Outdoor weddings – Seattle Wedding Officiants

Waterfall Elopement

October 31, 2017/0 Comments/in Destination Wedding, Elope or Last Minute Wedding, Elopements, Most Recent, Small Wedding /by MissElaine

One of the things I love about elopements is that the sky is literally the limit as to where, when, and how I get to help couples create something magical for their special day. Just because it’s a small wedding doesn’t mean you have to go to the courthouse. Couples who want something special contact me for ideas and suggestions. Sometimes they want a beach, sometimes they want a park. Bianca and Tony expressed an interest in having a big wedding feel for their elopement. This is what they shared with me:

“We were originally planning to have a destination wedding in February. We decided we didn’t want to wait to get married so we were going to get married at the court house. I felt a little disappointed because I wanted flowers, a dress, and pictures. We looked up eloping in Seattle and found you!”

In our initial consultation we decided on a mid-week early morning elopement with Franklin Falls as our destination. The trail is beautiful and well groomed with tall evergreen trees on every side. The Snoqualmie River runs parallel to the trail and creates a soothing sound of rushing water below. It is a fairly short hike and very enjoyable.

On the day of the wedding, we all met in North Bend, which is a short drive from the trail head to the falls. We drove up in a caravan with their photographer, Jeanne Phinney Photography and me in one car and the couple in the other. They brought along their hair and make-up artist, Shannon Mercil, as an additional witness and to do touch-ups along the way.

Bianca and Tony both brought wedding clothes to change in and hiked up the trail looking lovely. Bianca also had a flower crown made along with a gorgeous bouquet from Woodinville Florist.

It was a pleasant surprise to arrive at the falls and see that we were practically by ourselves. This location can get uncomfortably busy in the summer. Even though it’s less crowded in the fall, weekdays are still best if you want to have the falls to yourself.

We began with some fun pictures in front of the falls and then had their sweet ceremony. They shared a few tears but mostly they were both smiling from ear to ear. Jeanne took some more pictures and then we hiked out.

When we arrived at our cars, Bianca and Tony produced a cake they had brought with them. Jeanne took some fun pictures of them eating cake and having a little toast.

Below are some great photos of Bianca and Tony’s waterfall elopement. Enjoy!

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Franklin Falls Elopement

October 7, 2016/0 Comments/in Elope or Last Minute Wedding, Most Recent, Small Wedding /by MissElaine

Vanessa & Roxanne contacted me in May to discuss having an “epic falls wedding” at Snoqualmie Falls. In other words, they wanted to be right down in front of the falls to exchange their vows. What they didn’t know is that it isn’t that easy to get down to the base of the falls any longer. You can do it but only if everyone is a gymnast, including the photographer, and you have some sort of utility ladder. So instead, I recommended Franklin Falls around the same area for their June elopement. They liked the pictures I shared with them and we began to plan their Franklin Falls elopement.

Franklin Falls is about a 90 minute drive from Seattle and then there is a little hike into the falls. We decided to meet halfway and then caravan to the trail head. Once we got out of the city and close to our destination we discovered some great photo opportunities and took time to stop and capture some beautiful shots of the couple.

We arrived at Franklin Falls and set out on the trail. It was so beautiful with Northwest evergreens all around us. The trail is very well maintained and there is a river running below all along the trail. What an incredible little hike. We stopped along the trail to get more photos of Vanessa and Roxanne, and their excitement grew every step of the way.

We arrived to the falls and there was only one other couple there. So we basically had the falls to ourselves. The ceremony was lovely and afterwards Vanessa and Roxanne popped a bottle of champagne that they had hiked in with to celebrate with their friends.

All in all I would highly recommend this little day trip for your Franklin Falls Elopement. It’s well worth it and not far from Seattle. I hope you enjoy the fabulous photographs that Jeanne Phinney Photography captured for Vanessa and Roxanne!

Seattle Wedding Officiants, Franklin Falls Elopement, Elope Seattle, Small wedding, Elaine Way, Jeanne Phinney Photography

Rose Garden Wedding

August 10, 2016/0 Comments/in Seattle Wedding, Small Wedding /by MissElaine

Janee and Raheem contacted me from California in March inquiring about a good spot for their Seattle June elopement. I love it when I get inquiries from out of town because I am a Seattle native and always have great ideas for ceremony spots for out of town couples. Their guest count was small — they had invited less than 10 people, which is a factor when I choose a ceremony location. I originally suggested a sweet spot among the trees at Volunteer Park in Seattle’s Capital Hill neighborhood. I refer to this particular spot as a “Woodland Cathedral” because the trees are tall and wrap around a small group for an intimate outdoor ceremony in a forest like setting. A few months into our planning, however, Janee advised me that their numbers had now grown to 20 people! The original spot was just too small for 20 people. So I shifted gears a bit and came up with the Woodland Park Rose Garden. They were thrilled with this idea and got on board with me to re-direct their plans to their rose garden wedding.

The rose garden at Woodland Park is an exquisite place to get married. In June, the gardens are in bloom and full of color and romance. Janee and Raheem exchanged their vows amongst dozens of varieties of roses with beauty all around them. They were beaming and their family looked quite happy even though there was a tiny bit of raining coming down. It was romantic, intimate and everything they had hoped for.

Please enjoy the following photos of Janee and Raheem’s rose garden wedding courtesy of Jen Sanders Photography. Flowers courtesy of Metropolitan Market, Queen Anne.

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Be sure to check out my Small, Elope or Last Minute Wedding page for more information!

Snoqualmie Falls Wedding

September 4, 2015/0 Comments/in Destination Wedding, Most Recent, Small Wedding, Small Wedding Packages /by MissElaine

Last December I was contacted by Barbara and Timo from Germany regarding their Washington State destination wedding. We e-mailed and Skyped for several months and I learned that they wanted a woodsy, bohemian feel for their August ceremony. Based on their wishes, it was easy for me to recommend a Snoqualmie Falls Wedding at the Salish Lodge and Spa. Barbara and Timo also wanted the ceremony photographed so they could share these memories with their families back home in Germany. I brought in my dear friend and colleague, Jeanne Phinney of Jeanne Phinney Photography to help me plan a creative timeline for the ceremony and photography. About half-way through the process the bride e-mailed me a picture of her dress and asked if I could match her dress to a wedding bouquet. I sent the photo to my go-to florist, Molly Snowden at Metropolitan Market and she created a lovely bouquet that matched Barbara’s dress perfectly. Timo got a matching boutonniere too!

We decided to start with the ceremony in the woods and then take the couple down to the river and falls to capture some moments in this beautiful natural setting. What follows are the amazing pictures from that day — including the couple opening a gift that their sister in Germany sent to me to be opened after their ceremony. Thank you Barbara and Timo for contacting me to be your officiant and help you plan your Snoqualmie Falls Wedding. The day was magical!

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Elope Wedding Seattle

February 17, 2015/0 Comments/in Destination Wedding, Last Minute Wedding, Seattle Wedding, Small Wedding, Small Wedding Packages /by MissElaine

This is an e-mail I just received from a couple who live in Idaho and want to have an Elope Wedding Seattle style:

“We have been scouring the internet for an officiant that would fit the uniqueness of our wedding plans and our relationship. We came across your website and what you posted really jumped out at us.”

In many cases, couples who want to elope have chosen to have their wedding day be an intimate event with just the two of them. It could also be a personal or financial decision — or maybe they have never been to Seattle and want to combine a vacation to the Pacific Northwest with a small wedding. Whatever the reason, I can help!

Just because you are eloping doesn’t mean you have to fore-go the extra touches

I love every wedding I officiate. Whether it’s a small elopement or a large event with 200 people, I always bring my passion and enthusiasm to the wedding process. Elopements are extra fun for me because I often get to act as an ambassador of Seattle — offering my expertise on different ceremony locations, restaurants to celebrate at afterwards and of course — crafting a ceremony that reflects the love between the couple. So far in 2015 ceremony locations have included the list below:

Private suite at the Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland
On a dock at Greenlake in Seattle
Private suite at the Seattle PanPacific Hotel
Private home on Queen Anne
Space Needle Observation Deck (2)
Washington State Ferry
Seattle Waterfront-Myrtle Edwards Park/Beach

These locations are just a handful of the many beautiful indoor and outdoor possibilities for your Seattle elopement. If you want to add a photographer for an hour or two I can help with that also. My photography packages can be tailored to your needs and they include my officiant services. I also offer Wedding Packages for your Seattle elopement.

Below are some of the photographs from an elopement that took place this past weekend. This lovely couple had planned on having a large wedding in California but at the last minute decided to elope to Seattle. I helped them get an upgrade on their room at the Edgewater Hotel so they could have a water view with a balcony on their wedding night. I also arranged for flowers and champagne to be delivered to their room upon arrival. The bride had a custom-made bouquet and the groom had a matching boutonniere that I obtained through Metropolitan Market. They dined at Aqua after the ceremony where I arranged for them to have a table with a view of Puget Sound. And the best part is that all of this was photographed by the amazing and talented Nicole Bischel of Orange Anchor Photography.

If you are planning to elope to Seattle, please contact me. I would love to be your officiant AND your Seattle hospitality expert. Enjoy!

San Juan Islands Wedding

November 1, 2014/2 Comments/in Destination Wedding, Most Recent /by MissElaine

Each year I choose a handful of destination weddings to officiate. I am usually so busy in town that it’s difficult to get away so I only choose two to three. One of the destination weddings I said yes to was the San Juan Islands wedding of Annica and Drew. Drew’s family has a house on Decatur Island – one of the smaller islands in the San Juans – and that is where I officiated one of the funnest weddings of the summer.

Annica and Drew thought of everything for their outdoor summer wedding in the islands. Decatur Island is unique because it doesn’t have a ferry system to take people over from Anacortes. No problem. Annica and Drew chartered a private boat, which picked us up in Anacortes, delivered us to the island and then brought some of us back before dark. I rode over with Sean Antonius of Seattle Wedding DJ.

Looking back, I think it was one of the most Northwest themed weddings I have officiated. The couple used a few of the rustic cabins to get ready in where they were joined by their cat who got to come along for the festivities. The ceremony was held on the beach where the guests sat on blanket-covered driftwood. Surprise guests included bald eagles who joined us from above in the trees. After the ceremony we were treated to hangar steak, planked salmon, a bruschetta bar with steamed clams and grilled prawns prepared by the very talented Gail Dupar and her crew. The yummy cakes (three!) were supplied by Celestial Catering. Bridal bouquets, bouts and corsages were done by local Anacortes florist Donatello’s Flowers.

Everything about Annica and Drew’s wedding was simply wonderful. The Pacific Northwest sites, sounds, smells and tastes of that day will long linger in my memory.

Please enjoy the following photographs by Kristen Marie of I Am Kristen Marie Photography. Love supplied by Annica and Drew.

Small Outdoor Wedding Seattle

September 25, 2014/2 Comments/in Destination Wedding, Last Minute Wedding, Seattle Wedding, Small Wedding /by MissElaine

Frequently I am asked by couples for recommendations for small outdoor wedding Seattle locations. This past May I was contacted by Josh and Crystal who were on a six-week road trip beginning in Vancouver, B.C. Their wish was to have an intimate wedding while stopping in Seattle before heading down the coast. I was thrilled to be a part of their planning. Being a native of Seattle I get really excited when couples make the Emerald City their destination wedding location. I love to introduce people to the city I grew up in. In addition, I get the pleasure of meeting people from all parts of the country.

We started talking about locations for their elopement and decided on Golden Gardens Beach. One of the reasons for this location was that I had arranged for a bed and breakfast for Josh and Crystal that was literally right up the street. Sunset Hill B&B is a 100-yr-old renovated farmhouse. The proprietor is a friend of mine and it is with joy that I refer guests to her urban retreat. Read more about Sunset Hill B&B.

On the day of their wedding, I drove to the B&B and captured pictures of their “first look.” Crystal looked charming and beautiful in her vintage gown. And Josh beamed as he saw his bride for the first time. The sunflowers in Crystal’s bouquet were even smiling!

Next we drove down the hill to the beach where our photographer, Jeanne Phinney of Jeanne Phinney Photography was waiting for us. The following photographs are a beautiful reminder that even small weddings can have huge feelings.

The Art of the Small Wedding

November 1, 2013/0 Comments/in Eastside Wedding, Small Wedding /by MissElaine

I met Sara and Shane early last summer to talk about their small wedding at Willows Lodge in Woodinville. They had made reservations at Willows for the special package called “I do for two.” Willows Lodge is such a lovely place to have a wedding — small or large — and I was excited to be invited to be their officiant.

I have had the pleasure of officiating all sizes of weddings — from 2 to 400 guests, on hiking trails in boots and all dressed up with wedding parties of 22! I am mostly always prepared for surprises and ready to hit the ground running in any situation. I have to say that Sara and Shane’s wedding totally took me by surprise because it was small in numbers but absolutely gigantic in emotion.

Both Sara and Shane had their parents fly in from different parts of the country and they would be their only guests. Sara looked gorgeous in her gown, hair and jewels, and the men wore tuxedos with bow ties. What was so outstanding was that although there were only six of us at the ceremony, it felt like the space was filled with the love of a 1000 hearts. Who says you can’t have a royal wedding with only six people? After Sara and Shane’s wedding, I know I never will. Special thanks to Renata Steiner at Nataworry Photography for capturing the emotion, especially the love, so brilliantly in the photographs below.

Center for Wooden Boats Wedding

October 20, 2013/0 Comments/in Most Recent, Seattle Wedding /by MissElaine

Last summer I had the pleasure of being contacted by Sarah and Paul regarding their upcoming wedding at the Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Union. Their wedding was only two-and-a-half months away, and travelling for work was in Sarah’s immediate future. Needless to say, we needed to get started on their ceremony and wrap up details quickly before Sarah left the country. Fortunately, we had the help of my friend and colleague Kelli Bielema at Shindig Events. Everything was more or less in place except the officiant – me! Sarah and Paul are a laid back couple but they clearly wanted something special and unique for this ceremony. Together, we wrote something they loved and the ceremony turned out perfectly — including random pauses for the planes taking off and landing on the lake. Speaking of planes, family and friends flew in from around the country. One friend made Sarah’s beautiful bouquet (see below). The music was provided by Swing Soiree and the food from Herban Feast. Beautiful couple, beautiful setting, fabulous wedding! Enjoy the photos from Sarah and Paul’s Center for Wooden Boats wedding below.

Kayak Wedding on Lake Union

October 2, 2013/0 Comments/in Most Recent, Seattle Wedding /by MissElaine

A few months back I was contacted by Al and Teya from Lithuania. As we Skyped, they explained to me that they were coming back to the U.S. and wanted to get married in kayaks in Seattle. They also wanted their officiant to be in a kayak to perform the ceremony. Their vision included having a spot where those who didn’t want to kayak could watch from land. I enthusiastically agreed to be their “sea-going” officiant and offered to research some options for them.

The first location that I thought of for a great kayaking destination, and also a location where guests could watch from land was Foster Island in the Arboretum. I have taken many walks on the boardwalk out to Foster Island and I always see people kayaking and rowing through these beautiful wetlands. I took my dogs down there one Sunday afternoon just to check out our options. I saw many charming docks and platforms where guests could watch the ceremony and that we could easily kayak to. I took some pictures and sent them to Al and Teya in Lithunia along with kayak rental information.

After discussing a few small changes we agreed on our route and made plans to meet at a location on Lake Union where we would launch our kayaks.

The big wedding day came and WOW!!! the weather was really bad. It was pouring rain, the wind was blowing and it was cold. I wasn’t sure I still wanted to be a part of this adventure and spoke with Al about a possible plan B. (By the way, I always have a plan B.) He was persistent, however, and after agreeing to shorten our time on the water I decided to join everyone.

Please enjoy the following pictures of this amazing wedding day of Al and Teya!