BACKYARD FAIRYTALE POULSBO, WASHINGTON WEDDING

JULY 21, 2018 - POULSBO, WASHINGTON

"It has been a big year for Juan and I. We got engaged, bought my childhood home on Big Valley Road, and got married there on July 21st." - Georgia

This is a very important step of the wedding day process, don't let anyone tell you differently. 

"We couldn't be more grateful or moved by the support and participation of everyone in our wedding day. The day was also bitter sweet because Juan's parents could not be there. Juan hasn't been able to see them since they move back to Peru almost 5 years ago. Their absence was felt by all of us on that day particularly, but thanks to FaceTime they were able to watch the ceremony and blow kisses to us over the phone right after we walked down the aisle."

"No one has been more devoted to this house than Juan since we bought it, especially in preparation for our wedding day. After working long hours landscaping with his crew, they would come home only to continue working. To him, landscaping is not just hard work..it is the process of transforming our every day environment into a magical place, where we feel safe, loved, and surrounded by beauty. In fact, creating a home has been Juan's biggest goal for almost as long as I have known him. Seeing that dream become a reality this year has been overwhelming and wonderful."

"In many ways, mine and Juan's lives pivot around our family and friends. That is why seeing every one come together to celebrate our union in our own back yard is truly the most special and emotional thing I have ever experienced. Every little detail of our wedding is owed to a friend or family member. Megan grew the dahlias and cosmos we used in the flower arrangements. Our cake came from the bakery where Ali works. Diego, Juan's best friend officiated the wedding and created the most personal ceremony I have ever heard. He performed the whole ceremony in English and in Spanish so all of our guests could hear the words in their native language. My cousin hand lettered all of our signs in a mixture of English and Spanish; a Spanglish that our group of friends is very used to after growing up at each others houses. The catering was done by a past client of Juan, who has turned into a friend and can make the best damn tacos I have ever had. Makena, our niece, was the flower girl and wore a dress that Juan's mother hand sewed for her. Grisel, the mother of Juan's best friend and honorary mother to Juan, made all of our flower garlands and arrangements by hand. The greenery for the flower arrangements were gathered from the property."

"Our home is a turn of the century farm house, whose history goes back much further than my family's. Every year the salmon spawn in the creek that runs through the back of the property, the trees grow, flower and bear fruit, and the wisteria takes over a little bit more of the deck. I have watched these things happen every year for over 10 years now, and I have seen changes being made as well. Trees have been planted for loved ones who have passed, sheep, rabbits and an alpaca have been added to the fields, and friends have moved in and shared in making this house even more of a home. When Juan asked me to marry him, we already knew that the wedding would take place on this property."

Dear friend Elizabeth Gundersen sang the most beautiful first dance song. Did you know "No One," Alicia Keys, could make you CRY?

"The wedding day itself goes by so fast but the feelings of community and gratitude created on that day remain. Now, the history of our property has another beautiful addition to its memory bank." 

"The dunes are changed by the wind by the desert never changes. That's the way it will be with our love for each other." -Paulo Coehlo

Hair: Chandra from Inspiritu Salon

Florals: Paula Suter (mom), Megan, Grisel 

Cake: blackbird bakery

Lettering and Signs: Bespoke Tacoma

Catering: Mi Sueno