Wedding at Wisteria Hall in Washington Park Arboretum
This past weekend, we photographed Alex and Jeff’s forever-after at Wisteria Hall in the Washington Park Arboretum. Honestly, it was the perfect day for this super genuine, laid-back couple to pledge their lives to each other (literally under the golden, summer sun!).
GETTING READY
The day began with the quiet excitement that often buzzes in the air on the morning of a wedding. Amid soft giggles, makeup palettes, and shared memories, I (Michelle) joined Alex, along with her mom and close friend Jenn, as they got ready in Alex’s own apartment. True to Alex’s minimalist and simple style, we made sure her getting ready photos reflected that too: simple, elegant, calm.
Oh, and of course as soon as we hung up her dress, her cat immediately came out and joined us for photos! See below for picture proof.
At the same time, Evan was 30 minutes away taking photos of Jeff getting ready at Wisteria Hall in the Washington Park Arboretum (aka their venue). Jeff was SO excited to see his bride, his smile wide – even on that very warm summer day.
Now back to Alex and the crew… on our way to the venue, there was a lot of traffic.. which meant schedule delays. But Alex had to be one of the most calm and collected brides I have ever worked with. She was patient, gracious, and overall just a joy to work with! We ended up making it just in time for their first look, thank goodness for buffer time!
First Look and Pictures
Next came the heartfelt moment everyone anticipates at a wedding: the first look. Jeff was so filled with excited emotions that tears started flowing down his face as she approached him from behind and held his hand. It was this pure, raw moment of vulnerability that, even as wedding photographers who have done this for years, made us remember the power of connection.
True to our approach, we then gave them 5 minutes to spend time – just the two of them, while we continued to photograph them from afar with our telephoto lenses. This is one of our favorite parts of the day for our couples!
FAMILY TIME
Next, it was time for family photos and more mingling! It was a small and intimate Seattle wedding, which meant Jeff and Alex could spend more time with each of their family and closest friends. I’m not even kidding when I say that everyone was smiling and having a good time! Yes, especially everyone who flew in from Hawaii in their tropical shirts 🙂
THE WEDDING CEREMONY
As the ceremony neared, the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation. Armed with our trusty telephoto lenses, we got ready for all the best angles while Alex and Jeff hid out behind the doors of Wisteria Hall.
The wedding ceremony itself was short, sweet, intimate, and let me tell you: hilarious. Jeff’s good friend Joel, all the way from Hawaii, led the ceremony in his first-ever role as officiant. The place was filled with lots of laughter from both bride & groom, as well as wedding guests. Despite it being his first time officiating a wedding, Joel was a natural, his connection with the couple evident in his words (and slight roasts).
P.S: the best part came when the Joel announced “you may kiss the bride!” – and it took all but 2 seconds for one of Jeff’s nieces to react “ew, gross!”. Everyone, especially Alex, all cracked up in laughter.
the FOOD AND the First DANCE
After the ceremony, there was a cocktail hour with lots of yummy food being passed from Pyramid Catering – think Crispy Tofu Skewers, Fresh Spring Rolls, Hawaiian-Style Meatballs, and more!
Once everyone had their fill of hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and cornhole, the guests gathered for dinner.. and Jeff and Alex made their grand entrance with a choreographed first dance that was every bit magical, elegant, and super fun. They danced so well, and Jeff even did a cool dip move with Alex as their finale!
Dinner was served buffet-style, and talk about options galore! The wedding dinner menu included:
- Japanese Salad with Ginger Miso Vinaigrette
- Sesame Soba with Tofu
- Coconut Milk-Infused Jasmine Rice
- Island-Style Braised Greens
- Vietnamese Chicken
- Korean Kalbi Beef
- Hoisin Glaze Salmon
- Hawaiian Rolls
TOASTS AND THANK YOUS
As everyone settled in, the time came for toasts. All the parents of the bride and groom, and Jeff’s sister shared memories, wishes, and a few more roasts too 😉
And when Jeff and Alex’s turn came to take the mic, it took all they could to hold in the tears as they thanked all their friends and family for making the trip to celebrate them. Some came form New York, Boston, Hawaii, and many more places far away. And they even caught us off-guard when they gave a super sweet shoutout to us, the photographers!
DESSERT AND PARTY
The dessert was next, and it was one of the best cakes ever! It was an Earl Grey and Raspberry Cream cake from Deep Sea Sugar and Salt. The event coordinator we worked with, Jayne, mentioned that the lines for this bakery was out the door; they’re THAT good!
After dessert, it was time to party and dance. Everyone had a blast on the dance floor!
Washington Wedding Photography
Hi! We’re Michelle & Evan: a husband and wife wedding photography team based in Seattle, Washington – and in case you can’t tell: we love weddings! Our award-winning work has taken us throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond — and both of us share a passion for travel and people. We’ve photographed all kinds of weddings across the country – from an elegant 300-person wedding, a charming Midwest barn wedding, to intimate courthouse weddings.
We offer a diverse range of photographic styles, including variations of modern, natural, and photojournalistic aesthetics.
The couples that book us love our authentic photography style. Just like us, our couples are the ones who want their wedding day captured in a way that feels true to who they are, raw, and heartfelt.
Many of our clients describe us as very friendly, genuine, and a blast to hang out with (psst: aside from our photography hat, we are great to have on the dance floor when you need a little boost to get people dancing!)
michelle + evan