Vendor Spotlight – Naupaka Events & Weddings

I am so excited to start this new series of vendor spotlights on my blog. Today’s post is from one of my favorite Big Island wedding planner – Naupaka Events & Designs! I met Dayna in Waimea because our kids used to go to the same preschool. Often I would work weddings with other moms from that school and getting to photograph an event put together so perfectly by them makes it so much more fun!

Since then I have worked with Dayna as the Big Island wedding planner for weddings at Anna Ranch and Waimea weddings! I absolutely love her attention to detail and making the day go smoothly and beautifully. I, therefore, highly recommend her for all your Big Island wedding planning needs!

Big Island Wedding Planner – Dayna Wong

Tell me about you and your wedding planning business.

My name is Dayna Wong and I own, Naupaka Events & Weddings.  We specialize in day-of coordination for weddings and events.  Our services are designed to assist our clients who prefer to plan their event themselves and need a professional to execute it the way they envisioned.  We are here to offer support and advice throughout the planning process.

How did you get started as a Big Island wedding planner?

I first started off as an events coordinator at a restaurant in Waikiki and supported wedding receptions and other special events.  It wasn’t until planning my own wedding and using a wonderful team of friends and family as coordinators that I thought I’d like to be able to support other couples with their weddings.  Throughout the years I’ve helped family and friends by word of mouth on their weddings. It wasn’t until 2019 that I decided to make it a legitimate business.

What is your most favorite part about planning weddings on the Big Island?

The Big Island holds a special place in my heart since this is where we were married.  My favorite part is working with amazing vendors to put together a successful wedding for our couples.

What are your top three pieces of advice for couples just starting out envisioning their Big Island wedding?

Try to think about location options. Do you envision a beach wedding or a wedding in the mountains or a wedding in a rainforest? Consider hiring a planner or coordinator even if you want to do most of the planning yourself.  There are so many different types of services that planners and coordinators offer.  Be sure to meet with at least two or three to make sure you find a good fit for you and your partner. Reach out to venues and other main vendors you might need to see what their availability looks like for the date you hope to get married.

What do you think are some of the greatest challenges of planning a destination wedding?

I know the biggest one is not being able to physically see the different venues or meet with vendors that you might be considering.  Yes, you can certainly look online and on social media, but without getting the in-person feel can sometimes be a huge challenge.  Another challenge lately would be navigating through the rules and restrictions that the state has in place in regards to COVID.

Weddings can get super expensive, what is your advice to help couples to stay on budget?

Have a spreadsheet or some sort of tracker to list out all of your expenses.  There are many free worksheets you can also download to help keep you in budget.

As a wedding photographer, I want to help my couples in their planning process by connecting them with amazing vendors like you. It is also important to me to set realistic expectations. What are some of the misconceptions couples have about weddings in Hawaii?

I’d  say that some misconceptions are that the weather is always sunny.  We certainly hope for a sunny day, but rain certainly does happen on the island.  Another misconception is that you can only get married on a beach, but most islands have beautiful venues in the mountains like at private ranches that have breathtaking views and even views of the ocean.

What is your favorite wedding trend in 2021 and what are you excited about the most for 2022? 

How the wedding industry has adapted during such difficult times is my favorite wedding trend.  From micro weddings to half-in-person/virtual weddings and even drive-through weddings.  I just think that it is so great that the industry has been able to pivot and be safe and still provide couples the opportunity to celebrate their special days.  I’m excited to see things improve for 2022 whatever that may look like, but for all of us to come out of this pandemic better than we were before it.

You can reach Dayna through her website – NAUPAKA EVENTS AND WEDDINGS

Stay tuned for more vendor spotlight posts!

Much Love,

Ann