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Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!

Now that 2011 is almost over, I want to take the opportunity to say, “I had the time of my life”.  I met and married over 100 couples.  I got to meet the loving families behind the lovely couples.  I learned more about how to provide the best experience possible for the bride and groom.   But most of all I was honored and grateful for all the people who took the time to meet with me — couples and vendors — and the many relationships that came out of those meetings in 2011.   I really mean it when I say “your happiness is truly my success.”  I have had the good fortune to find my career niche and it just continues to get better and better every year.  I want to thank all those whose lives have touched mine to make my life so meaningful.  I look forward to helping craft and create more beautiful ceremonies in 2012.

Please enjoy this video montage that I created as 2011 comes to an end and we get ready for 2012.  Happy New Year!

Love, Love, Love 2011

Wedding coordinator specializes in Asian-Pacific weddings

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I recently had the opportunity to meet a unique wedding planner/designer/coordinator.  Rebecca Grant with New Creations Weddings  pleasantly surprised me with her background in “Asian-Pacific weddings, specifically Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian and Samoan wedding customs.” Meeting Rebecca and hearing about her services was a big plus for me because of the many Asian weddings I have officiated.  I have incorporated many customs and rituals into my Asian weddings from the Japanese Red Thread Ritual to a Chinese Tea Ceremony to the Filipino Veil and Cord Ceremony.  Having Rebecca to call on for input about Asian customs, traditions and rituals will not only enhance my knowledge about this topic but will also enrich my couples’ ceremony experience.  Please enjoy my interview with Rebecca.

Rebecca Grant - New Creations Weddings

“What made you decide to become a wedding designer/coordinator?”

I struggled a lot after High School with what I was going to do with my life.  I bounced around from job to job, but none truly fulfilled all my interests and talents of design, organization, loving to work with people, and throwing parties.  No job seemed to cater to all my interests- until wedding planning came along.  When wedding planners started gaining popularity, I looked at what I already loved to do, and knew that this was the job for me!  Since then, I haven’t looked back and have been enjoying planning weddings in Hawaii and Seattle for over 6 years now!  I can’t imagine doing anything else!

 “What is your favorite part about designing/coordinating weddings?”

I absolutely love my couples I get the honor to work with-that is by far my favorite part.  I get to work with couples and their families sometimes in excess of 1 year during one of the most pivotal, emotional times in their lives.  I get the privilege of working with extraordinary people that I probably would have never met, and end up being good friends with them even after the wedding!  When I work with a couple, my utmost responsibility is to truly tell their love story in one great day.  I want guests to leave seeing the couple truly represented in every aspect of their wedding, and know the couple better than they did before.

 “How long have you been doing this?”

I have been blessed to be a wedding planner for over 6 years now.  Hawaii was home to four and a half of those years.  Then, after moving back to the Seattle area, I launched my business here in November of 2009.

 “What do you feel sets you apart from other designers/coordinators”

With my background in planning weddings in Hawaii, I was so honored to be submerged in the ‘melting pot’ of culture that Hawaii is so famous for.  Because of this background, I am Seattle’s only planner who specializes in Asian-Pacific weddings, specifically Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian and Samoan wedding customs.  I have presented to a group of peers through Wedding Network USA here in the Seattle area to teach fellow wedding vendors about Asian wedding customs.  I absolutely love the richness and traditions of multi-cultural weddings, and feel so incredibly lucky to be so comfortable and familiar with these customs and traditions on the couples’ wedding day.  Many other planners have to learn these traditions, and still don’t know the ‘why’ behind it.  I not only know the cultural reasons behind why traditions are done, I know how to handle them, and have them be an important feature within the couples’ wedding day.

 “What is your approach with couples?”

My approach to working with couples is as unique as they are.  I will be as hands on (to the point of choosing all of your vendors and booking them for you), or hands off (giving you a list of preferred vendors and setting you free) as the couple wants me to be.  My passion is for full design, which truly sets my design mind ablaze with ideas.  Working within the couples’ budget, I will design an ‘inspiration board’ for them making sure I am in tune with the direction they want to go.  Everything else for the wedding and reception take shape from there.  It is a fun way to see where we started and how it took shape to reality to truly represent the couple.

New trend in weddings: camping, hiking and everything outdoors!

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Ok, so I can already hear a big sigh of “here she goes again” from my colleagues in the wedding industry, but I’m really feeling a trend lately.  That trend is creating a magical wedding day with friends and family at a rustic cabin in the woods, beach house or anywhere outdoors!  I don’t mean the kind where you book a farm location and have it catered by folks from the city or a big lodge in the mountains.  What I am referring to is gathering just close friends, family and the dogs; perhaps hiking a mile or less to a log cabin or beach house (with plumbing, of course); and decorating it in your own personal style.

Beach house with rustic decorations

I happen to LOVE this idea because I grew up in Washington state (yes I am a native) where you can go almost any direction and find numerous hidden getaways.  To the north we have waterfront, farmland and mountains.  To the south we have farmland and waterfront.  To the East we have the Cascade mountain range.   And to the west we have the Olympic Peninsula and the San Juans.   That’s just a general idea of what is available, but consider the following:

~ renting a cabin — or a couple of cabins is an alternative to the hotel or mansion where you are working within someone else’s guidelines
~having a DIY wedding/reception allows you literally a blank canvas to work out a beautiful plan for food, decorations, music and more!
~everyone loves to get out of town!  The entire feeling of your “getaway” wedding will be more relaxed — sort of like a mini vacation!

Wedding night bonfire on the beach!

Please do not misunderstand me.  I wouldn’t be in business if there weren’t any large hotel-style weddings.  But I would like you to consider the alternatives because the sky is the limit!  Be creative, take risks and mostly have fun planning your wedding!!

Me officiating wedding on Tiger Mountain, Issaquah

Check out these links to Seattle parks AND Washington trails: Seattle Parks and Recreation, Washington Trails Association-Seasonal Hikes

Customs, Rituals & Traditions: The Skinny on the White Wedding Dress

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Each week I will examine a wedding custom, ritual or tradition that has been passed from generation to generation.  We’ll look at its origin and how it has influenced the lives of our ancestors and how it impacts us today.  We’ll also look at how we create our own customs and how these new traditions are a reaction to and a reflection of our changing world.

The White Wedding Dress

White has long been accepted as the traditional color of the wedding dress, but wedding gowns were not always white. The marriage of Queen Victoria to her cousin Albert of Saxe- Coburg in 1840 has had more influence on weddings than any other. Queen Victoria put the wheels in motion by marrying in white. Though brides continued to wed in gowns of different colors, white was now set as the color of choice for weddings and has continued ever since.

Queen Victoria: 1840

The Industrial Revolution also brought about change. By the 1890’s and the arrival of the department store, almost every woman could realize her dream of being married in a “new” wedding dress. The white dress was gaining popularity and in 1890, Ladies Home Journal wrote: “That from times immemorial the bride’s gown has been white”. Although this statement was not true, it shows how deeply accepted it was that a wedding gown be white. Although white was popular, some brides, especially the frontier brides, wore dresses that were more practical and could be worn after the wedding. As wedding dresses closely resembled the fashions of the time, only a little alteration was needed for the dress to be perfect to wear again.

Edwardian brides took the traditions of their Victorian ancestors to new extremes. Fashions became more extravagant as the decade progressed, but came to a screeching halt with the outbreak of WWI. Styles became simpler, and also reflected the changing role of women in society with hems getting shorter and the disposing of tightly laced corsets. Coco Chanel was a powerful force behind the change in women’s’ fashions, and was the one who officially introduced the short wedding dress in the 1920’s. It was a white knee length dress worn with a long train. This cemented white as the universal color of the wedding dress.

Coco Chanel: 1920

When the Depression hit, brides made do with their “best” dress for the wedding. My great grandmother, who was married in 1928 had a new white wedding dress, but after the wedding she dyed it navy, keeping only the collar and cuffs white—a common practice at that time. During WWII, women considered it their duty to give up the traditional wedding , although most brides might be engaged only for a few weeks or even days before the wedding took place. This did not leave enough time to find a wedding dress so the best suit had to do. If the bride was set on having a white dress, one could be borrowed or rented for the ceremony. If both the bride and groom were in the military they were married in their respective uniforms.

After the war, prosperity made it possible for the large dream weddings inspired by the Victorian era to become a reality. Grace Kelly’s marriage to Prince Monaco garnered much publicity because of its grand fairy tale wedding. She wore a white silk and lace gown. The focus of wedding dresses has shifted since the 1950”s. The emphasis now is on the individuality of the bride. So whatever color you choose to be married in, you now know a bit more behind the tradition of the white wedding dress.

Vera Wang: 2011

McIntyre, K. (n.d.) [The History of the White Wedding Dress]. Retrieved from:  http://www.fromtimespast.com/wedding.htm

Choose Seattle For Your Destination Wedding

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I am so inspired by my beloved city of Seattle!  I was born here, have lived here almost my entire life and can’t think of another place I would rather be.  Let’s face it, we would all like to be laying on a beach in sunny Hawaii during the cold winter months.  But Seattle’s climate is so manageable, and there is so much to do here:  Why not make Seattle your destination wedding location?

My background  includes planning and executing trips for travelers who want to experience Seattle.  As a result, my expertise in all things Seattle has been a terrific asset when working with couples who are coming here from out of town.   First and foremost, let me craft a beautiful ceremony for your special day.  Working together, we can create something you will always remember and cherish.  Then let me help you plan the weekend (or longer if you want to travel to other areas of the state).    I can set you up at a downtown hotel, find a venue for your destination wedding and recommend a fabulous restaurant where you can enjoy a meal created by one of our fantastic local chefs.  I can even set up a show for you at one of our downtown theaters.

Having the good fortune of experiencing Seattle first-hand my entire life has provided me with the tools and inspiration to create a destination wedding you will never forget.

Call me for a free consultation today!  206-406-7919

 

 

Elopement on the 75th floor of Columbia Tower

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Cody and Rae contacted me just under a month ago to discuss their “last minute” wedding.  They live in Idaho but wanted to come to Seattle to elope.  I did not meet them in person until the morning of their wedding at their hotel in downtown Seattle.  What transpired during that meeting was something I could not have planned on my best day!  They had originally wanted to get married on Seattle’s waterfront.   Because the weather was cold and damp, however, our morning meeting was spent talking about plan B.  Plan B ended up being the observation deck of the Columbia Tower — 75 stories above their original waterfront location!  The entire experience of getting the “ok” from the Columbia Tower — to marrying Cody and Rae against such a dramatic skyline — to the Columbia Tower gifting Cody and Rae with a bottle of cold champagne was nothing short of magical.  I have to say that in all my years of officiating weddings this was probably one of the most unique elopements I have had the pleasure of being involved with.  The spontaneity of putting together a plan B that Cody and Rae will always remember and sharing their magical moment was truly amazing for me.  Congratulations Cody and Rae!

Please enjoy a few pictures of the day below (unfortunately my camera was on the blink so the pictures aren’t the best but I think you will feel the love and the drama of the setting):

[nggallery id=22]

 

Cupcake Ticings

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I was recently at my local Cupcake Royal and discovered ticings: “thin sheets and rounds of sugar and (corn) starch based icing printed with FDA approved edible inks. they peel easily and can be placed on freshly frosted cupcakes, mini cupcakes, brownie bites, cookies, petit fours, cakes, etc. ticings are flavorless and merge with your frosting so the only thing they taste is your delicious dessert!”

The breaking dawn ticings to the left are an awesome way of promoting the upcoming movie but what about promoting you and your sweetie (no pun intended) by adding: “Rae & Cody = Love”, or “Gen & Matthew 11/11/11” or any combination of words you come up with right on top of your cupcake for all your guests to enjoy?  The possibilities are endless.   Check out Ticings.com to learn more!

Keri & Kiko’s Wedding Montage

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In October I had the pleasure of working with Keri and Kiko.  They chose Occidental Square for their ceremony location and invited about 30 friends.  Oh, their dog Rusty was there too!  Keri and Kiko were so sweet and kept everything light and lovely.  There was a very light rain throughout the morning but there were absolutely no complaints from anyone.  You can see the love in their faces in the montage that their photographer Jen & Jody Photography produced for them below.  Please take the time to view this amazing montage that Jen and Jody created for Keri & Kiko.  Congratulations Keri & Kiko!

 

Click here to view: Keri & Kiko’s Wedding in Occidental Square, October 2011

 

Wedding Toasts Done Right

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Don’t forget about the wedding toasts!  You don’t want to come up empty-handed and blurt out something like Steve (Will Ferrrell) in “A Night at the Roxbury” at his rehearsal dinner:

 So, okay, uh... I just want to
		   say... what's up... Grandpa,
		   Grandma, and those other two old
		   people.

Instead, be prepared, make it short and make it meaningful!  You are only going to get to do this once.  Make it count!  Check out this link for Wedding Toasts Done Right.

Cheers!

 

Press Release-King 5 Evening Magazine

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Seattle Wedding Officiants Soars to #3 in Seattle’s Evening Magazine “Best of Western Washington” Contest

Newcomer Leapfrogs as a Top Pick from 96 Wedding Officiants in Prestigious Northwest

Viewers Poll

SEATTLE— November 1, 2011 —Seattle Wedding Officiants, one of Western Washington’s leading wedding officiants, today announced that it ranked number three officiant in the 2011 in Seattle’s Evening Magazine’s “Best of Western Washington.” Seattle Wedding Officiants, a newcomer to officiating wedding ceremonies, secured the finalist position by successfully competing against more than 90 entrants.

Evening Magazine commenced the 19th annual Best of Western Washington viewer’s poll in August and on Friday, October 28, 2011, the program broadcast the winners. Evening Magazine voters for Seattle Wedding Officiants submitted comments which ranged from “Awesome” and “Wonderful” to “Elaine rocks.” Reviews can be viewed at: http://best.king5.com/seattle-wedding-officiants/biz/606771.

“My passion is helping couples celebrate their love with a ceremony that they and their guests will remember, and turning an ordinary wedding ceremony into the extraordinary,” said Elaine Way, wedding officiant and owner of Seattle Wedding Officiants. “I could not be more proud of this honor and I want to thank every Western Washington voter that made this possible.”

Seattle Wedding Officiants has married a variety of couples in many different settings: multi-faith, traditional Christian, civil, commitment and non-denominational ceremonies and more. Whether it’s in a spacious hotel in downtown Seattle, a Capitol Hill mansion, a backyard or somewhere completely different, Seattle Wedding Officiants helps create the perfect ceremony for any wedding.  For more information, visit www.seattleweddingofficiants.com or call 206-406-7919.

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 About Evening Magazine
The KING5 Best of Western Washington features more than 20,778 businesses competing for title of Western Washington’s best. Conducted by Evening Magazine, the 2011 Best of Washington is the 19th year of the popular viewers poll.  Learn more at http://best.king5.com/seattle-wedding-officiants/biz/606771?page=7.


About Seattle Wedding Officiants
Since 2009, Seattle Wedding Officiants has performed nondenominational, civil ceremonies throughout Western Washington. Elaine Way, owner of Seattle Wedding Officiants, works with couples to create ceremonies that reflect their style and personality.  In addition, Seattle Wedding Officiants relies on an extensive list of contacts with local wedding vendors and service providers to help couples with vendor referrals, if needed.  For more information, visit www.seattleweddingofficiants.com or call 206-406-7919.