Sneak Peek Pro Photos: Alex and Renee

Check out these gorgeous photos by Alex Studios!
More to come!

Renee's custom couture Luly Yang gown was absolutely breathtaking!

Tips: how to be a gracious guest

You'd be surprised at how many guests never respond to wedding or party invitations and then show up! Is that you?? Maybe it got accidentally tossed or it slipped your mind, but that little card weighs heavy towards the final count at a wedding (brides and grooms can pay anywhere from $50-500 per guest overall so every guest counts)! We recently planned a wedding where over 30 guests did not respond, despite the self-addressed and stamped response envelopes! Needless to say, the bride and groom paid extra as a bumper for those who might show up; we were right - nearly all 30 guests did show!

Here are some tips on how to be a gracious and fun guest:

1. Répondez s'il vous plaît means please respond in French, and it's not a term used lightly when planning a big event, especially a wedding. Your hosts have usually gone above and beyond to create, self-address, and stamp your RSVP card, so please take the time to check the box and RSVP!
2. Show up on time - plan ahead for freeway, airport, or other traffic and consider any special events going on near the wedding or event (often times your hosts will have thought ahead and posted such notices on their event website or provided an enclosure with your invitation)
3. Greet your hosts and thank them for inviting you and....have fun! Be a lively, happy, and supportive; if it's a friend's wedding, help out by getting people on the dance floor and making it a memorable day.
4. Send a thank you note - if you attend a super fun party or wedding, it's great to send along a thank you note. I know, the bride and groom will be sending you one for attending and bringing a gift, but I always think a hand-written thank you note goes a long ways!

The bottom line: formality is still alive, as it should be! The written word is always better than a text message thank you. As much as you appreciate the art of a well planned event, your hosts appreciate the art of etiquette and formality!

New Additions to the Collection!

Please visit our storefront: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27793965
to view our newest additions to the Good Life Collection by Izzy Girl!
We invite you to contact us to personalize your order. Our designer collection is inspired by our gorgeous coastal surroundings and offers affordable wedding invitation suites, personalized stationery, and thank you notes. Enjoy!

More photo love: Emily and Ryen

Check out this gorgeous image from Amore Studios taken at Emily and Ryen's romantic woodland wedding!




Scroll down for more awesome photos!

Hitched! Emily and Ryen

Emily and Ryen are such a sweet and funny couple; they were married on July 25th in Gig Harbor, WA at Emily's parents' home.
It was a perfect day; the setting was woodland and the floral design, linens, and overall ambiance set the tone for a romantic wedding in the woods.

Aren't they so cute together? Emily was a stunning bride!

Emily's sweet dad worked hard the year leading up to the wedding! From bulldozing the yard to accommodate the dining tent to building the scotch bar and this cool sign, his hard work paid off!

Wedding Artists:

Amore Studios took these stunning images

Whimsical floral design by Floressence

Awesome dance music by CFO - Chris Friel Orchestra

Ceremony guitarist: Glenn Letz

Delicious food: Ravishing Radish Catering

Gorgeous paper goods: Izzy Girl

Shuttles: British Motor Coach

Tasty cupcake bites by Suzanne's Cakes

Officiant: Julie Cooper

Congratulations and we hope you enjoyed your honeymoon in Mexico!

Sorbet and Ice Cream Terrine with Blackberry Compote

Nothing says summer like a delicious and light dessert. I came across this scrumptious recipe on Epicurious.com from Bon Appétit Magazine. The best part about this recipe is that no baking is required! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Terrine
1 pint raspberry sorbet
1 pint lemon sorbet
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 pint mango sorbet
1 pint boysenberry sorbet compote
1/2 cup seedless blackberry jam
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 1/2-pint containers fresh blackberries
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

Preparation:
For the terrine:Line 9x5x2 3/4-inch metal loaf pan with 2 layers of plastic wrap, extending 3 inches over sides. Scoop raspberry sorbet into medium bowl and stir to soften; let stand at room temperature until sorbet is spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Spread sorbet evenly in bottom of prepared loaf pan. Place loaf pan in freezer. Scoop lemon sorbet into another medium bowl; stir and let stand at room temperature until spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Spoon lemon sorbet in large dollops atop raspberry sorbet, then spread in even layer. Return loaf pan to freezer. Repeat procedure with vanilla ice cream, then mango sorbet, and finally boysenberry sorbet. Fold plastic wrap overhang over terrine; cover with aluminum foil. Freeze terrine overnight. (Terrine can be made 4 days ahead. Keep frozen.)

For the compote:
Stir blackberry jam in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Stir in grated lemon peel and fresh lemon juice. Cool to room temperature. Stir in fresh blackberries, crushing some with fork to release juices. Refrigerate compote until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Stir sliced fresh mint into blackberry compote. Invert terrine onto platter; peel off plastic wrap. Cut terrine into slices. Serve with blackberry compote.

Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary, Stephanie and Coby!

I must say that traveling and events put me a bit behind with blogging! But I wanted to mention that this time last year we were prepping for Stephanie and Coby's big day!

We had some stellar wedding artists on board (when do we not?!); Frank Ross Photography captured some amazing photos; they really are some of our all-time favorites! With the lovely Wendy Morgan of Ravenna Bloom and Ravishing Radish Catering on hand, the wedding details were perfect!
From the fabulous dinner to the dueling pianos, the soft color palette of butter, sage, and lavender, and the weather; the entire day was gorgeous.
Happy Anniversary!

Wonderful thank you note

Nick and I are lucky to have some pretty awesome clients. This thank you note comes from Renee and Alex who were married in June:

Dear Nick and Aleah,
I don't even know where to start...thank you, thank you, thank you!! Truly, I don't know how we could have had such a 'perfect' wedding without you both. From the planning of our big day to the day or events, we were never stressed about where to go, what to do, etc.; isn't that an oxymoron when planning your dream wedding with 250+ guests?! But it's true, you both took care of every last detail to ensure that our wedding day was as relaxed, fun, and memorable as possible. We are so grateful to have met you both and will recommend your services to EVERYONE! I wish I could say more to express our gratitude, but thanks again!
With love, Alex and Renee

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!