Kiana lodge is not just a place; it’s an experience. Now, I’m not trying to sound overly salesman-like here, but I need to point out that there is so much to see and do here. The Pacific Northwest is blessed with so much scenic beauty, it’s hard to find a comparison. From ribbon beaches lined with fragrant cedars and an abundance of sea life, to the snow capped Olympic Mountains shadowing valleys filled with lavender and seasonal elk herds; the peninsulas have it all. Located in the heart of it all is Kiana Lodge.
With six acres of waterfront property and over 10,000sq ft of private meeting space, it’s the perfect place to hold your corporate retreat. You’re not far from anything: 30 minute ferry ride away from Seattle, 15 minutes away from world-class golf in Kingston or shopping in historic downtown Poulsbo, an hour away from Olympic National Park, five minutes away from the quaint Suquamish museum, and less than a mile away from the Clearwater Casino Resort.
If you don’t want to commit to one space for multiple days; we’re partnered with the Clearwater Casino Resort and the White Horse Golf course. There’s endless ways to customize your meeting needs. You can enjoy a beautiful meeting space with a full breakfast or snacks here in the morning, and an afternoon of golfing at White Horse. If golfing isn’t what you need, what about a tour of the Salish Sea via boat or seaplane. If you find it hard to leave Kiana, which is a very real possibility, what about a picnic and games on the lawn? Spend the afternoon team building/bonding and rent some kayaks. Weather not cooperating? How about a ping pong or dartboard tournament? A good game of trivia, or even some breakout sessions with a good mix ice breaker questions are popular as well. Every company has a story to tell. Kiana Lodge is a place where time stands still. You can customize your timeline however you need. We'd love our story to give your company an event to remember.
The winter season is a time for reflection, family, and gratitude. The cold days and long nights give us a desire for a cozy atmosphere, surrounded by a sense of togetherness and familiarity. This is a season of tea lights, crackling fires, and lanterns all of which add an essence of something quite magical amidst the nakedness of the winter landscape. A need for sharing is strong; which is one of the perfect reasons to have a winter wedding.
Why you ask? The answer is why not? There are many reasons why winter is the perfect time to have a wedding. The need for closeness with family and friends is already strong, so why not throw in an extra reason to be together and celebrate! You can do it in style, and save room in your budget at the same time. You’ll find that it’s much easier to get your dream weekend date, your vendors will be much less busy, and your money will indubitably go farther than it will in the spring and summer. You’re already anticipating an indoor ceremony, and your guests are too, so you need not worry about obsessively checking the weather forecast for your big day. One less thing to stress about.
Lighted trees, evergreens, pine cones, rich berry tones, brick floors, exposed wooden beams, warm fires, soft armchairs, tea lights and lanterns… all things that are inviting in the winter scene and add those elegant and rustic wintery touches without making your reception feel like a holiday party. There’s endless ways to transform Kiana into the perfect winter wedding space. Go classic with white and silver touches, or go trendy with deep rich colors (yes, navy is back in!). Throw in a warm beverage bar and some cozy knit blankets, or?
The downside to a winter wedding is undoubtedly the temperature. While snow and icicles may make for beautiful landscapes and clever wedding photos, a bride and her bridesmaids are bound to be cold. One of the rising trends to combat this inconvenience is the use of faux fur coats and shrugs as statement pieces. While it might seem tricky to pull off, faux fur coats can be extremely elegant when paired well with a bridesmaid’s dress or a wedding gown. Try an all white coat for the bride (or ivory or blush, depending on the color of her dress) and more subtle colors for her entourage. Deep browns pair well with the jewel-toned dresses brides so often pick out for their friends in the winter, while black can provide a stark contrast with the snow, and drown darker colors. We can’t wait to see what our guests come up with next to stay warm during a November or December wedding!
While we at Kiana Lodge are enjoying this fine fall weather just as much as anyone else, we can’t help but get excited for the influx of winter weddings. Long sleeves, snow white bouquets dotted with deep berries and velvet accessories mark the shift from fall to winter, and we can’t wait to see it! One of our favorite trends is the inclusion of nature in wedding decor, and any planner can really play around with this come December. Pinecones, birch branches, rosemary, and holly are all absolutely great ideas to include in centerpieces as well as on or around the wedding cake. These fresh but familiar statement pieces are easy to come by and add that wonderful rustic look to your reception. If you’re going for a more refined aesthetic, stick with glossy berries over branches, and use them sparingly along table cloths white as snow, or silver and gold table runners.
Next in our series of dressing for all ranges of weddings, we have the Black-tie wedding. A little different from its friend white-tie, a black-tie wedding follows a “formal but fun” aesthetic. All sorts of dresses for this type of affair are fair game, from floor-length to a short statement dress. Bling, glitz, glamour, and slits are all acceptable. It helps to think of a black-tie wedding as a chance to show off, and thinking of yourself on the red carpet while shopping for a dress is alright too. You’ll want to wear something that is both sexy and classy, with accessories that signal you’re there to have a grand old time. For men, the rules are also a little lax. While a tie is necessary, and a tuxedo is preferred, a regular old suit is also acceptable to wear to a black-tie wedding.
If your fall wedding is right around the corner, you might still be looking for a few touches to really make the wedding match the season. At this point, most of your plans are set. The colors, the flowers, the dresses are all taken care of. But there’s still time to add in a few surprises that will make your wedding as colorful as the autumn trees. One of the best ways to do this is in your photos. While your pictures with your partner will surely have an orange tree or two in the background, many brides overlook an opportunity to use the theme before their walk down the aisle. For those “getting ready” pictures, have your bridesmaids and flower girls dress in long flannels instead of silky robes. When you look back on pictures, you’ll remember that chill in the air as well as the cozy feeling of soft flannel against your skin.
While signature or personalized cocktails have been a wedding trend for years, many are taking that concept in a new direction. Since these cocktails are usually served in addition to a bar stocked with wine and beer, this is a great way to cut the costs of a traditional open bar, where your guests can drink you dry.
Taking inspiration from hit shows like Mad Men, craft cocktails specifically look like something out of the sixties, and generally reflect the theme of the wedding. In addition, these cocktails can symbolize something that’s important to the special couple, be christened with a name referencing an inside joke or a beloved pet. You can even have a few of these signature drinks — one for him and one for her.
While creating your own drink might be daunting for some, ask for advice from your bartender friends. They’ll make your craft cocktails a wedding hit.
Next in our series of wedding dress codes, we’d like to give some tips on the types of attire expected at a white tie affair. As one of the most specific dress codes in the wedding tier, the best thing to keep in mind while shopping for a white tie celebration is “prim and proper.” For our ladies, this means a floor-length gown, preferably without slits or plunging necklines. White ties are called such for a reason, so male guests also must adhere to the rules as well. An actual white bowtie is expected here, in addition to a traditional tuxedo with tails. Keep in mind that when the couple specifically calls for a white tie wedding, this means they care what their guests wear. While shopping for the white tie wedding can be a pain, as a guest, you will feel classier than ever before, and you can expect an equally classy party.
Glitzy golds and soft rose hues are the go-to choice for incorporating metallics in the ceremony and reception. If you’re going for that ritzy feel, consider shimmery shoes for your bridesmaids or metallic ties for your groomsmen. Add a few pops of color in the reception by adding a glimmering tablecloth to every other table, or dipping the stems of champagne glasses into a gold paint. While this trend is hot right now, make sure not to go overboard with the glitter. This new metallic craze could go from glitzy and glam to drab real fast. Be expertly conscious of what gets glitter and what doesn’t.
If Kiana Lodge is the setting for your company’s corporate meetings, consider a few water sports to to facilitate team bonding. Well into the summer, Poulsbo has plenty to offer in this area, as Kiana Lodge sits right at the meeting points of Liberty Bay, Port Madison, and Port Orchard. Opportunities to get out on the water abound in our prime location. If you’re feeling a little daring and know your team is up to the challenge, utilize the many waterskiing companies close to the Lodge. Whether members of your team are experienced skiers or have never been behind a boat in their life, this experience will be fun for all. If you want something a little slower pace, rent kayaks and take a self-guided tour through Liberty Bay or get to know the water on a paddle boat. These activities will be fun for your employees and also encourage great memories for them to bond over for months to come.
Summer has come to our beautiful Seattle-area lodge, and this July, guests celebrate the advent of sunny days and warm seasons with by wining and dining at our fabulous Wine Dinner. On July 27th, guests can enjoy drinks from the bar, which opens at 5pm, before heading in to diner, which begins at 6pm. Expect an amazing four course meal, with each course paired with the perfect wine for each. The dinner is a Northwest themed meal, using local ingredients and the wines are Washington grown, from Maryhill Winery located in Goldendale, WA. Tickets are $45 per person and seating is limited, so be sure to get them before they’re gone by either purchasing them on Brown Paper Tickets or by calling 866-738-4307. So come join us for a wine dinner that’s a perfect salute to summer!
Warm summer days are just around the corner and there’s no better way to kick off a beautiful summer in the Pacific Northwest than by heading to our 3rd Annual Kiana Brewfest! On Sunday, June 5th, from noon to 6pm, visitors can enjoy craft beers from a dozen different local breweries, including Silver City Brewing Co., Hale’s Ales Brewery, Port Townsend Brewing and more! Tickets are twenty-five dollars a person and include not just entry into the event but also a commemorative tasting glass, five different 4oz tastes to try and live music and games on our gorgeous event lawn. You must be twenty-one years or older, and there are no pets allowed, but otherwise there’s nothing to stop you from kicking back with some of the highest quality beer the area has to offer while enjoying the beautiful views that surround our Seattle-area lodge.
Here at Kiana Lodge, we love putting new twists on classic weddings, and sometimes, one of the best ways to put a new twist on the typical wedding guestbook is to rent a photo booth! The companies that offer this option usually provide lots of props for your honored guests to use, such as the "Team Bride!" signs, funky hats, and oversized sunglasses. This is a great way to commemorate your special day; not only do you get a scrapbook full of photos of your guests, where they can write sweet notes, but your guests also get to keep their own mementos.
Luckily, if you’d rather spend money on the open bar, or a live band, you can pull together a DYI version of this as well. Grab a swatch of fabric and pin it to a bare wall, or you can even just use the natural background of our beautiful gardens. Put dollar store props—like feather boas or homemade signs—in a basket and set a camera on a tripod beside the guestbook. This way, your guests can let their true personalities shine through and provide you with some great laughs when you look back on your special day at our Seattle-are lodge.
