Marilyn and Tysen’s Wedding
Where (Wedding & Reception): Manor House at Pleasant Beach, Bainbridge Island, WA
On: September 25th, 2021
The Manor House
Marilyn and Tysen’s wedding was at the Manor House at Pleasant Beach in Bainbridge Island, Washington. This is a beautiful spot along the edge of the Olympic Peninsula. The Manor house is not only a wedding venue but also a great place to stay with little restaurants and shops to visit. Notably, the cool part of the Manor House is the magnificent view of Puget Sound from the edge of the ceremony tent. When I first walked into the space, I found the tent itself is clear. This allows tons of light on a cloudy day and protects the ceremony and all your guests from the weather.
Arriving At the Manor House
Across the parking lot sits a quaint garden and a little forest area that can be used for picnics or group photos. Thankfully, everything is super close but unique. I used the garden to take pictures of the dresses and where we set up the first look. Because of where I live, it doesn’t matter which way I go. I can travel around by Tacoma, Washington crossing the Tacoma Narrows Bridge or I can ride a ferry and cross the Puget Sound from Seattle to Bainbridge Island. I decided to drive around by Tacoma and it’s a good thing I did! The ferry system was canceling trips due to Covid-19. Any vendors or guests who needed to use the ferry were late!
The Details
The bride took the delays in stride. I found her in the bridal suite with her bridesmaids all getting their hair and make-up done with a tasty breakfast and drinks. Though my second shooter and the videographer weren’t there yet, I got started with taking photos of the wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses, shoes, and jewelry. I met the florist as she was setting up the greenery for the ceremony and took photos of the bouquets.
Interestingly, the entire wedding was like a walk through a garden of ivy and white petals. I love how Marilyn and Tysen used plants throughout their wedding in the decor, the venue, their cake, and their thank you gifts. With all the vines, and greenery I couldn’t help but use it in the ring shots and details. I even caught the florists as they set up the ceremony area as they worked to cover the chandeliers with vines and greenery.
The Bride
It goes without saying that getting ready for your wedding can be a big production. But, Marilyn and her bridesmaids seemed to enjoy the process from start to finish. As a matter of fact, the bridesmaids helped her with everything from her hair and makeup to her dress, shoes, and jewelry. I couldn’t help but take photos of them in their robes. Her hair was put into a loose bun with whips around her face. She wore an amazing pair of blue heels. In fact, she had a delicate, fingertip length veil nestled in her hair that was perfect. And, her dress was a sleeveless cream masterpiece with all over intricate lace. Her bridesmaids all wore various styles of a mint-green colored dress.
The Groom
Tysen wasn’t really excited about getting his pictures taken but he definitely stepped up for his bride. He and all his groomsmen wore blue tuxes with mint green ties. I had my second shooter take the groomsmen getting ready photos. Sincerely, this helped me so I had more time to take photos of the bride. The videographers and my second shooter were able to place Tysen in the garden while I finished photographing the bride in the window of the bridal suite.
First Look
The first look was held in the little garden across from the Manor House itself. They stood just inside the trellis entrance where we had some shade to capture their private moment. It was super sweet to watch Tysen’s reaction to Marilyn’s beautiful dress. I got Tysen to pick up Marilyn and got a great shot of her gorgeous shoes!
Ceremony
The ceremony at the Manor House Wedding at Pleasant Beach was perfect weather. It wasn’t too windy, it wasn’t too hot or cold and the sun came out to make for a beautiful garden setting. After all the guests found their seats, the wedding party walked down the aisle. Lastly, the bride’s parents escorted her down the aisle together.
The vows were sweetly given in front of the couple’s treasured guests. Not to mention, a friend was the officiant making the ceremony more intimate and special. They sealed their vows with a sweet kiss and then walked down the aisle together to conclude the ceremony.
Cocktail Hour & Couple Shots
Amazingly, we packed a lot of photo opportunities during the cocktail hour. We managed to get it all done and still give Marilyn and Tysen a break for a little bit of alone time. Not to mention, time to visit with their guests. Luckily, we could use various backdrops fairly close to the ceremony tent to grab some epic shots, too! There were views from the loft in the Manor itself and little garden and forest spots. Conveniently, we even found a lovely set of stairs to use for a dramatic view of the bride’s dress.
The Reception
Next, the reception kicked off with a grand entrance for the entire wedding party that climaxed with the bride and groom entering the tent area at the Manor House. The guests were served a delicious meal followed by the cake cutting, sweet toasts from friends and family, and all the special dances followed by a silent disco. The cake was simply gorgeous and it tasted divine. Most of us had a good chuckle watching the silent disco as the guests sang songs only heard with special headphones on. Congratulations to Marilyn and Tysen! I hope you enjoyed your special day!
Finally, if you are looking for a photographer for your engagement or wedding, contact me, and let’s create your own adventure.
