Jardin del Sol Wedding | Rachel & Matt

When Rachel reached out about her wedding, the first thing I noticed was her Chicago are code. HELLO say no more I must photograph your wedding because we are kindred souls from the same homeland. Luckily the actual connection was there too so we said I do. And we did.

Though their venue was at Jardin del Sol in Snohomish, we started the day downtown at the Four Seasons for the groomsmen (I found it hilarious that they had this great room that they hung out in the night before, and then NO ONE slept there, and they all came back to get ready the next day), and the girls were at the Marriott Seattle Waterfront. Both had stellar views of the water, just down the way from each other.

Everyone finished getting ready at Jardin del Sol. It was a beautiful overcast day and everything was just GREEN. Jardin del Sol is just north of Seattle in Snohomish, which is known for its beauty. It’s a perfect garden wedding venue, without being too manicured or fussy. There is enough raw nature to create stunning bridal portraits and with all the amenities you want to have a wedding with ease. Jardin del Sol has tents already on site, so you don’t have to worry about rain on your wedding day.

My advice to couples getting married here is to think about having two bars! Rachel and Matt did and it made for great flow throughout the venue (and no lines). My other advice is to have a great planner and/or day-of coordinator. The Eventists ran this evening SO well. When you’re bringing in catering and other rentals, it’s best to have someone direct that.

My advice to photographers is to get into the outskirts of the venue as well as the more landscaped areas. Both offer beautiful spots for photos, and create variety.

Enjoy!

The talented vendors:

Photography: Emily Keeney Photography

Venue: Jardin del Sol

Planning: The Eventists

Florals: Floral Designs by Maria

Dress: Ines di Santo

Catering: Table Catering Co.

Makeup: Urbanista Weddings

Hair: Kimie Nova

Bridesmaid Dresses: Show Me Your MuMu

Groom’s Suit: American Bespoke Tailor

Jewelry: Gordon James Fine Diamonds

Calligraphy: W. Design Shop

Rentals : Cort

Wood Chargers: Balancing Balloon Rentals

Talented Second Shooter: Jessica Taylor

Fallon + Dave | A Whidbey Island Garden Wedding at Wayfarer

Days before I turned 30, I ferried over with my little family to Whidbey Island to capture Fallon & Dave’s wedding. We stayed in a great little cabin in the woods, complete with a hot tub which we used both nights, baby sleeping inside. I try to blend a little vacation time in with weddings that require an overnight — this one happened to kick off the WEEK OF 30 which was full of adventures and family time. Fun fact: the morning of their wedding, my baby started walking! I was buzzing all day long. I never would have believed the things that get me as excited as they do with my son.

Walking into Fallon’s getting-ready AirBnB, I could feel the closeness and bond with her friends, many of whom came from Colorado where she had lived previously. Everyone was excited to be together, and it’s my favorite thing to just get absorbed into someone’s life and reality for a day and to make beautiful photos of it. I’ll let the photos do the rest of the talking.

Enjoy.

Sara + Ryan | A Bainbridge Island Waterfront Wedding Complete with a Flash Mob

Seattle summers are just the best. It never gets incredibly hot and there’s usually no rain from July through September, so it’s a safe time to throw an outdoor wedding without the fear of weather. There’s just something about boarding a ferry to attend (or shoot!) a wedding. It literally transports you to a new location, a new state of mind, and prepares you to disconnect and to be present in the celebration. Orcas Island, San Juan Island with its magnificent Roche Harbor, and Bainbridge Island all offer amazing views and are easily accessible by Seattle ferries.

Ryan and Sara were the most laid back couple ever. The wedding took place on a combination of Sara’s parents’ property and the neighbors. The neighbor’s house was the best getting ready spot with beautiful light, and just steps away from the ceremony, you couldn’t ask for anything closer. Ryan got ready in Sarah’s mom’s art studio which was so perfect. The ceremony was right on the water with a beautiful arch made by Ryan, and the reception was just up the hill under a white tent. Tables were set family style and decorated with peonies, vintage books, and dripping vines. It was a vision. Also, I don’t know what’s happening this summer, but every single wedding guest is SO DANG ATTRACTIVE!

Every last detail was beautiful. The speeches were the best, as usual, but a close second would be the amazing flash mob that Sara arranged and directed, a dancer herself. Check it out! And if you’re in the market for a wedding photographer yourself, let’s chat! I love to do a quick phone call to get to know you and hear about allll the details.

Enjoy.

Seattle Boudoir Photographer | Bridal + Empowerment Boudoir Sessions

Some of my favorites from my session with Anna. I know there are a lot of ways to do boudoir. My sessions are aimed at empowerment and confidence — it should be a gift for yourself before it’s a gift for anyone else.