Birthday Bash

We were just in Seattle for several fun events; one was an incredibly fun 60th birthday bash!

Good times were had by all, thanks in large part to the Po' Boys Band who jammed well into the night!

Catering was provided by Dream City, and fun table names by Izzy Girl (our partner in the Good Life Collection) spotlighting the guest of honor's many "hats" centered each table. We went with a casual tropical theme; which was evident through the bamboo chairs, hurricanes filled with sand, and shells and driftwood. A very Happy Birthday!

Fun Find: Seagrass Candles

There is a lovely company out of Port Townsend, WA that we met up with during our events last week called Seagrass. They produce 100% soy wax and plant-derived essential oil candles that smell amazing! I mean really amazing and fresh! They sent me home with three and I can't get enough!

They can customize labels, colors, and scents for your wedding or event to create the perfect match. Seagrass candles also make the perfect hostess or birthday gift! Everything from their packaging to the colors and setup at the Farmer's Market I attended are so coastal and pretty! Check out the photos of some of their colors:

Contact info: seagrass@giraffe8.com or contact us for personalized ordering information: info@goodlifeevents.net

Special Announcement: the Good Life Collection by Izzy Girl is here!

We are so excited to announce our designer collection of paper goods! We've collaborated with the incredibly talented Izzy Girl to create chic and contemporary invitation suites and personalized stationery. Check out the Collection here or copy and paste this link if you're having trouble: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27793965

Of all people, we know how daunting it can be to select colors, fonts, and styles that all match your wedding, and know how quickly all of the accoutrements can add up. We thought it was time to offer our clients and other brides and grooms to-be (as well as those wanting designer stationery) designer wedding suites at a fraction of the cost. Check out our designs and email us if you'd like to order or want to chat about your wedding designs or personal stationery.

We have birthday cards and other fun stationery in the works so we'll keep you posted!

Nomination: Channel 10 A-List!

We are proud to announce that we are nominated for Channel 10's A-List under best planners!

Please take a moment to click here and vote for us!

We appreciate your continued support!

Cheers, Aleah + Nick

Wedding Artist Spotlight: Llanes Photography

Nick and I have a duty to locate amazing and fun wedding vendors, or artists as we like to call them. Last month I met up with the super sweet Jenny Llanes - she and her husband own and operate Llanes Weddings and Llanes Photography in LA.

I love this one!

Talk about chic and fun; their style is outstanding!

I wanted to share some photos with you but check out their site: http://www.llanesweddings.com/ or their blog: http://llanesweddings.blogspot.com/ for more!

Easy Entertaining: 4th of July

The 4th of July is upon us! *(Click on photos to enlarge)
While summer is in full swing, many mark this weekend as the official start of summer! So with that we mapped out a super fun and delicious 4th of July backyard plan! *Click on the photos to enlarge
Table setting: the 4th should be all about ease and simplicity, so utilize red, white, and blue in your napkins and glassware to add punches of color. Go easy with the decor - here we used large dinner napkins and folded them into thirds, splayed across each plate. The take home favor is a cute silver shell decor ball - purchase from any craft store and spray with silver spray paint (great to use for any holiday).

We made the paper "flags" a little differently, with navy stars to stand out. How to: create a word document and insert several long, rectangular text boxes horizonally. Fill in with red paint. Create as many stripes as you like; do the same with a fresh document; here we insterted star shapes that we made navy. Print out the pages and cut to size - we created 7" x 9" flags. Attach to a ribbon or twine using double-sided tape. Use any excess for some fun curly-q pieces by taking long, thin strips of red paper and winding them tightly around a pencil. Toss on the table for some added pop of color.

Food: So easy and delicious (and all-American!); grilled flank steak sandwiches with aoili: Marinate steak (for 2 hours) in sea salt, pepper, and olive oil and grill 1/4 lb. of steak per guest. Thinly slice the steak, grill up an onion and garnish on top of the steak. Prepare ciabatta rolls with a spread of aoili; wrap the sandwich in white butcher paper and cinch with cute red-and-white striped twine. Pair with red potato salad, some grilled corn sprinkled with cayenne pepper and sea salt and a fun drink and you're good to go!

Drink: Here we have a vodka lemonade spritzer (feel free to omit the alcohol); 1 cup of fresh lemonade or Italian sparkling soda, 1/2 cup of good vodka, ice as needed.
Prepare: fill an 8 oz. glass 1/2 way to the top with ice; pour in about 2 oz. of lemonade, 1 oz. of vodka, and top with club soda for fizz. Garnish with a candied lemon peel or a rosemary sprig.
Have a Happy and safe 4th of July!

Happy Anniversary, Stephanie and Tom!

Stephanie and Tom were married last year on July 4th with close family and friends in attendance. From the picturesque background to the gorgeous color combinations, invitation details, the jazz band, and fantastic food, every detail was stunning.

We planned the entire wedding while they lived in Hong Kong, and it was so much fun! Not only do Stephanie and Tom have great taste, but they were fabulous to work with! We also learned some new Chinese traditions from Stephanie's lovely mom, Teresa.

The happy bride and groom were married in Washington at Salish Lodge & Spa overlooking Snoqualmie Falls; it was a destination wedding for most guests, with dozens of countries represented. They now reside in Hong Kong, China. Congratulations on your first wedding anniversary! Photos by La Luz Photography

Hitched! Renee & Alex

We really loved working with Renee and Alex. I know, we say this a lot, but we are blessed with truly awesome clients! I put so much time and thought into designing the wedding with Renee, from the brown satin pin tuck linens to the chocolate velvet draping, the rich and romantic rose palette, custom invitations and calligraphy, and matching accoutrements, to the centerpieces and table settings, that it was so rewarding to see it all come together! It was super fun to have mom Cheri and Alex's mom, Alli attend the floral meetings - they are too cute!



Nick and I boxed some incredibly delicious Dilettante sea salted caramel chocolates as individual favors, and guests noshed on tasty hors d' oeuvres before dinner; creme fraiche filled baby potatoes, skewered caprese salad, and gorgonzola tartlets topped with a preserved fig.

Renee's dress was a gorgeous hand-made creation by Luly Yang, and her bridesmaids flanked her with subtle berry tea-length gowns.

Renee and Alex are so sweet and had an absolutely beautiful and perfect wedding day, complete with 275 guests. We are so happy for them, and hope they have a great time in Hawaii!

Professional photos and wedding artist credit/more details to come!

glassybaby trio winner!

Thank you to all who entered! What a fun giveaway! Stay tuned for another cool giveaway in the next few weeks!
Congratulations to Candi Criddle; your entry number was drawn from random.org! Please email us at info@goodlifeevents.net with your mailing address and we will have glassybaby send off your trio! You have until Thursday afternoon at 4 to get us your address, or we will select another winner.
Thank you again to everyone who entered and check back soon for 4th of July bloggings and giveaways!

Happy Father's Day!

*Scroll down for our glassybaby giveaway!

Not only is this weekend the official start of summer, but it's Father's Day! Happy Father's Day to all of you dads! Here are some fun gift ideas for any dad! For the grilling dad (Red Envelope):Humorous gift: check out this beer holster from Red Envelope!

Munchies: Harry and David has an awesome fruit of the month club; what dad wouldn't love the gift that keeps on giving? From their famous Moose Munch to Northwest Smoked Salmon gift packages, Harry and David is sure to have something for every dad.

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR OUR GLASSYBABY GIVEAWAY!!

The giveaway continues!

Due to the fabulous comments and turnout, glassybaby would like to keep the giveaway entries open until next week, so please check back next Wednesday for the winner, and good luck!
(Entry instructions below)

Fab Giveaway: glassybaby trio!

We love glassybaby's gorgeous candle vessels and want you to enjoy them, too! We've partnered to give away a glassybaby trio to one lucky blog reader.

Just visit their site: http://www.glassybaby.com/, pick out your favorite trio (or build your own), and write a comment on our blog about which trio you must have and why. A lucky winner will be chosen on June 16th! You don't want to miss out on this!

They emit such a romantic glow and are perfect on your wedding reception tables, as wedding favors, as gifts for your friends and family, and as corporate gifts.

I think my favorite trio would come in snow, chartreuse, and dolphin!

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*the winner will be announced on our blog on June 24th. You can "follow" us (look to the right) and be alerted, or check back then! The drawing will be random!

Color Splash: seafoam and lavender

When paired together, seafoam and lavender make for a totally romantic and unique wedding palette. I credit my dear friend Lauren for the inspiration, as these have been her favorite colors since elementary school and I've always looked forward to pairing the combo!
Here are some photos from past events we have done - think romance when working with these colors.

From sweet bites like baby cupcakes to French lavender and rose floral accents, succulents in silver vessels, and mega candlelight, opulence and details are key. Use silver as your metallic accent; from your baubles (like the one here from Something Silver) to your shoes, silver chargers on each place setting, and even silver calligraphy on the invitation envelopes, this will balance the sweetness of the seafoam and lavender.

All photos from past events - Alex Studios, La Luz Photography, Frank Ross Photography, Beccy Harmann Photo, and necklace by Something Silver.

Find: Chic and oh-so-fun wedding garters!

Attention brides-to-be: you must visit Julianne Smith's website to order your wedding garter. Julianne's style is incredibly unique; she brings a new light to the tradition and adorns garters with all sorts of fabulous accoutrements like feathers and personalized ribbons!

I chatted with Julianne about her speciality:

What colors or patterns do you see most with brides today?
When it comes to garter colors, brides are all over the map! The garter is hidden, so it is a chance for brides to get sassy and mix it up. Some go with the traditional whites and something blues, and then some get wild with polka dots and animal prints. For those that match their garter to their wedding colors, I'm seeing a lot of navy with magenta, and silver with yellow - two really amazing, unexpected combos.
Can brides customize their garters to coordinate with their theme (or their fiance's favorite sports team?)?
Absolutely! I love creating new and different styles for brides. After all, I started this company because I couldn't find the garter I wanted for a friend, so I would never tell someone no - I'll try anything!
What is the most outrageous garter you've designed?
I did one recently with a peacock feather that was really fun: View Here
How long before her wedding should a bride order?
It usually takes me about two to three weeks to make and send a garter off to a bride. But, if someone needs it faster, I will work with them to make sure the bride gets her garter in time for the big day. Timing also depends in how much custom work is needed. I make all the garters individually for each bride, even the ones in my collection.
What does the tradition of the garter mean?
It is tough to get a straight answers on this one. But, I do know that wearing and tossing the wedding garter is one of the oldest wedding traditions, besides saying the vows, of course! In the olden days, apparently, weddings were a little kinky and wedding guests would accompany the married couple to their bedroom. Guests would help to undress the bride, as a way to celebrate. The garter, at that time, was used to hold up a woman's stockings, so as the bride was being undressed the garter would get tossed along with all of her other clothes. It was considered good fortune to whoever caught the garter. As a way to class-up weddings, the garter tradition has evolved into making it a little easier for a lucky guest to catch the garter. Today, I think garters are a way for brides to personalize their wedding attire and to have something with them that expresses who they are as and individual and as a couple - whether they do the garter toss or not!
Thank you, Julianne!

Photos by Sevan Photography and by Julianne Smith

Find: Personalized wine bottles and labels for your celebration

We were recently turned onto Etching Expressions in San Diego and their unique and affordable wedding and party favors/gifts.
Check out this adorable tropical design for a beach wedding - guests get to enjoy wine or champagne, plus a thoughtful inscription.


Here's some more information from EE's Kris Lee, giving some fab tips to brides and grooms when thinking about their wedding favors. Think outside the box; though everyone loves a good cookie or chocolate, your guests deserve something stand-out. They'll always remember your day with a personalized bottle! Go one step more and personalize a wooden box for a thank you gift or newlywed present.

From about $6 for demi champagne bottle, they make the perfect gift for any occasion!

Relax!! Pre-Wedding Pampering Tips

Okay, you brides-to-be; your pre-wedding pampering plan should be well-thought out in order to alleviate a bad hair cut, coloring, or sore muscles from a massage.
Be sure to test out your wedding day hair cut and color (and style) about 6 weeks prior to your wedding. Bring in your veil or accessories when you get snipped, and also plan a pre-wedding hair styling. Plan on your final coloring about 4-5 days before. For wedding day makeup, go with whatever brand you typically use - I love all Aveda products - you want to make sure your skin doesn't have an adverse reaction. Take photos of your hair style and arrange for a trial run with your makeup artist; take notes and pictures!

Here are some other pampering tips to have you glowing, relaxed, sparkling, and looking simply marvelous for the big day!

Relax and enjoy a massage with your fiancé -
L' Auberge Del Mar has a new spa, specializing in luxurious treatments like Lomi Lomi massages, In-Suite massages, Sea Melody treatments, and so much more. Decompress with a massage at least 3 days prior to your wedding day.

Any waxing or facial treatments should also be done at least 3 days before to avoid any rash or redness. The night before the wedding, your face will thank you for a total Aveda treatment - unwind with the Caribbean Therapy soy candle, moisturize with the Intensive Hydrating Masque, and finish off with a sublte and smooth All-Sensitive Moisturizer.

Most importantly, be sure to eat the day before your wedding, and on the big day! Drink lots of water and remember to enjoy!

A perfect summer cocktail: the St-Germain

As most of you know, I love all things French, so I was so excited to try the "St-Germain" cocktail.
From the elegant Belle Époque bottle to the first scent released when you open it, you are in for a treat! St-Germain is crafted from elderflowers grown in the Alps and hand-picked each year. Pretty impressive, huh? It gets better........the thousands of pounds of flowers are collected by ONE Frenchman! Whatever he captures in a 2-3 week period for the year will determine the amount of liquor St-Germain produces. So if you find a bottle, you know you are special and have a limited edition, complete with a number!

The taste is quite subtle, yet sweet. A perfect pairing with champagne, cava, or prosecco.
The best concoction in my book consists of:
50 ml St-Germain
1.5 shots sparkling wine
top with sparkling water or soda
Stir in a tall glass with ice

Garnish with a lemon twist or a flower and enjoy! Oh, how I want to be back in Nice enjoying one at the Hotel Negresco!! Tres magnifique!




*Ask your local specialty liquor store if they carry St-Germain; if not, they can likely special order it!