Just when I thought this Washington wedding couldn’t possibly get any prettier, the gallery proved otherwise. It’s the type of union that proves to be sweetly sentimental with each and every vivid bloom and pastel hue. And with affectionate words shared from the Groom below (you KNOW we love that!), Katy Weaver Photography snapped every moment of waterfront elegance to share!
From Katy Weaver Photography…One unique thing about this wedding is that the groom was really involved with the planning process. The bride was finishing up medical school, and is now in her first year of residency, so it was actually Dominic who wrote a description of their big day:
From The Groom…Lauren and I fell in love hiking through the New Zealand countryside, roadtripping through the Australian outback, and just generally adventuring as much as we possibly could, but we couldn’t imagine having a wedding that was prohibitively difficult for our family and friends to attend. Thus, our search for the perfect wedding venue led us to Kiana Lodge in Poulsbo, Washington which felt natural and remote, could be reached from Lauren’s hometown of Seattle with relative ease, and had great outdoor and indoor options (spring in Seattle is both beautiful and occasionally damp).
After visiting the venue exactly one year prior to our wedding date and seeing the many beautiful but multicolored flowers that sprung from every corner of the grounds, we decided to abandon the idea of a strict color scheme in favor of a more eclectic approach, which we described as “wildflower” rather than “random”. We were able to keep everything cohesive by sticking mainly to pastels and dressing the bridesmaids in a pretty sage green (dusty shale at jcrew) which provided a beautiful backdrop for the blushes, yellows, lavenders, peaches, and creams, that made up the bouquets, aisle decorations, and centerpieces. A huge factor in the success of this design was our florist, Melanie Benson, who shared in our vision and was able to meet the dual goal of keeping things budget-friendly and looking natural, by selecting flowers that were local and in-season. She also reused the flower-filled jars that lined the aisle as centerpieces for the tables after the ceremony, which I thought was a clever idea.
The ceremony itself turned out beautifully. We were married under a gorgeous birch chuppah that perfectly captured the rustic but delicate vibe we were going for, with the Puget sound behind us, and our all our friends and family arranged in a semi-circle around us. My favorite unplanned part of the ceremony was the laughter that erupted (chiefly from the bride) when the rabbi asked if we had prepared anything to say to each other, to which Lauren responded simply and definitively, ”Nope!”
All of the little details that consumed us in the weeks and months leading up to the wedding ended up being worth all the effort. The kids’ room — which we equipped with babysitters, coloring books, and a special kids’ buffet — made it easier for our unbearably cute child relatives to join us; the candy buffet – which we paired with chalkboard-topped mason jars, to serve as our wedding favors — was a huge hit; and while I insisted the cake and candy were enough dessert, unpacking the adorable s’more packets that Lauren made and roasting them over the bonfire was an incredible way to finish the evening.
In the end, it was the people who truly made the night – the hard work from our vendors, the heartfelt and hilarious toasts from our family members, and the predictably bad and surprisingly good dancing of our friends. Most importantly, there was the amazing bride who was crazy enough to marry me. All in all, I could not have been happier with how everything turned out.
Photography: Katy Weaver | Coordination: The Invisible Hostess | Floral Design: Melanie Benson Floral | Wedding Dress: Amsale | Cake: Blackbird Bakery | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Hair And Makeup: Tiffany Colors | DJ: Chris Graves Music | Groom's Attire: Z by Zegna | Wedding Venue: Kiana Lodge | Live Music: Julian Catford