Work

“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

Theodore Roosevelt, Speech in New York, September 7, 1903

26th president of US (1858 – 1919)

                

                  

                  

Salish Lodge and Spa 2008               

Award-winning Salish Lodge and Spa is where I spent my Senior year of College learning about the detail and dedication of being an Event Planner. I have so many photos and stories from my work there but these are a few of my very favorite event that I got to run all on my own at the end of the summer of 2008.                

                

                

                       

                              

                 

                 

                 

 Bozeman, Montana 2008                

                

                

Designed by my amazingly wonderful friend Erin Schweitzer, this wedding in the Mountains of Montana was an incredible backdrop for a beautiful celebration of love and committment.                

The decor and setup was of particular importance to the Bride and Groom and was tastefully pulled together from multiple vendors.                

The result is breathtaking.                               

                 

                 

                  

                  

               

                  

                  

Cannon Beach, Oregon 2006                

Garden Party                

The first wedding of the year! Two of my room mates catered, and the other two served alongside us. One of the best days of May and we had just finished having the stones layed for the outdoor patio where the guests would dance slowly to the string quartet. The flower girls played hide and seek between the rose bushes and old, tiny couples would wander off now and then through the garden remembering the day they said “I do”. The flowers draped through the trees made a fairytale effect on the tables below. Everything had a summer glow as the Bride and Groom danced again and again to their favorite songs into the twilight.                

                

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Family Ties                

Traditions from both the Bride and Groom’s side of the family played a huge role in the wedding in late July 2006. The family participated in two ceremonies, one to begin the celebration and a second after guests had enjoyed cocktail hour.                

My favorite part of the reception was the “Jumping the Broom” ceremony. As it was explained to me, this African ritual signifies that all past troubles are swept away. It is believed to have originated during the period of salve-owning when African-Americans were forbidden to marry as a declaration of the couple’s committment to one another. It is popular for a family member to make to ceremony broom and for the couple to display it in their home as a reminder of their vows.                

I am continually struck by the resilience of human beings to make beautiful memories during the very worst of times.                

                

              

              

              

       

       

       

       

      

     

     

     

     

       

A Formal Affair                

My biggest and most formal wedding took place in the middle of June and used every available event space the SurfSand Resort could offer. From beach-side tented canopy to the 300-capacity Ballroom. We took advantage of every square foot in the building, hosting the dessert bar and chocolate fountain on the Ballroom patio and making space for the bar in stair landing. I did not have a moment to catch my breath until after I finished chasing down the frat boys who took the last few cases of champagne for their walk down the beach. It was a glorious, whirlwind, exciting event and I wish for every single couple I work with that they have half the fun that these families had that night.                

                

               

               

               

               

       

    

          

The Perfect “Per”                

This Wedding was a destination 3-day event. On the day of the guests arrival the Bride’s family hosted a Chowder Fest at a beach house in Manzanita (a town just 20 minutes South of Cannon Beach). We catered Ivar’s clam chowder, BBQ prawns and oysters with champagne and lemon granite, and local specialty beers of the Father of the Groom’s choosing. It turned out to be a beautiful 70 degrees and the guests relaxed under the canopy and competed in crosswords about the Bride and Groom’s favorite memories (the Bride’s team won!), before enjoying a walk on the beach and the Groom getting thrown into the water by his Best Man.                

The next day the ceremony took place on the beach just North of Haystack Rock. barefooted guests sipped champagne and watched as the couple took their vows at the Ocean’s edge. A brass band and dessert buffet awaited the guests in the Ballroom to enjoy before the menu was presented. Then the lights went down, the DJ came on, and the rest of the night slipped into morning.                

                

A relaxing and rejuvenating brunch was served in the garden the next morning. Complete with bloody marys, and the Stephanie Inn famous chicken-apple sausage. The newlyweds joined their guests on  the beach for a game of capture the flag and then they were off to enjoy each other.