3 Things To Consider When Setting Your Wedding Date

With special consideration for Western Washington Weddings:

The first thing you and your fiancée will need do after announcing your engagement is choose your wedding date. Because of the many variables involved you need to come up with at least 2 or 3 potential wedding dates. Factors to consider when determining when you'll get married include season, location and scheduling constraints.

1-Season
The most popular time of year for outdoor Western Washington weddings is May through September, when the weather is mild and the Northwest weather is most cooperative. When planning an outdoor wedding be sure to develop a plan B just in case of an unexpected rain shower. December is a very popular month for indoor weddings, due to the festive holidays that occur and a higher chance of families being available to attend.

2-Location
The location of your wedding influences not only when you'll be getting married, but what your overall theme will be. Outdoor weddings in Western Washington are very popular because of the abundance of locations with scenery backdrops from Seattle water front Lake Union, Lake Washington to Olympia Weddings on the Capitol Campus Tivoli Fountain to the sunken Rose Garden, or the Tacoma Weddings at the Point Defiance Zoo Rose Garden. Likewise, if you are both avid skiers, a visit to White Pass or Snoqualmie Pass will offer the perfect opportunity for the slope side ceremony. During the Summer months there are great opportunities for the beach loving couple at Ocean Shores and other beaches for Puget Sound Weddings.

3-Schedule
You need to pin point the most convenient time for you and your future spouse to be able to get away and relax for the wedding and the honeymoon. Work schedules will be important factors, but equally important is getting together with both of your families when setting your wedding date. You will want to be sure that everyone you love will be in attendance. A next and very important step is to determine the members of your wedding party and check their availability as well.

Here are some links to wedding venue calendars:

http://www.ga.wa.gov/visitor/event.htm
Weddings at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquariums
Ocean Shores Beach Weddings
Resort at Ocean Shores (popular for weddings)
Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls
Lake Union Cafe Seattle
Weddings at Mt. Rainier National Park
Weddings at The Woodmark Spa Resort in Kirkland

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Olympia Wedding Venues

Finding the perfect wedding site, location or event venue is critical to the success of every wedding. The task of finding a wedding site can be a daunting task requiring a significant amount of time and effort. When interviewing the various options make sure that the terms and conditions are in written and signed form. There are many horror stories circulating regarding promises made and not kept. Here are a few things to ponder when considering an event venue or wedding site.

Will the event be casual, formal, romantic? The desired event atmosphere may be an influential factor when deciding on an event venue. Depending upon the type of event, it may be important to think about the location of the event, how your guests will be getting to the event or wedding site, how far they will need to travel, and where they will park, if necessary. Will your event celebrate the ceremony and reception at the same location, and will the venue provide you a package deal or can you bring your preferred vendors. If your wedding or event will require special equipment, you’ll need to ensure that the selected wedding venue provides this equipment or will allow its use at the venue.

For South Puget Sound Weddings there is a large spectrum of options. The following short list are of known quality depending on your size of guest list, and other special requirements.
Yelm Weddings:
Lake Lawrence Lodge www.lakelawrenceyelm.com
Olympia Weddings:
Red Lion Hotel www.sales@redlion.com
Lacey Weddings:
Expo Hall Thurston County Fairgrounds www.co.thurston.wa.us
Lacey Community Center www.ci.lacey.wa.us
St. Martin University Conference Center www.stmartin.edu
Indian Summer Golf Country Club www.indiansummergolf.com

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The Secret To Putting On A Great Wedding

Not every wedding couple can afford to acquire the services of a professional wedding planner, but if you can, I would encourage you to do it. The most successful wedding receptions I have seen had at the center a wedding planner/coordinator. All of the planning and research requiring the bride's participation takes place days, weeks, and months before the big day. One of the most common phrases I hear from brides in the early planning process is "I don't have any experience in planning a wedding," and hopefully this will be the first and last. A professional wedding planner on the other hand, has a list of resources at her finger tips.

Planning and coordination is the secret to well executed reception. If a wedding planner is not in your budget, remember that you are surrounded by friends and family that want to help you, and reduce your level of stress and anxiety. I know from experience that most brides feel that all the details are so important that they have to do everything themselves. The secret is to assign tasks (delegate), but stay involve in monitoring (follow-up) to make sure the results are what you desire/expect. Be sure to conclude all your planning and monitoring process at least a couple of days (the more the better) before the big day so you can relax and enjoy your special day.

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How To Pick Music For Your Wedding

Every wedding reception is unique if for no other reason the chemistry of the people that come together to celebrate it. Even if you wanted to duplicate the atmosphere of a reception your recently attended you couldn't do it. You could come close by hiring the same vendors (entertainment, caterers, wedding planner) because they are professionals that hold approximately 80% of the formula that determines the successful end result. The other 20% of the formula is the chemistry that your guests bring to the celebration. Your music list should include enough variety to draw the majority of your guests to the dance floor.

The selection of wedding music is a very important factor to consider when you are planning your perfect wedding. The perfect wedding music sets the tone and mood for your ceremony or wedding reception. Wedding reception music is open to the atmosphere you want to create. The cocktail hour, when the guests arrive, has gentle background music. Then the wedding party is introduced with a song, and then a different song introduces the bride and groom. Each event during the reception – cake cutting, garter toss bouquet toss – should have a special song to be played.

Your music makes your moments. Work with your wedding musicians or DJ to create the effect – and the memories – you want to have forever.

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3 Wedding Cost Cutting Tips

The average wedding cost $26,750.00 in the United States in 2007. Weddings are costly so here are some tips from wedding caterer Chef Mike that can save you money on your wedding.

• What time of day should I have my reception if my budget is extremely limited? Mid-afternoon. Your guests have already eaten lunch and will not require an extensive menu. Therefore, light hors d'oeuvres (finger foods) or a dessert reception will be more than adequate.
• How can I conquer that costly liquor, beer and wine tab? Serve an alcoholic & non-alcoholic punch in lieu of a bar.
• If I'm hiring a professional caterer and trying to cut costs, should I have a cocktail-type or sit-down meal reception? No bones about it, the cocktail reception is the way to go - for two reasons. First, in most circumstances, the caterer makes more profit on a cocktail reception -- they're happy. Secondly, in most cases, it's cheaper "per person" to have a cocktail reception -- you're happy. Everybody's happy!

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The Wedding Caterer

Amongst the first things that come to mind when planning a wedding reception is the catering. Some important things to consider in making the decision are the following:

• The type of meal service: a sit down meal or a buffet, BBQ, Finger food, Dessert only
• Dish/food selection, Green Salads vs. Fruit Salads or both, Beverages

There are many other decisions to be made; silverware, and napkins, etc, etc., however, one very important item that you can't overlook is whether the venue you selected requires you to contract with their catering provider.

Even if you ever considered planning and making the food for your wedding yourself, chances are when you started to make the actual plans, you realized you needed professional help. While wedding caterers can be expensive, the amount of stress and worry that they remove form your list of things to do is well worth the price.

What drives a caterer's food cost? When interviewing catering services, and comparing cost, try to match your needs to the caterer's specialty. Any time that you request an item that is not in their typical package, your price begins to climb. The cost of the food they provide you for your wedding directly affect the amount of profit they make. When you add something to the menu that is not in their typical package, they start thinking immediately about the cost of ordering enough of that particular item in order to have the right amount on hand for the guests that choose that item. Of course if cost is no object there are no limits.

You can find a multitude of catering services by googling, but one of the best ways to find a great service is by personal reference. Talk to friends or relatives that have either married recently or attended a wedding reception. Word of mouth is still the best and safest advertising.

For Yelm Weddings, Olympia Weddings, Tacoma Wedding and South Puget Sound Weddings in general here is a list of very reputable and reasonable catering services:

www.occasions-catering.com
www.bayviewcatering.com
www.elysescatering.com
www.vaultcatering.com
www.tyeecenter.org
www.LarrysSmokeHouse.com

To Capture The Moment In A Painting

Here is a unique non traditional way to capture the your wedding day via a painting. Sam Day is a Seattle-based artist who has grown a business from creating Live Oil Painting at a Wedding Reception. Paintings start from $1850. Contact Sam

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Seattle’s Best Kept Secret: Beautiful Park Locations For Weddings

Seattle Parks and Recreation offers romantic and affordable locations for wedding ceremonies and receptions of all shapes and sizes

Whether it’s a cozy winter ceremony by a roaring fireplace or a breezy, expansive waterfront celebration in mid-Summer, Seattle Parks and Recreation has just the right location for any wedding. With more than 400 parks and 40 indoor facilities, the choices are numerous and varied.

Right now is the best time to book. “Open season” for booking weddings in Seattle’s parks began on Friday, Jan. 2. The most desirable parks on the most desirable weekends are booking up fast.

Perhaps best of all is that Seattle Parks and Recreation rental facilities are some of the most reasonably priced in the City. We offer a variety of special and memorable venues for ceremonies and receptions for any budget. Just search our library of locations and select your site online at seattle.gov/parks/weddings/.

“The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is expected to exceed $30,000 in 2009, of which the majority of it is often the venue and the catering minimum that accompanies a venue” said Joanne Orsucci, Events Manager. “With costs on the rise, we see many couples and their families turning to Seattle Parks for beautiful wedding venues that won’t break the bank.”

Based on research from The Wedding Report, 35% of weddings take place at outdoor locations. Depending on the bridal plans, Seattle Parks has hundreds of park locations to choose from, of which more than 40 offer indoor facilities with room capacities ranging from 10 to more than 1,000 people. Popular ceremony and reception locations include:

Hamilton Viewpoint: This northernmost spot in West Seattle looks across Elliott Bay at downtown, the waterfront, and the Cascade Mountains. Hamilton Viewpoint showcases Seattle's urban and natural beauty throughout its 16.9 acres, and accommodates up to 200 people.

Sunset Hill Viewpoint: This romantic lawn with pathway rests on a 300-foot bluff with a magnificent western panorama of Shilshole Bay, Puget Sound, and the Olympic Mountains. The Bay below Sunset Hill Park is alive with sailboats, and you can smell the salt breezes as you gaze far out to the Puget isles and the craggy Olympic skyline. The park accommodates up to 100 people.

Pritchard Island Beach Bathhouse: The bathhouse is located on a 19.1 acre open, grassy beach park on Lake Washington lined with large Cottonwood trees. It has beautiful views of Seward Park to the north and Mercer Island to the east. Pritchard Wetland is a unique haven of native plants and wildlife, just south of Pritchard Island Beach. The bathhouse accommodates up to 85 people.

Each location can be decorated and customized to each couple’s specific theme. Catering can be arranged with a Seattle Parks preferred caterer or an outside caterer. Parks encourages brides and planners to talk with the Events Scheduling Office about the availability and flexibility of the venue of their choice.

Since 1990, Seattle Parks has hosted more than 10,000 weddings. For more information or photos, call 206 684-4081 or visit seattle.gov/parks/weddings.

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