Real Weddings: Leilani & Josh - TLC's Battle of The Wedding Designers - Aloha Wedding Bells

That's right...I won TLC's Battle of the Wedding Designers Aloha Wedding Bells Episode (Season 1 Episode 4)! I had the pleasure of competing with two of America's Best Designers and my friends and colleagues, Steve Kemble and Michelle Buckley. I am happy to have beaten the two of them and have the opportunity to design and plan Leilani and Josh's dream wedding!

I wanted to send a special thank you to the vendors who helped me out on TLC's Battle of the Wedding Designers. I appreciate all your help and for being there to make sure that I came in budget for Leilani and Josh's wedding. You are all incredible people and I could have not done this without your support and friendship. Here's to many years of working together and giving all our clients what we do best...quality service with a smile!

The Battle of the Wedding Designers journey was such a great experience and I met some wonderful people along the way. I hope that I can do more of the shows in the future, because I would really love to show more of what I am capable of doing. Plus the challenges are fun. There's a lot of design in me that's wanting to come out and be seen.

What I am most thankful for though is meeting Leilani and Josh and having the opportunity to design their dream wedding with an incredible group of vendors that I love working with! Here's a few photos of some of the details, taken by the incredible Vanessa Honda and Sheena Sales (yes my cousin) of Vanessa Honda Photography, on Leilani and Josh's wedding day.

This was the final product for the floral. Leilani and Josh wanted the pink and green concept. The original plan was to do really plain (black and white with a splash of color - yellow was the original splash for my pitch) which is below.

For the guest book, I opted to do a painted guest book that is now a piece of art that hangs in Leilani and Josh's home. Additionally, I used Capiz shells for both the escort cards and for the wish tree. The wish tree was shells were later transformed into wind chimes for Leilani and Josh's home.

 We had two types of cake due to Leilani's food allergies. The smaller of the two cakes was vegan and gluten free. The cake was designed after my overall inspiration of a Hawaiian Quilt.

 The Plumeria wedding ring was made to reflect Leilani's favorite flower which was used throughout the wedding space as well as accent flowers.

Thank you to the following individuals and companies for bringing my design and concepts for Leilani and Josh's wedding come true! For TV purposes we had to produce this wedding for $12,500 and we could not have done it without the help of some of my wonderful friends. These are the individuals I have to thank with all my heart! All of them incredible to work with!

Floral: Wendy Smith at Your Image Floral Design
Food and Beverage: Doug Biggs at DJ's California Catering
Location: Robert Cassar and Laura Schneider at Rancho de Las Palmas
Cake: Jana Richardson at Jana's Creative Cakes
Rentals: John Leenhouwers at The Tent Merchant
Linen Rentals (Pitch and Wedding Day): Dick Thomas at Sitting Pretty Chair Covers
Linen Rentals (Pitch Day): BBJ Linens
DJ and MC Services: DJ Luke Ferro
Hair and Makeup: Ja'Nice Estrada at Devenir Beauty
Hula and Hawaiian Music (Pitch Day): Kawika Valoria at Halau Hula a Kawika laua 'o Leinani
Hula and Drummers (Wedding Day): UC Santa Barbara's Iorana te Otea Polynesian Group
Photography: Vanessa Honda and Sheena Sales at Vanessa Honda Photography
Photo Lounge: Miguel and Solana Torres at Star Photo Party
Ceremony Pedestal Stands: Hans Lammersdorf at Rotoluxe
Aisle Runner: Stephanie Laudani at Starry Night Designs
Floor Decal: Lauren Atwaters at Ten23 Designs
Custom Garter and Dress Tag: Victoria Joanne at Hand Crafted Creations
Bride's Shoes: Mary Robertson at Nina Shoes
Tattoo Booth: Melissa Perez and Ross Beardsley
Painted Guest Book: Jana Brody at Paint Jam USA
Cookie Favors: Cary Goldberg at Luv Bug Cookies
Coordination Assistance: Gerri Sevilla
Wedding Dress: Prince Charming of Prince Charming's World
Orchid Lei's: Amy Vongpitaka at Amy's Orchids
Hotel Rooms: Tawny Byron at Grand Vista Hotel Simi Valley
Ministers: Deserae Tyae and Chris Kai'aokamalie
Special thanks to Michelle Ah Mook Sang for sharing her Hawaiian culture insights with me.

My deepest appreciation to all of you. Leilani and Josh says Mahalo for making their DREAM WEDDING come true!

Leilani & Josh were married on 5/22/10. Happy One Year Anniversary Leilani & Josh. I love you both very much! Mahalo!

Icon Bride: Kate Middleton aka HRH The Duchess of Cambridge and HRH Princess William of Wales

Kate Middleton just got married a few hours ago, but I know there are brides clamoring to get her wedding day look. The new Duchess of Cambridge/Princess William of Wales wore a beautiful A-line ball gown designed by Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen had signature McQueen all over it with it's contrast of traditional and modern and stunning beauty. Duchess Silk mixed with Lace and hand embroidery on the skirt transformed a simple gown to a gown fit for the future Queen of England! This is the look of the modern bride - simple elegance, understated beauty, timeless styling, couture, and beaming with joy. HRH The Duchess of Cambridge topped off the ensemble with a Chantilly Lace veil, diamond earrings given to her by her parents, and a borrowed Cartier tiara halo from the Queen.

In capturing this look for the non-royals'...here's my suggestion for getting the "Kate" feel for your own wedding.

Gown: White by Vera Wang for David's Bridal (VW35103) Retails: $1300 Size 0 to 14 in Ivory

Violette Halo Tiara by Halo & Co. Retails $365 (converted from 217 Pounds)

Wide Chantilly Lace Two-Tier Veil by Designs by Kristen. Retails $475

1/3 CT. TW Pear-Shaped Diamond Earrings in 10K White Gold from Zales. Retails $279 on sale for $237.15

For her second gown, for the black tie evening celebration, the Duchess of Cambridge donned another Sarah Burton designed gown, this time, a strapless A-line dress with a diamante waist line and a white angora bolero. She kept it simple and elegant all day long.

Here's my suggestion for achieving this look:

Alvina Valenta A-Line Silk Duchess Satin Gown with Natural Waist (Style #AV9952)

Diamante Sash from onehappygirl on Etsy. Retails $80

Vintage 1950's Saks Fifth Avenue White Angora Shrug/Bolero from leewayshop on Etsy - Sold

  I hope these inspiration pieces brings out your inner princess!

The Royal Wedding of Prince William & Catherine Middleton

Congratulations William and Kate!

For many of us, we have since Prince William literally grow up before our eyes...he's sorta like the true child of the world! On this momentous day, when the Prince marries his Princess, we celebrate with Will and Kate as they share their devotion of love and commitment for one another to the world.

The wedding itself was every brides dream come true. This kind of fanfare and the frenzy doesn't come around too often. I don't remember anticipating a wedding like this since Princess Diana wed Prince Charles...and I am a wedding planner!

From the time that Catherine arrived to Westminster Abbey in the Queen's 1950s Roll Royce...the world waited with bated breath on what she looked like and more importantly what her wedding dress looked like and let me tell you the wait was well worth it!

Kate's dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and it perfectly reflected the brides style. It was a modern interpretation of Princess Grace's wedding gown. This gown though is 100% Kate! Nothing over the top but absolutely stunning! The ivory and white Duchess satin A-line ball gown with full skirt and and 8' 10" train, highlighted Kate's look rather than distract from it. The hand-embroidery on the skirt was equally understated but made a beautiful impact. The lace bodice with a v-neck, long sleeves, and collar really made the dress. She topped off the look with a Chantilly Lace veil. Kate's 1936 Cartier halo tiara is borrowed from the Queen. This particular tiara was given to the Queen on her 18th birthday by her mother. The brides diamond pear-shaped drop earrings are a gift from Kate's parents and the only piece of jewelry that adorned her body, besides her engagement ring and later, the Welsh gold wedding band.

Kate carried a simple, yet beautiful bouquet that had Myrtle, a royal tradition, Ivy, Sweet William, Lily-of-the-valley, and Hyacinth.

Pippa, Kate's sister and maid of honor, wore a simple ivory column gown with a cowl neck, cap sleeves, and button detailing on the back, also designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

The bridesmaids wore pleated tea length gowns with puffy capped sleeves. Perfectly appropriate for the royal wedding...very simple. The page boys reflected the look of Prince William/little drummer boys.

The Queen wore yellow! A bright and cheery outfit with matching hat designed by Angela Kelly. She looks great.

The brides mother, Carolyn, wore a simple white dress with a pale blue coat over it and matching pale blue hat by Catherine Walker, a favorite of the late Princess Di...very simple and almost ordinary...though it gave us great insight to the understated elegance we would see in the brides gown as well.

Westminster Abbey was decorated very simply with the additions of trees that brought the outside in...continuing the view that Catherine had on her ride to Westminster Abbey

Prince William was stunning in his red military outfit. What a perfect looking groom! Prince Harry is just as stunning and debonair as his groom brother.

William and Kate, the future King and Queen of England, will now be known to the world as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and will also be known as Prince and Princess William of Wales. Though I am sure the media will still call her Princess Catherine or Princess Kate...but officially she is HRH Princess William of Wales.

For the black tie evening festivities with a guest list of over 300 of their closest friends and family, the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge donned more manageable attire, that was still stunning. The Duchess wore another Sarah Burton designed gown. This time a strapless A-line white satin gazar gown with circle skirt and diamante embroidered detailing around the waist. She topped it off with a white angora bolero...which again was simple yet elegant and stunning. The Duke stayed with the standard double breasted black tuxedo.

William and Catherine...may your marriage be everlasting and full of joy. Congratulations and many blessings!

Princess Bride - Designers Design Gowns for Kate Middleton

When you are a princess...well...soon to be princess in this case, everyone wants to dress you for your fairytale wedding. Why wouldn't they since the world, will literally, have their eyes on her when she makes her way down the aisle.

Ever since the royal engagement of HRH Prince William to Kate Middleton was announced, the world has been speculating on what the wedding will look like and most importantly what the soon-to-be princess and future Queen of England would wear on her wedding day.

While we cannot speculate on what Kate (Catherine) will wear on her wedding day, we can only wonder if it's an established designer with a name people recognize or some unknown up and comer. Royal correspondent Yvonne Yorke recently told Vogue UK, "When the name is officially announced, it will come as a surprise to many, and catapult the designer to worldwide fame. For clues on the identity, I suggest looking at those who have made dresses for Catherine, her sister Pippa, and her mother Carole." The anticipation! How lovely would it be for her to walk down the aisle in a gown designed by her sister or mother?

At any rate, WWD recently invited designers to sketch their idea on what Kate's wedding dress should look like. What do you think?

Main dress sketch above by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli for Valentino

Yigal Azrouel

Vera Wang

Tory Burch

Tommy Hilfiger

Reem Acra

Rebecca Taylor

Rachel Roy

Prabal Gurung

Peter Copping for Nina Ricci

Nicole Miller

Nanette Lepore

Monique Lhuillier

Missoni

Lyn Devon

Lela Rose

Kimberly Ovitz

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel

Gilles Mendel for J. Mendel

J. Crew

Jason Wu

Frida Giannini for Gucci

Elizabeth Emanuel

Doo-Ri Chung for Doo.Ri

Christian Lacriox

Chris Benz

Ralph Rucci for Chado Ralph Rucci

Badgley Mischka

Alberta Ferretti