Hotel concierges field some of the oddest requests.

They have been called on to plan a spur-of-the-moment wedding, look for a Christmas tree in summer or even help scatter the ashes of a guest's dog at sea.

"Oh my gosh, you never know what the day's going to bring," said Outrigger Reef on the Beach concierge Sheryl Nu'uanu, with a laugh.

Nu'uanu's more unusual tasks include helping a man who wanted to propose to his girlfriend dressed in shining armor and atop a horse on the beach. When bad weather foiled another couple's wedding plans last year, Nu'uanu cleared out and decorated an office with an ocean view for a ceremony in under two hours.

"I felt so bad for the poor girl," Nu'uanu said about the bride. "She looked like she was ready to cry. And she hugged me after. She was so thankful and it turned out really nice."

Nu'uanu even briefly acted as a marriage counselor for another couple who were fighting at the hotel.

"It worked out, I guess; when they left, they were holding hands and hugging, so I'm sure it's OK," she said.

Bert Momotomi, director of guest services at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa, helped an elderly guest with one of the most unusual requests at the hotel.

"She called me and said, 'I'm so sad because my dog just passed away, and I always wanted to scatter my dog's ashes in the ocean,' " he said. "She didn't have any money, and she didn't want to scatter it from the shore."

Momotomi called Atlantis Adventures, which agreed to take the woman out on its boat. Momotomi accompanied her out to the ocean and helped her scatter the ashes, although strong winds blew much of them in his hair.

"She was just so grateful, and it just felt really good to do something for her," he said.

Sometimes guests' wishes are impossible to grant.

"We had one guy who wanted to buy a Christmas tree. I think it was in May," Momotomi said. "We didn't come through on that one, but we tried."

Sheraton Waikiki Hotel chief concierge Jane Keanona Bailon had to turn down a couple that wanted to get married at a topless beach.

Bailon has helped couples plan weddings, and has served as a witness for countless ceremonies.

"I've had them get married in elegant gowns, tuxedos, pareos, just walking shorts, tank tops, matching mu'umu'u and aloha shirt. Over the years many, many weddings and many renewals. But I enjoy that. It's a special day for them."

Hilton Waikoloa Village concierge Denise Kanda said one guest asked her to rent a dog for him so he would have a companion during his stay. The hotel, however, only allows service animals.

Another guest wanted a room that would allow him to see both the sunset and sunrise, but there is no such room because of the way the hotel is situated, Kanda said. Determined to make his stay enjoyable, the concierges showed him about five rooms to pick from, she said.

"He was so happy, he brought us presents. It meant a lot to him."

Sandi Maruyama, concierge at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa, said she enjoys helping guests with creative marriage proposals. One plan involved arranging for random people in the area to give a woman flowers as she walked to the end of the lagoon to meet her soon-to-be fiance.

"The highlights are just making those memories for those guests," said Maruyama, who was named 2004 Concierge of the Year by the Hawai'i Hotel & Lodging Association in January. "You get so excited, and it's nerve-wracking. That's what makes the job really exciting."

Concierges help guests with the strangest requests — from scattering pet ashes at sea to throwing a wedding on cue

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.