Valley & Company Events

During the pre-wedding planning process, final menu and dessert planning and cocktail offerings are in full swing 3-4 months out, which gives couples a pretty good glimpse into the seasonality that’s possible. We love to encourage our couples to think even deeper than a traditional tasting and host a cocktail tasting party that offers guests wedding cocktail sthey’re thinking about serving up to let their guests in on the wedding planning fun, but to also offer any critiques. Good pub mixes or a fresh cheese and fruit board would be a good start, and end with an affogato (espresso poured over ice cream) Create a beautiful setting – one table from your back yard dressed in a stately linen and accented with lemons or other fruit can really elevate the party while still feeling comfy and intimate Offer a mix of drinks – keep in mind non-drinkers and serve up the same fanciful and festively garnished options, just without alcohol. And classics (like Negronis, French 75s, and other tried and true cocktails) can pair nicely with more exotic and artistic cocktails Garnish galore – the real fun of tasty cocktails, in our opinion, is enhancing them with garden-inspired garnishes that really elevate the look.

We live for warm summer days where we can open up our doors and enjoy our garden and stone patio, sharing cocktails and laughter with neighbors, having a picnic with our kiddos, or having friends and family over for dinner al fresco. As we inch into summer, last plans fall into place for parties and weddings, and we wanted to share some of our favorite tips for creating your own pastel floral-filled wedding shower (or party). –Gift each guest a sweet shawl draped over their chair to keep them cool (or to keep the sun off of their shoulders) -Mix and match fresh flowers from your garden with blooms and greens from the market and stagger in an abundance of candles (we love glassybaby for their gorgeous hand-blown vessels! ) floral print napkins (we love these block print floral napkins from Pottery Barn) with classic silver napkin rings topped with chive flowers or a simple green sprig –Don’t overachieve: keep things beautiful and simple with a mix of pre-set food items (order a big platter of charcuterie and veggies and fresh summer salads from your favorite caterer) and make or bake one or two items.

We love a beautiful tent to provide a sense of space, shade from the heat, and a sweetly designed visual space that guests can enjoy all day and night long. Some clear-top tips: these tents are not ideal for weddings or parties with no shade – they can heat up really quickly and feel like a greenhouse. These structures can be enhanced with draping and lights – the draping will generally feel breezy but will provide some shade, though not as much as an actual tent. Frame Tent – a common tent style, frame tents do not have poles in the center –

Reeti and Nik’s ultimate wedding vision was to turn sprawling Carnation Farms outside of Seattle into a big and chic lively celebration bringing their 275 guests together from two families and two cultures to feel unified. The day began with portraits around the pastoral grounds and we welcomed guests to an early afternoon ceremony with traditional Indian music and vibrant hues, and big outdoor ovens fire-baking fresh naan! One of our favorite design elements of the day was the head table, with dripping greens suspended above the diners. We wove in local greens and ferns to enhance the dim romantic illumination, and used dahlias, garden roses, Autumn Joy, pale pink stock, and vines galore to bring nature to the tables.