Real Couple Pacific Northwest Wedding: Rachel + Brian at the Emerald Forest

Deep in the Emerald Forest, Rachel and Brian tied the knot. This love story consists of adventure, determination, and LOTS of rain. Their outdoor wedding takes place in the heart of Mother Nature herself. When planning a wedding, it is important to imagine every possible scenario. In the case of Rachel and Brian, that meant dealing with intense rainfall. However, with the help of family and friends, they were able to divide and conquer the unanticipated weather. Although there were many obstacles to cross, this couple’s special day proves that life is really what you make it. Come along with the Tapestry Team and watch how this phenomenal couple turned an unexpected event into a beautiful, unforgettable experience.

- “olympic peninsula wedding” - “intimate modern wedding” - “locally sourced vendors”

OUR TAPESTRY COUPLE.

Back in Rachel’s college days, she was invited to a sorority event by one of her close friends. Rachel eagerly agreed, despite being unfamiliar with the Greek Life scene. Little did she know, she was about to meet her future husband. Introducing: Brian. Brian was there as someone else’s date and the two began to share a few flirtatious conversations and even took a couple photobooth pictures. (Which they still have to this day, how cute!) After hanging out at a few parties together, Brian decided to ask Rachel out. To our surprise, Rachel initially said “No!” However that answer did not last long, and a few months later they started officially dating.

Rachel admits that she fell fast for Brian, and probably even scared him a little with her immediate emotions. She was drawn to his thoughtfulness and how deeply he cared for others. He was dedicated to making the world a better place, whether that was with understanding the needs of his family, friends or even strangers. Brian loved Rachel’s sense of humor and her passion for finding adventure. Their early days were filled with laughter and being fully comfortable sharing their “weirdness” together. Brian’s feelings were really solidified when the two began taking trips together and quickly recognized their compatibility in every type of situation.

Rachel and Brian then began to share their love for traveling and started to create new experiences together all around the world. Both love a good adrenaline rush and would partake in activities such as hiking, skiing, and backpacking. Rachel, being her ambitious self, mentions how Brian is her own personal coach, always encouraging her to finish the job even when she bites off more than she can chew. The two cultivated a unique balance in their lifestyles. Rachel is quite spontaneous, whereas Brian likes to plan things ahead of time. That being said, their personalities mesh perfectly together, both contributing major building blocks to their relationship.

Brian and Rachel decided to get married pre-proposal. The two admired the balance they brought into each other’s lives and knew that marriage was the next step in their relationship. Rachel’s career as an adventure photographer was becoming super busy, and in the midst of COVID-19, they knew they had to secure a wedding date and venue pretty quickly if they wanted to get married the following year. However, Brian still wanted to do a formal proposal. The couple took a journey up into the mountains of Acadia National Park in Northeastern US. As Rachel was snapping photos at the top of the trailhead, Brian asked if she wanted some snacks. Instead of grabbing snacks out of his pocket, out came a ring and he asked her to marry him. Little did Brian know, he was also carrying around Rachel’s little book of all the reasons she wanted to marry him. The two sat and giggled, fully immersed in this emotional moment.

SHED LIGHT ON YOUR CORE WEDDING VALUES WITH THIS HELPFUL TOOL

PLANNING THEIR WEDDING THE TAPESTRY WAY.

The venue of choice was The Emerald Forest, located in Redmond, Washington. This unique space is equipped with one-of-kind tree houses, an outdoor climb-in movie theater, suspended hammocks, ziplines, and camping yurts. Truly a dream space! The plan was to invite guests to camp for the days surrounding the celebration, and engage in activities such as hiking, wine-tasting and eating great food. One of the major components of Rachel and Brian’s vision was that the whole experience was guest-centric.

Check Out Our Styled Shoot in the Emerald Forest

Tapestry worked to navigate the logistics of the event. With the festivities taking place in the midst of nature, there were many factors to be considered when it came to bringing the vision to life. With this type of venue there are many “dos and don'ts” like which materials are allowed on-site, the need to provide your own livestream equipment, outdoor technological obstacles, and precise protocols on how items would be delivered to the space. Once we shared our logistical plans with the site managers, many minds were put at ease. An important part of our work is diligence and detail, and we had the logistics of the celebration planned down to the minute.

THE VITAL DETAILS.

Something to note about this event was the importance of a well thought-out set up. Since the area is a little bit tricky to access, most of the supplies were delivered to the venue via zipline. The photobooth, kegs, and nonperishables were delivered a week prior to the event and stored in the couple’s yurt. We had to be extra careful when it came to the weight limit of these objects, with the maximum weight on the zipline being only around 40-50lbs. We put extra care and intention with this step of the planning process by creating two drop-off lists, one for the day of and one for the week prior. Despite the many obstacles, Rachel and Brian’s vision was coming to fruition.

This is where the magic happens. We had the perfect space that would offer a fun, fulfilling experience for the couple, as well as their guests. It was now time to go into execution mode! The celebration would be equipped with multiple vendors such as bartenders, caterers, photographers, and a grazing table. Each vendor was well-equipped with their own supplies, in addition to what was delivered the week before. With many moving parts, it was finally time to get this party started.

THE CEREMONY COMES TOGETHER.

Rachel and Brian began the day sharing a sweet family brunch with Brian’s parents. Shortly after, they made their way to the Emerald Forest where they would walk through their space and get ready for the ceremony. All vendors were present and got down to business. The venue looked absolutely ethereal, and definitely took our breath away. Guests were welcomed with grand Douglas Firs, sparkling lights along the trail, a beautiful s’mores station, heated tents, and multiple campfires. The environment was filled with a warm and whimsy energy.

At the time of the ceremony, Rachel arrived looking straight out of a fairytale. We absolutely loved her powder blue dress (which complimented Brian’s dark blue suit), and it stayed in theme with their earthy tones. It had already begun to rain and guests were tucked away in the treehouses watching the ceremony. We want to give a huge shoutout to Rachel’s mom who had brought rain ponchos for everyone, truly a life saver! Right as the couple exchanged vows, the small drizzle of rain became an absolute downpour. Rachel and Brian accepted this with open hearts and the rain ended up being a highlight of the night, as well as being a key for their phenomenal photos.

After the ceremony, drinks were served and guests were encouraged to mingle and take part in activities such as the photobooth and a grazing board. One of the key values of their day was to serve incredible food, and that is exactly what was delivered. For dinner, tacos were served buffet style with an array of options for guests to choose.

Many heartfelt toasts were shared after dinner and dancing quickly ensued. Brian and his mother had surprised everyone with a choreographed dance to “You’ll Be In My Heart” by Phil Collins, which definitely tugged on some heart strings.

Right after sunset, family and friends were surprised with an incredible light show before the night wound down. One of the most unique parts of this wedding was the outdoor movie showing. Before heading off to the tents, guests were welcome to cozy up by the campfires and view Space Jam, accompanied by pizzas that were ziplined down by the site manager!

Overall, Rachel and Brian’s day was full of love, laughter, and a great support system. We thank everyone involved for welcoming change with open arms. From the great food to the rain and the amazing scenery, this heartwarming experience was truly unforgettable.

-Sarah, Tapestry Blogger

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