Alex and Tom and I met for coffee in Friday Harbor. In addition to discussing their design ideas, I was also able to get to know them a bit better. One story they told stuck out in my mind and has played over in my head time and again since our meeting. Alex recalled a time when she and Tom, who was serving in the military at the time, were preparing to say goodbye as he had been deployed. You can imagine the gut wrenching thoughts that go into these scenes as couples and families are pulled apart from one another. Unable to delay the inevitable, Tom and his fellow military personnel left the building. After those that were to be deployed left their loved ones behind, the schedule was changed and instead of boarding a plane immediately, the group boarded three hours later. Three hours in the scheme of things doesn't seem like a long time but what struck me about this story is that Alex added "that was three hours that we could have been together."
I write this blog post amidst the covid-19 pandemic and am communicating daily with couples who have to make the difficult decision to change their wedding plans. Some are choosing to celebrate in a much smaller fashion while others modify their dreams and their plans to a new day. These are sad and uncertain times indeed. But I keep coming back to Alex and Tom and this story. "That was three hours that we could have been together."
I'm an eternal optimist and do believe weddings and celebrations WILL come back. It is in our DNA to want to gather our closest friends and family and share our journey of life as it's meant to be shared, together. And how fabulous would it be if we could learn the lesson that Alex and Tom were forced to learn years ago? It's the time right NOW that is to be savored. Sure, we plan for the future and I am SO looking forward to the day when we can celebrate with flowers and great food at the beautiful venues we have here in the San Juan Islands but in the meantime...let's savor today and the ones we choose to be with on this crazy journey of life.
We are fortunate to work with incredible couples and it's an honor to hear the stories of how these individuals became a couple and subsequently play a role in their incredible wedding day. Alex grew up coming to San Juan Island as a young girl with her family. She always dreamed of one day getting married at the beautiful Roche Harbor Resort. The love between Alex and Tom was obvious as they savored their special day surrounded by an incredible group of family and friends. Scroll through these pictures and I think you'll agree...it was a love filled celebration.
The beautiful Pacific Northwest waterside setting of Roche Harbor Resort set the tone for this destination wedding. Alex and Tom chose a soft palette of whites and ivory accented with a touch of blue. We added pops of deeper blue in the glassware and napkins to add an elegant yet welcoming feel.
Vendor dream team consisted of
Venue: Roche Harbor Resort, San Juan Island, WA https://www.rocheharbor.com/weddings/
Photographer: Ryan Flynn Photography https://www.ryanflynnphotography.net
Wedding dress: https://www.bhldn.com
Linens: https://latavolalinen.com
Event Rentals: https://www.cortpartyrental.com
Dessert: http://byfelicitations.com
Lighting: https://slavusweddinglights.com
Floral and event design by Camas Designs
Comments