If you are planning your wedding, take a deep breath and remember how exciting and special this season of your life is. You are marrying your person. I know you are most likely feeling overwhelmed with planning and that is so understandable. It’s hard to know where to start. I recently was a vendor at the Wisteria Gardens Wedding show in Anacortes and want to walk you through the experience virtually! Wedding shows are how I have met some of my very favorite local wedding vendors & I would love to introduce you to all of them in this blog post. If you are planning your wedding in Whatcom, Skagit, or Island County — this post is for you!

As a wedding photographer, I photograph 1-2 (sometimes 3!) weddings a week from May through October. You are most likely planning a wedding for the first time & I don’t want you to feel like you have to figure it out alone. After photographing so many weddings, I’ve noticed what makes a day go by seamlessly & I’m here to make sure your day goes by seamlessly, too.

In this post, I’ll walk you through some of the big events of your day with tips to ensure your day is as perfect as possible & share an 8-hour photography timeline template with you.

Here are 7 cute ways to incorporate your pets in your wedding:

• Give your dog a special “job”

• Have your dogs walk down the aisle with wedding party members

• Ask your florist to make a special flower collar for your pet

• Have cake toppers that look like your pets

• Create napkins with a design of your pet’s face

• Name your signature drinks after them

• Order custom cufflinks with your pet’s face on them

Cassie & Kyle’s beautiful (yet windy!!) day at the Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham. I was obsessed with the purples & blues & how perfectly their florals & outfits matched the view. These two are so sweet & I had been looking forward to their day for such a long time!! Cassie made friendship bracelets for all her bridesmaids, and even made me a yellow “evawaltzphoto” bracelet!! Cassie put so much time into making such creative little details & it was so special to see it all come to life :)

Jardin Del Sol is a dreamy garden venue in Snohomish, Washington, where Jessica & I grew up. We went to high school together, and what a gift it’s been to grow closer to these two & capture their love over the years. I took photos of them when I first started taking photography seriously in 2021, I was there for their proposal, we took engagement photos last summer, and now here we are at their wedding. It means the world to me to grow with my couples & become such close friends with them. Their day was full of thoughtful details, intentional moments, and so much joy. It was a beautiful day, and for spring in Washington, we were so lucky to have overcast skies and not rain.

Caitlin & Dan’s beautiful wedding on Whidbey Island. We started with their first look at Fort Casey before spending the rest of the day celebrating at Crockett Farm. These two are golden retrievers in human form & I’m so lucky I got to be a part of their day.

Family Photo Tips from a Photographer’s Perspective:

1. Have a list of ALL the combinations of people you want photos with. I include a template in this blog!

2. Make sure your special people know where & when to meet you for photos.

3. Keep the list of combinations as short as possible. The less we have, the more time you have to be in the moment & celebrating with your people!!

Alex & Rory decided to elope at Mount Baker and have a bigger celebration & reception with their families back in Texas. They had their time to really soak in getting married & then got to spend lots of quality time with their people later, which is such a smart idea. Rory’s best friend officiated & one of Alex’s close friends was there to witness and celebrate. I also got to sign as a witness!!

Shannon & Jakob chose to have their ceremony at an airbnb on Chuckanut Drive with their closest friends and family before heading to Aslan Depot for their reception later.

Shan got ready in a room with a view of Bellingham Bay, and Jakob was just across the way from her. Down the hall, loved ones were mingling—eagerly awaiting the ceremony. The deck outside overlooks a view that is so iconically Bellingham—a view that feels like home. A view that feels like the perfect place for the king and queen of Bellingham to married (more on that later)

A small and intimate wedding on Chuckanut Drive in Bellingham, Washington