Ira + Lucy Event Design, Seattle Spring Gala

Boise is a city, but it certainly has a small town feel and we know the industry is wondering.... Is Ira + Lucy moving out of Boise? Nope! We are still based out of Boise and working hard as ever on our home base turf for our incredible clients with a very awesome team of creatives! I can't wait to introduce you to them all! We'll have brand new team profiles coming soon! So, stay tuned! So, what about this announcement on Instagram about Seattle and Portland? We are glad you are wondering and asking. Jonnathan and I are from WA and also lived in Portland for some time and do miss our more greener homes and are excited to have the opportunity to expand our service to meet the PNW markets. We'll be focusing on Event Design in those areas, while utilizing existing coordinators and rental companies already in place. So, yes, we are stationed in Boise, but we are serving clients in Portland and Seattle as well. We will continue to take a limited amount of events to ensure that our clients get our full attention and care. So, hope that clears any questions up for you. Have no fear Boise! We aren't leaving.

Seattle Spring Gala

The Children's Garden School "A Garden Life" Spring Gala

Now, let's chat about our recent event in Seattle! We were pleased to design "A Garden Life" Spring Gala for The Children's Garden School, in Issaquah at Blakely Hall Community Center. We focused on a classic green and white palette with organic touches. Details included custom throw pillows for the VIP Lounge, milk glass and vintage mason jar centerpieces, hand lettered signage, a French Garden photo booth station, and a beautiful food station featuring incredible catering from Zimmer and Co. Jonathan Zimmer is a renown chef in Seattle and was such a joy to work with him and his team. We adore having the chance to style catering stations to allow the catering to focus on what they do best and let us handle the styling, for a cohesive experience for the event.

Obviously, I'm going to be biased, but I thought our "photo booth" was so perfect! The guests LOVED the set up and were taking pics all night! I'm beginning to be very partial to a green and white palette. I just love it! "Fantine" settee from France worked her charm on the guests, perfectly accented with our vintage crates, lanterns, mason jars and planters. Now if only I'd put that much effort into our home patio! I need more plants!

Our attempt at organic styled floral design! In keeping with a tight "fundraising" budget, the Chair of the auction requested that we and some lovely volunteers pull together the floral centerpieces. I might say, it was pretty fun, but I would much rather have the professional florists handle the flowers!

P.S. you NEED to try Armstrong Family Wine! The Chardonnay was out of this world! I might add that the Gala raised about 35% over their goal!!!! Wahooo! I'd say we were successful! Inkling Calligraphy rocked the signage for us! She's a Texas sweetheart who's moved to Boise and we are so happy she's here!

Zimmer and Co.

Lissa, from Weddings with Lissa, did a great job handling the coordination for the auction logistics! We love working with other fabulous planners.

Hot Topic! DJ vs. iPod

Guest Post Feature Hot TopicDJ vs. iPod

"Who Needs a DJ? I Have My Own Sound System!" Guest Post by Sound Wave Music + Lighting Design

When it comes to planning a wedding we know there are MANY options, choices to make, and the possibilities are endless.  We also know that your budget is not endless (if only, right?!).  We have heard time and again that there are many ways to “DJ” your own wedding and why not, if you can save $800-$1200 in your wedding budget?  Now, we aren’t saying this is wrong in every case, as every wedding is different. But, we do know that DJ'ing your own wedding can come at a price - and maybe a price you don’t want to pay.  Here are some things to consider as you make this big decision for your special day:

1. A DJ is Not an Ipod.  If you just need a quiet playlist playing for the duration of your wedding, an ipod playlist may be a great choice.  If you are looking for a customized playlist, someone who can read the crowd, interact with your guests, change the tone at a moment’s notice, and make a great celebration for you and your guests, a DJ will be worth looking into…and worth the investment.  A professional and talented DJ can set the mood for your whole wedding and give you the type of experience you will cherish for years to come. These are things an ipod can never do for you.
2. Your Mom Isn’t An MC…Neither is Your Coordinator.  One of the important jobs of your DJ is to make the announcements and MC your wedding.  Not a big deal, right?  Anyone can do it?  Not the case.  Our DJs are trained MCs.  They have mastered the art of voice, tone, inflection, volume, and more.  On the day of your wedding, someone WILL need to make announcements so your guests will feel at ease knowing what to expect throughout the evening.  More often than not your mother or coordinator will be the one who ends up on the mic if you don’t have a DJ, and trust me, this is not what they want to be doing on your wedding day!
3. A DJ Is More Than a “DJ”.  A DJ will never replace a day of coordinator (a discussion for another day), but a professional DJ will make sure the flow of your reception events goes smoothly. He will work closely with your coordinator to ensure that everyone is in the right place at the right time before he makes an announcement of what is coming next.  This will go a long way in putting you at ease during your wedding - knowing you can enjoy your wedding and not stress about the little details behind the scenes.
4. Renting Equipment Can Be More Headache Than It’s Worth. There are plenty of places in Boise and the surrounding area where you can rent sound equipment.  Again, this could be a feasible option if you just intend to have a quiet playlist in the background with no dancing, no announcements.  Then again, do you know how to operate the equipment?  What if something goes wrong? How do you troubleshoot it?  Is there back up?  What is an amplifier?  A Subwoofer? Mic Input? AHHHHH!  These are all questions we would rather you not have to answer as you are in the middle of walking down the aisle and the music cuts out for what seems like an eternity.  Can we go for a round 2?  Unfortunately there are no retakes for your wedding day.  Having a professional DJ means these potential problems are not your problems.  The professionals are there who know how to operate, troubleshoot and optimize the equipment.  And with Sound Wave, backups are always available.

So, is hiring a professional DJ the right fit for your wedding? We would recommend exploring your options. Feel free to take a look at our website, where you can watch videos about our services and about our fun, experienced DJs and also learn more about how having a professional DJ can make your day the one you are envisioning.

Let us know if we can help by answering questions or brainstorming ideas for your wedding!  Happy planning!

Kristin Cole Sound Wave Music & Lighting Design, LLC 208-891-0094 www.boise-dj.com

Photos courtesy of Let It Shine Photography

Winter Solstice Wedding Inspiration

I was inspired for a blush wedding when my family visited a local nursery for our Christmas Tree and was pleasantly surprised by the stunning rows upon rows of lush poinsettias, especially the blush toned ones. What a stunning color and how perfect for a romantic winter wedding! Blush doesn't just have to be a summer and spring season wedding color. We adore it for an incredibly dreamy sunset wedding! With Winter Solstice this weekend we thought it was the perfect time to share this lovely idea board we designed!

(LEFT: MontanaRosePainter.tumblr.com, CatherinesTable.tumblr.com, theglitterguide.com, Valuz Reyes Wedding Dress via colincowieweddings.com, shireenlouw.com, Ciara Richardson Photography, HappyWedd.com, zilalila.com, weddingchicks.com)