TABLES, TAKE ONE
Centerpieces - Wanted: Recipe for Vintage Success!

I have really struggled with my design concept for the tables.  I want to continue the vintage Hawaiian theme and bring the old-fashioned charm of the Plantation House outdoors and onto the tables.  So, I think I may have finally come up with some good ideas--indigenous island florals combined with a little vintage glass.

One Part Natural...

Take one bamboo runner...

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...and add a few naturally beautiful monstera leaves.

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...One Part Tropical Beauty...

...And Finally, One Part Old-Fashioned Craftiness

Olowalu is known for its breezy tradewinds, and yet I would love to have a ton of candles spread out on the runner and between floral arrangements to cast a romantic glow outdoors.  What to do?  I would be very annoyed if all my votives went dark.  So, with the help of modern technology and a suggestion from my HI Knotties, I think I've got it solved...

...LED tealights!  I have to admit I hesitated.  I mean, seriously, fake candles?  But I was pleased with the results of my DIY trial.  I got a case of 12 half-pint (8oz) canning jars at Wal-Mart for about $8 (had to have the quilted pattern b/c (a) it looks totally cute, and (b) it would help hide the fake flame, not to mention cast additional twinkle from its many facets) and added sand to cover up the tealight base.  Just the flickering "flame" sticks out, and it looks suprisingly natural.  I will probably tie off the tops with raffia.

And, here it is with raffia.  I have to somehow find a way to stick the actual tealight to the bottom of the jar--when you put the sand in, it gets very tricky as the tealight wants to sit on top of the sand and I want it to sink to the bottom.  I'll pick up something sticky from the craft store to solve that problem.

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TABLES, TAKE TWO
More vintage, less bamboo.

After searching for more inspiration, I found even better ideas.  I don't know why I didn't think of this before.

Burlap + Milk Glass + Mason Canning Jars

I grew up with milk glass in my mother's and grandmothers' home and began my own collection of milk glass a few years ago with a gift from my mom.  Milk glass is quintessential charm--feminine and delicate, an old-fashioned classic.  While searching various wedding images with milk glass, I happened some gorgeous weddings with burlap runners, milk glass and canning jars--a vintage trifecta!  Since Olowalu is a plantation house with historic charm, these natural, simple elements will complement the estate's style--I hope! 

In my mind, my greatest challenge will be to incorporate these elements while still keeping a tropical feel and not getting too farmhouse.  Of course, it is a plantation house, so it's not like the two are so different, right?  Pineapples, coffee beans, and sugar cane are to Hawaii as tobacco, cotton and wheat are to the South.

I'm really loving this look, especially that top picture that has the exact flowers that I requested from my florist--orange pin cuchion proteas.  That image reassures me that I can still get a tropical punch of color through the indigenous florals of the islands.

My to-do list:
-accumulate more half-pint mason jars + raffia per my DIY demonstration above
-begin collecting a wide variety of milk glass vases and bowls of various designs and shapes
-begin collecting larger mason canning jars and other vintage style jars
-purchase burlap fabric, DIY runner trial

Somehow I will need all of these jars and vases to my florist in Maui!  I guess I'll worry about that another day...