Bill & Barbara ~ The Garage ~ Cook, WA

Being a photographer in the Pacific Northwest, I’m lucky to see so many beautiful wedding venues that are surrounded by gorgeous landscapes. Each venue has mountains and tons of natural greenery as a backdrop, so you truly can’t go wrong when choosing the location of your wedding.

When it came to Bill and Barbara’s wedding, they chose a venue that was stunning AND had a ton of importance to them... their own home in White Salmon, Washington!

They shared that they had the house built together and wanted it to be a central element in their celebration. For this reason, they chose their home as the location for both their engagement photos and their ceremony!

When it was time for Bill and Barbara’s engagement session, I visited their home with plans to capture their photos outside. When walking around their yard, the view from the back deck really stood out. You can see a gorgeous forested area from the deck... which ended up making a great setting for their photos!

The future newlyweds also shared that there was an incredible view of the Columbia River Gorge just a few houses down. Thankfully, we were able to visit their neighbor’s house and use their driveway for photos!

On the morning of the big day, I arrived at the couple’s house and took photos of Barbara getting ready for the ceremony. As I snapped some shots of Barbara, her sister and niece were also in view as they helped her finalize her bridal look! She chose to wear a gorgeous gold headpiece that also included plenty of stones and sparkle. It perfectly complemented the soft waves in her hair. Her family assisted her with placing this headpiece and her other gold jewelry as well.

Once her accessories were all on, it was time to grab her wedding shoes and make the final adjustments to her look. At this point, the ceremony was just around the corner, and excitement was in the air!

At 9:45am, it was time for Bill and Barbara’s morning ceremony to start! For their ceremony space, the couple chose a room in their home that had large windows fasting east. It was a great pick because of the stunning nature outside and the huge amount of light that came streaming into the room!

When it was time for the wedding procession, we all heard cellos playing a beautiful song! Bill’s nephew was one of the cellists playing music, and he was one of the many family members who had an active role during the ceremony. Bill’s six brothers entered with him and stood up with him during the ceremony. The bridal entry procession also included a ton of family members! Barbara’s three nieces and Bill’s niece (along with their escorts) walked in before Barbara.

As Barbara came in, all eyes were on her with her detailed dress and bright smile! Bill also had a huge smile on his face as his soon-to-be wife made her way down the aisle. They had a touching ceremony that included a special reading from a member of their family. It was beautiful to see how large of a role each family member played in their big day!

Before the reception, there was time to take some photos of the newlyweds. Naturally, we had to snap some shots outside with the stunning landscape behind them! Barbara’s bridal bouquet was a gorgeous addition to these photos, and I love that you can see the details in her bouquet when looking at these shots.

We moved to another side of their house and took a few more photos with the house in the background. When looking back on these photos, I hope that Bill and Barbara will see their home and remember that it was a central element of their special day!

After taking portraits of the couple, it was time to move over to the reception space and take photos of the decor. Bill and Barbara chose The Garage in Cook, Washington as the location of their brunch reception, and it was decorated beautifully! They selected cream, dusty blue, green, and gray as their wedding colors. These colors were thoughtfully used through the reception space and can be seen on the guest book, cake, and floral arrangements.

The couple also included special wedding photos of other family members to honor them! These photos were touching details that really emphasized how important family is to the newlyweds.

Once it was time for the reception to start, Bill’s longtime friend made a speech and planned a toast to the couple. Then, guests ate a delicious brunch... and it was clear from everyone’s reactions that the meal was so tasty!

Right before it was time to cut the cake, two wedding guests gave another toast. They both had very thoughtful speeches, and the couple looked so appreciative of their kind words. Finally, it was time to cut the cake and try a slice.

Congratulations to Bill and Barbara! Your wedding day was filled with so much love from your family members and plenty of personal touches, too. Plus, having the ceremony at home made your wedding feel especially unique and personalized to you!

Thank you both for trusting me to join you for your engagement session and your big day, too. I wish you all of the best!