New York Energy Meets Coeur d’Alene at the Hagadone Event Center

Hailey + Mark’s wedding at the Hagadone Event Center was absolutely the kind of wedding where guests found themselves asking, “Okay, what are they going to do next?”.

From a smoke show over Lake Coeur d’Alene, a bagpiper welcoming guests into dinner, custom hats, video projections, cold sparks and late-night snacks, this wedding had what seemed like everything. But what I loved most was that none of it felt like “more for the sake of more.”

Every choice came back to one thing: their guest experience.

Bringing a Little New York Energy to Coeur d’Alene

Hailey is from Spokane, but Mark is from the East Coast, which meant many of their friends and family were traveling across the country to celebrate with them. For quite a few guests, Coeur d’Alene was a place they had never been, or maybe had never even heard of, before Hailey + Mark’s wedding invitation landed in their hands.

Well, welcome to North Idaho. We’ve got a lake, mountains and apparently the ability to put on one hell of a party. I had so much fun working creatively with Hailey to figure out how we could elevate the Hagadone Event Center, make the evening feel distinctly theirs and create a guest-forward experience without spending a fortune simply for the sake of adding more.

And I think we nailed it.

A Ceremony Ending No One Saw Coming

The Hagadone Event Center already gives you one pretty incredible ceremony backdrop with Lake Coeur d’Alene stretching out behind you, so we didn’t need to compete with it.

Instead, we saved the surprise for the end. As Hailey + Mark shared their first kiss as husband and wife, a colorful smoke show erupted behind them over the lake. It was unexpected, dramatic and one heck of a way to officially kick off the celebration.

And that was only the beginning.

As guests made their way from cocktail hour into the dinner space, they were greeted by a bagpiper, because naturally this wedding had a fever and the only cure was more bagpipe.

Creating an Experience From Cocktail Hour to Reception

One of my favorite design elements of this wedding was actually something incredibly functional… draping.

We used draping to separate the cocktail hour space from the reception, allowing each part of the evening to feel like its own experience. Guests weren’t walking into a completely revealed reception room the second the ceremony ended. There was still something waiting for them.

Once everyone was seated for dinner, that same draping took on an entirely different purpose.

Throughout the remainder of the evening, we projected slideshows, videos and custom monograms onto it, transforming what could have simply been a room divider into a major visual element of the reception.

THAT is the kind of detail I love. It wasn’t about throwing money at the space. It was about asking, How can we make this do more for us? How can we use it differently throughout the night?

And, Oh… That Tablescape

Now we need to talk about the tables. Because… yes! Hailey and I went back and forth on linens before she ultimately landed on the most gorgeous olive floral print, and I am so glad she did. Paired with dark wood chairs, and a whole lot of candlelight, it completely transformed the room. The pattern brought enough interest that the tables felt layered and intentional without needing an overwhelming amount of additional décor.

It was romantic. It was warm. It felt elevated without feeling stuffy. It was literally a dream. And against the clean architecture and huge windows of the Hagadone Event Center? Chef’s kiss.

If You’re Going to Throw a Party… Throw a Party

Once dinner was over, Hailey + Mark were not done spoiling their guests. There were late-night snacks. There were custom “Love on the Lake” hats. There were curated cocktails, a packed dance floor and the kind of energy that makes you forget what time it is. Even the smaller details were designed with their people in mind.

That is what made this wedding so much fun to plan. Hailey + Mark weren’t just thinking about what would photograph well or what they felt like they were supposed to have at a wedding. They thought about what their guests would see, hear, experience and remember.

When people are traveling across the country to celebrate with you, there is something really special about saying, We want to give you an incredible weekend while you’re here.

And they absolutely did.

Hailey + Mark, thank you for trusting me with the creative process, for being willing to play with ideas and for bringing a little touch of New York energy to the Pacific Northwest. You gave your guests one heck of an introduction to Coeur d’Alene.

And to everyone who traveled all that way without really knowing what you were getting yourselves into? Now you know. We know how to party over here, too.

Venue & catering: @cdaresortweddings 

Planner: @pieceofharmonyevents 

Photographer: @madisonmaltby_photo

Videographer: @fergusonfilms 

DJ: @dj_davey_dave

Flowers: @mcbridefloraldesign 

Cake: @novaleecakes 

Ceremony Smoke Show & Draping: @epicvibedecor

Rentals: @pineandpoppyrentals

Photobooth: @electric.photoland

Hair: @willowandveilbridal

Makeup: @sagebridalbeautyco