Martha Stuart's Next Competitor......Meet Karen (Sanders) Troughton

I love my job. Why? Well, not only is it fabulous to have the clients that I have but I get to know and meet wonderful people. Wonderfully, extremely talented people, too!
The first weekend in June, I had the privilege to marry off Karen & Jeff Troughton. These two have a great story as well. (I know, many of my couples do!) Karen did so much planning and really created a fantastic reception and wedding site. Karen and Jeff married at Blueberry Ridge Farm in Monroe, WA (http//www.visitblueberryridge.com). Throughout the grounds, Karen's creations could be found from the entrance of the farm, to the ceremony site, the patio area for cocktail hour and inside the reception area. I took photos of some of her fantastic (and as she claimed, easy to do) decorations.
Karen also has a blog with fantasticly easy recipes, design and decorating ideas and even some information about her husband and her dogs. Please consider visiting it at http://www.hazelboom.typepad.com
Congratulations Jeff! You are incredibly lucky to have a wife like Karen. :)

A Photographer, A Coordinator/DJ/MC, and Officiant.....Oh My!

PJ Parsons, Summer Myers and I all on the same wedding site made for some fun times! Who are these people, you ask? Well, let me connect them to help sort them out.
Summer Myers is the owner and photographer of Surge Photography (www.surgephot.com). She and I met about two and a half years ago during a renewal of vows celebration out in Snoqualmie. Summer's warm presence and her eye for details really sets the stage with her work! Summer also provides links to her website so that your guests may view and even have the option to purchase photos of your special day. Summer captures great shots without being pushy or in your personal space. (This is a fabulous thing, as I have worked with numerous people, both professional and non-professional, who don't always extend this courtesy to the officiant. Makes for a bit of an akward experience!)
PJ Parsons is owner of PJ Parsons Presents (pjparsonspresents.com). I have heard of PJ in the wedding industry and was happy to finally be able to put a name to her face. Not only does she provide music and her mad skills on the PA system but she also provides coordinating services. It's two wedding professionals in one! How fabulous is that? Her equipment is state-of-the-art and so is her personality. If you are looking for a take-charge kind of coordinator, one who will respect and uphold your wants and wishes she is definately the one to seek out.
I wanted to commemorate our experience together with a photo of us three. Outgoing we are!

An Officer & His Bride -- Congratulations Jeff & Patty Stephens!

Jeff & Patty recently married at the Grand Vista Ballroom at the Everett Naval Station in Everett, WA. Jeff & Patty share a beautiful love story with lots of old fashioned romance rolled up into it!
I love to see couples in love. Jeff, a southern officer in the Navy, and Patty, a teacher, have a commitment to each other that crosses miles & time zones. Jeff is truly a gentleman in every sense of the word. He reminds his wife how much he loves her when he's away by doing thoughtful things, sending gifts of flowers and is always trying to amaze her. Believe it or not, but he was able to arrange to have Nickleback play a song, at the same concert she attended, that he was dedicating to her while he was away. Amazing, right?
At their ceremony, they had an old-fashioned entrance, with Patty seeing her groom for the first time when she walked down the isle. I specifically remember the words that came out of his mouth when he saw his bride for the first time....."Can I say it again?" which he was referring to the first thing he said when he had seen her. I laughed and told him that he already had.
Jeff and Patty suprised each other with gifts during the ceremony as well. Jeff had his personal vows engraved on a beautiful picture frame, with their engagement photo adorned on the opposite side. Jeff had always teased that he'd marry his girl in a parking lot, with dandelions and a blueberry muffin instead of wedding cake -- so Patty presented him with this special keepsake. They loved them just the same!
At their wedding, I was pleasantly suprised to be working with Summer Myers (owner of surgephoto.com and photographer. I've had the chance to work with Summer on multiple occasions, with our first time on a wedding in Snoqualmie. This girl travels!! (The picture on this blog post is courtesy of her.) I also was introduced to PJ Parsons, who is a DJ/MC/and a Coordinator! This girl is amazingly talented and has a knack for detail. (See the next posting of the three of us, taking a time out.) Consider her for your next event. You can read more about her on her website www.pjparsonspresents.com
Congratulations to you both! May you be blessed with many happy years together.

Congratulations, Catherine & Sal Delos Santos !!

Catherine & Sal recently married during Memorial Day weekend. Their wedding venue was the Historic Snohomish Belle Chapel in Snohomish, WA.
This couple will always stand out as one of my most favorite couples for many reasons. First and foremost, Catherine & Sal chose to meet with me over a few different planning sessions. This is so helpful because it allows both myself and my client to be able to follow up in person on wedding details. They also were very dilligent in getting me answers to questions that were left over from our planning sessions. (I lovingly call this "homework".) They also were in touch with me over the several months that we collaborated on their wedding day, thanks to emails and phone calls we had made back and forth. Before long, I had been dubbed "Reverend Tiffers".
We had developed a great connection, the three of us, during the time that we spent planning for their big day and being able to share with them, their family and friends in the festivities was more than I could have ever asked for. Catherine & Sal honored me in many ways. They had invited me to their rehearsal dinner, at The Cabbage Patch Restaurant in downtown Snohomish. (You have to try their food -- I had the Manila clams in a butter & garlic sauce along with their house raspberry vinagrette on a bed of spinach and candied walnuts...yum!) I also was presented with a beautiful corsage to be worn during the ceremony along with joining them at their reception. The reception was catered by The Cabbage Patch restaurant, one of Sal's favorite places. It was such a treat!
Thank you again, Catherine & Sal, for allowing me to serve as your officiant. And, yes, Sal, you are right -- you two really know how to pull off a great party. :)

Wedding Season 2010 Is In Full Swing!

Well, wedding season is officially underway! For this officiant, May kicks off the beginning of many busy months. In the month of May alone, I had the privilege of serving 11 couples and bringing them into marriage. Congratulations to:

Tracy & David
Beth & Harry
Jessica & Josh
Jennifer & Danny
Jaime & Scott
Jeremy & Becky
Brandy & Shawn
Brian & Megan
Racheal & Shannon
Micheal & Michelle
Catherine & Sal