Venue Spotlight: Gray Bridge Wedding Venue

June 22, 2020

It’s time for another venue spotlight! Today we are sharing one of our favorite Sky Valley venues, Gray Bridge Wedding Venue! We sat down with owner Stacy to learn more about this incredible venue. We also got the scoop on some exciting 2020 wedding packages they are offering. Let’s dive in!

The Space

Gray Bridge is a 16-acre outdoor garden estate that was previously a private residence until 2018. There are many things we love about this venue, but the big one has to be their private big water features. While many venues offer small water features, Gray Bridge has large private ponds that are exclusively theirs, making for the most gorgeous water backdrop for photos.

Their pond-side ceremony site includes a picturesque dock and a built-in amphitheater with seating for 250+ people.

Photo by Lisa Girvens Photography

Their namesake feature is a gorgeous gray bridge that spans the west pond. It’s the perfect location for a first look, processional arrival, or final send-off!

Other venue highlights include a large grass reception wedding tent, a built-in bar, a fire pit with S’mores bar, and a pool deck perfect for appetizers and dancing. They also have a 1200 square foot swanky suite and stag shack for the wedding parties to get ready in.

What’s Included

Another thing we absolutely love about this venue is that everything is included! Pricing gives you access to all of the unique spaces and features of the Gray Bridge Venue. From farm tables and cross-back chairs to the tent and clean up, absolutely everything is included. The owners even do the initial furniture set-up for you!

COVID-19 Small Event Packages

Gray Bridge has put together unique wedding packages for intimate 50-person small ceremonies for 2020. This is perfect for couples who have had to reschedule their event but still want to have a small ceremony this year, or anyone experiencing planning fatigue! The package includes amazing pre-vetted vendors for all of the open 2020 dates, with additional discounts available for July events.

The venue covers over 3 acres and is designed to allow for social distancing during the ceremony and reception. Over 100 guests can be seated for dinner with social distancing under the tent and still have space for dancing and entertainment during inclement weather. The pool deck dance floor can be configured with plenty of space for social-distance dancing and lawn games.

Visit their website to learn more about the special small event packages!

Venue Spotlight: Twin Willow Gardens

May 4, 2020

We are proud to be part of the community of wedding vendors in Snohomish and the greater Seattle area. From the couples who have had to postpone weddings, to the venues, planners, and wedding vendors that have pressed “pause” on business for the time being, all of us in the event space are navigating this uncertain time together. It hasn’t been easy, but a bright spot has been the tremendous sense of community that we have felt throughout it.

We want to continue building up this amazing support system of local businesses, and we are excited to do that by sharing some of our favorite venues and vendors over the coming weeks with you all.

Today we are thrilled to highlight Twin Willow Gardens, one of our favorite wedding venues in Snohomish County. We sat down to talk with new owner Rebecca to learn more about this incredible venue.

Rebecca and her husband Brian are the new owners of Twin Willow Gardens, which has been a staple wedding venue in the community for the last 12 years. They are no strangers to hosting weddings and events though, as Rebecca has been a wedding planner for 16 years and is the owner of New Creations Weddings. After searching for a property for three years, Twin Willow Gardens was just the venue that they were looking for. The previous owners made some upgrades before selling, and Rebecca was excited to take these upgrades to the next level by leveraging her insight as a wedding planner.

Ceremony Space

This garden wedding venue sits on six acres in Snohomish County. Twin Willow Gardens is located just a few minutes from downtown, but you would never know it once you enter this beautiful forest and garden oasis.

The venue is most well-known for their outdoor ceremony space that is tucked away in the woods. Ceremonies are surrounded by old-growth cedars and pine trees and housed under the enchanting tree canopy. It provides a gorgeous wedding backdrop and is very protected from rain. It is truly a dream come true for a pacific northwest woodland-inspired wedding!

Reception Space

The amazing thing about this venue is the combination of forested wonder and gorgeous lush gardens. Receptions are held on the large lawn, which is made of synthetic grass that is always pristine and perfect! There are two large tents that house the reception and a bar/lounge area, and guests can stroll through the winding paths through the gardens. There are also two tiny homes which offer the perfect dressing rooms for couples to get ready in.

If you are looking for a romantic and magical wedding venue in the Snohomish area, Twin Willow Gardens just might be for you! This outdoor venue is available from May through October. We are so excited to see how Rebecca and Brian take this incredible venue to the next level in the years to come! Contact them to learn more about this incredible space.

Spotlight on Craven Farm

May 31, 2019

Wedding season is here, and we’re kicking off our first wedding venue feature to celebrate! Last month we took you behind the scenes of one of the newest venues in Seattle, and today we’re taking you to one of the oldest—Craven Farm in Snohomish County!

History

They are one of our favorite venues for so many reasons, starting with their history. Originally a family-run dairy farm, followed by a berry-picking venue, and eventually the first pumpkin patch in the Snohomish Valley, Craven Farm has been a staple in the community for generations.

Today, Craven Farm continues to be a working farm and wedding venue. Husband and wife team Kimi and Brian Chadwick purchased the farm just last December, and are excited to both continue and build on the great traditions of this historic venue.

Type of Events

Craven Farm specializes in weddings from January through mid-September, and they have some of the most amazing space options (see below!). They are open for the annual pumpkin patch and fall festival through October each year, and starting this year, they will also be open all of December for holiday parties and events. We are so excited to see new events happening in this lovely venue!

The Space

Our absolute favorite aspect of Craven Farm is the unique and diverse space options that they provide. Away from the main roads, the farm is peaceful and quiet, with room to explore. The 70-acre property boasts multiple barns, indoor and outdoor wedding ceremony sites, and spectacular views. They have the perfect kitchen set up for catering, ample parking, and just finished some amazing renovations.

You have to visit in person (of course!), but to get you started, here are some of our favorite aspects of Craven Farm.

Reception Barn

Holds up to 200 people, has indoor restrooms, and a recently renovated bridal suite!

2 Outdoor Ceremony Sites

The first ceremony option is a lovely, small secret garden. Perfect for intimate ceremonies, you hardly even know that you are on a farm at this location! The second option is their Corn Room, equally as unique! By planting corn early in the season in a large field, ceremonies in the Corn Room are tucked away and private while having big beautiful views of the nearby mountains.

Open-air Pole Barn

Perfect for cocktail hour or dancing the night away. Seats 200.

Lawn & Fire Pit

Every wedding needs space for activities! You can have yard games on the lawn, and a HUGE fire pit for s’mores.

Kids Play Area

Large play area perfect for kids with antique tractors, trucks, and room to play!

On-site Floral Design

Another unique aspect of Craven Farm is that they now offer on-site floral design with Chadwick Flower Company (Kimi’s first business venture!). Combination vendors make set-up and coordination a breeze!

If you want to be able to spread out during your wedding, Craven Farm just might be for you. You can come visit them this Sunday during the Snohomish Wedding Tour to walk the grounds, get a sneak peek at their new renovations, and meet other great wedding vendors. Make sure to stop by and chat with Party on the Rocks! You can also find us on the Tour at Snohomish Red Barn Events, Belle Chapel, and Twin Willow Gardens.

Craven Farm has a few openings available for 2019 weddings, and is currently booking for 2020. If you are searching for your perfect venue, make sure to connect with them this weekend. We know you will love them as much as we do!

Element 79: Seattle’s Newest Swanky Event Center

April 11, 2019

There are so many amazing venues for events in and around Puget Sound. One of our favorite parts of bartending and staffing events in the area is being able to travel and get to know all of the unique venues and the people behind them.

Today we’re highlighting one of our favorite newest venues – Element 79 Seattle! Element 79 launched in November of last year, and they have quickly become a hot spot for a wide variety of events. They are conveniently located in Georgetown, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Seattle.

Decor

What we love the most about this venue is their unique and funky vibe. They marry an intimate speakeasy feel with a spacious and modern footprint. From their beautiful reclaimed wood to their gorgeous vintage bar to their live green wall – they have a ton of amazing pieces to work with that make for truly special events. On top of all of the built-in details, the space is a perfect canvas to add your own touch.

Space Options

There are two space options to pick from – Element 79 and the vault. Element 79 is the larger of the two. With 3000 square feet to play with, it’s perfect for wedding receptions, photo shoots, or large private parties. It has a fully equipped kitchen and plenty of room to customize the space to your needs.

The vault is 800 square feet and is the ideal space for smaller, intimate gatherings and business meetings. It also makes a perfect bridal suite for getting ready! You can rent each space on their own, or combine them together for a larger event.

Rates

Element 79 Seattle has superb rental rates for Seattle, we love the affordability they offer with a ton of value! And, they share their rates directly on their website, so there is no guessing involved when you book with them.

Diverse Events

Another main perk of this venue is that it suits so many different types of events. We have done corporate events, weddings, birthday parties, fundraisers, and a vow renewal with Element 79 so far – and each event was perfectly suited to the venue. They make it so easy to customize to your liking and are great at working with outside vendors to bring in unique elements.

Amazing Staff

Melissa and Kori make up the dream team for this woman-owned business, and we just love working with them! They are professional, friendly, fun, and eager to think outside of the box to help customize to the needs of different events. They have also created great relationships with other vendors, making event set up and coordination a breeze.

We are so excited to have Element 79 Seattle as a new event staple in the community. Visit their website to get to know more about them or follow them to see some of their recent events!

Photos by Tori Dickson