Mode Weddings ~ Photography for best friends in love

Talk about stars in your eyes….Lindsay fell for Jason back in high school - well, she didn’t actually fall, but she does admit being so distracted by his first “hello” that she walked head-on into a cement post! ;-)  That moment must’ve put stars in Jason’s eyes, too - he asked Lindsay out, and what started as a - let’s say “memorable” - high school moment led to a connection for life.

Twelve years, a house and a dog later, Lindsay & Jason ‘finally’ (according to their circle of friends who claim they have ALWAYS been perfect for each other) chose to get married in a beautiful candlelit ceremony in Olympia.  The day started with Lindsay and her bridesmaids enjoying an excellent spa experience at Premiere.

Then it was off to the State Capitol building, where Jason got his first glimpse and a quiet moment with his gorgeous bride….

Their private moment didn’t last long

In true Olympia-in-the-fall fashion, the weather was a mix of clouds, sunbreaks and showers - with timing more perfect than anyone could ask for, as the wedding party and guests arrived at the Heritage Room, this rainbow appeared

Colors for the wedding were sophisticated in classic black and white, with a touch of yellow.  Flowers by Erin & Company provided a hint of art deco flair to the elegant decorations.

A prominent feature that brought plenty of smiles as guests entered was this photo from Lindsay & Jason’s high school Homecoming dance - little did they know that the theme, “Forever”, was going to hold so much meaning for their future!

In celebration of that prophetic high school dance theme, Lindsay and Jason each surprised the other with the inscription “Forever” engraved inside their wedding rings.

After the ceremony, the staff of Occasions Catering provided a fabulous and colorful feast, and top-notch service to a packed house throughout the evening.

Toasts were entertaining, as lifelong friends of the bride and groom took turns sharing tales of those high school days and of times since - touching, too, to hear that the common theme among them honored the fact that both Lindsay and Jason are the kind of people who help their friends stay optimistic when it counts - so much heartfelt and genuine happiness shared!

Check out the Signing Book that we created with images from their engagement session - now it’s a keepsake filled with heartfelt messages from friends and family on their wedding day!

So, Lindsay and Jason, is this better than dancing at Homecoming?

Lindsay & Jason thought a photo booth would be a fun addition to their reception - they were right!  Friends weren’t the only ones lining up all evening

And Pedro Serrano of S&S DJ Show did such an excellent job of keeping the crowd moving that no one wanted the evening to end!

Thanks Lindsay and Jason - your story is such a special one and we are thrilled that you chose us to capture the moments of your big day with you.  Hope you’ve enjoyed the preview - we can’t wait to show you the rest!

The awesome vendors:

Salon: Premiere Salon and Spa

Venue: Heritage Room by Occasions

Catering: Occasions Catering

DJ: S&S DJ Show (Pedro Serrano)

Flowers: Flowers by Erin (no website? let us know.)

Hotel: Phoenix Inn

Officiant: A Time Like This (Gina Newberry) Gina is awesome - we highly recommend her!

A chance meeting turned into happily ever after :)  Jeremy was in the service, stationed in Hawaii when he and his buddy spotted a couple of cute tourists and decided to say hello.  Megan told us that she knew that very moment….no doubt in her mind…Jeremy was ‘the one’.  And she was right Several years - and twists and turns of life’s paths - later, on a lawn surrounded by blazing summer colors and their closest family and friends, they exchanged their vows.

Megan started her day in a spacious suite at the Suquamish Clearwater Resort.  We were impressed by how calm Megan was - her great planning left her plenty of time to relax and enjoy time with family and friends who popped in as they arrived and checked into the hotel.

Unimpressed by all the company Megan and Jeremy’s son Garrett napped through much of the preparation.

Stylist Joseph Randall, of Joseph Robert’s Salon & Massage in Olympia, was awesome to work with - he literally worked non-stop from before noon until we all left for the wedding.  Clearly in his element, he added an air of warmth and fun while creating elegant styles for not just Megan, but her bridesmaids, her mom and Jeremy’s mom, too!  Between Joseph and Sequoia Leopold, the highly skilled make-up artist/owner of My Flawless Tan, the bridal party and the moms looked absolutely stunning as they left for the wedding.

As Megan and ‘the girls’ headed out to the Lodge, the guys were already there, getting ‘gussied up’ themselves.

Too cool crew - that’s Josh in front, looking forward to being a part of his dad’s wedding

Just a short ferry ride from Seattle or a scenic drive along the Kitsap Peninsula from Tacoma, the Kiana Lodge is a little slice of heaven. Tucked in amongst a gorgeous stand of old growth fir and cedar trees, the lodge is surrounded by acres of manicured gardens and overflowing with summer color, and has the added “ahhhhh factor” of an amazing Puget Sound waterfront view.  I heard unofficially that the lodge employs 7 full-time gardeners to maintain this PNW paradise - and I believe it!! The rustic elegance of the Kiana Lodge atrium, combined with the beautiful arrangements from Bella Signature created such a breathtaking atmosphere for the delicious dinner ahead!

No matter where you happen to be standing, Kiana Lodge provides an awe-inspiring view in every direction!

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my job?? … of course, one of my favorite moments at any wedding is the opportunity to be there when the bride and groom get a first glimpse of each other!

After spending the day with Megan, I didn’t think she could be any more radiant - but then came her turn down the aisle…she gave the sun a run for its money ;)  Chamber music provided by South Sound Strings was the perfect accompaniment to her glowing entrance.

As Jeremy read the heartfelt vows he’d written to Megan, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place - so eloquent.

After dinner, the party moved over to the lodge.  This quiet and tender moment was followed by lots of crazy fun on the dance floor

Apparently, good friends and good times run in the family - even Megan’s grandpa was tearin’ it up!!

Meanwhile…. Jeremy and ‘his boys’ stole a few moments to chill out on the dock….

A sunset walk on the beach gave the newlyweds a reason to sneak away for some quiet time.

Megan and Jeremy - hope you are having an awesome time in Mexico!  Thanks for letting us be a part of your incredible day - we’re looking forward to getting together after you’re home, so we can show you the rest of your images!

And a shout out to other great vendors that were part of their special day, but aren’t pictured in this post:

Jeweler:  Jared

Cake:  Blackbird Bakery, Bainbridge Island, WA

DJ/MC:  Brett Ness, Poulsbo, WA

Travel:  Carlson Wagonlit

Erin & Bill

This makes me smile.

Big time.

There are lots of pro photographer organizations out there that just cost money to join. Have a credit card number? voila, you’re a member.

The ISPWP is different.  Membership is earned with years of passion, hard work and professionalism.

Their member directory is a who’s who of the best in the business.

We’re thrilled and honored to be accepted into their ranks.

ISPWP website:

Our listing:

~Bill and Erin

We were thrilled when Bill’s long-time friend, Chad, called to say he’d proposed - and even more excited when he followed that up with the idea that he and Shawna wanted us to photograph their big day!

Over the past several months we’ve shared alot of fun, food and laughs with these two - Chad is an avid photographer whose day job involves project management at Intel, and Shawna works in the trenches, battling for teens to stay healthy and alive, as a drug and alcohol counselor for a local school district.  Of course these two best friends are crazy-in-love, but I was also struck by the solid foundation of their relationship - built on their joint commitment to family and friends, their church, and to just plain ‘doing the right thing’….it also doesn’t hurt that they know how to crack each other up ;-D

Shawna and ‘her girls’ started their day with hair and makeup at Brassfields Salon and Day Spa in University Place - the atmosphere was lively, fun and well organized - they were working with 3 wedding parties that morning!  Still, they were attentive and accommodating - no one felt rushed and they did an excellent job of helping Shawna, Elaine and Holly look and feel gorgeous

The wedding was held at Believers’ Fellowship ,  in Gig Harbor - Chad & Shawna are regular members there.  Friend and Pastor, John Pleau, conducted an outstanding celebration of their marriage, sharing not just scriptures and vows, but tales of personal lessons learned and a few funny stories about Chad & Shawna, too.

The moment both had been anticipating for so long - I don’t think either of them was breathing here

First sight between Dad and daughter was such an emotional moment.

Shawna and Chad did an amazing job of planning ahead to prepare for the day - leaving themselves plenty of time to just relax and hang out with close family and friends before the ceremony….we LOVE that!

Of course the tireless efforts of church-wedding-coordinator-extraordinaire, Rita Ness, were a major key to keeping details of the day on track!

The look on Chad’s face says it all, doesn’t it?

A quite moment of prayer before the ceremony

A sneak peek while excitedly waiting their turn to walk down the aisle

Chad’s grandparents wore quietly proud smiles through the entire day.

This hug between Father of the Bride and Groom - how many emotions can one moment contain?

After the ceremony, we had fun whisking the bride and groom away from the church and to McCormick Woods golf and country club in Port Orchard - what a gorgeous venue for their reception!  Since the four of us arrived early, we were able to sneak out onto the golf course and grab some fun shots of the newlyweds

DJ Mike Bozinski of That’s Entertainment is awesome!  He was super entertaining and kept everyone informed - and made sure they had fun - during the reception.

Chad’s brother, Josh, kept us all laughing all day.

Hand made by their brides - Shawna chose to follow a tradition created by Chad’s parents and, later, Josh’s bride as well - She made Chad’s ring with her own hands! (and a little help from Chad’s father Dave)

The get-away car - a stylish end to a stylish day

We hope you guys are having an awesome time in Florida - see you soon!

~Erin and Bill

Becky and Everett have such a great group of friends and a fun loving family - we couldn’t help but have fun at their wedding!  Both the ceremony and reception were held at the Masonic Center in Olympia. Our day started at the Allure Salon, a bright and stylish salon in West Olympia.  I stayed and captured the fun with Becky and her good friend and bridesmaid, Sara - while Bill headed out to catch up with the guys.

After Cyndi did an awesome job of styling Becky’s hair, the bride herself jumped into the role of stylist to Sara…

Even Tumwater’s finest joined in to wishing the best to Becky and Everett - after ‘congratulating’ Sara on her amazing NASCAR-like driving skills, that is..the photojournalist side of me wanted so much to jump out of the car and document the entire encounter from a better vantage point, but I thought that might inspire the officer to write his comments, instead of his “wedding day gift” of a smile and friendly warning

Becky and her bridesmaids continued getting ready at the Masonic Center.  Meanwhile, on the other side of town…..best man and life long friend to Everett, Eddy Ellis (a professional fighter) offered up his United Training Center gym as a perfect location for the guys to gather, get dressed and toast the upcoming events of the afternoon.

Becky swore Bill into seeing to it that the guys only had one shot each - but no one made any promises about the size of the shot glasses!

Everett was so excited to see Becky - we had a hard time getting him to keep his back turned until ‘the moment’. As soon as the first glance happened, though, any tensions of the day just melted away and their souls were visibly refreshed - these two so truly belong in each other’s company!

They say if you look up and to the left, you won’t cry, right?

A traffic-stopping crew…. literally….we appreciated the patience of the drivers who allowed Bill to get a few shots of the guys strolling down the street.

Becky pinning flowers on Everett’s mom, Vicky.

Everett and family friend Joe (the officiant) in the shadows, just before the ceremony started.

Quyn was the cutest 3 year old flower girl ever!

Dennis had a quiet proud smile all day - he beamed as they came down the isle.

After a great meal catered by the Budd Bay Cafe, it was time to toast the newlyweds.  Eddie’s words were few, but filled with meaning that everyone could share. Stephanie, the Maid of Honor and close friend to Becky since childhood, and Dennis, Becky’s dad, each spoke as well.  I have to admit - my eyes still fill with tears when I remember Stephanie telling the story of the day that Becky said, “I think Everett might be the one.”

It came as no surprise to us that Last Call Entertainment did an awesome job with the DJ duties - having worked with them before, we know they’re great. Chris and his crew made sure that everyone had plenty of chances to hit the dance floor and this crowd really appreciated that!

Becky’s brother Chris and her mom striking a pose for the camera ;-)  Bill passed the camera to Chris and got him to shoot the next shot of us with Becky and Everett - Thanks Chris!

A huge thanks to Becky and Everett - being a part of your day and witnessing the amazing love you share was an honor we’ll always treasure!

~Erin and Bill

What a fun loving crowd!  I really enjoyed hanging out with Everett, Becky and their family and friends last night.  I know the wedding today is going to be beautiful!

See you guys in a couple hours!!

~Bill and Erin

~Edited to add:  Here’s a little video of the fun:

Rehearsal: Becky and Everett at the Olympia Masonic Center from Bill Cawley on Vimeo.

Take a look at Rick and Kandie’s album preview - be sure to crank the volume so you can enjoy the song that played as the happy newlyweds danced their way down the aisle

A beautiful snowy wedding day story told one page at a time:

If you’d like to see the slideshow in it’s own window, click here: Rick + Kandie Custom Album Design

While outside, “the winter storm of a generation” (so dubbed by local newscasters–check out those icicles hanging from the eaves of the church, below!!) spread swirling snow over trees, lawns and roadways already covered in layers of ice, Kandie and Rick became husband and wife in an intimate ceremony warmed by love and best wishes from their closest friends and family members.  Their wedding day, seven years in the making, was not about to be outdone by challenging winter driving (and walking, for that matter ) conditions!

We’ve had the great pleasure of getting to know Rick and Kandie through their engagement shoot and working with them to finalize plans for how the story of their wedding day would unfold.  They are easy to like - kind, casual, fun-loving and very much in love. It is clear that friends and family mean everything to this amazing couple - Kandie’s brother and sister and Rick’s daughter and son were the attendants.  Music was performed by Rick’s brother and close friends, and Kandie’s niece not only created the bridesmaids’ jewelry, but also joined her twin sister in a piano duet to accompany Kandie’s walk down the aisle.

The quaint Hidden Creek Community Church in west Olympia was the perfect setting for the day.  We enjoyed an opportunity to work once more with Associate Pastor Sheri Morgan, who also serves as their cheerful wedding coordinator. :)  Pastor Keith Krell provided  such a touching ceremony -  it’s obvious that he, too, was overjoyed for his friends Kandie and Rick.

The reception was filled with emotion as many guests stood to toast the bride and groom and the ‘official’ joining of the two families -  and of course not missing the chance to rib Rick and Kandie about how long they’d all been waiting for them to tie the knot ;)  Pellegrino’s Tyee Grill in Tumwater served an awesome lunch. Of course one of the most eagerly anticipated moments of the day came when the wedding cheesecake, created by Desserts by Tasha Nicole, was served ;-p  Kandie was their first bride ever to request a cake top styled like evergreen cones!

After the party, the newlyweds headed off into the ’snowset’ for some well-deserved time at their favorite gorgeous getaway, Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Cheers to you, Kandie and Rick!  Thank you for allowing us the privilege of documenting your wedding story.

Thanks!

~Erin and Bill

Update:

Here’s a little video I made during the toasts (the clicks are when I took a still picture, the new Canon camera allows for taking video ‘around’ still images but it pauses when a still photo is taken):

Rick and Kandie Toasts from Bill Cawley on Vimeo.

Last month I photographed Nick and Lois’s wedding with my new friend Dennis from Dennis M Photography. The wedding was in Chehalis at the Apostolic Faith Church and the Historic Washington Hotel. Nick and Lois are a super fun couple and we had a blast, check out a few of my favorite images from the day.

And off they went.

Thanks guys, it was a beautiful wedding!

~Bill