To Die For!

I know it's a little late, but I wanted to say that I loved watching The Bachelorette this season and I couldn't believe how gorgeous her ring was! Ed proposed on the season finale this past Monday and with a $60,000 Neil Lane diamond ring. Check it out!


I guess that's just one of the perks of being on the show!

chloe & reese Launch New Bridal Collection

This new line has the cutest little dresses for bridesmaids. They are stylish, come in many different colors and fit every bride's price range.

"chloe & reese, the ready-to-wear collection, today launched Ardour, an exclusive new bridal-inspired collection under the popular brand. The Ardour Collection was created for brides and bridal parties, in response to their request for modern and sophisticated party dresses that offer versatility in dressing for any wedding occasion. The thousands of customized dress selections can take the bride or her attendants from the engagement party or rehearsal dinner to the wedding.The Ardour Collection features a range of party frocks, full-length dresses and high-waisted skirts. With a variety of stylish and chic silhouettes; from a flirty one-shoulder silk faille party frock, to elegant floor-length taffeta gowns, sweet silk dresses trimmed in feminine ruffles, to classic strapless sheaths, Ardour’s customization will offer something special for every bride, and every budget. Produced in New York City’s Garment District, Ardour is available through the company’s Manhattan showroom at 888.317.1695." -- chole & reese press release

Fall's Wedding Style

My long-time friend Rachel Kim, of VueSociety, has graciously agreed to write as a guest for today's blog. She is all about fashion and really knows her stuff. Read on to find out what fashion has in store for Fall Wedding Season. Thank you Rachel!
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Now that summer is slowly making its end, it is time to talk about fall. It's hard to think about fall when it's 80 degrees outside, but it's vital to prepare you for its trends knowing that it is only weeks away. Fall weddings are the most beautiful with the vibrant and bold colors that create statements. Without taking any attention away from the bride, it is still important to dress appropriately. This season, we're looking at fringe, metallic, asymmetrical one shoulder and subtle prints.



Embrace yourself. Fringe?

Fringe has been the most popular trend over the summer (if you didn't catch it). It has evolved into a fall version and it has come in various shapes and sizes including the asymmetrical fringe dress in magenta by bebe. One shoulder dresses have been a hit in past red carpet events with celebrities and luckily it is still going to continue to be huge. Don't neglect the metallics for it will continue on into the holidays. Metallics that don't glam too much and is subtle to the wearer's taste is perfect for a fall wedding. Prints have been around for several seasons recently and likewise has transitioned into fall. This season we will be seeing more purple plums and royals with black. It is the perfect combination to look stylish, conservative and sharp.

All shades of purple is a refreshing and the black makes it bold and the right hue for fall season. By carrying a black clutch would complete the look. Don't forget minimal jewelry because the bride is the star of the show and you would be a shame to take that away from her. Great straps with mega heels would be perfect for the fall trends.



Shifting gears now, we're talking the men trends. Believe it or not. Plaid sports jackets are making a bigger comeback. You will never fail with a very chic, clean and sophisticated black on black with or without a tie. It never fails. Two-tone collar jackets are for the brave that want to make a grown up prep appeal. It has a sweater flare to the sports jacket making it more casual and that is going to vary on the wedding occasion. Boys, please make sure to find out the wedding's formal or casualness to find the perfect sports jacket. Another trend in sports jacket is that they have become shorter and less buttons is better. Try to avoid 3 button jackets unless you're attending a specific black-tie wedding.

Some word of advice for men is to wear a nice watch and keep your look fit. Your jacket and dress shirt should be well fitted and well steamed to minimize all wrinkles. Do not wear white socks unless you are trying to make a tribute to Michael Jackson which I doubt anyone at the wedding will even acknowledge. Wear deodorant so that when the after party starts you can take your blazer off proudly.



Rachel Kim lived in New York City after graduating from Seattle Pacific University with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and Business Administration, and is currently living in Bellevue (again). She has worked in high fashion and for jewelry in PR and sales. In addition, she coordinated parties, networking events, fundraising events and assisted at New York Fashion Week. She is everything in the word social. Rachel is not easily amused and does not settle for mediocrity. Her true passion for style and her love for the Eastside is proven in her latest blog, VueSociety.

Besides everything fashion, Rachel is a coffee and Panera addict, hence her yellow teeth. You can find her strolling around downtown Bellevue stuffing her face, or fishing at a spot she will not disclose, only because that will ruin her cover (not that this didn’t already). In her playlist, you can find anything from the Top 40, classical, opera, jazz and ballad. She even secretly listens to Warm106.9 at night while twittering. One last thing that you will notice about Rachel is that her umbilical cord from her blackberry and her fingers have not been cut. Enough said, right?

On a serious note, Rachel truly wants to share her knowledge and insights on fashion and be a resource to Eastsiders. Through her blog, she helps both sides of the counter. Her vision is that someday the Eastside will reach a point where it will be put on the map as one of the most fashionable communities. She is all ears for blog ideas and can be reached at rachel@vuesociety.com.

Forever, ever, ever!

This is hilarious! What a great way to keep your ceremony fun for everyone!

Inspiration of the Day

This table setting is so soft and feminine. I love all the candles :)

via Martha Stewart

Wedding Hairstyle Ideas

This is a great example of a sleek, simple updo. You could leave it as-is, but you could also add what you want (flowers to the side, or a viel on top of or below the bun).

I love this updo. It has texture and depth. Plus that clip adds just the right amount of sparkle.

I love this but be sure you test out this style before the day-of your wedding. You want to see how long your curls will last before going flat.

These fabric flowers are perfection. So elegant and soft. Remember: the flowers in your hair do not have to be real :)

This is another version I love, but with one big flower.

If you want to keep it simple, this style is for you.

(all photos provided by TheKnot)

Wedding Budget 101 Series

I want to say a big THANK YOU to Tom, creator of the website Bellevue.com, for featuring my Wedding Budget 101 series on his website! He lists my top 10 wedding budget saving ideas. The website is great and has a ton of information on everything happening in Bellevue, WA. You can check it out here.

Attention All Brides to Be: Yummy Cupcake Samples!!

Ok brides-to-be, this is something you cannot miss! Chocolate Box (an amazing chocolate shop on Pine St) is featuring samples of Look Cupcakes at their store on July 12th. If you are thinking about having cupcakes instead of traditional cake, you better get your butt down there and try these!! They are amazing!

(all info via Chocolate Box website)

Rhienn Davis and Look Cupcakes are coming to the Chocolate Box in downtown Seattle on July 12th!

These cupcakes are baked, from scratch, using only real ingredients. Nothing artificial ever goes into them (with the minor exception of color in frosting for the occasional decoration.)

"We're incredibly picky about ingredient quality. We use Pernigotti cocoa from Italy and our spices are sourced from a little tea & spice company in Montana. Fillings range from cheesecake style to fruit curds to straight up ganache. All made in house. Each cupcake is hand filled. We use mostly Swiss meringue style buttercream. Not quite as overly sweet as good old American buttercream, it has a creamier mouth feel and makes an excellent base for flavors. Again, all flavors are from real fruit purees and fine liqueurs. "

Stop in from 12 to 3 pm to have a sample and meet Rhienn! We know you will love the LOOK of these cupcakes.

Macy's Wedding and Gift Registry Event

Attention all brides! Get the Star Treatment at Macy's Wedding and Gift Registry Event next Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th.

You will get fun beverages, hors d'oeuvres, and great registry experts to help you create your perfect registry. You are welcome to bring your fiance to help you out too!

They ask you to call the number below for your chosen store location to reserve a spot.

Date: Wednesday, July 15th
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Macy;s Tacoma
4502 South Steele #700
Tacoma, WA 98409
3rd Floor
RSVP: 253-471-6995


Date: Thursday, July 16th
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Macy's Bellevue Square
400 Bellevue Square
Bellevue, WA 98004
RSVP: 425-688-6995

Q&A at VueSociety

I want to say Thank You to Rachel over at VueSociety for featuring me on her blog last week! Rachel and I have been friends since high school and she recently moved back to Bellevue from New York. Her blog is all about fashion and it is great, she really knows her stuff!! Anyways, check out my Q&A over at her blog here. Thanks Rachel!!!

Recently, I have been finding it difficult to help brides understand the value of a wedding planner, especially the value of my services. There are so many wedding planners in Seattle its crazy! So how do you determine which one is best for you?

Well, what sets me apart is my fee for planning. Because I am relatively new to the industry, my fee is VERY LOW! With my track record so far, I have saved each couple $1000 more than my planning fee.

For example, I charged a couple $2,000 for my planning services. After all vendors were negotiated and contracted, I has saved the couple $3,000. They wouldnt have been able to get the savings from all those vendors themseleves because they don't have the relationships with them that I do. Now, you ask "what does that mean?" Well, it means that not only did the couple save $1,000 overall, but they also got my help with EVERYTHING, which saved them so much time, energy and stress. AND they knew everything would be taken care of on the wedding day, so they didn't have to worry about a thing!

So I ask you, PLEASE consider hiring me as your wedding planner! I will have a free consultation with you in order to get to know you and your wedding desires. Please contact me at paulinetuohy@gmail.com or call my office at 425-454-4817 if you would like to set-up a time to talk.

Tara and Stephens Wedding

The wedding this weekend was great. The bride hired us for guidence on the ceremony only, and she hired and planned almost everything herself. ALMOST everything went perfectly. The bride looked beautiful and the ceremony went off without a hitch. However, there were a few details that could have been avoided if she would have hired us as her Full-Production Wedding Planners.

The main issue was the photographer. Ricker Studios was hired by the bride, and they were not fun to work with. Here is what they wanted as their set-up during the ceremony:

If they kept it like this, it would have totally blocked a majority of the guests' view. Well, it was NOT going to happen. After trying to tell me that 'They were the professionals and knew what they were doing' they eventually agreed to move the set up to the side aisles.

One reason why they had this large set-up was because they had not gone to the church beforehand to test out the lighting. I always make sure the photographer has been to the actual site before the wedding so they are prepared and have all the right equipment.

Here are some pictures I took from my camera:

Bridal Party

Groomsmen

Everyone together

Bride about to walk down the aisle.