Seattle is fabulous. It’s moody, it’s lovely, and any place that can boast houses the original Starbucks is good in my book. But this wedding, captured by the talented Keri Doolittle Photography, was just what that gorgeous Pacific Northwest city needed. A little pop of color to break through the clouds, a bit bit of whimsy to compliment the city by the sea. Who knew Seattle could get even better? Make sure to save loads of time to check out the full affair in the gallery!
Nick proposed on our one year anniversary, amongst the waves, warm breeze, and sunset of Puerto Vallarta. It was truly magical – and the start of an incredible engagement for both of us. I lucked out by having a groom who was with me the entire planning process: from vendor meetings to detailed decisions, we both had input on our amazing day.
We decided not only did we want to include our entire family and friends in the celebration, but we wanted them to have fun. I still leaned towards tradition, however – which resulted in our theme of “Classic Fun.” Our colors were the first decision we made. While researching photographers, we were inspired by photos our photographer took at a wedding in Arizona … the bright mix of colors just screamed fun. As soon as we saw those colors, we realized that this was the look we were going for. With wedding colors of teal, orange and fuchsia, we were on our way to having a vision!
Having a large wedding of nearly 250 guests limited our locations for the wedding. I was still partial to a church wedding, and as soon as we pulled up to the Hall at Fauntleroy, I realized it was right across the street from a church I had visited before, where my beloved aunt attended. A butterfly flew right in front of me, from the hall to the church: it was a sign, as I was very close to my aunt Katherine, who passed away from cancer just 34 days after I met Nick. We visited the Hall, and instantly knew it would be the perfect location for our wedding reception: located in Seattle, large enough to hold 250 guests, and walking distance from a family church; it was destined to be our spot.
Quite a few of our vendor decisions happened under similar circumstances – as soon as we met with the vendor, we knew instantly they were “the one.” We lucked out across the board, and the wedding was just how we envisioned it, thanks to the hard work of many people. Two of our bridesmaids even pitched in to make a bunch of decorations for us: bunting for the reception hall, a sign for programs, and ribbon sticks for our getaway.
Two of the biggest surprises of the evening were our cake and photo booth. What started out as a groom’s cake joke, ended up being a fun twist for our cake: we served Ding Dongs instead of traditional wedding cake. For as long as he can remember, Nick has received a box of Ding Dongs from his family on his birthday. Neither of us are cake aficionados, so it was a perfect way for us to save money and it was fun.
The photo booth was another fun addition: we decided instead of a guest book and favor, it would work perfectly… it also gave our guests an activity while dinner was being served. Half of the photo booth strip was put in an album, where guests signed and left messages for us. We couldn’t have asked for anything more on the biggest day of our lives, than to be surrounded by friends and family whom we loved and admired. It was just how we imagined the day: classic, fun … and perfect.
Wedding Coordinators: Happily Ever After / Church: Fauntleroy UCC / Reception: The Hall at Fauntleroy / Catering: Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes / Flowers: Raul at Admiral Metropolitan Market / DJ: Jeff Koenigs / Cake: Sugar Rush / Videographer: Linear Urban Kings Art / Photobooth: 321 Foto / Photography: Keri Doolittle Photography