Seattle Wedding Show 2008

Janet Klinger is a wonderful Seattle wedding photographer who has been in the business since 1985. She has the artistic ability to capture incredible shots that showcase emotion, color, movement and style all while making the picture look effortless. She also maintains a fun blog that highlight her professional whereabouts, industry information, personal activities and anecdotes, and local events.

At the Seattle Wedding Show in January, Janet was kind enough to snap some quick shots of our display area and share them with us.

We had a lot of fun at the Seattle Wedding Show this year. Doing wedding shows gives us an opportunity to explore and try different things with decor. Its a balance of experimentation and originality, while still remaining commercially pleasing enough for the thousands of brides-and-grooms-to-be who are passing by. This year, as we were driving to the Convention Center to load in for the event we had a complete change of heart in terms of the design. We pulled over and started sketching out a new display on the back of a receipt. Taking inspiration from a fun black and white linen we had seen at Pedersen’s Rentals the day prior, we quickly revamped the entire look of our space. Our incredible partner’s were able to make adjustments to their contributions to the space and we couldn’t have been happier with the end result. We used the black and white linen from Pedersen’s Rentals, along with their white chivari chairs (accented with chartreuse ribbon), stemware, napkins, and flatware. Rented Elegance supplied white draping…which we had them change out for a more colorful green at the last minute (thanks again guys!) in addition to stylish and whimsical dangling crystals. Christiane of Flora Nova Designs read our minds and decked out the tables with gorgeous floral. She created nine (!) different arrangements that were the icing on the cake of our tables and sitting area. The day before the event we ran around all over town and found perfect accents for the display including candelabras, chargers, and yes, more crystals! All of the last minute scurrying made for an adventure, a fun story…and what we believe was a better (and well received, whew!) booth.

Thanks for the pictures Janet, we really appreciate it.

Here comes the bride, cue the snow!

On March 28th we had the pleasure of coordinating a destination wedding for Ashleigh & Brad in Bend, Oregon. The couple and guests stayed at the fabulous McMenamin’s Old St. Francis School , which also acted as the location for their festive rehearsal dinner.

It was a winter wonderland in Bend, but well worth the trip over the snowy pass to get there. The wedding and reception took place at the phenomenal Blacksmith Restaurant, which was voted one of the top 100 new restaurants in the world by Conde Naste Traveler Magazine, and for good reason. The restaurant is rich with stone, brick, wood, and leather interior, creating a warm backdrop for the couples sophisticated decor. The bride wore a beautiful white gown with red heels. The bridesmaids wore coordinating red heels and black dresses with red accents from J. Crew. The couple opted not to have any flowers in their ceremony or reception, and we had fun creating a warm and inviting environment with tons of candlelight that flickered indoors as the snow started to fall just as the bride came down the aisle. The bridesmaids even carried red frosted cone shaped votives with (LED) tealights in lieu of bouquets. Ashleigh & Brad hoped to be married while it was snowing, and the weather cooperated perfectly. It was dry outside during the day as Foto Vitae & FARfromEARTH Films took advantage of the beautiful surroundings and captured amazing photos and video, respectively.

In another twist on tradition, instead of a wedding cake the couple chose to exchange creme brulee spoons that were fired on the spot! The selection of desserts continued as the night went on and the crowd partied into the wee hours of the morning. Congratulations, and best wishes Ashleigh & Brad!

2 newlyweds + 1 honeymoon = baby!

One of our fabulous 2007 couples, Heide & Gerardo, are having a baby. Shortly after their honeymoon they told us they were expecting. Our reaction was like many others, we started doing the math! Alas, the little girl on the way came to be on their honeymoon…the best wedding present they could ask for.

The couple had a wonderful wedding and reception last year at the iconic Edgewater Hotel known for its history, amazing waterfront view, and gorgeous chandeliers. They both work for Nordstrom, so as you might imagine, it was a stylish and sophisticated affair. Classic black and white served as inspiration for the event. The tone was set right away by beautiful custom invitations by Carly of Little q Designs. Their wedding photographers, Jen & Jody of Jen & Jody Photography took a picture of one of the ballroom chandeliers that served as the cover of the invitation with a design that still has people talking.

Rented Elegance decorated the space with beautiful floral & decor and even supplied extra gardenias for all of the guest tables for added embellishment and a wonderful fragrance. Touches of black ribbon carried through the event at candle bases, curtain tie backs, chair cover sashes, tied around the favors, and delicately placed around the layers of the delicious cake from Jen’s Desserts.

We know they can tie bows, now we’ll find out if they can change diapers. Congratulations Heide & Gerardo!

Here are some pics from their big day.

*inCOLOR - ideas for U* Fun with Save-the-Dates

The wedding invitation should offer guests a glimpse into what to expect to see when they arrive on the big day.  A formal invitation is fitting a black tie event, while an invitation in the shape of a flip-flop could be appropriate for a casual beach wedding.  There are less rules when it comes to save-the-dates.  Many couples opt for a cohesive vision and select save-the-dates that match the rest of the stationary, and others see it as an opportunity too think outside-the-box and really have some fun.  There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to deciding what kind of save-the-date to send out, couples should do what feels natural for them.

We have seen hundreds of great save-the-dates and we are so excited to share this new one with you.  Dasha & Kevin, one of our fabulous 2008 couples from LA, came up with this photoshopped dream of a save-the-date that looks like it could be the cover art for the latest hip CD.  The couple had the photo taken of them with her on the ladder, and then added the background and text in post production.  More than just stylish, note the subtext of climbing the ladder to “save the date” just as one would do so to “save” a cat from a tree top.  Beautiful and thoughtful…just like Dasha and Kevin!

Urban Unveiled mentioned on The Martha Stewart Show!

All we can say is “WOW!” This week was cupcake week on The Martha Stewart Show. On Thursday, Jennifer Shea of Trophy Cupcakes & Party shared her recipe for chocolate graham cracker cupcakes with toasted marshmallows, YUM!

Jennifer mentioned their participation in Urban Unveiled, Seattle’s “high-end” wedding show, and shared a picture from the event of their fabulous mini-cupcake display that was in the style of a wedding dress complete with a “bride,” Trophy’s manager Maggie. (Pictured above - photo by Clare Marie Photography.)

To watch the segment that includes the shout-out to Urban Unveiled (I doubt Martha uses the term “shout-out) click here and then go to the 6th of 8 videos titled “Baking Cupcakes, 2.”

We are thrilled that our Urban Unveiled partner is receiving such wonderful recognition. Trophy Cupcakes & Party is an incredible local company with absolutely fabulous, tasty, and original products. This weekend they will be featuring their now-famous chocolate graham cracker cupcakes with toasted marshmallows at their lovely shop in Wallingford. Make sure to stop by and get one…or two…or three…ok, back to the treadmill!

New Urban Unveiled Pictures

Our dear friend and photographer Clare Marie of Clare Marie Photography recently gave us a disk of pictures she took at Urban Unveiled. It’s hard to believe that the event took place just over a month ago…it feels like it’s been ages since the big night! We’re grateful to have all these pictures to help us remember that Urban Unveiled was real and not just a dream.

For additional pictures feel free to click here to check out Clare’s blog.

Same Love, Same Rights Wedding & Family Expo

This Sunday April 6th from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm, True Colors Events will be participating in the Same Love, Same Rights Wedding and Family Expo Held at the lovely Seattle Marriott Waterfront.

We personally know a number of the vendors who are participating in the show and it is sure to be a great success. This show is free to the public, so it is a great opportunity to meet and mingle with some wonderful local companies who can help make your wedding dreams a reality. Here is some additional information about the show from the event website:

“We are delighted and excited to be bringing our event to Seattle! Join us on Sunday, April 6, 2008 from 12:30-3:30 pm for fun, food, music and much more. The GLBTQ Wedding & Family Expo includes dozens of gay-friendly businesses who are in the wedding market and beyond; they’re all supportive and welcoming of marriage equality! This makes our event the perfect fit for GLBTQ couples who are planning their commitment ceremonies, buying a new home, or expanding their families.”

For more information about the event, feel free to visit the website.

I wish that I had izzy’s girl

izzy girl is a fantastic local invitation company. Janet, the company’s founder, is an artistic force whose creativity is balanced with her grace and ease. She is an absolute delight to work with, and always comes up with fun and original designs that match our couple’s personalities and events perfectly. On Friday, izzy girl was featured on “The Ultimate Wedding Blog” Style Me Pretty, and a number of her designs were showcased. The second picture is a save-the-date for one of our fabulous 2008 couples, Leigh Anne & Dave, who will be getting married at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel is just a couple of months.

On a side note, yesterday we went shopping with the couple to help Leigh Anne chose outfits for a cocktail party and yacht cruise taking place the weekend of their wedding. We went to Luly Yang and selected two dresses that are beyond amazing and we can’t wait for her to debut them! We knew we found the winners when the groom couldn’t pick his jaw up from the floor. Maybe we should call them and make sure he has recovered!

True Colors Events is now a preferred Wedding Planner for The Golf Club at Newcastle

We are very excited to announce that we have been added to the exclusive list of preferred wedding planners at The Golf Club at Newcastle. We have had the pleasure of coordinating weddings for some amazing couples at The Golf Club at Newcastle, and are honored to be on their updated preferred vendor list. The Golf Club at Newcastle was awarded “The Best Place for a Sunset Wedding” in the Seattle Bride “Best Of 2007″ by both the readers of the magazine and local vendors. Take a look at some of the pictures Jim Garner of J. Garner Photography took of Davina & Dallas last fall, and it is easy to see why The Golf Club at Newcastle is worthy of the honor!

When planning your wedding day, remember that you can’t change the time the sun sets (even when you are working with really great planners!). If you want to make sure and get some great sunset shots, make sure to do your research and know what time the sun will be setting, and plan events accordingly to ensure you can duck out for a few moments without interrupting the flow of the evening (the father-of-the-bride probably does not want to have his toast interrupted by the photographer hijacking the happy couple to accommodate the amber glow casting the sky). One great resource we use is the Wedding Planner on The Wedding Channel. At this site you can enter any destination and time of year to find out what time the sun is going to set, learn about typical temperatures and rainfall patterns, and other useful tips and information.

Hey sunset, say cheese!

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

We are pleased to announce that Urban Unveiled SOLD OUT for the second year in a row. It was such an incredible event. We are so grateful for all of the wonderful vendors who created an outstanding event for all of the guests. It was a magical evening and we are still pinching ourselves and asking, “Did that really happen?” Last night the dream of Urban Unveiled became a reality once again, and with Benaroya Hall as the backdrop we could not have asked for a better setting.

It’s fitting that Urban Unveiled was on February 21st, because yesterday Travis and I put in a 21 hour day…up at 6 am, and done at 3 am. Needless to say, the feet are “paining” but the smiles are still there. Sharlane Chase and Clare Marie took wonderful pictures and we will make sure to put some on the blog soon, but in the meantime here are a few shots from my digital camera.

Pictures of our table top display, flowers by Flora Nova Designs.

Event Pictures

The Trophy Cupcake Baker! (If the Baker looks this great, I want to know where the Butcher and the Candlestick maker are!)

Sweets from Tallent House

With a nod to the modern take on Victorian styling of Urban Unveiled 2008, Marie Antoinette inspired cookies by Jen of Jen’s Desserts.

I just realized I took a lot of pictures of dessert…oh yeah, thats how we made it 21 hours, lots of SUGAR!