As prepared as we thought we are, we weren't. We have a "Misc" kit that we bring with us at every event. It has some tools, tape, batteries, extra cords, and adapters. We even have a foldable stool, table covers, and some cloth towels. Kind of like a survival kit for what we do. It has helped us out many times. 

Before every wedding, we go through all the equipment to ensure we have everything. Everything from speakers, microphones, stands, cables, gaffers tape, etc. For this one particular wedding, we had to provide a projector and screen. So we made sure we brought the right adapters. We don't usually have these adapters in our "Misc" kit because of how pricey they are. So it's something we'd have to think of bringing when it is going to be needed. 

So about an hour before we had to set up the screen and projector, we started to prep everything. They provided their own laptop for us to play their slideshow from. We first noticed it was a Macbook so we thought we had the right adapter. Come to find out, it was the wrong adapter! We had the ipad/iphone hdmi adapter. The wedding was on the north shore and for us to drive back to get the right adapter and return would take us almost 2 hours. 

We started going through all the equipment cases, bags, and "Misc" kit in hopes we'd have the adapter buried somewhere. We even started asking other vendors if they had the adapter we were looking for. After not finding any, we thought of maybe transferring the video file to an ipad because the hdmi adapter we had was  for an iphone or ipad. Come to find out, the video was on a trial version of the software. If we rendered a video file from the software, it would place a watermark on the video. So we looked up the software to see how much it costs. It was $40 so we connected to the venue internet to purchase the software. After purchasing, we could not activate the software. It just wouldn't activate. We almost gave up and felt defeated. 

There was about 5 minutes left till we had to show the slideshow. We had one last idea and it was a last minute decision to get this slideshow shown. With the help of the coordinators and MC, they changed the slideshow to a later time in the program.
I had my camera gear with me because I wanted to get video footage of our MC for our promotional use. Since I didn't get a chance to get any footage, I decided to hook up our camera to the projector. I would then play the slideshow from their laptop and shoot it with our camera which was hooked up to the projector. 

This worked. Quality isn't as great but we were able to play a very important slideshow. One that was also a surprise. It seemed like no one noticed what I was doing but I was sweating the whole time. Hoping nothing would happen while the slideshow was playing. Slideshow ended and I had a big sigh of relief. 

This is one of the many situations that we face while at an event. I don't like running into these situations. It bothers me. It bothers me so much, I try to do what ever I can to make sure it doesn't happen again. So I just ordered half a dozen of these adapters. Going to place each of them with our projectors, "Misc" kit, and one with me at all times. I'm determined to make sure this never happens again. 

We have come across other situations which we were able to solve and work around without anyone noticing. And after each time, we do what ever it takes to make sure it doesn't happen again. Sometimes we think we are ready for anything, but simply grabbing the wrong adapter can change things. 

No company is perfect and mistakes do happen. We aren't perfect but I wanted to show you how committed we are with solving problems and making sure it doesn't happen again. We want every event to be a success whether there are problems or not. 

The simplest answer to that question is YES! Whether it is a 10 person wedding or a 500 person wedding, we highly suggest you get a coordinator. So we are going to give you our top 10 reasons as to why should you get a coordinator. 

10. Pick their brains

Ask them anything and everything. They are wedding professionals and they are there to help you with planning your wedding. They can also give you tips and tricks whether it be budgeting, picking the right colors, etc. They have the experience through all the other weddings they have done and that is worth the money itself. You may be surprised with the information a coordinator can give you. 

9. Budgeting

We have had some brides that are really good with their money. But a lot of them weren't ready for all the things they need to budget for. Things like vendor meals, paid vendor parking, or even vendor travel fees(which we don't charge for). Coordinators can help foresee things like that and help you with budgeting. You don't want to get caught off guard on your wedding day. They can also help you decide whether you can afford an exciting service like our cold sparks! 

8. 2 heads are beter than 1

Get more done. Coordinators aren't only there for the day of(unless you hire a day of coordinator), they can help you with tasks prior to your wedding. Things like helping you find a rental car, pickup and prepare your decorations, and some might even pick up family members from the airport(which does happen). Make sure you check with your coordinator first on what their limitations are. 

7. Referee and Coach

We sometimes hear from coordinators all the drama that's happening. Whether it's between family members or between vendors. It's not something you would want to deal with yourself. Let a coordinator deal with the issue or at least give you some guidance on how to deal with it. They are there for you and they can help you resolve any issues. Drama is not something you want to deal with on your wedding day. 

6. A shoulder to cry on(figuratively or literally)

Perfect example is when the world shut down and weddings were cancelled. Coordinators lost income due to cancelled weddings but a lot of them still worked trying to console their brides. They were there even when they weren't going to get paid. They did what they would normally do when a disaster or something unexpected happens. You can find comfort with someone that understands the situation. 

5. A higher level of organization

We have done a lot of weddings that were so unorganized that it made us wish we charged more. We've been handed timelines that were made by brides with just the time and a brief description of what is happening typed out on a word doc. Coordinator timelines are organized and detailed in a matter that really helps us with our performance. 

4. Friendors

Yes, we believe all coordinators have their preference in other vendors for your wedding. This is not a bad thing, but a good thing for your wedding. Vendors that work well together, makes for a better wedding. Don't just believe who they recommend, ask them why they recommend them. 

3. What Happens If....

Expect the unexpected? Well after this pandemic, most coordinators should have already experienced the unexpected. They have the experience to deal with situations like a late vendor or one that didn't show up at all. We have seen it happen and it will probably happen again. Have a coordinator deal with it which brings number 2 on our list. 

2. Less Stress On Me, Less Stress On You

There's been maybe a few weddings where we were late at. Not because we woke up late but for reasons beyond our control. A good coordinator will deal with the situation and make the situation less stressful on you. They may even come up with an alternative plan that you won't even know happened. We have seen it first hand where an audible was called. At the end of the night, it's as if nothing really happened. 

1. Enjoy Your Day! 

This should always be the number one reason why you should hire a coordinator. It is your day. All you need to think about is the person that you are marrying. Not wondering if a vendor will show up or if you should cut the cake with your left hand or right hand. You need to enjoy the most exciting day of your life!

We have done a few weddings that went smoothly without a coordinator. In fact, we have done several weddings that went smoothly without a coordinator because all the other vendors had to step up including us. We had to take time out of what we normally do to ensure everything is set. Sometimes we would have to ask family members or even other vendors questions regarding set up for the reception. It puts more stress on us. Stress that sometimes affects our performance. 

If you decide not to get a coordinator, we will still do everything we can to make your wedding successful. At least assign someone to be the point of contact. It can be a family or friend whom we can go to with questions. 

Our company was looking forward to 2020. We had a momentum going, our company was excited, our calendars was getting full, and opportunities were coming. It was supposed to be the best year we ever had. Little did we know, it didn't turned out to what we had hoped for. 
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January & February 2020 was a strong start for us. We had a total of 31 events for those 2 months. We had Weddings, Birthday parties, year end company events and school dances. We even had a monumental event of providing our cold spark services for the "Magic The Gathering" championships which was being held at Hawaii Convention Center. A venue that never allows cold spark machines to operate in. We also participated in the Kualoa Ranch Wedding Faire and also flew up to Las Vegas for the Photobooth Expo. 

We invested a lot to our future in 2020. We purchased additional photobooths along with a 360 booth. Both which we never had a chance to use yet even after having them for almost a year. We were planning to have 2 wedding showcases after the success of our first showcase at Alohilani the past November. We had a lot planned for 2020. Sadly, none were able to come to fruition. 

We were also getting emails from wedding clients saying they have to postpone and some of them cancelling. April and May, we had been wiped out with no events. 2020 was supposed to be our biggest prom season. It was heartbreaking that so many seniors will never get to experience prom and experience the final moments of what being a senior is like.

We wanted to do something special for these seniors. We couldn't think of anything better than to dedicate a 2020 lighting structure to the graduating class. So we decided to contact several schools to see if they were interested. Thankfully, they were all for it. 

We were all excited because it gave us something to do during this pandemic. Even if none of us were getting paid, we were doing something special. Something that gave back to these seniors which a lot has been taken away from. 

At the start of the year, we talked about doing more for the community and to give back to the community. We talked about participating more in fundraising events and be more involved in community events. We didn't think giving back would be in these circumstances. So we did what we could do. We utilized our lighting and projection equipment to pay tribute to all those working hard during this pandemic. We also lit up Haleiwa Rainbow bridge during the Christmas season to bring some joy as people drove through. 

As time goes by, things weren't looking any better at the end of summer. So we decided to focus on something that others were doing. We provide unique lighting services but our core root is music. We decided to create a live-streaming studio. We wanted to bring music and that party vibe atmosphere to everyone's homes since clubs, parties, and events weren't allowed. Music helps us all and we hope that brought some joy in peoples lives while being in isolation. 

We would normally stream on Fridays which we now call "Aloha Fridays". We would also have guest DJs come to our studio and stream on their channel. Constantly improving our stream and set up throughout the next several months, we decided to offer this as a service. 

Almost 7 months had passed since it all started. October was supposed to be a very busy month for us. Halloween was upon us. Thankfully, we were able to book a Halloween Drive-Thru event which was being held on Kaneohe Marine Base. It was the perfect event for us.  Using a large amount of projectors, speakers, uplights, and tv screens, this was our biggest event yet. 

In December, we had our first live-streaming booking. It was for a Christmas zoom event that was held at 53 By The Sea. Kids would join a zoom room and participate in decorating their cookies and cupcakes. 53 By The Sea provided a decorating kit to these kids to pick up and bring home to follow along on zoom. We had a host along with a chef that taught them how to decorate their cakes. We provided 2 cameras, mics for host and chef, and a zoom monitor so that the host and chef can interact with the kids. It was nice to see the kids enjoying themselves. Thankfully through our own live-streaming events, it helped us prepare for this event. We hope that more opportunities like this come through as we include this service. 

A year ago we were welcoming 2020 with our biggest event of 2019. We provided 20 cold spark machines where 8 were placed on the edge of their infinity pool. We projection mapped on both buildings surrounding the pool deck area and also provided stage wash and uplighting. This was at the newly renovated Alohilani Hotel. Never would we have thought what 2020 would bring us. 

2021 is finally here. A new year and in a way, it signifies a new start. A year ago, we were excited.  Today, we are trying our best to survive. What will 2021 bring us? All we can do is hope that it'll be better than 2020. 

With the pandemic destroying our industry, we were able to be a part of a unique event. A Halloween Drive-Thru event which happened at Kaneohe Marine Base. It was held on Halloween which was free for the military personnel on base. The drive-thru started at 5pm and ended at 10pm. 

The next section was the alien abduction area where we set up a 8 foot truss to and placed one of our moving heads on. We also set up a strobe and a haze machine to simulate a ufo abducting an innocent soul. Paired with a hidden sound system for that ufo sound effect. Loved how this section turned out. 

The next section was the witches area. We provided uplights to light up the trees and also a sound system to amplify the sounds from the witch animatronic. The last section in the campsite area was the ghostly apparition. We hung a transparent material to project on. Finding the right material was a bit challenging. We had to test several different materials until we found the right one. 

The next area, guests drove towards the cabin area where things got a bit more intense. On the way there, they would come across the graveyard area where they had live actors. We supplemented that area with some area lighting, audio for graveyard sounds, and also projected visuals on the far warehouse wall. We did add a continuous flow low lying fog machine but that didn't always work well. 

The actual cabin area was where they set up Bates Motel. I was surprised they were able to obtain a Bates Motel sign. They had Norman walking around and several other live actors. On one of the large walls, we projected a scene from the movie. We edited it to loop every 60 seconds and added the blood splatter effect. Used our ultra short throw projector to project on a wall that was about 20 feet wide. 

The last area was the one I was most impressed with. They wanted this area to be chaotic. We set up a sound system which included 2 subwoofers. We had screams and the sounds of a helicopter playing. The subwoofers really helped with the realism of it. We also set up 2 moving heads which simulated the lights of a helicopter. They had live zombie actors all over the place. Definitely the highlight of the night. 

Overall, it was a successful event. The core of our company is to provide an unforgettable experience at an event. The tools and experience that we have gained over the years made this event perfect for us. The experience would have been a lot more fun if people weren't restricted to stay in their cars but we really hope everyone enjoyed it.  

Check out the supplementary vlog below. 

Photo Credit-Kevin Chun
Video by Rob at Dream Fx Media

As I am writing this, we are supposed to be in the middle of our prom season. Sadly, we are not. We are in the midst of a shutdown due to the covid-19 virus. 14 out of 15 of our proms has been canceled except for that one lucky one which happened before the shutdown.  10 of which were senior proms. 

Prom season for us is the most anticipated time of the year. It's gratifying to see these kids have the time of their lives. It's also a time where we could get creative with our lighting and also hear what kids now days like to listen to. Unfortunately, we can't play everything they request due to vulgarity and/or content but it gives us an idea of what they listen to. 

We like to treat our proms as a big music festival show. We coordinate everything from music, releasing the balloon drop, and shooting the CO2/Confetti at peak moments of the night. Understanding what the kids like to hear and knowing which music works best, allows us to determine the best time to create that epic moment. 

It was very hard to see the emails of schools canceling their proms. It's missed opportunity for us to really give these kids a good time but we really felt for these kids who are going to miss out on their senior prom. 

At this time of writing, we don't know when things are going back to normal. Whether it be a few weeks to a few months or even a year. Things are very uncertain. We want to give these seniors a party before their year ends. Every day the possibility is getting slimmer and slimmer. Maybe a prom theme to somewhat make up for prom or just a music festival. We have contacted a few venues so we are going to try our best. 2020 doesn't end till December. We are in the works to throw an event for you. We want seniors to remember 2020 not for the virus, but having the best time of their lives at our events. Stay tuned! 

​-Marvin

Chelsea and John booked our DJ package which included 16 uplights, low lying fog, 3 cold spark units, and our upgraded lighting package. With the upgraded lighting package, we added on additional lighting to transform that room and also gave her an additional cold spark unit. 

The wedding was held at the Ko'olau Grand Ballroom in Kaneohe. It's always great working at Ko'olau Ballrooms. The staff is really good to work with. Always accommodating and flexible with our needs such as allowing us to set up earlier than scheduled. They don't always allow us but it just depends if they don't have an event prior. 

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Having the time to set up and not rush things is something we wish we could have for every event. It allows us time to tape down cords, adjust colors, fine tune placements of lights and gobos, etc. We want to have the cleanest set up possible. We want to make sure our equipment is out of the view of the photographers and videographers but also have a really big impact. Notice how you can't see any of our equipment in the photos and videos below. We take great care in doing so. 

With the upgraded lighting, we threw in an additional 16 uplights. We decided to place 16 of them on the drape and the rest were placed around the room. Having that many on the drape really made it pop. It also made for some really cool effects. 

Every wedding we do, one of the most important things is communication. With this wedding, we needed communication between our cold spark operator and our low lying fog operator. Just like any show, we needed communication to ensure the couple and their guests get the best experience possible. Here is a video to hear the communication between the two operators.  

The lighting gobo decor that we projected on the walls was used with one of our more popular designs. We covered the walls with leaves to bring the room to life. It fills the blank walls with pattern and it is also a great backdrop for photos. We have 1000s of designs to choose from so we can also match the theme of your event. 

One of the things that makes us unique is our capability of fully controlling our lights and to use our lighting equipment to it's fullest potential. We covered this whole room with lighting and help enhance the mood. We were able to keep it subtle enough so that it does not take away from the feel of the room but also give it some excitement especially during garter/bouquet toss. We match the lighting to the moment that it's happening. 

We really enjoyed ourselves at this wedding. Having the ability to set the mood and create memorable moments with what we do is a great thing to do. Having an awesome line up of vendors is always a plus. Our emcee made sure the night went smoothly and entertained everyone throughout the night. Our DJ complimented our MC but more importantly, played music that everyone could enjoy. When the dancing started, that is where we let our DJ and Lighting Designer work their magic. 

​-Marvin

Photos by Red Ring Studio

taryn@atouchofyouhawaii.comEntertainment(Dj, Emcee, Lighting, Cold Spark, Low Lying Fog)-Hawaii Events Unlimited

Coordination
A Touch of You-Taryn
https://www.atouchofyouhawaii.com/
​taryn@atouchofyouhawaii.com
@atouchofyou
808-227-9909

Photography, Videograpny, & Same Day Edit
Red Ring Studio
http://www.redringstudio.com/
info@redringstudio.com
808-232-6355

Floral
Su-V Expressions
https://www.flowersbysuvexpressions.com/
@suvexpressions
808-372-3644

Drapery
Elegance with Grace
elegancewithgrace@gmail.com
@elegance_with_grace
808-927-9921

Venue
Ko'olau Ballrooms
https://koolauballrooms.com/
@koolauballrooms
808-954-7000

Formerly known as Pacific Beach Hotel, this venue has done a complete 180 turn with their recent renovations. With recently having done our Hawaii Wedding Showcase there in November of 2019, this is definitely one of our favorite venues. 

We visited Alohilani after their renovation and we were in awe struck. It got us excited. The possibilities with this venue especially with what we do made us giddy inside. Nice white walls, beautiful carpet, and a ceiling that can change color to what ever matches your style. 

One outstanding feature that we took notice is the staff and management of Alohilani Resort. During our Wedding Showcase, we noticed how professional they were especially in accommodating our needs and last minute changes. We have worked with a few of their staff before but we noticed a higher level of professionalism. 

Their staff constantly checked on us and made sure we had everything we need. They made sure we had their contact info just in case we needed to get in touch with them if they were not in the room. It almost seemed that they were checking in on us every 30 minutes to make sure we were ok. That in itself is great customer service as we all took notice. 

With the renovation that has changed at the previous Pacific Beach Hotel, we noticed the direction that they were going for. It is something that is a lot different from the other hotels in Waikiki. A lot different. There are some new staff and also new management. We understand the direction they are going toward but what stands out the most out of it all is their Aloha Spirit. Their willingness to work with local businesses especially ours. They have taken risks and it shows they are not afraid to fail. Hawaii Events Unlimited notices and we want to make sure we all don't fail. 

​Marvin

Services provided:
Premium Wedding Package
-4.5 Hour Photo Booth w/kiosk & unlimited prints
-Emcee service by Braddah Bryan
-Music by Dj Flip
-​Custom Monogram
-24 Uplighting
-12 effect lighting
​-Led Bar

Here is a highlight video of their wedding day created by DreamFx Media.

DreamFX Media provided their photography and videography needs for Mark and Lynda's wedding. They are a really great group which we always enjoy working with. That is always a positive thing when you book vendors that work well with each other. The quality of work tends to be better. 
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This wedding was held at the beautiful venue Cafe Julia. Both ceremony and reception was held at the very same location. Immediately after the ceremony, everyone is moved into the restaurant for cocktail hour while the staff of Cafe Julia brings out the tables and rearranges the chairs for the reception. This process usually takes about an hour to complete. 

We set up our dj booth under the walkway to the left. Our photo booth was set up in the restaurant which is right under the monogram. 

We had our monogram between the 2 windows on the wall to the left when facing the walkway. 

We had 12 of our uplighting in and along the walkway while the other 12 placed around the venue. We also had our LED Bars lined up against the railings and floor in the walkway to give a cool and fun dance area(too bad they did not want to dance in this area). 

For their first dance, we provided our "Dancing in the cloud" effect". Using this effect outdoors is always a gamble. Any kind of wind no matter how slow it blows, will easily blow the low lying fog away. Luckily for their first dance, the breeze held on long enough just for their first dance which made for a beautiful video captured by DreamFx Media

Our emcee was Bruddah Bryan. Bryan is one of our most popular emcee. He is also a radio dj on 94.7 Kumu. Always a great person to work with. Here are 2 videos below where Bryan leads the countdown for the Bouquet and Garter toss. 

We enjoy providing our services at Cafe Julia. The staff is friendly and they give us lots of time to set up. They normally don't have day events which allows us to set up as early as noon. Lugging our equipment in to the location is really easy for us. Lots of accessible power throughout the venue. The other great thing about this location is that it gives us lots of options for us to explore with our lighting. 

The location of this venue  is right in Honolulu right next to Iolani Palace. Giving lots of opportunity for some awesome wedding photos and videos. Tons of parking and far from residential areas. There are a few tall buildings around which blocks the sun early in the day making set up a lot more pleasant. 

We highly recommend this outdoor venue. They even have an indoor location in case it rains. 

Services provided:
Premium Wedding Package
-4.5 Hour Photo Booth w/kiosk & unlimited prints
-Emcee service by Slick Vic
-Music by Dj Flip
-​Custom Monogram
-32 Uplighting
-4 Star Gobo fixtures
-Hashtag Print Station
-12 effect lighting

Here is a highlight video we created for this wedding. 

For this wedding 1/3 of the full ballroom was not used. Around 175 guests attended. There was no head table but there was a family table where the bride & groom sat. The dance floor was wrapped with their custom monogram. The wrap was provided by Accel Party Rentals. The room was fully draped and provided by It's So Pretty Linens. 

The couple originally got married in Napa Valley so they wanted the wedding theme to represent their wedding there. 

The uplighting color they wanted was a lavenderish/purple color. We also provided 4 star gobo fixtures. 2 of the fixtures were facing on the dance floor and the other 2 on the wall besides the monogram. You can see samples of them in the photos above. We had the uplights static for most of the night until the dancing portion where we did some cool effects. 

With the amount of uplighting we provided, we placed 16 along the wall with the monogram. The other 16 we placed around the room. 32 is a good amount for a venue this size to get almost a full room coverage. We could not place any on the wall by the buffet tables. 

We normally create the custom monogram for you but the bride wanted to make it herself. She sent us the monogram and we projected it onto the drapes where she wanted it. 

Our dj mixes music and our lighting designer controls the lighting to the music. For almost every new song, our lighting designer changes the lighting up. For the video above during the song "September", our lighting designer used colors that represents fall which starts in September. Our LD also uses cool chase and strobe patterns which go to the beat of the song. 

Along with our uplighting, we also provided 12 effect lights. These effect lights are primarily used during the dancing portion of the night and in some occasions, during the first dance, father/daughter, or mother/son dance. In the video above, our effect lighting is the white dots going around the room. It simulates a mirror ball effect and also can change colors. The other effect lighting we used are the large triangles going across the room. We occasionally switch the triangles with other patterns like stars, hearts, swirls, etc. throughout the night. 

Below is a 360 video which gives you an idea of our full room lighting coverage. 

The couple selected Slick Vic as their emcee because the couple wanted a fun and energetic emcee. Slick Vic is a great choice for that. Slick Vic is not a part of the premium package but we can add him to the package for a small charge. You can listen to Slick Vic in the mornings on 98.5

We also provided a hashtag print station. The couple utilized the hashtag print station as a game. They provided a list of items on each table. The guests that obtains the most items on that list, wins a prize. A great and fun way to get everyone taking pics at your event. 

For the photo booth, we created a strip style layout. When it prints, our guests get's 2 copies. The background used was a gold sequin backdrop. The image on the bottom of the layout was also created by the bride. 

This was a great wedding with a great couple. It's always a pleasure working with the staff at the Hyatt. The staff there are really easy to work with and their vendor meals are really good. The loading dock makes it easy to move our equipment in and out.