How to Choose a Ring for a Lifetime

Your engagement and wedding rings are the pieces of your wedding that you’ll enjoy every day throughout the years as a reminder of your love for each other. It is important that you choose rings that are a true reflection of your style.

Gentlemen, this can make choosing the right engagement ring quite a challenge. You may want to surprise her, but at the same time you want to choose something that she really likes. The following are a few tips to help make the ring selection process a simple and joyful experience:

• Pay attention to your fiancé-to-be’s comments on other women’s jewelry. If she really likes something, she will most likely comment on it. This applies to more than just rings – bracelets, necklaces, and earrings can all give you a sense of her style.

• Keep in mind any jewelry wearing challenges your significant other might face. If they are active or athletic, need to wear gloves often, or work with materials that catch easily on jewelry, consider a lower profile ring.

• Determine if she prefers yellow gold, white gold, platinum, or a combination of metals for her band.

• Take pictures of her favorite jewelry pieces and bring them on your hunt for the engagement ring. You can also collect advertisement pictures that she may have commented on.

Take all of the above information with you when you first meet with your jeweler. It will help them to narrow down the options and help you make a selection your significant other will love. Know your budget limitations and look for a jeweler who will help you work within your budget.

If you find that you have no idea where to begin with the perfect setting and you still want the engagement to be a surprise, you can also consider choosing the stone to be featured in a simple engagement ring. You can present this ring with the intention of your fiancé working with a personal jeweler to help her customize her ring to be everything that she wants.

About Dynamic Designs Jewelry

Jeanette Betton is a personal jeweler with 30 years of design experience, who is loved by her clients for the joyful and relaxing environment she provides. She works one-on-one with each client, helping them to create wearable works of art that they and their families can enjoy for centuries to come.  Jeanette’s clients enjoy her ability to take even the faintest of ideas and find or create pieces of jewelry that exceed their expectations at below retail prices, regardless of budget. She offers a wide variety of both men’s and women’s rings and the ability to create a custom design. Jeanette is also a diamond importer and can offer you any size, shape and quality of stone for your ring at the best possible price.

To schedule your personal appointment with Jeanette, call our Kirkland showroom at 425-827-7722.

Join us for our upcoming January seminar to help you find the perfect bridal jewelry for you and your brides maids to wear on your wedding date.

For more information or to register for the class, visit www.DynamicDesignsJewelry.com or call 425-827-7722.

Millstream Video Productions has all the requirements necessary for the video production of your special day

Millstream Video Productions is one of the most prestigious video production companies in the greater Seattle area.

With 20 years of wedding video experience, professional in all aspects, top of the line video equipment and the desire to go well beyond expectations, Millstream Video Productions has all the requirements necessary for the video production of your special day. Let us turn the remembrance of your day into a most enjoyable experience to be viewed over and over again forever.

Please take advantage of our free consultations. We offer full length viewings of past wedding videos that may have been taken at the same location you are using.

There are many questions you will want to ask of us during a consultation including;

 - What do our packages consist of?

 - How long do we stay?

 - How many cameras do we use?

 - How many copies do we receive?










During our consultations we answer many questions like these but we also answer many questions not asked including;

- We are very unobtrusive and dress appropriately

- You own the copy rights to your video

- We work well with all photographers

- We have a large list of referrals and testimonials for you to view.

When you have finished a consultation with us you will be well informed and ready to make a knowledgeable choice for a videographer. Remember that there are no “second takes” during your wedding day making it all the more important to hire a videographer who you feel totally comfortable with and have acquired the greatest of trust.

We believe that if you take time to discover Millstream Video Productions your decisions will become effortless.

Jim and Jean Milligan
www.Millstreamvideo.com
info@millstreamvideo.com
(253) 854-9934

Selecting a wedding officiant can be one of the more important, yet difficult decisions a bride and groom makes. The wedding ceremony is the “heart” of the wedding day. The couple wants many things:

· to feel comfortable with the officiant and to want them to be a part of an intimate moment in
  their lives (even if it is a public occasion)

· to know their opinions and life perspectives are respected

· to have their wedding party, family and guests be treated with kindness and understanding

· to trust their ceremony will be as they envision it (or they will receive help to clarify what they
  really want)

· to be provided with the resources and guidance they need yet have the freedom to express
  themselves

· to be confident the officiant is a good presenter

· to be assured the rehearsal and ceremony will go smoothly

Here is a quote from Bill Radke (Weekend America, Wacky Wedding Stories) that illustrates the qualities a good officiant embodies.

I was officiating my little sister’s wedding. I got certified on the internet, very easy to do.
So I’m going through the service and I look into the pews where the guests are standing.

My wife was gesticulating wildly with her hands around her waist. I had forgotten to invite people sit down. And I never picked up on it. It went on and on and eventually my wife sat and the guests gratefully joined her. That was it.

I bet you never thought officiating could really be that complicated?

I got an appreciation. When you’re hiring a real wedding officiant, you’re not just getting her credentials and her homily, you are getting a veteran entertainer, toastmaster, facilitator who actually has to be experienced to make everybody comfortable in ways you are never supposed to notice. I appreciate that now.

That’s what we at A Heavenly Ceremony do. We are nondenominational ministers who have been married over 30 years and have been officiating for over 15 years. We are passionate about creating ceremonies that are unique to the bride and groom and that will be remembered for a life time. Pat is a professional writer and has prepared a 70+ page Resource Guide filled with ideas for the ceremony: sample words of welcome, vows, ring exchanges, pages of readings and many different “mini-celebrations.” Plus she is great at listening to couples and capturing the essence of their relationship in words.

The ceremony is created through a co-creative process, with a free exchange of thoughts and ideas. The wording is complete when the bride and groom are totally delighted.

Rehearsal details are planned out (including diagrams of where the wedding party will stand and who will sit in the first row, the procession and the recession, and the transition to the reception.) And we love meeting everyone at the rehearsal and coaching them through the walk through. A fun time for everyone.

On the wedding day, we check out the layout of the ceremony site to make sure everything will work as planned, coordinate with the musicians and/or DJ, talk with the photographer and videographer about the photo possibilities so the bride and groom can just relax and know all is well. It is such a joy for us … and always an honor.

As a vote of confidence from our community of wedding professionals and the brides and grooms we have officiated for, we have won every major award – Best Officiant of Western Washington – King 5, Best Officiant – Seattle Bride, Bride’s Choice – Wedding Wire, and more.

Premarital preparation is also available (not required).

206-789-9788    Web Site: www.aheavenlyceremony.com     www.aheavenlyceremony.blogspot.com

12 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Florist

1.  How many years of design experience and education do they have?

2.  Will the florist they meet with be the one designing their flowers?

3.  Do they offer to design a sample of their bouquet or centerpiece, and if so, how much do they charge?

4.  What is the popular style and colors for their wedding season?

5.  What style do they specialize in-modern, traditional, romantic, etc?

6.  Has the florist designed weddings at their ceremony/reception venue?

7.  How many weddings do they do in a weekend or per day?

8.  Will the florist deliver to the wedding and spend time at the site, setting up and making sure everything is in order before leaving?

9.  Does the florist offer rentals items such as vases, arches, aisle stands, drape, columns, linens, aisle runners, or candelabras?

10. What other vendors do they work with and recommend for items such as full service rentals companies, caterers, bakers, invitations and the like?

11. Is the florist willing to work with their budget? Sharing this will help the designer guide you accordingly during your consultation.

12. Do they have currant photos of their work in a portfolio and on their website?

About Ravenna Bloom

Ravenna Bloom is a local Seattle business specializing in weddings and events exclusively. We are located just north of Ravenna in the neighborhood of Maple Leaf, a proud and supportive business in our community. We buy from our local farmers and growers when flowers are in season and even grow some of our own organic flowers such as hydrangea, lilacs, peonies, berries, succulents and greens.

We love working with many textured flowers making our arrangements unique, designed with a one of a kind flair never seen before. You can be assured that the flowers for your event will never be copied from somewhere else. We absolutely love flowers and we love making people happy with flowers on their special day!

What’s most important is being sure that you’re well taken care of especially on the day of your wedding. We arrive in plenty of time just before photos begin with all the bridal party flowers, we’ll pin on all the corsages and boutonnieres, then move on to decorate the ceremony and the reception areas. Our team makes sure everything is decorated to your liking before we leave. We offer transfer services to the reception if your ceremony is at another location.

Wendy Morgan, owner of Ravenna Bloom is a founding member of “The Greater Seattle Floral Association”. She knew there was a need to educate and support other floral designers in the industry so the association was founded in 2003. It was apparent there was a growing demand for floral designers that specialized in weddings and events exclusively in Seattle and surrounding areas and that we could provide the best possible one-on-one service to our clients, unlike what you would find at a typical retail florist.

We welcome the opportunity to meet with you in our designer showroom for a complimentary consultation. We have many rentals for you to choose from and currant photos of our wedding designs at many venues shown in our portfolio. Be sure to bring photos of your dress and the bridesmaid’s dresses, photos of flower bouquets and centerpieces that fit your design style, a list of your favorite flowers and be ready for a great time planning the most beautiful wedding flowers ever!

P.O. Box 75295 Seattle, WA 98175-0295 Phone: (206) 522-7200 Fax: (206) 522-7555 e-mail: wendy@ravennabloom.com   www.ravennabloom.com

Bridal Services
Every bride should look their best on the big day and Spa Scotta is your secret to perfection. Available for make-up services for just the bride or the entire bridal party we are able to accommodate you in our beautiful spa or at the site of your choice.

Complimentary Consultation
We will discuss your make-up needs and wishes; schedule your trial run and wedding day services. Our contract and cancellation policy will be reviewed and a 50% credit card deposit will be collected for all services scheduled. Summer weekend dates are the most popular wedding dates, we recommend booking your wedding services at least 4 months in advance. Off site make up is also available for an additional fee.

Trial Run
This is a necessity and should be scheduled 3 to 4 weeks prior to the wedding. Bride should bring any pictures of their dress, accessories, hair style, wedding colors and jewelry for the make up artist to see. Appointment is done in the spa and not off site. This is a full makeup application for the bride to see what her make up would look like on the day of. Faux lashes and/or airbrush make up is an additional charge. Any concerns or changes will be discussed prior to the bride leaving.
1.5 Hours – Included in day of price

Bridal Make Up
The make up achieved during the trail run will be recreated either in the spa or off site. Faux lashes and/or airbrush make up is an additional charge. Cost includes both the day of and a trial run of your make up application
1 hour - $200




Bridal Party
Bridal Party Services are per person, per service
Bridesmaids Make Up - $60
Flower Girl Make Up (13 & Younger ) - $30

Add On Services
Faux Lashes - $25
Airbrush - $25  

Off Site Travel Fees
We are excited to make your wedding day relaxing and memorable, if you would like to take one thing off your already busy day we would be happy to come to you. For off site make up please schedule appointments at least 4 months in advance. Off Site fees are in addition to regular make up costs. Only one off site fee per group is charged and fee covers make up artists for 3 hours.
$125 For up to 50 miles from Seattle
$150 For over 50 miles from Seattle

Visit the website for more services other than bridal. spascotta.com
Northcut Landing West Building, across from University Village
4915 25th Avenue NE
Suite 103W
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 522 - 5800

Cupcake Royale Brides Flaunt ‘These Cupcakes Are Taken’ With An Exclusive
Tee Shirt For Royale Brides-To-Be

SEATTLE - Recently named Best of Weddings Pick by The Knot for the third year in a row, and already touting the title of Seattle’s Best Cupcakes, Cupcake Royale’s scratch-baked creations have been a favorite of Seattle brides since 2003. To kick off the spring wedding season, Cupcake Royale is sending brides-to-be out in style. Anyone who books a tasting by March 31st will receive a complimentary “these cupcakes are taken” Cupcake Royale tee shirt to flaunt on her last night as a bachelorette.

Reminiscent of the heartfelt, homemade treats we all grew up with, but with a sophisticated modern twist, Cupcake Royale cupcakes add a sense of nostalgic style with sweet notes of whimsy and fun to any celebration. While budget continues to be a determining factor for the brides-to-be of 2010, these gourmet treats are an incredible value, far more affordable than wedding cakes, making them increasingly popular
among even the savviest spenders.

Cupcake Royale cupcakes are made the way your grandma made cupcakes - from scratch, by hand, and baked fresh daily. They’re composed of premium, natural, local ingredients like Shepherd's Grain custom-milled pastry and cake flours, dairy products from Medosweet Farms, and fruits and produce from local farmers like Skagit Sun and Olmstead Orchards. Their ingredients are truly the cream of the crop – fresh, local, sustainable, and delicious! In keeping with their scratch-baked tradition, each cupcake from Cupcake Royale is individually hand frosted with a signature Royale swirl using real, old-fashioned American buttercream. This goodness all comes together quite sweetly in a new, “More Moisty-er!” recipe that was developed specifically for Cupcake Royale by locally renowned pastry chef, Sue McCown. The cupcake has come a long way, and Cupcake Royale is truly setting the course.

And these cupcakes have a conscience. Cupcake Royale founder, Jody Hall, was recently featured in Pacific NW Magazine for her “passion for social justice producing good cupcakes, good works.” While working to create the most local cupcake possible (on average 66% local), Cupcake Royale is devoted to sustainable business practices like compostable cups and containers, supporting local farmers, and donates 25,000 cupcakes a year to local schools and nonprofit neighborhood organizations.

To set up a wedding tasting, email or call the Cupcake Royale weddings team at events@cupcakeroyale.com or 206.883.7656.

Voted Seattle’s Best Cupcakes by readers of Seattle Magazine and Seattle Weekly
Three time winner of The Knot Best of Weddings Pick
2009 Seattle Mayor’s Small Business Award recipient

It's a Piece of Cake
Story by South Whidbey Record

"John Auburn puts the finishing touches on a $5,000 gingerbread replica of Moscow's St. Basil's Cathedral.Matt Johnson/staff photoLast week, people working at Ken's Korner Mall were practically lined up outside a small bakery tucked into a back corner of one of the mall's hallways. They were there because they wanted to see what a $5,000 gingerbread house looked like.

The creator of the gingerbread house, Clinton's John Auburn, showed them. In the middle of a stainless steel counter stood a 3-foot-high gingerbread replica of Moscow's St. Basil's Cathedral, complete with ornate, bulbous-tipped towers, little doors and windows, and minute architectural details like the unique buttresses that can be seen on the actual building. Now, to be accurate, the cathedral replica was not made of actual gingerbread, nor was it completely edible. Built around a cardboard frame and finished with sculptor's chocolate formulated to smell exactly like gingerbread, the unusual baked good is intended to be a holiday table centerpiece for one of Auburn's clients. And, believe it or not, it is a work of art that will endure at least five more years of Christmas parties.It should last quite a few years, he said of his work, pointing out that chocolate has an incredibly long shelf life.

Auburn is the owner and only employee of J.W. Desserts, a business specializing in cakes of all kinds. The St. Basil's creation is one of the more complex and expensive pieces Auburn can do. Prior to starting J.W. Desserts last year, Auburn was part owner of Amazing Cakes, a Seattle area bakery that produced impossibly realistic cake sculptures. The business' first job was a replica of the Boeing 777 for the jet's inaugural flight. Other impressive cakes that emerged from Amazing Cakes' ovens included a replica of the World Series trophy, five cake sculptures for the 1996 debates between Bill Clinton and Bob Dole, Ken Griffey Jr.'s wedding cake, and a 7-foot-tall, working and edible replica of a grandfather clock.Auburn said those were exciting days when he produced these works of baked art. But because he was the only baker at Amazing Cakes, the work load took a toll on him. He said 16 hour days with commutes between the mainland and Whidbey Island eventually became too much. So he stopped and brought his baking talents back to Whidbey.

An 18-year Clinton resident, Auburn said his new business demands fewer hours and keeps him close to home so he can spend more time with his wife, Susan Ritzner, and his children. I can do this on the island and enjoy my life, he said.He said the new business also allows him to make good cakes for the island people he has called his neighbors for nearly two decades. Working out of a small bakery owned by Cookie Creations, Auburn plans to keep his business on South Whidbey for years to come.During the past year, Auburn has taken the low-key approach to business. He has not advertised, relying on word of mouth to bring in work. The strategy has succeeded. Auburn baked cakes for 20 weddings this year, as well as for a number of other occasions.He notes that his cakes are not just something pretty to look at. Making cakes with great flavors is his priority. Ever had orange peach schnapps mousse? How about a raspberry or marionberry velvet torte? Or maybe Bailey's chocolate chunk mousse will do the trick. Auburn makes them all, and about two dozen other flavors.Even better, a great cake made by John Auburn does not have to cost thousands or even hundreds of dollars. He makes everything from a basic $10 round cake to a $350 sculpted cake that feeds 20 people.Auburn said he will continue making his high-end cake sculptures for some clients and will be more than happy to pull out his cake sculpting tools to make a work of fudgy, sugary art. "

John Auburn BIO
I started cakes in 1990 while working for Great Cakes & Edible Monuments.
1994 I started John & Mikes Amazing cakes in Redmond Wa were we became well know through out the U.S.
1998 sold my share & became a stay at home Dad for my 2 great Kids Bailey & Bryce & started J.W.Desserts on South Whidbey
2000 Since then I was a Grand Prize winner on Food Network
I pride myself on giving my clients a great tasting & artistically designed piece at a reasonable price.
I meet with clients here on Whidbey or in town at No cost ( it is a part of doing business)

See John do his magic February 15th at 10pm on TLC's Ultimate Cake Off.

jwdesserts.com

Imagine working with The Upper Crust Catering and creating an elegant personal wedding that reflects who you are! Owner Jim Lustig and General Manager Don Platt have worked together for 24 years, helping each newly engaged couple artistically create menus based on the soon to be weds favorite colors, textures, and food styles. Owner Jim Lustig feels that “A wedding should be about the couple and everything that happens throughout that day should allow guests to discover who the couple is. The day should be fun, and everything should be reflective of the couple, right down to the favors. At the
End of the reception guests should know more about the newlyweds than they did before they arrive—it’s all about building community and allowing the guests to discover.” Our job as a caterer is to care about people through food and help build community.

We accomplish this through Chef John Theofelis’s using only the finest locally made and imported artisan ingredients and carefully crafting them into delectable foods that represent the couples dreams and lifestyle.

In the past year we have had the opportunity to build relationships with a number of wonderful couples—many of whom have had dietary restrictions. These restrictions are apart of their lives and the foods prepared for the reception need to represent those restrictions. This past year we’ve seen an increased number of Gluten Dairy Free and Vegan meal requests. The key is to do this in a way that allows the couple to eat everything served as well as pleasing those who are not on special diets. Chef john has worked very hard to create special dietary menus that everyone is excited about and the guests won’t label as Dietary or Traditional, but just great food.

This past summer we had the great opportunity to work with a young couple who are into computers, education, and had a 1920’s theme and by the way they were strict Vegan. We helped the couple plan the event and the tables had leather bound favorite books with candles and small birdcages as centerpieces with scattered watch parts. We then sat down to create the menu and discovered that they loved Vegan Asian Food. Owner Jim Lustig and Chef John created a Nostalgic Vegan Asian menu that the wedding couple was ecstatic about as well as a culinary treat for the more traditional palate. At the end of the reception we discovered that the majority of the guest were meat eaters and had no idea that they had eaten Vegan, and all were well satisfied!

As a Caterer our Goal is to work with couples and create menus that build community and are reflective of their needs and lifestyle. Our success for the past 26 years has been based upon building long-term relationships with our clients, our team members and guest. We look forward to working with you!

8420 Greenwood Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: 206-783-1826 | Fax: 206-783-1672
www.theuppercrustcatering.com

For over 30 years Victoria Glenn has been making brides' dreams a reality. She and her knowledgeable staff are able to provide every bride with an opportunity to own the gown she has imagined wearing since she was a young girl. Victoria’s Bridal Couture has been making those dreams come true since 1977 and continues a long standing Seattle tradition of giving Northwest brides outstanding choices and customer service.
 
Victoria grew up in Seattle and moved to Europe in 1975 to study fashion design in London. Upon her return in 1977 she opened her salon and began providing brides with alternative choices in bridal wear.  The Seattle PI once referred to her salon as “Seattle’s counterculture bridal shop”. Since those days Victoria has designed gowns for local celebrities from Melinda Gates to jazz singer Ernestine Anderson. Her client list includes the daughters of Washington’s Senators and Governors as well as television news anchors and local radio personalities. Her gowns have been featured in local television programs and national bridal magazines.
 
At Victoria’s new elegantly appointed North Seattle salon you can choose from nationally named designers and private label gowns designed and made especially for the salon, or you can have Victoria create a gown for you alone.  Whether it’s a dress in denim, a vintage vision or a corseted floral fantasy, your ideas will become a reality in Victoria’s skilled hands…. the ultimate expression of the bride you are.
 
Have you fallen in love with a designer gown, but not the designer price tag? Victoria specializes in recreating high priced couture gowns at a more affordable price. Victoria’s Bridal Couture also has the oldest “in house” bridal alterations service in the Northwest and can expertly alter and fit any gown to suit your individual needs. We also specialize in repairing and restoring vintage gowns. Whether you are re-styling an existing gown or creating a new one, Victoria’s can offer you more choices than any other salon in the area.
 
Please visit us at 929 N 130th St #8A or go to www.victoriasbridalofseattle and learn how you can win a $2000 custom-made gown by visiting the Seattle Wedding Show. Come and experience the truly unique in bridal attire at Victoria’s Bridal Couture.

Click to View Pictures


Victoria's Bridal Couture
Bitter Lake Center (2nd Floor)
929 N 130th Street
Seattle, WA 98133
www.victoriasbridalofseattle.com

Cupcake LOVE
Baking fresh from scratch with love using premium, natural, local ingredients since 2003.

We got into this business to make people smile, and that’s just what our cupcakes do. From simple and elegant to fun and whimsical, freshly baked wedding cupcakes from Cupcake Royale are the perfect way to celebrate. Choose from an array of flavors, colors, sprinkles, and toppers to reflect your own personal style. Whether your wedding will be a winter wonderland or a sun-filled summer celebration, our cupcakes are the perfect combination of sweetness and style. We offer matching pillbox cutting cakes, pedestal rentals, delivery, and set-up to make sure everything goes off without a hitch when your big day finally rolls around.



Details, photos, and our complete list of wedding offerings can be found at www.cupcakeroyale.com

Contact our Wedding Specialist for details and for information on cupcake tastings.
Call: 206.833.7656 Email: events@cupcakeroyale.com

The FareStart Restaurant is a beautiful location for wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners, and your event dollars fund culinary job training and support for homeless and disadvantaged people working hard to transform their lives. The Restaurant is airy and vibrant, with floor to ceiling windows, and a beautiful wooden stairway leading to an open mezzanine. Behind the mezzanine are two private banquet rooms that can be used as a kid’s room with a babysitter, or a quiet place for couples to take a breath – with a bite to eat and a glass of wine – before being presented to their guests. The stairway from the mezzanine to the main floor is a perfect entrance when the couple is announced, and the stairway landing makes a great place for a first dance. FareStart’s flexible space and flexible staff can help you put together an event that incorporates your creative ideas. There is plenty of room for a dance floor with live music or a dj. Brides and grooms have sung karaoke, played the wii, and shown a video presentation. The restaurant’s central community table is a splendid head table- - seating 18 to 20 guests, with lots of room for all the important family members. The FareStart Catering Team is excited to work with you.

Please call to make an appointment to tour the spacious and elegant FareStart Restaurant.
FareStart Catering
700 Virginia Street Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 267-7606
catering@farestart.org
www.farestart.org