There’s no better feeling than getting out of your comfort zone and discovering that you do in fact, find comfort there.  For Derrick and Stacy this day wasn’t the original wedding of their dreams, that wedding had been put on hold like so many other couples due to Covid 19.  But what I admire about both Derrick and Stacy was that they used the lemons life gave them and simply showed it how good their lemonade recipe was!

Derrick and Stacy decided to get married in an event space called Within Sodo located in downtown Seattle, WA and transformed the modern and industrial space into something that was not only moody, but romantic, minimalistic and intimate by playing on the industrial architecture with soft colored flowers, candles and pampas to create an intimate and dramatic backdrop for their vows. 

There, surrounded by their families, close friends and their sweet pup Herschel, Derrick and Stacy became husband and wife after a beautiful ceremony filled with handwritten vows, laughs and tradition!  But that wasn’t the best part of the day...that was when Derrick saw Stacy for the first time before the ceremony!  

When he saw her in her dress, he burst into tears, causing her to cry and even made me tear up behind my lens!  What I loved about this moment was that you couldn’t only see, but actually feel just how much these two love each other! And I think that really was the best part of this whole pandemic.  They went through a lot of trials in planning their day, but because they went through all of that, they were forced to focus on the big picture of the day, the love between them, rather than the more miscellaneous details. 

So when I look at this gallery I not only think of the beautiful setting, the mix between hard architecture and soft colors or how much joy can be reflected on a face...but that life can turn things upside down and it's important to keep perspective on the bigger picture in those moments. 

Also! While I was looking through this gallery I wanted to share something with any new brides out there reading this! This was my first time shooting at Within Sodo and I wanted to highlight a few reasons why indoor and urban weddings can be such a cool setting for your wedding!

1. You can use any space to be a wedding venue!  Are you a history buff? Look into museums and libraries!  City slickers? Hotels, event spaces or even courthouses could be the space for you! Do you want a mix of indoor and outdoor? Looking into greenhouses, backyards, or even rooftop venues for your big day! The options are endless!

2. You have more control!  Of course no one wants to worry about the weather or season on their day and an indoor venue could easily solve those problems, but there’s also less stress on your guests or vendors because of power outlets, parking A/C and heat etc!  

3. You can make the venue completely your own! Just like Derrick and Stacy, you can turn a cool, industrial space into something moody and romantic or your backyard into a boho picnic with just a few flowers, some lighting and a little bit of imagination!

4. You can get more of a bang for your buck! When you get your photos back you want to see everything from the day, from start to finish, and it's important that you can immediately see what part of the story you’re in from a single photo!  So to give you an idea: Within Sodo offered Derrick and Stacy access to 6 locations for their wedding, the ceremony space, two dressing rooms, a mirror room, bar area and rooftop terrace and by utilizing those spaces you can see how the day was able to transition! 

I hope this helps!

-Annie

Dress: I Do Bridal

Hair & Make Up: Stace Cho of Bridal Beauty Agency

Groom’s Suite: The Black Tux

Florals: PS Floral Design

Videographer: Ochoa Filmography