Kimberly + Nick
(August 14, 2020 in Orcas Island, WA)
This blog post tells the story of a couple who had to replan their wedding in just two months due to the pandemic. Originally set to take place in Scotland, the couple found a new venue on Orcas Island in Washington. They only had a few options to choose from but were able to secure a venue, catering, florist, and rentals. They encountered some unexpected challenges, including a lost stone in the bride's ring, but ultimately had a beautiful and memorable wedding weekend. The couple incorporated personal touches, such as sea shells from the bride's upbringing on Whidbey Island, wheat from the groom's childhood in Spokane, and herbs from their shared passion for cooking. The wedding was filled with small details that made it unique and special, including bioluminescent Puget Sound and sunset sails on a sailboat.
Kimberly looked absolutely gorgeous in our Eva gown by Essense of Australia. This gown is a gorgeous sheath fit made of the most comfortable crepe material. Bold graphic lace on the unlined bodice trickles down into the skirt to frame the hips. The plunging v-neckline and thick straps are outlined with silver beading detail. The lace continues onto the gorgeous train and buttons all the way down the back completing the sleek and elegant look of this gown.
By our real bride, Kimberly:
What was the vision for your wedding?
Our nuptials were set to take place in Northern Scotland on 10/10/20 but thanks to COVID-19 we changed plans and replanned the entire event in about 2 months, including ordering the dress. Nick's dream wedding, in the beginning, was the whole dreamy castle experience. This would be my second trip down the aisle so castle it was! We'd planned 10 days for 70 of our nearest and dearest, and made the trip ourselves to make sure it would be perfect; we thought it was. In the spring I was in Honest In Ivory and found an amazing ball gown that would have been perfect for the castle but wasn't MY dream dress. I went home to sleep on it before ordering. The next day, it was announced the UK was not going to allow Americans. Castle was out. A couple of months later, once we decided to call off Scotland but not love, I was looking at other possible venues that may have had a cancelation for this summer. I stumbled upon Sara Farrish, Owner of The Outlook Inn. At that point, the mantra was "It's not about the wedding, it's about the marriage".
Lucky for us, Orcas Island had the venue, the amazing in-house farm-to-table catering, a top-notch florist, an old friend from high school as our outstanding photographer, and rentals but no baker. Perks of being married to an airline pilot- we were able to book a one-way flight for the cake on Kenmore Air straight to Orcas from another island! Handled with care is an understatement! Planning became easy, we had so few options to choose from so adding more stress to this year by forcing things just didn't make sense! Now all we needed were the rings! His was ordered from a small jeweler we met at a craft fair a summer or two ago, it arrived a month before the wedding and was perfect! Mine... well long story short, DO NOT USE FEDEX to ship art or jewels! They lost the center stone, a very unique Montana Sapphire, and only insure lost packages for up to $1000. Again, that was an awful few days but then we learned we could make a claim for it on our homeowners insurance, and back to picking another stone we went. Just in the nick of time, my ring arrived the day before we headed to Orcas.
How did it go the day-of?
We had a long weekend of bliss, not just one day. I really, really do enjoy the small details being perfect so all 30 of us spent the morning putting around making it so. We woke up in our suite and I allowed myself the patience to just not let anything frazzle my nerves. A little champagne, and Nick's alma mater's big, ugly sweatshirt, and breakfast with my mom and baby bro were the perfect start to the day. Our suite was ground zero for getting pretty so we just kept the snacks, bubbly, and music going all day while people relaxed and curled, steamed and zipped. Right before I left the suite to walk down the aisle, I took a moment with myself- make-up all done, necklace and dress on and I put my flower crown on my head- I have truly never felt more beautiful. I looked like a goddess. I allowed myself the moments and the grace to just be filled with gratitude for everything happening around me and for us and what lead up to that day and every day before with the love of my life, my best friend, and my forever teammate. Thank gosh for the waterproof mascara because there were many happy tears!
I am a local Realtor and in that I meet the most amazing people on such a personal level. Our place cards were made by one of my clients whose hobby is his 3D printer, many of the candles and other decor were items clients were getting rid of for their moves. The wheat touches are symbolic of Nick's childhood here as well as our rooting in Spokane; it was a gift from one of my bridesmen from his family farm in Rockford. The sea shells are symbolic of my upbringing on Whidbey Island, one of my brothers and I picked them all off the beaches there over the summer. You may notice interesting greenery. Nick's and my passion and hobby is cooking so it was important for us to have that tied in so there is mint and rosemary and thyme in the bouts and my flower crown. This brings me to my bouquet! I originally didn't think I wanted one but the day before the wedding when we went to visit the florist and pay the balance, I said "Hey, I know I didn't order one but if you happen to have any spare stems laying around, I wouldn't hate a bouquet". WOWZA did she deliver! More details; my mom made that necklace, from an idea in her head without letting me know until days before and without seeing my dress prior! It took her dozens of hours to hand bead every Swarovski crystal and every pearl and then she included a beaded blue tassel so it could be something new and blue! You're probably wondering about the "summer tuxes" the men briefly sported. They thought I would hate them but the joke is on them! Loved them and they will forever have to look at themselves because those are absolutely getting printed!
Details we could not have planned for but really made it? Puget Sound was spectacular as always but turned it up a notch by being bioluminescent every night. Nick and I both hoped for this since most of our guests had never experienced it. Also, my brother and his GF brought their sailboat and moored it right in front of the Outlook. They gave our guests sunset sails. The Buck Bay Shellfish is where we had our rehearsal dinner, they blocked off a large outdoor space for us all to relax and kept the libations flowing as well as the fresh oysters, a shrimp boil, and to-die-for crab mac and cheese, not-to-mention the sunset... again! Our guests all tell us that it was the best wedding they had ever been to. At first, we just swept it off but three months later, they're still bringing it up.
What is your #1 tip to future brides?
Focus on your marriage, not the wedding. Think your mother-in-law hates your dress, oh well - her son or daughter will love it as long as you feel sexy. Your Dad is voted #1 to sabotage your day, assign him a handler so you can worry about how cute your hubs is. A freaking GLOBAL PANDEMIC tries to crush all of your plans or Fedex loses your ring? Cry about it for a day or two and then find gratitude for the things that are going right and revert back to tip #1.
