Clutch Events: September 2015

When my dear friends Lacey & Steve got engaged and told me they wanted a destination wedding I couldn't have been more excited! What is better than having a weekend filled with celebrating, parties and friends?! Doing all of that on a beach in Mexico!!

After shopping around for the perfect property we settled on Azul Fives in Playa Del Carmen on the Riviera Maya. It is a beachfront, all inclusive resort that has an amazing spa, 10+ restaurants & bars, multiple pools, nightly entertainment and the cutest dang monkeys and iguanas roaming the property. Basically it was perfect for the 38 guests that flew south to celebrate Lacey & Steve!

The wedding day was shot by the crazy wonderful and insanely talented, Katie Parra. I realize I am biased because she is the sweetest person on the planet, but I could look through Katie's photographs for days on end. Her attention to details is impeccable and her portrait work is perfection! Katie & myself were the lucky Seattle vendors to make the trip and we utilized the local area and resort to make the rest of the day come together!

Upon arrival guests were greeted with a glass of champagne from the hotel and a welcome bag Lacey & Steve put together. The adorable totes are from Wedding Chicks - one of my favorite companies for personalized wedding touches. The shades and koozies were utilized by all!

Lacey purchased her gown & accessories including her belt, earrings and shoes at BHLDN. The lightweight lace was ideal for the beach and sparkle in her details were a perfect touch of glam for this gorgeous bride!

Steve, the always fashionable hipster, wore a custom navy suit, light blue tie and brown shoes. His rose gold ring is my favorite!!

Lacey gifted her bridesmaids floral robes from BHLDN to wear while getting ready. I may or may not be wearing mine while I write this... ;) Oh, did I mention I was a bridesmaid?! I sure was and I LOVED IT!!

Steve & Lacey's 1st look! The foliage around the resort was perfect!! Seriously, how crazy adorable are they together!!?!

A bridal party filled with friends is the best kind of party! The ladies were in blushes, golds and pinks while the guys wore navy pants, white shirts and bow ties!

The little Cantina at the resort was perfect for couple portraits! And when in Mexico you must take a tequila shot before the ceremony!!

One of my favorite times in Mexico is when Steve & I surprised Lacey with a beach front ceremony. We thought a garden ceremony was the only option at the resort that day and it wasn't until the rehearsal when we kept walking right passed the garden to the beach that Lacey found out her dream of an ocean front ceremony was really going to happen! And I'm SO happy it did! It was perfect! A light breeze was off the water keeping the guests cool. It was just so gorgeous!

Oh heyyyy! Who are those international models??!!

Champagne cheers immediately following the ceremony!! After cocktail hour guests enjoyed a sit down plated dinner, speeches that made you laugh and cry and an epic dance party that lasted into the night!

The tables were set with gold dipped BHLDN table numbers, pink and blush blooms, gold candle sticks and gold chiavari chairs. It was a perfect setting for the sand & blue sea backdrop!

Katie took the couple throughout the resort for portraits. It seemed every corner she took had an even more stunning backdrop than the place before.

Congratulations again my dear friends!! And thank you SO MUCH for letting me be a part of not only one, but two of your weddings! I truly loved being a part of every single second!! Love you!!

When you get engaged one of the first things you decide is where to get married. For many couples you have to think about what state, city or venue to chose from. In the case of my dear friends, Lacey & Steve, they decided to have a destination wedding in Mexico (which was SO GREAT and you can read all about it in my next blog post!!).

Once you decide to have a destination wedding in a foreign country you have to think through the legality of being married in the states. For us Americans, one option is to go to the courthouse and get married by the judge either before or after your wedding abroad. A second option is to have a second party!! And really, why not!? I mean, what is better than one celebration? Two celebrations!!

To make it legal so to speak, Lacey & Steve threw a "pop up" ceremony in Discovery Park and then had a casual, back yard bash. It was perfect! It was fun, intimate and involved so many close friends and family.

The key to a pop up ceremony is to keep the crowd small, the ceremony somewhat short and be in a location where you can't get in trouble for having a wedding (please read: the Seattle Public Library will totally kick you out if you get caught:/).

So on a perfectly overcast day in May a handful of close friends and family walked to the bluff at Discovery Park for an intimate ceremony. Katie Parra of Katie Parra Photography shot the nuptials and Rev Jake Elliott performed the ceremony. Lacey's father walked her 'down the path' and their dog Bentley, dressed sharply in a bow tie, walked with them back down the aisle. Lacey's friend Kim did her flowers, she wore my birdcage veil from my wedding, her friend Angie did her hair & makeup and other pals helped here & their at the party. It was a wonderful, collaborative soiree!!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day!

Oh heeeey! Yeah, that's me and Lacey's maid of honor, Michaella:)

And to go along with the theme of two weddings is better than one, four rings are better than two!! Mary Doud created their custom rings and they are gorgeous!!