Pinch me. I can’t believe this is happening.

Four years ago, we dreamed big. What we never really grasped was the extent to which our families, clients, and businesses across the country would come together, so excited to participate and raise so much for those who don’t have enough time left on this Earth.

Join us in our happy cyber celebration! We’re screaming it from the rooftops: we’ve come together to raise $84,700 AND COUNTING for those whom the cure can’t come soon enough; granting final wishes and providing support through Dream Foundation and the Young Survivors Coalition. We couldn’t have done it without YOUR support and attendance, so THANK YOU!!

Check out all of the awesome sponsors and amazing images  from this October’s bridal auction event at Four Seasons Seattle (images by La Vie Photography)! If you didn’t come, boy did you miss out. The speakers. The music. The food. The models. The auction items. Oh, and the spontaneous dance party after the final amount was announced!!!

It was the BEST Get Hitched Give Hope yet, and we’re not even done yet. Stay tuned for another big announcement Thursday!

Amazing images by my super AWESOME pals Kim and Adam at La Vie Photography. Thank you both for putting such a glamorous face to our event-baby!!!!

It’s that time of year again!!!!! Get Hitched Give Hope is in T-minus 3 weeks!!!! And I’m giving away a FULL engagement session package!!!!

What is Get Hitched Give Hope, you ask?? Well, lemme tell you. It’s a volunteer-run non-profit organization that I co-founded in 2007 with some lovely pals in the wedding industry. Among other FUNdraising activities, we throw a yearly cocktail gala in downtown Seattle where brides and grooms can “get gorgeous goods for their wedding by giving back.”  The money that is raised that night and throughout the year not only raises awareness for breast cancer and supports survivors, but also GRANTS WISHES for those whom the cure can’t come soon enough, no matter what the illness may be! A truly worthy cause funded by a really INCREDIBLE event! (check out last year’s event, it was too amazing for words, and we raised over $64,000! SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND!!!) The support from the wedding industry, professional community, AND our community is truly amazing (thank you, friends, clients, and colleagues!!!).

Now, I know you’re thinking, “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?” Not only are there drinks, great LIVE music, and fun little surprises throughout the event, nevermind the heart-pumping live auction and exciting silent auction, but I’m auctioning off a FULL ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGE! It includes a photography adventure for us 3 (think: picnic in the park. wine tasting in woodinville. urban exploration downtown. game night and cookies at home.), an online proofing gallery, disc of high resolution images, and a beautiful lil’ guest book album where your wedding guests can write little love notes to you! Normally, this would be well over $1,250, but since silent auctions start at a fraction of retail prices, you could get lucky. REAL lucky. (and yes, you can parlay this into a wedding photography package, or this can be used for a baby or family shoot!)

Let’s recap:

1. You’re granting wishes simply by BEING there.
2. Free drinks and fancy finger foods. YUM.
3. Live auctions are pretty dang exciting. BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS.
4. You could win some REAL awesome stuff, but mostly want to bid on my engagement package! PHOTOGRAPHY!!!
5. It’s October 27th, at the swanktastic Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Seattle!!!! FANCY PANTS.

So what are you waiting for? Buy tickets here, and if you’re uber lucky, there still might be swag bag tickets available!!! There is something there for everyone, whether you’re a bride, groom, or friend! (I once won a magnum of wine. Let’s just ponder that for a second…) Just by looking at the sponsors, you KNOW it’s gonna be good!!

(event photos courtesy our good friends at La Vie Photography)

As always, if you’re unable to attend but still want to support, we’d be ever-so-grateful for your donation online, and if you want to get involved as a volunteer for this month’s event or get on the sponsorship list for future events, PLEASE DO!!! Info can be found through our website HERE. If you know someone who is losing their battle with a life threatening illenss and is in need of a wish, please visit our recipient organization, Dream Foundation.

See you there with your party shoes on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This issue of Seattle Bride Magazine is uber gorgeous. I mean, check out that cover!

We’re stoked to have Melissa and Josh’s Parisian Seattle wedding at Georgetown Studios featured! They have a great story, thought of some amazing details, and they had wonderful inspirating ideas- I’m so elated that they chose us to document it all (and that they don’t mind being our poster-children, hee hee!)!  If you’re planning a wedding, be sure to pick up a copy to read more about them and their wedding day style. The magazines hit news stands super soon if they’re not already out there, and boast Seattle Bride’s annual “Best Of” wedding vendors with some of the city’s awesomest photographers, planners, florists, clothiers, bakers, and more!

Well, we’re off to WPPI for the week to learn, get inspired, schmooze, and just have a ball of a time. And with that, I leave you, with my new business cards. Sexy, aren’t they?

This was a custom concept dreamed up by the MOST talented invite designer Nicole Gleason of Nicole Mae Paper Design. She also designed my new fancypants logo. And why yes, since you asked, that IS a transparency peeking through that carefully registered circle. Boy am I glad we met.  Embossed and pressed by Ballard’s own Iron Curtain Press.

See you next week!!!

Last week I got the privilege of working with the lovely ladies of Ravishing Radish. Famous for their mashed potato bar, Ravishing Radish is a neat little venue and wedding/event catering company down on Lake Union. Their new happy hour spot on Eastlake, called simply Ravish, was the perfect backdrop for our shoot.  The concept was a no-brainer- Lisbet, Vickie, JoAnna, and Heather are sassy gals who love to have fun. Oh, and they LOVE champagne. Add in some pretty pumps and frilly aprons from Antrhopologie, bake at 350, and voila! Holiday Card A La Fun!

This is big news. Like “pee-your-pants” big news. Like the kind of big news that makes you whisper four letter words under your breath. You know that little ol’ wedding auction non-profit project we started a few years ago called Get Hitched Give Hope? Well, yeah. We just had our 3rd annual event last week, and um, we NAILED IT.

A few fun facts:

• The Four Seasons Hotel Seattle sponsored the event by providing a SUPER GORGEOUS location and food that I’m still dreaming about. THE FOUR SEASONS!!!! Pinch me.
• Over 500 attendees came to shop & give
• Over 100 sponsors donated products & services
• Over 80 raffle prizes and auction packages were given away
• The biggest shopper spent $4,105… THAT’S what I call a GIVER!!!
• The highest live auction item was the gorgeous Tiffany Necklace that went for $2,200. I was totally set on fighting for that one…. dangit.
• Brides got GREAT deals on wedding services and products, even up to 65% off of the retail value through the silent auction! Hellloooo smart wedding shoppers!!!
• Amount raised to grant wishes: OVER $64,000 AND COUNTING!!!!!!! That’s right! It’s only November. And I know a few of you who didn’t come, and still want to support the cause (click here to donate)!

It’s been a long & hard road filled with sooo many late nights and sooo much research, but here we are. Our goal this year was to raise $50k. The first two years we hit just under $30k and just under $40k. This year? We hit this one out of the park at $64,000 to grant wishes, and we’re still counting.

Look at all of these GORGEOUS images that our wonderful friends Kim and Adam of La Vie Photography captured!!!!! I literally SCREAMED when I received them from Kim this weekend!!!!

These dresses were just some of the ones that could be won during the auction.

Our emcees, Brook & Kel from MOViN 92.5 and our auctioneer Mark were awesome at helping new bidders learn how to participate in a live auction to get the stuff they wanted to win!

Another one of our beautiful models with makeup by Erin Skipley from Bellatrix and gown & accessories from La Belle Reve.

Look at this amazing hand cut paper by artist Celeste Kooning (hint: you can rent her art for your event!!!!)!

Okay, this next part was so scary. You know that feeling you get when you are planning a party, and all of a sudden, you think no one is going to come? That was me. I donated a lifestyle session that was packaged with personal shopping from Seattle Metropolitan Magazine editor Laura Cassidy and makeup & hair styling by Erin Skipley from Bellatrix Studio. There we were, Laura and I, on stage gripping each other’s hands, hoping and praying that SOMEONE would want us…. and then the bidding began. It was so exciting, I could hardly see- our package went for ABOVE retail value!!!! I had to summon every ounce of strength to keep from jumping off the stage and tackle-hugging our winning bidders. I can’t wait to plan with them– thank you to Heidi and her fiancee!!!! And one of the best parts? The winners of ALL of the live auction items got fresh crisp fancy-pants champagne delivered right to their seats!!!

Brenda from the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation shared what wish-granting means and entails. A wonderful woman named Michelle also shared her own personal story of living with breast cancer. People were giving just to give. It was really really touching to see all of our friends, colleagues, and clients opening their hearts and pocketbooks.

And this. This was the BEST moment of the night. This was when Barbie and Holly-Kate jumped up on stage at the very end to tell everyone our first tally. The room exploded with cheers and dancing while Seattle Parties played the perfectly whimsical Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero’s “Home.” It was a truly-excitingly-emotionally-blissful-moment to see the celebration and think about all of the final wishes this money would grant. All that hard work paid off. I’m not gonna lie… there were tears, and maybe a few f-bombs. It was really, really exciting.

But wait! There’s more!!!!!!!!!!! Wanna see cute cupcakes, amazing custom cakes, beautiful graphics, amazing florals, crazy cool lighting, those hot new apparition chairs, and read more about what went down?? Check out the full event recap here!!!!!

A huge super big thanks to sooo many wonderful volunteers and sponsors and brides and grooms and friends who believed in our cause and mission. It’s been so wonderful working with all of you over the years, and I’m so proud to be associated with such generous people who really get what life is about. Cheers!!

See you again next year!!!

p.s. if you want to sponsor or volunteer for next year, fill out the application here!!

p.p.s. super thanks again to La Vie Photography for ALL of these wonderful images. Their enthusiasm and eye for fashion are true assets to the organization and we are so proud to have them on our team!!!!

Get Hitched Give Hope’s annual charity bridal auction is back! It’s only 2 weeks away, and I’m giving away 2 pairs of tickets!!!

:: WHAT :: You will truly be able to get gorgeous goods for your wedding by giving back. Seattle’s top wedding professionals have been personally invited to exhibit their services and products, with silent auctions, raffles, and a final, show-stopping live auction! The items up for grabs are not just limited to pre-wedding prep, day-of services, and newlyweds, there are some great goods for moms, dads, grooms, and friends!

:: WHEN :: October 28th, 2010. Doors at 6pm with raffles, auctions, and live entertainment beginning shortly thereafter.

:: WHERE :: The Four Seasons Hotel Seattle, 99 Union Street, Seattle, WA 98101

:: WHY :: To grant wishes to stage 4 breast cancer patients for whom the cure can’t come soon enough.

:: HOW TO WIN TICKETS :: Enter by simply leaving a comment below on this blog and do your part to spread the word about a GREAT cause & FANTASTIC event (facebook/tweet/email/repost/talk about it around the water cooler today!).

We’ll randomly draw a name at 6pm on Friday October 15th (PST) and contact you via email, so don’t forget to fill in your email.

Or…would you rather just buy your tickets now? or make a tax deductible* donation online instead?

*Get Hitched Give Hope is a 5013(c) organization run by volunteers. Consult your tax professional so you do it right and the gov’t doesn’t get irritated.