On the 12th of August, at the enchanting Grand Willow Inn, Heather and Kory tied the knot in a wedding that exuded classic elegance with a hint of 1920s glamour. The venue was adorned with stunning florals, filling the air with their sweet fragrance. The ambiance was remarkably peaceful, lending a romantic touch to the celebration. Among the guests was a charming chicken, sporting a haircut that would make Einstein jealous. With every element falling into place, Heather and Kory's special day was nothing short of perfect, leaving everyone with memories that will endure for a lifetime. Congratulations Heather and Kory! Welcome to the Believe Bride Family!
The Proposal! I knew a proposal was coming - we had looked at rings together, discussed style, size, and stone. I thought for sure that he would propose while we were visiting my family for my niece's birthday, but he apparently had other plans! The day before we left our house in Seattle for the trip across the state, he took me out for a picnic at waterfront park. We brought our camera because it was the most perfect day, with a clear view of the Olympic mountains just across the Puget Sound. We got so lucky and had the entire park to ourselves (unheard of on a sunny summer evening in Seattle). He started looking through some old photos on the camera, taking me on a trip down memory lane. Finally, he handed me the camera and said to look at the last two photos. I didn't suspect a thing, but the last two photos were just plain text - "You're perfect. I love you. I love us." and "Will you marry me?" - by the time I registered what was happening and looked up at him, he was down on one knee! We had the most perfect evening to ourselves, enjoyed the sunset, and the next day he had planned a dinner with all of my family in Leavenworth to celebrate the engagement.
The Dress! Believe Bride was the second dress shop I went to and my experience here was incredible. We loved having the space to ourselves so we could really soak in the moment! I was really having trouble figuring out exactly what I wanted - I knew what I liked and what I didn't, but I was just having trouble finding a dress that was JUST RIGHT. My sister was adamant that I needed to try on the first dress that we pulled for a second time - and there was one other dress I had been thinking about. I tried both of them on again and we dressed them up - one needed a veil, belt, and headpiece to feel complete, but the first dress only needed a veil. As I stood there holding the bouquet, I could feel the emotions suddenly well up. I felt like a bride. I couldn't help the tears - this was my dress!
The Big Day! My wedding day was everything I could've asked for and more. After two years of stressing over every detail, I was so at peace. I didn't have to worry about a thing, it felt like I was just floating through the day. A classic wedding!
What was your favorite part of your wedding? My husband and I took about 10-15 minutes after the ceremony and after we signed our marriage certificate, while our guests were off to happy hour. Just the two of us in the bridal suite. We sat there on the edge of the bed and took it all in. The fullness you feel in your heart that spreads throughout your entire body, to your fingers and toes. High on the excitement that we were finally wed. So much love. We shared some Oreos that the bridal party had been snacking on while getting ready. We held hands. Prepared ourselves to go see the crowd of people waiting for us. Reveled in the quiet. It was honestly the best part of the day.
Special Memories! Our wedding was at a beautiful 1920s-era dairy farm house that was converted into an inn with stunning gardens and a Victorian gazebo situated under a massive willow tree. Because the venue is surrounded by farms, the neighbor's chicken decided to make an appearance and hung about our venue all day. We nicknamed him Einstein for his silly hairdo and all of our guests loved seeing him wander around like he owned the place - he really just added that perfect je-ne-sais-quoi.
What advice would you give to future brides? Have one of your bridesmaids near the end of the reception gather all of your gifts and cards together, clean up the getting ready space and load all of your things into your car for you. Make sure they leave out some PJs for you to change into! Once the last guests left our venue, I was completely drained from the day. I grabbed my husband and had him unbutton my dress for me, then took my hair down and changed in the PJs my sister left out for me so that I could get around more easily. Since she had already loaded the car, all we had to grab were a handful of items and it made the end of the night so much easier!
Vendor Credit!
Venue: The Grand Willow
Caterer: La Conner Seafood & Prime Rib
Photographer: Andrea Jane
