Jennifer + Mark
(November 16, 2019 in Spokane, WA)
In this blog post, our real bride Jennifer who is a wedding photographer shares her vision for a modern, elegant late fall wedding in downtown Spokane, with a focus on celebrating their story, family, and friends. With a team of trusted vendors in place, the day went flawlessly and allowed the couple to fully enjoy every moment. The author's number one tip for future brides is to remember that a wedding is a celebration, not a performance, and to focus on what truly matters most: getting married to the love of your life and spending time with loved ones.
Jennifer looked like a dream in this stunning gown by Willowby. This gown has daring side cutouts that are lightly lined with lace and accentuate curves. The gown has a plunging v-neckline and a low open back. The satin sheath fit of this dress is stunning and so flattering. Jennifer had custom long sleeves built and we couldnt be more in love with how they turned out. This gown is the perfect mix of classic and modern.
By our real bride, Jennifer:
What was the vision for your wedding?
Being a wedding photographer and golf pro, summers are incredibly busy for Mark and me. We knew that an off-season wedding would be best for us to enjoy our day and take time off to spend with family and friends in town. We began to dream up a late fall wedding in downtown Spokane with modern, elegant touches in spaces that could still feel cozy and inviting while honoring our story. We knew that we wanted a celebration that felt like us; joyful, fun-filled, easy, and heartfelt! A lot of the decisions we made for the big day came down to vendors I knew in the industry that we wholeheartedly trusted and were excellent team players. There are a million things that go into planning a wedding and having vendors on our side who understood our vision and the ultimate goal of it being about celebrating our story, our family, our marriage made the wedding day come together flawlessly.
How did it go the day-of?
Well, it was insanely crazy to be on the other side of the camera on a wedding day! It felt surreal in the best way possible like I was in a dream the entire day! Knowing the behind-the-scenes of what goes into a wedding day I felt extremely calm and just so dang happy I was getting to marry Mark! With having the focus be on the experience of the day itself, I feel that Mark and I could truly just enjoy every minute that passed by. We had set a team in place that I had no worries about and it allowed us to be fully present with family and friends. We focused on memories that were special to us; a fun morning of bloody marys for the groomsmen at our apartment, a first look with my aunt and grandma, personal vows, a nontraditional, heartfelt ceremony at our church, a mother/daughter dance, hours of dancing with our guests and of course a midnight snack of 100 Dick's Hamburgers delivered to the venue. When it came down to it, we wanted the day to reflect who we are as a couple and the things we value most, family, friends, and fun times! I think we still have a permanent grin on our faces from the wedding 2 months ago, haha!
What is your #1 tip to future brides?
I stumbled across this quote and I will be sharing it at the end of time with all future brides; "A wedding is a celebration, not a performance. If at the end of the day, you are married to the one that you love, everything went perfectly." When planning such a big event with so many details, you can truly lose sight of why you are putting on this whole event in the first place. My biggest advice is to take time preparing for your marriage with your fiancé, hire vendors you trust 100%, and then just let the day happen. Nothing is perfect, things will happen that aren't planned, but your wedding day is about getting married to the love of your life and committing forever to them - everything else is truly a fun bonus :) Focus on what matters most, spend time enjoying the company of your family and friends, and let your vendors run the behind-the-scenes. All you need to do is enjoy the day!
