Lynn and Paul: Springwood Ranch Party Barn Wedding, Thorp, WA
The first time I met Lynn and Paul we met for coffee and discussed their wedding plans. They had previously been to a wedding at Springwood Ranch in the Kittitas Valley and knew it was where they wanted to have their wedding. The location was a perfect place for them to have a relaxed wedding with their family and friends in a beautiful outdoor setting. Lynn and Paul were drawn to my wedding photography style of capturing couples as part of their surroundings. Our mutual love of the outdoors and cycling made it easy to connect. After our meeting, while Lynn went to talk with one of the musicians for their ceremony, Paul joined me for a mountain bike ride on one of my favorite local trails.
The biking theme continued into their wedding day with bike chain cufflinks, bikes as cake ornaments and a clever use of an old set of bike rims to hold the table assignment cards. There were also stories of biking and shared adventures during the toasts.
The wedding day started with Lynn and her bridesmaids getting ready at a cabin at Suncadia Resort while Paul and the groomsmen went on a bike ride before donning their suits. The girls all wore colorful flowered robes while they did hair and makeup and rehearsed their toasts. The entire wedding party moved on to Springwood Ranch where Lynn and Paul had their “first look” under the shade of a majestic cottonwood tree near the ceremony site, followed by family photos and wedding party portraits, including some silliness in the covered wagons.
The ceremony was held on the lawn in the late afternoon sun and was officiated by Lynn’s brother Mark. One of my favorite shots of the ceremony was seeing the flower girl and ring bearer peeking through the arch at Lynn and Paul while they exchanged rings. Following the ceremony, the newlywed couple went straight into their first dance as they entered the reception hall. Dinner and more dancing took place in the timber frame barn that provided a great rustic ambiance for their wedding. The reception had a nice split between indoor and outdoor activities, with guests also enjoying the beautiful evening by socializing on the lawn and playing lawn games, such as corn hole and miniature golf. As the sun sank low in the sky, I went with the bride and groom on a short sunset walk to make use of the beautiful evening light to take some portraits of just the two of them. A beautiful sunset ended a perfect early summer day.
