THE COUPLE: On their first date, John Walchli and Tana Mielke watched their hockey teams play one another. After his team lost, John, a software developer, had to make good on their game bet and cook dinner for Tana, who is a professional chef. Somehow, the pressure did not do him in, and there were many more dates to follow.
THE DESIGN: The lush, vibrant colors of fall at Camp Korey—where Tana had spent three years developing a sustainable food system—inspired a rich palette of green, copper, deep red and purple combined with mixed metal and wood fixtures. The couple crafted large chandeliers from rosehip twigs, with hanging terrariums and teardrop crystals that Tana had bought at a flea market in Athens, Greece.
FUN FAMILY FACTS: Tana’s parents, both woodworkers and welders, teamed up with her brother and sister, both electricians, to create a stunning light fixture for the reception. Crafted from 7-foot slabs of maple, the installation included pendant lights enveloped in copper cutout shades of different shapes and sizes. “It was this amazing focal point for the room,” Tana said.
THE FOOD: Drawing on her specialty in Greek cuisine (keep an eye out for her Kefi Taverna Pop Up restaurants around town and a future permanent spot in Woodinville), Tana tapped chef Sean Iliff of Hotel Albatross in Ballard to create a family-style Mediterranean feast, featuring a whole roasted pig, salmon, beef and an endless spread of fresh vegetable sides, nearly all sourced from the grounds of Camp Korey and nearby farms. For dessert, the couple opted for a literal cheese cake: wheels of local creamery cheeses arranged in three tiers, accompanied by fresh fruit and rustic apple tarts.
