Remember Karen & Pat’s sweet summer engagement session? Well, these two love birds tied the knot in October with a beautiful fall wedding in Spokane, Washington. This wedding was extra special to me since Karen’s older sister is one of my best friends. During high school, Karen’s house was like my second home and her family holds a very special place in my heart. Needless to say, it was like seeing a little sister get married and I was honored to be a part of their big day. They had a whole team of talented, local vendors to make their celebration perfect. I’m also delighted that their wedding is featured on the Apple Brides blog today, so head on over a take a peek!

Vendors:

Photography: Kathryn Bradley Photography
Ceremony: Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center
Reception: Gibliano Brothers Dueling Pianos & Music House
Catering: Hay J’s
Dress: Bridal Collections
Make-up: The Make-up Studio
Hair: Urbanna
Flowers: Fleuratations Floral

Just a little sneak peek of what I’m working on right now…Karen and Pat’s beautiful fall wedding. I’ll be blogging their full wedding post soon!

Well, hello there. Isn’t been a while, hasn’t it? Okay, that may be an understatement, but if you’re here reading my blog — THANK YOU! Thanks for sticking with me as I adjust to life in the big city and get settled into a routine after this crazy summer. I promise not to leave this blog so bare in the coming weeks!

First up, Jessica and Jason’s sweet wedding that was held at the Orting Manor on a sunny Saturday in July. The venue was gorgeous (an old Victorian home built in 1901!) and Jessica had put a lot of thought and hard work into all the details. Plus, these two were just so excited to finally tie the knot. It was such a fun day! Congrats, Jessica and Jason!

I thought I’d share a little sneak peek of the wedding I’m currently in the midst of editing. Plus, not only is it Friday, but it’s also Jessica’s birthday today. Happy birthday, Mrs. Scales! Be sure to check back next week for their full wedding post!

Autumn and Ryan were married several weeks ago on a gorgeous, sunny day at the Fair Harbor Marina near Allyn, Washington on the Kitsap Peninsula. The day was simply perfect. Autumn and Ryan are very much in love, and it showed. With family and friends they celebrated what it’s really all about — two people happily committing the rest of their lives to one another.

And the details! Autumn and her girls did such an incredible job with the DIY yellow and grey wedding details. From the wild flowers to the wine bottles painted with chalkboard paint to denote table numbers, nothing was overlooked. The delicious homemade ice cream (from Bainbridge Island’s Cream of the Crop Ice Cream) and the dessert table was every sweet tooth lover’s dream. Their wedding cake was baked by one of the bridesmaids and, as a nod to Ryan’s Norwegian heritage, his grandmother also baked a traditional Norwegian wedding cake.

Autumn and Ryan, thank you so much for allowing me to help capture your special day! It was truly an honor to be there.

Special thanks also to Chandi with Music Creek Photography for brining me along.

Enjoy!

Megan and Bob’s wedding was my first wedding of 2011…and what a way to kick off the year! These two are one of the nicest, most laid back couples I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing. If every bride was as easy going as Megan, my job would be effortless!

Megan and Bob also have one of the sweetest stories…Megan’s mom had a colleague who was determined to set Megan up with this guy she knew. Megan graciously declined the offer, but the woman insisted she give him a chance. Megan said when she found out the guy was a firefighter she was hesitant and when she found out his name was Bob she said “I’m not so sure.” However, the positive spirit that she is, Megan eventually agreed to meet him, thinking, “what’s one more bad date?” Well, their first (blind) date ended up being the best date of her life. And now, Megan is married to her kind, caring firefighter husband, Bob.

They appropriately were married at Waterfall Garden Park near Pioneer Square, which is across from the headquarters of the Seattle Fire Department. They had a heartfelt, intimate ceremony with only their parents, siblings and one of Megan’s best friends, who was also the officiant. Following the ceremony we ventured around Pioneer Square for photos. I absolutely loved the architecture, textures and colors that the area provided and despite being a chilly January afternoon, Megan and Bob were up for anything. The group then enjoyed a celebratory dinner at the Metropolitan Grill.

Megan and Bob, thank you so much for allowing me to be there to document your incredibly special wedding day. I wish you nothing but the best as you start your married life together!

Dress: Nordstrom

Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Hair: Jamie O’Neill

Makeup: Naomi Lewis with High Maintenance

Flowers: Fleurt Studio

My first wedding of the year was last Saturday…and what a wedding it was! Full post on these two awesome people coming next week!

Happy New Year! Can you believe it’s 2011? I’m so excited for all of the adventures in the year ahead, but before we lurch full force back into our daily routines after the holidays I wanted to share a few of my favorite wedding images from 2010. As I mentioned in my last post, some of the images below are personal favorites from weddings that have already been featured here and others are from weddings I shot for a local studio and are making their first appearance on the blog.

I hope you all have a wonderful start to 2011! I think it’s going to be the best one yet!

Sean and Xia (married on the Skansonia)

Chris and BriAnna (married at The Seattle Temple and a wedding I second shot for Matt Shumate Photography)

Jen and Edsel (married at St. Thomas More Church in Spokane)

Carrie and Dave (married at the Daybreak Star Cultural Center in Discovery Park)

Kiera and Josh (married at the Blue Ribbon Cooking School)

Maria and Mike (married at the great new event venue in South Lake Union, 415 Westlake)

Lindy and Mark (married at the Pickering Barn and another wedding I had the pleasure of second shooting for Matt Shumate Photography)

Natalie and Seth (married at the Westminster Chapel in Bellevue and reception at the Robinswood House)

Kristy and Andrew (married at The Golf Club at Newcastle)

Sadie and Brian (married at Snoqualmie Ridge)

Katya and Andy (married at Shilsole Bay Beach Club)

This past wedding season, in addition to my own commissions, I had the privilege of shooting for a local studio here in Seattle.  Over the next few weeks I’m planning on sharing some of my favorite images from those weddings. But before I blog my 2010 season favorites, I wanted to call out one particular wedding that stands out so very vividly in my mind. So much so, that I felt it deserved its own special blog post.

From the moment I met Kristy and Andrew on their wedding day there was something different about them. Kristy was not at all concerned about tiny details or the looming rain clouds outside her hotel window. Across the hall, Andrew watched football and ate pizza with his best buddy, eager to see his bride for their “first look.”

The fact that they were not consumed with trying to perfect the day’s imperfections was so refreshing to see and experience. All these two cared about was the lifelong commitment they were about to make to one another. And apart from all of that goodness, they have the most incredible love story…

Kristy is a nurse and Andrew is a medic—both in the U.S. Army. They were both deployed and stationed at a U.S. military hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. Kristy is an avid runner and desperately sought to relieve the daily stresses by running. However, the circumstances in Baghdad didn’t allow for women to run unaccompanied. Andrew, a true gentleman and an athlete in his own right, offered to run with Kristy. And so, in the countless laps around the barracks and under conditions that are hard to imagine, these two heroes found solace in each other’s company, quickly forming the type of relationship that they least expected.  And that is the end—or rather the beginning—to Kristy and Andrew’s beautiful story.

Here are a few of my favorite frames from their special day at the Newcastle Golf Club.

P.S. As if I’ve not raved about these two enough, they both did a triathlon on the morning of their wedding! Amazing!

Before the Thanksgiving festivities begin, I wanted to share a few of my favorite shots from Katya and Andy’s gorgeous wedding at Shilshole Bay Beach Club. I met Katya in my photography program at the University of Washington, and so I was honored when she asked me to be their wedding photographer. We started out the day at her parent’s house with Katya and her girls getting ready. Then we headed to the University of Washington, which is where Katya and Andy met. Although it had been raining on and off throughout the day, it stopped just as we got onto campus and the sun started peeking out from behind the clouds. We took advantage of the manicured grounds and impressive architecture and right as we got in our cars to head to the beach club, it started raining…the rain gods must have heard my prayers that day! Their ceremony and reception was a joyous, intimate affair with lots of heartfelt speeches, lively music and good food and wine—a celebration indeed.

Katya and Andy, thank you both for inviting me to capture your wedding day. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for you both! Next up…baby photos, right?!

Vendors:

Dress: Maggie Sottero

Catering: Apulent Catering and Events

Hair/makeup: Robert Leonard

Flowers: Brittany Flowers of Kirkland