Larkin Place, LLC

11/19/2024

Anyone have any advice about how to have a private prenuptial, but have a 100-guest count at the venue ceremony/reception?

11/14/2024

I am often asked if my venue has an in-house caterer that my wedding couples need to use. As I do understand the reasons why venues have their own short list due to wanting control with dependable service, food quality, and presentation, I, however, do not limit my guests to a particular caterer.
The reasons honor my diverse wedding couples: the desire to express and partake in personalized, ethnic dishes, that bring their native cultures and traditions to the table which bonds the friends and families from several heritages. I believe that tapping into those traditions, our own personal culture, is what makes us feel whole. It makes us belong. (Photo by Essence of Us Photography)

11/10/2024

A word or two about reception tables:
Don't skimp. Your guests are going to be sitting there awhile and they are waiting to be called to the buffet line. They are taking in the view, the decor, the music, the savory aroma of the food, enjoying a refreshment while they mingle, so these tables should be considered your statement of why you are here and why they are here to celebrate your union.
These tables, make them uniquely yours with personal decor that reflects your lives with either small framed photos or trinkets of things that are important to you. I have seen guests enjoy small framed photos of the couple at different times in their lives together, pictures of them as young babies, teens, young adults. Life and love is a journey and pictures tell that story.
I had a wedding where the bride was a chemist and she used clear glass beakers as floral vases! I had a bride who loved motorcycles so she had silhouettes of motorcycle shapes adorning the tables. There has been an outpouring of culture from different countries, too. (This is why I do not limit catering choices--that is a whole other subject.)
Bottom line: Think of yourself as the guest, sitting there waiting for a delicious meal. Make their experience special and unique. Bring them closer to your heart with a personalized touch, and give them wonderful memories of your special day!

11/05/2024

This idea would work well for table settings whether for your holiday table or especially your wedding reception tables!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BAKCP68xC/?mibextid=UalRPS

11/04/2024

A couple of things to ponder for all newly engaged couples: wedding planners—do we need them, and wedding insurance—what does it cover and should I get it?
To be honest, having a really good wedding planner saves you the stress of the constant micromanaging of your special day and the organization of vendors, hair and make up, flowers, rings, announcements to your guests of what is happening next on the itinerary, to a minimum. Often the wedding couples are exhausted and are fixated on all the details that they do not get to enjoy the big picture. That’s where a wedding coordinator is worth the investment. Getting your parents or best friends to do this is at first a tempting idea to save money, but then they are missing out on enjoying the wedding and they become work horses.
Secondly, wedding insurance: Travelers insurance has a multi-tiered insurance policy that you can create according to your needs. This covers things like catering mishaps (late, wrong order, poor quality or temperature) or DJ no shows, or lost wedding rings, or other things that can go wrong. It’s definitely worth a look at and see if it’s right for you.
I was asked by a client today what the worst thing that has ever happened at my venue… it was hard to think of an incident that was the worst thing ever. I will stress that for outdoor weddings, have proper tents that will not collapse if heavy rain falls. If you have a multi-tiered cake, have the cake service walk the cake to its destination. If you have a wedding dress that is getting altered, have it finished a month before your date. Do trial make up sessions if they offer it, do taste tests with your caterer if they offer it, do a walk through with your photographer before the big day, tell your officiant to say or not say specific things and to keep within a certain amount of time. Lastly, have your wedding coordinator walk the venue to make sure they understand the itinerary and key points unique to that venue.

Wishing you all the best for 2025 weddings!

10/15/2024

Fall has come. Our guest treehouse blends well with autumn leaves.

09/17/2024

One would never know the magic here at night! It comes alive at sundown and suddenly the place is aglow!

09/09/2024

Some of you have already toured my storage of wedding collections... now, I am thrilled to announce the addition of five new dessert tiers to my inventory of exquisite items available for our wedding couples to create their perfect decor!

09/02/2024

We are located in the Nisqually Valley, east of Olympia and the morning fog is beginning to set in. This morning my drive past Schilter’s Family Farm I caught the sunflowers turning to face the new day with a blanket of low lying fog in the background. Our September brides can get their sunflower bouquets there, and the ride in the wagons are always a fun way to celebrate the beginning of fall.

09/01/2024

08/31/2024

Love the white waterfall of flowers!

08/31/2024

Love the white flowers on the alter today! The added ferns also gave some added greenery.

08/18/2024

The wedding today!

08/12/2024

Being present isn’t hard when you’re here.

08/12/2024

We were honored to host a Celebration of Life today for a dear guest and his family and friends to honor an extraordinary woman who loved the woods, hiking, and being surrounded in nature. We lit lanterns with rose pedals that lead the way to the gathering of love, that celebrated everything she was to those who knew her. This morning, a magnolia bloomed two white flowers at the location they chose to have a special table set up to honor and remember her. This magnolia had lay dormant all summer until today and decided to bring its pressence, a token of her beauty for her friends and family.

08/12/2024

Very rarely do we sit back and enjoy what we provide our guests, but what a delight to watch the sun set over the wild flowers and toast to a weekend of love for our wonderful guests!

08/09/2024

Well it must be that time when new summer engagements have brought new couples to seek us out! We only do a handful of weddings a year, so if you’ve wanted to tour us while summer is still in bloom, let’s make it happen!

09/03/2023

Beautiful, simple, and easy set up this couple did at Larkin Place. Sunsets through the trees was a bonus! We have a few dates left for July and August of 2024. Our maximum guest count is 100. Schedule a tour and bring your wedding support group!