Andrea & Kasey ~ The Cove ~ Vancouver, WA

When Andrea and Kasey first reached out and asked if I could photograph their wedding, they shared that they were planning a church wedding.

(Here’s a spoiler for you... If you take a peek at the photos in this blog post, you won’t see a church in sight!)

After having some major changes with life and work, they ditched their original plans and decided to elope instead! They tied the knot right on the build site of a new house they were building together, but they still wanted to have a reception a month or two after they eloped... That’s where I came in!

Not too long after their big day, Andrea and Kasey had a fall wedding reception at The Cove in Vancouver, Washington. It was SO much fun to document the celebration and watch them have a ton of fun with family!

On the day of their reception, we luckily had a gorgeous day with great weather for November! The event started a bit later in the day, so we needed to take portraits and make the most of the sunlight before it got too dark.

We first captured some portraits of Andrea and Kasey together. Her dress was stunning with shorter sleeves, a v-neck, and intricate detailing. It suited her SO well! She also held a bridal bouquet with white flowers and a teal ribbon, which perfectly complemented Kasey’s blue tie.

Not to mention, the background of the photos feature Tidewater Cove Marina! This Marina is located on the Columbia River, making it a wonderful backdrop for portraits. The calm, blue waters also paired well with the shade of blue selected for their wedding colors.

It started getting a bit darker, but we still had to take family portraits! Some of my favorite family portraits include Andrea, Kasey, and his two children. (Actually, they’re her bonus kids now, too!) When taking a look through their photos, you’ll see MANY playful portraits along with casual shots of the family putting on their floral accessories and getting ready for camera time.

Before we knew it, all of the other guests were arriving at The Cove! Andrea and Kasey had huge smiles on their faces while greeting their friends and family. I learned that some of their wedding guests came from across the country to celebrate with them, so it was especially exciting for the newlyweds to see these loved ones walk in. Plus, Andrea shared that she’s very close to a set of her cousins from New York, so I know she was thrilled to see them come through the door!

As guests continued to walk in, some of the other attendees started finding their seats and mingling with each other! Guests also spotted the snack table with various meats, cheeses, and crackers. These pre-dinner snacks were a hit! The room continued to fill up with loving faces, and before we knew it, dinner was ready to be served.

It was also time for one of their friends to give a toast. Andrea and Kasey met via a mutual friend at work, and this friend was chosen to give the speech! As you can imagine, their friend had a lot of interesting stories and funny details to share... For example, we learned that Andrea and Kasey didn’t like each other much when they first met! It was a hilarious story to hear, and it’s also heartwarming to see how far they came from their first encounter.

While guests were finishing dinner and busy enjoying each other’s conversations, I took the opportunity to capture some of the special touches and personalized decor around the room. I made sure to take photos of their welcome sign, signed guest book, and some of the family photos they framed and displayed. Plus, I made my way over to the snacks, food, and desserts to document them before they were all eaten up!

Next, it was time to cut the cake! Andrea and Kasey wanted a small cake that could be used for a traditional cake-cutting experience. It was decorated with a silver wire topper that featured their initials, and it looked great with the rustic, wooden base that was chosen as their cake stand.

On top of the small wedding cake, they also picked out cupcakes for their friends and family. By looking around at the guests during dessert time, I could tell that the cupcakes were delicious. Everyone looked like they were really savoring these yummy treats!

Toward the end of the night, Andrea and Kasey had their first dance. Their guests joyfully watched as the newlyweds danced together! Andrea and Kasey shared intimate smiles with each other during the dance, and you could clearly see the love and strong bond between them.

Before I left for the night, I made it a priority to capture the photo of Andrea and Kasey on the day of their elopement! The wooden frame of their home is in the background, and it’s such an incredibly meaningful setting... They got to celebrate the life and relationship they built together inside of the home they’re also building together!

Thank you SO much to Andrea and Kasey for allowing me to join you and capture your celebration! In the future, I wish you two all the best with everything you continue to build.