lovely bash complete with fancy gown, hard to book photographers, and gourmet eats for a fraction of the cost, and, most important, without going into debt so long as you know how to allocate your funds wisely.

if invites are the area where you choose to scrimp, you will want to take note of the latest offerings from kinohi designs. since partnering with wedding paper divas and its sister company tiny prints, honolulu designer jennifer tanabe's contemporary paper goods line continues to mark life's happy moments sans the boutique price tag.

many designs hint of kinohi's island home to the delight of modern tropical style connoissiers, however my current favorite is certain to be frowned upon by the etiquette set - the cheeky blank you design with its playful twist on the traditional thank you note which is sure to be the saving grace for anyone who forgets to acknowledge gifts in a timely manner.

blank you

summer style

hello baby

and, while the stylish stationery has been perfected for weddings, birthdays, and other big announcements, savvy shoppers can put their own spin on many designs with a few quick clicks.

take a peek at kinohi designs' entire lovely lineup over at tiny prints and wedding paper divas.

sugar cane sweetie

anyone who has planned a wedding in recent years is familiar with the gift bag bestowed on guests who make the journey to celebrate your big day. it's a fun way to share your favorite hometown finds with out of town pals - in fact, i still remember strolling the aisles of costco & local shops scooping up hawaiian style goodies days before our first wave of guests arrived in the islands.

if you are short on time but big on budget, you may want to click over to sugar cane sweetie, a new gifting service based on maui. partners jen martin and liz mcgain started their company to offer corporate events a fresh take on the tropical welcome basket trading standard issue mac nuts and sweets for gourmet goodies, luxe spa treats, and other delights evocative of paradise.

many h|h favorites made the cut including letarte coverups, malie kauai potions & maui beach sheets plus your picks can be gifted in a simple lauhala basket or a stylish meleana tote bag.

jen and liz are happy to work with weddings and private parties (minimum quantity required - contact scs for details) and offer an à la carte selection for those who prefer to customize gift options. delivery is available on maui and the neighbor islands plus gifts can also be dispatched to the mainland to set the mood for your guests' upcoming tropical getaway.

click over to the website to take a peek at the sugar cane sweetie selection (price tag is $40 and up).

{update | feb 2010: sugar cane sweetie has closed its website}

heart to heart

jeremy from toast recently sent along word announcing the latest favor options to be birthed inside their imaginative workshop. these playful wooden heart stumps can be customized with the "carved" initials of the love birds and filled with a sweet surprise (or order up personalized cotton hankies from the toast team). the empty stumps are 100% biodegradable so guests can toss them into the compost pile for a little cradle to cradle action.

and, come december toast will be rolling out a more budget-friendly option to their popular soda snack line. mini pops will still put a smile on the faces of your guests (especially little ones on the birthday party circuit) but the shrunken size promises to keep the sugar rush to a minimum.

click over to the faq for the fine print.

pacific weddings photo contest

for the past decade, pacific weddings (formerly pacific rim weddings) has been the bible for stylish island brides. the maui-based glossie has been busy this past year with a title refresh to better reflect the magazine's coverage of nuptial bashes from hawaii to the west coast, the launch of a digital edition so brides can virtually flip through the archives to collect even more inspired ideas, and preparation for the publication's ten year anniversary.

if, like me, you have daydreamed about your wedding being featured in the pages of pw, you are in luck since the editors recently announced a photo contest to celebrate the upcoming anniversary issue. hele over to pw's love notes blog for all the details since the sep 25th deadline is fast approaching.

emi ink invites

carmel + lani

it's all about the details for wedding stationer stacey shiroma of emi ink who mixes hand selected papers with carefully chosen embellishments and die cut details of her own design to announce your big day with the perfect balance of personality and style.

the importance of making a good first impression carried over from stacey's career in marketing which she traded in to open up her own design shop in 2005. that means no detail is left to chance with everything from enclosures to envelopes coordinated to create a presentation guests will definitely remember.

alana + malia

you can preview the collection on the official website which made its debut a few weeks ago or stop by the wedding café which keeps an emi ink look book on hand for customers. since each invite is composed of multiple layers, it's best to book your consultation early since the handcrafted nature of the designs requires an estimated turnaround time of 8 to 10 weeks to complete your order.

no wedding on the horizon? you can still order up emi ink invites since designs double as event stationery for celebrations of all occasions.

click over to the emi ink blog for a peek at stacey's virtual inspiration board.