Intimate Summer Wedding in Spokane, WA
Intimate Backyard Wedding
Summer and Taylor’s wedding was a beautiful, intimate backyard wedding in the outskirts of Spokane, Washington. One thing that made this wedding unique and special was that a few years ago I photographed the brides sister's wedding at the same location; their family’s home. It was fun to get to revisit a very personal and meaningful venue to the family, but one that I was also already familiar with. I loved getting to see familiar faces, as much of the family remembered me from her older sister's wedding. Not only do I cherish the opportunity to have photographed both sister’s weddings at the same memorable location, but also loved getting to see the different ways that Summer and Taylor made this day special and unique to their relationship through the details and story they created from start to finish. And as a photographer, that has always been part of my goal: to capture and tell each couple’s story through every detail, embrace, and moment that is unique to their wedding day.
GETTING READY
It’s important to me that your wedding gallery tells a story. And one of the best ways to do this is by starting your wedding day coverage with getting ready moments. From the details of bridal accessories and wedding dresses to the unveiling of your dress to your bridesmaids and slipping on your shoes, this is where your story begins.
Bridal Portraits
Some of my favorite photos from a wedding day are the bridal photos that happen after the first look. These are precious moments for the bride groom to take in together before they are swept away into the events of their wedding day. These photos not only captured Summer and Taylors sweet love for each other but since they both play piano, they wanted to take turns actually playing for each other as part of their bridal portraits which was such an intimate and memorable moment during their wedding day.
BACKYARD CEREMONY
For their ceremony location, Summer and Taylor chose so say I do in her family’s beautiful backyard oasis. Not only was the ceremony and its’ surroundings the perfect summer spot to get married, but held so much meaning for Summer and her family. The ceremony arch was made by the bride’s family which held great significance since all three of their girls got married at their house, each with a different shaped arch.
In addition, before each wedding I send a questionnaire to my couples that gathers a variety of logistical information, but also some personal reflection from the couple that helps me orient myself to capture the day exactly how the couple imagines it. From their responses, I knew that they wanted to feel at east, peaceful, and joyful which allowed me to focus on those aspects on their wedding day so they could experience them to the fullest. Summer had also noted that one thing she really wanted to remember about their wedding day were the faces of the people who celebrated with them. I loved Summer's response about remembering all the people celebrating with them - it’s something I try to incorporate into all my wedding galleries - plenty of images of guests interacting, laughing and enjoying the day. This is something that as the bride and groom it can be hard to recall everyone that was there; these photos help with that.
Spokane Wedding Venues
While this specific wedding was at a private residence in Spokane, there are tons of amazing venue options around the area no matter what vibe you are going for.
Here are some of my favorites:
Zephyr Lodge- located on the shore of Liberty Lake, WA, Zephyr Lodge is a rustic venue with many indoor and outdoor venue options. Its versatility along with the breathtaking backdrop of Lake Liberty makes it a great space for weddings year round.
Overbluff Cellars- a beautifully restored industrial building with pendant lights, exposed brick, and wood floors. This venue creates a warm and inviting atmosphere with its vintage and modern atmosphere, making it both a beautiful and memorable day with your loved ones. (It also holds a special place in my heart since that’s where my husband and I got married!)
Hagadone Event Center- a stunning new venue on Lake Coeur d’Alene that offers premium indoor-outdoor spaces for weddings as well as an incredible variety of special features to make your dreams become reality for your special day.
Blackwell Hotel- a picturesque venue in the heart of Coeur d’ Alene with a lush outdoor lawn and intimate indoor receptions.
Foxwood House- a gorgeous Victorian estate with breathtaking property that can accommodate a wide variety of wedding styles. They also have different options for ceremony and reception locations and can accommodate up to 300 guests.
Peone View- a stunning intimate venue that offers a three acre landscaped property and garden for your ceremony with a modern rustic indoor venue for your reception along with bridal suites and great amenities for your to enjoy on your wedding day.
Sagecliff Resort- a warm and inviting venue with stunning cliffside views of the Columbia River Gorge and surrounding landscape. Not only is it an incredible wedding venue but also offers fine dining, spa treatments, and luxurious lodging.
Make it stand out
Reception
Not only was Summer and Taylor’s reception filled with unforgettable moments as they celebrated the start of their marriage with loved ones, but the details and decor that went into it created a gorgeous and celebratory atmosphere. From backdrops and table scapes to bouquets and dessert decor, everything came together beautifully. One of their incredible decor choices was having Flowers and Thyme create stunning floral arrangement for their bridal bouquets, boutonnieres, and their reception backdrop.
Golden Hour Photos
I firmly believe that for wedding day portraits, some of the most stunning and memorable photos come from sneaking away during the reception and getting caught in the golden light of a beautiful sunset. Summer and Taylor’s photos are a perfect example of this. Holding hands, a warm embrace, and soaking in the last bit of warm sunshine on a summer day was the perfect setting for these two newlyweds. I want to capture these moments because they turn out to be more than just photos, they are visual reminders of what you felt, saw, experienced, and cherished on your wedding day and I want you to be able to recount all of it again and again.
Spokane Wedding Photographer
Spokane will always hold a special place in my heart for many reasons. For one, my husband and I got married in Spokane, WA at one of the venues in the blog (Overbluff Cellars) and will forever cherish the memories captured there. In addition, Spokane is where I felt my creative journey towards becoming a wedding photographer/ videographer began. Since I went to college in Spokane I remember starting to take portraits for close friends, going on adventures and capturing the details of the memories we were making, and eventually saw my love for people and adventure come together as I started my photography business.
Going back to Spokane to capture people’s love stories brings me so much joy as I carry the creativity and passion that started there into my career and work that I do for my couples.
If you’re looking for a Spokane photographer and videographer, I would love to help you capture that same love and adventure on your wedding day to cherish forever.
