Rattlesnake Ledge // Seattle, Washington Elopement
To make a long story short, they were planning to get married in Seattle originally, had a date and venue and everything planned out, but then Joyce found out that she had breast cancer and had to have a mastectomy and reconstruction last year – and all of that pushed their whole wedding timeline way back and made them realize that they should just make it happen in Mexico, where they had originally dreamed of…
I was on the beaches of Puerto Rico when I first got an email from Joyce. The title: Elopement Shoot in Seattle. I was hooked, probably squealed and definitely felt an instant connection to this woman who I have grown to admire so deeply over the course of the last few months. It would just be a simple, short & sweet ceremony with vows that they would write. The most important thing to them was that they would have gorgeous images captured of the moments when they actually became husband and wife – they were planning to just go to the courthouse in Seattle and do the “official” marriage totally no-frills, but that just wasn’t sitting right with them. “I know I’ll regret it forever if we don’t have some real, beautiful photos of that moment. And that’s when I thought of you!”
Joyce and Serkan got married in the mountains. A love story that was begging to be told and one that still gives me a lump in my throat whenever I think about it. From the first moment of reading their story, I knew I had to meet them and be there when they said “I do.” Over the last three months through text messages and emails, we connected, planned, and got ready for what was sure to be a moving day in the mountains. Joyce and Serkan rang the doorbell of the residence that me and my assistant Tami were staying at, with warm hugs our journey started. We headed off to brunch like old friends, greeted with warm biscuits and coffee at their favorite brunch destination where we talked life, their love story, and their adventure as a couple.
After our bellies were full we drove to Rattlesnake Ledge, an incredible mountain outside of Seattle with the promise of incredible views after a two mile hike. Joyce and Serkan’s friend, Tara who would serve as the officiant, pulled out bottles of water and we packed our bags to begin the ascent to the top. We stopped a few times to take in the views, catch our breath, and shoot images of our journey to the top. When we reached the peak, we all stopped and took it in. It was breathtaking, foggy and filled with color. We picked the perfect spot for them to promise their lives to one another, laughed along with them, and served as witnesses to their marriage that started with the two of them, beautiful vows, and a crazy view atop a mountain. We cheered, cried, and hugged it out before we started the hike back down. Moments into the descent, the heavens opened up and we were drenched with giant Washington raindrops! We finished our night with Starbucks, the signing of a marriage certificate, and laughs with our new friends.
Being asked to photograph weddings is something that still makes me weak in the knees – such an incredible day that leaves a mark on your heart for eternity. This one, this one changed me. Joyce and Serkan impacted my life, gave me an admiration for adventure and promises and sticking together no matter what. I am forever grateful for my day spent with them, the five of us will always remain entwined after spending such a day together as a team, a team that played a role in two lives becoming one. This is just the beginning of something that has been in the making for many, many years. A love so true and so deep that they could get through many obstacles that most of us will never face in the lifetime, a story so beautiful that it was begging to be told in the rawest, most authentic of ways. Stay tuned for their full elopement story video coming super soon…. like really soon.
Oh, there’s plenty more… I promise, don’t go just yet.
This is absolutely beautiful. The images, the words, the love story……….everything about it!