NĀ MEA MAIKA`I

STB HEARTS TWC!

2010-02-09T23:00:00.000-10:00

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Wednesday night wedding workshops are back at The Wedding Cafe ... 6:30pm @ the Ward Conference Rooms (2nd floor above TWC!) RSVP online or call 591.1005! Workshops are FREE except for the DIY, Cake & Wine, and Reception Timeline. Be sure to arrive a few minutes early or on time as the room gets super packed!

STB will be participating in the following workshops with SWEETS or SNACKS galore along with other many AWESOME vendors!

March 10
Invitations, Favors and Special Touches

March 17
Videography Showcase

April 7
Cake and Wine Sampling and Catering Trends

Sign up for our sweet list, become a facebook fan and follow us on twitter to receive updates and special promos! Keep a look out for our FREEBIE PROMO before each workshop ... it's way too SWEET to miss!

Sweet Treats Buffets & Small Bites by nā mea maika`i, llc is a 2010 Bride’s Choice Award Winner!

2010-01-19T14:00:00.000-10:00

Sweet Treats Buffets & Small Bites by nā mea maika`i, llc has been selected to receive the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for wedding & event favors and gifts.

PR Log (Press Release) – Jan 20, 2010 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced Sweet Treats Buffets & Small Bites by nā mea maika`i, llc has been selected to receive the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for wedding & event favors and gifts.

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

nā mea maika`i, llc is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”

We are happy to announce that nā mea maika`i, llc is among the very best wedding & event favors and gifts within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire and Martha Stewart Weddings. We would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at www.WeddingWire.com!

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding vendors. WeddingWire enables engaged couples to search, compare and book over 100,000 reviewed wedding vendors nationwide, from wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding vendors, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. In addition, WeddingWire has partnered with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) to provide its network of local vendors and online wedding-planning tools in the Weddings section of www.MarthaStewartWeddings.com. For additional information, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

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Sweet Treats Buffets & Small Bites by nā mea maika`i, llc is a local owned company in Honolulu, Hawaii, established in 2008, which specializes in candy, snacks or anything sweet buffets and homemade confections. They strive in making a lasting impression on you and your guests as they compliment your event. Visit them at nameamaikai.webs.com!

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Hawaii Bridal Expo - January 2010

2010-01-12T22:00:00.000-10:00

Congratulations on your engagement!
We'll see you at the Hawaii Bridal Expo!

You're Invited to "An Intimate Affair" @ Haiku Gardens!

2009-10-30T00:00:00.002-10:00

SMALL BITES = BIG YUM!

2009-10-25T14:00:00.002-10:00

Small Bites is our HOMEMADE items, which we can feature on any sweet treats buffet or we also offer full dessert buffets! We are happy to announce more yummy for your tummy items and services!

Cookie or Cupcake Decorating Kits just in time for the holidays!

Cookie Kit includes:

one dozen sugar cookies (you choose the shapes!)
4 different colored frostings conveniently in piping bags
3 types of sprinkles
sugar eyes if you select bear, fish, or people shaped cookies
take home bag and tie

Cupcake Kit includes:

30 cupcakes (choose from chocolate or vanilla)
2 different colored frostings conveniently in piping bags
3 types of sprinkles
take home container or box

For an an additional cost, we also offer a FULL SERVICE option with these kits which includes the following:

attendant for 1 - 2 hours to assist keikis with decorating, set-up and clean-up
table and table cover
clean up supplies (paper towels, wipes, etc.)

Filipino Desserts!
That's right! We offer the following ono items:

plain or rainbow puto (steamed filipino rice cake)
balintawak (sweet bread with a pink pastry filling)
kutsinta (steamed rice cake pudding with real coconut topping)
pichi pichi (cassava mini cakes)
mini ensaymada (sweet bread with butter & sugar topping)
bibingka (coconut butter mochi)
patupat (sweet rice wrapped in banana leaf)
dudul (filipino style haupia)

Don't forget ... we deliver FREE anywhere on O`ahu with a minimum purchase of $100.00!

Contact us to inquire or to book your next event!

STB & The Great HOWL-O-WEEN Party @ Bayer Estate!

2009-10-06T21:15:00.001-10:00

STB will feature our P&P (Pawfect & Pawlicious) Buffet for all the pets participating in the Beasties on Parades Pet Costume Contest! Please come and join us at this THRILLER event! All proceeds will benefit Hawai`i's NO-KILL ANIMAL RESCUE GROUPS!

TWC Wednesday Night Workshop - 09.02.09

2009-08-26T21:00:00.005-10:00

We're gonna SWEETEN things up at The Wedding Cafe's INVITES & FAVORS Wednesday Night Workshop!

Join us at Ward Warehouse Conference Rooms on Wednesday, 09.02.09 from 6pm - 8pm and find out what Sweet Treats Buffets & Small Bites are all about! Be sure to check in at The Wedding Cafe before you head upstairs to the conference room!

If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind and memorable favor ... we've got just the SWEETEST ideas for you!

Sign up for our "sweet" list to receive updates and special offers, between now and 09.01.09, and you will be entered into a drawing for a $100.00* gift certificate towards a full service buffet! *Some restrictions may apply. Winner will be announced at the workshop and you must be present to win!

Can't make it in person? TWC's workshop can be seen LIVE! Be sure to tune in!
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-wedding-cafe-wednesday-workshops

Sweet Wishes & see you there!

Our newest SWEET Buffets!

2009-07-25T09:00:00.003-10:00

We are very happy-happy, joy-joy to introduce three new buffets to our current SWEET services!

P&P Buffet - Pawfect & Pawlicious
STB can incorporate a special buffet to any pet-friendly event ... if you decide to include your pet in your wedding along with their other furry and four-legged friends ... they too, need to eat, drink and be merry! STB also offers a buffet for your pet's celebration, whether it's a birthday or when they say "wry-ruu" (I DO)!

B-Green Buffet - Eco-Friendly

Think green and BE GREEN! We have great ideas for our going green/be green clients! We have an array of eco-friendly alternatives that are as green as green can be! You're doing your part to save our precious Earth and we're here to help you!

S&S Buffet - Sundae or Sorbets & Sweet Toppings
We bring the ice cream parlor to your event! I scream, you cream, we all scream for ice cream!

Popcorn Buffet - this one is easy to figure out!
We have tons of flavors, tons of add-ons, and tons of pop pop going on!

Also ask us about our lollipop trees and towers, favor cakes and cherry blossom favors, or the over 300 other personalized & unique favors we have to offer!

A&E Loves ... Unique Sweets

2009-07-12T21:00:00.001-10:00

As promised, here is our L&L #1 ... uhh no, not the local plate lunch place, but rather our Loves & Loathes!

We definitely have to start with a LOVE ... so first one is UNIQUE SWEETS! We love looking for them, getting FREE samples, tastings and offering them on our candy buffet! It's truly a joy when discovering a unique sweet by accident; it's happened often, just by chance!

Whether it's the "most coveted truffles of the year" ... one-half organic white honey (from Big Island's very own Richard Spiegel Volcano Island Honey Company) one-half dark chocolate ganache (Vosges Haut-Chocolat, a certified women’s business enterprise and who's tagline is One Love, One Chocolate) ... to our humble signature confection, button meringues made with REAL lemons, chocolate, strawberry, passion fruit or pineapple ... we love to give you the scoops on our sweet discoveries!

We're always looking for the uncommonly, commonly yummy sweets ... so if you know of one ... don't keep it a secret, pass it on! We also try our best to keep it LOCAL!

Sweet FAQ #1 : What is a Candy Buffet?

2009-07-01T22:30:00.002-10:00

It is one of the latest trends in today’s weddings; a self-serve candy buffet which adds fun and color to your wedding reception. A wedding candy buffet is a great do-it-yourself favor that your guests will not soon forget. It makes your guests literally feel like a kid in a candy store when they join in the celebration of your wedding.

The best way I can describe it, if you have not seen one at an event yet or viewed our gallery, it's just like a candy store with your own special sweets right there at your event! Guests are assembling their own favors, which in turn is your small token of appreciation for them to take home. Guests will definitely remember a candy buffet and the array or sweets versus a CD, soap or candles.

In 2006, when planning our "sweet treats buffet", we googled using key words 'candy buffet' ... about three sites came up, all from marthastewart.com. Today, if you google using the same keywords, you will not know which site to click first! Let us suggest clicking the 'images' link ... to view amazing displays then reading all about it!

This is a great excerpt I found on another blog ...

"... when you really dig down it's not about the product at all. It's about nostalgia. In a lot of weddings, two people are taking a major step toward adulthood. The candy buffet lets them connect back to any fond memories they have of childhood. Candy is powerfully reminiscent" - Mark Kingdorf of The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants in Philadelphia, PA.

FAQ and L&L blogs coming soon!

2009-06-28T10:00:00.006-10:00

STB is a proud member of the O`ahu Wedding Association and would like to thank the OWA Blog Squad for this AWESOME idea.

STB took some time to read the saywhat blog and now feels so OWA EDUCATED! It was also refreshing to see what other OWA members are up to professionally and personally! With the member of the week posts, STB finds out interesting things about their fellow members!

So the goal is to spread some SWEET EDUCATION about candy buffets and homemade sweets. From time to time we'll also post some of A&E's loves & loathes (L&L)!

Not a "follower" or "fan"yet? Jump on the SWEET wagon!
Get a 10% discount if you sign up to follow our blog or become a fan on our FB page, or join our sweet list!

Sweet 16 Segment now available on OC16.TV

2009-05-30T22:00:00.003-10:00

If you missed the segment aired in March, where they featured STB's Candy Land themed buffet and other services by awesome event vendors ... finally see the video on OC16.TV!

SWEET 16 SEGMENT!

STB @ the East Honolulu Food Festival

2009-04-29T21:30:00.003-10:00

Please show your support, come visit our booth and enjoy some halo halo! For more info, click the blog title above!

What is halo halo?
Halo pronounced HAH - LOW and in tagalog means "mix" ... so literally, it's a "mix mix"!
It's a refreshing and popular filipino dessert!

A mix mix of what?
Sweet preserved fruit like jackfruit, palm nut (kaong), coconut gel (nata de coco)and strings (macupuno); red mung beans, white beans, firm gelatin (agar agar - like jello), and plain tapioca (sago) ... then topped with shaved ice, milk and ube (purple yam) ice cream ... MMMMM!

BIG MAHALO to Tom's Seafood in Waipahu, Jimmy's Produce in Kalihi, and Ramar Foods for supplying us with our ingredients ... MABUHAY!

SWEET 16 on OC16 TV

2009-03-29T21:45:00.002-10:00

STB started off 2009 with a Candyland themed SWEET 16 party ... it will finally air Monday, 03.30.09 7:30 pm on OC16 TV and will air all week. If you cannot tune in then, it will air again in six weeks. Live streaming is also available online at http://www.oc16.tv/!

It will feature five (5) other OWA members!
Julie Aragaki of Hawaii Bride & Groom Magazine
Aaron Bernard of Liquidlightimages
Naomi Lee of Le Saison
Dianna Shitanishi of Hawaii Weddings & Events
Vanessa Hollinger of Backyards & BBQ Catering

A&E's buddy Shawn Haruno and the rest of Mobile Gamer Guys will also be featured!

Enjoy the show!

MAG AD

2009-03-21T15:30:00.000-10:00

Check out the OWA mag ad in Pacific Edge Magazine ...
STB is so proud to be listed with some of the most ELITE wedding professionals on O`ahu!

http://thepacificedge.com/index.php
http://oahuweddingassociation.com/

Favor Cakes & Cherry Blossom Favors!

2009-03-16T06:00:00.002-10:00

STB is very happy to introduce new favor products!
Great for weddings, first birthdays, or any special event!
Contact us today for more details!

3-Tier, Double Layer Classic Elegance Favor Cake ... 150 Favors!

Cherry Blossom Flower Garden ... 60 Favors!

SWEETHEART SPECIAL EXTENDED TO 03.31.09!

2009-02-23T21:00:00.001-10:00

WOW! Due to overwhelming requests, we've decided to EXTEND this special offer to 03.31.09! Contact us today for a free consultation! Let us treat you SWEET!

STB&SB's First TWC Workshop

2009-02-19T20:00:00.017-10:00

MAHALO to all the brides & grooms for attending the Wednesday, 02.18.09 Invitation, Favors and Registry workshop! It was Sweet Treats Buffets & Small Bites' (STB&SB) very FIRST workshop hosted by, none other than The Wedding Cafe! In honor of all the SWEETHEARTS in attendance STB&SB decided to go with a red and pink SWEETHEART theme! Think red, think pink, think hearts, think LOVE!

If the wedding date is during a holiday or season, it is IDEAL to use colors of the season ... WHY? Because whether it's ribbon or candy, more items are available in seasonal colors! STB&SB raided all the stores after Valentine's day in search of seasonal candies ... they found everything pink, red and hearts! Aubrey's favorite was the strawberry and cherry hearts. They were in between a jelly bean and gummy, but most of all it was sweet and tart! AUBREY HEART TART! Also, because it was Valentine's candy, most of the items that were individually wrapped include litte hearts and cupids ... awwwww!

The table was dressed up with a bright, coral colored, silk linen by the best of the best in table or reception decor, Naomi Lee of Les Saison! She turns an ordinary table into something FABULOUS! The right type of linen does wonders and Naomi is so wonderful to work with! Big hugs to Naomi!

STB&SB displayed six styles of keepers ... the nostalgic penny jars, fancy apothecaries, chic/sophisticated martini glasses, heart dishes, the fun lolly trees and sundae dishes. There was 22 different items ... chocolates, gummies, cookies, lollies, nerds and pink & white ARARE! Yes, pink & white ARARE! A&E found these by accident and are available for girl's day, which is 03/05! STB&SB, as much as everyone, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE unique treats! They kinda look like cereal and at first it does taste sweet, then a littel salt ... MMMMM, it sure was arare!

Big thanks also goes out to Jason of Exquisite Entertainment, who provided the jams! A&E loves music while setting up their buffets, music always helps get them in the goove of things especially since Aubrey was really nervous! Kris of On 3 Photography and Keli`i of Kai Media were also there working hard as always to capture the moments. They do such AWESOME work, please check out their websites! Big Shakahz to Merri & Chris of Kahala Caterers who dropped by just to say HI and to show their support.

Last, but not least, LUV & HUGS to TWC belles, owners Tanna & Bryson Dang for all your help, support, and encouragement. STB&SB HEART TWC!

If you missed this one, we've got two more to go! STB&SB will also participate in the 03/04 & 03/25 workshops! Come and enter to WIN a CANDY BUFFET valued at $500! It's SO easy to enter, just attend one or all the workshops! You attend all three, enter three times ... more chances to win!

For more info on the workshops or to RSVP, check out TWC Calendar or call 591.1005!

For more info on the candy buffet giveaway or STB&SB, e-mail nmm.aloha@yahoo.com or call 224.0306!

Happy V-Day!

2009-02-14T08:00:00.000-10:00

STB& SB loves all SWEETS UNIQUE!
So, for Valentine's Day ... get her the chocolate AND the diamond!

Eternelle ... the Chocolate Diamond!

V-Day Treats!

2009-02-12T19:00:00.009-10:00

Valentine's Day is not only for couples in love; it's a holiday for everyone to celebrate friendship and family or just because! Reyn and his Mom, Lorraine wanted to do something really special for his classmates, so they contacted STB&SB for help! Lorraine works with E at KCC and heard that he makes homemade confections such as button meringues, fudge cups, french macaroons, cookies, etc. ... ALL BITE-SIZED!

A&E loves unique favors and variety so they decided to go with a trio of the button meringues (real lemon zest, strawberry daiquiri - but it tastes like bubble gum, and chocolate). For a Valentine special touch, Aubrey added a classic V-Day confection, conversational heart candy by Necco!

Aubrey decided to use clear pillow boxes to 1) show off the color of the treats as she does on her buffets and 2) to keep the meringues from crushing. She also dressed it up with a printed paper band in V-Day colors of course and each box was personalized with "Happy Valentine's Day, the classmate's name, From Reyn" label. Reyn, Mom Lorraine and Reyn's classmates all loved the treats!

E, the Small Bites confection specialist, just debut his menu for 2009 and now offers the delectables to feature on any Sweet Treats Buffets, for event favors or for caterting on dessert tables! Check out the SB MENU! If you don't see an item listed, feel free to ask E, he may be able to do it! Since SB just debut its services, the SB gallery is a work in progress. As we book and complete events we will post them! SB offers tastings, too! Contact STB&SB for more details!

Click image to enlarge!

SWEETHEART SPECIAL! Ends 02.28.09.

2009-02-01T21:00:00.000-10:00

OH SWEET LOVE! Let us create a one-of-a-kind favor that your guests will not soon forget. A candy buffet will make your guests feel like a kid in a candy store when they join in the celebration! We have a variety of items to feature on your candy buffet! Let us treat you SWEET!

We've earned wonderful reviews!

2009-01-29T00:45:00.004-10:00

Also, Martha Stewart joins WeddingWire!
Check our listing on marthastewart.com & marthastewartweddings.com!
Did we SWEETEN your event? Please leave us a review!

Business Matters

2009-01-22T20:00:00.028-10:00

nmm would like to introduce Chef Steph, owner of Love at First Bite! She specializes in wedding and special occasion cakes, along with small intimate catering. A&E met Chef Steph at a Divas Doing Good event where they volunteered their time and services for a holiday party for the keikis at Kapi`olani Medical Center for Women & Children.

They were "neighbors" at the party ... Chef Steph had yummy cupcakes and of course nmm had their Sweet Treats Buffets! nmm had cupcakes, too; however, they were from Sam's Club and were donated to serve on their table. A&E presented the cupcakes on a pyramid stand which was a DIY project Aubrey found instructions to, when searching on Google to actually purchase one. She purchased essential materials and followed the instructions, then in 2 days ... TAH-DAH a simple white cupcake stand! It's quite a wonderful item because you can leave it all white or dress it up with ribbon, rick rack or fancy garland and it can display as little as four regular sized cupcakes to 150! Imagine if you had MINI ones!

Aubrey was so honored that Chef Steph asked her where she got it from and she would be interested in getting one! Aubrey, who barters when she can, told Chef Steph that she could make another one for her, but rather than charging her for it, would accept "something" in exchange. That something ended up being quite beneficial to the nmm business!

Opportunites were knocking faster than A&E could imagine ... but the first thing they knew for any business is to get their crap in order. A&E was serious about not only servicing their clients, but servcing them while running a successful business by knowing smart and simple business practices. A&E had their GE license, but knew that wasn't all to it. They needed professional help, but couldn't afford a business consultant so Aubrey turned to good `ol Google again and found a FREE small business workshop offered by the Hawaii Women's Business Center. The workshop was FREE and very informative; one advice worth mentioning is establishing an "Advisory Group".

***
What is an Advisory Group?
An advisory group is a collection of individuals who bring unique knowledge and skills, which complement the knowledge, and skills of formal board members in order to more effectively govern the organization. Advisory groups are sometimes used, too, to provide membership which gives status to people, for example, retired CEOs, board chairs or major contributors. The advisory group does not have formal authority to govern the organization, that is, the advisory cannot issue directives which must be followed. Rather, the advisory group serves to make recommendations and/or provide key information and materials to the formal board of directors. The advisory group can be standing (or ongoing) or ad hoc (one-time) in nature.
***

And that's when the light bulb went on in Aubrey's head ... she knew the perfect person to turn to was Chef Steph and it was the "something" that she could barter for ... recommendations, key information and materials to run nmm's "catering" side of the business. Because small bites offers homemade confections and offering the service for wedding and events, it is considered "catering" and Love at First Bite is none other than such a business.

After meeting Chef Steph and Richard and e-mails back and forth, the information that A&E was able to gather, helped make the process easier for submitting necessary documents for key items to run their business ... they established nmm as an LLC, obtained the approvals for service marks (similar to a trade mark) for Sweet Treats Buffets and Small Bites, obtained their general liability insurance, and received an FEIN in less than two weeks! They are legit as legit can get!

Although nmm does not have a formal advisory group ... they do have great people like Chef Chef and Tanna/Bryson of The Wedding Cafe to turn to for basic business questions who explains things in simple terms ... and if they don't have the answers, they refer nmm to people who can! BIG HEART felt thanks to all of them!

Call Chef Steph for your next event!

Divas Doing Good & TAP PROJECT HI

2009-01-20T20:00:00.002-10:00

Get ready for more GOOD!

For more information click the image above or contact The Wedding Cafe!

@ The Bridal Expo

2009-01-19T21:00:00.012-10:00

The first 2009 expo was held January 16th - 18th at the Neil Blaisdell Center. Over 2000 people attended; primarily brides looking for fresh ideas and vendors for their upcoming wedding. This was A&E's first ever expo and they did not know what to expect, but they were ready with more than 85 pounds of candy, 36 different candy/snack items, and over 30 different glass containers to show off three of their best candy buffets ... the newest and hottest trend for favors in both events and weddings! A&E's heartfelt MAHALO goes out to each and everyone who came to visit; not only for free candy, but for inquiring about what we do, how we do it and even sharing their own candy buffet experiences!

By Saturday evening, the attendance was more than 1100 brides and 2700+ total attendance! A&E labeled 2000 candy bags and went home with only 400, which meant at least 1600 people visited their buffets, enjoyed sweet treats and ooohed and ahhhhed at the colorful displays. The newest set-up was their MARTINI BAR, which included two oversized martini glasses that stood 11.5" tall and six regular sized martini glasses which they used gift boxes to elevate their heights. Items for this buffet included only browns and whites which made the set-up so chic and sophisticated. This buffet would be fitting for martini-luvin' divas for their wedding and/or bridal shower.

Aaron Bernard of Liquidlightimages (LLI) normally has a candy bar set-up at his booth, but shortly after meeting A&E at a networking holiday party, Aaron contacted Aubrey to see if she would be interested in setting up a buffet up for him in his expo booth. Aubrey of course jumped at the opportunity! After some discussion, Aubrey also offered to do the prize giveaway for LLI's so Aaron did a drawing for one winner to get a $600 valued candy buffet during the expo ... all they had to do was book a free consultation! A&E cannot wait until the winner are announced! Good luck to everyone who got entered!

Merri Ford, Wedding Coordinator of Kahala Caterers also asked A&E to set up a last minute green and white themed buffet at their booth as well! A&E cannot thank them enough for their confidence and support during the expo ... and also the ono food samples they prepared for the three days! Other than being able to talk to interested brides and fantastic vendors, A&E was able to expose SWEET TREATS BUFFET service, their company, and their attitude of ALOHA!

A heartfelt mahalo to Aaron, Jody & Charmaine of LLI for having us as your expo buddies!

For the Brides ...

2009-01-16T00:40:00.001-10:00

Join us at THE WEDDING CAFE for WEDNESDAY NIGHT WORKSHOPS!

Sweet 16

2009-01-04T20:00:00.029-10:00

nmm started off 2009, not with fireworks, champagne, or a grand gala, but with planning and designing the ultimate SWEET TREATS BUFFET the CANDY LAND way! Aubrey & Eric were very honored to be part of Arian's Sweet 16, the humble daughter of Julie Aragaki, owner of Hawai`i Bride & Groom Magazine, executive producer of Hawaii In Style TV on OC16 and owner/professional photographer of Moments...Memories Photography. Mahalo to Lance Ishibashi of elle Couture Jewellers who told Julie about nmm and let her indulge some small bites meringues infused with lemon zest, which Eric made!

The Candy Land theme fit nmm perfectly! It's what they do, specialze in themed candy buffets! Aubrey did some research prior to meeting Julie and knew exactly what she wanted to do for Arian's Sweet 16, but she had to make sure she had a big enough table. When A&E finally met Julie, she told them that the candy buffet was to be the focal point of the room and introduced them to the whopping 10 foot table where soon the Candy Land game would be replicated into everything candy!

nmm had two weeks to plan, design and select the candies for the buffet. Julie provide the Candy Land board game to Aubrey for more inspiration. If you've played the game before, the board is a journey through the land of candy: Gingerbread Tree, Licorice Forrest, Gumdrop Mountains, Peppermint Forrest, Peanut Acres, Lollipop Woods, Snow Flake Lake (on the new version, formerly Ice Cream Sea), Chocolate Swamp and the grand Candy Castle! Rather than just selecting nine candies to represent each area, nmm went above and beyond so decided to create each city with several selections. With three to five different items for the nine cities, they featured approximately 38 items for Arian's Candy Land Buffet!

A&E lugged six plastic bins to the Aragaki's estate in Kane`ohe and started setting up at 1:15pm. They completed at 4:00pm in time for the photo session by Aaron Bernard of Liquidlightimages, who also took photos during the event. Arian's Sweet 16 only started with a candy buffet ... She had the best of the best for birthday parties these days! Balloonogist, Greg of Balloon Monsoon greeted Arian's guests with balloon hats and characters; then into the BAMBOOth where A&E took some time to experience ... think photo booth goes bamboo! Creative catering provided by Vanessa Hollinger of Beaches & Backyards Catering assisted by her sister Alicia who is actually an event planner (Milestones Events Hawai`i) ... they too created dishes inspired by the Candy Land characters like Gamma Nuts Guava Jelly Garden, which was Aubrey's favorite! China Anderson and crew of REA Events & Designs created the whimsical food buffet area with long white drapery and glowing multi-colored lights. And finally the topsy-turvy birthday cake by Vikki of Sunshine's Cake Creations.

Parties are definitely where kids can be kids again ... Arian and friends did just that when stepping into the tootsie roll bouncer provided by Bounce Hawai`i; that was one thing A&E forgot to do ... jump in the bouncer! Last but not least, Shawn, Kalani & Chris of Mobile Gamer Guys was definitely an event hit as the kids got to challenge each other to X-Box video games in the comfort of an air conditioned shuttle bus, equipped with 8 panels and roomy seats. They also had a WII set up outside of the bus so that kids could rock it out with Guitar Hero and Rock Band! Hmmmm... no wonder Aubrey was alone for the beginning of the event, Eric and most of the vendors were in the MGG bus playing video games!

Hawai`i In Style TV on OC16 will air the Sweet 16 party sometime late February. We'll keep you posted on the actual air date! Talented videographer, Mikey of Banzai Media was hard at work capturing all the fabulous fun! Mahalo Arian and `Ohana for having nmm at your sweet SWEET 16!

Photo Collage by Aaron Bernard of Liquidlightimages

Click image to enlarge! Check out more photos in our gallery!

Proud Member of OWA!

2008-12-30T00:30:00.001-10:00

nmm is a proud member of the O`AHU WEDDING ASSOCIATION!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T07:00:00.003-10:00

One of the real joys of the Holiday Season is the opportunity to say MAHALO NUI LOA and to wish you the 'SWEETEST' for the New Year!

Here we come, TWC brides!

2008-12-23T00:30:00.002-10:00

nmm is a proud vendor of the THE WEDDING CAFE ! Wednesday night workshops here we come!

NMM @ The Bridal Expo

2008-12-21T00:30:00.002-10:00

Visit nmm at the HAWAI`I BRIDAL EXPO on 01.16.09 - 01.18.09!

TK Wedding

2008-12-20T20:00:00.001-10:00

nmm concluded 2008 with a beautiful ocean side wedding at the intimate and historic Bayer Estate. Tessa and Kyle could not have asked for anything more than close family and friends to enjoy the special day with them. It rained heavy the day before, but with just a little prayer Mr. Sun revealed himself just in time for the celebration

The theme colors for the wedding was purple and green ... Aubrey and Eric love-love colors especially when their uncommon matches. A&E were told that the couple loved fudge and Tessa's favorite is the classic french macaroon. Tessa also wanted a chocolate theme for all the items. She is a foodie so A&E had to make sure that TK's candy buffet met their expectations!

Homemade walnut fudge cups which Eric prepared and Aubrey hand placed each walnut, was included on the buffet. No doubt, if she were to change her profession and work at Hawaiian Host one day she'd be darn good at it! Also included were french macaroons with dark chocolate ganache, Triple Chocolate M&M premiums, which had a pretty pearl purple (say that 3x fast) color to it, dark chocolate kisses, mint truffle kisses, chocolate covered mini Tootsie Roll chews, and chocolate mix skittles. Yes, skittles! The confections were simply placed in oversized glass jars with lids and designed in the classic Martha Stewart (MS) cookie buffet style which is Aubrey's all-time favorite set-up. It's a beautiful set-up and complimented the entire wedding theme.

The day continued in its beauty while Ben & Maila serenade guests during breakfast. Merri Ford and Chris Beasley of Kahala Catering did the most amazing job coordinating the breakfast stations. Made to order eggs/omelettes, breakfast meats, waffles, and banana/nutella crepes are some of the menu items featured on the stations. Aubrey Akana, owner/event planner of Savoire Fare did what she does best and made sure eveything went smoothly ... and that it did. She is such a joy to work with and A&E cannot wait to have the opportunity to work with her again.

The yummy wedding cake was provided by Aloha Cakery, mini cupcakes by Cupcake Couture, and the favors ... mini soda bottles filled with iso peanuts by Shop Toast. The great media pair Eric of Imaginewurks and Keli`i of Kai Media captured the day on video while who other than the talented :Dave Miyamoto & Co captured the moments on camera.

An amazing day with amazing people ... 2008 could not have ended on a better note. T&K, Congrats and mahalo for having nmm on your special day!

Elf Yourself!

2008-12-16T20:00:00.008-10:00

If there is one thing A&E loves about the holidays it's ELFING THEMSELVES! Each year, it gets better and better! Turn up your speakers and click the image below to view their video before it expires 01.15.09! Get ELFED, today!

Happy Holidays to our `Ohana!

2008-12-15T20:00:00.005-10:00

If you're reading this blog ... it means you've received A&E's annual holiday photo card! Welcome and Mahalo for visiting! Please take a moment to hang out and read some of the blogs and maybe visit a few of their favorite links. Here, you'll find out everything that A&E has been up to ... well at least since September ...

They have been super-duper busy since meeting some inspirational individuals like Tanna & Bryson, owners of The Wedding Cafe; Lance, Creative Director & Adrienne, Sales Director of elle Couture Jewellers, and Dave Miyamoto, talented photographer, avid surfer, and all around awesome dude of :Dave Miyamoto & Co and President of the O`ahu Wedding Association ... they are all God sent!

Aubrey's sweet treats buffets will conclude 2008 with a beautiful 'winter' wedding set for 12/18 at The Bayer Estate in Aina Haina. And, without even an official unveiling, Eric's small bites has been buzzing around, too ... the small bites meringues (lemon zest infused) have been a real hit! More flavors and more selections will unveil 01.01.09! Come back and visit!

2009 is going to be BIG and even BUSIER! They can't wait to share more of their exciting experiences, which are in the works ... from catering a store's grand opening to a "sweet" appearance on a local TV show ... A&E are truly humbled and blessed for all the GOOD THINGS and GOOD TIMES in 2008!

Luvs & Hugs to all our `ohana and friends near and far!

FEED 100

2008-12-10T22:30:00.002-10:00

If you are looking to make a holiday donation this year, this is something cool and different ... AJ is a reusable tote collector (really she is, ask her hubby) so this especailly was a treat for her! Not only does she get a great bag, the FEED 100 Bag = 100 School Meals for Hungry Children in Rwanda and it only costs $30.00! It is available at Whole Foods in Kahala or for online purchase! For more info click the bag!

Do-Gooders!

2008-12-09T20:00:00.018-10:00

Some local businesses and AJ’s `ohana donated all of the sweets on the holiday candy buffet nmm set-up at the KMCWC holiday party on December 2nd. nmm would like to recognize all the donors!

A very special MAHALO goes out to all the DO-GOODERS that made the buffet a sweet experience!
Whole Foods in Kahala – two-bite brownies
Moani’s Creations – lollipops
Michele Peiper’s Class at Wai`anae HS – lollipop tags
Mikala’s Creations – cotton candy
Architectural Design Services [Carlos & Pat Pucan – AJ’s Mom & Dad] – holiday cupcakes
Pound4Pound Designs [Craig & Row Abear – AJ’s brother-in-law & sister]
Pucan `Ohana – Gummy Bears [Jayson, Kelly, Pi`i & Anu – AJ’s brother & his `ohana]
Grams Badua & `Ohana – Red Vines & Tootsies [AJ’s grams and her Aunties & Uncles]
Kahsynsyns – M&Ms, Gummy Fruit, Pretzels [AJ’s first & second cousins]

AJ found perfect sized, red striped flat paper bags to hold the sweets, which tied in the holiday theme so well. She also used holiday stickers printed with Santa, Frosty, Christmas trees, etc. to help seal the bags. Eric took care of setting up the pyramid cupcake stand. He really wanted to bake for this event, but did not have enough time to. It was sure festive and we believe more adults than keikis came to visit us at the nmm SWEET POLE! We had a BAH-LAST!

Let’s blog lollipops! Everyone recognized the lollies as "eh, dis da one you put li hing seed inside, yeah?!?" ... too cute :) Anyway, it's a long story, but a wonderful one to tell! So be ready to read!

AJ posted an ad on craigslist searching for anyone who could make "li-hing lollipops" when she was stumped on where to find beach themed lollies for the Badde wedding. Moani Pieper answered my ad and she said she could make them for me for a great price. AJ called the cell phone she provided, and a Michelle answered. Michelle said that Moani saw my ad, consulted with her and said that she could definitely do it ... consulted … hmmm, what was that all about ... a second later AJ had her answer.

Moani is age 13; she makes, and sells these glass like lollies to her classmates and friends after school so that she can pay for her own cell phone bill. Michelle said if AJ was ok with it, Moani would be glad to make the lollies for her. They gave samples and they were yummy and so pretty. Moani made 60 shell-shaped, pinã colada flavored (no li-hing) lollies. AJ’s client never seen these lollies before and was so very happy with it.

Shortly after the wedding event, AJ mentioned the Divas Doing Good event to Michelle and Moani decided to donate 100 lollipops for the keikis! Michelle is a teacher at Wai`anae HS and her students made the holiday stamped lolly tags. They were very holiday-ish and some of the tags were stamped with sayings like "a warm hello" or "feel better soon" ... again, too cute :) Hey Michelle, have your students think BIG for next year and do holiday cards! Perhaps your students can use it as a fundraiser where the proceeds go to a charity! nmm will definitely purchase some!

In addition to being a teacher, Michelle is a small businesses owner. She sells handmade bath products (soap, bath salts/freshners, lotions, hand sanitizer - most popular) at craft fairs and offers party rental machines and food such as shave ice, cotton candy, fried ice cream and just recently ono kettle corn. Mikala's Creations donated 120 bags of pink cotton candy bags to the keikis!

In heartfelt appreciation, nmm is hooking up Moani with her own website where she can share her lollipop creations, flavors, etc. Look out for her site!

Moani, you are a true inspiration for all the DO-GOOD wannabes out there, keep up the great work!

Find more sweet pics of this event in the sweet and events album of the nmm gallery!

Holiday Fun @ KMCWC!

2008-12-08T21:00:00.013-10:00

It is the best feeling when you become a DO-GOODER. AJ and hubby Eric know that exact feeling when they cheerfully accepted the opportunity to provide a holiday themed candy buffet for the keikis and their `ohana at Kapi`olani Medical Center for Women & Children as part of the Divas Doing Good effort to spread holiday cheer and spirit.

The honored guests were keikis who are either in- or out-patients receiving various medical treatments at KMCWC and their `ohana. During the holiday season, it’s a challenge for them to truly enjoy the festivities due to ongoing treatments or doctor appointments so DDG brought the joy to them!

Vendors in the wedding/event industry took a night off from their busy work schedules to volunteer their services. A few to mention are happy-go-lucky Geralyn of Hōkūli`i Photography whose enthusiasm is so infectious; the talented James, and his hard-working wife, Amel of Crane Media who featured the Screen Booth; beautiful Tania of Beauty By Tania who provided make-up and hair-styles; Chef Steph and Richard of Love At First Bite (nmm’s table neighbors) who made oh so ono cupcakes. Finally, the ones that made it all happen, Tanna, Bryson, Tessa, and Nicole from The Wedding Café who organized the bash.

Guests arrived and many dressed up for the occasion in holiday attire and party shoes! They were ready to have a great time! They enjoyed music, got their hair and make-up done, took holiday photos and decorated canvas bags or cookies. The refreshments included cocoa, pbj or chicken salad sandwiches, and of course SWEETS & TREATS by nmm!

A&E kick started the holiday season in DO-GOOD mode and they will continue not only during the holidays, but also through their daily life to reach out to the less fortunate or who just are in need of a helping hand. Seeing smiles on keikis’ faces and the tears (of joy) from parents and KMCWC staff made it all worthwhile. A&E cannot wait to do it again next year! PAY IT FORWARD!

Check out the events album in the nmm gallery for awesome photos by Kyler of Kai-Photo Wedding Photography!

Welcome Eric!

2008-11-30T00:00:00.002-10:00

nmm proudly announces they are now a wife and hubby team ... Eric unveils his services January 2009! Welcome Eric!

Divas Doing Good ~ Diva Days

2008-11-22T21:00:00.004-10:00

Divas Doing Good is the conception of Tanna Dang, owner of The Wedding Café. "They are women (DIVAS!) who inspire to DO GOOD things for the community ... Women who love to shop for great causes and feel good by empowering others." It is wonderful group of people that come together and think of ways to give back to the community whether by volunteering (time and/or services), help raise funds, or both for non-profit organizations and/or charitable causes.

nmm was encouraged to join DDG on Tuesday, December 2nd to spread holiday cheer and spirit to keikis who are patients at Kapi`olani Medical Center for Women and Children. Many are volunteering their time and services ranging from photography to pampering to make this event something special for each keiki. nmm is creating a holiday themed candy/confection buffet and is reaching out to various candy retailers/wholesalers, bakeries and/or vendors which nmm patronizes for donations of items to place on the buffet (i.e. signature confections, packaged candies, etc.). nmm is proud to be part of an organization who believes in the gift of giving and giving back.

Last month, DDG also promoted Diva Days Passes, which for $10.00, customers who bought these passes received a 20% discount from all the stores that participated during the 11/01 & 11/02 weekend. A portion of all ticket sales will go towards the purchase of holiday gifts for the keikis at KMCWC!

Share the holiday spirit and spread the holiday cheer!

Opportunity Knocks ...

2008-11-15T20:45:00.004-10:00

AJ is a true believer of the old time quote “When opportunity knocks, answer it.” However, the real question is ... Is she ready for it? At one point in time, people will be in the right place, at the right time; it will be the chance to SHINE, and show off their skills or talent like never before. So if it knocks today, are you truly prepared?

AJ's opportunity knocked during the Baade wedding. She met Wai one of the event planners who put a little buzz in her ear that someone was getting married and perhaps nmm's services may be something the bride would like to have at her wedding.

As a new business, sometimes the best affordable advertisement is word of mouth and/or free postings on craigslist every 45 days. There is no real urge to “cold call” and say "hi, need a candy buffet for your wedding"? Although it did not start with a call, (it was an e-mail) it was the wisest thing AJ did since starting up.

AJ received a reply asking her to come in and chitchat with Tanna, the owner of the The Wedding Café (TWC), which is "Hawaii's premier wedding resource center created for the savvy bride-to-be" and YES, they have yummy food and desserts. AJ was ecstatic! First thing she did was log on to her cpu to print material and photos to bring to the chitchat session. She also jotted an outline to make sure she highlighted the great things about the services she provided. Her goal was to SHINE and she did a swell job.

nmm has three great opportunities lined up from the chitchat and it is all happening in the next few weeks. nmm wants the exposure and ready to knock some socks off! AJ looks forward to the work, the challenges, and all the wonderful people she will meet along the way. Opportunity has arrived and AJ takes it with a "YES WE CAN" attitude. Stay tuned!

“Some say opportunity knocks only once, that is not true. Opportunity knocks all the time, but you have to be ready for it. If the chance comes, you must have the equipment to take advantage of it.” ~ Louis L’Amour

The Baades get "beachy"!

2008-11-11T19:40:00.010-10:00

Heather, aka the new Mrs. Baade [pronounced bay-dee] found nmm's craigslist post in February and decided she wanted to do something fun for her November wedding in Hawai`i. Heather and Jesse held their reception at breathtaking Lanikuhonua. The couple resides in Japan where she owns her own company with an ALL MALE STAFF (how cool?!?) … but the couple is originally from the mainland (NY/WI) so many of their guests came for a destination wedding.

The pre-reception music was a real hoot! They featured Richard Cheese’s music, which is Heather’s cousin. It is not your typical wedding music if you are familiar with Cheese’s music, but it sure reflected the couple’s sense of humor and high-five to their ability to have created such emotion amongst their guests. Dianna S. & Wai of Hawai`i Wedding and Events did a beautiful job to make the reception have that island feel and nmm was happy to work with a great team – mahalo Wai for helping seal bags and making the bags for the vendors!

AJ and Heather virtually planned the Baade buffet via e-mail. She was so easy to work with and only had great things to say about the buffet. Heather provided what her and Jesse’s favorites were and opt for a "beachy" theme … how appropriate for Hawai`i, right?!? Smart cookie, because it is the flavors that Hawai`i is well known for! This means abundant availability and great variety for candy! They wanted an array of items … from gummies to chocolates.

So what do you consider “beachy”? Well when you think beach what flavors come to mind? Well we thought tropical fruit: pineapple, mango, papaya and don’t forget, coconut. The buffet included a great assortment of these flavors as you can see on the photo montage below.

One item to mention is the homemade pinã colada lollies. Moani sells lollies to pay her cell phone bill and is only age 13! Moani too, answered nmm's ad on craigslist, as AJ posted it when she could not find fish-shaped lollipops that Heather initially requested. Moani`s mom, Michelle helped arranged everything and Moani delivered the yummy tasting shell-shaped confections that totally tied into the theme! nmm is sure to use her again!

So got the flavors, what about the look? To get that beachy, Hawaiian feel AJ decided to present the goodies in Acaciaware (aka Monkey Pod in Hawai`i) instead of glass. Almost as beautiful Koa, but seriously much, much … did we say much? … less expensive! AJ mixed the sizes but, kept the shapes the same and it turned out great against the white on white printed Hawaiian material, which she use to hide the boxes that help with depth. The wedding flowers were Thai orchids and the colors were purple, green and white so that too, AJ incorporated onto the table. And that’s all folks … the Baades got "Beachy" and loved it!

Click on pic to enlarge.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T23:59:00.003-10:00

Finally, Halloween falls on a FRIDAY! AJ and hubby Eric celebrated in Mililani at Row and Craig’s (AJ’s sister and brother-in-law) house. A&E did dress up for the holiday; AJ was a wall outlet and Eric was a plug. They made their own costumes, too!

When AJ walked into the house, there on the kitchen island was a great Halloween candy spread! The idea is spreading she thought! Row had a plate of chocolate body parts (fingers, eyeballs, etc.), containers filled with skeleton lollies, orange and black themed candies, pixie sticks (yes, that powdery sugar sweet and tartness!) and let us not forget the CANDY CORN! Neighborhood keikis enjoyed that they were able to make their own trick-or-treat bags.

I always describe my big sissy as the Martha Stewart of Mililani. She has her own "Happy Place"; painted pink, which is a functional arts & craft room for her and her frequent drop by guests (like me) to work on crafts, exchange ideas, or have gossip sessions! Craig and Row did a fabulous job on their home renovation that now includes a dining area, media room, and of course the happy place. It is always a great place to hang out.

Craig works in construction and recently indulged himself in printing tees, banners and stickers. It started as a hobby, but saw opportunity to sell his items. Pound4Pound Designs caters to those customers needing smaller quantities. Most times when you need something custom, there is always a minimum of 100 - 300! Sports or social groups most times do not need that many so it is wonderful to have a local business catering to them. Pound4Pound has great designs … send a comment if you need custom tees, banners or stickers and nmm will hook you up with the contact info!

A busy month continued

2008-09-30T21:20:00.002-10:00

Connor James Castillo … Not only does he have a great name, he has such a wonderful smile. A&E met Master Connor James (and Momma Sarah) for the first time this past summer. Connor is AJ's cousin’s son and they celebrated his big ONE here in Hawai`i nei ... Neil Blaisell Park! AJ did a last minute buffet for the little guy using smaller containers. It was ok except that most did not have lids ...

Jars, containers or displays with lids are essential if having a candy buffet outdoors to avoid bugs, flies and ants. Backup of course was plastic wrap (thank you Auntie Mel, for bringing everything except the kitchen sink to the park!) so thankfully, unwanted creatures did not get to the sweets. AJ has used those shower cap looking container lids which are really inexpensive and are found in any market or grocery store. They come in clear or an assortment of colors.

Because it was last minute, the buffet had no theme. His birthday theme was monkeys (Interestingly wearing tighty-whiteys) for some reason. It would have been awesome to feature banana flavored and/or brown and yellow colored items. It mostly consisted of unopened bags of snack items from Jmee's party the week before. Everything was kept in the freezer to keep its crunch. Auntie Mel bought a few more bags of assorted individually wrapped candies so it was it was colorful and had a variety of both snack and candies again … good enough to make a quick kiddie mix for school or to keep in the car to fix that sweet tooth.

TTFN!

September ... such a busy month!

2008-09-30T21:00:00.012-10:00

Whew ... September was quite a month ... two keiki parties and AJ's little big brother turned the big 3-0.

On 09.21.08 Jmee Josh turned the big ONE. A&E provided cupcakes and a candy station for the celebration ... it was Mickey Mouse themed and the big guy even showed up all the way from Disneyland to take photos with everyone and he danced a few songs with the little guests.

Jmee was quite the happy camper as he showed off his dance moves ... mommy Myra and daddy Jimmbert enjoyed all the fun as well. When Myra was asked how she liked everything, she was actually speechless and her eyes started welling up ... was it that bad? do they run and avoid the mob, what?!? ... but realize after she was able to squeak out a "thank you" ... it was tears of joy and sincerity. She and her family are truly blessed, she had said so that should sum it up.

The cupcakes turned out great and of course everyone oooohed and ahhhhed at the candy station. After a few prior keiki parties, we found that too many candies offered make parents very hesitant to visit the table. So this time nmm decided to go with more snack items so kids could make an “anytime” snack mix (school was the next day so it was perfect!) Included on the buffet was Cap`n Crunch peanut butter cereal, raisins, gummy bears (a must have), red vines, M&Ms, mini pretzels, and Cheez-it crackers. Many came back to fill their bags after eating what they first mixed. One guest came five times ... we thought at one point we would have to call security! Tee-Hee!

The trend is still new to many, but nmm is on a mission to spread the word! The plan is to keep a “sweet” buzz in everyone’s ear. The idea is finally catching on as two years ago when A&E was planning their wedding in 2006 - 2007, the only info they could find was on marthastewart.com. It was challenging, because no one was blogging about it or no one specialized in it … until now. So try googling “candy buffet” in either web or images and today you will find a ton of info!
Enjoy the shots, by AJ herself! (Click on pic to enlarge)

nmm on the web!

2008-09-15T20:30:00.009-10:00

Aloha!

Yes, finally … nmm is on the web … with a blog, too!
This is actually something PERFECT because at one time in life during AJ's college days she loved to write … even wrote for Ka Leo, the UH paper … this is her chance to write and be heard once again!

So hope you all are digging the site … it's new and feedback is essential as it is the only way nmm can improve! You tell, nmm will listen! Always open to learning new techie things, so bring it on baby!

Ok, ok … now for the REAL REASON we’re here ... check back often as this blog will include anything and everything about stuff nmm & AJ is getting into, people they meet, ideas they discover and tips they want to share ... all things involving sweets of course!

This blog is for for the sweet, the simple, and the savvy ... so stay tuned!