There is a building on First Street in Snohomish that has been waiting over a century for this moment. Built in 1901, the structure at 908 First Street has been home to a bar and a shoe cobbler’s shop, accumulating decades of renovations that buried its original bones under plaster, aluminum, and good intentions. What Chelsea Surdi saw was something else entirely — she saw what it could be and what it would mean for the community that has always called this street home.
The result is the Velvet & Oak — Snohomish’s newest intimate event space and luxury suite destination. This thoughtfully designed celebration venue is not just for weddings, but for every occasion worth gathering for.
UNCOVERING SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY
The renovation is less a story of building something new and more a story of discovering something old. Beneath layers of plaster, Chelsea uncovered original historic brick. Above drop ceilings, she found soaring ceilings. Behind aluminum doors — a particularly painful affront to the building’s character — she restored antique wooden doors with brass hardware that reflect the spirit of the street outside. European chandeliers shipped in from overseas now hang where drop ceilings once were.
Mixed in the corridor of antique shops, wine bars, and Victorian storefronts, the Velvet & Oak doesn’t just sit on First Street — it belongs to it. Every design decision was made with the building’s 125-year history in mind, and the result is an aesthetic Chelsea describes as quiet luxury: European, romantic, timeless, and deeply rooted in the character of Snohomish itself.
"Make life beautiful," says Chelsea. "I truly live by that. I see things and I feel like I can make them better. Kids, marriage, life — it’s all the same. I live for creating.”
BUILT FOR EVERY CELEBRATION
Downstairs, the event space seats up to 49 guests — an intentional intimacy that makes The Velvet & Oak ideal for the moments in life that deserve a real space rather than a restaurant back room. Like grandma’s 80th birthday — the one where the whole family finally gets in the same room. Or the company holiday party that actually earns the title — intimate enough that people talk to each other, beautiful enough that everyone remembers it. Maybe it's the college friends you haven’t seen in years, claiming an entire historic building on First Street for a long weekend.
Equally stunning for bridal showers and baby showers, the space is perfect for events that deserve care and intention. A natural fit for a beautifully styled shower, and the team of preferred vendors — florals, grazing tables, stationery — makes putting together an elevated event genuinely seamless.
For wedding weekends, the full picture is compelling: rehearsal dinner Friday night in the event space, bridal suite Saturday in the 908 suites, post-wedding brunch Sunday morning before everyone heads home. All under one roof. All on First Street.
Milestone birthdays, family reunions, holiday parties, corporate gatherings, bridal showers, baby showers, rehearsal dinners, post-wedding brunches — the opportunities are endless. The historic building’s character does the heavy lifting, and the ability to transform the room into whatever aesthetic the event calls for means no two celebrations will ever look the same. Tucked just off the main room, the event space bathroom makes its own quiet statement: a photographic mural of historic First Street, lit by a chandelier.
ALL ENCOMPASSING
What makes the Velvet & Oak unlike anything else in Snohomish County is the full-building concept: six luxury suites directly above the event space, all available to book together for a complete celebration weekend.
For family reunions, the picture is irresistible: everyone gathers on Friday for dinner downstairs, sleeps a staircase away in the 908 suites, waking Saturday morning to river views before drifting back downstairs for brunch. No coordinating hotel rooms across three different properties. No driving. No one missing the best part of the evening because they need to get back. Just the people you love, in one beautifully restored building, for an entire weekend.
For couples, the wedding weekend concept is unlike anything else in the county: rehearsal dinner downstairs Friday night, wedding party in the 908 suites Saturday, and post-wedding brunch Sunday morning before the weekend comes to a close. Custom welcome gifts from Evergreen Custom Gifting, sourced from local small businesses, are waiting in each suite on arrival — a thoughtful touch that tells guests the weekend was planned with them in mind.
For holiday parties and corporate gatherings, the Velvet & Oak offers something the Snohomish market has genuinely lacked: a space beautiful enough to feel like an occasion, intimate enough to feel personal, and flexible enough to become whatever the celebration needs it to be.
THE 908 SUITES
Upstairs, six newly renovated luxury suites operate under the name 908 — each numbered with brass plates and designed with the same historical reverence as the event space below. Soaking tubs cocooned in canopy drapes, robes and slippers custom-sourced from small businesses, and embroidered with the 908 name, marble finishes, and bedding selected for genuine luxury rather than hospitality-grade adequacy. The shared landing between suites is scented by an Aroma Tech diffuser filled with white tea. Many suites overlook First Street and the Snohomish River, a picturesque setting that is hard to come by.
From a relaxing staycation to a grand event, the Velvet & Oak has you covered. Take a peek the next time you're strolling down First Street, or better yet, visit thevelvetandoakwines.com to book your stay. Suites begin at $349 per night with event space packages available to fit your needs.
STYLED-SHOOT TEAM
Photography: B. Jones Photography | bjonesphotos.com
Event Design: Pink Blossom Events | pinkblossomevents.com
Venue: The Velvet & Oak | thevelvetandoakwines.com
Floral: Goldenrod Floral | goldenrodfloraldesign.com
Stationery: Magnolia Marks Studio | magnoliamarksstudio.com
Rentals: CORT Party Rental | cortpartyrental.com
Catering: Herb & Grain | herbandgrainco.com
Custom Gifting: Evergreen Custom Gifting | evergreencustomgifting.com
"Make life beautiful. I truly live by that. I see things and I feel like I can make them better."
"Every detail was approached with intention, respect, and gratitude for the life this building has lived and the new memories it will now hold.”