We’re excited to share the summer wedding of Erika and Jason, taking place in our own hometown of Seattle!
How it all began: Twenty-two years ago, we lived just a few miles apart and never knew each other. Ten years ago, we lived just blocks from each other near the University of Washington and never knew. Four years ago, we met and, over the course of a couple of years, knew that we were supposed to be together forever. And now we’ve made it official with our wedding! Funny how those things work!
Through the years of dating, we’ve learned many things about each other. Some are profound, some pretty silly, but the most important thing we learned is that we belong together—as our personalities, our individual wills and our goals and aspirations in life are the ultimate complement to one another.
The scene: August 18, 2012, Pan Pacific Hotel, Seattle, WA
I chose the somewhat mixed theme of modern/vintage/whimsical/elegant because I love mid-century design, which I feel is evoked by the warm wooden walls of the Pan Pacific Hotel, but I also love eclectic and clean design elements, which we incorporated to make the venue feel fresh. I wanted the floral design to be seasonal and rich, so we used lemons for organic accents and a summery color palette of coral, gray, raspberry, light blue and butter yellow.
Instead of a guest book, we had vintage post cards from around the world, which we’ll now frame into a collage. Some of our other details included succulent favors in egg cups, lemon accents on the tables and trees at the altar, and Glassybaby candle holders. Wands with bells and ribbons were used to celebrate our exit!
Additionally, after having a very difficult year what with the passing of my father, we wanted to bring the summer to a close with a wonderful celebration that he so badly wanted to attend, with elements incorporated throughout the ceremony and reception that celebrated his memory, whether the guests were aware or not.
My look: I wore a strapless taffeta trumpet gown by Nouvelle Amsale. It had a gorgeous sweetheart neckline and an asymmetrical bodice with a full skirt. I absolutely LOVED my dress! One of my favorite moments of the process was trying on the dress and immediately being able to perfectly envision it in the aesthetic we wanted to convey.
I wore special jewelry around my wrist to celebrate family members who have passed away: a cross made of the diamonds that were in my grandmother’s wedding ring on a white gold chain and a locket with a tiny gold heart inside that my father gave me before he passed away in the spring of 2012.
My Wedding Stylist: Ari from the Downtown Seattle Wedding Suite
Ari was amazing. I felt like I had a girlfriend with me, helping me along the way, giving me honest feedback and support. She was extremely knowledgeable and made both my mother and me feel incredibly comfortable with the experience. Ari understood the feel and ambiance I was looking to achieve for the wedding, and she provided me with options that fit my vision with 100% accuracy.
I booked a Laura Mercier make-up artist through Nordstrom, and the day of the wedding, she did make-up for me, my mom and my bridesmaids. She was fantastic and provided make-up for each of us that was consistent with the fresh-faced look I was going for, but she tailored the look for each bridesmaid. I gave my bridesmaids Dogeared necklaces as gifts, each one with a different charm based on our friendship.
My mom loved her look, too. She wore a dress by Rachel Roy, Majorica pearl earrings, and a Judith Jack bangle. It was important for us that we work with local Seattle businesses for our wedding, and Nordstrom was one of those—it was one of the best decisions we made for our special day!
A favorite moment: Our wedding party was tasked with creating movie soundtrack-themed entrances for the reception: songs from Footloose, St. Elmo’s Fire, and Top Gun. Jason and I entered last with the Star Wars theme and our dogs dressed as Darth Vader and Princess Leia—a bit of cheesy fun that my husband was in charge of! We loved having our dogs be a part of the wedding processional, ceremony and reception!
Photography by JKoe Photography
Did you find your wedding gown at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! Email Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a wedding stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.
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