The big day, finally!

Kennedy and Marie are that old kind of love that when you see it you’re instantly calmed. They aren’t over the top, ooey gooey in love, they are solidly two humans who allow each other space and give each other a home. I get chills just thinking about them.

We all first hung out during their engagement session, where we met in their home, drank champagne and listened to the Eagles on vinyl. I instantly felt at ease with them, like we had been friends for years. So when their wedding finally rolled around, I could not WAIT!

Have you ever been to a wedding ceremony at the Seattle Courthouse before? I hadn’t, and it’s amazing! You show up around 3:30pm to get a time slot. Anyone and everyone invited to witness your vows need to show up too so that you can go up to the penthouse floor where the clerk’s office resides. By the time you wrangle everyone through the metal detectors and up the elevators, you’re met with a bright n’ shiny view of the Puget Sound via the floor to ceiling windows that line the hallway of what I can only imagine are court rooms and offices. The couple goes into the clerk’s office to check in and you wait.

While you wait, you’re met with a dozen other couples and their witnesses all doing the same thing. Brides see each other, smile, and compliment each other on their attire. Grooms pace a little. And moms fuss. It’s a wonderful place to be! A shot full of love and anticipation. And if the weather is good, you and your photographer get to go play on the bomb terrace that overlooks the city.

But wait … there’s more …

The Ceremony.

I’m not sure what I was expecting with a courthouse wedding. I grew up going to weddings that my dad officiated. So I’m used to pretty big hooplas with a lot of formality. And from what I saw in the movies, courthouse weddings seemed quick and to the point.

Not this one, folks!

The person who married Kennedy and Marie took them back to their office before the ceremony and got to know them for few minutes. They asked incredibly thoughtful questions and weaved their answers into the vows. They took all of us to the “best seat in the house” since the weather was starting to turn and the terrace wasn’t an option anymore. I felt like I was sitting right on the floor in a blackbox theatre. Up close and in it with Marie and Kennedy.

As the judge spoke, I caught myself crying and frozen in the moment. That rarely happens to me, folks! I’ve been to a lot of weddings, and they are all great. But this one was special, indeed. It was quick, but it nailed the heart of Marie and Kennedy’s relationship. After this experience, I couldn’t recommend a Seattle Courthouse Wedding more!