Vendor Spotlight: Port Gamble

Let’s face it – we couldn’t be who we are, without our fabulous vendors. Over the years we’ve met so many wonderful individuals in the wedding industry. We decided to reach out to some of our vendors from the past and present, and ask them what fuels their business and what they're all about! So, sit down and relax with us as we sit down with our vendors to discuss what is at the heart of their business. We are so excited about this week’s vendor:



Port Gamble Weddings & Events

The Port Gamble Weddings office has been established for over 20 years! However, our team is made up of individuals who have all chosen the world of weddings because we feel like we can make a difference in someone's experience and make their special day that much more 

Our company is Port Gamble Weddings and Events and we have been an event venue in the industry for over 20 years. We offer two great venues for your wedding or special event that can accommodate 150-185 guests. St. Pau's Church is our historic 1800's church with waterfront views and classic northeastern charm. Our second venue, the Hood Canal Vista Pavilion is located on the Hood Canal with waterfront views that truly encompass what the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Our team is made up of passionate wedding professionals who are here to help you throughout your planning process, walk you through the space prior to your event, create your custom floorplans for your reception, and much more memorable.

A couple on their wedding day in front of St. Paul's church in Port Gamble.

We’re dying to know – what made you dive into the world of weddings?
The Port Gamble team says…
“After planning my own wedding and working with such an amazing group of wedding vendors (who honestly have become family at this point) I decided that I wanted to be able to do for other couple's what they did for me. Working with people on one of the most exciting and special events of their life, making them run smoothly, and seeing the happiness that they experience is why I work in the wedding industry!” - Elizabeth

Kristen-
“I've always been drawn to the magic of weddings & how special they can be for each person. I had my start with catering and bartending and had fun seeing guests and the newlyweds have a beautiful experience. It truly is magical and I look forward to every opportunity to see new visions with every couple.” - Kristen

“I was never the girl who played "wedding", or imagined what my wedding would be. However, when I was in college friends and family started getting married. They reached out because of my organizational skills, crafting ability, and vocals. Once I began helping to plan, decorate, and organize weddings...I couldn't stop. There is so much joy and personality that goes into creating a couple's wedding day; I can't help but love being a part of it all.”- Amber

A couple saying I Do during their wedding ceremony inside of St. Paul's church.

Tell us about how you started your business.
In the early 2000s, we had a team who worked in Port Gamble take a look around and think that the beauty of the town could be an amazingly unique backdrop for someone's special day. A couple of years later in 2002, our historic St. Paul's Church became the home to only a few weddings. Fast forward 21 years later, and Port Gamble is now hosting almost 100 weddings each year in St. Paul's Church or overlooking the water at the Hood Canal Vista Pavilion. Our wedding team is incredibly honored to be part of this historical town and contribute to it's unique history.

Our company is Port Gamble Weddings and Events and we have been an event venue in the industry for over 20 years. We offer two great venues for your wedding or special event that can accommodate 150-185 guests. St. Paul's Church is our historic 1800's church with waterfront views and classic northeastern charm. Our second venue, the Hood Canal Vista Pavilion is located on the Hood Canal with waterfront views that truly encompass what the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Our team is made up of passionate wedding professionals who are here to help you throughout your planning process, walk you through the space prior to your event, create your custom floor plans for your reception and much more!

A couple saying I Do outside on the lawn  of the Hood Canal Pavilion.

What's the secret sauce behind bringing that touch of elegance to your projects?
Port Gamble Weddings’ secret sauce is definitely our team! As a venue, your building will sell because it's beautiful, fits someone's budget, or can accommodate a certain guest count, but it's the people behind the scenes that really make the magic happen. We have a group of venue coordinators who are very enthusiastic about ensuring our client's experience is beautiful and memorable. When you have a team behind your with that kind of love for their job, you can't lose!

A couuple on their wedding day on the water in Port Gamble.

Advice you want to give couples about the wedding planning process?
The best advice I think couples can have is to hire vendors that you can put your trust in and get along with. Although magical, wedding days can also be extremely long and stressful for some. If you have a team of vendors who you can trust to solve problems that may arise, make a couple of day of decisions for you, etc. it will make all the difference in how you remember your wedding day.

A couple on their wedding day in Port Gamble.

What trends do you hope to see or want to see in 2024?
The one big thing that we have noticed is that couple's seem to prioritize their guests overall experience at their wedding. We have seen couples focus more on what they can do for their guests to have a unique experience at their wedding. We have seen things from interactive guests books to couple's hiring artists to draw their guests pictures during the reception. We would really love to see this trend continue throughout 2024, so we can see even more awesome ideas from our couples!

A wedding reception in the tent at Hood Canal Pavilion in Port Gamble.

Spill the tea – what's the next big thing in weddings that has you buzzing with excitement?
We just love seeing all of our couples think outside the box and try new things. However, we have loved seeing our couple's use their grandparents as ring bearers & flower girls! It's just too sweet. If this is the next big thing in weddings, we are so ready for it!

A couple and their wedding party on the steps of St. Paul's Church in Port Gamble.

We love working with you, why do you love working with Elegant Affairs?
We love working with Elegant Affairs because when they are part of any event, you know that everything is going to go off without a hitch! The their team is always so passionate about making every couple's wedding experience so special and perfect. Couples can head into wedding day knowing that the Elegant Affairs team is going to bring their wedding visions to reality.

Reach out to us today!
Port Gamble Weddings & Events
Portgambleweddings@raydient.com
360.297.8074

A couple on their wedding day in front of a balloon garland and lit marquee letters spelling LOVE.

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.

So, you just got Engaged!

You just got engaged over the holiday break - you’re living in the moment and having a blast showing off your ring to all of your loved ones. We know that some couples prefer to plan their wedding over a longer period of time, but we still meet couples who want to tie the knot within a year! Many might question, is even possible? But, we’re here to tell you that YES, it is possible to plan a 2024 wedding! Maybe you are at the perfect transition stage for a wedding, or just like the ring of saying “yes” in the new year, but it is possible to make your dream wedding happen, even on a time crunch. 

#01

Before the planning even begins, talk with her partner about your top must-haves. Once you pick 3-5 of your most important wedding wants, it will help you make a realistic plan of what can be accomplished. If you must have a venue, you’ll need to check and see if they are open or how far they are booking out weddings and events. Oftentimes, venues can be booked solid for the next year, before the clock strikes midnight! So make a list and determine what you absolutely want at your wedding and if it’s possible to book your favorite vendors in your set time frame. 

#02

Sit down with your partner to discuss finances. Many couples need time to combine their households after engagement occurs and this includes discussing each of your finances. We know that finances can be the biggest stressor in a relationship and it is vital that you ensure there is enough time to create your wedding funds. You don’t want to miss any vendor due dates or not create a budget that will work for you. If you want to make a wedding happen within the 2024 year, be sure to be reasonable about what you can achieve. Create a budget and stick to the budget. Do not overextend or estimate your budget into something unreasonable. Wedding bills can pile up quickly and many vendors require a deposit. Plan accordingly if you want to make a wedding happen within the New Year! 

#03

Talk to your family and friends about potential dates. One of the best parts about getting married is who you celebrate with! Planning a wedding in a short amount of time can mean friends and family may have to book tickets or make travel arrangements quickly. You want to talk to those who may need to travel in order to chose dates that may ease their travel and save money on their pocketbook. You also want to coordinate with family and friends to ensure that all the important or must-have folks will be in attendance. 

#04

Don’t rush to ask your wedding party right away. One of the biggest mistakes or regrets brides and grooms have is asking friends and family to be in your wedding party too quickly. Let’s face it, friendships change and unfortunately, some come and go. We’ve had brides in the past have to make last-minute changes to their wedding party or wish they would have included someone else. You definitely don’t want to have a negative conversation with any individual prior to the wedding, so think carefully and wait to ask until you can clearly envision your wedding day. 

#05

Most importantly, enjoy ALL of the moments. There is only one brief time that you and your fiance will spend engaged. Soak up all of the moments and work to enjoy the planning process. You will have a lifetime of wedded memories, but your moments to just be engaged will fade. So, plan that engagement party, enjoy the bubbly, take the pictures, and bask in engagement bliss! 

If you’re looking to get married within the 2024 year and need some help with the planning process, we’d love to support you with your journey! Whether you want to wed within the next month, or want to plan something later in the year, let our team at Elegant Affair guide you! Don’t forget to check with your family and friends if you want to tie the knot in 2024, you definitely want all your loved ones to attend, don’t rush through the engaged bliss moments, and take your time with planning. You may think that you need to hurry through the process but just breathe! Congratulations to all of our new engaged couples – ENJOY!


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.

Vendor Spotlight: Essence of the Thymes

Let’s face it – we couldn’t be who we are, without our fabulous vendors. Over the years we’ve met so many wonderful individuals in the wedding industry. We decided to reach out to some of our vendors from the past and present, and ask them what fuels their business and what they're all about! So, sit down and relax with us as we sit down with our vendors to discuss what is at the heart of their business. We are so excited about this week’s vendor:



Essence of the Thymes

Essence of the Thymes provides food and service for the most memorable days of people's lives. We have PNW style and are creative with menus. We are full service which means that we can also manage your rentals and handle full set up to final clean up.

 We’re dying to know – what made you dive into the world of weddings?
My friend asked me (knowing that I wanted to cater) to cater her wedding.  It started out for 200 people.  What? Of course I said yes and knew I would figure it out.  I kept getting phone calls from this friend the month prior telling me her guest count was going up to 225, then 250 and finishing at 295 as her final count.  I loved it and started advertising at Wedding Shows the first chance I got.  

Tell us about how you started your business.
I originally planned to have a restaurant. I was working as a corporate restaurant trainer. We would train the crew before the restaurant opened. It was challenging and unpredictable. Then when I had someone ask me to cater an event it felt similar and good. I knew what I wanted to do!

What's the secret sauce behind bringing that touch of elegance to your projects?
Essence of the Thymes team is the BEST! The whole team has passion for the events we serve. It makes all the difference when people care. When we pair that up with great food, it is the perfect recipe.

Any wild, funny, or heartwarming tales from your wedding adventures?
We see all the amazing, the good, the bad, and the ugly. We have experienced couples using the rented dishes for their ceremonial breakage, guests getting in fights, couples singing to each other, the most heartwarming speeches, generation tables with family wedding pictures dated back to the 1800s, and cakes built upside down, This is just to name a few.

Advice you want to give couples about the wedding planning process?
Breathe! And enjoy, don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions to feel comfortable with your vendors. Then, you can trust their processes for success.

What trends do you hope to see or want to see in 2024?
We predict that couples will want more out-of-the-box menus and step away from traditional menus. We also see menus that foster interaction! 

Spill the tea – what's the next big thing in weddings that has you buzzing with excitement?
We are SO excited that more clients are wanting to feature food throughout the day. This means food can begin before the ceremony, interaction, and fun food choices, and end the night with snacks to go!

We love working with you, why do you love working with us?
The style of Elegant Affairs events is top-notch.  Some of our most beautiful weddings have been serviced by them.  And I will add, these weddings feel smooth. 

Anything else we must know about you?
Reach out to us today! 
Essence of the Thymes LLC
360-876-9200
www.essenceofthethymes.com
EssenceoftheThyme@hotmail.com
























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.