With media glamorizing over-the-top, opulent weddings, what bride today wouldn’t want one?You might think weddings of such extravagance are put on only by the rich and famous, but couples here in Hawai’i are finding ways to bring grandiose touches that define, personalize, and highlight their special day.

If you’ve attended a local wedding recently, you may have noticed fancy, color-coordinated linen, chiavari chairs, even specialty dishware, glassware, and flatware. The latest in Hawai’i weddings also includes lounge furniture such as backless sofas, ottomans, and coffee tables (in custom colores no less!) to create a chic ambience.Learn how to customize and personalize your wedding. Click here to read the article.

From small intimate gathers to soirees for hundreds of guests. Hawai’i event specialists are here to help you put together something spectacular. For the best event elements, take your pick of the follow top professionals and their customized services. Whether you’re planning fora corporate holiday party, an outer-island destination wedding, or a backyard birthday celebration, make it memorable! Click here to read the articles.

Do you have the knack for business? If you do, Norm Brodsky’s and Bo Burlingham’s book will tell you how to keep it. If you don’t-like some start-up entrepeneurs who are fuled more by ambition than pragmatism-The Knack will help you find it, and most importantly apply its principles to your business. Covering topics like the importance of mentorship, business planning, and avoicing “critical mass” (Brodsky’s term for the tendency to think you’ve made it), The Knack is an enjoyable read. What makes The Knack different is the self-effacing way Brodsky and Burlingham discuss their own failures and the failures of other business people. Pulling no punches, they tell you who succeeded (and why) and who was a dismal failure.Book Review of Norm Brodsky’s and Bo Burlingham’s The Knack. Click here to read article.

Dianna Shitanishi of Hawaii Wedding and Events The centerpieces are set, the fragrance of flowers permeates the air, and the guests begin to arrive as event coordinator Dianna Shitanishi watches the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. With over a thousand weddings and events under he belt, Shitanishi is the person to have by your side when planning a special occasion. Click here to read the article.

Boost Your Event Turnout with Facebook If you’re planning a party and you aren’t on Facebook, you should be. In just one year, Facebook has revolutionized the promotion of events. By creating an event on Facebook, you can invite your friends, your friends can invite their friends, and their friends can invite their friends, and so on. I’ve started events by inviting 100 people; that number grew to 2,000 in just a few days. Click here to read the article.

Events that Wow and Endow Tybalt and Mercutio duel it out amid a crowd of dignitaries, swords flashing as they lunge back and forth. No, it isn’t the latest production of Romeo and Juliet; it’s a black tie fund-raising event for Hawaii Opera Theatre. The event is more than a precursor to the upcoming opera season; it’s a chance for the nonprofit theater organization to wow its prospective donors- ddonors who are likely to remember the theatrics for years to come. Click here to read the article.

What it Takes to Succeed in the Industry of Love Wedding photographer Dave Miyamoto cajoles newlyweds to kiss as he snaps away, shot after shot. Now by the cake. Next with the bouquet. Then holding hands as they kiss again. While some would tire of capturing happy couples moment by moment, Miyamoto, who’s been in the business for over eighteen years, insists that it never gets old. It’s part of his job as a wedding professional- a job he enjoys and feels lucky to have. “every wedding is different, “he says. “If the bride and groom are happy, it’s a success for me.” Click here to read the article.

Question: My husband and I have been dedicated to our careers for over ten years straight; we’re finally ready to settle down, but we’re both in our late thirties and we feel like we’re running out of time. Is it too late in the game to start a family?  To read Asking Dr. O click here.

The reception lights have dimmed, the center-pieces have been taken home, and you’ve checked out of the honeymoon suite when it really hits you: Your lives, once separate, are now one-for better or worse. many newlyweds find themselves reaching this point without having discussed their finances. Many new husbands and wives know very little about their partner’s financial situation, hence the correlation between financial stress and high divorce rates. A few simple financial ground rules may help you keep the romance buring long after the honeymoon eneds.To read Finances for Two click here.