Alex + Jace
(June 14, 2019, in Naches, WA)
In todays blog post, our real bride Alex shares about her lovely wedding and her vision for it. The emphasis was on simplicity with just two colors - white and green. The wedding took place at Fontaine Estates, which was chosen for its indoor and outdoor space, and decor options. The author's photographer, Taylor, was also praised for her thoughtfulness and calming presence leading up to the wedding. On the day-of, the author had a getting-ready party with her bridesmaids and a devotional separately with her and her husband's bridal parties. The ceremony was intimate and had live music, vows, and a kiss. The author's #1 tip for future brides is to prepare for their marriage more than they prepare for their wedding.
Alex looked like a dream in our Sylvia gown by Wtoo. This is a gorgeous A-line fit and the skirt is made of the softest English netting for the ultimate romantic look. The corset-inspired bodice features the daintiest lace and the delicate tulle ruching emphasizes the waist. A v-neckline and lacy off-the-shoulder straps complete this soft, elegant look.
By our real bride, Alex:
What was the vision for your wedding?
The vision for my wedding had an emphasis on simplicity. I loved the look of just two colors mainly exposed through the greenery and flowers: white and green. We didn't stray from those colors much - even the bridesmaids dresses were white. We did throw in some tan and gray through cloth napkins and the suits. The overall look had a touch of Tuscan which I fell in love with! One of my favorite pieces was our multiple six-foot-long charcuterie boards that people could snack off of, which was such a fun way to display the food.
We chose Fontaine Estates because of its indoor space and how beautiful that aspect was as well as the fun outdoor space with lights strung above. One of my favorite parts about Fontaine was the number of decor options Amy (the owner of Fontaine) had on site. It made decorating so much simpler because she had it right there!
Our photographer, Taylor, was an easy choice after looking at her website and reading her reviews as well as blog posts she had written herself. Taylor was thorough in her thoughtfulness leading up to the wedding with regular emails and phone calls. She encouraged us and prayed for us during the whole process. She made me feel prepared and at ease about our pictures and how the day would go, even helping us with our timeline. The day of was even better than I could have imagined, she captured everything perfectly and did it so calmly and joyfully. We love all of our pictures and can't stop looking at them!
How did it go the day-of?
Our wedding was simple and we aimed for it to reflect "us". A big part of our wedding story is marked by prayer. The night before our wedding I was a nervous wreck. I had my friends stay the night with me and they covered me in prayer and helped calm my nerves. I woke up with my best friends and started my day with some prayer and then my friend made me some breakfast to calm my nerves. I am so fortunate to have awesome friends!
All the bridesmaids came over to my house and we had a big getting-ready party! This was such a fun and special part of the day. After this, we headed out to pictures where we had our first look (one of my favorite parts of the day!), bridal party portraits, and family portraits. Our ceremony didn't start until 7:00 pm and was held inside of Fontaine. It was so intimate to have all of our friends and family in this one room all squished in just for us. Before the ceremony, Jace and I both really wanted to do a devotional separately with our bridal parties. We each invited a mentor in our life to come and speak and pray over us. They spoke about how marriage is a reflection of Christ and the church. That the husband is to lay down his life for his wife just as Christ laid down his life for the church and the wife is to sacrificially serve and love her husband just as the church serves Christ out of passionate love for Christ. It was a really intimate and beautiful time. Our ceremony was so special with live music, vows, and then the kiss! It was quick and to the point. Our reception was on the lawn of Fontaine and was a blast! We loved every minute of it. Overall our day was an answer to prayers and so special to us.
What is your #1 tip to future brides?
I'm a young bride so I sought counsel from older women about wedding planning, the season of being newly married, and what it looks like to be a wife! This was immensely impactful for me and so helpful. One of the best bits of advice I think any bride can receive is to prepare for your marriage more than you prepare for your wedding. Your wedding goes by in the blink of an eye, and oh goodness it is so so fun to plan and dream of your big day, but your marriage is a covenant you are entering into, not based on behavior but based on a promise, and when a covenant like marriage is made, its so important to prepare for it and the years to come.
