Meet Our 2017 Wedding Show Sponsor: Whova

One of the keywords we stress when talking about wedding planning is ORGANIZATION! Organize, organize (and organize some more) your vendors, planning timeline, wedding day timeline and your GUESTS! Yes, don’t forget that attending a wedding is an experience and you want to make it a memorable time for your guests!

Whether you are having a destination wedding or inviting guests from all over the country (or world), streamlining their experience, from the time they receive a wedding invitation to the time they touch down in your city, is one of great importance. Not only does it make for a great experience, but it also cuts out time wasted on answering Uncle Abraham’s questions about airport shuttle arrangements or Aunt Elsa’s concerns about timing of all the different activities and locations set for your 3 day wedding celebration. 

Cultural weddings, with an average guest count of 700-800 people, can especially be hard to organize and make for an efficient guest experience. (Is this why half the wedding guests show up late at cultural weddings…? We’re still pondering this one, because it’s 2017 already, so can that habit be gone already…? Okay, done venting, lol ☺). 

Because of the large guest counts and multiple days of ceremonies and activities involved in most cultural weddings, we are especially excited about a new event app that’s going to be a game changer- Enter Whova. 

Whova is an all-in-one event manager and organizer that we feel is the BEST solution to organizing your large wedding guest for your Big Day! How awesome would it be if all of your wedding guests, upon RSVP’ing for your wedding, were able to view all of your wedding timeline information including airport shuttles/pickups and hotel info on a bulletin board as well as an agenda of various ceremonies, rehearsals, receptions, after-parties, etc….? Well, that is EXACTLY what the Whova app can do for you and your wedding guests. You can even make announcements about any changes or updates to your wedding that will be sent as both an e-mail and push notification. And guess what…. It’s a free app for your wedding guests to download, sign-in and start learning about your line-up for your week long wedding celebration, or amazing destination wedding half way across the world! 

This year, during our 2nd annual cultural wedding show, we are using the Whova app to help organize and manage all of our show attendees! All of our attendees, upon purchasing a ticket, will have access to our entire wedding show agenda, have access to all of our vendors (and which booth they will be located at) and sponsors while being able to simply click on their business name to navigate to their website, learn about the different prize giveaways and the times they will be announced, logistics on parking and so much more!

Umm, can you say completely awesome? Oh and get this, all of the attendees (or your future wedding guests) will have the ability to see who is in attendance at the event, send instant messages, participate in a group chat, as well as snap photos from within the app to share them with the entire event goers. You can also use a Live Slideshow to show those photos and other wedding activities on a big screen. THAT is pretty awesome!

We can’t wait to share this amazing app- the answer to every bride’s wedding guest struggles! We will be sharing more on this App leading up to our wedding show, so stay tuned for more on Whova and how we are using it to make our wedding show 10 times more amazing! 

Will you be in attendance at our wedding show this year? Please do let us know what you think about the app- we’d LOVE to hear your feedback!

Looking to learn more about the Whova app? Click here to visit their site and learn more about their event packages and, P.S. Don't forget to watch the awesome tutorial on their site!

Connect with Whova further here:

Website: Whova.com

Email: event@whova.com
Download: http://whova.com/download/

Demo: https://whova.com/demo/ 

Tickets to the wedding show can be found at: bit.ly/herbigday2017

The Perfect Bridal Brunch

 {photography: Jos Riv}

On June 26, 2016 we put on an exclusive and intimate Bridal Brunch for cultural brides embarking on the wedding planning process!

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The event, held at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, was an opportunity for the bride-to-be to receive wedding planning tips, tools and guidance from not only us, but also from a panel of past brides who have gone through the process of planning a cultural wedding!

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This value packed event was also inclusive of a live makeup demo by Makeup by DivaDoll, a fashion show from award-winning bridal designer, Dream Dresses by PMN, an unlimited brunch + mimosa bar, prize giveaways and much more!

Our Cultural Wedding Planning Workshop was the FIRST of its kind! The brunch received so much praise, that we are so excited to share that our second Bridal Brunch will be taking place on Sunday, January 29th, 2017 from 11AM-1PM at the DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport preceding our 2nd Annual Cultural Wedding Show, "Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair."
Best of all, this year's brunch will be lead by Celebrity Makeup Artist, Glam by Maryam.

Get your VIP tickets now to be a part of this amazing morning and afternoon of all things bridal! TICKETS: bit.ly/herbigday2017

Meet Nazret Asfaw: Event Planning Intern

Photography: TimeStop Photography

Behind every successful event, there is a hardworking Event Planner.

Meet the newest addition to our team, Nazret Asfaw!

Nazret really wanted more experience in the event planning world so joining Her Big Day was a match made in wedding planning heaven. Nazret has been closely involved in our quarterly mixers, bridal brunch, one year anniversary party and our wedding show that is around the corner. Learn more about her below! P.s. If you're reading this on July 20th, it's her birthday so be sure to wish her a happy birthday!

Name: Nazret Asfaw

School or Trade School You Attended: University of Washington 2011

Major:  Media and Communication with a Minor in Human Rights

Instagram: @nazretasfaw

Where are you from? I am Ethiopian and have lived in Seattle,Washington for over twenty-four years.

What is the most fun event you have planned? I enjoyed planning my brother’s Melse (part two of the Wedding). Everything from the decorations, dresses, food, and photographs turned out better than I expected. It brought joy to see family and friends enjoying themselves.

If you could get married today, where would be your dream wedding? I have always said it didn’t matter where I got married. I only care about having those close to me take part in the celebration. 

What would be your wedding colors and/or theme? I would like to keep day one of my wedding simple and classic with gold, white, ivory and blush. I then would have day two (Melse) be filled with bright colors such as yellow, fuchsia and blue. 

What are wedding traditions in your culture?

On the couple’s wedding day, relatives and guests will assemble at the bride’s and groom’s houses. The groom dresses for the wedding then picks up the bride from her family’s house. The bride and the bridal party meet the groom at the entrance of her home with music and bar him from entering until he makes his way through. On day two, the families of the bride and groom wear traditional clothing as a way to signify unity. Women get traditional braids and wear lots of jewelry. The groom and bride wear these beautiful embroidered crown and cape. 

Your favorite drink to order at Starbucks: 

I’m not a fan of coffee or tea so I usually get a Passion Tea Lemonade.

What’s in your purse? I don’t carry much in my purse just my phone, wallet, and chap stick.

Your favorite quote:

 “There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning” Jiddu Krishnamurti

What do you hope to get out of interning with Her Big Day?

I am doing this internship in hopes of gaining experience. I hope to learn how to effectively network, engage with establishment owners and local businesses/sponsors, and practice professional etiquette.

We are thrilled to have Nazret on our team! 

Her Big Day Bridal Brunch Vendor Spotlight: The Bloom Room

ONE more day until our Bridal Brunch fit for the cultural bride! What's an event without an awesome photo backdrop?! We are thrilled to share that The Bloom Room will be displaying her beautiful floral backdrop for all of our lovely brides and bridesmaids to snap photos against. Owner, Sana Ahmed is new to the bridal world and is excited to bring this element of the bridal decor to life for any bride and groom that she meets. Learn more about Sana and her business below!

Her Big Day (HBD): Tell us about your business and what you specialize in. What makes your business stand out from the rest?

The Bloom Room (Sana): I make handmade giant paper flowers and paper flower backdrops for all types of events. My paper flowers can be customized for each event according to what my client desires.

HBD: What do you find clients say they love the most about working with you?
Sana: My clients love the intricate details of my paper flowers and designs. They are often shocked of the time I've spent in creating the paper flowers and paper flower boards, and love how they bring their events and photo shoots to life.

HBD: What was your favorite wedding floral design that you have done?

Sana: Since I am a fairly new business, I'd have to say my favorite floral designs were one I did for a bridal magazine photo shoot. It was a tough design but came out absolutely beautiful. I was very proud of my work and so were my clients.

The second is one I did in 2016 for a summer styled photo shoot with Musee Photography. It was really fun to work with new people!

Get excited to meet Sana and take pictures against her gorgeous The Bloom Room photo backdrop for the event! Get your tickets here: bit.ly/herbigdaybridalbrunch

To reach The Bloom Room you can find her via:
Email : Thebloomroom.seattle@gmail.com
Phone : 425-586-0076
Instagram: TheBloomRoom.Seattle
Facebook: The Bloom Room.Seattle

Bridal Brunch Spotlight: Antonio Salon

Our bridal brunch is around the corner on Sunday, June 26th at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge and each bride (and her amazing friends) are in for an awesome treat with one of our amazing prize giveaways.

Aside from having access to our expert panel of past cultural brides, witnessing a live makeup tutorial from Sofia of Makeup by Diva Doll, having a front row seat at the fashion show put on by Bellevue's Best New Designer 2015, Dream Dresses by P.M.N. and enjoying a delicious brunch and mimosa bar, brides have access to a couple of prize giveaways. Our grand prize giveaway comes from an amazing local salon here in Seattle, WA: Antonio Salon 

Antonio Salon was founded with a mission to not only deliver the most exquisite cuts and color, but challenge the archetype of a traditional salon.

They share that it's the perfect union of luxury and comfort. Antonio Salon offers a luminous, modern space for clients to unwind in and relax.  Authenticity and warmth permeate both the space and the staff, whose magnetic personalities are rivaled only by their skill.

Antonio salon prides themselves on providing the finest services, tailored to suit the client. Individual face shape, personal style, and lifestyle are all taken into account before every cut or color. They work closely with their clients to develop a style that is both highly flattering and realistic to maintain.

"Hair is an opportunity to set forward your best self- a high quality cut and color offers an instant solution to illuminate your eyes, compliment your skin, and redefine your style."-Antonio Salon

Check out more of their services here!

So what's the awesome prize giveaway?!

Antonio Salon is giving away a Girl's Night at Antonio Salon package valued at $800! The winner, along with 3 friends, will have an evening at the salon receiving glamorous blowouts. After their services they will head over to Tavolata for a delicious meal and enjoy a $200 dollar gift card to put towards their dinner and drinks for the evening!

Talk about an AMAZING prize giveaway! Earn your chance to win this prize by securing your ticket to our bridal brunch taking place THIS SUNDAY, June 26th, 2016 at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge from 11AM-3PM. Get your tickets here: bit.ly/herbigdaybridalbrunch

P.s. Remember, if you're a bride and you bring THREE friends to the brunch your ticket is FREE!

Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair RECAP

[Photos 1-4: Timestop Photography. Photos 5-44: Siddhartha Saha Photography]

It's been almost four months since the biggest cultural wedding show that the Pacific Northwest has EVER seen - Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair. We are still pinching ourselves at the amazing turnout and how much fun our attendees had enjoying our handpicked, exclusive wedding vendors, a mimosa bar, live music, food and drink samples, giveaways and our beyond fabulous fashion show that featured the hottest wedding bridal looks from some of the top designers and boutiques.

The show started off with an amazing makeup demo from celebrity makeup artist, Glam by Maryam. The final wedding looks on all of the models were drop dead gorgeous.

All of the brides and their family and friends had a blast visiting all of the booths which ranged from hair and makeup stylists, floral vendors, henna artists, photographers, wedding decor designers, favors companies, traditional bridal fashion boutiques and designers, white wedding dress boutiques and designers, wedding planners, cultural food and drink vendors, lighting specialists and more (for a complete list of our show vendors click here)!

Perhaps the most exciting part of the wedding show was the fashion show! Looks from Farida Designs, Nadia S Boutique, Dream Dresses by P.M.N., Best of Both Worlds Production by Nansare Consolata, Blue Touch Bridal, Ravishing Marketplace, Le Salon Bridal and Demestiks New York graced the runway leaving the crowd in awe of all the beauty on the stage. From East African bridal fashion, to Asian/Indian fashion, to West African fashion and the traditional white dress bridal look, the wedding show attendees got to see a variety of bridal looks to help them plan the perfect looks for their big day(s).

Our giveaways were the icing on the (wedding) cake! Giveaways from Alem Family Dental (teeth whitening package), Aria Style (floral gift certificate), Shiseido (facial service gift card), Jembere Eyewear (free sunglasses), Nala's Mane (free hair bundles), Yoga by Biola (yoga session gift certificate), The Lash & Wax Boutique (gift certificate), Elegant Beauty (gift certificate), Core Power Yoga (1 Month Unlimited Yoga Gift Card), Lashes by Tiah (gift certificate) left many brides leaving home with one less thing to worry about for their big day!

This could not have been possible without our amazing sponsors: DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport, Moxie Pictures, Seattle Met Bride & Groom, Greenlight Events, Greenroom Decor, Ruhus Gama Weddings, Evergreen Beauty College, Alem Family Dental, Jembere Eyewear, Aria Style, Yoga by Biola, Mesob Gifts, Nala's Mane, and Wristband Bros!

Will you be at the next show?! We hope to see you there!