Morgan and Matt celebrated last summer at one of our favorite places here in Washington, Bella Luna Farms. Complete with organic gardens, a glass-roofed grapehouse, and stone buildings surrounded by the sweetest farm animals, the working farm manages something that most such places do not – it is stunningly beautiful! Michèle M. Waite’s pretty images captured the gorgeous setting and the perfectly executed garden wedding that Chambers and Company created with the happy couple!
The Goals: We wanted the wedding to be warm and intimate. This started with the guest list. When I walked down the aisle, I wanted to know that everyone watching us was someone who loves us and whom we love. The venue, flowers, and signage all embodied warmth and intimacy. We also really wanted to treat our guests to great food and drinks. We worked hard to make the menu special and fun. Speaking of fun, that was also a priority! We wanted the event to be interactive – guests traveled to the first food station in groups after finding their names and destinations on flags; rather than asking guests to sign a guest book we asked that they fingerprint a leaf on a tree using a stamp pad; and a large group of the ladies choreographed (weeks before the wedding) a super-secret Flashmob!
The Vision: We wanted it to be classy but fun and un-stuffy! Our stationery and signage was fun and whimsical, and Bella Luna did an amazing job keeping the flowers consistent with the theme. We were optimistic about the weather and wanted to highlight the beauty of the farm and the Pacific Northwest. The food was intended to be fun and interesting and…delicious! We wanted something different than a traditional cake, so in keeping with the idea of allowing our guests to be part of the wedding rather than just observers, we offered a make-your-own ice cream sandwich bar.
The Look: I wanted my dress to be simple and sophisticated. I wore diamond studs that we rented through our jeweler. My hair was in a messy updo with flowers from the farm and my shoes were a fun navy shade that matched Matts tie. I think we both wanted to be comfortable and still feel like ourselves, but our best selves!
The Moments: I had a few favorite parts of the day. My dads speech was killer – everyone was in awe. I loved seeing him up there. I later asked him how long the speech took him to prepare and he said 15 years. It was sweet. Also, Matt and I found a little time to steal away in the middle of the wedding. We ended up in the apartment above the barn toasting and taking a shot of whiskey together. It was a very special moment. And the most fun time was the flashmob! It was really an amazing scene and one Ill never forget. Getting the ladies up there having so much fun really set the mood for the rest of the wedding. I didnt even stop dancing long enough to eat an ice cream sandwich and I have a serious sweet tooth!
I feel like all our planning was a success. We had the dream team! Our planner, Lisa Chambers; Pam and Suzie at Bella Luna; Austin Beaver, our DJ; our photographer Michèle M. Waite; Lisa Dupar and her catering team; Sheryl Bracken of Paper Moxie…they all blew us away! We gave Pam at Bella Luna a ton of artistic freedom with the flowers and Im glad we did – we knew her vision would far surpass anything we could suggest.
The Pros: Please visit Morgan and Matt’s page in our Real Wedding Library for more information on their dream team!
Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful day with us Morgan and Matt. It was the perfect antidote to winter. A huge congrats to you!
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