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Elegant Affairs | Seattle Wedding Planner

10116 36th Ave. Ct. SW. Suite #12
Lakewood
253-279-6485
We create awe-inspiring weddings + events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision that is unique to you.
 
 

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Elegant Affairs | Seattle Wedding Planner

Wedding Tips + Tricks | You’re Engaged So Now What?

October 22, 2019 Lori Losee

Getting engaged can come in a whirlwind and often times knock you right off your feet. You don’t know how to start planning because you don’t even know what to begin with, and it can spiral out of control into stress overload from there. Never fear our beautiful brides-to-be and handsome almost-husbands! Elegant Affairs is here to help you map out your big day beginning with the basics. There are a few key areas we want to spotlight for you two that will make everything else that follows SO much easier.   

Notify family, friends, and the rest of the world! First thing’s first…take a deep breath and call everyone you know.  All your loved ones want to be included on this monumental event and they also want to be aware that there is a wedding in their future!

Choose a date. This doesn’t have to be immediate because there is absolutely no timeline on when you decide to tie the knot. It could be in 6 months or 2 years; it’s completely up to you and yours. Just remember that you’ll want to send your Save the Dates as soon as you can to secure that time frame on guest’s calendar. So, as soon as you do decide on a date, get those calendar markers out there. Serious planning and strategizing will begin to take place after you take this step.

Brainstorm. Everyone is different. Some people have been dreaming about their weddings since they were a little kid and others could care less as long as the respective parties are there signing the correct legally binding documents. During this stage, let your ideas get the best of you. Go through magazines and pluck out the pages that inspire your creative side, it doesn’t even matter what it is. Maybe it’s a color you really love or a scene of a field of wildflowers. Let yourself add anything you see and like to your list of décor, venue, food, beverage, dress, dessert, etc. ideas. You can sift through all of this when you start getting more serious about details.

Ring rangs. Get that finger sized and pick out a ring with your fiancé that you’ll look forward to wearing for the rest of your life. This is a simple step but often gets overlooked because of that very reason, sometimes on the verge of almost forgotten. Note for the day of; make sure you have a responsible ring bearer.

Engagement pictures. Not everyone takes engagement pictures and you certainly don’t have to if you don’t want to. However if this is something you plan on doing, the sooner, the better. These photos can be sent with your Save the Dates if you’d like, which are always important to send out as soon as you set a date so guests can mark it on their calendar. They are also another added expense, so it’s better to spread out the wedding costs to make them easier to keep up with.

Last, but certainly not least, hire your girls at Elegant Affairs! 

Okay all, after you get these small tasks marked off on your to-do list, planning can really take off! The beginning always starts off a little rocky, but as soon as the basics are under your belt you will feel so much better and excited to continue planning. And don’t forget; Lori and her team are always here to help if you need the extra hand! Happy planning! 

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Wedding Tips + Tricks | How to keep your guests entertained

October 15, 2019 Lori Losee
A way to keep your guests entertained with dinner: trivia about the couple and our favorite: The Shoe Game.

A way to keep your guests entertained with dinner: trivia about the couple and our favorite: The Shoe Game.

This week’s Wedding Tips + Tricks comes from a great questions from one of our 2020 brides. She asked about keeping those guests who don’t want to dance entertained.

While most of your wedding reception is filled with toasts and dancing, not all guests are enthused about dancing as others here are some fun ideas to keep everyone entertained through the night. Keep your options open, while also taking into consideration of the weather and venue.

Guests love lawn games! They keep guests of all ages happy. From giant jenga, cornhole to croquet and even a game of Beer Pong, you can’t go wrong with games. If you like the idea of games but maybe you don’t have an outdoor option, think about a games area (board games, cards, puzzles).

Photo by Sarah Harris Photography

Photo by Sarah Harris Photography

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If you have a creative crowd, why not offer an arts and crafts section. Have a variety of art mediums like chalk, paint, markers and crayons. This could be a fun guest book idea (for example, have guests do Mad Libs, colors photos of the couple, decorate puzzle pieces). Why not set-up a fabric station where guests can write well wishes on squares to be included in a quilt that you'll cherish throughout your marriage.

Seattle wedding planner | wedding tips and tricks

We also suggest to have soft seating areas for guests who want to stay for the duration of the reception but not on the dance floor. A nice comfy couch, chairs and a coffee and/or end tables help to make guests feel welcome.

Photo by Lloyd Photographers

Photo by Lloyd Photographers

Photobooths. They are a great addition to any wedding reception and can provide hours of fun and have a variety of fun and crazy props that will keep your guests coming back.

Photo by Andie Avery Photography

Photo by Andie Avery Photography

For the more adventurous couples and wedding guests maybe think about a Tattoo Bar. This is a fun yet permanent or non-permanent reminder of your reminder. Choose tattoos that reference the couple and their love story.

Seattle wedding planner | wedding tips and tricks

And finally, other entertainment options:

  • Magician who can perform up-close and card tricks

  • A Wedding Caricature Artist

  • Live Wedding Painting

  • Arcade/Gaming Station

  • Wedding Scavenger Hunt

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Wedding Tips + Tricks | To Seat or Not to Seat

October 8, 2019 Lori Losee
Photo by Shane Macomber Photography

Photo by Shane Macomber Photography

When it comes down to the details of your wedding one important decision that needs to be made is whether or not to make a seating chart for your guests. Typically, when you are having a sit-down plated dinner, most caterers ask for a seating chart including place cards for the guests to help determine dinner assignments.

For a buffet-style dinner reception, it is up the bride and groom to decide on a seating chart. One big advantage electing for a seating chart is to ensure that families and couples are guaranteed to sit by each other. Either you can assign a table with a escort card table or an actual seat (place card already at the seat and signage directing guests to their table).

Escort Cards: Displayed near the entrance of the reception in alphabetical order, they usually include the guest's name and table number. Used in the most formal seating plans, escort cards usually contain the guest's name on the outer envelope, and their table number on the card inside. Place cards await guests at each table, designating their seats.

Photo by Arlene Chambers Photography

Photo by Arlene Chambers Photography

Place Cards: We typically see Place cards used at more formal events. These are cards that do exactly what they say... they tell your guests their "place" at their table. It will have their name on it and if you've had them select a specific entree will usually have some way to designate their entree choice (color, ribbon, etc).

Photo by Melissa Kilner Photography

Photo by Melissa Kilner Photography

The Seating Chart: Usually displayed alphabetically in a pretty frame or another creative fashion near the entrance of the reception, seating charts are lists of guests' names with their designated tables.

Photo by Sara Parsons Photography

Photo by Sara Parsons Photography

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