Real Weddings: Tara & Andy

MindCastle Studios posted beautiful pictures this morning from Tara and Andy's October wedding. It was such a pleasure doing Tara's flowers; she chose an elegant and classic design in beautiful shades of ivory. Her nine bridemaids carried bouquets with accents of chocolate orchids and fiddleheads; it was the perfect classic touch at the St. James Cathedral. Tara's darling flower girls carried ivory pomanders with chocolate silk handles.

Tara was a gorgeous bride, with one of my favorite dresses ever (and I see A LOT of dresses!). She found it at The Bridal Garden in Kirkland, a great place to do your dress shopping. They somehow manage to create an atmosphere there that is the perfect blend of welcoming and elegant. It really makes your dress shopping feel like such a special experience. Tara's dress was from the Marisa collection, and featured gorgeous silk dupioni fabric with amazing draping (yes, I have been watching a little too much Project Runway).

One of my favorite details from Tara and Andy's wedding was their dessert; Tara is not a cake person, so she chose apple cobbler! I love weddings that really reflect the bride and groom's personalities.

Finally, I can't say enough about Danielle and Casey's beautiful work at MindCastle. They are so talented (check out the "textured" shots they do), and are also some of the very nicest people I have met. I'm frequently asked for wedding advice from my brides, and the first thing I usually say is "choose a photographer that you really love for both their work AND personality". The reality of your wedding day is that you will probably spend more quality time with your photographer than your new spouse, so make sure you enjoy them! I wouldn't hesitate to spend my special day with Danielle and Casey.