Sydney and Klayton’s wedding was the epitome of class and beauty. As guests arrived, they were immediately enamored by the gorgeous outdoor scenery that surrounded them. It was as if Mother Nature was showing off her skills by creating the perfect backdrop for this elegant affair. The lush greenery and vibrant flowers seamlessly blended with the sophisticated décor, making it impossible to tell where nature ended and the wedding began. The couple had truly found the perfect balance between refinement and natural charm. It was a wedding for the ages, and Sydney and Klayton’s love shone brighter than the sun that day.
How did you meet?
We met through mutual friends in college. They were all a big part of our wedding day!
What is your proposal story?
Klayton planned a surprise proposal on the beach in Costa Rica. Sydney still has the post it where he asked TSA not to mention the ring in his carry on.
Tell us a little a bit about your wedding
We had an elegant outdoor wedding with charming PNW touches at the Admirals House in July. The couple reflected their personalities and family traditions on their special day- including pictures of each guest on an escort card and a customized floral chuppah covered with family heirlooms. The wedding was catered by close family friends who created a delicious family style dinner followed by a gelato cart, wedding cake and late night fries and sliders. The bar had a “build your own mule bar” where guests could design their own moscow mules and printed linen signs throughout the event. It was an incredible day filled with touching moments, Jewish traditions, great music and lots of food!
Tell us about your attire choices.
We both wore custom outfits. Sydney designed her dress with Lace and Liberty in San Francisco. She wanted something flattering and classic. Klayton designed his outfit with Indochino and loved the idea of a non traditional tuxedo. He wore a midnight blue tuxedos with a satin lapel and black suede loafers.
Bridesmaids picked their own floor length dresses in Dusty Blue, Slate & Light Gray- different styles and textures were encouraged
Groomsmen wore Classic black suits, white shirts and black satin tie from The Black Tux.
What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?
We really wanted our guests to feel loved and taken care of. We both focused on sentimental touches and took time to express how we could make our day feel special. Good food and drinks were the most important to the couple. Photos ended up being a lot more important than we could have imagined. The bride’s father passed away six months later and the photos ended up being our most cherished items.
What were your favorite parts of the day?
We had so many laughs and moments we all recalled a year later. Getting married was the best part! We were delayed a year because of COVID and we delayed our wedding because it was important to us to celebrate with our loved ones.
The bride walked down the aisle to an acoustic version of “Crazy Love” performed by her god brother.
Our vows were written for each other and were emotional to read for the couple. After the groom read his vows the bride began to get choked up during her reading. At the very moment a cruise ship blared on the horn to signal it was leaving the harbor and the whole wedding burst out into laughter and tears.
The bride’s father surprised everyone and coordinated with the Dj to sing at the end of his father of the groom speech. He belted “Sunrise Sunset” from Fiddler on the Roof. His rendition was hilarious and he had the entire wedding singing the chorus.
Being lifted in the chairs during the horrah was really fun (and a little scary).
Tell us about your wedding cake.
Local Deru cakes were amazing! We wanted something minimal and rustic. We had a small cutting cake and two cakes. They were incredible!
Heirloom Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Coconut Cake with Vanilla Frosting
What did you do for favors?
We didn’t really do favors. The pictures of each guest on an escort card had magnets on the back and people kept them. We also had bags of our favorite local snacks such as Fremont beer and Frans chocolates for guests staying at the Edgewater Hotel.
Please describe any DIY, handmade, or personal details.
The guest photo escort cards and magnet board were made by the bridge and friends.
Our chuppah included family heirloom linens including the same linen the bride’s parents got married under.
The bride and groom collected mismatched tapered glass candle holders from goodwill and local antique shops around Seattle for the guest tables.
Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?
The bride wore family heirloom jewelry from both sides of the family.
Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?
My little sister is planning her wedding right now and my biggest advice to her was to really think about the things that matter most to you and your partner and invest your time and money in that. The rest can be handled by the professionals! What made our wedding so special is that it was a true reflection of us. Our favorite people, food, music, etc. People enjoying what we love made our night that much more special.
Did any of your wedding pros deliver a standout experience?
Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes catering did a fantastic job with customizing our menu and helping us make every idea we had come to life. We felt very taken care of and the food was a highlight of the event. We had -Passed Appetizers, Cheese Table, Oyster Bar, Family Style Summer Dinner: Cedar Plank Salmon, summer salads, etc., Light Night Snack: Sliders and Fries and everything was executed perfectly.
We also appreciated Natasha from Invisible Hostess’ calmness. We hired her for Month of Coordination and we felt like we developed a great partnership during the planning process. We really appreciated that we didn’t have to think about any details on our wedding day.
