Our dear friends Michelle and Chad were married on a warm, summery day on the lawn of a family home that faces the cool waters of the Puget Sound. We live in an area with some of the most spacious, amazing private homes set in beautiful, unforgettable locations. So, whenever we photograph a couple getting married at a family property, I know it will be a special, relaxed day, which makes for wonderful wedding images. Michelle and Chad shared a first look on a nearby fisherman’s pier and then exchanged vows in an intimate, family ceremony followed by the perfect summer evening reception. Enjoy this little peek into their wedding day!

The Wedding Rundown:
Photography: Persimmon Images
Reception & Ceremony Venue: Private Residence
Hair & Makeup Artist: Erica Madera
Officiant: Sandra Strauss
Rentals: Pacific Party Rentals

The remainder of my days healing and resting on Orcas, I played with the rest of my lenses a day at a time. I didn’t push myself too much– no going into town or crouching for hours waiting for the perfect sunset shot (it mostly rained anyway). Instead, I puttered around the house and photographed the kitsch collected after decades of Island living, much of it antique and some of it belonging to the Moran Brothers, ancestors to Justin’s step-father and once-residents of Rosario. A few of the everyday objects in the Orcas house used to be a part of Rosario, like the Butler Bar door (below) and all the silverware (not pictured), which is stamped with “Rosario” on the back. I laugh because it makes me feel like I’m eating with stolen silver.

Justin was only up on the Island with me for a few days, before he went home to work a shift at the hospital. I stayed on, with Corwin for company. He enjoyed plenty of outdoor time when it wasn’t raining, and our daily trips to the sheltered ocean inlets, where he could swim if the water was calm. My little guy has developed quite the water affinity– if there is fetching involved.

Enjoy this snapshot of life in the San Juan Islands, and don’t forget to visit yesterday’s collection of Orcas Island macro and abstract nature photographs.

In early March, I spent a solitary week on Orcas Island healing from a long illness, taking things slow, and searching for inspiration and guidance. Each day, I made it my goal to take out one camera and one lens to make some photographs. I photograph with prime (fixed-length) lenses, because I love the image quality and light each lens lets in. I’m always challenged to choose the right lens for a shot and move my body to the ideal location, rather than just zooming in or out. Choosing just one lens each day and playing with the features and limitations of each taught me a lot about the qualities of each lens and will definitely help me with being mindful about my lens choices in the future. You’ve already seen some of my 85mm Hassleblad and 50mm Leica film photographs (both Zeiss lenses) that include images from the trip. Today, I’ve picked a handful of photographs from my playtime with our Canon 100mm 2.8L macro lens and 135mm 2.0L lens. Enjoy the delicious texture and detail!

Today it’s my pleasure to share the summer wedding of our dear college friends, Erin and Adam. They were married in the lush, green back yard of Adam’s family home in Salem, Oregon. Their wedding was filled with sweet joy, bright colors, and the laughter of family and friends. I particularly loved the crayons placed on the “kids table” with coloring book sheets featuring the likeness of Erin, Adam, and their Beagle! There was croquet, badminton, and a swingset to keep guests young and old entertained. I admit a particular fondness for the tiny containers bubbles… also on the kids’ table.

Erin looked stunning in her single-strap gown, but was super comfortable hiding yellow All Stars underneath, a nod to her alma mater, the University of Oregon. Instead of a “something blue,” her garter was a UO logo, too! Filled to the brim in happiness, I don’t think we saw Erin’s eyes dry for more than an hour’s span on her wedding day. I think she’d agree that she cries easily, and I was overjoyed. I love to photograph emotional brides and grooms! Ladies, don’t be afraid to hide your emotions on your wedding day. Show the world how you feel! I guarantee that you’ll cherish looking back on your joy, even if it means smeared mascara. Besides, we can always fix mascara, but you only get one chance to take the plunge.

Anyhow, enough chatter. Here’s the rundown and their beautiful photos. Congratulations a million times, you two! We love you always.

The Wedding Rundown:
Venue – Groom’s Family Home in Salem, OR
Photographer – Persimmon Images
Videography – Witness Tree Videos
Invitations and Napkins – Letterpress by Twin Ravens Press
Catering – Willaby’s Catering
Rings – Fred Meyer Jewelers
Event Design – SHE Designs
Rentals – A to Z Party Rental
Wedding Cake – Market of Choice
Wedding Dress – The Bridal Gallery
Music/DJ – NW Mobile DJ Service

Today, I’m really pleased to feature this beautiful wedding I photographed early last summer as second-shooter to writer and photographer Dane Sanders. Britt and Joseph were wed at a family home in Enumclaw, Washington, right near the foothills of Mount Rainier. This quiet, picturesque farming community, where folks pick up their Saturday morning coffee wearing cowboy boots and hats, is just an hour outside of Seattle.

Britt and Joe’s wedding was a beautiful celebration of family: Britt wore a wedding tress custom-tailored from her mother’s and her grandfather, a pastor, officiated their wedding ceremony, as he has for nearly every wedding in the family. The family farm was a simply pristine piece of land with lush green fields, a small bubbling stream, cows and horses out to pasture, and chickens pecking in a pen. There were plenty of amazing details that were subtle head-nods to the rural serenity and country surroundings: a dessert pie-bar with pies made from family recipes, cowboy boots worn by the entire wedding party (three flower girls included!), antique blue-glass mason jars everywhere, vintage crates from colas and more, seed packet and coffee bean favors with the couple’s initials inscribed, and who could forget the whiskey and cigar bar!

Their heartfelt ceremony took place under a wide-branching tree strung with lanterns, where they were serenaded and read to by friends and family before the sermon conducted by Britt’s crinkle-faced grandfather, “Boppa.” Everyone shed a few tears. Myself included, though I had just met them for the first time that day. The gorgeous hardwood pew benches that the strapping boys hauled into the field for the ceremony were later hauled into another (equally pretty) field for the reception. There, guests sat around big, wooden tables with white linens, barn wood table numbers, candles, and mason jar floral arrangements.

After everyone devoured the mouth-watering buffet and dessert bar, the bride’s brother shared a tender song he wrote for her (again, tears!). The evening ended with a fireworks display, which I sadly missed because I was on my way back to Seattle for another evening event. I wish I’d been there to see it all!

I also wish I could share some of the amazing finds and vendors for this wedding, but since I was second-shooting, I don’t have those details on hand. Instead, I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves… and they do, strongly!

Remember Erica and Eric? Yeah, that’s E-squared. Last time you saw them during their engagement session, Erica had fiery-red hair that matched the engines at the Belltown Fire Station. On their wedding day, getting ready at Hotel Andra, her locks were jet black and her lips were red as rubies. She was a total firecracker.

For both Erica and Eric, this was a second marriage but that didn’t mean that they wanted their wedding celebration to be any less fun or memorable. Having experienced the hullabaloo on their first go-round, they were both amazingly, blessedly relaxed and ebullient. It was a real joy to watch them as they got ready to tie the knot, saw each other for the first time at the Ballard Locks, and tied the knot at the BalMar in Ballard: the firecracker and her Silver Fox.

Erica and Eric also had a rare sense of humor about the whole affair: realizing that they wanted to do something unique that complimented their personalities, they dubbed their wedding the “Ball and Chain Tour” and set about to create the DIY, retro, Blues-Brothers inspired rock-fest that follows. I can’t even believe some of the creative details they thought of! To “promote” their “tour,” they created their Save-the-Dates on Ticketmaster and then sent out concert posters as invitations. Each guest at their wedding received a “Ball and Chain Tour” VIP badge on a lanyard (what a cool favor!) and a mix CD of their favorite rock songs. Instead of a guest book, friends and family signed electric guitars, which now hang in their home along with two canvases of images from their wedding day.

Their attire was as inspired as the party: She wore a short, custom-made polka-dot dress with a red-ruffled bolero, killer heels, red heart-shaped shades, a birdcage veil to start, and later a bejewelled fascinator. Her ladies were in black, as were the men. The guys were really dressed to the nines, outfitted in full Blues-Brothers style with black fedoras, Ray Bans, white socks and everything. The icing on the cake? Her brooch bouquet and the boys’ electric guitar lapel pins. I know, right?

They walked down the aisle (up the stairs) to to AC/DC’s “Back in Black” and Billy Idol’s “White Wedding,” with drinks in hand, and exchanged vows in a super-short, standing-room-only ceremony, then toasted to their new lives together and got started dancing the night away. Their first dance was minutes after their vows and the music didn’t stop until the evening was over.

They wanted a kick-ass party, and they got it. (Oh, and for all you budget brides… they did it for less than $15k! Want to see LOADS more about how they were inspired to put together such an amazing event and keep cool heads? Their wedding is featured today on The Broke-Ass Bride! Go check it out!)

Love you guys! <3

The Wedding Rundown:

Dress: Dolly Couture
Veil: Tiffani Saxton Designs on Etsy
Bouquet: Jen Diehl of The Ritzy Rose on Etsy
Bolero jacket: French Sugar Vintage on Etsy
Bride’s shoes: Iron Fist
Bride’s jewelry: Swarovski
Bride’s rings: Blue Nile
Groom’s ring: Stonebrook Jewelry on Etsy
Men’s attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Men’s accessories: Ray-Ban glasses, Express ties
Women’s attire: David’s Bridal and White House/Black Market
Bridesmaid accessories: Coach clutch, Swarovski jewelry
Garter: Heather at Sugarplum Garters on Etsy
Officiant: Julie Cooper
Photography: Persimmon Images
DJ: Adam’s DJ Service
Venue and catering: The BalMar
Cake toppers: PeanutButterBandit on Etsy
Cupcakes: The Yellow Leaf Cupcake
Mini pies: Shoofly Pie Company

Want to see even more pictures? Watch their Ballard Blues Brothers BalMar wedding slideshow!

Meet Randy and Sharon! We’ll be photographing their engagement on Capitol Hill this spring… and we’re really excited for their September wedding at Sleeping Lady in Leavenworth. (The North Cascades in Autumn are unbeatable!)

Here’s a frame I took of them sharing a sweet moment in our backyard. Made with my Hassleblad and some Kodak 400 T/X B&W film:

Say that post title five times fast! Next week, I will finally post Erica + Eric’s amazing wedding photos of their Blues Brothers wedding in Ballard at Bal-Mar. What a party that was! The humor! The music! The food! The utter lack of drama! But no, I’ve said too much. The rest will have to wait. For now, here are Erica and Eric in all their majestic wedding finery. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Laura and David lucked out with the amazing sunshine you see in these photos. We’d set up their original engagement session in mid-February but just kept getting dumped on by horrid weather. Finally, after so much flip-flopping sun and rain, we played it by ear and got this GORGEOUS day still smack in the middle of Winter. They were somewhat smug about this fact because they’d planned to design their Save the Dates with photographs from their session. Now their out-of-town wedding guests can’t say that Seattle has terrible weather a full half of the year! (Though now here we are, after three days of amazing sun, looking a nice downpour…) Anyhow, look what I made for them!

I have to chuckle a bit because those were literally the LAST two photos we took, on the way back to the parking lot, as a sort of afterthought. “Oh, stand here, this will be cute!” It was almost dark by that time, and we were getting cold without the magic sun to warm us, but the photos were perfect!

For the rest of the sunshiny images, keep on scrolling. Laura and David, with your gorgeous smiles, amazing sense of fashion and design, and impeccable taste in food and wine, we know your wedding will be one to remember. We’re looking forward to being there, and getting to know you along the way!

XOXO,

Kat + Justin

We know you like beer. We know you like helping people. So you’ll LOVE Hopebrew, a beer-drinker’s fundraiser for Get Hitched, Give Hope THIS Saturday, April 14, at Redhook Brewery  in Redmond. Filthy Beer will be providing finely crafted home brews, Seattle’s BEST DJ Austin Beaver will be spinning, there will be eats & treats provided by Redhook,  Dolce Lou,  Cupcake Luv, and Yeah! Cookie.

Get Hitched, Give Hope is hosting this amazing night of brews, music, and prizes to help meet our 2012 goal of raising $100,000 to grant wishes for people affected by life-threatening illnesses. All proceeds go to The Dream Foundation and Young Survival Coalition.

On top of the music, brew, and bites – Hopebrew will also feature rad raffle items you can win from Bourgeoise Brunches, Road Dogs Seattle Brewery Tour, Red Hook, Jazz Alley, Red Chair Salon, and Woodinville Whiskey, among others!

Because a party isn’t a party without a photobooth, the talented Laura Marchbanks Photography will be there rockin’ the camera – so be ready for a great time!

THE LOWDOWN
WHO: You and all your friends. PLEASE use the buttons below this post to tweet/facebook/reddit this!
WHAT: Hopebrew:: a fundraiser for Get Hitched, Give Hope!
WHEN: Saturday, April 14th, 5pm VIP entrance, 6-9pm party time
WHERE: Redhook Brewery
HOW: Get tickets at the door or online at Brown Paper Tickets
WHY: Drinking beer and helping grant wishes, duh!