Kate and Ryan’s Wedding
Where (Wedding & Reception): River Estate off the Columbia River
Wenatchee, WA
On: May 7th, 2022
The River Estate
Kate and Ryan’s wedding was at this beautiful estate, next to the Columbia River in Wenatchee, Washington. The house is perfectly situated with plenty of parking, access to the apple orchard across the highway, and the river flowing next to it. The River Estate venue is right off US-2 along the Columbia River and across the street from an apple orchard.
It’s in a valley so the wind was strong. The bridal party had already set up the guest book table, the arch for the ceremony, and the chairs. The reception tables were decorated. There is a dock to access the river from and a pool, too. The open floor plan of the estate is decorated like a modern farmhouse. With a stone patio for a dance floor and enough space to set up both the ceremony and reception tables, it was cleverly decorated for Kate and Ryan.
Arriving At the River Estate Wedding
Though it was raining on the West side of the Cascade Mountains, it was nice on the East side as my husband and I drove over the pass on our way to Wenatchee, WA. I am glad as rain can cause stress for couples. For me, I find ways around it. When we arrived at the River Estate the wedding party was already there. I walked around to assess where would be the best spots for the first look and family photos.
The Details
The bride’s ring was a beautiful diamond flower, and the groom’s ring was a simple gold band. They had a delicious two-tiered bundt cake. There were polaroid cameras for the guest book, cube planters with flowers, and greenery for decorations. The party favors were little glass jars with M&M’s, and wedding guests’ initials burned into the wooden lids. Plus, there were signs to tell guests the timeline of events with signs to guide the guests where to find amenities.
Each detail was carefully crafted to make this wedding one of the best I have ever seen. To me, the best events are the ones that are personal and reflect the couple. The bride made the bouquets and boutonnieres. Her dad strung the lights for the dance and reception area. Plus, the mother of the bride was the officiant.
The Bride
The bride is the daughter of friends of my husband and now mine. When the bride first asked me to be her wedding photographer, I was thrilled. Brides are often nervous on their wedding day. But, Kate was not. She was calm and happy. I could tell the bride had worked hard to pull off all the details of their special day. Kate wore a diamond tiara, drop earrings, and a diamond necklace. She had cute white sandals for the ceremony and white high-tops for the reception with “Mrs.” painted on the sides. Her hair was put into a curly updo with a side braid to frame her face. Her crisp, white satin dress fit perfectly. In fact, she had a delicate, fingertip-length veil nestled in her hair that was perfect. Her three bridesmaids all wore burgundy-colored, floor-length chiffon dresses.
The Groom
I love hearing how Ryan and Kate met. It is apparent that Ryan completely loves Kate. He just looked at her, and I just knew he felt true love. The groom wore a suit with a burgundy tie and vest. He wore a white shirt while his groomsmen all wore matching black shirts. His brother pinned his boutonniere on his lapel. He had three groomsmen and two flower men who wore matching suits. Honestly, the groomsmen impressed me with how the groomsmen did everything I asked and more. Everyone pitched in to help with the setup, ceremony, and clean-up.
First Look
I originally planned to have the first look right off the front door of the estate. But, because the light would hit so there would be harsh lines on their face, I moved them to the parking area along the tree line.
It was the perfect spot. I could stand back and get a full view of the bride’s dress and the groom’s reaction when he turned to see his bride for the first time in her dress.
These are always my favorite shots since there is often intense emotion. Honestly, this couple did not disappoint. Their first moments were so sweet.
Wedding Party and Family Photos
The true test of a photographer’s skills tends to be the wedding party and family photos. In this case, I not only had to deal with closed eyes on some of the shots but extreme wind. I think I am proudest of my edits of the group photos. Therefore, my mad Photoshop skills came in handy for sure! Because the wedding was off the river in a valley, there was no way to block the wind. However, I was able to take enough photos to fix any crazy hair moments. I think this river estate wedding turned out fantastic.
Ceremony
The ceremony at the River Estate wedding was a bit windy but super sweet to watch, and the bride’s mom was the officiant. They had a great view of the river for the ceremony. Their wedding party did a great job walking down the aisle, and the best part was the flower dudes that had matching fanny packs with pedals. The antics as they went down the aisle still cracks me up.
They said their vows in front of the couple’s treasured guests. The bride and groom exchanged rings. Despite the full sun and wind, it was a special moment. They sealed their vows with a sweet kiss and then walked down the aisle together to conclude the ceremony.
Cocktail Hour & Couple Shots
Shortly after the ceremony concluded, the bride and groom signed their marriage license, got a quick drink, and changed their shoes to walk around the venue for couple shots. While we were busy with these photos, the rest of the guests moved the ceremony chairs to the tables where they could mingle, sign the guest book, and eat some snacks. I love that we could go over to the apple orchard across the street and get a few pictures in the grove. There were little apples already starting to appear in some of the trees. We also used the bride’s veil for some intimate closeup shots. I took their rings and got some beautiful detail shots of their rings and the cake table, too.
The Reception at the River Estate Wedding
Next, the reception kicked off with a grand entrance of the bride and groom coming out the double doors on the patio at the River Estate. The guests were served a delicious meal followed by sweet toasts from friends and family, the cake cutting and all the special dances as the sun began to set. The cake was an amazing two-tiered bundt cake that melted in my mouth when I got a bite. I thought it was truly cute when the bride placed her feet on her dad’s for their special dance. Congratulations to Kate and Ryan! I hope you enjoyed your special day!
Lastly, if you are looking for a photographer for your engagement or wedding, contact me, and let’s create your own adventure.
