Essential Stuff

There are always a couple highlights of a wedding for me.  I don’t know what they will be beforehand, but there are usually things that are unexpected or delightful or particularly photogenic.  There were a number at Bethany and Scott’s wedding.

Scott’s Groom-Daughter dance was something unlike I had ever seen before, precious and delightful in its completely unique way (it involved very few steps, but lots of head-rocking).  When Bethany went to say her vows, and the musical group in the park started playing at the same moment, she took it in stride, gave the band a good “shush” (which didn’t work), the improvised with the clip-on mic.  And I had a particularly good view for the reactions of Bethany and Scott as after they sipped the communion wine, which had unfortunately been heated to a toasty temperature from the sun. The first dance, with the sunset, was gorgeous. Though perhaps my favorite moment was a festive spontaneous applause from onlookers as Bethany and Scott walked toward the reception site, where food, and dancing, and family and friends awaited.  A gallery of the wedding photographs is available here.

This is Katie and John.  When I found out they were having their reception at the Barrister Winery, I immediately thought of the beautiful turquoise doors and the loading dock, and how spectacular portraits would look there.  I had shot some senior portraits and done a fashion shoot there, and even shot inside the winery itself, thanks to the very accommodating owners.   But the idea of a bride and groom there—well, I thought it would be very cool.  Fortunately, Katie and John were really excited about the idea.

It was a great location for the reception for other reasons, too.  Sophisticated, yet relaxed.  Fun, and cosmopolitan, it reflected Katie and John and their family and guests.   Katie is a lawyer and John is a policy advisor and scholar in Washington DC, but there is no pretense with them.  Katie is still at home in Spokane, and John loves to dance, and the reception reflected all parts of who they are.  I think the wedding pictures do too, which you can see here.

This is Breelyn and Ryan.  And to me, anyway, this isn’t just them in the picture, but this is really them, who they are:  together, racing through the world, laughing, connected, enjoying the ride, on their way to wherever they are going, loving it and loving each other.

I always tell people that what makes my job fun is that I’m not photographing weddings:  I’m capturing the personalities of two unique people on their wedding day.  And I’ve seen few weddings as personality-driven as Breelyn and Ryan’s.  Creative.  Expressive.  Quirky.  Fun.  Joyful.  Free-spirited.

This was, for instance, the first wedding I’ve photographed where there was, instead of a unity candle or sand ceremony, a “painting ceremony” where they painted a heart together on a canvas.  Or where the bride said the theme of the wedding was “Maps and Birds.”  Or where grandparents were posthumously honored in portraits with hand-held cardboard face images.  Or where a leisurely portrait session led into fountains and up fire-escapes and had to include, by explicit demand of the bride and groom, images of their the bridal party hiking up their pants/dresses, shot from the waist down.  Or where an armless, legless mannequin named “Doris”, dressed something like a flapper,  sat forlornly at a corner table.  Or where simply clinking bells wouldn’t elicit kisses at the reception:  couples were also required to demonstrate exactly what kind of kiss they wanted Breelyn and Ryan to execute.

None of it was forced or unnatural.  It simply expressed Breelyn and Ryan.  But in many ways, their day wasn’t about them:  instead, it was a generous celebration of their families and their friends, and Breelyn and Ryan’s warmth and good-humor was utterly contagious.  I was privileged to share their day with them (click here for an online gallery).

Stacy and David’s wedding almost felt a bit like a reunion for me.  Not only had I done their engagement pictures earlier, but just last year, I was privileged to photograph the wedding of Ryne and Shayley, who happens to be Stacy’s sister (and brother-in-law, obviously).  It was good to see Stacy’s family again.

But as I’ve said many times, no two weddings are alike.  So even if the ceremony venue was the same, and the reception venue was the same, and even the officiant and the DJ (and photographer!) were the same, the day was uniquely Stacy and David’s (images here).  We had a great time doing portraits, both before and after the ceremony (watch for the food workers!).  The toasts were fun and moving.  The dancing was lively, and David’s friends from Montana brought a unique flavor.  Mostly, it was just fun to watch David and Stacy together, connected and enjoying their family and friends and mostly, each other.

Kaleena and Joel are the second couple I photographed this summer who married at the Chewelah Peak Learning Center, which is waaaaay up on Chewelah Peak.  That was good, because I think the altitude and breeze kept the temperatures a few notches below 100.  Not that it would have mattered:  Kaleena and Joel would have had a great time anyway.

They were laughing and smiling the whole day.  A lot of the happy goodies were planned (the sprinting down the aisle after the ceremony, the First Dance Surprise, some goofy portraits), while others were spontaneous (like Kaleena being asked to take Joel as her wife; and the joyful relief when Kaleena didn’t tip over backwards down the embankment).  I’m not sure, but I have the feeling that even if she had gone down, she still would have thought it was delightful.  Nothing, really, could make this day go wrong.  A full gallery of images is available here.

Elaina and Chris married at the Sons of Norway center in Spokane, though they wanted to see each other for the first time at a park.  Unfortunately, the park they had in mind was overrun with little leaguers; fortunately, there is a school with a playground right across the street, and it proved to be quite scenic, very private, and a beautiful start to the day.

The ceremony was sweet.  The marriage certificate signing was festive.  And at the reception, the speeches were delightful:  Elaina’s maid of honor had every one crying with a poem Elaina had written, and both Christopher’s best man and brother had people laughing.  Then it was on to the dancing, which went late into the summer night, and long after all the little leaguers had gone home.  Images from the day can be found here.

I had photographed Brenda and Brian’s wedding several years ago in the absolutely beautiful Ft. Sherman Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. So when they called wondering if I would do some family portraits with them, I glad happy to do it; it is always fun to talk with couples again whose weddings I have photographed. They also scouted out a great location, on a remote little beach on Coeur d’Alene Lake. Good stuff.

Oh, and their daughter is adorable.

I can honestly say, Cara and Dan’s wedding featured some of the most lively dancing–if not THE most lively dancing–I have seen at a wedding, and it was all sans alcohol.  These two just have music in their bones.

Fitting, then, that these two met on a karaoke site online.  (I didn’t even know those existed!)  These two HAD to find each other somehow.

And once they started dancing, they REALLY started dancing (photographic evidence, as well as the highlights of the rest of the day, can be found here).  At one point I heard Dan tell his brother, “I don’t really know how to dance.  I’m just faking it.”  He had me fooled!  At any rate, it’s clear that Cara and Dan know how to have fun.  Their wedding was a kick.

Shawna and Eric live here in Spokane, which is where I met them originally, but they married in Yakima, at the beautiful St. Joseph’s Parish, rebuilt in this past decade after a fire gutted the original building.  Maybe it was the heat, or the cramped quarters in which he got ready, but Eric had a bit of nerves, but they all melted away when the ceremony started.  I am kind of a sucker for grooms that get teary during the ceremony.  And Eric didn’t even wait until Shawna came down the aisle–he started crying as soon as the first attendants made their way down.

The ceremony itself was beautiful, with Shawna and Eric serving the communion wine.  And then it was off to Yakima Arboretum, for a carefree, celebratory (and scenic) reception.  Pictures from the day can be found here.

After massive thunderstorms and rain the night before, all were pleased that the sun came out for Morgan and Matthew’s wedding.  Blue skies, photogenic clouds, and not a drop of rain.  Sunny all the way around.

I chose the removal of the garter as the “fun and festive” photo from the day, though I could have chosen one from the cake cutting.  Those in attendance know what happened.  Morgan knows.  Matt knows, and might be fearing retribution.  And while the photographic evidence does show that Morgan started it, there is also clear proof that Matt did some illegal holding.   Good times all around (as you can see here).  Beautiful day, beautiful setting, beautiful people.