Washington Wedding by Ariel Nay Nebeker

Okay, I have a confession to make. There are two things in this world that I go totally, insanely nerdy over: Dogs and backyard weddings…And this next little charmer happens to have both of those. So upon seeing this, I immediately began squealing like a school girl! And then I saw the flowers, the amazing backyard, the sparklers, and yes, the bucket-full of Coronas, and I was officially in backyard wedding heaven. This intimate, elegantly casual celebration was captured beautifully by Ariel Nay Nebeker, and we are super excited to share its perfection with you! For more backyard goodness, be sure to check out the gallery!

See entire image gallery here!

Our inspiration was each other. We are both fun-loving and creative, and we greatly enjoy each other’s families. Neither of us wanted to make a big “to-do” about our wedding day that included planning for a year or more and spending our entire savings. Instead we opted for a more relaxed and casual ceremony with our immediate family in Jamie’s parent’s backyard, which seemed to suit us better. Not too much fuss, with just the right amount of formality. With designer-ly touches of color, flowers, and lighting, we had fun pulling it all together.

What made our day wonderful was the very moment that we became partners in this crazy life. The ceremony was unique because it was ours, and in looking at each other throughout the night we knew this was our launching point. Our families, decorations and food were all just icing on the cake, so to speak. Our advice for future brides and grooms would be to take lots of time before making decisions to learn your partners feelings, wants and dreams. Understand that there will be compromises. Don’t hold back, but don’t get caught up in the materiality of the day. Make sure you surround yourself with people you love and there’s nothing that could keep your day from being special.

Photography: Ariel Nay Nebeker / Flowers: Jessica Marquardt of Pollen Floral Design / Ceremony and Reception Location: Jamie’s Parent’s Residence, Auburn, WA / Shoes: Nina / Dress: Voletta Couture