I love when I open my inbox and I see a completed questionnaire from one of our brides. I think it’s so easy to get caught up in all the craziness that wedding planning brings and it’s not until after the wedding that you can take a step back and really see what is truly important. I’m excited to share today’s Washington Wedding from CALIMA Portraits along with Bride Tiffany’s heartfelt answers. The photography is just beautiful and Tiffany + Kevin are a precious couple. Make sure you read which image is her favorite…it made me tear up a bit!
Tell us a little bit about how you met your husband…
Kevin and I are from the same hometown and have a lot of mutual friends, so we saw each other here and there throughout the past 7 years. We didn’t become close though until about 4 years ago when I moved back home and was looking for a place to live, he conveniently had a room to rent in his new house and we quickly became inseparable.
Tell us about the proposal…
We were staying at a nice resort a couple days before Thanksgiving, at the end of the night we were just laying in bed talking about our life together and he pulled the ring out. It was sweet and great timing. I found out later that he had been trying so hard the whole day/night to find the perfect moment. We were engaged for 1.5 years before the wedding.
Your wedding was filled with tons of gorgeous details. Did any have special meaning? What was your favorite part?
That is tough. Having such a homemade wedding, most of the details were personal. A couple of my favorite things were writing our own vows and having a good friend officiate, our arbor made by my dad and brother, and our table runners that I worked on with my mother in law.
Out of the entire day, what was the most memorable moment?
Another hard question. I think the most memorable part for me was walking down the aisle and seeing my husband’s face, even though we had our first look pictures it was like seeing him for the first time. He normally isn’t a very emotional guy, but he was sobbing. I remember thinking, ‘this is it, this is forever.’ Our whole wedding was extremely emotional and heartfelt. It was exactly what I wanted.
How did you choose your venue?
We were on a pretty strict budget and we preferred an outdoor wedding. The park had everything we were looking for, a gorgeous backdrop, wide open space, and the freedom to bring in our own food, etc.
Tell us about the menu…
Another very personal part of our wedding was the food. There was sooo much of it. A family friend barbecued, we had ribs, pulled pork and chicken. Then our moms and aunts made a bunch of different kinds of salads. Our cake was made by one of my bridesmaids, and my mother-in-law and aunt made about 20 pies. Then my mom also made cookies and brownies. It was over the top!
What’s your favorite picture from your wedding?
I love all of our pictures, and it’s hard not to choose one of Kevin at the alter or our first dance. Part of dreaming about my wedding has always been the daddy/daughter dance and my dad giving me away. I felt like I was a little girl again. I think this picture captures the emotion perfectly.
Knowing what you know now, is there any advice you would give to future brides?
It is never too early to start planning, or to get started on projects. I thought I had all the time in the world with a year and a half to plan, but it goes by fast and you want to enjoy the days leading up to the wedding. Also, as everyone says, the day is a complete blur, take that time to enjoy yourself and your new husband. Don’t stress the little details that people won’t ever notice.
Wedding Vendors
photographer: calima portraits / hair stylist: gene juarez salon /
floral designer: valley nursery / reception venue: city of bremerton parks & recreation /
dress store: benita’s / shoes: seychelle’s / bridesmaid dresses: nordstrom
CONTINUE READING...
Photographed by the fabulous Gillian Reinhardt of 
) My husband and I lived in Charlotte, North Carolina for three years and while we were there our love for the south grew greater with each year that passed. We loved it so much that in 2006 we were engaged while visiting Isle of Palms near Charleston (hands down our favorite place on earth!!)! While we were sad to leave, our need to be closer to our families prevailed and we moved back to the Midwest a few years ago. Everyday we miss all the things we adored so much about the south – the perfect weather, the soft southern accents that accompanied some of the most wonderful people and of course, the food!! So I thought there wasn’t a more perfect audience to create a Lowcountry Inspiration Board for than you all! I envision the warm, vintage palette at an outdoor wedding on the land of a local plantation followed by a fabulous black tie reception in the main house complete with a fresh-caught seafood dinner, finishing off the night with a fully stocked cigar bar. Southern charm at its best!
