by Scott Johnson

Gayle – Manson Wedding on 6/22/19 at Novelty Hill Januik Winery in Woodinville, Wa

Music licensed from –
Song Freedom – songfreedom.com

“We are very happy that we chose Best Made Videos for our wedding! Communication was a breeze before the wedding, he captured everything that we wanted, and delivered the videos so incredibly quickly - we were still on our honeymoon! We absolutely love our highlight video and are so happy with Reid's unique style that perfectly captured the vibe we were going for. He seemed like a great guy when we met on the wedding day (even showed up a little early!), but we didn't interact much at all, which is exactly what we want from a videographer...film everything perfectly without being intrusive or drawing attention :). We would highly recommend Reid to anyone!”

What’s better than a wonderful wedding at the beginning of Summer? A wedding at a winery, in this case the Novelty Hill Januik Winery over in Woodinville. Certainly not our first time visiting this lovely estate, it’s important to note that they offer several packages for their weddings that feature different amenities. The unique concrete construction and iconic red translucent wall of the winery make a show-stopping venue perfect for any occasion, especially a wedding!

The Gayle-Manson wedding was greeted with some gray clouds early in the morning. Getting ready in the various spaces throughout the building, the boys hung out in the Cellar room sipping some fine wine and looking particularly stylish with their navy suits and red ties. The ladies matched the ties with their dresses, while the bride rocked some coral flowers in her hair.

After everyone had a few sips of their drinks, it was time to meet for the first look. In a little courtyard, the bride and groom shared some tender moments before we had them traipse around the winery. Posing in between the grapevines and train tracks (don’t worry they aren’t in use anymore), it was so sweet and romantic. As the clouds were burning off high above, it was a wonderfully warm day to be outside. Soon enough, it was time for group photos and everyone rolled on out with the biggest and best smiles.

And then it was time for the ceremony. We aren’t sure if the sun just knew when to pop through or what, but by the time it was good to go there were some streaks shining down from the clouds. Filling the adorable wedding courtyard, the guests lined the way in white seats while the bridal party made their way to the altar. Following Laura and Jeff’s vows, both of which breaking out the sobs ever so briefly, they were able to kiss and become husband and wife.

After the newlyweds retreated for some privacy, the guests did what any guests at a winery would do: drink wine and relax! The spacious, inviting winery felt like you were actually at a bar. Cornhole kept the competitive spirit alive and worked up appetites while the dining area was prepped. Once everyone was seated, the newlyweds made their triumphant return before mingling around all of the tables with their friends and family.

The party kicked into high gear after this, with cake-cutting and dancing to follow. A vivacious first dance left our jaws on the floor, but certainly also inspired everyone else to put their best moves out there. Once the twinkling lights came on it became a non-stop party until it was time to head outside for a few more private photos, capping off a wonderfully fantastic wedding day.

Thank you again to Jeff and Laura for choosing Best Made Videos® to film their wedding! We hope your first month of marriage has gone magically.

Have any questions or comments? Leave them below!

Venue – Novelty Hill Januik Winery

Photography – Soper Photography

Videography – Best Made Videos®

Coordination – Pink Blossom Events

DJ – Seattle Parties

Bakery – Cubes

Why did you choose your venue?

We both love wine and often our vacations together center around wine so we knew we wanted to get married at a winery. We chose Novelty Hill Januik because of the beautiful and modern space.

What are you most excited to see in the video?

Us and all of our guests having fun. We want this to be a joyous event, and while we hope for a romantic touch during the ceremony, I am not a very sappy person.

Anything else?

I really liked how a video I saw of yours used the couple’s vows as well as some music for the sound. 

Laura and Jeff’s story in their own words:

Important Dates

6.26.13 | First meeting

7.11.13 | First date

5.29.14 | Adopted Kessa (pup)

7.1.14 | Moved in together

10.23.16 | First international vacation (Iceland)

4.22.18 | Engaged

6.22.19 | Wedding date!

How we met

Jeff and Laura met in the summer of 2013 playing ultimate frisbee for a club team named Tugboat. They hit it off immediately at the first team meeting, bonding over their broken clavicle stories, and at the first tournament Jeff kept going out of his way to spend time with Laura. Only 15 days after their first meeting, Jeff and Laura went on their first date, and they have been inseparable since. Less than 1 year later they adopted their adorable dog Kessa and moved into their very own house, and now they are finally getting married!

And although Tugboat dissolved, Jeff and Laura continue their passion for ultimate frisbee together on club team Birdfruit. Chirp chirp!

The Proposal

It was their last day in France. Laura and Jeff had just spent a long weekend drinking wine and exploring the lovely vineyards and towns of Burgundy, France with Jeff’s college friend and their frisbee teammate, Peter Burrows. After spending the day biking to different domaines for wine tasting, Jeff told Laura that they should get dressed up for a fancy dinner. But first, Peter wanted to show them a nice view of Beaune, the town they were staying in. Little did Laura know that Jeff and Peter were planning something.

Clueless, Laura got dressed up in her best clothes and followed Jeff and Peter up a hill to a view of the vineyards and town of Beaune below. While Laura snapped a selfie with Jeff, Peter pretended to take a phone call and scurried away. Only seconds after this picture was taken, Jeff pulled a ring from his pocket and dropped to his knee.

Laura said yes! After peeking out from a bush a short distance away, Peter came running out with sparkling wine. They drank, laughed, snapped some pictures, and then headed out for their fancy dinner as a newly engaged couple (and Peter too).

Wedding Party

Maids of Honor

Lisa and Sarah Manson

Lisa is Laura’s older sister and Sarah is her younger sister. With less than 2 years between each age, they spent a lot of time together growing up. One year, all 3 of them were in high school at the same time! Somehow their dad survived 

There can be no mistake that Lisa, Laura, and Sarah are sisters. If you can’t tell from their similar looks and mannerisms, you can certainly match their deep Manson voices. Lisa and Sarah both live in Los Angeles, and a friend of theirs once said upon meeting Laura for the first time that she was the link that connects them.

Bridesmaids

Ali Wismer

Ali and Laura met in high school and first got to know each other playing on the freshman softball team. Through their years in high school, Laura spent countless nights hanging out in Ali’s basement, and now always looks forward to seeing her when she returns to Cleveland for Christmas.

Katia Dubas

Katia was Laura’s first Seattle friend when she moved to the city in 2011. Katia worked with Laura at Boeing, and was so welcoming and friendly, they immediately started hanging out – holding girls’ nights and going on hikes in Cascades. Katia now lives in Carmel, IN with her husband and adorable baby boy, Teddy, but they still find plenty of opportunities to hang out. No distance can separate these two!

Anika Tuba

Anika joined Laura’s team at Boeing in 2012, and they quickly hit it off. Anika is always down for a happy hour or a weekend brunch, and has been a constant source of friendship in Seattle. She may be small, but Anika has a huge personality and is always so much fun to be around.

Best Man

Peter Burrows

Peter and Jeff met at Whitman College and became fast friends. They played on the Ultimate team, the Whitman Sweets, together before continuing on with various teams after college. Though Peter currently resides in France, that has only given Jeff an excuse to visit Europe. Peter was intimately involved in helping plan the proposal, even running up with a bottle of sparkling wine when it was complete.

Groomsmen

Raphael Miller

Jeff and Raphael met while working together at Getty Images. Raphael won’t back down from any competition, continuing to challenge Jeff in ping pong despite a winless record (though he’s getting better). Raphael ran the Tough Mudder with Jeff and Laura on a whim, even carrying Jeff on his back to help the team power through.

Ernesto Hernandez

Jeff and Ernesto also met while working at Getty Images. Ernesto helped mentor Jeff, becoming his “code whisperer”, and they became fast friends. They bonded over many Taco Tuesday happy hours while at Getty Images. They enjoy playing board games, though Ernesto still won’t let Jeff play dungeons and dragons with him.

Aaron Dubas

Jeff and Aaron met through his wife Katia. Aaron has been a constant source of intriguing conversation and friendship since they met. Though he and Katia moved to Carmel, IN, Jeff and Aaron stills find ample time to hang out when Aaron is back in Seattle for work.

Brian Percival

Brian was one of Jeff’s first friends at Whitman College. They met trying out for soccer freshman year, and continued to bond over their love of sports. Go Sounders, Seahawks, and Mariners! Though Brian no longer lives in Washington, they continue to keep in touch with a yearly fantasy baseball league.

Flower Girl

Kiwi

Little Alaskan Klee Kai, Kiwi, entered Laura and Jeff’s lives in September 2018. She is full of energy and loves to snuggle and play. She will be almost exactly 1 year old on the day of the wedding and can’t wait to meet everyone!

Ring Bearer

Kessa

We had planned for our adorable 10-year old dog, Kessa, to be our ring bearer, but after a short and unexpected battle with adenocarcinoma, Kessa passed away on September 7, 2018. Although she will no longer be a part of our wedding, she will forever live on in our hearts.