Last year's string of photo shoots ended on a high note when the Seattle cult band BRAD, including Seattle legend Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam, came to ULS to be photographed by the amazing Daniel Zetterstrom.  Check out his work here. Below is a behind the scenes shot of the photo shoot by David Eader, check out his work here.



BRAD has released a total of 4 albums between 1993 and 2005.  Their 5th album is due to be released in early 2012, this should be very exciting news to those hard core followers out there since you have been waiting 7 years!

The band is comprised of Shawn Smith (vocalist), Jeremy Toback (bassist), Regan Hagar (drummer) and last but certainly not least, Stone Gossard (guitarist).  These guys are seriously the nicest group of guys and incredibly cool.  As they moved through the rooms at ULS in front of Daniel's camera, they listened to the likes of Hendrix, Floyd and Zeppelin and expressed their love for these bands and chatted about music pretty much the whole time.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of their new album and support not only a local legend, but a solid, music-loving group of dudes:)

Q: How large is your venue and what is your capacity?

A: Our main floor includes 5 different rooms and is 3,000 square feet. If you choose to rent our downstairs studio and gallery (only an additional $350), you get an additional 1,000 square feet of space, bringing the total potential square footage to 4,000 square feet!

Capacity is when things aren't quite so cut and dry! At our max, we can accommodate over 200 people for a cocktail style reception if you use both the upstairs and downstairs. People have utilized this option when they have had their ceremony off-site and wanted to have a cocktail party-style reception here. Some couples have even elected to do both their ceremony and reception informally, providing seating for the parents and grandparents and standing room for the rest of their guests during their ceremony, and a cocktail party-style reception after. This option works best for people who want a more informal wedding that focuses on the party!

If you have between 100 and 150 people, you have a little more flexibility. During your ceremony, you can seat about 85 people formally in the main space with an aisle, and there’s room for nearly 40 people to stand on the blue tile lounge. For your seated dinner reception, you can formally seat 81 in our main space, 16 on the patio (weather pending), and 32 downstairs in the studio. Because splitting up the group isn’t always ideal, I usually recommend doing a mix of seated and standing. That way, the people that want to can sit and still be a part of the festivities, and everyone else can explore the space – it’s chocked full of great conversation starters and plenty of inspiration!

If you want to provide formal seating for all of your guests for both your ceremony and reception, 81 people is most comfortable.

Q: Where do people go between the ceremony and reception?

A: If you have under 100 guests, they can hang out in the Tiki Room and China Room for a cocktail and appetizer while the caterer gets the Main Space ready for the reception. If you have more than 100 guests, I suggest also renting our downstairs studio and gallery and setting up a second bar in the studio.

Q: What does a ceremony look like when all the chairs are set up?

A:

Q: What about for a formal seated dinner during the reception?

A:

Q: How about that mix of seated and standing?

A:

Need more clarification, more photos, more ideas? Contact us, we're here to help!

Image Credit: Urban Light Studios

Your bouquets and floral arrangements will make a big difference in how your wedding will look, and we would like to mention that we are a big, and I mean BIG, fan of the floral work of Amoreena Herbage, owner and floral designer at Ballard’s Midnight Blossom.  Amoreena, being the awesome person that she is, answered quite a few questions we sent her way. She tells us how to keep those floral costs down, how to highlight the space at ULS with flowers, and let's us know more about DIY centerpieces you can make in her shop (say what!?). Thanks Amoreena!

Q.So Amoreena, first thing's first: we love your work! How did you get started in this awesome, creative whirlwind of the floral biz?

A. Working with flowers started way back in Madison, WI when I had just graduated from college.  I was on my way to my job as a librarian, and I passed a flower shop.  Something was nagging at me to turn around and go in to see if they were hiring, and of course, they were looking for someone that day!  I started out counting yards of ribbon, and ended up as the lead designer.  After a while, I felt the need to move somewhere closer to the coast, and ended up in Seattle.  I really wanted to create something that was my own, to set the rules, and to have artistic flexibility.  I ended up with a dry erase board and a list of things to do to start this business...come up with a name, make a website...From the moment I started down this path, the development of Midnight Blossom has been very organic, with things seeming to happen always at the right times.  My husband and I both had little studios (mine was a flower studio, his was a woodworking garage), and I found a PERFECT location in Ballard that we could both move our shops into one space and combine our two arts to create something even better.  We had been dreaming up something like this since before we were even dating, and since the early days, the seeds of those ideas have been growing.

Q.We have also heard a little rumor that you and your husband make a great team. What does your talented other half bring to the table at Midnight Blossom?

A. There could be no Midnight Blossom without the amazing creativity and skill of my awesome husband, Matt.  What started as a simple floral design business has "blossomed" into something much more exciting and fun!  Matt operates the woodshop portion of Midnight Blossom, where we dream up all sorts of projects, which he masterfully brings into existence.  Having our own woodshop gives up great flexibility when working with clients, so that we can really create an aesthetic at a wedding.  We've made altar stands from found driftwood pieces, arbors from giant curly willow trees, wooden vases, tables, lamps, you name it!  Matt is truly one of the greatest artists I have ever known, and he follows his passion for design with an unparalleled attention to detail and desire for excellence.  His wood pieces are simply amazing.

Image Credit: Kate McElwee

Q.The floral element of a wedding is a huge aspect of the decor. What can a client do to express to you exactly what they want to you?

A. Pictures!  Bring lots of pictures!  Show me what inspires you, what you love, and even what you don't love.  I always set up an hour long consultation, so that we can sit and chat and develop a vision.  I also really do love working with people, so part of what I do is really just listen and ask questions.  A wedding is a particular kind of event, one that you want to really be about you as a couple.  I try to find out what makes every couple who they are...what do they do for a living? What do they do for fun? What kind of music do they like?  Getting to know people helps to inspire where their wedding design is headed.

Q.How can a bride keep costs down when choosing her arrangements?

A. The best thing to do when you are on a tight budget is to decide on some general colors and design aesthetics, and then let us at it!  We can keep costs down if we are able to go into the markets THAT WEEK and pick from the freshest, locally harvested products.  Having to order specific flower types can add to the bill, because many flowers come to us by auction.  One week, a stem of orchids might cost $5 and the next week it could be $20!  It all depends on supply and demand, and so if we can work with what looks amazing AND what is a good deal...well...we can create something super cool and fresh on any budget.

Another idea is to keep centerpieces simple, while giving over more of your budget to a few, choice pieces.  This can set a mood without having to have flowers, flowers, and more flowers everywhere...just in key spots, using interesting floral and botanical choices, designed in unique ways.  If you have a lot of tables, having one cool vase with one flower type can really create a nice feeling.  You can also head to consignment shops and find little, interesting vases and vessels, which we can then fill with locally grown flowers in your aesthetic.  Of course, you can always come to the shop and make some cool little terrariums as centerpieces...now that I think of it, there are a LOT of ways to get awesome flowers and still stay on a budget!

Q. Urban Light Studios has this really great speakeasy vibe about it. How can couples make the most of the space using your great floral arrangements? What works, what doesn’t, what makes the space look awesome?

A. Honestly, Urban Light Studios is one of my absolute FAVORITE spaces ever!  If we had our wedding to do over again, it would be here.  The space is SO unique and interesting; the vibe is amazingly fun and laid back.  This is not your typical wedding venue, and we LOVE THAT!  It's not hard to make this space look awesome, because we are working with a great palette to begin with!  That being said, I love to create an altar type area in front of those amazing windows...when the light comes in around dusk and it shines through...it's magical!  I also think the entrance podiums are a fun place to play with.  It's a little sneak peek area as guests are coming in.  A lot of the couples I talk with who have chosen ULS as their venue have fun ideas for how to incorporate their personalities into their floral design in the space.

Photo Credit: Midnight Blossom

Q. Your living terrariums knock our socks off, and they also make a bad-ass centerpiece. Tell us more about these little ecosystems.

A. Agreed...terrariums make super cool centerpieces!  I love the idea that you can take them home or give them away as gifts.  We can create any type of terrarium, from lush and tropical to desert-y succulent landscapes.   Traditional terrariums have been around since the days of ship exploration, when travelers from Europe came to South America and saw orchids for the first time.  They wanted to show everyone back home, and had to develop a way to get them to survive the long journey.  Putting them under glass helped them make the trip across the globe.  These days, I see terrariums as a kind of altar to the earth, a little piece of nature that you bring into your living space to celebrate the fact that the world is an amazing place full of unique life and inspiring oddities.

Q. So, we hear we can come in and make our own little unique terrariums in your shop, uh, so cool! Who, what, why, when and where? We need to know!

A. Our shop in Ballard features a garden bar, where you can come in and make your own terrarium...we have everything you need to create a little landscape--all types of interesting plant life and containers, rocks and gems, skulls, insects...natural wonders.  We are open every day, Monday and Tuesday 10-5, Wednesday-Saturday 10-6, and Sunday 11-5.  Anyone is free to come in and build one!  Someone is always available to help and answer questions.  We have plants for all conditions, from bright light through shade.  It's really fun to make this a part of the wedding process, so that you can bring in your wedding party and create your own living centerpieces.  We schedule night time events for groups of 5 or more.

Q. We love that you are part of our little family here at ULS. What makes it such a great place to have an event? What makes your heart skip a beat when you know your client has booked their event here?

A. Have I mentioned that I LOVE this venue?  Cuz I LOVE it!  The layout, the cute little patio, the lion!  If I could live here, I would, and I am seriously trying to find an excuse to have a big party here!  When couples come to us after having booked at ULS for their wedding, I immediately feel confident that we will be a good fit!  This space is perfect for the couple who wants to have an awesome, fun, not-your-everyday wedding.

One of the greatest aspects of the main event space here at Urban Light Studios is our awesome expanse of western facing windows. What is even more awesome how many couples have said “I do” in front of them since our opening. And while they make an outstanding statement on their own as wedding backdrop, many couples choose to jazz up the space a little further by creating a custom made “arch” alternative to say those special vows under.

And we since we love this idea (and thinking outside of the box!) we have rounded up some of the best non-wedding-arch alternatives that we could find, even a couple that were done here right here at the studio, for your inspiration. Enjoy! 



Photos via Kate Mcelwee Custom arch via Midnight Blossom



Photo one via Once Wed Photo two via The Knot, Photo three via Wedding Channel


Photo via Urban Light Studios

Did you know that you can bring your own booze when you host your event at Urban Light Studios? It’s true, it just has to be served by one of our preferred bartender/catering services. It’s also one of the great benefitss to booking an event here at ULS.  And amongst this all out amazing-ness of allowing such a great feature, we have discovered that people might be slightly confused about a couple of things. (Wait, you have never provided alcohol for over a 100 people before? We totally understand). In fact, you probably have questions similar to these ones we often hear, such as: How much alcohol should I buy? What kind should I buy anyways? And, where the hay do I even find a bartender in this town?

Yum!
Photos: Urban Light Studios

RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN STOCKING YOUR BAR:

WHAT YOU CAN BUY

Keg – 126 16 oz servings (pints)

Pony Keg – 62 16 oz servings (pints)

Bottle of Wine/Case of Wine – 5 servings per bottle/60 servings per case

5th of Hard Alcohol – 26 oz, so potentially 26 servings depending on the recipe

HOW MUCH WILL BE CONSUMED?

Caterers and party planners alike will estimate 1 drink per hour consumption. This is an average, allowing for heavier drinkers and for lighter drinkers. For example, if your bar opens at 7 pm and closes at 11 pm, you should estimate for 4 drinks per person.

The bar in our Tiki Room is the perfect spot for serving drinks
Photo: Urban Light Studios

I NEED HOW MUCH ICE?!

Quantity of ice needed is notoriously underestimated. We recommend estimating 1 cup of ice for every glass. You can get 10 cups out of one 5lb bag of ice. No hard alcohol? Still consider:

•Water, sodas, and chilling your wine and beer in in a cooler.

A SAMPLE SHOPPING LIST

For 120 guests, 4 hours of bar service for beer and wine only

4 Cases of wine = 260 glasses

4 white to every 8 red is recommended (unless you have a heavy white

wine crowd – summertime means more white consumption)

1 Keg = 126 pints (16 oz)

5 cases of Beer

This depends on how long you want variety offered – remember, you can always save or return cases. Half-light and half darker is recommended

If serving hard alcohol, reduce some of the above numbers and add:

Hard Alcohol:

2 fifth of rum = 52 oz/servings

2 fifth of gin= 52 oz/servings

3 fifths of vodka= 78 oz/servings

Extras:

3 large cranberry and 3 large orange juices

4 liters of both coke and tonic

Cherries, limes, and lemons

Last but not least, (and possibly most importantly!) you must have a bartender with a class 12 bartending license serving your alcohol.  Hiring a professional bartending service, like The Invisible Hostess, will ensure that the alcohol service at your event runs smoothly and in a professional manner.

Phew! Don’t we all feel better now? Time to party! Thanks again Sheena!