Love Snoqualmie Valley Style, a Contest: “Kiss, Miss, or Hiss- The Best, Worst or Weirdest Marriage Advice Unveiled”

Did you know that in 2023, September and October combined accounted for 34% of all weddings, with each month claiming 17% of the celebrations? As wedding season peaks during these fall months, Valley locals and visitors will likely attend more nuptials than ever.

And if you’re planning, don’t be surprised when September emerges as the most popular wedding date of 2024. This trend will continue in our scenic valley, where we have many choices for wedding services that you may not be aware of.

So, you might remember our Valentine’s Day 2021 contest: How I Met my Other. In that writing contest, we discussed how you met a significant other.

This time, we want to hear the Best, Worst or Weirdest Marriage advice you either have or want to give to all the happy couples set to tie the knot in the next couple of months.

I’ve only been married for a short time and received no advice from either parent. I can’t say I have any great wisdom to pass along, but I can give guidance in one area—the bedroom.

Are you reading this because you think I will give you some titillating tips? Well, sorry, no such luck.

My advice story starts in the early 90s, talking to a woman at a Halloween party. Newly married Stormi claimed that when you are in love with someone, you can automatically sleep with them…yes, yes, I mean actual slumber.

For some reason, my not-quite-formed brain considered this statement the gospel truth and spent the 20 years trying to mold my sleeping habits to fit in with my significant others (stop that, there were TWO, not hundreds). The result was that I slept poorly every time I shared my bed with my incompatible sleeping buddies.

Fast-forward to about 2010, and your girl was tired. My now-husband went to bed early, so I did, too. He slept with the TV on, and I tried to adapt to light and noise. He had three Persian cats in the bed, and I lay there all night listening to cat sneezes.

It wasn’t all him; I bugged him, too. He is a still sleeper, I’m a tosser-turner, and he’d grunt at my every move. I’d wake in the morning with stiff muscles from trying my hardest to be motionless.

I had tactics to deal with it, like waiting until he was asleep, sneaking out and sleeping on the couch. Suddenly, I had a revelation: Maybe Stormi wasn’t right.

I moved into the guest room, and it’s the best thing I have ever done for my health and our relationship. Now I have my quiet, dark room that doesn’t even have a TV. So, my advice is if you need to and can, get a sleep divorce. It doesn’t mean you don’t love your person; you just love sleep, too.

So, what’s in it for you? Why would you share your marital advice for the world to see? To help newlyweds out of the goodness of your heart?

Nah, prizes, of course, and we have NINE! First, second and third place for each category, showing off some of the beautiful wedding/event services in the Snoqualmie Valley!

So, what are they, you ask?

In the Category of Best Marriage Advice, the prizes are:

• First Place- Carnation Farms: A pair of tickets to a Farm Dinner of choice in 2025. Nestled in the Snoqualmie Valley, just 45 minutes outside Seattle, Carnation Farms provides the perfect blend of rustic elegance and tranquil scenery, giving your guests an experience like no other. Originally built in the early 1900s, the farm offers the ideal setting for many-sized gatherings with various spaces that can seat up to 750 guests. Accommodations vary from Lodges with Northwest flair and comfortable common areas to intimate Estate Homes with select décor.
• Second Place- Treehouse Point: A one-night stay at this iconic Valley destination. Weddings at Treehouse Point offer exclusive access to their entire four-acre forest, where towering trees, lush greenery, and the soft sounds of the river create an unforgettable backdrop. For smaller gatherings like micro-weddings, elopements, or vow renewals, they provide intimate settings within their stunning natural surroundings, ensuring your day is both magical and memorable. Their thoughtfully designed packages include everything you need for a seamless experience. With a curated list of preferred caterers and vendors, your celebration will surely be smooth and stress-free. Celebrate your love surrounded by the magic of their world-renowned treehouses.
• Third Place- Outshined Photography: A complimentary 30-minute couple’s photo session in Snoqualmie Valley. For your photo session, you will enjoy a fun-filled adventure together while photographer Stacy Garfield captures your love story in photos you will treasure forever. You may select your favorite location in the Snoqualmie Valley as the backdrop. Stacy is happy to help you choose a great location and plan for the best lighting of the day and timing of the year.

Next, for Worst Marriage Advice, we have:

• First Place- Salish Lodge & Spa: Dinner for two in the Dining Room, Attic or in-room Dining. The Salish Lodge & Spa offers one of the most romantic wedding locations in Washington State. From exceptional guest experiences to our mouthwatering wedding menus featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine, they go above and beyond the expected. Salish boasts a wonderful array of venue options, from the warm, cozy ambiance of their Ballroom to outdoor locations surrounded by the Snoqualmie Valley and majestic Snoqualmie Falls.
• Second Place- South Fork North Bend: A pair of tickets to their fabulous Supper Club. Join them for an unforgettable evening among like-minded individuals in a relaxed setting with a five-course culinary journey. South Fork is the perfect place for small events. Whether you book your group of 30 in the tent or buy them out for a fully private event, you’re guaranteed a space that immediately feels comfortable, warm, and inviting with amazingly friendly staff and delicious food and beverages.
• Third Place- Cascara Concierge: Four hours of organizational services to help start your new combined household right! By simplifying your spaces, Cascara Concierge calms the chaos and sets you on your way to enjoying your time doing the things you love. Whether you are planning a wedding and need help organizing your home in preparation for life after the event, Cascara can help! We organize closets, pantries, garages, and other outdoor spaces, lightly cleaning and tidying. We help purge and then organize based on your specific lifestyle.

And lastly, for Weirdest Marriage Advice, we have:

• First Place- Pearl & Stone Winery: Pearl and Stone Wine Co. is excited to offer the winner a deluxe package created especially for the bride and groom! We look forward to hosting you both at our Tasting Room in downtown North Bend. There, you may choose from an “All Red” tasting flight or a “Mixed” tasting flight to include a white, rose, and two reds. Your tasting experience will take place in one of our jail cells, which are typically reserved for club members. One of our delicious charcuterie boards will be served alongside the tasting. As a part of your win, Pearl & Stone will be gifting you a custom-made wine box with the following locally made wines inside 2023 Old Rickety(white), 2023 Unemployment Beach Rose(rose), 2020 Wandering (red blend) and our 2020 Boulder Loop (red blend). Alongside the 4 bottles of wine, there is one of our well-loved MiiR Insulated wine bottles, 2 Pearl and Stone GoVino glasses and a Pearl and Stone corkscrew. Lastly, we’ve included a Washington Food and Wine Cookbook, a perfect complement to our package.
• Second Place- Wm Grassie Wine Estates:  A Private Winemakers Tasting Experience. A private wine tasting experience for 8-10 guests with the winemaker at one of William Grassie Wine Estates locations in Snoqualmie, Duvall or Fall City.  Enjoy light appetizers and taste through our current Bordeaux-style wine selections; learning about each wine and the story behind them.  Additionally, on the day of the tasting, a 15% discount will be provided on any bottle purchases by attending guests.
• Third Place- Snoqualmie Inn: Complimentary 1-night stay in a King or Double Queen Studio Suite. Have wedding guests to put up for a couple of nights? Travelers trust The Hotel America. Each Snoqualmie accommodation has thoughtful amenities designed to make stays easy. Why? It’s simple: Less time spent worrying means more time doing what matters — working, hiking, or resting.

So, whether you’re a seasoned spouse with decades of wisdom or a newlywed navigating the first year, we want to hear your marriage advice—sage, silly, or downright strange. Enter the contest and share your insights; your words might be the key to a future couple’s happily ever after—and you could win some fabulous local prizes while you’re at it!

Don’t miss out—submit your entry today and join the fun of celebrating love, Snoqualmie Valley style.

Rules

1. The contest is open to Living Snoqualmie readers.
2. Work published previously in any copyrighted newspaper, magazine, book, or other medium is ineligible. Entries must be original.
3. Contestants may enter one piece of advice for each category of up to 500 words.
4. Entries should be entered by email at info@livingsnoqualmie.com no later than 10:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 11^th, 2024. Only entries in digital format will be accepted. Please note in the subject line which category your entry is for.
5. No submissions will be returned.
6. The Semi-finalists will be chosen by judges Jessica Self- Executive Director North Bend Downtown Foundation, Pamela Savagaonkar- CEO Cascade Enrichment, Britni Larson- Manager North Bend Theatre and Lynda Lahman author. Their peers will judge the finalists on the Living Snoqualmie Facebook Page September 18th until 10 pm September 21st. Judging and winner notification will be completed no later than September 23rd, followed by an announcement in Living Snoqualmie.
7. The author retains the copyright to the submitted work and agrees to publication in Living Snoqualmie and its social media platforms. Semi-finalists and finalists will be asked to provide a photo to appear with their entries.
8. The decisions of the judges are final. Submission indicates acceptance of all contest rules.
9. Winners must be available to pick up their prize from our sponsors’ business establishments. Terms and conditions for each vendor are available upon request.

[Featured Image Credit: Beatriz Pérez Moya on Unsplash]