First off, congrats! What is your most memorable moment from the wedding?
It’s really hard to say. The dinner table took our breath away. But the true beauty of the wedding was seeing all our friends and family who have supported us for nine years, come together and celebrate our love and commitment.
Carly Bish Photography
What were the colors of your wedding?
Black, Champagne, and Gold. The table was dusted in lavender and leveraged the natural greenery from the woods.
Carly Bish Photography
What do you think worked really well at your wedding that you would recommend every couple to do?
Be happy with your venue and wedding planner. The wedding day itself was nothing short of magical thanks to our Katie Aweida and Copper Creek Inn. We were surrounded by our closest friends and family in the middle of an enchanted forest, enclosed by green moss and lights peeking through trees that were as tall as the eye can see. The air was perfectly crisp and filled with love. The ceremony was encircled by huge trees deep in the forest at the base of Mount Ranier; we stood on a stone altar. Natural wood benches were designed and nailed into the forest floor for our guests. The dinner snaked endlessly down an exquisite nature trail; the lights from the candelabras twinkled on the dinner table that was canopied by the natural branches of the forest. Our reception was also centered in the woods, where we wrapped string lights from tree to tree. The night ended with a bonfire, a cannabis station, fifteen delivered pizzas, and s’mores. The whole thing was a stunning and classy event amongst the natural beauty of the forest, and the venue allowed for all of this to happen in one location.
Carly Bish Photography
Would you have done anything differently—splurge on a pricier dress, nix the favors, go for that extra passed appetizer?
We genuinely can’t think of anything that was not worth it. We were very meticulous and had an excellent wedding planner. We scaled back and cut corners where we felt right, tried getting crafting with a few DIY projects, and invested in the right areas to make sure our guests had a fun-filled weekend. We look back and would do it all over again!
Carly Bish Photography
What tips do you have for other Joy couples still in the midst of wedding planning?
Be honest with your wedding planner, use Costco for your alcohol and try to have everything done a week before your wedding this way you are stress-free days leading up.
Carly Bish Photography
What were your favorite features of Joy?
We knew we wanted to send out electronic invites. We were impressed with how easy and custom the interface was and the invites turned out beautifully.
Carly Bish Photography
At Joy we believe that although a wedding lasts one day, joy lasts forever. What does that mean to you and your husband?
Our wedding was a celebration of our love, forged over 10 years. While the day will be but a memory, it’s a memory that allows us to cherish the love, laughter, and joy forever.
Note from the groom:
One groom’s vows referenced how he came so far from being a gay man feeling lost in his teens with NO role models on successful gay relationships or weddings, sneaking peeks at his mother’s magazines, to having his dreams come true. He hopes this inspires other LGBT teens to keep dreaming about their wedding. It’s possible. Instead of throwing a bouquet, we threw a boa… naturally! Our wedding party was introduced to RuPaul’s “Sissy That Walk,” and the grooms were introduced to RuPaul’s “Cover Girl.” We also worked with our DJ to edit a mock RuPaul’s Drag Race lip sync battle between our wedding parties, which kicked off the reception. Spoiler alert: Shantay they both stayed. Clearly we’re huge RuPaul’s Drag Race fans.
Photo by Carly Bish Photography, www.carlybish.com
Vendor Details
Venue: Copper Creek Inn
Wedding Planner: Katie Aweida
Photographer: Carly Bish
