Mindy + Nate // February 18, 2017 // The Great Hall at Union Station // Seattle, WA

Mindy and Nate - how to describe this couple and these individuals?  Kind, loyal, generous and a ton of fun!  Mindy and Nate were recommended to me by a past bride (Mindy was also a bridesmaid in her wedding) and I'm so glad we hit it off.  We started working together about 6 weeks before the wedding.  Mindy has worked on the event side of things in the past, so she was very organized and ready to go when we had her first meeting.  I just helped her fine tune some details and pull the final day together.

We had out first meeting at Starbucks and talked a lot of wedding, but also had some good laughs.  It felt to me like two old friends getting together to catch up.  The more Mindy talked about her needs, wants and overall vision of her day, the more excited I got for their wedding.

Mindy and Nate chose The Great Hall at Union Station for their venue.  With its vintage look, tall ceilings and classic style, it fit the bill perfectly for the Great Gatsby style Mindy wanted.

The bride, groom, bridal party and family spent the morning getting ready in Bellevue and then made there way into Seattle for photos.  I arrived on-site at 2:00 pm to start my set-up with the stars of the show arriving arround 3:00 pm.  

The hall was gorgeous.  It was seperated with soft white draping to create a ceremony space and a reception space.  The ceremony space was adorned with gold chavari chairs, two potted trees with hanging crystals to create the alter and floating candles lining the aisle.  Soft and romantic.  The reception space was set with a simple cocktail tables by the bar, guest tables adorned with white table clothes, alternating high and low floral centerpieces, gold chargers with a white draped napkin and a menu card at each place setting and the headtable which was off set with large vintage benches and the bride and grooms sweetheart table.  The venue itself is so pretty you really don't have to do a lot of decor.

The ceremony started at 5:00 pm and was short and sweet in front of about 150 of the most important people in Mindy and Nate's lives.  From the ceremony, everyone moved into a cocktail hour full of drinks, appetizers and mingling.  After the reception space was flipped and finalized, Mindy and Nate were introduced into a room full of adoring friends and family and stepped right into their first dance, a beautifully choreographed routine.

Following the first dance was a formal sit down dinner.  The food looked (and smelled) amazing!  Heartfelt toasts followed dinner, along with the father daughter dance and the mother son dance.  Mindy and Nate were very in the moment during each traditional event and you could tell they were trying to take each moment in fully.  Fropm the looks of the rest of the evenings photos, it seems Mindy, Nate and there guest had a great evening of dancing!  

Minday and Nate were sent off into the evening as husband and wife through a tunnel of sparklers and were driven off into the night in a white vintage car.

Mindy and Nate are two of the nicest and most genuine people I have met in my journey as a wedding planner.  I absolutely loved working with them on their wedding day and I can't wait to watch their love grow and get to know them better!  Congrats!

VENUE// THE GREAT HALL AT UNION STATION, SEATTLE, WA
DAY OF COORDINATION// CASSIE RENAE EVENTS, LLC
PHOTOGRAPHY// MATTHEW LAND STUDIOS
VIDEOGRAPHY// AMANDA MUCHMORE
CATERING AND BARTENDING// JEWEL HOSPITALITY
DESSERT// CUPCAKE ROYALE
FLOWERS// RAVENNA BLOOM
DJ// BB SANTIFUL
OFFICIANT// ROD ALLEMAN, FAMILY FRIEND
RENTALS// JEWEL HOSPITALITY
HAIR AND MAKE-UP// LESLIE RIDGE AND CHELSEY MATLEY
VALET// RED CARPET VALET
TRANSPORTATION// SHUTTLE EXPRESS AND BRITISH MOTOR COACH

Katie + Tim // September 9, 2016 // The Olson Mansion // Maple Valley, WA

I have known Katie since we were in middle school.  We grew up on the same club gymnastics team.  Over the years our moms grew close as friends as well.  So when Katie and her mom started planning Katie and Tim's wedding, it just made sense they would ask me to coordinate the wedding.

Katie, Lori and I met at the venue on an open house day in March to walk the property and talk about Katie and Lori's ideas and wants for the wedding day.  This gave me a good feel for the overall vision of the wedding.  We proceeded over the next few months to plan and check items of the to do list.  We met again at the venue about a week and a half before the wedding to finalize plans and make sure we had everything in order.

Katie and Tim wanted a somewhat traditional wedding, but also a memorable party for their family and friends.  Katie's family goes to church at The Olson Mansion so the venue easily fit the bill of what they were looking for in a venue.  It is an old barn that has been completely and beautifully re-done inside with an attached courtyard.  As long as the weather stayed nice the ceremony was to be held outside in the courtyard with the reception in the barn.

Myself and a team of family members showed up at 2:00 pm for set-up.  Set-up included everything from tables and chairs to decor.  It took about 15 of us to set-up the venue from top to bottom in 2.5 hours.  There were a lot of details, but the final look was perfect.  The ceremony space was decorated with wine barrels and flowers.  It is already a pretty outdoor space and doesn't need much in the way of decor.  The reception tables were set with a navy tablecloth, a coral runner, a tin box with flowers, three mercury votive candle holders and table numbers.  Each place setting was set with a silver charger, white plate, coral napkin folded with a pocket to have the silverware placed into and a cookie favor.  The navy, coral and silver colors complimented each other nicely.  Each white wedding chair was also tied with a coral chair tie.  For the guestbook, there was a photo to sign and wooden hearts for each guest to write a message to the couple and put in a keep sake box.  There was also a sweet memorial of pictures for Tim's father who passed away a few years prior.

While set-up was happening photos were taking place around the venue.  the Olson Mansion sits on a golf course and provides some stunning back drops.  By 4:30pm, the bride and bridesmaids were in hiding as guests were starting to arrive.  The groom, groomsmen and family mingled until the ceremony was ready to start. 

The ceremony started at 5:00 pm.  It was a beautiful evening for an outdoor ceremony.  The ceremony was short, but sentimental.  Following the ceremony the guest were asked to head into the reception barn for a cocktail hour.  45 minutes later the bridal party and the bride and groom were introduced into the reception and started off the buffet.  While Katie and Tim's guests were finishing dinner, the bride and groom left the venue to take some beautiful sunset photos.

Once guests were finished eating and the sunset photos were wrapped, the toasts started.  The matron of honor, who we both also did gymnastics with, started them off, followed by the best man, the bride's father and the mother of the groom.  Tim and Katie then said a few heartfelt words to thank their guest for sharing their special day with them.  Once toasts concluded, Katie and Tim cut the cutting cake which signaled the opening of the dessert bar.  The guests had an array of desserts to choose from.  The cake cutting led into the first dance, the father-daughter dance and the mother-son dance.  I think the formal dances might be one of my favorite parts of a wedding.  You can just see the love between the couple and each of their parents shine through.  The last of the traditional items was the bouquet and garter toss and then the dance floor was opened and the guest had a great time dancing the evening away.  Katie and Tim's wedding came to a close by 10:00pm and they weren't sent off into the night by glow sticks to their awaiting town car.

Katie and Tim - thank you for making me such a big part of your wedding day.  Katie - it always means so much to work with someone I grew up with.  Congratulations on your marriage and I look forward to watching it grow.

VENUE// THE OLSON MANSION, MAPLE VALLEY, WA
DAY OF COORDINATION// CASSIE RENAE EVENTS, LLC
PHOTOGRAPHY// SELECT PHOTOGRAPHY
CATERING AND BARTENDING// B DAZZLED CATERING
DESSERTS// THE SWEETSIDE
FLOWERS// MARIBETH ST. PIERRE, FAMILY FRIEND
DJ// SG MOBILE DJ
OFFICIANT// KERRY KNIGHT, FAMILY FRIEND
RENTALS// PALISADE
HAIR AND MAKE-UP// PERSONAL FRIEND
MAKE-UP// FLAWLESS BEAUTY BAR
RENTALS// AMERICAN PARTY PLACE