My Wedding at Salty's at Alki

Where do Seattle Wedding Planners themselves get married? For our venue, I chose Salty’s at Alki!

Located in the beautiful Alki area of West Seattle, Salty’s has arguably one of the most amazing views across the water of the Downtown Seattle skyline. Many people don’t know that this amazing restaurant has a full event space located downstairs. Depending  on your guest count, you can utilize one to three of the adjoining rooms to fit up to 240 seated guests. They have two patios, right outside on the water, perfect for ceremonies and/or cocktail hour, and feeling that cool ocean breeze on your skin.

On top of all that, the food is incredible. Having an in house caterer is often seen as a perk, as you don’t have to seek out yet another vendor, and of course they have the impeccable service down to a T. Another great thing about Salty’s is that you can choose to utilize their wine, or bring in your own for a reasonable corkage fee.

I loved having our wedding in West Seattle because there are so many nearby places to take amazing photos! We ended up renting a VRBO on Admiral Way to get ready in, which also had some amazing views. Check out the some of my favorite shots from our photographer; Courtney Bowlden.

We got married in May 2017. Sometimes I wish we could do it all over again!

Cheers,

Ashley

Principal Wedding Planner and Co-Owner of It’s Your Day Events

It’s Your Day Events is a boutique Wedding Planning agency based in Seattle & Bellingham.

Pi Day Spring Wedding Planner Styled Shoot

Hey Friends! We wanted to finally share some gorgeous images from our Spring (Pi Day) styled shoot. In Mid-March, right before quarantine hit us in the Seattle area, we used our wedding coordination and design skills to team up with the amazing Char Beck to have some fun! Not only did we set about styling a gorgeous table (well, we think so) in bright fun colors, such as the 2020 color of the year, Classic Blue, complete with mini pie’s from The Cakewalk Shop, but we also got some new headshots and team photos! We had so much fun and are tickled blue by how it turned out.

We had so much fun styling this sweetheart table. The linen was a new find from Balancing Balloons and we were so jazzed to showcase it!

The table numbers and name cards were created by our own Mercer, who has recently started her own wedding decor shop, Best Day Ever!

This invite suite is by Minted. One of the benefits of hiring a wedding coordinator is that we make sure that all of the details are photographed!

Aren’t these flowers from Holly Yee Floral Architecture absolutely gorgeous? She completely nailed our vision - surpassing our expectations. She is such a blast to work with and recently wrote a very sweet blog about working with us!

Can we talk about this amazing overhead shot? Yeah, that was Char Beck getting on top of this big orange wobbly scary platform. We are so thankful for his level 10 braveness because this shot is what our dreams are made of! And yes, that is all real food you see on the table! Fresh fruit and rolls and yummy apple, peach & marionberry pies from The Cakewalk Shop.

This gives us all the feels as we are all aching to be able to gather together once again. So many celebrations to be had. Although we typically plan weddings, this tablescape would be perfect for a baby shower, bridal shower, birthday party, intimate wedding, or any type of gathering!

We had so much fun setting this up. It was great to get our whole It’s Your Day Events planning team together! We learned that these big wood tables from Grand Event Rentals are HEAVY & that the studio we were at did indeed have a freight elevator, but it was a little too late (the awesome team at Grand usually loads and unloads these bad boys for you, but since we just needed one, we opted to pick it up ourselves!) Luckily, we were able to use the elevator on the load out…

At the end of the day, we chowed down on some Mexican Food and of course ate our delicious pies and headed home to have some R&R and enjoy the beautiful flowers.

Shout out to the amazing vendor team!

Photos: Char Beck

Floral: Holly Yee Floral Architecture

Signage: Best Day Ever via It’s Your Day Events

Table top rentals: Balancing Balloons

Table & Chairs: Grand Event Rentals

Invites: Minted

Venue: The Trestle Loft

Make-Up: Alexis Michael

Pies: The Cakewalk Shop

Cheers~ xo,

Team IYDE

Ashley, Christina, Sara, Katie & Mercer

Who is It’s Your Day Events?

We are a Seattle, Bellingham and Bremerton, WA based wedding planning, wedding coordination and design agency. What we do is at times difficult to picture because the services we offer are intangible. When you are scrolling through beautiful photos, with stunning flowers, and amazing cohesive design; the magic behind that is the planning, design, and coordination. This is what we do.

We professionally organize, plan, and coordinate the details.

We dot the i's and cross the t's.

We triple check it all once more. 

Then, when the day comes, we watch the wonderment and happiness on your face as your wedding day unfolds, just as you dreamed it would.

Contact us for any wedding planning, wedding coordination or design needs!

What an Initial Consultation with a Wedding Planner is Like

So you’ve decided to hire a wedding planner - Congratulations, you are making a wise choice! There are so many great reasons to, but that is a whole ‘nother blog. Read on below to get an idea of what we go over in our complimentary consultation.

The Basics

First off, we cover the basics, such as your wedding date and venue (if you already have those solidified) and we get to know a little more about the two of you as a couple. We let you know that this meeting is for you and you are welcome to ask questions whenever you like. 

Why do you want to hire a wedding planner or coordinator?

We then dig a little deeper into what you are looking for in a wedding coordinator or planner and what specific questions and concerns you may have when it comes to your day. What stressors can we take off your back? We are here to help you every step of the way, and we’d love to hear more about what we can do to make your vision become a reality. 

Our process

Then we tell you about our process - how we operate, and what you can expect from us while working together. For Full Wedding Planning, we like to have things flow along, we don’t throw 5 things at you all at once to tackle, we take it piece by piece, nailing down the biggest items first. We give you the scoop, from the start of planning until the day-of, right on down to you hopping in your getaway car after we have it packed up with a slice of to-go cake.

Questions

Anything you want to ask us? We love answering questions. Do you want to hear about how we met in 8th grade, or how we got into wedding coordination? No question is too silly or basic, we are an open book, and we want you to feel confident you are making the right decision in hiring us.

Booking Information

Lastly, we go over the details of how to book us. Our contract is signed digitally online and a 30% deposit is all we need to get going.

Farewell and talk soon!

We then send you off to enjoy the rest of your day, letting you know you can reach back out with any questions, and that we’ll hold your date for a week, and hope to talk again soon! 

Voila! Not too scary right? Give us a shout, we’d love to hear from you!

How to Break Up with a Vendor – Suggestions from a Wedding Coordinator

When you first start wedding planning, the whole process can be so exciting! You go out and try to get as much information as you can and talk to as many vendors as you can. During the wedding planning process it is important to shop around for pricing and the right fit but what happens when you have made your final decision and you have to tell another vendor you went with someone else?

In the Wedding Coordination Process Do You Even Need to Tell a Vendor No?

I know that is seems easier to just stop responding to the vendor and slowly they will get the hint and move on. But this technique is not fair to the vendor – or your email inbox! It can be intimidating to make a phone call or send an email and say that you went with someone else but it is the right thing to do! It is awkward but the wedding vendors will be happier if you just tell them instead of ghosting them. Think of it like a date, you want to hear from the person you went out with either way – just not knowing is not a good feeling. The wedding vendor also might have your day reserved so they are turning away other possible clients if you do not contact them. As wedding coordinators, we understand that sometimes another company fits your style, vibe, or budget and other vendors are the same way. The vendors are happy for you and want you to have your dream day whether they are involved or not; they do not take it personally!

Techniques for Letting Wedding Vendors Down Easy:

• Keep it short, sweet and simple!

• Just a quick call or email to say “thank you but we have gone a different direction”

• Be honest! If they ask, tell them why you went with the other vendor – this is a learning process for them too

• Mention that you will keep them in mind when your friends are getting married!

Still Nervous?

This is one of the many great reasons to hire a wedding coordinator or even partial wedding planner because we can do this task for you! We pick between wedding vendors all the time and keep positive professional relationships with them all so let us do the work! This way you can enjoy trying out vendors, food…and cake while we handle the hard conversations about pricing, discounts and letting wedding vendors know who you have chosen.

7 Tips for Planning your Honeymoon

After months of wedding prep, going on your honeymoon is the perfect reprieve from all of that craziness. Dive headfirst into your new journey with your spouse by taking the necessary steps for planning your honeymoon. Everyone imagines a picture-perfect, romantic getaway, but try not give yourself too much work. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to get you started:

Budget for Your Honeymoon 

Don’t forget to factor in the honeymoon when you are settling on your wedding budget! Whether this means setting aside some funds specifically for the honeymoon or cutting back on a few things while you're planning the wedding, you do not want to skip this step. The last thing you want is too be scrambling last minute to find extra cash after the wedding.

Find Your Timeline

Decide together how long you want to stretch out your trip. Honeymoons can be tricky because if they're too long they might lose their magic, but if they're too short, you'll find yourself longing for a little bit more. Be sure to factor in time off of work and cost before you get carried away. Usually, a week to ten days is the average length for honeymoons. Whether you’re headed to far off land or taking a ‘staycation’, make sure you allow yourself enough time to really soak in the wonderment.

Early Bird Gets the Worm

Try to avoid rushing to plan your honeymoon after your wedding if you can. Knocking it out as early as possible can save you a lot of headaches. Early planning can mean better prices and less work down the line. After you decide on your wedding date, everything is fair game. 

Ask for Help

Taking on the task of planning your wedding and honeymoon is no small feat, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Professional wedding planners and travel experts can really lighten the load, and can even give you inside tips. Take advantage of your resources to avoid feeling overwhelmed. This can be especially important if you are planning to go abroad, you don’t want to miss any details that could ruin your trip.

Choose your Location Together

Make sure you are communicating with your partner about your idea of a perfect honeymoon. Be prepared to compromise if you don’t see eye to eye.

Wherever you go on your honeymoon should represent both of your wants and desires. If your idea of a perfect honeymoon is relaxing by the ocean, but your spouse is afraid of sharks, maybe don't plan your trip to Fiji. After all, your first trip as a married couple should be enjoyable for all parties.

Get the Most Out of Your Destination

To kickstart your newly minted bond, plan a few activities for you and your partner to do together. This can be extravagant as a couple’s spa day, or as adventurous as scuba diving, or even as simple as wine tasting. The important thing is finding something you can enjoy together.

Don’t forget to check with your accommodations, as many hotels may offer honeymoon packages. Newly married couples should take advantage of any freebies, like complimentary champagne or even room upgrades. This is the time to put each other first and bask in the post-wedding glow.

Be True to Yourselves

Your honeymoon doesn’t have to follow any rules. Don’t go crazy trying to plan something extravagant if that’s not you. Make sure you're choosing things because you and your spouse like them, not because it’s the latest trend in honeymoons. You'll certainly regret it if you're not authentic to your own interests and desires. 

Talk with your partner and find what is ideal for you, not what is deal for Instagram. If that means holing up in ski cabin instead of an above water hut in the Maldives, do that! There’s no right or wrong way to honeymoon. Relax and relish each other’s company!

-It’s Your Day guest writer, Andee S. 

Intern Call! Seeking awesome intern for late season!

Hello and Happy Spring! We are currently in search of an awesome Seattle area based summer intern to work with us Mid-August through Mid-November.

School credit is available if applicable.

The details:

The Intern will be responsible for assisting with weddings and events on weekends. Additional learning opportunities are available, such as blogging and social media contribution. 

The ideal candidate must be polished, self-motivated, loves weddings, enthusiastic, detail oriented and comfortable being on their feet/active most of the day. They must be able to self-manage and work independently. Growth opportunities are available if the candidate is a right fit to join the event planning team as an Assistant Coordinator. This is a Woman, Best Friend, Co-Owned business. All three of our regular employees started as interns.

This is an extremely part-time position with potential to grow. Currently, we are looking for someone to start as a late-season intern, pay is stipend DOE and time commitment. You would be able to work from home on any assigned tasks, such as blogging or vendor research. The time commitment is approx 1-2 hours a week for non-wedding day work. Occasional attendance at staff meetings required, approximately monthly. On weeks we have weddings the time commitment is approx 12 hours. 

Responsibilities: 

- Assist Lead Planner at weddings (this is a multi-hats position and can include everything from placing table numbers to setting up chairs, getting the DJ a plate of food, to floofing the bride's dress before she walks down the aisle)
- Client and vendor communication
- Vendor research & networking
- Submit real weddings and styled shoots for publication
- Assist in planning market events, such as industry open houses

Desired Skills:
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Must have own vehicle, cell phone, and laptop.
- Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure with limited time frame
- Detail oriented with exceptional level of accuracy and follow-through
- Demonstrated ability to exercise good judgment
- Works well within a team oriented environment
- Flexibility to work from home, some weekend availability required. 
- Ability to prepare written reports and correspondences, and presentations as required
- Agile at prioritizing and managing multiple projects
- Must possess strong communication, time management and collaboration skills; confident, self-starter, independent thinker
{Extra bonus point for candidates with previous event or wedding planning experience!!!}

*You MUST be available 8/17, 9/7, 9/14, 9/21, 11/16 and you MUST live within a 35 mile radius of Seattle.

Compensation:
-Small stipend only of approximately $225 + meals, drinks, parking etc paid for when working. Estimated assistance at 5 weddings in the later season.
-Position opportunity to become our lead set-up & take-down coordinator or more.

Please send your cover letter, resume and portfolio {if applicable} by email. Deadline is 5/15. We will contact if you if we would like to schedule an interview. info@itsyourdayevents.com