Planning to Announce Your Wedding at Your Wedding? Surprise!

What a fun wedding celebration!

Elliott and Barb wanted to surprise everyone ... well, almost everyone  (their wedding party and parents were in the know) ... that they were getting married at the Woodmark Hotel.















As guests arrived for the "party," they received a pretty blue envelope with a silver seal.  Inside was this card.

The photographer, Brittany Weiss of B. Weiss Photography, was right there to capture the expressions of people as they read about the "Surprise."  It was pure  fun!

This type of wedding was perfect for Elliott and Barbara.  Wishing the two a life filled with wonderful surprises!

Planning your "surprise" wedding?  Give us a call at 206.789.9788 or contact us through our website.

This team - Elliott and Barbara - is Going All the Way to the Finals!

A January wedding is in the plans for Barbara and Elliott at the Woodmark Hotel.

Don't the two look so very happy!  (Sure part of that is because of their recent engagement and perhaps another part is due to the Seahawks winning on the day the photo was taken?)

The two invited Kent and I to officiate as a couple, which we love to do (when our schedules permit).

This is going to be so much fun.

Looking forward to co-creating a wonderful ceremony together.  So glad Elliott and Barbara found each other.

If you are recently engaged and looking for a wedding officiant for your ceremony, give us a call at 206.789.9788 or contact us through our website.

Michael and Liana Plan to Wed at the Woodmark Hotel

Engagement photo by Arlene Chambers

This couple - Liana and Michael -- are Northwest natives.  They both grew up in the area and both attended Western Washington University.  It wasn't until after college that they met, when the time was right for them.  

 

Liana and Michael have been together since 2011 and became engaged in February 2013 while on vacation in Hawaii.  The two recently bought their first house and are excited to start their lives there. 

Kent and I are very much looking forward to co-creating an amazing wedding ceremony with Liana and Michael.  

If you recently became engaged and are looking for an officiant for your wedding, call us at 206-789-9788 or contact us through our website to schedule a free consultation.

Parents Gift the Bride & Groom During Their Wedding Ceremony

Erin and Steffany

Today was a very special wedding.  During John and Erin's ceremony at the Woodmark Hotel, both sets of parents presented the bride and groom with a present.  


One of Erin's moms, Steffany Raynes, read a poem she wrote especially for the couple.  It is lovely and, with her approval, I wanted to share it with you.

Tending Your Relationship

Find a place with fresh air

Pause

Breathe in; breathe out.

Savor the beauty, goodness, and

Love

Waiting inside each of you.

Create a secret language

To use in emergencies

When words fail.

Design rituals that reconnect you

And welcome you home

From life’s maze of activity.

Touch the worry line beside his eyes

Softly

As if you were seeing him for the very first time;

Listen beneath the words

Until you can hear and

See the young girl whose heart is breaking.

Cultivate joy;

Trust what makes you laugh

Together.

                                                   

Let go of assumptions

Explore new territory

With gentle curiosity.

Allow your relationship to nourish and

Open you to the

Best possible version of yourselves.

Celebrate the miracle of finding and loving each other

Every day

Over and over

Again, and again!

Marion and Dave, John's folks

During the ceremony, John's mom, Marion, read two passages from The Bible and then presented a special edition of the NIV Bible to the the couple.

"Marry Me" edition of NIV Bible

I loved how it all worked out.  What a great way to launch Erin and John in their journey together as a married couple!  Adding my wishes to those of their families and friends.


Looking for ways to include your parents in your wedding ceremony, we have tons of ideas.  Give us a call at 206-789-9788 or through our website.

Woodmark Open House Premier Took Place Today

 

Why open houses?  

Because they showcase the venue
Because they afford brides and grooms possibilities of vision
Because they bring together a community of wedding professionals
Because they are just plain fun!

 
Today the Woodmark Hotel drew back the curtains and revealed its various rooms.  This sections was so dramatic.  

 The bold colors, the multi-tiered floral arrangement, the contemporary clean lines worked really worked. Hats off to Rented Elegance and Design.

All the printed materials coordinated perfectly, in color and style to each unique place setting.  This was thanks to Ruth Song of Paper Fling.

Check out the variety of linens and table settings.  There is a style for everyone.  The linens were provided by Choice Linens.  Love the single flower on each type of napkin fold.

 

Talk about dramatic ... and classic!

Floral arrangements in this section (the draped tent) and the Marina Room were created by Fena Flowers.
 
The tent drapery around the poles was decorated as well.  I absolutely love these white anemones ...  a flower of the season.
 

This morning I woke up dreaming of yellow -- it is Seattle after all and I'm longing for sunny spring days and bright hues.  So when I saw the yellows in the arrangements, I sighed with pleasure.












Just outside the Marina Room, a wedding ceremony setup with a gorgeous arbor was arranged.  We couldn't resist standing under it!!  (Hee, hee ...)

We also met Lisa and Kira, founders of Hourglass Footwear ... and saw the wares created by their artist collective.  From flats to the highest heels, there is sure to be just the right shoe for you.  As their tag line states:  It's time.  Stand out! 


 







And, of course, there was the food.  Chef Skyler Gemar prepared a range of tasty dishes, from entrees to heavenly potato chips and sauces, plus a range of beverages.  Don't these look yummy!!
 

Oh, an open house just isn't an open house without a photo booth.  We got to talk with Shana Tinsley of 321 Foto and take a series of photos (as we always do)!  We giggle and pose and enjoy it no matter how many times we enter the booth.

Music was provided by Jay Hayes of Mobile Celebrations!

Thanks for inviting us! 

Ryan and Julianne Travel to Seattle to Wed at the Woodmark Hotel

You could say it started on the playground

  about four years ago

  doing what we both love to do.

You could say it started in the hallway

  you smiled and said "Hey" and that was it ...

I don't believe in love at first sight.

I never believed in fairy tales ...

The words above are the lyrics to the first verse of a song Julianne created with her good friend, Kimberly.  It describes the history and feelings Julianne and Ryan share.  

Julianne's bracelet is a chic accent.

It was a gift ... and a surprise for Ryan.  Kimberly performed the song entitled Then There was You during the ceremony while Ryan and Julianne listened, standing hand in hand.  

The tent at the Woodmark Hotel is truly elegant.

The bride and groom decided to celebrate their wedding at the Woodmark Hotel for a number of reasons.  They both love the water, they wanted an elegant, peaceful place and some where that had meaning for them. 

It so happens that Ryan attended the Puget Sound Adventist Academy, which is right up the hill from the hotel, and his high school graduation dinner took place there too.

Julianne and Ryan spoke personal words to each other.  I loved it.  What could be better! 

Everyone was so happy for Rayn and Julianne.  Before the ceremony, you could feel the joy of those in the process.  After the ceremony, that joy exploded.  A very happy group of people.

If possible, I find it works well to sign the marriage documents right after the ceremony.  It gives the couple a few minutes to take in the ceremony.  Then they can join the cocktail hour ... or wait to be formally introduced at the beginning of the reception.

"Thank you so much for making our wedding day special!  It's hard to know where to start because we feel you contributed to so many aspects of the wedding!

THANK YOU!

That's all I can say and over.  We really appreciated your demeanor and calm leadership.  We had such a great time and could relax and look forward to sharing the words and metaphors wit friends and family."

~  Julianne and Ryan

To provide a bit of historical context, the first time Julianne saw Ryan, her friend commented that she should marry him.  Now, those words are true (who says words don't have power).  Both feel so lucky to have the other in their lives.  Wishing Ryan and Julianne an amazing life together, filled with many happy adventures.

Photos are compliments of Brandon Witzel, who Julianne and Ryann highly recommend.

The couple also gives two thumbs up to Stephanie Wilson of Every Last Detail, their wedding planner, and Steven King, their award-winning guitarist.

Couples who live outside the Pacific Northwest and who plan to marry here will find distance is not a problem when planning their ceremony.  We can Skype and talk via the phone ... or communicate by email (email is my friend).  We have created ceremony with brides and grooms from Italy, Germany, Japan and across te Unite States.  Give us a call at 206.789.9788 or contact us through our website www.aheavenlyceremony.com.