Tossing Out The Rules

Most typical bridal parties are entirely composed of women, around the same age and with cute little flower girls, but now, more and more those traditional rules are being put to the side.

More often, men are partaking in their sister’s bridal parties, and women are standing alongside their brothers as they get married. Non-traditional bridal parties are taking over, and there is no rule about how your party should look.

Many brides are having their best male friends included in their parties or even having grandmothers as flower girls for a cute twist on the ceremony. Another new trend this year is forgoing bridal parties altogether and just having all your best friends get ready with you on the big day. Many brides and grooms are embracing this trend, and if there's one thing we love at Kiana Lodge it's new trends and traditions, so come start one with us!

Give the Gift of Brunch

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, consider showing your mom just how much you appreciate her by treating her to a savory brunch with us at the lodge. On May 8th, guests can take a fifteen minute seaplane ride from Lake Union over Seattle and Puget Sound.

After arriving at our Seattle-area lodge, enjoy brunch in our Garden Atrium where guests can dine under our skylight windows, with views of our garden and the shores of the Agate Pass, while sampling our Kiana signature salmon, oven roasted pineapple glazed ham, baked mac and cheese, and much more. Choose from our assorted desserts and pair that with Seattle’s Best Coffee and Tea. Reserve a spot now before it’s gone by calling 1-866-738-4307.

Summer Dreaming

We’re so excited for summer and summer weddings that we can’t stop thinking about them, even if it’s technically not spring yet, (hey, it never hurts to plan ahead!). In order to get it out of our systems, here’s a look at a few upcoming summer wedding trends that are sure to delight!

-Bridal crop tops! As the weather warms up, the bride doesn’t want to overheat in a long-sleeved dress, so try this chic alternative by showing a sliver of midriff, a look that’s been steadily gaining popularity, and is perfect for an outdoor summer wedding at our Seattle-area lodge.

-Seasonal wedding cakes are another great way to embrace the summer season. Take inspiration from some of the summer flavors you loved as a child and go for fruity, refreshing choices like fresh strawberries and blueberries, or Key-Lime, lemon and other citrus-y flavors.

-Summer means fun colors that you might not be able to get away with during other seasons! It means fun fuchsias and magentas, vibrant pinks and pastels and even neon accents on your invitations, menus or programs for that extra fun pop of color.

Wondrous Wines

As temperatures finally begin to rise a bit and winter draws to a close, celebrate the coming of spring at our Kiana Lodge with our Wine Dinner on March 23rd, where our guests can enjoy four amazing courses paired with wine from a wide range of locations around the world.

At 6pm, the dinner begins and sample everything from our duck confit salad, poached prawn crostini or even a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich, paired with wines from South Australia, France, California and more! Tickets are on sale now at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2513383, so make sure to get a seat before it’s gone!

Wedding Tech

Technology is on the rise in weddings! While plenty of couples are still hiring professional photographers, an increasing number are either supplementing or going completely DIY with their own techie touches, like drones, which are easy to pilot and can provide versatile shots of your special day, whether it’s your entire wedding in one shot from above or hovering in place to catch interesting angles or the walk down the aisle.

Go Pro cameras, once the companions of extreme sports enthusiasts, are now finding themselves stuck in bouquets to capture intimate wedding moments from surprising new angles. Some couples are even live-streaming their wedding using the Periscope app so that family and friends who can’t make the ceremony can watch along on their own devices.

It’s DIY we L-O-V-E!

Hop into Easter

It may not quite feel like it yet, but spring is just around the corner. With spring comes Easter and the Easter Buffet and Egg Hunt at our Seattle-area lodge! At 11am on March 27th, guests can enjoy a delicious Easter brunch with cream cheese and bagels, smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, deviled eggs, crab mac and cheese, sausage and other tasty brunch items.

At noon, kids can visit the with Easter Bunny and get their picture taken and then go on our egg hunt throughout our spacious lawn, which is sure to delight! Nothing beats spring in the Pacific Northwest and nothing beats the Easter celebration at Kiana Lodge!

Everything Old Is New Again

Wedding tradition has always called for a "something old," but recently, couples are incorporating vintage-inspired style into their weddings, whether it’s dress styles, makeup or hair, brides are borrowing from decades past, from the Gatsby-era of the Roaring ‘20’s to the Bohemian feel of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s.

This also extends to themes, like "Vintage Garden" with Victorian-style china, brass accessories and intricate glassware. This fits in well with the rustic aesthetic, which is still going strong into this wedding season, and is just one more reason to have your wedding at our Seattle-area lodge, where our garden atrium and main lodge can feel like a romantic step backwards in time, sure to blend with whatever era you plan on weaving into your wedding.

It’s Not Just a Wedding, It’s Your Wedding!

Of the emerging trends for 2016 weddings, one major theme has been individuality. No longer following the crowds, couples are doing weddings in ways that are unique to them, including more unconventional bridal gowns with dramatic detailing, long sleeves, even some appliques.

Bridesmaids are also getting in on it, instead of all having to fit into the same-shaped dress, more weddings are opting for bridesmaids choosing their own dresses that share a cohesive color palette with the rest of the wedding party.

This trend continues to into elements like refreshments as well, with the food and beverages reflecting the couples’ history or interests, like craft beer and sliders for the sports tailgaters or even sandwiches from a favorite deli. No matter what you decide for your wedding, at Kiana Lodge, we’ll work with you to make sure your wedding day is uniquely your own.

Ring in the New Year in Style

End the old year and start the new one on a high note at our gorgeous Seattle-area lodge! On December 31st, the doors and bar open at 7pm, with dinner at 8pm and the party kicking off at 10pm and running until 1am.

Guests can enjoy dancing, a DJ, all kinds of party favors, a buffet dinner with a range of delicious options like steak, salmon, salads and seasonal veggies, and later on, yummy late night snacks like scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, and more.

There will also be a champagne toast at midnight, and to cap it all off: an incredible fireworks display. So don’t let the new year pass you by, bid farewell to 2015 and jump into 2016 with a night to remember!

Eat, Drink and be Trendy

While we may currently be in a winter wonderland, wedding trendsetters are looking ahead to the spring and summer wedding seasons for hot upcoming styles and ideas, especially when it comes to the food and drinks.

In order to avoid the cost of an open bar as well as highlight the bride and groom’s personalities, more couples are instead choosing to serve their favorite unique and delicious cocktails. They can reflect your personality, your heritage, or even just your favorite flavors.

Once things start warming up, another expected trend, especially for outdoor weddings, is the "grown-up" popsicle, using fresh fruit juice to turn your favorite cocktail into a whimsical frozen treat, perfect as a mid-dance refresher! When it comes to cake, the new trend is "less is more," with "naked" cakes that eschew the outer layer of frosting and instead are simply adorned with berries or fresh flowers, creating a homey, rustic look that fits right in with the aesthetic of Kiana Lodge, from our main lodge to the gorgeous waterfront area.

Winter Wedding Wonderland

Temperatures and leaves are falling, and winter weddings aren’t far behind. And while a wintertime wedding might sound chilly, there’s plenty of ways to warm it up, with fun wintertime ideas. Like cute pumpkin centerpieces, a horse-drawn sleigh and a s’mores bar where you can even do little heart-shaped marshmallows!

If you’re doing outdoor photos with a beautiful snowy backdrop, bridal gowns can be accessorized with a pretty cape or a fabulous pair of snow boots. An especially adorable idea we’ve seen is if it snows on the big day, you can bottle it forever as a timeless memento to your special day. No matter what the season, your wedding, and our Seattle-area wedding lodge, will look amazing!

Give Thanks

This Thanksgiving, visitors to our Seattle-area lodge have even more of a another reason to be thankful at our traditional Thanksgiving buffet dinner! On November 26th, guests can treat themselves to a delicious array of Thanksgiving favorites, like slow-roasted turkey, pineapple-glazed ham, candied yams, cranberry chutney and more, with an assortment of pies and cake for dessert. There will be mulled cider and a cash bar will be made available as well.

Space is limited and tickets go quickly for such a fun and fantastic event, so be sure to get your tickets now! them now before they’re all gone! This November, make Thanksgiving at Kiana Lodge a tradition for you and your family!

It Pays to Plan Ahead

We may be just beginning to enter the fall season, but the bridal fashion world is already looking to Spring 2016 and what new trends the season will bring with it. For wedding dresses, predicted trends include soft, blended watercolors rather than just a flat color, subtle feather adornments, and – most surprisingly – pants!

White tuxedos are proving to be just as formal, chic and impactful as a flowing ball gown. No matter what trend you decide fits your style best, or if you want to make one of your own, you can guarantee it will be a picture perfect event at Kiana Lodge.

Wedding trends change, but our fantastic service and beautiful grounds remain constant.

Wine and Dine

Summer is ending and the crisp winds of fall are heading towards Kiana Lodge. But fall just means more fun at our historic Seattle-area wedding lodge, starting with our Wine Dinner on September 23rd at our main lodge from 5-9pm. At the Wine Dinner, guests can enjoy a four course dinner featuring spotlights on various fabulous South African wines.

The courses include a South African curry, a feta and beetroot salad, and among the wines are a South Hill Sauvignon Blanc and a Honey Shale Hill mix of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion and Voigner. Guests are invited to take in the incredible view from our main lodge while enjoying the best dinner around. Tickets are on sale now at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2125753, so don’t miss out, make sure to get a seat before they’re gone!

No-Wilt Wonders

During the summer, things can heat up outdoors, even in the relatively mild Pacific Northwest.

No one wants bouquets of sad flowers wilting in the hot sun, so if you’re planning an outdoor wedding or reception in one of our gorgeous gardens or lush green lawns at our historic lodge before the summer is over, consider using some heat resistant flowers that will stand up to the hottest temperatures, and still look beautiful paired together, like garden spray roses, dahlias and calla lilies, or jasmine, peonies and orchids.

For your wedding, your flower arrangements should look as amazing as you do.

Color Me Happy

There’s a variety of different color pairings that are trending for this wedding season, and we love ‘em all! Popular color combinations include navy, cream and blush, as well as gold, white and burgundy.

Whether you choose these coordinating colors or dream up some of your own,wedding planners agree that choosing a dominant color is a good start. If you decide to go with more than one color, don’t forget to check out the color wheel (remember that from elementary school art class?), in order to select the best complementary and contrasting colors.

If you'd rather go with a dominant color, then it is important that you decide which will be the dominant color and which will complement it.

No matter what colors or combinations you choose, they’re sure to look stunning with the beauty of our historic Seattle-area wedding lodge.

Make a New Tradition

There are all kinds of interesting and unusual wedding traditions we bet you've never heard of, like in South Korea, it is traditional for the bride and groom to exchange wooden ducks or geese to symbolize their fidelity, as both of these birds mate for life.

Or in Germany, the bride and groom will work together using a two-person saw to cut through a log, representing the obstacles they'll face in life and will have to overcome with teamwork.

In Poland, guests are invited to buy dances with the bride during the reception while her maid of honor collects the charges and the donations go toward the couple's honeymoon. Whether you want to honor old traditions, or make some new ones of your own, Kiana Lodge is ready and thrilled to help you bring them to life for your picture-perfect Seattle area wedding.

There's a reason we've been voted "Best Wedding Destination" – you might even say a beautiful wedding at Kiana Lodge is a tradition all its own!

Break Away from the Ordinary

In recent years, more and more couples are opting out of the traditionally formal wedding ceremony for something a little more rustic and relaxed. Of course, this doesn't mean it can't be beautiful.

The storybook serenity of our historic lodge near Seattle, with a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, provides a ceremony space warmer and homier than a typical wedding venue, but also surrounds guests with Northwest history and rustic elegance.

The outdoor wedding is also in line with this trend, and Kiana Lodge has you covered there too, from the weathered driftwood that anchors the 1,000-foot private waterfront to the gorgeous gardens and lush green lawns, couples can have a ceremony that feels unique and personal instead of overtly formal or cookie-cutter typical. No matter where on the grounds you choose to have your ceremony, you know it will be unforgettable.

Looking Forward to Fall

Planning a fall wedding in Seattle? It's time to think flowers. When September rolls around, you'll be right on trend with a profusion of greenery. That's right. Wedding planners predict leaves will outnumber flowers in fall wedding bouquets and centerpieces.

But erase that image of jewel-toned fall foliage. This trend is all about flowing and fabulous greens, from fine grasses and ferns to heavenly scented baby eucalyptus. We'll also be seeing window box-style planters dressing up earthy farm tables - a trend that couldn't be more perfectly suited to our rustic and romantic setting.

When you're ready to start planning your fall wedding in Seattle, let the wedding planners at Kiana Lodge share their insight on blending contemporary trends with timeless traditions.

Do The Brew

Nothing says summer like an ice cold beer, and nothing says summer at Kiana Lodge like the 2nd Annual Kiana Lodge Brew Fest! On June 7, soak in the stunning early summer views from our waterfront lawn while enjoying lawn games, festival food and live music.

With nearly a dozen different Seattle area breweries on hand, including Bainbridge Brewery, Silver City Brewery and 7 Seas Brewing, there'll be a tasty variety of top-notch flavors to sample.

Your ticket comes with a commemorative glass and tokens for drinks and food, so start your summer off on a spirited note with an icy cold glass of local craft beer at the Kiana Lodge Brew Fest.