The weather looked a little iffy and I was holding my breath that the sky wouldn’t open and down pour. Today was not the day for that. Thankfully, this Saturday, in August, was a perfect day for a wedding. The sky changed between looking happy and very angry at times, but very little rain came down. Melissa and Ryan’s wedding was PERFECT in every way possible.

Melissa and Ryan are a very special and genuine couple. I knew from the first time I met Melissa I was really going to enjoy getting to know them as a couple and as individuals. They both have such big hearts and I can see why so many people love them.

To me, this picture below truly captures the love they have for each other. And the beautiful backdrop makes for a gorgeous picture.

Not only are Melissa and Ryan so genuine to everyone they encounter, but they truly are just a fun couple.

The wedding was at the beautiful Bybee Blueberry Farm. This venue was a perfect fit for the casual rustic feel Melissa wanted for their wedding day. By the time I came on board to work with Melissa and Ryan, they already had a good idea of what they wanted their day to be about: family and friends. I remember Melissa saying to me “this will be the only time I have everyone I love under one roof. I want my wedding day to be about that love, not just about Ryan and I.” I thought that was one of the sweetest things a bride to be could say.

The cermony was quick and sweet, but the first thing I noticed was the love in Melissa’s eyes as she walked up the aisle to her groom. Then I looked at Ryan and he had the same look in his eyes as he waited for his bride. Melissa’s dad was also beaming as he walked his daughter to her future. You could see how proud he was.

The centerpieces were made up of wood rounds, soup can table numbers, a small mason jar with coffee beans and a candle and a turquoise mason jar full of fresh market flowers which sat on a burlap runner and a brown tablecloth. Melissa knew she wanted her flowers to look like fresh picked bouquets and by using the market flowers and putting the flowers together with family and friends she easily achieved that look.

Homemade signs were strewn around the venue just adding to the rustic feel. As were old windows and doors. A giant bronze trough sat by the bar to hold water and fun lemonades that were available to guests in 4 different flavors. Between the ceremony and reception guests mingled, took photos, filled their mason jar glass and munched on the Chex mix from the Chex mix bar while the ceremony site was transformed into the reception venue. Every little detail was thought of and created perfectly: a refurbished mailbox for cards, hay bales for guest to sit on in the field while watching friends play bean bags, music favor gifts, bubbles for the kids, and everything in between.

The food was wood fired pizzas and a salad. Very yummy. The dessert wasn’t a traditional cake, but the bride and groom had asked family and friends to bring their favorite dessert. I think every person they asked brought something becuase the custom made dessert table was full to the brim!

The toast these two receive could not have been anymore true and heartfelt. Listening to those that spoke about them really grasped the sincerity and passion these to surround their life with and how giving they both are.

Melissa and Ryan didn’t want to be the center of attention so while they started their first dance just the two of them, they shortly invited their bridal party out to dance with them.

The father-daugther and mother-son dances were two of the sweetest I have seen. You could just see the joy in each parents face as they danced with their child.

One of my favorite elements of Ryan and Melissa’s wedding: they incorporated their last name everywhere. Sommer became Sommertime (aka Summertime)…adorable right?!?

I hope you enjoy the pictures and can see from them that this couple is truly meant for each other and surrounded by so much love! Congrats Melissa and Ryan! I am still honored that you chose me to be a part of your wedding day!

I will leave you with one last photo. Remember the iffy weather I first wrote about…well because of that weather Melissa and Ryan got this GORGEOUS sunset off Mt. Si.

VENUE// BYBEE BLUEBERRY FARM, NORTH BEND, WA
COORDINATION// CASSIE RENAE EVENTS, LLC
PHOTOGRAPHY// JULIANNA RENNARD, RENNARD PHOTOGRAPHY
CATERING// POMPEII PIZZA
DESSERT BUFFET// FRIENDS AND FAMILY
FLOWERS// FARMERS MARKET – ASSEMBLY BY THE BRIDE, FRIENDS AND FAMILY
HAIR// BELLA VITA SALON AND SPA, ANGELA RILEY
BAND// SAMMY STEELE
OFFICIANT// BUCKY – FRIEND
BRIDES ATTIRE// CYNDERELLIE’S CLOSET
GROOMS ATTIRE// MEN’S WEARHOUSE
INVITATIONS// DESIGNED BY BRIDE AND GROOM
WOOD SIGNS AND DECOR// DIY BY BRIDE AND GROOM

Dan and Cheyanne were married on a warm summer afternoon in July at Pickering Barn in Issaquah, WA. Cheyanne is Southern and knew she wanted a Southern feel to the wedding. The couple chose Pickering Barn because of the barn feel, as well as it is close to where they will be settling down and they wanted to be able to drive past their wedding location and tell their children that this is where “us” started. How sweet.

Their day was captured wonderfully by William Bigelis. The wedding was done in colors of blues and greens with a pop of yellow. The ceremony decor was kept simple as the outdoor setting was beautiful without having to add much decor. White chairs were set out for the guests with 3 free standing white shepherds hooks and small black lanterns lining each side of the aisle. Upon each chair sat the program for the ceremony, which had a blue barn on the front, to tie in the setting. The bridesmaids were in black lace dresses and cowboy boots and carried in bright bouquets with sunflowers. The groomsmen were in traditional black tuxes.

To bring in the Southern country feel, wood rounds were used as centerpieces with a burlap runner, a small black lantern and a mason jar full of fresh garden flowers. In the garden flowers was a small chalkboard with a table number. A large white louvered door was used to present the table numbers for each guest. Dan and Cheyanne chose traditional white table clothes, but added a pop of color with green napkins hung over the table at every place setting .

To add a little excitement to the day-an alarm went off in the building after the power went out. A fire truck had to be called to the building to turn it off-but when the opportunity arises who doesn’t want a picture with a firefighter and Cheyanne went for it-it will be a fun story down the road.

Thankfully the power outage was quick however, the groom had also come down with a dabilitating migrane. The groom had to step out of his own wedding to try and recover. Cheyanne handled all of this well and with good spirits. We rearranged the schedule and opened up the dance floor for awhile and when the groom was back out his feet we started right back up with the toasts follwed byt the cake cutting and straight into the dances. The dance floor was then reopend for the guests to dance and the evening finished of well!

It was such a pleasure to work with such a fun-loving, easy-going couple and I was honored to watch their wedding day come to life.

VENUE// PICKERING BARN, ISSAQUAH, WA
COORDINATION// CASSIE RENAE EVENTS, LLC
PHOTOGRAPHY// WILLIAM BIGELIS OF WILLIAM BIGELIS IMAGERY
CATERING// COHO CAFE
CAKE// ALYSSA PRATNER – FRIEND OF THE BRIDE
FLOWERS// FARMERS MARKET FLOWERS WITH ASSEMBLY BY BRIDE, FRIENDS + FAMILY
HAIR// BELLA VITA SALON AND SPA, ANGELA RILEY
DJ// BRANDON GROCE – FRIEND OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM
RENTALS// SWEET BUFFET LADY
BRIDES ATTIRE// DAVID’S BRIDAL
TUXES// MEN’S WEARHOUSE
INVITATIONS + PROGRAMS// DESIGNED BY THE GROOM, PRINTED BY SWIFTY PRINTING & DIGITAL IMAGING, INC.