Courtney + Jonathan
(September 1, 2021 in Packwood, WA)
In this blog post, we hear about a couple's wedding vision and how it evolved over time. Initially, they had planned to have a hike-in elopement at Mt. Rainier with a few friends. However, they chose to change their plans to accommodate their guests. Their day turned out perfectly, with a first look and vows exchanged in Mt. Rainier National Park, followed by a civil ceremony with their close friends and family. The couple's number one tip for future brides is to ask themselves, "Do I want to do this or do I think I have to?" and to empower themselves to cut out any traditional wedding elements that they don't want.
Courtney looked STUNNING in our Kate gown by Essense of Australia. Whimsical leafy lace appliqués cascade from the bodice into the A-line tulle skirt. A v-neckline is mirrored by cutouts under the arms and an open v-back. The layer underneath the tulle is a soft, comfortable jersey material is more form-fitting to subtly highlight the wearers figure, while a small sweep-length train is the perfect complement to the simplicity of the gown.
By our real bride, Courtney:
What was the vision for your wedding?
Initially, I had wanted to do a hike-in elopement with a few friends. I knew I wanted to do Mt. Rainier because my husband and I live in Seattle and Mt. Rainier is always peeking out from all over the city. I felt like it would be a good reminder of our vows whenever we saw it.I also wanted to be in the mountains/ a hike because that is what we bonded over when we were dating. As planning moved forward and family health scares arose, we felt that it would be important to have our parents there so we had to adjust plans to accommodate those who could not hike.
How did it go the day-of?
It went perfectly! My skin was great (which I was so worried about). There were also fires happening nearby but the wind was working in our favor that day and the smoke blew away from us. Jon and I got ready together in our little A frame AirBnB by the river. We went into town and grabbed a coffee and then wrote our vows by the river. My mom was hiding upstairs finishing the last few touch ups of my dress. We wanted to have that elopement feeling so we did our first look and read our vows in Mt. Rainier National Park. Then we went back to our AirBnB for the civil ceremony. My friend, who I met studying abroad and who later was Jons roommate, married us in front of our parents and a few close friends. We ended the night with a private chef dinner, great wine, and cake cutting. It was perfectly small, quaint, and all about us.
What is your #1 tip to future brides?:
My #1 tip is something that I got from my planner. She told me to ask myself, Do I want to do this or do I think I have to?. I was struggling with picking out a first dance song and planning it and she asked me that question. It empowered me to say, No I dont want to do that and I cut other traditional wedding things out to.
