Seattle Waterfront Wedding | Alaina + Rick | Seattle Tennis Club

Photographer: Ciccarelli Photography | Videographer: Austin Smith Media | Wedding Planner: Elegant Affairs | Florist: Distinctive Design Florist | Ceremony Venue: St. Joseph Catholic Parish | Reception Venue: Seattle Tennis Club | Beauty: Brag Salon | Transportation: British Motor Coach | Cake: Cakes by Frosted | Wedding Dress: Suzanne Neville | Band: Mr. Chris Norton | Musician: Maestro Pasquale | Rentals: Alexander Party Rentals + Pedersen’s Event Rentals | Lighting: LightSmiths | Accommodations: The Edgewater

You never quite fully grasp just how small our world truly is until a simple phone call can show you how!

Back in June, we received a phone call from Alaina who needed someone to perfectly execute her July nuptials to the love of her life Rick in just 6 weeks. The bride, a project manager for Apple explained how she planned and replanned her black-tie wedding at Seattle Tennis Club and was looking for the right person who could do it.

After some small talk about them as a couple and how they fell in love, I asked the bride where she grew up and she said Tacoma and a little light bulb went off in my head. Now, here is where our worlds collided. I found out that we grew up in the same area (Northeast Tacoma/Browns Point) and had known my younger sister since middle school and were in the same graduating class at Stadium High School (Go Tigers!). I knew immediately, I wanted to be Alaina’s girl friend to make her dream wedding come to fruition.

As soon as the contract was signed, we got to work. Now, as a Seattle Wedding Planner I can always appreciate an organized bride, Alaina took the top prize. She had the most incredible visual and logistical plan (including the most amazing diagrams and layouts). Working with Alaina was so much fun and I loved meeting Rick at the tasting where I really got to know both as a couple and just fell in love with them.

When wedding day arrived, our team was tasked with transforming the waterfront lawn at Seattle Tennis Club into the perfect summer wedding that anyone has ever seen.

Working with an incredible team of vendors and the staff at the STC, we worked to execute the couple’s vision despite the extreme heat and wind, but we preserved and when guests arrived onsite after the couple’s wedding ceremony at a neighboring church, the party was in full gear.

We loved working with the musical stylings of electric violinist Pasquale. He is such a skilled musician and the perfect complement to the evening.

As guests were seated for dinner, that’s when I was the most excited. Coming all the way up from LA, Mr. Chris Norton band took the stage, and I could now see why our couple had hired them. I have never in my 16 years of wedding planning had a full band perform the way they did. My favorite part of the evening was when the band paid tribute to our high school where the movie 10 Things I Hate About You was filmed by playing You’re Just Too Good to be True. It was a true crowd pleaser!

Now, the party didn’t end once the band performed their incredible encore, guests were invited up to the venue’s ballroom where they were greeted with dance music and dined on mini grilled cheese sandwiches and the tastiest French Fry bar!

Alaina and Rick had the wedding they had been waiting a very long time for and I was so grateful to be a small part of their big day!

Congrats Alaina + Rick and I can’t wait to go drinks to celebrate! I suggest later on this month for your 6-month anniversary!

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Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Seattle Wedding Planner with over 16 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.

Rock Creek Gardens | Adry + Jeff | Puyallup, WA.

Photographer: Wild Felt Photography | Planner: Elegant Affairs | Venue: Rock Creek Gardens | Florist: Lilyput Weddings | Beauty: Kayla Kollection Artistry | Caterer: Gallucci’s | Rentals: American Party Place | Dessert: Better Than a Boyfriend Bakery | DJ + Photobooth: DJ Kidd 206

When you think about the perfect summer garden wedding in the PNW, look no further than Jeff + Adry’s big day at Rock Creek Gardens in Puyallup, WA.

Planning for a July wedding, you never quite know what the weather would be like, and in 2021 you could never trust Mother Nature, but we sure lucked out this day with the most incredible weather.

I first started working with this incredible couple 8 months before their big day and we worked so great together creating the dream team of vendors to perfectly execute the bride’s vision.

One of the best things about this wedding venue is that it’s so gorgeous you really don’t need to do much only accent the beauty that is the gardens.

Erica, from Lilyput created a perfect arbor piece along with stunning centerpieces and personal flowers. The bright bold colors were a perfect complement to the white arbor and tent.

What I loved most this day was Jeff’s reaction when he first saw his bride walking down the aisle. Since these two chose not to do a first look, his face said everything without him saying one word. It was such a beautiful moment that was so memorable.

My favorite part of the day was being able to be part of the bride + groom photos after the ceremony. Normally, when this happens, I am setting up so to be part of this special moment was everything to me. I loved working with Amber from Wild Felt Photography. She is so amazing and so great about making her couples feel comfortable and it truly showed in their photos.

As the party started to get into gear after a decision dinner and dessert bar, I was able to help the bride get dancing ready by bustling her dress, which leads to my biggest piece of advice to any all brides who will have a bustle.

When you go in for your final fitting, make sure you bring someone who will be there on wedding day who can learn just how the bustle actually works and even practices it there a few times until you feel comfortable for the wedding day. Make sure to take photos and/or a video if the bustle is quite complicated. Luckily I am an expert bustler so I made quick work of Adry’s dress, but it was a little tricky.

After making her dancing ready, the final step was making a new garter for the bride as hers was left at the hotel. First, we tried making one out of greenery but it wasn’t going to hold together so then we found the next best thing, a napkin (don’t worry it was an unused one)! One thing you know as a wedding planner is that you need to be ready for anything and everything and we are the MacGyver of the wedding industry!

Thank you, Jeff, + Adry for choosing me to be part of your epic day!

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Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Seattle Wedding Planner with over 16 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.

Blue Hydrangea Inspired Wedding | Charlie + Eleanor | Port Gamble

Photographer: Tonie Christine | Videographer: Belscope Films | Wedding Planner: Elegant Affairs | Florist: Oak and Fig Floral | Venue: Port Gamble Weddings | DJ: Dubreezy Entertainment | Rentals: Cort Party Rental | Caterer: Essence of the Thymes | Wedding Dress: I Do Bridal | Beauty: Salon Maison | Bartender: Kitsap Bartending Services | Photobooth: 321 Foto | Dessert: Better Than a Boyfriend Bakery

888 days! That’s how long these two were together before they exchanged I Dos and started their life as husband and wife.

Charlie and Eleanor were destined to be together. From both being born in the UK not too far from one another to their chance meeting and reunion a year later, these two started to build their foundation as friends before starting a relationship.

Working together for nearly a year, I quickly fell in love with these two, especially fellow Coug Charlie. Their love for one another was infectious and they are just two of the most genuine people you will ever come across and that even extended to their families who are just as lovely.

From our first meeting at their venue a year prior to their wedding, Eleanor had a clear vision of her wedding and it revolved around one thing…a blue hydrangea.

The color of this flower was perfect as it was the same color as the inside of St. Paul’s the church where they would get married, officiated by the bride’s best friend Amanda.

The hydrangea was represented throughout their wedding, from their stationery to their décor including their stunning centerpieces created by Shane of Oak and Fig Floral who truly captured the vision for this beautiful July day.

In addition to the floral inspiration, the couple knew there was one part of their party that needed to be present and that was the Bustender, a custom-built 1973 VW Bus mobile bar. It was truly the best way to welcome their guests into their reception in addition to the champagne walls.

It was just so easy working with these two as we navigated the planning process and were ready for any outcome that the pandemic threw their way. We had plans for a wedding as small as 35 but we lucked out when they could have their entire guest count. We were only missing their family members from the UK who were not able to travel for the nuptials.

Wedding day was just a fun one. I don’t think I have ever laughed at a wedding as much as I did for this one. You could really feel the love from their friends and family and that translated throughout their celebration including the incredible toasts and that even included a choreographed dance by the groom’s sisters.

As the dance party went into night, the two exited their reception under a sparkler canopy, the perfect way to end their 888 day-relationship that has now turned into a marriage.

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Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Seattle Wedding Planner with over 16 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.