Anna and Antonio planned their dream wedding in the Northwest, which meant that all their family and friends would get to experience the region where they fell in love. Haylo Wedding & Events helped the couple plan their Spokane wedding celebration with a traditional ceremony at St. Aloysius Cathedral followed by a picturesque reception at Beacon Hill. White florals and greenery installations by Rose & Blossom added romance while the al fresco, family-style reception was filled with seasonal local cheeses, fish and beers. It’s all set against the venue’s breathtaking views and Forthright Photo captured all the moments in these lovely images.
What made the wedding special and unique?
Our wedding was special and unique in that we planned to have it in the Northwest, which meant that all of our family and friends would get to see and experience the region where we fell in love. We grew as individuals and as a couple in the Northwest to something truly special. The weekend started with a gathering of our entire guest list at a cruise welcome reception on Lake Coeur d’Alene on a picturesque summer night. We received the blessing of a Jesuit, who connected with all of our guests in a profound and personal way. And ended with the perfect amount of detail at Beacon Hill, including a Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream truck, polaroid photobooth and decorations from both the bride and groom’s hometown.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
I knew I had found the perfect dress when I tried it on, it fit like a glove, and made me feel like the most authentic me. My mother had flown in from Minnesota for the weekend, so I only had a few days to try on and find the right dress. After trying on quite a few different gowns at multiple boutiques, we landed at David’s Bridal and I spotted a dress that looked very different from the rest. I asked to try it on and the rest was history!
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
The bride’s mother decorated the wedding venue and added personal touches to create the feel of an enchanting, classical evening amongst gardens and vineyards. Much of our focus was on blending our families and friends so we wanted to be sure to incorporate long dinner tables and the family-style service to help encourage conversation and promote a large family feel to the meal. Our meal choices were also made with regard to the season and uniqueness of the Northwest, which meant we incorporated local cheeses, fish and beers.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
The ceremony itself was incredibly memorable and special for us. We had no idea the emotions and love we were going to feel during the ceremony at St. Aloysius Church at Gonzaga University. The homily given by Fr. Peter Byrne was incredibly personal and heartfelt that everyone in the church could feel the love. We also incorporated Filipino wedding rituals that incorporated the veil, cords and coins.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
It was the weekend of November 17th, Anna and I were heading back to Seattle for what Anna believed to be a “baby shower” for our friends that recently announced their pregnancy. In actuality, we were going there to get engaged and the “baby shower” was simply a ploy to get us back to our former and favorite neighborhood of Ballard. This was the place where Anna and I had first lived together when we moved across the country a year or so before; it was where we fell in love.
However, on our way to Seattle things began to unravel with my carefully orchestrated plans. The weather was exceptionally dicey driving through rural Washington and ended up turning into a full-blown snow/sleet storm in the mountain passes, which created a bit of anxiety for both of us. As a result, Anna had picked and scratched at her manicured nails until they appeared as though they had been run over by a lawn mower. This was no good.
This was something I did not think about. I was pretty sure if I were to ask her to marry me with her nails in such a condition, I would be in big trouble. Luckily for me, the morning after our arrival she was so bothered by her nails that she wanted to spend the morning in the nail salon. The rest of the weekend went on without a hitch! We strolled the streets of our old neighborhood, visited the dog park with our yellow Labrador, Dupree, and we ate at the best Caribbean-inspired sandwich shop in all the land.
On Friday evening we made plans to grab a cocktail and dinner at a couple more of our favorite spots, which is where I had planned on proposing. While we were sipping on our overpriced cocktails at the bar, it hit me…I needed someone to grab a picture of the moment, as my plan was to pop the question on the walk to dinner next door. So, when Anna went to the powder room, I explained to our bartender what was going to happen and asked her to take our picture when I was on my knee. Finally, after I had paid for the bill and went to the bathroom to splash water on my face, we left and were off to dinner. Right before we got to the restaurant, I stopped gave Anna a hug, told her I love her more than anything in the world, got on one knee and asked her to marry me. To my surprise, she said “Wait, what?! Are you serious? Is this for real? Is this really happening?” and after I assured her this was very much for real, she said “YES!! Of course!”.
At dinner, we were greeted by our favorite wine sommelier with glasses of champagne, wine and an amazing charcuterie board. To be honest, we were so excited we could hardly eat! Little did Anna know, there was yet another surprise in store for her. I had always known that this night would be something she wanted to share with all of our closest friends and family, so I made a few phone calls and the plan was set.
After dinner, I suggested we keep celebrating and go to another amazing restaurant for drinks. Again, this was all a ploy to get her to the location where twenty of our closest friends from Seattle, Spokane and Minnesota were waiting. When we arrived, Anna cried from excitement and surprise after recognizing all her favorite people were there with us to celebrate our engagement. It was so amazing to see all of the love and support from our friends and family that made that evening and weekend one to remember!!
Photographer: Forthright Photo // Planner: Haylo Wedding & Events // Flowers: Rose & Blossom // Reception Venue & Catering: Beacon Hill Events // Ceremony Venue: St. Aloysius Cathedral // Videographer: Grace Media // Dress: David’s Bridal // Tux: Bonobos // Hair & Makeup: Rachel Jordan Beauty // Furniture Rentals: Event Rents Spokane // Tabletop & Settee Rental: Artifact Rentals // Music: Coeur d’Alene DJ // Limo Service: VIP Party Bus Spokane // Ice Cream: Ben & Jerry’s Spokane