Lorell’s Favorite Things 2022

As I sit here in the first week of January, I think to myself, “How is it already 2023 and where did 2022 go?” I had a whole list of weddings that I wanted to share from 2021 and was only able to do one post (insert faceplant emoji here)! And what about all the 2022 weddings and events that I wanted to feature as well? (Again, insert face plant emoji here)! There just are not enough hours in the day or maybe days in the year! So, I’m just going to jump right into my yearly favorite things/moments list, so let’s not waste any more time, shall we?

Casey and Alex

Casey and Alex were my first wedding of 2022, and it took place in April on Easter Sunday at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage. April can be a little tricky in Alaska because it’s known as “break up” so you could run into the possibility of having an outside wedding ceremony in melting snow, mud, or ice. We got lucky with this one and they were able to have a beautiful ceremony outside the Center and the weather cooperated with us as well. My favorite part about this wedding was the transformation of the space. I felt like I was walking through a secret garden with all the florals that Dallas from Bloomsbury Blooms created, the draping on the stage done by Great Land Events, and the pastel colors of the napkins and runners only helped create this vibe. See for yourself…

Kira and Zach

Kira and Zach came from Kodiak, Alaska, and also decided to tie the knot in April (yes, another wedding in April) and had their wedding reception at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Two things that I was obsessed with were:

These floating LED candles automatically lit up when they touched the water! Hey, it’s the little things that excite me!

The Cold Spark Machines from Alaska Professional Entertainment. How cool are these? No more sparklers that need to be lit by several lighters (that won’t light) in a rush that usually creates a challenge! These machines are safe and can be controlled by a wireless remote. Want this for your wedding? Talk to Eric from Alaska Professional Entertainment!

Bryanna and J’son

Bryanna and J’son kicked off my summer season of weddings in May at The Lakefront Anchorage. For this wedding, I wanted to highlight a “moment.” If you know me, you know I am all about capturing “moments” and this one right here is one for the books. As Bryanna walked down the aisle, the officiant instructed J’son to turn around and when he saw Bryanna for the first time, walking towards him in her wedding dress, you could say that she took his breath away! Great job Maddy on capturing this “moment!”

Bianca and Bao

This wedding was a long time coming! I met this California couple back at the beginning of 2020 right before COVID hit and Bianca and Bao postponed their wedding from June 2021 to June 2022. They renovated a van and drove up from California and got married at the Seward Windsong Lodge in Seward, Alaska! It was the most perfect day, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. All the guests were mostly from California, and it was a great way for Alaska to show off its beauty! The entire wedding was dreamy with so many beautiful details but if I had to select my one favorites it would be the fur babies, of course, Ares and Belle! Look how cute Belle looks with her floral collar!

Cara and Kenny

Cara and Kenny from the great state of Texas (my “3rd home”) to get married at the Grande Denali Lodge in Denali, Alaska! Why Alaska? Almost 50 years ago Kenny was on a family vacation and on his way to Alaska but never made it. They got as far as Alberta, Canada before they had to turn around and go home because they ran out of time. Things came full circle in June of 2022 when he finally made it to Alaska and married beautiful Cara! Hearing this story during the reception just touched my heart and I was so happy to be a part of this special moment. And they are the reason why I got to take my very first trip to Denali!

Anny and Ian

Anny and Ian also came from California to get hitched in Alaska. They are adventurers at heart, always traveling all over the globe so it was very fitting to have a National Parks Theme for their wedding! One of my favorite items from their wedding was their seating chart and escort cards. Ian’s father drew the chart which was a campground style map, and the escort cards were wilderness passes!

Na’Ima’s Quinceañera

This was my first Quinceañera and I was so excited to be a part of it! I remember Na’Ima’s mother telling me, “We chose you to help plan this party, welcome to the family!” When we first sat down to talk about details, Na’Ima told me that she wanted a Greek-themed party and I’m not going to lie, I was thrown for a loop. I was used to seeing pink or purple parties, not a Greek-themed party! But once I embraced the idea, the details came together so perfectly from the giant Blue Throne chair (that I was able to find in Anchorage), to the beautiful cake that Ardy from Ardy Cake and Confections created. Special mention goes to Joy with Mylords Florals who created all the centerpieces and floral arches!

Photo Credit: Chugach Peaks Photography

Makayla and Andrew

I was the wedding planner for Andrew’s sister back in 2017 so when I got the request from Makayla to assist with her wedding, it meant so much. I just love being the “family wedding planner!” 🙂 Makayla and Andrew got married at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska which is one of my favorite venues. Top-notch staff, service, and food! For this wedding, I wanted to tell you all about the Garter toss because Andrew definitely put his heart and soul into that performance but I gotta keep it PG, lol (wink wink)! So, I chose the good old cultural tradition, The Money Dance as my second favorite moment! For those of you who are not familiar with this tradition, the money dance is a cultural tradition at many wedding receptions where guests offer the Bride and Groom money to dance with them, or they shower the newlyweds with money. The custom is to help establish the couple in their new life together, or to show how much they are loved and appreciated.

Melinda and Scott

Melinda and Scott are proof that good things come to those who wait. What do I mean by that? They are a couple that found love later in life and I just loved working with them and getting to know them over the year of wedding planning. Again, there are so many things that I adored about their wedding but if I have to limit it to a couple of things it would be:

The gorgeous floral arch that Joy from Mylord Florals created for the ceremony at O’Malley’s on the Green. Since we moved the ceremony inside due to the weather, we were able to use it as the backdrop for their sweetheart’s table.

The custom sugar cookie favors made by Angela from One Smart Frosted Cookie. Melinda and Scott share a love for Germany, so we had Gingerbread cookies made that are similar to the cookies you would get during Octoberfest. The guests could wear them around their necks and of course nibble on them later!

Danielle & Paul

Danielle and Paul from Juneau, Alaska to get married at Raven Glacier Lodge, in Girdwood, Alaska. It’s a given that my favorite part of this wedding was…her gold booties of course! They were to die for! They also brought up their tiny, yellow trailer that they were going to take their honeymoon in and had it staged on the driveway for pictures! It was a great photo-op piece for sure!

Johnnie and Jared

I finished my last wedding in September with Johnnie and Jared at the AK Diamond J Ranch in Homer, Alaska. It was the perfect wedding and venue to end the season with. If you have ever seen pictures or have been out to the Ranch, you will know what I am talking about! This was another wedding that had so many special touches, but the two that stand out for me were:

The personal notes that they wrote to each guest that was placed at the table also served as their seating card. Thinking about the time and thought put into this is quite a task and this personal touch did not go unnoticed.

And the second thing that stood out was a first for me…a Groomsman and Bridesmaid that handed out beer to wedding guests as they walked down the aisle! What would we even call that? Beer people???? IDK! But it was fun to watch, and guests loved it!

And that my friends conclude my 2022 Favorite Things/Moments list! It was fun walking down memory lane! Stay tuned because 2023 has some pretty amazing things in store and I’ll be going to Talkeetna, Girdwood, Seward, and Glacier View, Alaska! I can’t wait to share them with you all! I’m out…PEACE!