5 Things Only Winter Can Offer

Winter may not be everyone’s favorite season, but at Elegant Affairs we adore winter. In the wedding industry, winter means we have few weddings and often work at a slower pace. Some people may shy away from the chilly months ahead – but we fully embrace the season. Due to winter’s unique characteristics, there are a few things that only winter can offer that the other seasons cannot. Let’s explore a few of our favorite things that only winter can offer. 

Let it Snow! 

Our home base is in the Pacific Northwest. And even though we may not always have a ton of snowfall, we are close to the Cascade mountain ranges and can enjoy the mountains with just a short drive. We absolutely love the idea of featuring snow as the decor showstopper. Having your ceremony in an area where snow is visible is not only picturesque for your guests, but a cheap way to easily decorate the space! Now, we know that you may not have the ability to reach the mountains, or the weather may not be on your side, so there are other alternatives to make it snow on your wedding day! There are vendors and companies that can literally make it snow, in your venue space. Now, before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to talk to your venue and check your contract to make sure you’re not breaking any rules. Even synthetic snow can create the most magical effects and we promise you that the pictures will be to die for. 

Keeping Cozy

With the winter months, comes chilly weather. It is the perfect excuse to add some flair to your wedding day attire! There’s absolutely no need to worry about “will I be too hot” or sweating through your dress or having your makeup melt off. Cooler temps will keep your makeup and hair in place throughout the day. You are also able to dress up your wedding gown, or suits/tuxedos with some cozy winter accessories. We love when brides add a nice cape, or festive sweater, or even add some fun winter boots underneath. Not only is it functional in keeping you cozy, but it adds some character to your attire and adds some fun to your wedding photoshoots. You can also keep your guests cozy through the ceremony and reception with some added details. Line the front of the aisle with baskets of blankets, order some bulk gloves and be sure to prepare your guests for the elements prior to your wedding day. Blankets and accessories can even serve as your wedding favor, if you chose to do so! So, don’t let the chilly weather cause you to shy away from choosing the winter months for your weddings. Keeping cozy is a piece of cake with just a few accessories. 

Hot, Hot, Drinks!

In the summer months, sometimes it is so hot, that we find ourselves chugging water or the beverages served. Guests are just focused on keeping cool and staying hydrated. The winter months allow you to curate some special holiday drinks that will keep your guests warm and that they can savor! There are endless options for holiday drinks at a winter wedding. One of our favorites, is the classic hot cocoa bar. Go crazy with the topping options – peppermints, kisses, mini marshmallows — it’s a fun interactive drink option that all ages will love. For the adults, you can add some liquor that will pair with hot cocoa or even opt for some adult only drinks like spiked eggnog or mulled apple ciders. If you are planning on having your ceremony outside, you can even offer some warm drinks prior to the ceremony! It’s a great way to keep your guests warm and enjoy a little treat while watching you and your partner say “I do.” 

Date and Vendor Availability 

Winter weddings can mean that vendors such as wedding planners, caterers, photographers, and vendors have more availability. As people folk book the hot summer months, often that leaves more availability for the winter months. There tends to be less competition with the winter months, granted Christmas Eve and NYE tend to book quickly. There can also be lower prices in the winter months, especially with venues. Booking in winter can ease your pocket book and also open up more dates for you and your fiance! 

Seasonal Decor

Now, of course snow is the largest and most anticipated seasonal decor. But the winter season offers so many other unique choices that spring or summer cannot compete with. Often, venues decorate for the holidays and winter months. Check in with your vendor and see if they do decorate for the season! If they do – you’re in a great position to save a few bucks. You can use what the venue has planned for free. Even having a fireplace on during the reception can add instant of decorative ambience. In addition, let’s face it – we all love seasonal decor. We can’t help ourselves when the stores start to turn a little merry and bright. Winter means you can add touches of the holidays, a festive color scheme, and fresh, fragrant greenery – who doesn’t love the smell of balsam fir? You can’t get this kind of decor in the hot months and there’s just something about winter that we just can’t help but be cheery! 

Even though you may not live in a wintery location, you can still tie in touches of winter into your winter wedding. There are so many festive options to deck the halls in your event space and add some cozy accessories to your wedding party look. Venues are often filled with beautiful winter decor, so it puts some dollars back in your wedding budget. So, don’t shy away from the winter months – instead look to see what it can offer you! We love booking winter weddings, so if you’re in the mood for create your perfect winter wedding – we’d be more than MERRY to help you make your dreams come true. 

Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Tacoma Wedding Planner with over 18 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.

5 Facts about Elegant Affairs

We thought we’d take this post to reintroduce ourselves but in a different way. Elegant Affairs is not new to the wedding industry. We’ve been around for over a decade. We started with just our fearless founder, Lori Losee. She graduated WSU and had worked in communications in the Pacific Northwest. As time went on, she started a family and became a mom to two boys, Grant and Jackson. As she began her family, she realized that she wanted to move down another path and explore the wedding industry – this sparked the creation of Elegant Affairs. At the time, what started off as a side gig, Lori had NO idea that Elegant affairs would BOOM into the company that it is today. Lori and her team have won top Wedding Planning Company in the Pacific Northwest for many years, have had their work graced in magazines, such as Bride Magazine, and continue to expand their wedding planning expertise to other states such as Idaho, Hawai’i, California, and even dabbled with a few destination weddings in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Elegant Affairs has come so far and with the hard work, comes some fun of course. So, let us share with you 5 fun facts about Elegant Affairs and the work we do. 

#01: 367 

367 – represents how many weddings our team, Elegant Affairs has planned and coordinated to date. We’ve worked with 367 couples, had over 367 planning meetings (depending on packages of course), and watched 367 couples tie the knot. No matter how many weddings we do or couples we meet, watching each and every one of our couples tie the knot is truly the best part of our job. Even though we’ve done hundreds of weddings, our team members still feel their hearts flutter as the bride walks down and we may even shed a tear here and there. But, let me tell you – we remember every couple and every wedding we plan and coordinate. Each of our couples holds a special place in our hearts. We’ve kept in touch with hundreds of our couples and have followed their relationships blossom – from babies, moves, and new jobs– we love watching our couples’ adventures. 

#02: We Keep it In the Family 

If you know our founder and owner, you know that Lori is a cougar. And by cougar, we mean a Washington State University Cougar. She graduated from WSU and is a proud Coug. WSU is meaningful for Lori, as she is a proud member and alumni of Alpha Phi - Beta Rho and met her husband, Steve, at WSU. Her son, Grant is currently a freshman at the university, and she keeps close ties with the campus. In fact, many of her couples are former Alpha Phi’s or are graduates of WSU (Go Cougs!). Lori also started an internship program with Alpha Phis, which allowed collegiate members and alumni to intern with Alpha Phi. Through this internship, interns learned how to hold client meetings, form relationships with vendors and network within the wedding industry, helped the wedding planning team coordinate weddings, and became a forever member of the Elegant Affairs team. Many of Elegant Affairs planners were WSU/Alpha Phi alumni, and worked for the company for many years. Some even turned from our planners, to EA brides. We have loved helping our WSU and Alpha Phi family and working with them as a part of the Elegant Affairs team. As times changed, we’ve been able to work with so many of these ladies and are incredibly fortunate to have them on the team. 

#03: Our Frequent Flyers 

Since we’ve worked in the Pacific Northwest wedding industry for over two decades, we’ve formed a lot of relationships with other vendors. But, there are definitely a few vendors that we could call frequent flyers. These are vendors or venues that we’ve been to, or worked with A LOT – and we mean over a dozen of times. These vendors and venues became our friends and created so many memories. Some of our frequent flyers from the past are Port Gamble, Essence of the Thymes, The Lloyds, Tonie Christine, Dubreezy Entertainment, and The Kelly Farm. We’ve known and used these vendors countless times and they’ve truly become a part of our Elegant Affair Family. We always smile when a couple works with them, as we know that it’s going to not only be a wonderful addition to their vendor list, but we know we will have an enjoyable time working with them. 

#04: I Now Pronounce You…

One of our favorite, fun facts, is that Lori went from planning weddings to helping our couples say “I do.” Throughout the planning process, we become a part of our couples lives and form long-lasting relationships with our couples. We had many couples ask Lori to help them tie the knot, by officiating their wedding. So much, that Lori took it upon herself to become an ordained minister! Lori even married one of our former wedding planners on the beach in North Tacoma. She loves planning the perfect ceremony for our couples and enjoys offering these services to those in need. And in our opinion, she does a fine job as an ordained minister too. 

#05: It’s a Losee Affair 

Now, we talked about how we love WSU and the COUGS. But sometimes, when we’re in a crunch, we have to ask our family to help. Lori has two boys, one in high school and one in college, and a husband who works and coaches. But her family still finds the time, when needed to lend an extra hand. Her entire family, including her sister, has played a role in Elegant Affairs from time to time. There have been numerous instances where she has had to ask for support from her family and they took over the role of wedding day or planning assistants. And, they have all done a killer job at it. So, at times – Elegant Affairs is truly a family affair! 

We have SO enjoyed watching Elegant Affairs grow over the last two decades. It has grown and evolved in ways that Lori couldn’t even imagine at the start. Every member of our team, present and past, have loved what they did and the friendships and bonds created with our team and clients will last a lifetime. 

Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Tacoma Wedding Planner with over 18 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.

The Art of the Thank You Card

I don’t know about you, but when I open my mailbox and receive a handwritten thank you card for a birthday gift or wedding it is always appreciated. Growing up, my family had a rule surrounding thank you cards. First, we had to handwrite a thank you card for each person that we received a card or gift from. Secondly, we had to send out the thank you card before we used the item or spent the money. These rules have been stuck in my head for three decades. Anytime I receive a gift, card, or money – a thank you card is quick to follow. Now, this may not be the case for all. For many, thank you cards can seem more of an obligation rather than something that you want to do. So, here are some tips to make writing the thank you card less mundane and turning it into an art. 


What is the time frame?

There are many ideas on when a thank you card should be sent out. After your wedding day, past myths surrounding thank you cards say that you have at least a year to send out your thank you card. While that may work for some, we believe that all thank you cards should be sent out between six and twelve weeks. This gives the newlywed couple time to enjoy their newly wedding bliss, including the honeymoon, and have ample time to unwrap each item. We understand that you cannot follow my childhood rule of sending out a thank you prior to using the gift, or with a same-day turn around, but sending out your wedding thank yous in a timely manner is ideal. Try and break up your thank you cards into chunks. Set out to write a few a day, rather than mass produce. It allows you to spend time creating a thoughtful card. 


Stationery or Cards? 

There is no right or wrong answer to what type of thank you card you use to address your guests. Many couples choose to create a stationary or thank you card that is aligned to their invitation suite. Other couples choose to send out a photo postcard or card. If you choose to send out a photo, be sure that you will be able to receive your photo from your photographer or vendor in time before the twelve-week deadline. Whatever you choose to use, stray far away from fillable cards, generic cards, social media thank you posts, phone calls, emails, or a statement on your wedding website. Bottom line, generic posts or cards are not meaningful and oftentimes they don’t seem appreciative or personal. Your guests are your family and friends. So, spend a few extra minutes writing a personal note. Yes, it is more than okay to have a generic saying for your cards, but if you go that route write an additional, personal note to each individual guest. It’s not a fun feeling to receive a thank you card that had no meaning or heart behind it. Don’t let your guests feel unappreciative and don’t keep your guests waiting. 


Thank You to Who?

Some people may think that you only need to send a card to individuals who gave money or gifts on your wedding day, well - times have changed! There are a few other individuals who we think deserve a thank you card. 

Guests that attend showers or other engagements: Be sure to thank all the guests who attended your bridal shower, engagement party, or any other arrangement you had. The same rules apply, be sure to send these out in the six to twelve-week time frame. 

Wedding gifts: Any gift, small or large needs a thank you card. As you open your cards and gifts, assign someone to take notes on who gifted what, and be descriptive! Be sure to write the gift you received and any remarks you love on that gift. Include what you have used it for or your plans for it. Let’s face it, people like to know that you got their gift and that you know it’s from them. The appreciation is meaningful to guests. 

Monetary gifts: Any sort of monetary gift, including a check, cash, Venmo, cash app, or a donation to your favorite charity. It is always an option to thank the person for the amount, but it isn’t necessary. But, always write what you plan to spend the money on, or what you purchased. 

Party hosts: Send a thank you card to any of your hosts. This can include individual(s) who have hosted your bridal shower, bachelorette party, or engagement party. These functions are often paid out of pocket by the hosts and/or your wedding party. Sending them a warm thank you in appreciation shows your care for their support and efforts. 

Vendors: Often forgotten, vendors are one of the most important people to support your wedding. Even though they are contracted to work your wedding day, showing a thank you with a quick note and even a tip, goes a long way. We always love receiving thank you cards from our couples. 

We’ve all been wedding guests, bought a gift or cut a check, and never received that thank you card. Sometimes it can leave us feeling unappreciated or can leave a sour taste in our mouths. Before you think twice about sending a thank you card or think that it’s a part of the past – just go ahead and do it. Thank you cards are meaningful and show your guests that you appreciate them and their thoughtfulness. When you write your thank you cards, choose a method that will allow you to send them out within six to twelve weeks. Be personable and warm in your cards and mention exactly what each individual is gifted. Ensure that you include everyone who supported, gifted, or even attended your wedding, and don’t forget to thank your vendors! 

Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Tacoma Wedding Planner with over 18 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.