Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

Congratulations Beatriz and Nate – 1.5.08!

When I first met with Bea during our consultation and asked her what type of ambiance she envisioned for her wedding reception, she said all she wanted was to ensure her guests had so much FUN! I think all of her guests would agree that this was one of the most fun and memorable weddings they have ever been to. Not only did Bea want to incorporate her Hispanic culture into her wedding, but she also wanted to include their love for baseball into their overall theme. Here are some of the ways that they successfully accomplished this vision, as well as what made their wedding unique!

• Mariachi band! Francisco from Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana kicked off cocktail hour at the reception with some amazing music. It felt like we were really in Mexico, they were amazing!


• 13 Coins and “Lasso” incorporated into the wedding ceremony. The 13 Coins is a Hispanic tradition in which coins are presented to the groom, and then he presents them to his bride-to-be as a symbol that he will provide for her. The “Lasso” is also a Hispanic tradition in which a rosary is presented to the couple and is draped around the bride and groom in a figure eight to connect them together. This Lasso is to symbolize the union of marriage and that the couple is committing to a long-lasting bond together that will not be broken.


• The fabulous Jason Parker Quartet played an awesome jazz rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” for Bea and Nate’s first dance! This was a surprise to everyone and guests got such a kick out of it, as did Bea and Nate as they had so much fun dancing to one of their favorite tunes! Jason and his fellow musicians are extremely talented, very personable, and love what they do – if you haven’t heard them yet, be sure to check our their website and find out where you can hear them playing next in Seattle!


• Instead of a traditional guest book, guests signed a baseball bat, glove, and baseball – what a great idea!


• Guests enjoyed snacking on baseball themed treats - Cracker Jacks, Red Licorice Ropes, peanuts, and old fashioned coke bottles! Everything was devoured and was such a hit!


• Tables were named after baseball stadiums, and each table centerpiece had a snowglobe with a baseball stadium inside!


• Last but not least…a personalized Bobblehead! Nate’s mom found a company online that creates personalized Bobbleheads and she surprised them with this awesome gift! It REALLY does look like Bea and Nate – so fun!
  
  The reception décor was beautifully designed by Trixie Gear of Forte Designs. Cone shaped votives were hung all over the room, embellished with antique gold accents and snowflakes for this winter wedding. The candlelight illuminated the walls and pillars along with the rich red fabric that draped the windows and created a warm and inviting ambiance. It nearly felt like we were in someone’s elegant living room!

Vendors they selected:

Photography: Sharlane Chase and her wonderful associate, Lily
Caterer: Seasoned in Seattle
Band: Jason Parker Quartet
Mariachi Band: Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana
Flowers: Cinnamons Flowers
Ceremony Venue: Mary Queen of Peace in Sammamish
Reception Venue: Tibbetts Creek Manor
Hair & Makeup: Erin Skipley
Wedding Night Hotel: Salish Lodge
Cupcakes: Trophy Cupcakes
Décor: Forte Design Studio and Rentals
Favors: Yummy chocolates from New York - Chokola’j
Ceremony trio: Musica Grazioso
Linens: AA Party Rentals

Junebug Weddings!

I am honored to join the Junebug Weddings family of talented wedding professionals! Kim, Blair and Christy are three fabulous Photographers who created Junebug Weddings, an exclusive wedding planning resource specifically tailored to the Seattle market.

Check out the Consultant section of their site and you will find me! Their Fashion Report and What Junebug Loves sections are must reads! Enjoy!

Destination Kona ~ Congratulations Amy and Jon!

On October 20, 2007 Amy and Jon headed from Seattle to Hawaii with 30 of their closest family and friends to tie the knot. I had the pleasure of helping them plan their destination wedding, and it was a blast! Their intimate ceremony was held on a grassy knoll right near the beach at the stunning Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kona, Hawaii. Thousands of white orchids were sprinkled to create a delicate aisle and also covered their wedding arch. Guests enjoyed cocktail hour by the ocean while watching the beautiful Hawaiian sunset, then headed over to their outdoor reception site called “Hoku Amphitheatre”. White hanging lanterns and tiki torches lit up the sky as guests enjoyed amazing Hawaiian cuisine like fresh Grilled Island Fish, Pacific Lobster Tail, and desserts like Macadamia Nut Chocolate Torte and Island Sweet Potato Haupia cake. All of these images were captured by their fabulous Photographer, John Hong of John & Joseph Photography.

A few things that made their wedding unique (besides being in Kona!)...

They adore their dog, Augie, and for their favors they made a donation on behalf of each guest to Old Dog Haven where they rescued him from. They also chose to give their guests customized Hawaiian gift baskets at their Welcome Dinner where they kicked off the weekend’s festivities at the Mauna Lani Resort. Last but not least, they had exquisite custom invitations designed by Whitney and Jonathan of Brown Sugar Design. These invites were letterpressed and the type was an antique, shimmery gold color that was just stunning and reflected the elegant and fun impression that Amy and Jon wanted to give their guests.

Vendors they selected:

Photography: John & Joseph Photography
Florist: Flowers by Heidi

Dress Designer: Justina McCaffrey
Bridal Gown Store: Belltown Bride

Invitations: Brown Sugar Design
Venue: Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
Welcome Dinner: The Canoe House at the Mauna Lani Resort
Cake: Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
Band: Full Circle
Hair and Makeup: Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
Ceremony Musician: Ursula Vietze from Magic Strings
Gift Baskets for Guests: Big Island Sams
Officiant: Pastor Keith Elliott from Kona Church of God

Suncadia Resort ~ Congratulations Jessica and Buzz!

If you haven’t been to Suncadia Resort, you are in for a treat. This serene Cle Elum lodge was the venue for Jessica and Buzz’ intimate wedding with 40 of their closest family and friends. The outdoor ceremony site overlooked a golf course, water, and mountains to create a picturesque northwest scene for their beautiful wedding. Jessica had planned most of her wedding, but was also in the middle of buying a house, working and going to school full time….so she asked me to help her secure the last few vendors she needed to pull together her special day. Aaron Horton and his wife Jana, fellow Photographer, captured their photos for the day and here are a few of their awesome shots. Aaron also is an awesome Videographer so be sure to check out his site! Jen of Jen's Desserts created this custom cake for Jessica using local and seasonal ingredients - we even made sure that the cake matched the color of her dress perfectly!





Vendors Jessica and Buzz chose:

Photography – Aaron Horton Photography
Cake – Jen’s Desserts
Florist – Loves Me Flowers
Dress – David’s Bridal
Venue – Suncadia Resort

Fall Wedding at Lord Hill Farms

Laura and Chris tied the knot at Lord Hill Farms in Snohomish, Washington on 10.13.07. They had been dating for 7 years so family and friends were super excited to be celebrating their wedding day with them! Laura has been visualizing her wedding since she was a little girl and created most of the décor herself – everything from the programs to the reception centerpieces and table numbers. Guests partied the night away while DJ Austin Beaver played music until the reception began winding down, and even then the guests didn’t want to end the party…so Austin allowed a few guests to enjoy a bit of karaoke for an after-party. :)

What made their wedding unique? Their Photographers from Northern Lights Photography, Eric Sartoris and Laura Elskan staged a “photo booth” where friends and family enjoyed being creative and making some crazy poses that made for some fun laughs.

Vendors Laura and Chris selected:

Photography: Northern Lights Photography
DJ: Austin Beaver with NiteLite Entertainment
Cupcakes: Hoffmans Fine Pastries
Venue: Lord Hill Farms
Florist: Family friend
Officiant: Family friend
Dress: Proms & Promises
Tuxes: The Tux Shop

A Tuscan Wedding

Melissa and Michael envisioned a wedding that embodied the feeling of Tuscany, Italy. They chose earthy oranges, tones of gold, and rustic browns to help create this ambiance and to compliment their outdoor wedding at Olson Mansion. As guests approached the Mansion’s entrance, candle lit lanterns lined a pathway and created a beautiful glow. Champagne colored raw silk lined the aisle, and whimsical flower arrangements set on rustic bronze candlesticks filled the ceremony and reception. Melissa also used Christian’s Tree Rental to provide topiary trees and greenery to add that extra touch. As you can see from the pictures, we lucked out as their outdoor ceremony finished in the nick of time - right before a classic Seattle thunderstorm hit! :)

During the cocktail hour the couple chose to have a raw silk covered tent from Rented Elegance filled with wines and cheeses that awaited their friends and family after the ceremony. Their beautiful scroll patterned cake below was created by Mike's Amazing Cakes.

Melissa and Michael really know how to throw a party. Guests were treated to a night of memorable dancing, a delicious ice cream sundae bar, and plenty of fun and laughter.

Vendors Michael and Melissa Chose:

Photography – Scott Turner
Caterer – Galluci’s
Venue – Olson Mansion
DJ – Party Source NW
Hair and Makeup – Salon Sorello
Cake – Mike’s Amazing Cakes
Florist – Fleur de Lis
Dress & Bridesmaids Dresses – David’s Bridal
Topiary Rental - Christian’s Plant and Tree Rental

Rentals – Rented Elegance

Congratulations Sheleeza and Brian - 9.15.07!

"Kelly! Where do we begin? You were such a key component of our big day and we have no clue how we could have done it without you! You rock, and if you didn't already know...you were born to be a coordinator!" ~ Sheleeza and Brian

Live, Laugh, Love

Sheleeza and Brian are such a fun couple! Their theme for their wedding was "Live, Laugh, Love" which was so appropriate for them as they are truly a couple who lives life to the fullest and they are so in love!

What made the wedding unique and personal:

Sheleeza and Brian got married at the Tyee Yacht Club in Seattle surrounded by their close friends and family. The setting was beautiful as the sun set on Lake Union as the couple exchanged their vows.

Sheleeza and Brian wanted a simple, classic, and elegant wedding so they chose ivory, black and sage as the primary colors that were incorporated into their wedding. They created the invitations, programs, and menus themselves and everything tied together beautifully!

They added personal touches to each table. The table names represented different places the couple had traveled throughout their relationship and they shared the significance of the location on the table card.

Family style Italian food was paired with Italian wine and German beer to represent where the couple would soon honeymoon (Italy and Germany)! A highlight of the evening was a slideshow of photographs taken throughout the wedding day by Jennifer and Brian Hartman with Photo Elan.

Brian Dale from Wave Link Music mixed an impressive selection of music while guests danced the night away. As the evening wound down, Sheleeza and Brian were sent off amidst the light of sparklers and the well wishes of friends and family.

Vendor Line-Up:

Ceremony and Reception Venue and Caterer: Tyee Yacht Club

Cake: Mike's Amazing Cakes

Gown: La Belle Elaine's

Photographers: Jennifer and Brian Hartman - Photo Elan

Flowers: Loves Me Flowers

DJ: Brian Dale - Wave Link Music

Officiant: Rev. James Kubal-Komoto

Transportation: British Motorcoach

Bridal Suite: The Sorrento Hotel