Photo Courtesy of The Wedding Café
Hawaii is a dream luxury wedding destination that seems beyond reach to many people because of its distance, potential hit on the pocketbook, and possibility for logistical problems (it’s hard to decide on a minister from 3,000 miles away). Many rely on a hotel’s in-house wedding service or an island-based wedding planner to work out details...but couples in the know start in one place: The Wedding Café, in Ward Warehouse, Honolulu.

A one-stop resource center that works with the finest vendors in the islands, The Wedding Café is a friendly place for couples to find everything from the perfect venue to an inspired florist to a tutorial on DIY favors. It also just launched a busy full-service wedding planner offshoot company.
Owned by husband-and-wife team Bryson and Tanna Dang, The Wedding Café has just as many resources online as in its physical store, and Tanna is perhaps the biggest voice for up-and-coming wedding talent in Honolulu. We asked her to share some of our secrets for all the happy couples trying to plan a Hawaiian destination wedding in 2013.

JustLuxe: Please name three brilliant florists and tell us each one's expertise or special skill.
Tanna Dang: Floral Inspirations for total WOW factor; Flowergirls for eco-inspired pieces that are Anthropologie-esque; and Spinning WEB is all-around AMAZING. (Photo courtesy of Spinning Web)

JL: Tell us three beautiful venues: one luxe, one intimate/casual, and one beachy.
TD: Halekulani for sheer luxury; The Modern for intimate/casual; and Turtle Bay for a spectacular beach setting. (Photo courtesy of The Modern Honolulu)

JL: What are your recommended locations for a wedding photo shoot?
TD: All of the above, plus I LOVE Sunset Ranch on the North Shore of Oahu. (Photo courtesy of Sunset Ranch)

JL: Who’s a makeup artist you really like?
TD: Flaunt. Christine, the owner, dolls me up every week for workshops. Love her airbrush technique! (Photo courtesy of Flaunt/ABI Q PHOTOGRAPHY)

JL: What about a perfect spa for pre-wedding-day treatments for the bridal party?
TD: I know The Modern has a FAB spa. (Photo courtesy of The Modern Honolulu)

JL: For couples who don’t want to go with a traditional minister and vows, do you know any non-traditional ministers who can help couples come up with their own special ways to say “I Do”?
TD: We work with Alice Inoue, who does all kinds of ceremonies! She's also a life guide, Feng Shui specialist and astrologer.

