This Backyard Wedding in Seattle Was Inspired by Ralph Lauren and 00s Rom-Coms

The ceremony took place on Saturday at a chapel Sara used to walk by almost every day. “It only fits about 130 people at capacity, and it was tight,” she says. “We had these beautiful tree arrangements surrounding us at the front, so it almost felt like we had brought the woods inside with us.” The couple had their mutual friend Scott Redman marry them. Fun fact: His birthday party back in 2016 was their first official date. “Having someone who has known us and our families for so long and seen us together from the very start standing up there with us made the ceremony feel even more personal,” says Sara.

While the couple each wrote their own vows, the bride actually wrote hers almost a decade earlier. “I had found a passage buried in my Notes app that I wrote on October 22, 2016—just 10 months after Joe and I started dating, when I was only 19 years old,” she explains. “It was essentially a list of all the reasons I knew I was going to marry Joe someday. I read the note verbatim and then circled back to where we were nearly 10 years later and how, somehow, 19-year-old me had been completely right. Joe always has been and always will be the love of my life.”

The party moved to Sara’s family’s backyard for cocktail hour, and the newlyweds kicked off the night with a welcome speech. “I definitely got emotional talking about what it meant to be getting married at the house that has seen me through every stage of my life—and now so much of our relationship too,” says the bride. “Looking around and seeing all of our favorite people there celebrating with us in a place that already held so many memories was incredibly special.” The night continued with toasts from Sara’s father and sister, as well as Joe’s brother. “After 10 years of us being together, they had some pretty amazing stories to tell,” Sara says.

The dance party went into full swing as a “shot-oar” was brought out. “Think shotski, but on an oar, because Joe rowed in college,” says Sara. “We maybe drank a little too much, limboed using the tail of my reception dress, did a bouquet toss, and truly had the time of our lives.” A dive-y karaoke party ended the celebration. “I completely lost my voice, the microphone basically never left Joe’s hand—he sang every song—and at some point I ripped my Chanel skirt,” laughs Sara. “Safe to say, it was a great night and the perfect way to end the weekend!”

Looking back, the bride reflects on what a dream the entire wedding was: “I am now a wife to the love of my life! The cherry on top was that we had the best team, family, and friends by our side.”