Mint, Peach and Gold Spring Wedding Reception at the Canal

Marcia Evans June 30, 2015

Picking out wedding colors that you love and compliment the venue will be crucial in creating a beautiful and harmonious wedding. We love the mint, peach and gold color scheme this couple decided to go with! With all of the outside greenery, flowers and sparkling blue water, these flattering colors looked absolutely stunning at the Canal!

The Canal has built-in Art Deco and Northwest décor, requiring but a few small details to customize your event! This couple dressed up the ivory tables with gorgeous gold and emerald table numbers. Stunning peach and white flowers placed in textured green vases were on every table, along with votive candles provided by Jewel, of course! Magnificent details were what made this wedding reception so special!

Take a look at some of the exquisite photos below, all taken by Courtney Bowlden Photography.

Peach and white flowers in a textured green vase

Another Jewel Member is Getting Married: Kara and Shawn’s Fabulous Engagement Shoot!

Marcia Evans June 1, 2015

With wedding season just around the corner, the Jewel Hospitality staff is excited to be producing not one, but two beautiful management staff weddings this summer! We already shared Cybal and Ben’s spectacular engagement photos, but now we are excited to be sharing Kara and Shawn’s!

Stunning Watercolor-Inspired Wedding Photoshoot at the Ballard Bay Club

Marcia Evans May 20, 2015

Last month, Jewel Hospitality had the opportunity to work with some fabulous Seattle vendors to create a styled wedding photo shoot at the Ballard Bay Club. This shoot was scheduled months in advance, so we were thrilled when it ended up being clear and sunny. It was the perfect weather and setting for an outdoor wedding! After hours of creating floral bouquets, doing hair and makeup, styling the shoot, and taking photos, the result was an incredibly gorgeous and colorful styled shoot. We are absolutely in love with how the photos turned out!

The Ballard Bay Club’s beautiful light hardwood floors, palm trees, and breath-taking views of the Olympic Mountains was an amazing backdrop for this bright and cheerful wedding shoot. The pops of blue, purple, and pink were the perfect addition to the stylish, rustic, and versatile venue. We’ve had to keep these photos to ourselves for the past month, so we are excited to finally be able to share more of these spectacular photos with everyone. A full blog post featuring the styled shoot will be published on a popular wedding blog soon, so keep an eye out!

Browse through the stunning photos below to get inspiration for décor, flowers, dresses, and more for your next event at one of our three enchanting venues. Contact Jewel Hospitality to learn more about how we can help make your perfect day a reality!

Venue: Ballard Bay Club

Photographer: Samantha McFarlen Photography

Coordinator: Champagne Wedding Coordination

Stationery: Wildheart Paper

Florist: Bloomed Out Floral Design

Rentals: Borrowed and Blue Event Rentals

Ice Pops: Six Strawberries

Cake: Stone Layne

Succulents/Favors: Coloring Nature

Hair/Makeup: Urbanista Weddings

Rentals: AA Party

Rentals: Rented Elegance

Real Jewel Wedding Inspiration: How to Have an Elegant Winter-Themed Wedding

Marcia Evans May 7, 2015

When planning a traditional or themed wedding, remember that the beauty lies in all those fabulous details. Having a winter or holiday themed wedding can be a very sweet and elegant concept with lots of tasteful decor. This past February, we had a winter-themed wedding at the Canal full of lovely winter-themed ambiance, including a pinecone bride and groom cake topper! If you are looking to plan a winter wedding or event, here are some tips and some exquisite photo inspiration!

Photos courtesy of Kristen Marie Photography.

The Location

Picking a location that fits in with your theme is just as important as picking the décor. The Canal’s warm glowing lights, wrought iron sculpture work, and blown glass provide an extremely versatile backdrop for any event. Although it rained during this wedding, the Canal’s heated patio provides an option for an outside ceremony even in the winter time!

Kristen Marie Photography

First dance | Kristen Marie Photography

Wedding Colors

Red and green may seem like an obvious choice for a winter wedding, but this color scheme is easy to overdo. Darker colors like green, purple, or red, paired with a more neutral color like white, silver, or gold fit in with the winter theme but look more elegant. This wedding was full of sage green, white details, and greenery throughout.

Here comes the bride... | Kristen Marie Photography

Kristen Marie Photography

Details

This bride created a beautiful winter ambiance with greenery, pinecones, and wood details throughout the Canal. The centerpieces were simple and very elegant, with candles, greenery, and a sage runner on every table. The bride and groom got married under a gorgeous archway, made primarily of greenery and white flowers. In keeping with their theme, every guest left with fern seeds as wedding favors. Such a fun concept for their beautiful winter wedding!

Kristen Marie Photography

Food and Drink

We absolutely love the adorable pinecone bride and groom on top of their wedding cake! Going with a neutral cake and adding some winter-themed details (in this case, pinecones!) created a unique and completely elegant wedding cake. Jewel Catering provided delicious food and drinks, which was dressed up with beautiful sage-colored linens.

Kristen Marie Photography

Kristen Marie Photographer

Roma Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Crostini topped with Portuguese Sea Salt and Olive Oil | Kristen Marie Photography

Kristen Marie Photography

Wild Northwest Greens served with Greek Olives, Tomato Wedges, Sliced Cucumber, and Julienne Carrots with Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette | Kristen Marie Photography

Jewel Signature Chicken Mateo | Kristen Marie Photography

Jewel buffet | Kristen Marie Photography

Kristen Marie Photography

The Bride and Groom

This bride was able to have the best of both worlds with her wedding gown! She rocked a gorgeous strapless dress for the ceremony and reception, yet paired it with a white, fur sweater while outside. She selected a stunning winter bouquet, composed of white flowers, greenery, a few hints of red, and pinecones. The groom’s look was exquisite and totally classic, with a black tie and a matching boutonniere.

Kristen Marie Photography

Jewel Hospitality puts on hundreds of weddings at the Canal and our two other fabulous venues all year round. Visit our contact page to get more information and to start planning your wedding today!

Elegant Winter Wedding at the Great Hall

Marcia Evans April 2, 2015

The Great Hall at Union Station is the perfect location for an elegant black and white wedding reception. For this event, the hall was filled with classic touches including black and white linens, silver-rimmed china, a variety of gorgeous white flowers surrounded by lush greenery!

The Couple and Bridal Party

The bride and groom selected a classic black and white look for their tux, dress and flowers. A touch of color was added for the bridesmaids, who wore magenta gowns with beautiful fur wraps.

The bride and groom were driven from the ceremony at Our Lady of Fatima to the Great Hall in style – in a Rolls Royce! The couple posed for photos in front of the fabulous old-fashioned car next door at the King Street Station in Pioneer Square.

Photo: Kristi Lloyd Photography

The Invitation and Wedding Favors

The couple chose simple and sophisticated wedding invitations, setting the tone for their classy black and white affair. Customized wedding favors were made with the couple’s name and wedding date, and were given out to guests at the end of the night.

Photo: Kristi Lloyd Photography

The Décor

The Great Hall at Union Station is a perfect location for ornate and elegant décor. With a stunning 55 foot barrel vaulted ceiling, over 400 white lights, and black and white mosaic tile – it doesn't take a whole lot to create a breathtaking look! Candles and stunning centerpieces including white flowers, mini lights, and rich greenery were set on every cocktail and dining table. They also incorporated a theme of the train station into their decor, with each table distinctively noted as a track number.

Photo: Kristi Lloyd Photography

The Food

This gorgeous wedding reception continued to impress well throughout the night – especially when it came to the food! After some passed appetizers during cocktail hour, guests were given our delicious Pecan & Gorgonzola salad for a starter. Their family-style meal also consisted of roasted beef tenderloin medallions with a port wine-peppercorn demi-glace, mesquite grilled Vancouver Island salmon with herb butter, butternut squash ravioli, and fire grilled vegetables.

After the guests danced the night away with the bride and groom, the late night snack menu was brought out. The cheese zombies, mini meatloaf sandwiches, and cheese stuffed roasted jalapenos were the perfect delicious finale to a lovely evening!

Cheese Stuffed Roasted Jalapenos - Jewel Catering | Photo: Kristi Lloyd Photography

Mini Meatloaf Sandwiches | Kristi Lloyd Photography

The Dessert

The couple provided assorted desserts (including these adorable macaroons!) and a simple, white wedding cake filled with a varied selection of delicious flavors. The guests were given a choice of vanilla cake with strawberry filling, chocolate cake with salted caramel, and red velvet cake with a cream cheese filling.

Photo: Kristi Lloyd Photography

Kristi Lloyd Photography

Photo: Kristi Lloyd Photography

The Party

Substantial space at The Great Hall leaves plenty of room for a sizable dance floor, even with a wedding of 400 people! The couple had their first dance out on the floor, then invited the rest of the guests to join them.

Photo: Kristi Lloyd Photography

The Great Hall at Union Station is truly a spectactular setting for an elegant wedding, reception, corporate party and more! Visit our contact page to get more information.

All photos courtesy of Kristi Lloyd Photography.

Wedding Invitation Etiquette and How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Stationary

Marcia Evans March 13, 2015

Save the Date: TheMunch via Etsy

Your wedding invitation is truly one of the most important aspects of your wedding. After all, it is the first thing your guests see! Once the date, theme, and color scheme has been decided – it’s time to get to work on your lovely invitations. Read below for tips and etiquette for sending out proper wedding invitations and save the dates.

When to Send

Save the dates typically should be sent out three to four months beforehand. If your guests are spread out across the country, sending them out a little sooner is courteous. Formal wedding invitations should be sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding, with an RSVP request for two to three weeks beforehand so you can provide your vendors with a final headcount.

What to Include

Save the dates should include the couple’s names, date, and a note that says the invitations will be sent out closer to the wedding date. Invitations should include the full names of the couple, the place, and the time. Your wedding website can also be included so that people can access your registries. If you have several out of town guests, it is courteous to include travel information as well, such as places to visit, hotels, and transportation. Remember to be clear about who is invited. For example, if children are not invited, just include the adult’s names on the invite, not the “Smith Family.”

Wedding Invitation: JulieHananDesign via Etsy

Pick Your Design

In order to keep the wedding theme consistent, we suggest picking out beautiful save the dates and invitations that go together. The wedding invitation is the one thing that each guest will see; it helps set the mood for your wedding. Do you want it to be simple and elegant? Bright and colorful? Incorporate these feelings into your invitation and pick colors that go with your scheme. If you’re getting married in an elegant ballroom like the Great Hall at Union Station, try going with a timeless, classic invite that embodies the hall. If your wedding is taking place on the outside patio at The Canal, a stylish floral design is a good way to go.

Elegant Wedding Invitation: PinkDahliaPrintable via Etsy

Floral Wedding Invitation: EnchantedPrintables via Etsy

Decide on a Print Style

Before printing, you need to decide which print style fits your theme and budget. The four most common types of print style for wedding invitations are letterpress, thermography, flat printing, and engraving. Letterpress leaves deep impressions on the surface and has a more artsy feel. Thermography is printed with raised letters on the card, giving it an elegant look. Engraving is one of the most classic styles of invitations, with the design etched onto a copper plate and filled with ink. Flat printing is the most simple and reasonable cost of printing, creating invitations that are smooth; with nothing raised or indented.

Once you have designed your gorgeous save the date and wedding invitations, you can start planning your wedding on our Pinterest page!

Contact Jewel Hospitality if you are interested in learning more about our delicious catering or our four beautiful wedding venues.

Valentine’s Day Wedding Inspiration

Marcia Evans February 12, 2015

With Valentine’s Day falling on a weekend this year and next – it is a popular day to tie the knot! Take the most romantic day of the year and kick it up a notch with these 7 tips for creating a beautiful and elegant Valentine’s Day wedding:

Figure out What Valentine’s Day Means to You

Before you start planning, think about why you decided to get married on Valentine’s Day. What does that day mean to you? Was it the day of your first kiss or a romantic getaway? Find inspiration from your own love story, and incorporate it into your big day.

Say It with Love

Sending out romantic wedding invitations is the perfect way to set the mood for your wedding. Go all out with beautiful invitations covered in hearts and glitter galore, or create more subtle invitations with hints of romantic details.

Invitation: Shy Socialites via Etsy

Invitation: Blue Fence Designs via Etsy

Decide on the Perfect Romantic Color Scheme

Don’t be afraid to use red, white or hot pink as your color theme – after all, it’s Valentine’s Day! You can integrate these vibrant colors in your napkins, table runners, flowers or cake décor. However, it doesn't mean that you have to go with this traditional color palette. Try choosing one color (pink or red) and pairing it with another complimentary color. Red and white, pink and orange, or black, white & pink are some great options. If you want to be really subtle about it, try incorporating red or pink into small details like your wedding shoes, ties, bouquet, or centerpieces. This gives you the opportunity to use these romantic colors without being overwhelming.

Wedding outside the Canal

Photo: Firstlight Photography

Bring the Love into Your Dessert

Dessert (in our opinion) is one of the best parts of Valentine’s Day! Go all out with love-themed macaroons, cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, and more. Jewel Hospitality specializes in all kinds of delectable treats, and can decorate them any way your heart desires!

Incorporate Romantic Details into Your Décor

From candles, flowers, hearts, and more - pick a few key romantic details and work them into your fabulous décor. Enhance the mood with soft pink light or candles everywhere. Fill the room with divine smelling flowers; roses are a Valentine’s Day staple, but that doesn't mean other flowers can’t be used. A Valentine’s Day wedding should be filled love and romance.

Photo: Becca Rillo Photography

Photo: foreverphoto.ca

Music Sets the Stage for Romance

Sit down with your husband or wife to be and brainstorm a list of romantic songs to play at your reception. Was there a song playing the first time you said “I love you” or kissed? Is there a certain song that always reminds you of them? Include those (and many more) on the wedding playlist. Remember that the song you have your first dance to really sets the mood for the night, so pick wisely!

Toast it with a (Pink) Drink

Any Valentine’s wedding deserves its own fabulous signature drink, and incorporating a drink that goes along with your color scheme is even better! Try classics like a Cosmo or a strawberry mojito, or make up your own delightful drink.

Jewel Hospitality Catering

Planning on getting married on Valentine’s Day of 2016? Contact Jewel Hospitality to book the most romantic day of your life at one of our four gorgeous venues, or to receive more information on our enchanting desserts and food!

2015 Wedding Trends

Marcia Evans December 19, 2014

With a new year comes new wedding trends. Wedding styles are always changing throughout the years. At one point it was popular to have long and patterned bridesmaid dresses - now brides are going the mismatched route! Below are some of the predicted wedding trends of 2015 – which ones are your favorite?

Wedding Dresses

2014 was definitely the year of the crop top – and now that style is working its way into wedding gowns! If done tastefully, it can be a very elegant and fashionable look. Other trends we are seeing are different shades such as blush pink, silver or gold, softer ball gowns with a more relaxed silhouette, and sheer fabrics.

Wedding dress designed by Theia

Food

“Late Night Snacks” are a big trend at weddings, and we see this continuing to grow in 2015! Jewel Hospitality offers several late night snack options, from Caramel and Fleur De Sel Popcorn, to truffle scented fries and sugar dusted beignets. For couples that want their reception to continue long after dinner, this is a great option for your guests! Couples requesting locally sourced or seasonal food is also becoming more popular. Not only will the food be fresh, but it helps support your community.

Wedding Colors

Pantone predicts that the top color for this year’s weddings will be Aquamarine, along with 9 over soft and muted hues. These other colors include scuba blue, lucite green, toasted almond, classic blue, strawberry ice, tangerine, custard, glacier gray, and marsala. Soft colors look great on a lot of different skin tones for your bridesmaid dresses and these colors will look timeless in all of the photos. Try pairing a stand out color (scuba blue or marsala for example) with a neutral tone like toasted almond or glacier gray.

Photo via Pantone

Décor and Flowers

Mason jars defined 2014 weddings, but what trend will define 2015? Temporary tattoos are becoming very trendy, and we predict we will see more of them in 2015! These tattoos are (usually) custom made and given out to the guests to sport throughout the night. Other trends we expect to see are copper in precious metals, bouquets that look “just picked from the garden,” and vintage décor.

Wedding Cakes

Couples are starting to choose simple cakes over ones covered in flowers and other designs. Metallic colored icing and dustings of glitter will be popular this year, as well as simple designs such as patterns of lace, ruffles, and other festive trim. Some are even choosing “naked” cakes, which are cakes without frosting on the outside.

Which wedding trends are you most excited for? Jewel Hospitality specializes in putting on the perfect event for you, whether it is sophisticated and elegant or festive and trendy! Contact us to learn more.

A Beautiful Fall Wedding at The Canal

Marcia Evans December 4, 2014

While spring and summer may be the most popular seasons for a wedding, we love the look of a fall wedding in Seattle! Although it’s cold outside, the Canal has a covered and heated outside patio – making it the perfect spot a wedding all year round.

We love the look of the bride’s subtle striped wedding dress, and how Bre and Jonah worked peach and royal blue into their November wedding. The wedding and reception was held indoors, and even though it was chilly outside, they were still able to get some lovely shots in front of the Salmon Bay Bridge and the palm trees.

All photos are courtesy of Meredith McKee Photography, check out her website to see more of her fabulous photos!

Instagram sign via HelloMyGem on Etsy

The Pros and Cons of an “Unplugged” vs. “Plugged In” Wedding – Which One is Right for You?

Marcia Evans October 29, 2014

You have probably seen a lot of wedding photos in your Facebook feed this summer. Some accompanied custom hashtag such as #smithwedding14 or #DaveAndKateWed. With the rise in social media popularity, some couples have decided to either embrace social media or completely banished it from their wedding. Some couples love the idea of scrolling through Facebook the next day and seeing photos of them they might never have gotten, while others are horrified at the idea of unflattering shots being uploaded for the world to see.

What are benefits of having an unplugged (no social media or cameras) and plugged wedding? Read below for pros and cons, as well as ways to incorporate it into the wedding.

Pros of Having a Plugged In Wedding

There is more opportunity for great candid shots of the couple, wedding party, and their guests.
Sharing and snapping photos with everyone is fun – and it will be even more fun to see what is posted the next day!
Invited guests that were unable to attend are able to see what is happening as it happens, and don’t have to wait till the photos come out.

Pros of Having an Unplugged Wedding

Cameras and phones can be distracting to the couple and their guests.
There is no chance of people finding out they weren't invited via Facebook or Instagram.
Tablets, cameras, and smartphones won’t get in the way of that perfect photographic moment the photographer is trying to capture.
Guests will be present at the wedding and not worrying about what they are saying on Facebook or if the filter they chose is perfect for the photo.
There is no chance of unflattering photos being posted without approval.

Sign via TheCrookedTwig on Etsy

How to Have a Plugged In Wedding

If the plan is to incorporate social media into the wedding, the easiest way is to pick a custom hashtag. You can go simple such as #hudsonwedding15 or #mrandmrshudson, or more customized to your big day, such as #hudsonsgetmarriedatthebeach. This is not only fun for guests, but creates an easy way to find all photos posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

There are also several wedding apps that allow guests to share photos publicly or privately everyone, including Wedding Party App, Capsule and Wed Pics.

How to Have an Unplugged Wedding

Sign via DearPoppi on Etsy

If the plan is to have an unplugged wedding, these rules need to be made clear to the guests. Having a “phone check,” including a note in the invitation or a sign with rules is a nice way to let them know. It’s also a good idea to have the officiant say something before the ceremony.

Some couples choose to have an unplugged ceremony, but a plugged in reception. Whatever you choose to do, make sure everyone knows. If you decide to have a completely unplugged wedding, having a photo booth is another great option so guests can take home a lovely memory from the wedding.

What are your thoughts on plugged in and unplugged weddings? Which one would (or did) you choose?