Seattle Wedding Mood Board {NW Jewel Tones}

Cher & Kris were wonderful clients of Simply Wed back in 2007, and I love how timeless everything they selected for their event has been. The wedding, which took place at The Canal in Ballard, was focused on showcasing the Northwest through various different elements. Perfect since both the bride and groom worked and met at Starbucks headquarters!


Multiple, deep colors of Dahlias were utilized with contrasting jewel-toned sheer overlays on the tables. Dahlias are a wonderful NW flower that are abundant during the late summer months when the wedding took place. The primary colors were a rich red and deep orange color used for not only the personal flowers, but in the Dahlia-themed letterpress print goods.


The food included all of Cher and Kris' favorites - sushi, dim sum, NW salmon and even prime rib sourced from a family friend. The music was provided by a local 2-man band called 2 Buck Chuck, also friends of the bride and groom. Even a friend Officiated their ceremony, making it a truly personal event.


Guests finished their meal with one of the most amazing chocolate cakes I've witnessed, a masterpiece in strawberries and ganache sculpture. As guests danced the night away to the live music, they were able to take in the views of boats cruising through the Ballard Locks - truly a Seattle Landmark.

Photos by Paul Sanders Photobiographer http://www.psweddings.com/

Wedding Mood Board {The Fight 'til Death Do They Part! at Golden Gardens Bathhouse}

This unique and quirky wedding was ultimately planned in just about two weeks! It also ended up winning the 2009 ABC Award for Best Wedding Under $30K, which was so exciting as I absolutely adored this couple! I blogged about it previously, and as promised here are some wonderful details.

The goal was to create a wedding that was FUN for the guests with a variety of themes such as vintage boxing, the upcoming Easter holiday, carnival games and a Mexican feast. The weak of heart may have turned back at that point, but not Simply Wed! We took those themes and wove them together using the soft spring tones showcased on the gorgeous poster-sized invitations.

Jaime and Aaron's sense of humor came out with "the fight 'til death do they part" motif as they poked fun at the marriage institution that they were about to join. Only Jaime and Aaron would arm wrestle to see who got to sign the wedding certificate first...I'm pretty sure Jaime won, too.

The greatest thing about this wedding was how "guest-centric" it was - they were more concerned with doing things for their guests than for themselves. They went without a big wedding party and fancy flowers and instead opted for a carnival-games cocktail hour, an all-out Easter-candy bar and personalized Mexican cocktails. They even sent guests home with the flower-pot decor AND their favorite snacks, cinnapigs.

I know these pictures will put a smile on your face...enjoy!!
photos by Real Photography http://www.realphotography.com/

Seattle Wedding Planner {Back in the Swing of Things!}

Well, as some of you may have noticed it's been about a year since I've blogged. Let's just say that along with focusing on my clients and my family that health and LIFE got to be part of the priority-mix during this time. But I've gotten the chance to work with so many inspiring people during this time that I thought - I need to tell somebody about them! So here I am , promising to try my best to be a good blogger. I guess that means you'll be hearing from me regularly...so check back every week to see new pictures of wonderful weddings and to get great practical tips on everything you wanted to know but didn't think to ask about the wedding industry. Cheers!

Creative Inspirations {Unique Desserts}

Many brides and grooms think they just have to have a wedding cake because it's expected of them, because it's tradition, or even just because mom wants them to cut something. But anything goes in weddings these days and often an unexpected dessert experience can bring an element of fun and surprise to your event! Everything from individual pastries, cupcakes and wedding ding dongs to sorbet, ice cream sundaes and candy bars can be served in lieu of cake - the sky's the limit. Just think of what your favorite sweet is and make that the ending to your wonderful wedding meal!

Why Simply Wed?

I've had people ask me why by business name is Simply Wed. Aside from it just sounding great rolling off the tongue, and the fact that my family held court with me to figure out the best way to convey my idea, it does stand for something that I find very important. And, no, it is not the 80s band "Simply Red." (yes, I've seriously been asked that multiple times). It is so easy to get wrapped up in all the information overload available out there today that it isn't long before couples get overwhelmed and just kind of shut down. But planning a wedding should be fun, with as little stress as possible (let's be real, there's always gonna be a little bit!). Simply Wed's philosophy is that there is a way to be wed...simply. I keep my packages simple. I keep my documents simple. I keep my processes simple. I tend to keep my decor ideas simple. I just feel like, why complicate things more than they inherently are? So hopefully when people decide to work with me they get that feeling - that it's really not that hard to plan their wedding after all with a little Simply Wed guidance!

We do it for the LOVE!

Well, I just completed my first 2-week wedding planning bonanza! I have to admit, there were a lot of details to be done and very little time, but the challenge of it all kept me going to make this wedding the best it could be. Jaime and Aaron are friends of friends, and they had some really fun and quirky ideas, so I just really wanted to do a good job for them and make all these ideas a reality. And you know what? It was quite possibly the hardest I've ever worked on a wedding day - but at the end of the night I was in good spirits and smiling. Because I got the greatest compliment possible - the bride and groom telling me it was the best wedding ever, everything was perfect, and that they couldn't have done it without me. And the cutest thank you note on a piece of coloring book paper - appropriately quirky just like they are. How could one not smile at that love! And their love for each other was so apparent, it just makes you want to keep on packing and cleaning up into the night. Because it's so worth it. I think us wedding planners...well, we do it for the LOVE! Stay tuned for pictures of this fabulously fun affair.

Inspiration from the Best in the Biz!

You ever wonder what sets the top wedding professionals apart from the rest? I think I know the key - it's to admit that you NEVER stop learning! I just returned from a rapid-fire, 2-day Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) conference that left me amazed, refreshed, humbled...the list goes on. But most of all it inspired me to keep working to be the best. I think that every vendor or person that you hire to touch your wedding should continue to learn via professional organizations and training, no matter how long they've been in the business. Nobody ever knows it all, so what better way to keep improving than to network with and learn from your colleagues. I loved the fact that the speakers also sat in on other classes, learning along with the rest of the attendees. So make sure to consider this when hiring anybody - because I'm convinced that this is going to make a difference in your wedding experience! Happy planning!