Down the Aisle on an Isle - Travis and Cherie - Show 12 and Shows 13 & 14 Recap

Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals, Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and Watanabe Floral present DOWN THE AISLE ON AN ISLE – Travis and Cherie Show #12 The Wedding Day and Shows #13 and #14 - Recap

Six months of filming and even more months of planning have culminated in this one special day -Travis and Cherie’s wedding day!  In this THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE SHOW, watch as an ensemble of 16 experienced, quality and service oriented wedding professionals weave their magic to create a lifelong memory for this wedding couple.  You will see heartwarming scenes between the couple and their family members, feel a tear well up as you witness Travis and Cherie’s wedding ceremony, and  “ooh and aah” at the spectacular transformation of an already beautiful Glass Ballroom at Koolau Ballrooms into a venue fit for royalty.  In between, there will be lots of joyful laughter at the witty comments by Travis, Cherie and their bridal party, family and guests and the naturally entertaining emceeing of the reception by Cherie’s cousin, Lina Girl of KCCN FM100.

This show captures the excitement of the arrival of Cherie and her ladies and Travis and his men, the fun photo taking and video filming, the joy of the wedding ceremony and the partying at the reception.  Oh, and the film crew even travels from Koolau Ballrooms to The Lotus at Diamond Head at the end of the evening, where we get one last view of the Penthouse until Travis and Cherie calls it a night and politely but definitely close the doors of their honeymoon suite.

For shows #13 and #14, Host Kahu Kalehua Featheran joins the couple, first at Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and next at Watanabe Floral, to review the six month journey from planning to wedding day with the couple, Travis and Cherie Kanae-Rodrigues.  Viewers get the opportunity to see the vendors one more time, with comments and stories provided by the wedding couple.

Congratulations and best wishes Travis and Cherie!!!

Travis and Cherie would like to thank the following vendors who participated in the Down The Aisle On An Isle mini-series with them and who gave them a wedding that they will hold in their hearts forever…

Steven Nagamine, Norman Higashi and Daryl Akiyoshi

Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center

Providing the venue and catering for the wedding ceremony and reception

Darcie Wharton

Royal Weddings by Lavender, LLC

Providing coordination services, invitations

Monty Pereira, Rona Mochizuki, Ann Goo and Kaui Kitashima

Watanabe Floral, Inc

Providing the fresh flowers for the archway and aisles, leis for the family and friends, centerpieces for the reception tables

Oasis World Estates

Justin Panoke, Thomas Meharey and Mirasol Domingo

Providing the venue for the ladies to get dressed

Ward Almeida, General Manager

The Lotus at Diamond Head

Providing the venue for the men to get dressed and honeymoon suite for the bridal couple

Jerry Omo and Staff

Hawaiianpix Digital Photographic Services

Photography

Julian and Addy Gilliam

10^th Letter Media

Videographer

Kumiko Okimoto and Gail Kaneshiro

Masako Formals

Providing the bridesmaids gowns and Cherie’s bridal gown for the reception

Gabe Gongob

Royal Entertainment

Providing music for the ceremony and DJ services for the reception

Michelle Howes and Staff

Honolulu Horse and Carriage, Ltd

Providing the Cinderella carriage drawn by Ikaika Uhane for Cherie

Timothy Dawson, Diane Kono-Awo, Amber Fellagy and Staff

Chaircovers Express Hawaii

Providing the chair covers, sashes, table linen and runners and head table design and lighting

David Kupono and Ciera Fong

Stream It Live Online

Providing live streaming of the wedding ceremony worldwide

Ron Bongiovanni/Christopher Wright and Staff

Celebrity Tuxedos

Providing tuxedos for the men, family members and ring bearer

Natalie Brown-Aiwohi and Tiana Morales

Headshots Hawaii

Providing hair and make up services for Cherie and the ladies

Kurt Tsuneyoshi and Staff

Platinum Limousine

Providing limousines for the bridal party

Eileen Abe, Roo and Kawena

Mana’o I’o

Providing silk wedding bouquets for Cherie and the ladies and kahilis for the ceremony

Stuart K Featheran Jr for filming and editing services for Down The Aisle On An Isle and producing the slide show for Travis and Cherie’s reception

Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals/Down the Aisle on an Isle

Kahu Kalehua Featheran, Host and Producer

Down the Aisle on an Isle - Travis and Cherie - Show 11

Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals, Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and Watanabe Floral present DOWN THE AISLE ON AN ISLE – Travis and Cherie Show #11

After many months of planning and filming, the day we have all waited for has finally arrived – it’s Travis and Cherie’s wedding day!

Cherie and her ladies will be getting ready at the beautifully scenic Oceanfront Oasis.  On their arrival, Estate Executive Justin Panoke, greets them and ensures that everything that they might need has been readied for them.  We get to meet Travis’ niece, Rylee and his sister Glenda as they arrive, as well as Pomai (maid of honor), Joleen, Yony and Krystal (bridesmaids).

Travis and his men are getting ready at The Lotus at Diamond Head, with majestic views of Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach and Kapiolani Park.  Ward Almeida, General Manager of The Lotus has reserved 2 adjoining rooms so the men can relax and get dressed for the afternoon wedding ceremony.  Travis is joined by his Grandpa, Glenn (his Dad), Shane (best man), Chad and Bryson (groomsmen).

The adjoining rooms are great, but the men are curious about how the Penthouse looks, so Travis takes them up to the 12^th floor.  As they enter, you can see from the look on everyone’s faces that they are both pleasantly surprised and in awe of how spacious, grand, yet comfortable the Penthouse is and now that they’ve seen it…yes, Travis asks Ward for permission to move everyone from the adjoining rooms to the Penthouse and as you view the show, you can easily understand why Travis gets so excited when describing this great venue, one of the descriptions being, “this place is MEAN!”  And, how do the men from Waianae entertain themselves as they relax before the wedding – it’s all captured on film – A MUST SEE!!!

Back at Oasis, Cherie’s step-father Kimo Cullen is enthusiastically welcomed as he brings the ladies some snacks and beverages for lunch.  And, we get to see the presentation of something old, which brings tears of joy to Cherie’s eyes, something new, something borrowed and something blue that is part of the tradition for the wedding day.  Also fascinating to watch are the wedding pros at work – Natalie Brown-Aiwohi and her assistant Tiana of Headshots Hawaii, doing hair and make for the ladies; Julian Gilliam of 10^th Letter Media on video camera; Jerry Omo of Hawaiianpix Photography and do you believe the bathroom at Oceanfront Oasis is so large that it accommodates all of them at one time?

At The Lotus at Diamond Head, the photographer scheduled to be with the men had some transportation challenges, so Jerry Omo reschedules Janel who was originally scheduled at Oceanfront Oasis to cover for Scott.  A true wedding professional, Jerry always has a backup plan when something unexpected happens.  (And we are glad to see Scott join the group at The Lotus, safe and sound).  Video duties are being handled by Philip Lemoine Jr, an associate of Julian at 10^th Letter Media.  And Travis likes how professional they are on the job, but at the same time, how comfortable they both make the men feel as they get really natural and fun poses and pics of everyone getting ready. 

Travis and Cherie’s wedding day happens to be Natalie Brown-Aiwohi’s birthday as well as the birthday of a famous celebrity whose painting is on a wall at Oceanfront Oasis.  Tune in to see who this famous movie star is…

Words cannot accurately describe the many snapshots of the day as Cherie and her ladies and Travis and his men prepare for the big day.  You have to tune in to see all of the different emotions that come up as the day progresses and how gorgeous Cherie looks in her wedding gown and how handsome Travis looks in his tuxedo by Celebrity Tuxedos, or when Travis talks about being raised by his Grandfather and how much this gentleman means to him.  These are priceless moments caught on film. 

With everyone dressed in wedding attire, it’s picture time!  Cherie and her ladies receive their silk wedding bouquets from Eileen Abe of Mana’o I’o and then watch as Jerry and Julian, Janel, Scott and Philip get some really striking poses and pics from the entire wedding party at their respective venues.

It’s time to leave for Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and here comes the sleek, white stretch limousines provided by Platinum Limousines.  Philip even places a video camera on the right side hood of the limousine to catch footage of the scenery as the men drive from Waikiki, around the coast to get to Kaneohe.

Bye everyone…a safe trip to Koolau Ballrooms.  And to everyone in the viewing audience, you are cordially invited to join us next week on OC16 as we share with Travis and Cherie, their wedding ceremony on Down The Aisle On An Isle.

Down the Aisle on an Isle - Travis and Cherie - Show 9 & 10

Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals, Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and Watanabe Floral present DOWN THE AISLE ON AN ISLE – Travis and Cherie Show #9

In our third week, Down The Aisle On An Isle presents Travis and Cherie as they head into the last few days before their wedding.  It’s down to the last visits to a few of their competent and experienced wedding professionals and then the BIG DAY!

Travis and Cherie have a last visit with the always smiling and knowledgeable Steven Nagamine at Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center.  Accompanied by their wedding coordinator, Darcie Wharton of Royal Weddings by Lavender, the couple finalize the floor plan that Steve has suggested for them that includes 15 tables of 8, a dance floor and space for the DJ next to the stage with the head table.  And the backdrop for all this – the magnificent Koolau range.  What a beautiful scene for the guests to enjoy!

The next segment at Celebrity Tuxedos is just too cute – so be sure to watch it!!!  It’s Travis Deishawn AKA Baba, Travis and Cherie’s son, getting fitted for his ring bearer tux.  It’s all new for the toddler, so watch while Christopher Wright, Store Operations Manager at Celebrity Tuxedo, does an awesome job of getting Baba’s measurement even as Baba cries and cries.  And, watch what happens when Mom appears on the scene…

Viewers get a chance to see the horse and carriage that Cherie will be transported in on her wedding day.  Michelle Howes and staff offered romantic rides to couples on Valentine’s Day 2011 in Waikiki and the Down The Aisle cameras were on hand to film the event.  The Cinderella carriage is truly one that fits a princess bride and when pulled by Ikaika Uhane (Strong Spirit, the white horse that was born black), it makes for a truly memorable sight. 

Eileen Abe of Mana’o I’o shows the silk bridesmaids bouquets that were created for Cherie’s ladies.  They are yellow and white daisies, with the maid of honor’s bouquet having some pink flowers added in to distinguish it from the others.  Upon being emailed a photo of her bouquet, Cherie, being a visual bride, requested that the yellow tiger lilies be replaced with burgundy ones to tone down the color combination that she had originally selected.  Tune in to see how the final bouquet turns out.

Darcie accompanies Cherie to Masako Formals to pick out a gown for the reception.  Cherie was looking for a party dress, with no train…but she saw a mermaid style with a train that caught her eye so she just had to try it on.  See how beautiful Cherie looks in this dress…and in the next show, see whether she keeps it or chooses another gown for her reception.

Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals, Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and Watanabe Floral present DOWN THE AISLE ON AN ISLE – Travis and Cherie Show #10

Cherie and Darcie Wharton, her wedding planner of Royal Weddings by Lavender, visit Jerry Omo of Hawaiianpix to discuss her formal photography session for family.  She’s brought their list of people on both sides of the family who they would like to have photographs taken with on their wedding day.  Jerry’s team will include himself and 3 other photographers who will spend the day with the couple at Oceanfront Oasis and The Lotus at Diamond Head.  And, Travis shares that they are telling family members to be there for the photographs an hour before the actual time because as he says, “some of them run on Hawaiian time”.

Next, Cherie and Darcie go to Masako Formals, where they are met by Gail Kaneshiro.  Cherie is having a final fitting done on the dress that she has selected to change into for the reception.  Is it the dress that she selected during our last show…or has she decided on another?

It’s final fitting and pick up day for Travis and his men at Celebrity Tuxedos.  Again, the always efficient and cordial Christopher Wright, Store Operations Manager, helps Travis’ Dad, Glenn, as well as his groomsmen, Chad and Bryson into their tux.  And, of course, last to be fitted is the groom and does Travis look awesome or what!  Mahalo to Chris, Ron Bongiovanni and the staff at Celebrity Tuxedo for the great service provided to Travis and his men.

Did you ever watch a DJ set up for a gig?  Well, viewers get a chance to do so as the camera crew films Gabe Gongob of Royal Entertainment at a recent event.  Host and producer of Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals and Down The Aisle On An Isle, Kahu Kalehua Featheran, himself an entertainer for ?? years, comments that there’s nothing like having your own equipment on a gig and he is so impressed with Gabe’s nice mannerism and technical knowledge of his equipment.  For Travis and Cherie’s wedding, Gabe will be doing 2 set ups – one for the ceremony and one for the reception and it is done so smoothly by this experienced and knowledgeable DJ.

A final recap at Chaircovers Express finds the couple and Darcie going over the table cloth and runner and head table fabric/color selection.  Officer Manager, Diane Kono-Awo is there to offer a suggestion for the cake table and founder, Tim Dawson shares his insight on lighting, which always adds an elegance and drama to the décor.  He has a unique and outlook on how to approach each event and about “happy accidents”.

It’s the day before the wedding, and we see what happens behind the scenes at Watanabe Floral’s Design Center.  Ann Goo, Design Center Manager and her staff are working on the centerpieces and bouquets, while Joyce Kaneshiro, Lead Designer plans the on-site work at Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center.  It’s a flurry of activity, but these wedding pros really seem to enjoy their job and what beautiful floral works they have created for Travis and Cherie.

Eileen Abe of Mana’o I’o has revised Cherie’s bouquet to replace the yellow tiger lilies with burgundy colored ones and also has a surprise gift for the couple in the form of 2 white and pink kahilis.

General Manager, Daryl Akiyoshi of Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center is on hand to thank Travis and Cherie for selecting Koolau Ballrooms as their wedding venue and also to congratulate them on their marriage.  Daryl comments that they made a great choice and Travis and Cherie definitely agree with him!

To close this show, it’s rehearsal day.  Darcie Wharton is on hand to coordinate the practice run for the ceremony and to direct the family members, while Pastor Rick Stinton of New Hope Kailua officiates. 

Now, on to the wedding day…

Down the Aisle on an Isle - Travis and Cherie - Show 7

Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals, Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and Watanabe Floral present DOWN THE AISLE ON AN ISLE – Travis and Cherie Show #7

Travis and Cherie would like to present leis to significant family members on their wedding day and Watanabe Floral’s Nimitz Sales Manager, Kaui Kitashima shows viewers some of the leis that have been selected.  Tune in to see a Micronesian Ginger Lei, the Kika (or Cigar Lei) and Maile Leis from the Cook Island – Kaui does a great job of describing the leis and options that can be selected to personalize them such as adding pink roses to match the color theme that Cherie has selected.  Kaui has since moved to the Big Island, and we send a special aloha and hope that he’s watching the show.

After seeing a slide show of some wedding photos by Hawaiianpix, Jerry Omo shows Cherie some photo albums.  Hawaiianpix does the layout and printing of the photos in-house with the binding of the album done in California.  The client gets to select the album cover from a number of choices, but Jerry usually suggests a neutral color so as not to compete with the photos.  One of the albums shown was created for a bride who selected photos and then gave them to her groom as a wedding gift!  Viewers are welcome to view photos and the various packages on Jerry’s website; all you need to do is sign in when you visit the site.

It’s fitting time for Travis and his men and Christopher Wright, Store Operations Manager of Celebrity Tuxedos does a FABULOUS job of taking their measurements and having them put on the “try on” garments.  Christopher is so professional, efficient and experienced that the fitting is done very quickly while ensuring that the tuxedos will be comfortable for the men who must wear them for 10 to 12 hours on the wedding day.  Cherie and Travis are not seeing each other on the wedding day, so Travis has to get his tux fitted without the benefit of Cherie’s presence.

Then it’s back at Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center…with the wedding quickly approaching, Travis and Cherie, along with wedding coordinator Darcie Wharton of Royal Weddings by Lavender are meeting with Events Services Manager, Steven Nagamine to work on the details and go over a checklist that he has prepared.  Included in this discussion are the rehearsal plans, music provider, floral arrangements, reception tables, blessing, linen selection, napkin folds and emcee.  Tune in to see what Travis and Cherie have decided on…and we’ll give you a hint on who is going to emcee the reception – it’s Cherie’s cousin from KCCN FM100.

It’s not every bride who gets to meet the designer who created the centerpieces and floral arrangements for her wedding, but Cherie was fortunate that Ann Goo, Design Center Manager for Watanabe Floral was there during one of her visits and she was able to thank her personally.  How nice!  Rona Mochizuki, Sales Manager/Wedding Consultant shares with the viewers that one of her favorite consultations is when the bride gets to see the actual floral pieces, as Cherie did with her centerpiece.  Rona was elated and relieved to see Cherie’s surprise and happy reaction.  Though Watanabe Floral tries to capture the essence of what each bride wants in her wedding flowers, sometimes it doesn’t always happen on the first try.  With Cherie, Rona felt that they lucked out and got it on the first try.  Viewers will probably agree as the centerpieces and leis were truly beautiful.  As an exclamation point to the positive feedback that Cherie has been providing, Kahu Kalehua Featheran, Host and Producer of Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals and Down The Aisle On An Isle comments that filming the segments at Watanabe Floral have been so great.  From the excellent service to the beautiful products to the employees who have been so creative and helpful, and everything else that Watanabe Floral has done, it has been such an amazing experience for the film crew and himself and he sends his personal mahalo to the management and staff of Watanabe Floral.

Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals, Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and Watanabe Floral present DOWN THE AISLE ON AN ISLE – Travis and Cherie Show #8

David (Kupono) and Ciera Fong of Stream It Live Online are providing a “super cool” (in Travis’ words) service to Travis and Cherie by live streaming their wedding ceremony.  They both have large families but have limited their guest list to 120 guests so the live streaming will allow those who are at home or living away from Hawaii to be present during the wedding ceremony.  In fact, Kupono shares that the vantage point of the on-line guests are sometimes better than the actual guests as they do their best to position the cameras in key areas.  The live stream can be made available to anyone in the world provided 1) Travis and Cherie provide them with a user name and password and 2) the viewer has high speed internet access. 

This is Cherie’s trial session to try her hair and make up.  She stops by at Headshots Hawaii in Aiea and has the pleasure of having owner Natalie Brown-Aiwohi apply her make up and Natalie’s assistant Tiana, style her hair.  During the make up application, Natalie provides really good tips and suggestions for Cherie; one of them being that after tonight’s session, Cherie can go home and think about what she likes and what she might want to adjust for the actual wedding day.  Recall that Cherie wants light foundation, subtle smoky eyes and side bangs/a small pouf and loose curls for her wedding day look.  Tune in next week to see how this all turns out.

Travis, Cherie and their wedding planner from Royal Weddings by Lavender, Darcie Wharton, meet with Tim Dawson, founder of Chair Covers Express Hawaii to finalize their chair covers and head table linen design.  Although white is usually the color selected for wedding linen, Travis and Cherie want an impressive look so they’re going with Tim’s advice and have selected black chairs covers with the fuchsia sash.  The head table will be a platinum or silver table cloth with a black drape and fuchsia accents.  During our next set of shows, you can see how these plans all turn out and if any changes are made before the wedding day.

Continuing with the meeting at Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center, in this show, Travis and Cherie, along with Darcie meet with Steven Nagamine, Event Services Manager to select the pupu and menu items.  Did we hear Travis include peanut butter cups on the pupu menu?  With such a large menu that is offered, it’s not easy for the couple to make their selections, but we did hear Cherie say that she liked the chicken and Travis liked the mahimahi during the menu tasting, so it’s pretty definite that these will be on the menu.  And, it’s only 4 or 5 times that Travis has shared with the viewing audience that he doesn’t eat much cake, but he and Cherie decided on the lilikoi flavor for their wedding cake and he will definitely be having some on his wedding day.  Although Steve and Darcie lean towards the stacked design for the wedding cake, Cherie likes the tiered look – Travis calls it the skyscraper look – and they will be letting Watanabe Floral know of their choice so the appropriate flowers can be selected to decorate the cake.

While Steve leaves to make copies of the checklist, Darcie and the couple discuss how the RSVPs are coming along, as well as begin discussion on how they would like the processional to go.

Tune in next week as we head towards the day before the wedding, the morning of the wedding and the wedding ceremony and reception itself.  Six months of planning, meeting, decision making, changes and anticipation culminate in the wedding of Travis and Cherie, our first wedding couple in Down The Aisle On An Isle.

Down the Aisle on an Isle - Travis and Cherie - Show 5

Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals, Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and Watanabe Floral present DOWN THE AISLE ON AN ISLE – Travis and Cherie Show #5

In the first week of Down The Aisle On An Isle, our wedding couple, Travis and Cherie held preliminary meetings with many of their wedding vendors, starting with Darcie Wharton, of Royal Weddings by Lavender, their wedding coordinator and Koolau Ballrooms, their venue.  In this week’s episodes, we continue to meet more of their wedding professionals as well as see the progress they are making in planning their wedding.

We open with Kahu Kalehua Featheran, Host and Producer of Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals and Down The Aisle On An Isle, on the 18^th Green at Koolau Golf Club, with a wedding in progress in the background.  This is another favorite venue of couples and later in the show, Kahu Kalehua will be speaking with Steven Nagamine, Events Services Manager of Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center.  As viewers can see, this awesome natural backdrop for a wedding ceremony lends itself to some great photos.

Most brides favor fresh floral bouquets and décor for their wedding.  However, Cherie wanted her bouquet to last beyond the wedding and so she called on her Auntie Eileen for some suggestions.  Long time family friend, Eileen Abe of Mana’o I’o creates silk bouquets and wedding arrangements, as well as kahilis so she got together with Cherie to come up with just the right look for Cherie’s wedding bouquet.  Cherie likes tiger lilies so they became the foundation for the bouquet, of course, in pink and yellow and white daisies were added to give the bouquet a fresh appearance.

Back to the 18^th Green at Koolau Golf Club and Steven Nagamine joins Kahu Kalehua, commenting that this area has one of the most breath-taking views in Hawaii.  As the wedding continues on in the background, Steve points out that an arbor and chairs can be set up for the ceremony, as was done on this day and the couple, their bridal party and guests are brought to this outdoor ceremony site in vans.  Stay tuned because Kahu Kalehua will be interviewing the bridal couple from today’s wedding for their feedback and comments about their experience with Koolau Ballrooms.

All brides want to look their best for their wedding day and Cherie is no exception.  Today, she is stopping by at Headshots Hawaii to meet with owner, Natalie Brown-Aiwohi, who has traveled with Miss Hawaii 2010, Jalee Fuselier to the Miss America Pageant.  After consulting with Natalie, Cherie decided to wear her hair half up, half down – side bangs with a little “poof” on top for her tiara and cathedral veil and ringlets curls.  Since Cherie is already blessed with natural beauty, she wants very little make up applied for her wedding day, but she wants “smoky eyes”.  Travis liked the description and for you guys, you just have to stay tuned to see what this looks like when Cherie comes back to Headshots Hawaii for a trial hair and make up session.  

No wedding ceremony or reception is complete without music and Travis and Cherie elected to go with a DJ instead of a live band.  Enter Gabe Gongob of Royal Entertainment, a division of Royal Weddings by Lavender.  During a function at Koolau Ballrooms, Gabe meets with Travis and Cherie to get an idea of what they are looking for in the way of music.  They want a variety of songs ranging from what’s heard on the radio today, all the way back to the 70’s.  And, because Travis is Puerto Rican, he asked Gabe to be sure there is some “Borinki” music or “Kachi-kachi” music for his family and friends to dance to during the reception.  And, although Gabe has music he can select for the various events during the day – ceremony, cake cutting, first dance, etc, he likes to have the couple’s input and ideas as well.

Speaking of panoramic views, Koolau has some fabulous scenery, but so does The Lotus at Diamond Head.  General Manager, Ward Almeida shows Kahu Kalehua around his 51 room boutique hotel, across from Kapiolani Park.  With views of the Park, Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach, this is a great place for Travis and his men to get ready on his wedding day.  The 2 adjoining rooms were great but the penthouse instantly impressed everyone who saw it.  It has 2 huge bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, a full kitchen and a roomy wrap around lanai.  And, complementing this great venue is the warmth, genuine-ness, experience and wisdom that Ward brings, with his old Maui style mannerism and roots.

Remember the wedding that was going on at the 18^th Green?  Kahu Kalehua concludes this episode of Down the Aisle On An Isle with a testimonial from the couple, who gave Koolau Ballrooms a “2 thumbs up”.

Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals, Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center and Watanabe Floral present DOWN THE AISLE ON AN ISLE – Travis and Cherie Show #6

We open today’s episode at Masako Formals.  It’s been a few months since the dresses were ordered and now with about a month to go before the wedding, the ladies have come in for their final fitting.  There is a flurry of excitement as each of the bridesmaids try on their gown, complete with sandals so the seamstress at Masako Formals, Ligaya, can be sure that the fit is just right.  One of the bridesmaids is in the first few months of her pregnancy so Ligaya, having a good degree of experience in alterations will adjust the gown so it can accommodate for the growing baby by the time the wedding day comes along.

Rona Mochizuki, Sales Manager/Wedding Consultant at Watanabe Floral tells viewers about the sample centerpieces (one tall and one low) that were designed for Travis and Cherie, keeping in mind the style, types of flowers and colors that the bride favors.  As Darcie and Cherie walk in to meet with Rona, the cameras catch the joy and delight on Cherie’s face as she sees the sample centerpieces for the first time!  You can tell these are winners in Cherie’s eyes!!!  Rona did mention that there was a slight problem in having the design be as Cherie saw it in their photo album, but as Cherie says, the changes only enhanced it and made it more beautiful - kudos to the designer at Watanabe Floral.  As with most weddings, there is a budget to be considered so Rona suggests a combination of the tall arrangement and low arrangement to stay on budget.  The only problem that might arise by the wedding day would be the availability of pikake but there is already a substitute that has been selected, so it looks like everything is set.  The last items are a written proposal, complete with the prices and a timeline from Darcie Wharton, Cherie’s coordinator from Royal Weddings by Lavender and we’re all set.  Cherie says thanks to Rona for a great job and all the professionalism and service received – she loves the centerpieces!

What better way for the bride and groom to arrive in style, than in a limo and Platinum Limousine is the vendor that the couple chose for their wedding day transportation.  Located at Aloha Tower Marketplace, Travis and Cherie are met at the door by Kurt and Amelia Tsuneyoshi, owners of Platinum Limousine.  As they enter the office, they feel as though they stepped into the interior of a giant limousine and Travis’ comment is “WOW”.  Matt Barros, one of the drivers, takes the couple on a tour of the office – there are several rooms that can be used for custom events, including bachelor or bachelorette parties, weddings and receptions.  For their limo selection, Matt suggests 2 Chrysler 300 Limousines, which will carry 8 passengers and possibly an Escalade to whisk the bride and groom away to their honeymoon destination after the wedding.  Sounds like a plan – the only thing left is for the couple to finalize the paperwork.

Food tasting at Koolau!  Travis is up for it and so is Cherie.  Once a month, Koolau Ballrooms holds a food tasting for their potential brides and grooms, offering a sampling of their menu items and wedding cake.  Cherie liked the chicken with mushrooms and Travis said the mahimahi was great.  Host and producer of Hawaii’s Wedding Professionals and Down The Aisle On An Isle, Kalehua Featheran, interviews Chef Jim Gillespie, Executive Chef of Koolau Ballrooms, the man behind the scenes of this menu tasting.  Originally from New York, Chef Gillespie attended the Culinary Institute of America and here he is now in Hawaii.  As Chef Gillespie explains, when you offer a buffet to guests that may number in the hundreds, it’s hard to please everyone, so they try to cook everything well and season the food correctly and just leave it to the guests to add on anything else themselves.  Kahu Kalehua said he got a chance to sample the chicken and he enjoyed it – hard job but someone’s got to do it!