I don’t know what was better for this Na-Mu Lodge wedding. The gorgeous details, or the amazingly sweet couple that I got to work with! PSH….Let’s be honest. It was totally the people.

Leavenworth is the cutest little Bavarian town in the northern Cascade Mountains here in Washington state. I’ve shot so many beautiful weddings up in the area, but it was my first time shooting a wedding at Na-Mu Lodge. It’s kind of deceiving though. What I thought was going to be this HUGE lodge up in the mountains turned out to be more like a house for small gatherings, but it was absolutely perfect for Jason and Andrea’s big day.

Andrea found me when her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Molly, told her about me! Molly was one of the bridesmaids at Jeremy and Aarika’s Fontaine Estate Wedding last fall, and I’m SO grateful she sent these two my way. Leading up to the day, I was a little anxious. I generally meet with my couples, or at least skype with them before their wedding day, but most all of my correspondence with these two was via email. I met them for the first time the morning of the wedding, just minutes before we started taking photos, but I was put at ease SO quickly. I could tell straight off the bat that these two are some of the sweetest people EVER. Like ever, friends!! When Andrea opened the front door and greeted me with a hug, I knew I was in the right place! 🙂

Jason and Andrea wanted a day full of family. They had a small and absolutely perfect ceremony, officiated by Jason’s best friend, on the patio as a fire crackled in the background and they vowed to be there for all the small things in life. It was totally fitting to hear the fire crackling in the background. These two met at the firefighting academy. We laughed about the first time she sat next to him in class, and how she did a double take when she realized his arms were twice the size as hers. My second shooter and myself had almost the same conversation when comparing their wedding rings.

During their photos pre-ceremony, it was SO obvious how much these two love each other. They made our jobs SO DANG EASY, and I knew, yet again, when they started talking about how excited they were to start a family that I was in the right place.

These two have such a strong support system around them and it was amazing to get to be a part of it all. After their ceremony, and short cocktail hour, we all loaded up to Visconti’s in Leavenworth for some of the yummiest italian food, cake, and spumoni I’ve had in a LONG time. They are starting to put up all the lights for the lighting festival this winter, and so Leavenworth really is a dream. The atmosphere and the people really just made everything THAT much better.

Jason and Andrea, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU! I loved getting to know you two more, hearing more of your story, and getting to meet your sweet families!! You guys made me feel at home, and I know you guys are going to continue doing amazing things in life. I’m SO excited to see your next adventures, and I’ll be waiting for you to move closer in the mean time! Have a blast in Kauai, and I can’t wait to hear all about it! Again, thank you!!!

Na-Mu Lodge Wedding Vendors

Ceremony Venue: Na-Mu Lodge

Reception Venue: Visconti’s

Bride’s Dress: David’s Bridal

Bride’s Shoes: Target

Groom’s Attire: Jos. A Bank

Florist: Sara Cook

Cake: Debbie Clark

Second Shooter: Tammi Meade