Bride’s Eye View Introduction

Over the last few years, I have been lucky enough to work with some amazing people and recently I have noticed a trend- friends so often become clients, but conversely, so do clients often become friends. I’m not really sure why this happens although I have a couple of theories. Weddings are intimate and special occasions and brides will usually choose vendors with whom they feel a connection. I would hope that the brides and vendors who choose to work with me over all the other talented florists and designers do so because they enjoy my personality almost as much as they appreciate my design style and aesthetic. It’s the part of my job that I most value and enjoy and let’s face it, if I didn’t get along with my clients, I wouldn’t have any!

Because Chelsea is one of my closest friends and possibly one of my biggest fans (second only to Max and Izzie), I have been intimately involved in the planning of her upcoming wedding. We’ve had countless conversations about colors and dresses, venues and menus, decor and flowers and so I thought it would be fun to share some of those conversations with my other clients and readers.  As Chelsea planned her wedding over the last year (while holding down a stressful job with an intense traveling schedule, managing a puppy and fiancé and remodeling a new house), she has trolled the wedding blogs, magazines and websites to plan a wedding that will be truly unique and meaningful for her and her fiancé.  Over the next four weeks leading up to the big day, Chelsea is going to guest blog on Finch & Thistle about the trials, tribulations and DIY madness that has taken over the Walli-bull household. I hope you will all enjoy her wit and insights.

Jessica and Judd

Jessica and Judd were married on Saturday at Laurel Creek Manor in Sumner, WA. I absolutely loved designing a country chic wedding for this fun couple! The pink and orange color scheme set the stage for a bright and sunny mood with lots of fun details – a photo booth fashioned from burlap and vintage pennant flags, “lovesicles” in the kid-friendly candy buffet, hand painted wooden signs, croquet and hula hoops, mason jar lanterns and of course, flowers galore!

Here are a few images then click on this link for our Facebook album for the full set…

Cindy and Ethan, Sonoma

If the rehearsal dinner consists of beautiful centerpieces, hot dogs, champagne and homemade ice cream sandwiches, the wedding is guaranteed to be amazing! Last Saturday at Cornerstone Gardens, Sonoma Cindy & Ethan were married (finally!) as guests looked on shaded from the California sun by orange parasols. Cornerstone Gardens is a photographers dream which I’m sure was why Cindy, a photojournalist, chose the location. Photo op after photo op with gardens designed by famous landscape architects and blooms galore. Guests enjoyed iced lemonade infused with lavender, bean bag chairs at the kids table, the hilarious Special Edition of “The Union” at the reception table and dancing into the wee hours in the big red barn. Congratulations Cindy and Ethan!





    

   

Goody Bags for KCSARC!

Every 2 seconds someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. It's an appalling statistic and to make it even worse, 70% of those victims are children. The King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) is the *only* provider of rape crisis intervention, legal advocacy support and therapy for survivors of sexual assault in King County, yet every year KCSARC relies on funding from the city, state and individual donors just to keep itself afloat.

Each year, KCSARC holds a 1,000 person breakfast in Seattle. The 2010 "Kids are Our Business" breakfast will be held on February 23 at the Westin Seattle and is free to attend. This year's speakers will include Molly Shen (KOMO news anchor) and Margo Myers (ex KIRO news anchor). Major sponsors include Expeditors, Group Health, Boeing, Virginia Mason, Nintendo, Puget Sound Energy, Committee for Children and many others. Attendees will come from every major business throughout King County.

Here's how you can get involved:

We are looking for in-kind donors to contribute items to our Table Captain gift bags at the event. By contributing to the gift bags, your business will get to showcase your product/logo in front of over 1000 influential people at far less than the minimum $2,500 sponsorship level. We will need 100 of each item and are also looking for a sponsor to provide the bags themselves.

I became involved with KCSARC because I strongly believe in their mission to "End the Silence" which I think will resonate strongly with the women of the Ladies Who Launch and CRAVE communities. As mothers, daughters, sisters, trendsetters and entrepreneurs, we can support KCSARC with a small in-kind contribution, showcasing our own business to potential investors and customers while standing united against sexual assault in our community. Together we can "End the Silence."

Please contact me at rbowes@kcsarc.org if you are able to help with this request.

Thank you!

dancing for salmon only

I am pleased to report that Friends of the Hylebos' annual Ruby Dance last weekend was a great success surpassing the fundraising goal by $3000! But then, with Sean MacLean of King FM fame as the emcee, Gene Duvernoy of Cascade Land Conservency as the keynote speaker, MacKenzie Allen as the auctioneer, Margery Godfrey as the event chair and Finch & Thistle as the event planners/managers/designers, how could it possibly be anything other than a great Saturday night in Federal Way??

Over 200 guests turned out to the King County Aquatic Center for an evening of silent and live auctions, an action packed program, rusted steel herons and raise the paddle. We exceeded our fundraising goals and a good time was had by all (even those working the event). Many thanks to all the volunteers and committee members who contributed time and willing hands. We couldn't have done it without you!

A few pictures from the evening...

all good pictures courtesy of Seth Bynum, less decent ones by me

Signature Dinner at the Raisbeck Estate

I loved planning and designing this event for Grammy and Oscar winning composer Marvin Hamlisch's visit to Seattle! I used champagne and gold lamour linens from BBJ with 150 delicate glass candle holders in various shapes and heights to accentuate the shimmer. The flowers were white with tulips, roses, freesia, wax flowers, lisianthus and wisteria. Pure glamour!