Happy Anniversary, Stephanie and Tom!

Stephanie and Tom were married last year on July 4th with close family and friends in attendance. From the picturesque background to the gorgeous color combinations, invitation details, the jazz band, and fantastic food, every detail was stunning.

We planned the entire wedding while they lived in Hong Kong, and it was so much fun! Not only do Stephanie and Tom have great taste, but they were fabulous to work with! We also learned some new Chinese traditions from Stephanie's lovely mom, Teresa.

The happy bride and groom were married in Washington at Salish Lodge & Spa overlooking Snoqualmie Falls; it was a destination wedding for most guests, with dozens of countries represented. They now reside in Hong Kong, China. Congratulations on your first wedding anniversary! Photos by La Luz Photography

We really loved working with Renee and Alex. I know, we say this a lot, but we are blessed with truly awesome clients! I put so much time and thought into designing the wedding with Renee, from the brown satin pin tuck linens to the chocolate velvet draping, the rich and romantic rose palette, custom invitations and calligraphy, and matching accoutrements, to the centerpieces and table settings, that it was so rewarding to see it all come together! It was super fun to have mom Cheri and Alex's mom, Alli attend the floral meetings - they are too cute!

Nick and I boxed some incredibly delicious Dilettante sea salted caramel chocolates as individual favors, and guests noshed on tasty hors d' oeuvres before dinner; creme fraiche filled baby potatoes, skewered caprese salad, and gorgonzola tartlets topped with a preserved fig.

Renee's dress was a gorgeous hand-made creation by Luly Yang, and her bridesmaids flanked her with subtle berry tea-length gowns.


Renee and Alex are so sweet and had an absolutely beautiful and perfect wedding day, complete with 275 guests. We are so happy for them, and hope they have a great time in Hawaii!
Professional photos and wedding artist credit/more details to come!
The amazing invitation suites were custom designed by Izzy Girl

Happy Father's Day!

Not only is this weekend the official start of summer, but it's Father's Day!
Happy Father's Day to all of you dads! Here are some fun gift ideas for any dad! For the grilling dad (Red Envelope):

Humorous gift: check out this beer holster from Red Envelope!

Munchies: Harry and David has an awesome fruit of the month club; what dad wouldn't love the gift that keeps on giving? From their famous Moose Munch to Northwest Smoked Salmon gift packages, Harry and David is sure to have something for every dad.

Color Splash: ice blue and pearl

In the wedding world we tent to plan wedding events about a year in advance, so I am already envisioning endless combinations for spring colors! It's no secret that ice blue is my favorite color so I put together this color splash with a muted, icy blue in mind... Think sweet accents like white roses, calla lilies, and orchids for your centerpieces. Bring added sparkle by illuminating the dining tables with a romantic glow, à la glassybaby! The colors are stunning and come in every imaginable shade. Here we chose duck egg, snow, dolphin, and cashmere. I love the feeling when they are clustered around a centerpiece; the cool thing is they rent out glassybaby vessels for $5 each!

To keep the cool and airy feel, garnish each place setting with lovely garden cutout napkins or the light blue lamour linen napkins from BBJ Linen Rentals.

For the icing on the cake: ladies - we blogged about Julianne Smith's adorable garters a few weeks back; check out this beauty in.....ice blue! We hope you find a bit of inspiration! Happy planning!

Photos by Frank Ross, Beccy Hartmann, and Laurel McConnell

Happy Anniversary!

Chris and Mai Lee are simply awesome. We planned their June, 2008 wedding while Mai Lee was serving a second tour in Iraq. Chris had also been deployed several times; they officially tied the knot before Mai Lee left, but wanted to have a ceremony and celebration for their friends and family. Mai Lee made a stunning bride, and they are really the cutest couple! They presented us with the best thank you gift; a plaque commemorating the day, and framed dinars from Iraq. Talk about thoughtful! It hangs in our office and is a reminder of how much we love what we do and how rewarding it is.

They are truly amazing people and Nick and I enjoyed every step of the process. It was so great to work with them, and the end result was a super fun evening, with gorgeous weather, nuptials on the water, great food, dancing, and Krispy Kreme doughnuts at the end of the night!
Happy Anniversary, you guys!
*Photos by Beccy Hartmann
*Sparkler photo by moi!

Downtown Vows

Christa and Shawn's wedding was so much fun! From the bride's black-and-white striped leggings and ruby red shoes (a nod to Kansas), to the whimsical wedding cake (complete with little fondant eggs and a nest topper), and the awesome weather, the day was perfect! Check out the awesome superhero cupcakes for the groom's cake!

Some super talented wedding artists were on board for the big day:

Paul Sanders Photography

Bell Harbor Conference Center

Look Cupcakes

Florarama Floral Design

The night before the wedding about 100 guests boarded an Argosy Cruise for a lovely meal and cruise around the Sound. A great time was had by all! Congratulations, Christa and Shawn! We hope you had a blast in Hawaii!

Color Splash: seafoam and lavender

When paired together, seafoam and lavender make for a totally romantic and unique wedding palette. I credit my dear friend Lauren for the inspiration, as these have been her favorite colors since elementary school and I've always looked forward to pairing the combo!
Here are some photos from past events we have done - think romance when working with these colors.

From sweet bites like baby cupcakes to French lavender and rose floral accents, succulents in silver vessels, and mega candlelight, opulence and details are key.

Use silver as your metallic accent; from your baubles (like the one here from Something Silver) to your shoes, silver chargers on each place setting, and even silver calligraphy on the invitation envelopes, this will balance the sweetness of the seafoam and lavender.
All photos from past events - Alex Studios, La Luz Photography, Frank Ross Photography, and necklace by Something Silver.