Well, we have one hot bride, one hot groom, and one hot bridal party, might as well have one super hot day!  It was a scorcher down in the waterside town of Steilacoom, where the fabulous Ali Harvey and I found ourselves for this wedding, but the modeling abilities of this beautiful couple definitely made temperatures rise even higher.  (alright that might be a bit much, but just look at their photos!)  The bride is originally from the area but now resides with the groom in Michigan. As a little girl, she always thought that the bandstand overlooking the water in this park would make a perfect wedding spot, so when she became engaged, she made it happen. It was an intimate gathering in this quaint little town consisting of a sweet and simple ceremony, a cocktail hour at a local restaurant decked out with a primo candy bar and cupcakes from Jubilee, and an evening reception/gathering in the bride’s parents’ gorgeous garden (this mom has one serious green thumb).  The day sailed by smoothly (yay for no heat stroke!) and ended with the cutest dance ever by the great aunt and uncle in attendance.  I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to be a part of your day (and yes groom, that flag is just for you….thanks to you and the best man for being such sports on our photo adventures)  Enjoy your peek!

On this beautiful evening I headed to Lincoln Park to take early Christmas card photos of this sweet, young couple….or at least that is what she thought we were doing.  What she didn’t know was that her boyfriend was going to propose to her, and I was going to be there to capture it.  I was so honored (and a bit nervous) to have been chosen to be there.  Apparently, she had told him that if they ever got married, she wanted me to be their photographer *blush*  So, he contacted me and we started scheming (ok, mostly he started scheming and I was just thrilled to play along).  It was so crazy because as we came closer to a secluded area with good light for the actual proposal to take place, my heart started pounding, my hands began shaking, and I became sooo nervous.  I think I can honestly say that I now understand 1/10 of what grooms feel and go through when they are getting ready to propose….geesh, you all now have my empathy

For this delightful picnic-in-the-park-wedding, the tremendous Ali Harvey and I headed east to Pullman, WA.  I absolutely fell in love with couple, the concept of their wedding, and the artful way in which everything was presented.  This young couple, like so many, was on a budget and doing everything in their power to stay on track.  Now, it is not hard to stay on budget if you enlist the help of friends and family and do everything yourselves, but it is hard to do it gracefully without sacrificing an elegant and finished affair.  Apparently not too hard, because that is exactly what this couple did.  They really thought about the details, from glass bottle Coca Colas, to handmade carmel corn and pretty twine-tied sandwiches, to lining up all the champagne glasses along the reflecting fountain for a dramatic effect. There were just so many great ideas!  A memorable wedding just needs some creativity and a good plan.  It was such a lovely evening in the park. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of it.  Enjoy!

I always ask my couples if they have any locations they would like to go for their engagement session.  I have locations ideas, but I love going somewhere that is personal to the couple and not always just a pretty place (don’t get me wrong, I still love pretty places).  Well, this couple’s first date was in the Eastlake neighborhood, most of their friends live in the Eastlake neighborhood, they spend most of their time in the Eastlake neighborhood….you get my drift…Eastlake was where we were headed.  We walked and talked, played around, and enjoyed the gorgeous glow of the sun going down over Lake Union…oh yeah, and there were a few photos thrown in here and there.  I loved getting to know more about this sweet couple and I can’t wait for their wedding next year.  Enjoy your photos! (and have a safe trip home from Europe–yep, I’m still jealous

I had the pleasure of working with this family about 2 years ago just after the little guy you see in the photos was born.  Now he is all grown up with a little sister to protect.  Well, he might need a little work and guidance on the protection part because he could handle her being close for about 10 seconds and then he would lightly push her aside and look for something more interesting to do.

This couple flew into Seattle from Michigan for their wedding this weekend.  Since they live in Michigan we were unable to do engagement photos earlier this year, but not to worry, they  (ok, she) still wanted to do a session together even if it was just a couple of days before the wedding.  As I just said, she was excited to be out on a photo adventure, he, not so much.  It took a bit of encouragement and a little teeth pulling to get him to relax and play along.  But, hey, all that matters is that he did and I was able to get some great images of these quirky love birds.  They are absolutely adorable and nearly always cracking each other up….what a treat!  We met down on the water in the evening for photos filled with the golden glow of the sun setting.  I am so looking forward to the wedding.  Enjoy!

For this chic affair, Ali Harvey and I found ourselves back in Seattle, first at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel and then off to one of my new favorite sites, the Georgetown Studios for the ceremony and reception.

I fell in love with this couple and their story the second that I met them.  They actually grew up in the Tri-Cities city near each other. They even attended the same elementary school.  The funny thing is, they never met.  And then, after college, they both chose to move to New York.  It was there, in the biggest city in the country, at a party of a friend, of a friend, of a work associate, etc that they finally met….crazy, right?  It took years and hundreds of miles for them to connect, retrace the steps of their past, fall in love, and end up in Seattle to say “I do” on this beautiful evening (and I got to be a part of it–whoo hoo!).

As we arrived, they were both so excited and extremely nervous–not about the wedding as much as about having their photos taken and being the center of attention.  I seriously couldn’t understand their utter fear of the camera.  Just look at them.  A gorgeous couple in love.  How could they possibly ever take a bad photo?  Well, after some canoodling and a few deep breaths, they relaxed a bit and allowed me to work my magic.  I am so happy with the outcome.  Thank you for allowing Ali and I to be a part of your urban-chic affair.  Enjoy the sneak peek!

On this gorgeous day, Ali Harvey and I packed up the gear and left the city in the dust.  Our destination?  A place you hear stories about, but just can’t believe to be true.  A place where you can’t see into your neighbors’ windows—or even see your neighbor for that fact.  A place without cement monstrosities where you can actually see the stars.  I know what you are thinking.  Where on earth is this magical place?  Well, I will tell you.  We drove for an entire 45 minutes to the far ends of….Woodinville

In all seriousness, I think it is easy to get sucked into city life and forget how lucky we are here in the PNW.  We can head 60 miles in nearly every direction out of Seattle and hit beautiful expansive spaces filled with some much-needed fresh air.  I was thrilled for the change of pace, scenery, and the opportunity to shoot out at Craven Farms.

Ali and I arrived to a really peaceful atmosphere with the only buzz in the air being that of excitement.  The bride was so calm and easy going.  She had done most of the planning (with some help from planner Nancy Keith), and was just thrilled to see it come to fruition and celebrate with her friends and family.  So much so, that I think she forgot to be nervous.  Aside from marrying his adorable sapphire-eyed bride, the groom couldn’t wait to show off his (and his fellow friends’) cars.  His job is restoring cars and this was the perfect day to show off his handy work.

I couldn’t have been any happier for the couple since everything went so smoothly.  Ali and I left with ginormous grins due to the highly contagious effect of the couple’s joy.  Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your day.  Enjoy the peek at your photos!

We all know the rhyme: First comes loves. Then comes marriage. Then comes the baby in the baby carriage.  Well for this beautiful couple: First came love.  Then came a proposal. Then came a baby, which delayed the wedding festivities. Then came marriage…..ok, so my rhyming skills aren’t that great.  As you can see, it doesn’t matter the order of events, just that the love is truly there.

The lovely Miss Ali Harvey and I headed downtown for this day’s adventures.  We began at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, and then ventured by stretch Hummer to the Harbor Club for the ceremony and reception filled with views of the city and sound for days.  Since the couple’s beautiful baby is such a tremendous part of their world, she was also a tremendous part of their wedding day. Actually all of their friends’ babies played roles in the day, from just being super cute, to strolling the aisle (ok, 2 of them can’t quite walk so they were pulled in a decked out wagon).  It was so great having the young ones around.  Traditionally, there is a little more nervous energy/stress behind the scenes before the wedding.  On this day though, the cries and giggles of little ones kept everyone smiling and occupied–it’s not everyday you see a groom and bride changing a diaper before they say I do

By no means am I saying that the day wasn’t elegant and beautiful, because it 100% was.  The baby toys and rice puff snacks just kept the vibe much more sweet and playful.  In the end it was a gorgeous day for a gorgeous family.  What more could I ask for? Enjoy the peek at the photos!

I have been looking forward to this wedding all season!  I went to college with the bride, and after seeing her interact with her fiance on their engagement session, I knew she had met her perfect match.  Add to this fact, her love of art and their vintage”y” chic style, and I knew that my superwoman of a sidekick, Ali Harvey and I were in for a treat.

Aside from their undeniable love for each other, this day came down to the details.  We had so many props for shooting…a parasol, a fan, a decked out red wagon, colorful umbrellas, a gorgeous hand-made shawl, some Converse kicks…..I really only need the couple, but was so grateful (and slightly overwhelmed) for all of the various options. And then all of the fabulous details of the reception….I’m not sure where to begin!

We spent the hot, hot, hot day at UW where the couple was married at the Sylvan Theater.  Then we ventured over to the Arboretum for the reception. Everyone travelled by car with exception to the bride, groom and myself.  We traveled by foot and red wagon.  I can 100% truthfully say that I have never seen or done that before!

The day and decor were all coordinated by the fabulous Megan of A Kurant Event.  She really kept the party flowing.  Guests danced on this warm summer night to the musical stylings of live jazz band Hochiwichi.  Live music always adds a little extra magic to the air.  The food was provided by Gourmondo Catering and Veraci Pizza.  Both providing food that is just as pleasing to the eye as to the palate. The four, yes count them, four different delicious treats were created by The Radical Cupcake.  She commits to using local and organic ingredients, and does a fantastic job in doing so. Delicious!

What else can I say, except what a wonderful affair!  I hope you enjoy this peek at your day.