Alexis & Karl ~ Providence Academy Hall & Chapel ~ Vancouver, WA

When it comes to clients that I’ve known for many years, there’s truly nothing more rewarding than being able to be there for them during their big life events… That’s one of the reasons why I absolutely loved being able to capture Alexis and Karl’s wedding!

I’ve known them for years and have been so honored to work with them for their engagement session, their child’s birth, and his first birthday, too. It has been so special to show up for them during these moments, so it meant the world that I could also help capture their big day!

To start the day off, Alexis and Karl both arrived at The Providence Academy in Vancouver, Washington where they also planned to have their ceremony and reception. As everyone was getting ready, it was so fun to see how their special colors were incorporated into the wedding party’s outfits. The groomsmen and ring bearers (their sons!) were wearing burgundy and silvery tones that perfectly complemented Karl’s look.

As I was capturing Alexis getting ready, I quickly noticed how gorgeous her final hair and makeup looks were! She was absolutely stunning, and her hair looked beautiful with a hair accessory running down her half-up/half-down style. I could definitely sense her excitement as the ceremony got closer and the final touches were added to her look!

While they were still getting ready, we also learned that Alexis’ sister added a photo of their grandma to her wedding bouquet, and she saw it for the first time while getting ready. It was truly so special that Alexis could walk down the aisle with her grandma by her side.

After everyone finished getting ready, it was time for Alexis to have a first look with her dad and her sons! Karl planned to wait until the ceremony started to see Alexis, but she still wanted to have a first look experience with her family.

First, her dad came in to see her. Just from looking at his expression, you could tell he was so happy to see his daughter and be there for her on her big day! He then gave her a big hug. Her sons came in next and were both very excited to see her! Their reactions made it very clear that she was surrounded by so much love on her special day.

Then, it was time for the ceremony! Alexis and Karl chose The Academy’s chapel as their ceremony space, and the details in the chapel looked so ornate and beautiful. It was the perfect choice for their wedding! As their family all filled in, I saw that “Today I Marry My Best Friend” was printed on their aisle runner, and soft lights also ran down either side of the aisle. Both of these details were perfect touches that made their ceremony especially unique to them!

Once the ceremony started, Karl and the wedding party came down the aisle, and it was so special that their sons were able to be part of their wedding as ring bearers. Years down the road, I know that this will be such a beautiful family memory for all of them to look back on!

Alexis came down the aisle with her dad, but she was also joined by her grandpa. She looked absolutely stunning, and as she walked, all eyes (especially Karl’s!) were on her and her beautiful ball gown. As the ceremony continued, it was so fun to see all of the unique touches that were included… One of them being a knot ceremony! Alexis and Karl included a knot ceremony which had beautiful symbolism and emphasized that their bond won’t be easily shaken or broken. Overall, it was such a special ceremony that felt so personalized to them.

While Alexis and Karl were still near the chapel, it was especially important to capture some portraits for them! We took photos of Alexis and Karl separately, followed by photos of them together inside of the chapel. Of course we also added their sons to some of the shots!

Then, we got creative with the poses and backdrops! I captured a photo on the stairs for them, and later, we also stepped outside the chapel to take a few outdoor portraits.

Before the reception started, I had a ton of fun with taking photos of the details from their ceremony and reception… along with some of these sweet treats! Amazing Cakes was the bakery they used, and the cake looked absolutely delicious!

Next, it was time for the reception to start! Alexis and Karl entered The Academy’s hall with a super fun entrance. At this point, we all noticed that she switched into another gorgeous dress! Shortly after the entrance, it was time to dig into a delicious meal catered by Hawaiian Style Grill… Their food was so yummy!

While it was still fairly early in the night, there were speeches from members of the wedding party along with the official cake cutting. Everyone was so excited to try a piece of the cake. It tasted just as good as it looked!

Alexis and Karl’s first dance was such a memorable part of the night… Alexis wrote a song and had it recorded for Karl, and that’s the song that they danced to! The best part? It was a complete surprise to Karl! You could truly tell that the surprise meant so much to him. The song told their love story, and the lyrics were so beautiful and moving.

After her dance with Karl, Alexis also danced with her dad and then her sons. They all were having such a fun time while dancing together, and it was awesome to see three generations of their family out there on the dance floor!

After dancing with their family and having such an amazing time, Alexis and Karl planned to have a grand exit! Everyone held up lights as they danced their way out of the reception hall… but then, they returned! Alexis and Karl wanted to have their special moment, but once it was done, they came back into the hall and kept the party going!

Congratulations again to Alexis and Karl! Your wedding was so beautiful, touching, and personalized to the two of you, but it also felt like a big, loving party! I was honored to help you capture your special day as you made more memories as a family.

Looking ahead… I can’t wait to see what else is in store for your family. I always love to keep up with you all, and I’m looking forward to whichever exciting milestone is next!