by Scott Johnson
With our final installment of Favorite Outdoor Wedding Ceremonies, it’s an all-too blatant reminder that we were really blessed by the weather-gods this year, as we could go on and on about the outdoor weddings we saw until we’re blue in the face. Even the early Fall was rather unseasonably sunny, lasting fairly into October, allowing for some late-fall weddings with the leaves and trees all ablaze in orange and red. We still have seven weddings coming your way, so no more dilly-dallying!
Vladyka Wedding
At the end of June, we made our way to Port Orchard (which just happened to have a tornado hit there this past week) for the Vladyka Wedding. Hosted at the Trophy Lake Golf & Casting Club, we can’t help but think of what a catch Alee and Alex are for each other. A blanket of clouds covered the hot summer sun and still provided ample lighting on the warm day. The solemnity of the golf course helped keep the volume to a minimum and the happiness as high as possible.
The ceremony was held out by one of the water hazards (which the word hardly does it justice) with a little trellis constructed draped in a white cloth. The guys went jacketless, while the bridesmaids wore knee-length dresses while carrying a rainbow of a bouquet. Fortunately we didn’t hear anyone shout “fore,” only “I do...and you may kiss the bride.” That’s all that matters anyway!
Ta Wedding
The Bell Harbor International Conference Center is an utterly fantastic place to hold an indoor ceremony--and an even more epic place to have an outdoor one. On checkered cement landing, dozens of chairs and a long white carpet were laid, all leading up to the altar where the Tas met to be married. The key here is the backdrop: you get views of the Sound, the ferris wheel, Centurylink Field, and what else other than a cruise ship.
The imposing views made us fall in love with the venue, but ultimately allowed for a sweet, romantic and unforgettable wedding for Stephania and Jason Ta, even if it was a little cloudy.
Wurtz Wedding
2018 took us to some pretty surprising and amazing places, one of which was the entirely unexpected Ballard Locks, which for us was always just a place to field trip to during science class. For Jazmyn and Josh’s wedding, it was superbly sweet little gathering in the park near the water. With a balloon arch and just a small gathering of friends and family, the intimacy and peacefulness of the area provided such a pleasant experience. Wooden benches were brought over for the guests and flowers were strewn down the aisle. Without much hullabaloo, the ceremony was so delightful and full of love and humor.
We loved the excitement everyone shared for their big kiss at the end, even having party alarms going off because it certainly was that time!
May Wedding
With a name like Hidden Meadows, it’s almost guaranteed the place is going to be ridiculously pretty. Back in May, we were not let down by it in the slightest when we went over to Snohomish for the May wedding. This farm is such a delight, and definitely gave us an excellent outdoor ceremony, as we filled into the ceremony space and witnessed the marriage between Emily and Charlie.
Poised in front of a rustic, wooden gazebo, the bridesmaids and groomsmen slunk off to the sides while the officiant stood above and delivered the ceremony. Going jacketless for his wedding, Charlie looked sleek in his grey suit. Some overcast did not keep this day from being drop-dead gorgeous, and once the bride and groom said “I do” it was nothing but good times and happy memories from then onwards.
Wangopian Wedding
Just like the Bishbeats earlier, the Wangopians decided to combine their names rather than take one or simply hyphenate it, which to us is pretty freaking rad. But their wedding as a whole was even more spectacular than the idea of creating your own name. Heading off to Toledo, specifically to the super awesome Country N Lace, we really lucked out with some superb weather on the first day of September.
With the feeling like you just showed up at your old farmstead, we loved the peace and quiet that came along with being far away from the hubbub of the city. The Wangopians’ wedding was held in a small patch of land surrounded by trees. The groom and groomsmen rocked jeans and tan jackets for a serious “Old West” vibe, while the bride wore a lovely gown as her party rocked pink dresses, jean jackets and cowboy boots. And just like horses back in the day, these two really got hitched!
Bullard Wedding
One of the nicest hotels in the region, The Woodmark Hotel proved to also be one of the nicest outdoor wedding venues for the Bullards. On a pleasant August day, we went over to Seattle’s little neighbor across Lake Washington, Kirkland, for a splendid wedding and reception. The luxurious hotel comes with tons of great amenities, but it also just is plain gorgeous.
The Bullards got married underneath a massive tent almost at water’s edge. Filled with dozens of their friends and family, it was a ceremony that left us doubling over in laughter while also wiping away the tears once the vows started to flow out. With the lake glimmering with the sun behind them, it was perfectly marvelous.
Park Wedding
At last we come to our final Favorite Outdoor Wedding Ceremony. The Parks got married just after the change of seasons in September, but they were still fortunate enough to receive the tail end of summer weather. Tucked away down by SeaTac airport, Cedarbrook Lodge is just so completely charming.
Simply take a look at the wedding altar, with a trellis adorned with plants and flowers, and the bridesmaids and groomsmen standing off to the side. Lovely maroon dresses for the ladies and proper suits for the men kept this a classy affair in the midst of a magical setting.
_____________________
And there you have it folks! Our Favorite Outdoor Wedding Ceremonies of 2018. We hope you enjoyed these as much as we did, and you probably are really missing out on the summer weather by this point. Check back soon for our final series: Favorite Wedding Vows
Oh, and bring the tissues.
Have a question or comment? You know what to do!