With “it’s wild beauty, hazy views, and graceful simplicity,” the historic Vista House was the perfect canvas for this beautiful couple to plan their happily ever after. The Bride, Zoie, transformed the old stone house with untamed flowers, antique chandeliers and a rich color scheme. In the end, Chas and Zoie’s day was “a perfect dream, a summertime winter wonderland, and absolute heaven.” I am so thankful to have worked with these two and their families. We connected instantly and even though we didn’t meet in person until the day before the wedding, the relationship we developed from a distance was something I truly cherished and it made our entire weekend working together a memorable experience. Weddings like Chas and Zoie’s remind me all over again why I love being able to document these new beginnings. Thank you for trusting me and welcoming me from the beginning and being thoughtful as we braved the cold together!
THE WEDDING DAY, written by Zoie
“We spent September 5, 2015 in heaven. Enveloped in the clouds, surrounded by the people we love most and in the arms of each other. Our mountaintop-wedding day took place on the coldest and most magical Spokane, Washington summer day imaginable.
Chas and I knew that the historic Vista House, a rustic stone structure perched on the summit of Mount Spokane, would be the ideal setting for our intimate wedding. We saw it’s wild beauty, hazy views, and graceful simplicity as the perfect canvas for our happily ever after. We envisioned the empty, old building, built lovingly out of the mountain’s stone by the CCC in 1934, coming to life as the host of our elegant, untamed party. It was the prefect representation of us.
Chas and I met on our first day of kindergarten but, despite growing up together on a small island in the Puget Sound of Washington State, it wasn’t until years after we’d left that we fell in love. Back in our hometown during a summer break between college terms we realized that all the things we have in common, and all the things we don’t fit perfectly together.
Between the two of us our interests are vast and varied. As an interior designer and stylist I love beautiful things, art, flowers and the feeling I get when I’m in the midst of a creative project. Chas’ love of the rugged outdoors, fishing, hiking and challenging himself make him passionate about his career as a fisheries biologist. There are also so many things we both love: our love of the changing seasons, friendly competition, spending time with people we love, our darling pets, enjoying nature, all things food, exploring new places and, of course, each other. We wanted our wedding to hit those notes and to truly and uniquely represent us individually and together as future husband and wife.
We let our imaginations run wild during the wedding planning process. After being lucky enough to secure the venue (the State of Washington had just decided to allow the Vista House be rented for events such as ours!) – it didn’t even feel real! We had to find amazing vendors who were just as passionate and crazy as us. It took little convincing to get the creative people we worked with on board. Photos were taken, maps and diagrams were drawn and slowly and surely our lavish mountain affair was lovingly planned.
The week leading up to the wedding the ever-changing forecast kept us on our toes and we all were praying for a clear day. The morning of September 5th was miserably cold and wet. From the grand windows of the Historic Davenport Hotel my bridesmaids and I could see that our beloved mountaintop had been devoured by a swirling mass of clouds and rain. Even so, everyone’s hearts had never been lighter. We put on our gowns, gathered our flowers, and delightedly consented to the fact that no matter how much hairspray we used, our hair was going to frizz. Up on the mountain preparations were well underway, rental trucks came and went, handmade garlands of mountain cedar were hung, heaters were roaring, the wedding platform my dad built was assembled, the wild floral centerpieces my mom sister and I made were set upon the tables and a generator buzzed away lighting the chandelier that Chas and I had found on one of our frequent wedding antique shopping trips. Last minute decisions were made and plans were improvised due to the storm. Our hero vendors donned thick coats and braved on.
As we drove up the mountain the frigidly rainy day became a misty wonderland. Wispy threads of disappointment in the weather were replaced with awe. We found ourselves in a heavenly dream and were enchanted by it. The Vista house was bedecked and glowing, lively with the celebration and humming with the joy of our family and friends who pitched in to make our vision come to life. When Chas and I saw each other for the first time, dressed to be wed, in the middle of that scene, we felt the electricity of our love of the love around us.
In a burst of merriment we decided to hold our ceremony outdoors after all and piling throw blankets high we invited our guests to make themselves cozy during our vows. Chas gallantly wrapped me in his tuxedo jacket mid way through the ceremony when he saw me tremble from the cold and the warmth of our sprits continued throughout the evening. We dined on the most delicious food and drink, seafood hors d’oeuvres made with Dungeness crab Chas’ family caught, halibut and lamb, blackberry spritzers, champagne and our favorite Lemon Chiffon cake. The Vista House remained wreathed in the finest mist that day, that broke once only for the faintest moment to show a glimpse of a lake far in the distance and lifted just as the night had hit full swing. Frost clung to the windows but inside we celebrated merrily. It wasn’t how we imagined our wedding to be, we couldn’t have planned for that misty magic. We were blessed with a day that was a perfect dream, a summertime winter wonderland, and absolute heaven.”
Photography: Megan Robinson | Event Design + Styling: The Bride | Floral Design: Garden Of Eden | Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara | Cakes: Chaps Bakery | Stationery: Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence | Catering: Feast Catering | Bow Ties: The Tie Bar | Venue: The Vista House, Mount Spokane State Park | Floral Centerpiece Design: The Bride, Her Sister + Mother | Rentals: Event Rents | Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic | Veil: Melinda Rose Designs
