Day One: engage!11: Grand Del Mar

We've been excitedly awaiting engage!11 at the Grand Del Mar for months. Yesterday kicked off this luxury wedding conference where the best and brightest in our industry converge to learn, share, and visit. As we prep for the education, networking, and fun that awaits us today, we are taking a brief moment to share some insight and gorgeous images, courtesy of Jessica Claire...   

From the incredibly warm welcome at registration to the detailing of the gorgeous floral displays, linens, and ambiance, the overall tone at the Grand Del Mar this week is one of excitement and decadence. Our first session yesterday was from Simon T. Bailey and it was a fantastic way to kick-off this experience. We both took so much from what Simon encouraged and put out. Seeing Differently and harnessing that sight is the principle that we've been musing over for quite a while as we continue to grow and branch out. We'll be sharing more of what we took from Simon later this week, so stay tuned.

David Beahm spoke next and shared relatable insight from his experiences, how he treats his clients, and shed light on his basic principles for conducting business. We took an abundance of knowledge from David: How you do anything is how you do everything. So true.

 

After the kick-off sessions we were treated to a marvelous bash with tasty San Diego food trucks, cotton candy, mini doughnuts, and amazing music and entertainment. Most importantly, we got a chance to visit with some lovely friends and meet new ones.

From {finally!} meeting the ultra-talented Kristy Rice of Momental Designs to the talented Jasmine Star, visiting with lovely pal Ceci Johnson from Ceci New York, chatting with Sean Low, and so many others, we both left feeling rejuvenated and open.

We're looking forward to a week of learning, soaking up insight from our peers, meeting inspirational industry leaders, and getting inspired. Be sure to check the blog as we will keep you posted with updates this week!

Photos courtesy of Jessica Claire

Valley & Co. Wedding Business Musings

It's Friday {how did that happen?}, which means we're in for our second installment of our business musings. We are prepping for a weekend of traveling for a wedding and returning Monday to San Diego to attend our first Engage!11. We are just beyond excited to visit with some of our dear industry friends, meet new ones and, most importantly, soak up every ounce of inspiration, discussions, and advice that we can. We never stop learning. We feel that learning can be a key asset in building your business and establishing you.

Being open to learning {especially in creative business} will set you apart from the rest. Soaking up advice, articles, tips, inspiration, colors, textures, and any bits and pieces you can will help you to grow and establish who you are as a creative business owner. Moreover, it can help you determine who you don't want to be. But when it comes down to it, you are in charge of how others perceive you. How your brand comes across. What type of work you put out.

One of our favorite creatively styled shoots that drew the attention of a national magazine writer.

She loved how it stood out...we now collaborate with her often.

Photo by Llanes Weddings for Valley & Co.

We spied this quote on Twitter some time ago and it just rings so true:

"Be so good they can't ignore you." -Steve Martin

Sponging up everything you can will help you build a remarkable business framework but it's up to you to build upon it. Tell us about what you pride yourself and your business at being great at. We'd love to hear about it!

Color Inspiration: Vibrant Cannes Glam

Sometimes color inspiration comes to us from the most creative or random of places. It can come from our daily walks along the boardwalk or the bay {getting fresh air and taking a deep breath in the middle of your day is a must, if even for a minute}, from palm fronds or the color of the sea, to the sunset or garden blooms.

Photo by Llanes Weddings for Valley & Co.

We picked up this postcard in Cannes and it sits on one of our cork boards in the office, pinned alongside other snippets of things that inspire us. This postcard is sunny and vibrant and reminiscent of French style and effortless Cannes glamour.

What inspires or draws you to colors?

Valley & Co. Wedding Planning Tips - Ham it Up

We frequently tell our couples to really soak up the moments leading up to their wedding day. From your engagement through the planning process to the big day, and everything in between, there's no time better than the present to soak up the moments.

Ham it up. Have fun. Document away.

Whether it's dressing up and spending the day playing in front of the camera at your engagement shoot or having your cake baker snap a photo of you at your cake tasting or with your families listening to your band, be sure to really enjoy and document those moments on camera or even in a journal.

Yes, we said a journal! We're not talking about a Dear Diary format, but keep a small notepad and jot down funny moments, stories about the wines you tasted, how you selected your menu, and memories shared of your planning process. As random as they might be, we promise you'll savor those notes forever!

Photo by Llanes Weddings for Valley & Co.

The moments fly by and you'll look back on your engagement fondly, especially if you've captured it on film! On top of your magnificent wedding photos you can look back on the fun times had with your sweetie and your family and wedding party!

  

Dressing Your Bed with NewlyWish

We are thrilled to welcome back our expert registry contributor Amanda Allen from NewlyWish! Thank you so much for lending your stylish and informative expertise, Amanda!

Hello, again, everyone. It's estimated that we spend about one-third of our lives asleep, and, fittingly, one of the areas I get a lot of questions about from registry clients is bedding. There are so many options that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. So for today’s post, I thought I’d share some quick points about bedding so that, if you’re thinking about including bedding in your registry, you can make the decisions that are right for you.

 

Thread count matters…One of the first things you’ll see when shopping for sheets is Thread Count (‘TC’), which is the number of threads that run horizontally and vertically in a square inch of fabric. Higher thread count means a tighter weave and greater softness and durability. I recommend selecting sheets with a thread count of at least 200 – at this level, you’ll get high quality bedding that’s soft and comfortable. Sheets in the 300-400 TC range are a little nicer and still affordable, while 400-1000 TC sheets are going to cost a little more, but you will definitely notice the difference in feel, with the highest thread counts delivering true luxury.

Basic whites can be anything but basic

Bedding links and photos from NewlyWish partner Bobby Berk Home

Ayanna Black Sheet Set by Blissliving Home 

Astor Duvet Set and Sheeting by Designers Guild

Blissliving Belgravia White Duvet Set

…But so does the material. An equally important consideration is the type of thread that’s used. Some of the most common materials used in sheets range from cotton-polyester blends –wrinkle-resistant, durable, and relatively inexpensive; 100% Cotton – gives that soft, smooth feel, while also being absorbent and breathable (Egyptian and pima/Supima - from the Southwest US - are the highest quality cottons). There’s also silk, which is naturally hypoallergenic and excellent for keeping warm in the winter and cool in the summer (but remember that you’ll need to dry clean), and one of my new faves, linen, which comes from the flax plant, and gives you bedding that is light and comfortable, while also being strong and durable. And what’s best, the more you use linen sheets, the softer and stronger they become.

Weave: The final piece of the puzzle is the weave. Basic weaves have an equal number of vertical and horizontal threads. Percale is a higher-end basic weave with a thread count of 180 or higher, known for its crisp feel. Sateen weaves have more vertical than horizontal threads, which produces a very soft fabric on the top side. There are also more complex weaves, such as damasks and jacquards, which have a heavier, textured feel.

Patterned bedding can reflect or define the decor of your bedroom

Bedding links and photos from NewlyWish partner Bobby Berk Home
Circles Persimmon Duvet Set by DwellStudio | Trellis Dove Duvet Set by Dwellstudio 
Ayanna Citron Duvet Set by Blissliving Home

Sizing and Sets: While the basic dimensions of beds have been standardized, one thing to remember is that there are many options in the depth of mattresses today, so make sure that you know the height of your mattress to get the correct depth, or ‘pocket’, for your fitted sheets. And, when it comes to deciding whether to go with sets or individual sheets, sets are usually more affordable, and they make the decisions easier. But, going with individual pieces allows you to truly customize your bedding – for example, I prefer a king flat sheet for my queen bed, and mixing and matching is easier too: solid white pillowcases will go with just about anything, while a colorful print duvet cover or comforter can change the entire look of your bedroom.

There you have it! What kind of sheets do you prefer? Thank you so much to Amanda for this incredibly informative post. We certainly learned something new and will pay close attention to your tips when we're dressing our bed and shopping for bedding {summer bedding is actually on our To Do List}!

A Farmland Engagement Shoot in Mississippi

This Mississippi engagement shoot from Adam Hudson Photo made Aleah's heart jump. There's something just so perfect, so summery, and so fun about it.

 A happy couple in love + an easy, breezy setting = an engagement shoot we can all appreciate!

 Add in an heirloom quilt and gorgeous horses and you get an incredibly dreamy session  out of the scenes of a perfectly romantic summery movie.

 ...it gets even better! A lovely bride-to-be serenading her beau! This entire shoot can remind us all of what it's about; enjoying time with each other, loving, caring, and having fun while you're doing it.

Photography | Adam Hudson Photo

Okay, now tell us which image is your favorite! What would you bring to a farm or field photo session with your sweetie?

A Winner!

Congratulations to KH Bride, winner of our How I Planned Your Wedding book and Macy's gift card giveaway! Please send us an email hello@valleyandco.com so we can get in touch! Thank you to those that entered!

5 Wedding & Lifestyle Business Etiquette Basics

We are thrilled to have launched our new Lifestyle By Valley & Co. blog and excited to announce that every Friday {instead of At Home with Aleah} we will now be blogging about a handful of helpful business tips and experiences we have learned over the years in our Seattle and Southern California offices.

We will be talking about learning lessons and tidbits our business consulting clients have also found quite helpful. If there's something you're interested about, would love for us to write about, or have questions about, please drop us a line or leave us a comment.

5 Wedding and Lifestyle Business Etiquette Basics

1. Write as you speak. If used properly Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and the like, are all fantastic resources that will aid in spreading the word about your business, will help you establish your brand, and will create unbelievable connections. However, using social media improperly can have a truly adverse effect. While we'll touch on social media in general in another post, there is one social media etiquette tip we strongly believe in. Use punctuations and grammar properly and show that you care about what you're talking about. No one likes reading emails or seeing Tweets where you're seemingly yelling. There's something to be said for giving value to what you say. We encourage you to look back through your last week's Twitter feed and think about if you like what you read. If not, think about how you can improve.

2. The written word. There is perhaps nothing better than receiving a thoughtful hand-written note from a client or artists whom we've referred our couples to. We both make a point to hand-write thank you notes after meetings, features, or lunches and events. We're often surprised to hear so many people say that they rarely receive thank you notes. It's seemingly a dying art, but we don't buy it. Put it on your calendar to write a thank you note after your next event, next consultation, or an interview someone conducts about you. We guarantee it will leave a lasting impression and it's a fantastic habit to have.

3. Be positive. While this may seem like a simple business principle, we've stumbled across so many negative Twitter feeds about vendors and clients by those from whom we'd never expect. We are in an industry that celebrates happiness. Don't put out there that you are unhappy, stressed about a client, or upset with a vendor. You are a professional. Remember that. While we all struggle with mishaps and bad days, putting negativity out there or saying something negative about others will come back to bite you. If you are having a bad day, step away from social media and contact if you can.

4. Respond, respond, respond. Answering the telephone, returning a phone call, and responding to emails quickly is so important. A potential client can ring you and leave a message but quickly move onto another artist if you don't answer. It can result in a lost consultation and business. We make a point to answer all phone calls whenever possible and to return messages immediately. We typically respond to emails the same day {Daunting? Yes, as we received hundreds each day!}, but our clients and peers appreciate this level of customer service. We prioritize by event date and urgency, which makes it more manageable. Think about how long it takes you to respond to an email or a voice mail. Try and improve by half a day and you'll likely feel better and see a response to it. At the least, schedule time at the start of your day, middle of the day, and end of the day to thoughtfully respond to emails to ensure they're wrapped up. Always make sure your clients are first.

5. Be Private. It's more than okay to keep a definition of your private life.
We prefer to keep our personal Facebook page separate and only for our family and friends we know well. This keeps our personal life personal and our business life separate. It's a healthy thing to do and the lines aren't blurred. Most people are quite candid with their families and friends, so think before you respond to a friend request. Be sure you're comfortable enough with them. There is a fine line here as we consider many of our industry peers great friends. Just use your best judgement.

What would you like us to discuss next week?

Shh...{Super} Sneak Peek: Nautical La Jolla Romance

 We are just bursting at the seams to show off more of this gorgeous La Jolla wedding of our incredible clients but alas, we are holding it tight. Stay tuned and enjoy this beautiful, romantic, positively SoCal image courtesy of our friends Llanes Weddings!

Photo by Llanes Weddings for Valley & Co.

Fresh and Fun Summertime Favors

Summertime is on its way and we can't wait! As we're fine-tuning details for summer events we're seeing fresh berries, mini doughnuts, and cotton candy making late-night menus and as take-home favors. What a fun summer treat!

Mini sugared doughnuts + striped paper bags from Sweet Lulu = nostalgic treats your guests will love.

Doughnut image from Babble | Striped bags from Sweet Lulu $6 for 20

Fresh local berries in recyclable paper crates are reminiscent of a Farmers' Market. Put your personal touch on by selecting your favorite berries to give away.

Fruit image courtesy of Ceci New York | Berry Basket from Enasco

Dishing out cotton candy in whimsical striped paper cups is an unexpected treat sure to impress your guests and will likely bring back memories of fun summer days.

Cotton candy image from Scentuality Scents | Striped paper cups from Sweet Lulu $6 for 12

What are some of your favorite summer treats? Would you have any of these summertime treats at your wedding or bash?

Engaged! A Sunny Missoula, Montana Photo Shoot

We love when Kristine Paulsen sends her Montana goodness our way. She is a talented and very artisic photographer in Missoula and her imagery is always so gorgeous, so fresh, and so real. Today's sweet engagement shoot speaks to her creative and natural eye and we think you'll enjoy it!

How incredible is this backdrop? This photo is urban perfection!

Kristine tells us that Lisa and John are typicaly very outdoorsy, so this urban backdrop was a nice change of scenery. You can have so much fun with your engagement shoot if you let loose and let your photographer pick a unique and fresh location.

What we love about this shoot is how candid the photos are. Kristine really drew out some fun photos and moments from these two.

Photo of the day: Aww...

Thank you so much, Kristine! We can't wait to see images of their historic farmstead wedding this summer!

Photography | Kristine Paulsen Photography