Nestled along a section of the western shore of Lake Washington, Washington Park Arboretum is a beautiful place to escape the city and reconnect with nature, all without leaving Seattle. It’s lush gardens and forests, full of meandering paths offer a glimpse into Pacific Northwest nature that changes dramatically with the seasons. And on this warm (but not too hot) early summer day, M & K were married at Washington Park Arboretum’s lovely Wisteria Hall in front of their families, friends, and their dog Wolfie.
Having both competed in collegiate Division I sports (she as a rower at the UW, and he as a wrestler at Michigan), they bonded over a common love of working out and PB&J over grilled cheese (although M initially spotted K at Whole Foods as he was searching for the perfect head of broccoli). They surreptitiously met on the apps after that and started taking dance and jiu jitsu classes together. Having the wedding in Seattle near the UW where M had been a rower, it was only fitting that they should their beautiful first look at Conibear Shellhouse, the home of the esteemed UW rowing team. I have to admit, seeing all of those rows of sleek boats, all polished and race-ready was quite impressive. They both looked incredible! After their first look, it was off to Wisteria Hall at the Arboretum for their lovely ceremony, which featured an additional first kiss where the couple just couldn’t wait to kiss each other (you’ll see it below!). And of course there were the heartfelt speeches and toasts during the reception, where the groom’s mother wrapped a scarf around the bride’s head in their Russian tradition.
And second only to the bride and groom for most hugs of the day was their dog Wolfie, who is, without question, the sweetest, most gentle, and friendly dog I have ever met (by far). I’ve never met a dog in my life that exudes such unabashed gentleness and love. He is such a sweetheart and I’m so glad he is with such a kind, sweet, deserving couple. Originally, the bride trained him to be a guide dog for the blind, but Wolfie had a tendency to lead people to other dogs (assuming he wanted them to meet his friends). :). You’ll see Wolfie quite a bit if you scroll through the images!
Congratulations you two! Thank you so much for the opportunity to photograph your beautiful wedding! It was such a pleasure working with you and your wonderful families and friends! Enjoy a sneak peek at a few of the many highlights from your wedding day and I wish you both many, many years of happiness together as husband and wife!
