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I'm Back!!

Thursday, June 30, 2011
No, I didn't fall off the face of the Earth, I was only in Las Vegas celebrating my sister's Bachelorette Party. Having very limited Internet access, I wanted to focus all of my time and energy on my sister and didn't take my laptop or IPad! I only went through periods of withdrawls.

Once I got back on Tuesday, we went off to celebrate Jackson' 4th Birthday. I can't believe my little man is 4, time has flown. I can still everything the day he was born and just to look at him now is pretty amazing.

Now, I am just getting back into the swing of things while prepping for Jason and Lindsey's Wedding on Saturday.

What Inspires Me Wednesday: Pinterest

Wednesday, June 22, 2011
My new obsession that I have fallen in love with is Pinterest. I love this site because you can create virtual inspiration boards without having to cut, copy and paste like before.

The perfect description of Pinterest comes directly from their Web site.

"Think of Pinterest as a virtual pinboard — a place where you can create collections of things you love and "follow" collections created by people with great taste. People use Pinterest to collect and share all sorts of things -- wedding inspiration, favorite T-shirts, DJ equipment. You name it, people are pinning it."

From now on, I will be uploading all of my Inspiration boards on Pinterest.

Here is a link to my personal Pinterest site: http://pinterest.com/elegantaffairs/.

Reviews from Clients

Monday, June 20, 2011
Elegant Affairs wants every event to be perfect! Lori and her assistants' enthusiasm and dedication to making our wedding meet and surpass our expectations were contagious. In the planning process, Lori was super quick to respond to my emails and was eager to understand and execute our vision during our meetings. She recommended a superb husband and wife photography team that was fun to work with and were within our budget. I appreciate the number of times she updated the timeline of events based on last minute changes and her contacting the officiant so she could properly run the rehearsal in his absence. On the day of the wedding she was extremely attentive to make sure I was as unstressed as possible. Every time someone asked, "Do you have that?" She replied, "Yes, it's in my emergency kit." She also carefully steamed my dress, veil and the bridesmaids dresses to make sure everyone was picture perfect. Lori knew my little brother couldn't be at the wedding because he's a Marine and was unable to get leave for the weekend. Without telling us Lori had one of her assistants record the ceremony with a Flip camera. It was a wonderful surprise when we woke up the morning after the wedding and saw an email with the video link. Lori also sent it to my brother so he could see the incredible moment. Lori and her team were quick to respond to a mini crisis at the reception. The brewery had sent us home with two kegs of IPA when we had ordered a keg of Hefe (my personal favorite) and a keg of IPA. In Lori's desire to make sure things ran as smoothly as possible, she immediately got some Hefe for me so I could drink it with dinner and for the toasts. Lori also followed up with the photographers to let us know when we should be expecting our prints allowing us to enjoy our honeymoon. Lori is one of the hardest working wedding planners in the business and we know Elegant Affairs' success will only continue to grow. Thanks Lori for everything!!!
~ Josh and Jessie Lyle (June 5, 2011)


Lori is amazingly detail oriented and thorough. She is very prompt and respectful of her clients time. Working with her is a breeze because she truly wants her clients to be happy and will do whatever is needed to make that happen. I wanted slushee machines for an event and Lori went the extra mile to get them within my budget dispite venue limitations. Reliability is her hallmark.
~Jennifer Billingsley, Alpha Phi Pacific Northwest Regional Manager


I was the maid of honor for my best friend, Mary Johnson's, wedding on December 18, 2010. The bride had hired Lori as her wedding planner for her wedding day. Lori was a vital piece for Mary's special day. She tactfully delivered a magnificent experience for not only the bride and the groom but, for bridal party and the wedding guests.

As maid of honor, I was lucky enough to work with Lori throughout the wedding planning experience. Lori was enthusiastic, respectful, professional, provided thoughtful advice and created a sense of assurance that Mary's day would be as perfect as she had hoped. Not only was I able to work and talk things out with Lori, but I was able to see first hand how wonderful her relationship with the bride and groom was. Lori had created a relationship with the bride and groom which worked to create a stress free environment and trust in decisions.

From the beginning, she made herself present through out the entire wedding planning process. Due to the fact that the bride was living on the opposite side of the state, Lori took it upon herself to help Mary with planning, preparation and execution of the wedding venue, reception and details. She kept in constant contact and set up many meetings to finalize and discuss plans. Lori was always available for the bride and groom and helped with wedding plans that the bride was not able to complete due to distance. She also provided a sense of calm throughout the whole process.

An experience right before the wedding proves Lori's ability to be a successful wedding planner. I received a frantic call from the bride four days before the wedding. She stated that the wedding reception venue may not work for the wedding day. After word from the bride, Lori took the initiative to search for new possible reception venues and calm the bride as much as possible. In the end, the old reception venue came through and Lori was able to create the desired look for the bride. She was able to come through at the last minute and be the support that we all needed to make the wedding as successful as possible.

On the actual wedding day, Lori was an absolute savior. She guided the wedding party and gave explicit directions in order to make the day glide. She provided order, foundation and made the day enjoyable. She was able to take care of various wedding details so we all could enjoy the fabulous day.

Overall, Lori more than assisted to create such a magical wedding experience. As maid of honor and best friend of the bride, we are both so happy with the wedding experience with Lori. The wedding wouldn't have been the same without her.
~Rachel Ermitano, Maid of Honor


While sitting down with my new husband and discussing our wedding, one person keeps coming up in our conversation- Lori Losee. There are several reasons why we have nicknamed our wedding coordinator our "wedding angel" all of which revolve around the fact that we could not have planned our perfect day without her.

We originally met with Lori almost a year before our wedding and planned on only using her services for the actual wedding day but as planning a wedding across the state proved to be more difficult than I had planned, she helped to make the planning leading up to the wedding stress free.

Between helping us find vendors, coordinating with vendors, offering suggestions, and providing emotional support I could not have survived the wedding planning process without her.

What I truly loved about having Lori as my wedding coordinator was that on my wedding day, she handled literally EVERYTHING! Even though I am sure that there were problems that came up, my groom and I never had to deal with any of them! Lori was able to calm me down so that I didn't cry all of my makeup off, made sure that I actually ate at my reception, and made sure that my husband and I always had a drink in our hands!

My advice to any bride: use Elegant Affairs to coordinate your wedding. Whether your needs are big or small, having Lori Losee as a coordinator will save you headaches, heartaches, and will help you plan the wedding of your dreams!
~Franki & Richard Aquino, December 18, 2010


A big thank you to Lori for being our support system throughout the planning process. Each conversation with her made things feel more doable. Every idea we had for the wedding, whether big or small Lori made it happen or helped us figure out a way to work it out. She was there like a best friend through the process. I never thought I would freak out but I did get extremely stressed at times and she found a way to calm me down and put every fire out!
~Emily and Travis, September 17, 2010


You are amazing, kind, patient, have the best ideas, are the best candy buffet creator ever, etc.

There is no way we could have made it through the planning and wedding without you! I am forever...grateful!

We knew we'd met a wonderful person the first time we met you! As we walked away Bran said to me, "hiring Lori was the best decision we've ever made!" We still feel that way!

Thank you!
~K & B Carroll, August 28, 2010


Simply thanking you seems so little after all that you have done for Katie and Brandon these past months. The wedding and reception were glorious and with your helping, organizing, shaping and guiding us on the wedding day with your most kind husband made everything fabulous. I gazed at what you accomplished in a short window of time, filled with such pride, was amazing. We would never have survived without you. Everyone loved the candy table.
Our gratitude forever,
~Jennifer and John Robertson, Parents of the Bride


As an organized Do It Yourself (DIY) bride on a budget a wedding planner did not enter my stream of thought, until I met Lori Losee. After my initial meeting with Lori in Washington, I went home and told my husband-to-be that I needed a wedding planner because I was starting to worry about the timeline and who was going to keep everything organized on the big day. He reluctantly decided to set up a phone call with Lori after our conversation with Lori he said “your right who is going to run our wedding, and make sure everything goes as planned?” that’s when we decided it was critical to hire Lori as our day of Wedding Planner!

From the day we hired Lori she was on the ground running, contacting our vendors to introduce herself and talk about the details of our big day. As the final two weeks before our wedding approached and we had final meetings with all of our vendors we were delighted to hear that they were all as impressed with Lori as we were.

When Lori arrived in California for our rehearsal dinner and started to run the rehearsal we knew we made the right decision. We did not have to worry about who walked who down the aisle or where people stood instead we could enjoy this special time with family and friends, and when people asked us questions all we had to do was say “Ask Lori the wedding planner!”

As a DIY bride I had many tasks that need to be accomplished on the wedding day to turn my vision in to a reality, and Lori did not shy away from my boxes of things that needed to be set up. When we walked in to our venue on our wedding day and saw the room set up with the table names, place cards, menus, chair covers, favors, programs, and water bottles I knew Lori had been hard at work all day, but she still found time to check on me and my husband as we got ready for the big day. We had so many compliments about how well-organized and wonderful our ceremony and reception was run, which we owe to Lori.

Every bride should be so blessed to have a wedding planner that is caring, calm, resourceful, organized and a pleasure to be around. For any out of town brides that are considering hiring Lori don’t let the distance be a deterrent, she could not have done a better job if she had been in California with us every step of the way. Our wedding day would not have turned out so beautiful without your handwork and dedication. We can truly say without Lori Losee we would not have been able to enjoy our wedding day worry free!

Thank you Lori!
~Ashley and Francisco Medina, July 24, 2010


We decided to hire a wedding planner about a month or two away from our big day so that we wouldn't have to worry about coordinating with all the vendors for our big day. We decided to hire Lori. She was very responsive and always emailed us back very quickly. She also was very pro-active and took charge of getting in contact with our vendors to make sure we were all on the same page before our big day. On the day of the wedding she had brought her staff that helped set up, were very professional, and along with Lori made sure everything ran smoothly. We even forgot the garter midway through the reception, and one of her assistants drove to our house right away to get it! Overall we were very satisfied with the service and attentiveness we received for the price we paid.
~Zach and Jennifer Parsons, June 26, 2010


We met Lori at my best friends wedding. She impressed me with her ability to calm the bride and her organization with the band, the officiant, the food, etc. She communicated effectively with everyone involved and got the job done with such ease, that the bride and groom were able to enjoy their special day without having to worry about the details. I knew when I got engaged, that I wanted to work with her. Sure enough, she was wonderful to have at our wedding as well. She met with us on multiple occasions, had great ideas and money saving tips, that she was beyond helpful in making sure that we did not go over our budget. We actually had our photographer bail out of our wedding just a few weeks before our wedding day, and Lori made arrangements immediately to find us a new photographer. At her suggestion, we found a great photographer, and couldn't be happier! She was also amazing to have on the wedding day. She let me know exactly what my husband and I needed to do and what to expect as the day progressed. We did not have even one thing go wrong on the wedding day, and I feel that it was 100% because of Lori. I recommend her for all of my engaged friends and encourage anyone who is looking for a wedding planner to go with her. She is truly amazing! You will have no regrets!
~Tina and Mike Hafferman, June 21, 2010


Thank you for all of your assistance and support that you provided prior to and on the day of our wedding. From the first contact, we could sense your reliability and professionalism as well as your energetic and kind personality. You made our wedding day so enjoyable and stress-free. We had so many compliments about how well-organized and wonderful our ceremony and reception was. Every bride should be so lucky to have a wedding planner like you. Our wedding day could not have turned out so beautiful without your handwork and dedication.
~Diana and Mike, August 15, 2010


Lori did a good job with our wedding. Even though there were some bumps on the day of the wedding, none of the guests could tell, and I owe that to Lori. Lori ensured I had everything I needed the day of my wedding, she even made a pit stop at Southcenter mall on a Saturday afternoon to get me a last minute necessity - I don't even dare to go to that mall on Saturday afternoon. The wedding ceremony and reception went very smooth; everyone thought it was perfect, just as we planned, and we had a GREAT time. Lori made our vision come to life.

Lori doesn't just look at this as a job; she really does care about her clients. My Matron of Honor accidentally threw out my enhanced driver’s license during the whole wedding madness and without the license I didn't know if I would be able to take our honeymoon cruise. The cruise line suggested I bring my marriage certificate with me to the terminal, but Lori took it with her at the end of our reception to mail it in for us. I called Lori and left a message explaining the circumstance to her. Even though it was a Sunday afternoon after a hard day’s work and she was spending time with her family she went out of her way to bring me the certificate - I don't think a "normal" coordinator would have done that. Everything worked out fine and I got on the cruise, but I was very stressed on Sunday and Lori helped me calm down immensely.
~Krista and Eric Herman, April 17, 2010


Lori did such an amazing job coordinating the Alpha Phi Foundation collegiate donor reception at the Pacific Northwest Regional Conference! Really above and beyond. From the overall big picture, down to the minute details – like putting Alpha Phi logo stickers on the plastic candy bags. The whole event was well orchestrated. She incorporated red paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling, red focused candy in large glass jars, cocktail tables with red candles, yummy desserts – just the works! Lori really listens to what you want, and lets her imagination take hold. The opportunities with her are truly limitless…
~Lauren Vandeveer, Development Officer for Alpha Phi Foundation


We decided to hire Lori as our Day-of-Wedding Coordinator a month or two before our wedding, and it is was a great decision! At first we thought we could do everything on our own, especially since our vision seemed simple and we had a lot of friends and family to help. But as the wedding date drew closer, the amount of coordination seemed like it would overwhelm our ability to enjoy the day, and that is when we called Lori. I felt so much better and less stressed after our very first meeting with Lori. She was organized, on time, and helped me prioritize what needed to be done before our next meeting. I am not someone who has dreamed about her wedding her whole life, so I really appreciated having Lori give me ideas or point out things I might want to consider. She really helped me feel that what needed to be done was manageable and that she would take care of any problems so that Matt and I could enjoy our day. Lori was at the rehearsal and it was so wonderful to have her there directing everyone. We all had a clear understanding of how the ceremony would go the next day and I was able to enjoy the evening instead of fielding questions. At the ceremony, Lori and her assistant were so wonderful, making sure everything went well. The chairs were set up exactly the way I had hoped, and Lori even made beautiful name tags to hang on the chairs for family. During the reception, I later found out that Lori helped things run smoothly when the refrigerators stopped working! I never knew until someone told me after the wedding. It just illustrates what a great decision it was to hire Lori. Instead of dealing with mishaps and figuring out who would go get ice, Matt and I were able to completely enjoy our wedding, unaware of any chaos that might be going on. We had a wonderful, wonderful wedding and we are so glad we hired Lori so that we could enjoy and experience our day as much as possible. Thank you Lori.
~Emily Barlow and Matt Currie, August 23, 2009


How could we have done it without you (Elegant Affairs)? You were simply amazing and we are so happy that you (Elegant Affairs) were a part of our day. You executed our vision perfectly and we love you guys.
~Erin Wigger and Mat Szwajkos, August 15, 2009


Thank you again for everything, Lori. You are wonderfully sweet, knowledgeable, resourceful, organized, and the best part – totally calm. You made everything so seamless and perfect. I received many, many compliments from our guests after the event that our wedding was the most fun and enjoyable one that had ever attended – and you deserve much of the credit for those words. Best of luck to you!
~Maris Olsen, Mother of the Bride


Thank goodness we hired Lori Losee! She was a wedding life saver! I am one of those people who thinks they can do anything on their own and so when it came to our wedding I tried to plan it all to save us money and only thought I would need help the day of. I found Lori at the Tacoma wedding expo after going to many and found her to be the most affordable which was most important. During the planning process she made herself very available by phone and email to ease my stresses and the planning meetings were very thorough and helpful. The day of the wedding I felt kind of worn out after all the planning stress, and it was such a breath of relief to have Lori there by our sides reassuring us that everything was going to be ok. It was nice to have someone else ordering people around instead of having to be bridezilla, trust me. Well as hard as I worked and checked every detail I thought I needed to, just about everything ended up having a snafoo in it and Lori somehow was quick and inventive to handle every situation. At the end of the night we had an amazing wedding of great memories that could have been really disastrous. I would highly recommend Lori Losee for wedding coordinating and more than just the day of service because she is awesome!
~Kelsey and John Titus, August 8, 2009



My husband, Jim, and I met later in life. We’re both in our mid-fifties, working full time. Planning the wedding at this stage of my life was fun, but very time-consuming. We decided to hire a wedding coordinator for the day of the ceremony and the rehearsal. Having Lori available for email consults, which she graciously provided, really helped me remember all the details I needed to. I mistakenly assumed I would have everything under control. Needless to say, as the wedding got closer I started feeling and acting like a “bridezilla.” Lori’s reassurances that things were under control kept me sane! The gifts for the groomsmen didn’t arrive until after we had to leave for the hotel. Lori made a special trip from her home in Puyallup up to Seattle to pick up the groomsmen’s gifts and brought them with her to the hotel. Wow! Once Lori showed up at the hotel, I was able to relinquish the details to her and enjoy a beautiful celebration with my husband-to-be, family, and friends. She coordinated every detail, from overseeing the ballroom decorations to making sure Jim had his preferred choice of soft drink waiting for him at our table. I’m not sure if I could tell you everything she did because she operated so seamlessly! What I do know is that she took care of every detail. The reception ran smoothly and on schedule because Lori seemed to effortlessly make it happen. While we were dancing and enjoying ourselves, Lori and her assistant took some of the white roses used to decorate the reception to our hotel suite and sprinkled rose petals and chocolates on the bed. Our wedding day was on one of the rare truly hot days we occasionally experience here. Lori made sure we had cool drinks before and after the ceremony. We ladies could remain in the air conditioned hotel room and she made sure we were where we needed to be when we needed to be there. While taking pictures after the ceremony, she not only brought me comfortable shoes she put them on my feet!
Hiring Lori as a wedding day coordinator was the best gift we could have given ourselves!
~Jim & Cathy English, July 25, 2009


I would recommend Lori and Elegant Affairs to anyone! I met Lori at the Tacoma Fall Wedding Expo in 2008. I figured I could do everything myself for my wedding, but about a month out I felt overwhelmed and wanted some guidance and someone to oversee the big day. I met with Lori two times before the rehearsal and she gave me a ton of ideas, I had never even heard of. We went over the perfect way to thank my parents in the toast, wedding songs, where to have people stand in the ceremony and a hundred other things.

When the rehearsal came, I was feeling indecisive and didn’t want to make even more decisions. Lori stepped in and helped me choose when other people wanted to let me choose and I really needed the help of someone who had been there multiple times before. She met with me after the rehearsal and we went over all the stuff I brought for the wedding. Finally the big day arrived and I was so glad to have Lori there helping me. She brought everything I needed (including last minute golf tees to put in the ground so the groomsmen would know where to stand, and the roses we used down the aisle) and directed all of the festivities: including putting bows on the backs of the chairs for the special guests, handing out all of the checks to the vendors and generally watching over every last detail.

My mom especially loved how Lori was able to move people from one place to another without being intrusive at all. At the end of the night Lori and her assistant Lilly were there handing out my favors to everyone before we left. I had a day of event coordinator with my venue, but I AM SO GLAD we hired Lori to be another day of coordinator. The venue coordinator was great for being in charge of the food and all of that side, but I know I would have been stressed without Lori. I wish I would have contacted her sooner to get even more ideas, but having her as the day of coordinator still made all the difference. Bottom line, if you, your dad, your fiancé or someone else involved in the wedding is unsure about hiring a wedding planner, just remember this: my dad is one of the most frugal people you will ever meet and he said Lori’s help was worth every penny and then some.
~Rachael Odom-Parsons, July 24, 2009


Lori was absolutely fantastic in helping us plan for our wedding. Lori had great insight on how we should plan our wedding given our budget, and was more than willing to meet with us to work things out. The most important thing for us was to have everything run smoothly on the day of the wedding, and Lori was more than organized! Even though we had family and friends that volunteered to help, we wanted to make sure they didn't have to worry about anything, and Lori made that possible. We really don't know how we could have organized everything without Lori. Even if you think you have everything in place and planned, something is bound to go wrong. She was there to put out any fires before we even knew there was a problem. Because of Lori we were able to actually just enjoy the day!
~Sean and Lacey Kinney, June 13, 2009


We hired Lori for our “Day Of” wedding coordinator, and were very pleased with the wedding coordination she provided. Lori’s service was invaluable when it came to our ceremony. She coordinated the set-up of our rental items and decorations for the church. Lori attended our wedding rehearsal to become fully knowledgeable about the order of the ceremony, and she kept everyone on track on the wedding day—the seating music and ceremony began right on time, she gave the pianist his cue for the four processional songs, and she provided cues for all 22 members of the bridal party when it was their turn to walk down the aisle. Lori is very good with children, and when the three eager flower-girls attempted to walk down the aisle before the ring-bearers, Lori swiftly and calmly got them into the correct order in plenty of time. At the wedding reception, Lori coordinated with the banquet contact and the DJ to make sure everything ran smoothly for our Grand Entrance and other events. She checked in with me multiple times to see if anything was needed. Lori understood my “vision” for the day, and this allowed me to just relax and enjoy, and to soak up every wonderful moment without worrying about the details! We are very thankful for Lori’s help. Looking back, I can truly say that hiring Lori was one of the best decisions we made!
~Andy and Ashley Hay, May 30, 2009


Lori was exactly what we needed. We were about a month or so away from the wedding and realized we were going to need some professional help for the big event. Lori was exactly who we were looking for - someone personable and friendly, but also professional and knowledgeable. We're grateful to Lori and her assistant for all their help - our wedding was expertly run and we didn't have to worry about a thing! If we had to do it all over again, we would hire her from the beginning!
~Steve and Laurel Bierman, April 25, 2009


Congratulations on a job well done! The Pacific Northwest Conference was a success due to your thoughtful planning and attention to detail. I know the collegians went back to campus with a new vision for their chapters! Thank you for sharing your experience and talents with Alpha Phi. Our fraternity is stronger because of your efforts.
~Susan Sherratt, Alpha Phi International Executive Board Member


Lori was a pleasure to work with throughout the entire process. Her partnership during the entire planning process as well as while she was on-site assured a great event! Lori’s attention to detail and excellent communication skills made it possible to effectively share her expectations with our operations team. I look forward to working with her again in the near future!
~Jennifer Der, Sr. Catering Sales Manager at the Doubletree Hotel San Francisco Airport


After working with Lori Losee, we would highly recommend her to anyone with event planning needs. Her attention to detail and can-do attitude alleviated many of the stresses that would normally occur in planning a big event. Our wedding went off without a hitch, and it was due in no small part to the efforts of Lori!
~ Amy and Mike Sachwitz, January 17, 2009


Words cannot express the gratitude that we have for Lori and the amazing job she did on our wedding. Her professionalism and attention to detail is immeasurable and without her our day would not have been as perfect as it was. We cannot count the amount of times that Lori went out of her way and beyond her list of duties, all with a smile and without us asking. She is a fantastic recourse for ideas, an amazing supporter, and a great project manager. Hiring Lori was one of the best wedding decisions we made. We would hire Lori again in a heartbeat and cannot stop raving about her to everyone we talk to. The pictures are proof enough of her amazing work.
~Erin and TJ Corkins, May 10, 2008


We would recommend using Lori Losee to plan your wedding for many reasons. Every time we met with Lori she was always happy and smiling, this made us feel at ease. Lori is very organized which helps because at times you may feel pulled in many different directions on what to plan for next and in what order, she was able to help us organize and prioritize what was most important on our list of things that needed to be done before our wedding day. She was always very easy to reach and get a hold which prevented things from being held up or delayed. Our wedding planning went smoothly; we even started our wedding on time! She is very knowledgeable and gave us many ideas for what we could do and showed us ways to be smart with our money and get the most out of our budget we had set for our wedding. We were very thankful to have Lori to guide us through this time and would highly recommend her for your wedding!
~A &T, December 17, 2005

Etsy Monday: GarterLady





I found this great vendor on Etsy by chance when looking for today's find and its GarterLady. These beautiful garters adds the perfect amount of risque and elegance to any bride's leg. Check out my favorite garters.

Star Wars birthday party

Sunday, June 19, 2011
For my son's 4th  birthday party, all he wanted was Star Wars. After visiting the Star Wars exhibit a few months back at the Pacific Science he became obsessed with it. After doing some research online for birthday party examples I am came with a basic idea, but it wasn't until I found a design for an amazing invitation from Sandy Ford Designs. Sandy hand drew Jackson's face onto his birthday invitation  and there got the idea for a black and yellow theme that spawned the rest of the decor and dessert table. For decor, I created a Stars atmosphere by stringing black and gold stars on my family room/dining room ceiling.

For the dessert table, I created a black and yellow ribbon background with several black and gold stars that highlighted the table. I used Sandy's water bottle label to cover several bottles. As for yummy goodies, I made, from scratch chocolate and vanilla cupcakes frosted with yellow buttercream and topped with Star Wars characters. I made chocolate and vanilla cake pops covered in black and yellow sugar. I baked Star Wars cookies from the William Sonoma set and frosted them in royal icing. I also hand dipped in candy pretzels that were a big hit of the group followed up with whoopie pies I made with yellow filling, this treat was my mom's favorite. The only two items that I didn't bake but picked up at Fred Meyer were the chocolate mini donuts and my favorite Italian cookies that closely resembled the Death Star.













To thank the kids for coming, Jackson on his own picked out his favors that included a pack of Star Wars fruit snacks, tattoos, stickers, Light Saber ribbon, rubber ball, pack of Sixlets, candy necklace, Star Wars Pez and thumb wrestler along with a blow-up red light saber.

What Inspires Me Wednesday: My boys

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Two of my greatest inspirations are my boys; Grant (6) and Jackson (turns 4 on June 28). From my interactions on a daily basis as my first and most important job is being a stay at home mom, I learn something new everyday from them. By just sitting back and watching them is hours and hours of endless entertainment. From their playtime to the the words that come out of their mouths is always an adventure. I know I become a better wife, mother and wedding & event planner because of them. Everything I do is because of my husband and boys and I thank them for being part of my life.

Pretty in Pink Bridal Shower

Tuesday, June 14, 2011
To celebrate the upcoming nuptials of my baby sister in August, I hosted a Pretty in Pink Bridal Shower for her bridesmaids and friends. From the beautiful invitations created by gypsygraphics, whom I found on Etsy.com to decor and food, pink was the color. Thanks to some of my favorite vendors, Barb and Linda of A Tailored Affairs for the gorgeous pink linens and Chris Skilton of Always Adorable Flowers for the beautiful flowers and most importantly to my mother for helping throw a great shower for the bride to be.

Beginning with the decor, I created a dessert table backdrop complete with two shades of pink ribbon that hung down to highlight a handful of cupcakes. Another great craft I found online was a yarn pom pom garland that was strung in the kitchen as guests entered the party. For flowers, I wanted to create a splash of color that highlights my beautiful sister. Chris from Always Adorable Flowers helped me to select the perfect flower combination of pink roses, peonies, Gerber daisies and lilies that I placed in large square vases.

As for the food to go along with the pink theme, I made made cupcakes, cake pops, macaroons, popcorn covered in pink edible glitter and an amazing fruit tray and other yummy treats that are my sister's favorites.

When it came to game time, we played we played a few games from the clothes pin game, where guests were not allowed to say, "wedding, bride or Morgan (name of groom)." This was  fun game that really got all of the ladies watching their choice of words. We also played the purse game, where there were 20 items that I asked the guests to find in their purse. The first to hold up the item wins that round. Items included, pink lipstick and nail polish, calendar with the wedding day marked, 1982 (year of bride's birth) coin to a library card. The standard bridal shower toilet paper wedding dress was played followed by a Bridal Quiz where the bride had to anticipate the answers that her groom would answer to a series of questions that I videotaped.

The Bridal Shower was a great way to show our love to my sister and I want to thank everyone who came to celebrate.










Etsy Monday: Favor Bags

Monday, June 13, 2011
When I was looking for unique ideas for favors for some upcoming events for clients, I came across these adorable  100% woven cotton muslin drawstring favor bags that are "great for filling with candies and small favors." The creator JennifersCookies based out of Atlanta, Georgia. These bags, which can be customized come in a variety of sizes. In he shop, she has hundreds of different designs for any event.

Here are just a few samples of her amazing work:







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