Lauren + Kevin // September 15, 2013 // Pine Lake Community Center // Sammamish, WA

This wedding holds a special place in my heart for many reasons.  Kevin and Lauren are my brother and sister in law and I got to be involved in planning from day one-my first complete planning wedding!  It was a great learning experience and a perfect day.

With a tight budget, we had to get creative.  We dove into Pinterest for inspiration and ideas and created a lot of DIY projects.  But, the end result was just what Lauren had envisioned: Vintage Rustic Chic.

Lauren and Kevin held their wedding at the Pine Lake Community Center on a gorgeous end of summer day in September.  The weather was perfect and the ceremony was held outside as planned.

Lauren and Kevin met and fell in love while working at the local pizza joint, Frankie’s Pizza, so what was more perfect the choosing the owner, Chris Garcia, to officiant their ceremony.  The ceremony decor was kept simple with hurricane vases lining the aisle with candles and clear ornaments stuffed with baby’s breath hanging in the archway where they were married.  Lauren is a hippy at heart and knew she wanted a soft warm vintage feel on her wedding day.  She chose to go with a Vintage Rustic Chic theme and used coral and gray as her main colors with accents of soft pink and cream.  The beautiful bride wore her mother’s lace wedding dress (how special) and a flower halo while the bridesmaids got to chose their own dress in a coral color.  The groom and groomsmen were dressed in gray, slacks and a vest, while the groom wore a gray suit.

Following the ceremony was a cocktail hour with beer, wine and appetizers (you know, the comfort food type)!

The reception was held inside the clubhouse.  The clubhouse was a great open space with high ceilings and wood columns.  The guests were seated at three long tables.  Cream tablecloths adorned each group of tablse with a long burlap table runner down the center.  Double stacked books with mason jars wrapped in lace and stuffed with a candle sat on the guest tables along with varying sized mason jars, candle holders and bud vases.  The flowers were in the cream and pink colors which added a very soft feel to the room and the mass amounts of candles made the room glow.   At each place setting was a small brown paper craft bag that had been hand stamped with a couple dancing.  Inside were Hershey Kisses, just a little ‘thank you’ from the bride and groom. The bride and grooms table sat up on the stage and was adorned with the bridesmaids baby’s breath bouquets, the bride’s bouquet and bud vases.

Many of the tables had burlap signs hanging in front of them with fun slogans to bring out more of the shabby chic feel.  The guest book was made from an old frame found at a thrift store.  We attached coral colored ribbon in rows and has small cards the guests could write on sitting next to it.  The guests could then hang the card onto the ribbon with a small clothespin.  This alternative guest book went great with the vintage theme.

The food was supplied by Frankie’s Pizza (remember the couple fell in love while working there) which was perfect for this wedding.  Who doesn’t love pizza?!?  Following dinner were a handful of toasts given by friends and family that have been apart of the bride and grooms lives both individually and together.

The cake was designed by Pure Bliss Bakery out of Bellingham and was gifted to the bride and groom.  It was a beautiful 3-tiered cake frosted in ombre’ pink to go with the different coral and light pink colors you saw around the venue.  We set it upon a silver cake stand and surrounded it with cream dahlias which really added to the softness of the table.  And boy was it delicious!

The first dance as husband and wife was a special moment, followed by the father-daughter dance and the mother-son dance.  Following the dance was the bouquet and garter toss.  The bride realized she had forgotten her garter, so we put together a makeshift garter with extra baby's breath.  The guest were moved outside for the tosses.  Then it was time to hit the dance floor.  The floor was full ALL NIGHT LONG until the very last song.

This wedding was such a fun and beautiful wedding and it was so wonderful to be a part of.  I am so excited to have Lauren as an ‘official’ sister and watch their family grow!

VENUE// PINE LAKE COMMUNITY CENTER
WEDDING PLANNER AND COORDINATOR// CASSIE RENAE EVENTS, LLC
PHOTOGRAPHY// AUNT + UNCLE OF THE GROOM, STEVE AND CAROL WOODY
CATERING// FRANKIE’S PIZZA
CAKE// PURE BLISS DESSERTS
FLOWERS// DOWN TO EARTH, DAHLIA BARN, FLOWERS ASSEMBLED BY CASSIE RENAE EVENTS, LLC
DJ// BRIDE’S UNCLE, CLIVE BROCK
OFFICIANT// CHRIS GARCIA, BROTHER IN LAW
HAIR// CHARINA MALINAK
RENTALS// SWEET BUFFET LADY

Champagne Brunch Bridal Shower // July 21, 2012 // Private Home // North Bend, WA

 

When I heard I was gaining a little sister I knew I wanted to host a bridal shower for her.  I enlisted my two big sister’s help and we got to planning.  We decided on a bright, multicolored champagne brunch to be held outside at my house.  I hit Pinterest for ideas and away the planning went.

We kept the invitations simple.  Brown craft paper printed with bright colors, postcard style, were sent out to family and the bridal party.  We decided to use craft paper to top the tables with bright pink table skirts.  There was a long table for guests to sit, eat and play games.  Down the center of the table were wine glasses and martini glasses flipped upside down with a flower underneath and a brightly colored candle sitting on top and small glass dessert dishes with blue hydrangeas.  At each place setting was a water bottle with a custom label.  We also had vases of colorful flowers sitting around and bright polka dot balloons!

Upon arrival, guests were asked to sign a champagne bottle.  Lauren would get to take the bottle home to enjoy and when she popped the top she would think of everyone at the party.  Each guest could also choose a brightly colored ring to wear for the afternoon.  As favors, each guests was given a small colorful hand sanitizer from Bath and Bodyworks.

Food was a brunch buffet style and all bite size.  Fruit skewers, quiches, mini doughnuts and bagels were set out to enjoy.  There were polka dot plates and napkins and purple silverware adorned with rhinestones.

The main attraction was the mimosa bar.  Champagne, three flavors of juice and three choices of fruits made for fun palette pleasing drinks.  Each girl got a champagne glass with their name, a fun colored straw and were let loose to make their drink.  I think this was everyone’s favorite part of the afternoon.

We played a couple games for some entertainment.  Chrissy hosted the game ‘how well do you know the bride?’ She had a series of questions for everyone to answer and who ever got the most right was the winner.  I hosted the ‘make your own veil game.’  Lauren wasn’t wearing a veil on her wedding day, so I thought it would be fun to incorporate a veil into her shower.  Each girl was given a couple sheets of white tissue paper, a roll of toilet paper and 15 minutes to create a veil.  After the 15 minutes were up, each girl had to walk the catwalk one by one for Lauren to judge the veils.  Lauren picked a winner and she got to wear the veil for the rest of the afternoon!  It was a lot of fun to watch the girls craft the veils and strut their stuff down the runway!

For gifts, we went a different route than normal.  On the invitation we suggested a gift card of choice to shower the bride.  The gift cards ranged from Target (where the couple was registered) to restaurants and cinemas.  It was a great array of cards and I think people enjoyed the idea of something different that an actual gift.

It was a fun afternoon with a wonderful group of women!

Robyn + Keith // August 13, 2012 // Private Home // Whidbey Island, WA

Robyn and Keith knew they didn’t want a typical wedding…they didn’t need that.  They just wanted to share the day with their closest family and friends.  They didn’t want traditional.  The bride didn’t want “the dress” as well as she lost her father a few years back and knew that she didn’t want traditional because he wouldn’t be there to walk her down the aisle or dance the father-daughter dance with her.  So Keith and Robyn decided they just wanted a celebration.  And a celebration it was!

The wedding was held at Keith’s parents house over looking the water - what a BEAUTIFUL backdrop for the ceremony.  There were about 100 guests that were treated to a Backyard Hawaiian BBQ.  Since Keith and Robyn would be leaving shortly after their wedding to honeymoon in Hawaii, they figured that would be a great theme.  Bright colors, leis and great food - what more could you ask for?!?

Robyn’s brothers walked her down the aisle and stood for her while Keith’s daughters walked him down the aisle and stood for him.  See…non-traditional.  The ceremony was short and sweet, but full of a lot of love.

Decor was kept simple, white tablecloths, coconut shell centerpieces stuffed with colorful cake-pops as favors, sea shells and leis.  The groom made a wooden wishing well for people to put their cards/gifts in and the bridal bouquet and corsages were made by a friend.

The food was FANTASTIC.  It was a buffet style setting of make your own sandwiches, assorted salads and sides and fresh crab legs. YUM.  Cupcakes, with an island look were displayed for all to see and enjoy after dinner.  The bride and groom had a BIG cupcake to cut and share.  The event was exactly what Keith and Robyn wanted, relaxed, low key and non-traditional.

A great time was had by all that attended and Robyn and Keith were very happy with their low key celebration.

VENUE// PRIVATE HOME, WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA
DAY OF COORDINATION// CASSIE RENAE EVENTS, LLC
PHOTOGRAPHER// AMANDA ALDER, FRIEND
CATERER// FAMILY, COSTCO
CAKE// FAMILY FRIEND
FLOWERS// FRIEND OF THE BRIDE
HAIR// BELLA VITA SALON AND SPA, ANGELA RILEY
INVITATIONS + PAPER PRODUCTS// COSTCO