Seattle Indian Wedding: Shrutika & Dan {03.20.10}

Mostly I want to let these wedding photos speak for themselves because they are SO gorgeous. But, alas, I must say a few words because I loved this wedding so much! This was truly a destination wedding, with only a handful of guests being from the Seattle area. The bride and groom themselves live in New Jersey, so planning was all done long-distance via conference calls and email (love technological wedding planning!) Shrutika and Dan were super-sweet...case in point: they brought me cookies after I had an unexpected surgery during their planning trip to Seattle! It was truly MY pleasure to bring their wedding dreams to a reality in late March at Novelty Hill-Januik Winery. They came to me with a different venue in mind, but when I got to know them I knew they had to have their wedding here...it was a perfect match (I hope they agree!) From the saturated colors and the lush textures to the authentic custom Northern Indian menu, every detail was executed perfectly. Prepare to fall in love with Shru and Dan as you relive their intimate day at this modern winery in Woodinville, Washington.

The Cast & Crew:
Planning: Simply Wed
Venue & Catering: Novelty Hill - Januik Winery
Photography: Jamie Hammond Photography
Floral & Decor: Bella Rugosa
Cake: Decadence Custom Cakes
DJ & Lighting: Wavelink Music
Mendhi: Magical Mehendi
Hair & Makeup: Frederick's of Greenwood
Rentals: AA Party

Seattle Wedding Trends {Dogs in Weddings}

Nine years ago I was planning my own wedding, and I wanted to include my baby, my one and only, my first born....Macie the Chihuahua-Fox Terrier. At the time I thought it a brilliantly creative idea to have her act as our ring-bearer, complete with a tied-on ring pillow and flower girl-escort down the aisle.


While I can't say that having dogs in weddings is a new trend, it's certainly a lasting one. Now that I'm a wedding planner all these years later, I do this multiple times per year in various ways for my couples. It makes total sense, as often times engaged couples' first "children" are their beloved doggies. Over the years I've somehow become a resident expert on the subject, being interviewed several times by the press regarding the subject. I have compiled a great list of tips (some of which were learned from my own experiences!) on how to include your pup in your big day - successfully!


1) Assign or hire a dog-handler. This might sound over-the-top at first, but trust me, it's a must. You will be so busy you can't think straight, and you need to have someone reliable that is not a wedding guest dedicated to your dog. This person can bring your baby to the site at the right time, keep them occupied and ready for photos, cue them up for the ceremony, help them schmooze during cocktail hour, and then whisk them away to a comfy doggie bed when their official duties are done.

2) Do not put the actual rings on the dog. Common sense. Or so you would think...I actually tucked our wedding rings into a little pillow on our dog as she walked through the sand. Thankfully they stayed put!! And now I tell everybody else how silly I was!

3) Make a realistic game-plan. Does your dog do well off-leash under normal circumstances? If the answer is no, then she certainly won't do well with 150 strangers staring at her while she is off-leash, so don't expect miracles. Your beloved will not learn new tricks just because it is your wedding day...sorry to break it to you!

4) Be creative with the canine couture. Don't be limited to mini tuxes and gowns. I prefer to go for custom leashes, floral collars, bow ties and bandanas...but make sure it reflects your own personal style so that Fido is sure to be a true part of YOUR wedding party.

5) Make sure dogs are allowed at your venues. Being on the up-and-up with your venue re: your wedding-day puppy plans is definitely the way to go. I have run into venues that do not allow pets and we've made special negotiations with them, but it's much better to run into this hurdle prior to the wedding day. Nobody needs the extra stress of being told "NO DOGS ALLOWED" on their special day.

6) Do a site visit with Rex. Very professional, I know. But this will ensure that he is familiar with his surroundings and won't (completely) freak out when you have him there with his wedding finery on and a big crowd watching. At least you've done your best...

7) Relax and have fun with it! Having your dog part of the ceremony is on par with having small children...be willing to go with the flow and have a laugh!

Photos by http://www.libbylewis.com/ , Lauren Kessler and http://www.redstonepictures.com/

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!