Runeet and Mayank’s reception was so much fun. I immediately noticed that both families love to have a good time and dance. As soon as the first beat of music hit, the entire dance floor was full, and remained that way for the entire night. Everyone was dancing- young, old, men, women, aunts, uncles, children, friends, and family. Good music and lots of laughing, drinking, and good times! I’ll admit… it was really tough to not join the dancing, especially when everyone was having such a good time!! The reception was so much fun, and that was thanks to all the family and friends who made it special!
The pictures below are just a tiny glimpse into the fun times during the reception!
Alex and Jamie have a classic high school love story. They started dating young, during their freshman year of high school (2003), and got married 7 years later, in 2010. It’s the fairytale story that only seems to happen in the movies. Alex and Jamie both grew up in the small town of Bellingham, WA, where they began making memories together by going to proms, school dances, and football games. You know, the things we all do in high school. Growing up in Bellingham, they have always been supported and surrounded by good friends and family. Every wedding has something that makes it unique and special, and for Alex and Jamie, the underlying charm was friendship.
Alex has grown up with his groomsman, and they’ve been through countless adventures together. Because they knew each other so well, the depth of their friendship was at the forefront all day. Actually, there were many times that I couldn’t hold back the laughter at some of the things they did. In fact, I want to create future blog post dedicated solely to the groomsman and their funny antics of the day. The guys were absolutely great, and I had a great time hanging out with them.
Friendship at the wedding went far beyond the groomsman. Because Alex and Jamie grew up in Bellingham and went to the same school, they had many mutual friends. It seemed like everybody knew everybody, and that made for some good ole’ fashion fun! The speeches were hilarious, the jokes were funny, and the entire sentiment of the day was that of love and companionship.
Thank you, Alex and Jamie, for giving me the opportunity to capture these memories of your wedding day.
It was so easy to see the friendship these guys had with Alex, and with Jamie. Everything with this group was so easy. They had fun together, and they were all genuinely happy for their friends, Alex and Jamie.
The venue, Evergreen Gardens, was absolutely beautiful. There was a log cabin surrounded by huge cedar trees that seemed to reach up and touch the sky. It provided the perfect backdrop for this outdoor, country-wedding.
The giant cedar trees provided the perfect backdrop for Alex and Jamie’s wedding. The sun seemed to echo the feelings at the wedding, providing warmth and joy, all day long.
By far, some of the funniest reception speeches I’ve heard in a long time. Everyone was laughing, toasting, and having a great time as they honored Alex and Jamie’s marriage. Because everyone at the wedding were such good friends, the speeches were free-flowing and everyone was happy. There was one moment, when each of the groomsman stood up and went to hug Alex’s mom. A testament to the years of friendship they have with each other.
Part of what made Ben and Kristi’s wedding so memorable were the personalized details. As mentioned in part 1 of their wedding post, Ben’s parents did an excellent job of preparing the house and yard for the wedding. Ben’s dad hand-built an outdoor bar, walkway, and dance floor. The dance floor had tiny white lights strung across the top making it feel magical. For years, Ben’s mom carefully tended to the yard, making it look and feel as if it belongs on the cover of a “Homes & Garden” magazine.
The backyard location for the ceremony was amazing. It felt as though we were in a huge garden full of life and colors. In fact, the green bridesmaid dresses and orange bouquets added the perfect compliment to the summer-feeling. Kristi’s idea to have orange flower petals scattered down the aisle added a very nice touch.
It was raining in Bellingham the day before the wedding and we were worried that it would affect the outdoor ceremony. However, Ben, Kristi, and the family remained hopeful and the heavens listened. Not sure what type of non-rain dance you guys performed, but it worked! It was overcast during the morning, but began to clear up while we were shooting formals. By the time the ceremony began, it felt like a warm summer day! It was perfect, and the sun filled everyone with joy and happy spirits!!
After the ceremony, the guests moved to another part of the yard where delicious appetizers, iced tea, wine, and beer awaited. Not only that, but they were entertained with music by very talented fiddlers, who filled the garden with music. The guests were enjoying themselves, and Kristi’s face was beaming with joy!
Cocktail hour after the ceremony
For the reception, the tables were adorned with green tablecloths, orange flower centerpieces and white candles. The tables were set with an old barn as the backdrop. It created a real country feeling to the outdoor wedding.
Outdoor reception with barn as background along with the perfect green and orange details
Next to the dance floor, Ben set up a brick fire pit and started the fire for s’mores. Chocolate, Marshmallows, and Graham Crackers were easily available for all the guests to make their own s’mores. How perfect! Even though it was very dark outside, I was able to turn up my ISO to capture a few great pictures of Ben and Kristi making s’mores while their guests danced in the background.
Good Music, Dancing, Fire, and Delicious S’mores = PERFECT
One of my favorite memories of the evening was when it started to rain. Everyone was dancing outside when the rain began but nobody wanted to leave! The music was good, and there was so much energy, that everyone stayed outside and danced the night away in the rain. Even though we were all soaking wet, including the beautiful bride, it was totally worth it! One of my absolute favorite wedding memories!!
One of my favorites because of the joy on their faces as they walked into the rececption
A special moment on the dance floor
The morning began with Kristi getting her makeup and hair done at Zazen Salon Spa. It was a fun time full of laughter and funny moments as the girls joked around with each other and talked about the wedding. There was a moment when Kristi sent a text to Ben and he responded. I immediately took a picture of the text and looking at the message now brings back the excitement of the day. Their joy and love seems to jump out of the phone.
Kristi’s dress and shoes were perfect! They looked so good on her!
When we arrived at the house, the guys got ready and we went outside for some of the formal pictures. It seems like the guys always get ready so quickly. Well, I guess there’s not much variation in a tux. They’re all pretty much standard issue, right? But nevertheless, they looked very classy!
Ben getting ready for his big day!
Ben’s parents did such a good job preparing the house and yard for the wedding day and all the details showed. In fact, they had a human-sized chess board in the back yard! How cool!!! This was a fun place to shoot a few pictures.
Before the ceremony, Ben and Kristi were waiting in their respective rooms. Ben found the secret to calming his nerves
A detail shot of Ben and Kristi’s rings. This is one of the many awesome shots that Tanvir captured.
I’ll be posting Part 2 of the wedding showing the beautiful backyard wedding and reception. The details were amazing and included a homemade dance floor, fire for s’mores, great music, a popcorn machine, and an outdoor bar.