Wednesday, February 26, 2014

A Love Story in Lake Chelan

Words by Taylor Wilson
Photos courtesy of Eugene Pavlov Photography

Mark and Heather valued their wedding day as one of the most significant days in their life together. With that in mind, the couple wanted a memorable wedding not only they, but their guests as well, would remember forever. Having been together for ten years, the couple reminisced over all the weddings they had attended, realizing the most special ones were the ones stretched out over multiple days. By hosting a destination wedding in Lake Chelan, their guests were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery while making a vacation out of the event.

In order to find the perfect locale for their big day, the couple created a checklist with their most important destination qualities. It needed to be somewhere far enough away where guests would have to make a trip out of it but not too far that everyone would have to buy a plane ticket. The couple also felt strongly about getting married near a body of water, whether it be a lake, ocean or river. One by one, the Mark and Heather narrowed down their options until they decided Lake Chelan was the perfect destination for them. “Lake Chelan has an amazing collection of wineries, many of which host weddings. We knew we wanted to get married at one of them and when we stepped foot on Karma Vineyard’s panoramic patio, that was it. The decision was made,” says Heather.

Planning a destination wedding in an unfamiliar location was a bit difficult but short weekend trips forced the couple to stay focused and get all the planning done in a timely manner. Also, Heather found a group in the area that puts on a show every year, highlighting vendors in Lake Chelan. This helped Heather narrow down her options and explore reputable vendors in the area.

Since Heather is a graphic designer, she was able to create all of the stationery used for the wedding and add her own personal touch to the invites. Also, because the couple was getting married at a vineyard, they incorporated wine corks into the décor. Heather glued corks together to create holders for the place cards and also made a “Mr & Mrs” sign for the head table.

Hosting a destination wedding ended up being the perfect way to celebrate Heather and Mark’s marriage. The couple saved money in the long run, as their hometown of Seattle is an incredibly expensive place to host a wedding. Also, the entire weekend provided for a fun and memorable experience for everyone in attendance. “I wanted an experience, and I think that’s what we gave people. It felt so great to share such an awesome place with our loved ones they had never seen before,” says the bride.

Photographer: Eugene Pavlov Photography, Ceremony/Reception Site: Karma Vineyards, Florist: The Cutting Garden, Cake: Cake Chic Studio, Hair & Makeup: Sorrida Salon, Gown Designer: St. Pucchi, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Macy’s, Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Wtoo & Macy’s