Brenda and Zack get married at Tibbet’s Creek Manor

It has been several weeks, but I finally have had time to put together a post for the wedding of Brenda Walls and Zack Stockton, which took place on August 27 at Tibbett’s Creek Manor in Issaquah.  Tibbet’s Creek is a beautiful venue, and we had pretty near perfect weather conditions for the wedding, sunny and warm.  If anything it might have been slightly on the hot side, but considering that in Seattle we could easily have been dealing with a cool and rainy day I think this was a much better alternative.

I arrived at Tibbet’s mid-afternoon to get photos of the wedding party as they get ready, as well as to scout out the best places for photos with the current lighting.  Various family members were still working on getting all of the decorations for the event in place, but things were already looking good.  Brenda and the bridesmaids were busy with hair and makeup, so I checked in on Zack and his best man Joe and got a few photos as they finished getting dressed.

The First Look and Wedding Party photos

Brenda and I had discussed doing a “first look” for Zack’s first time seeing Brenda in her wedding dress, and I had scouted out a good location during my earlier walk-around of the grounds.  I brought Zack into the chosen location and made sure he was facing away from Brenda’s approach, and then let Brenda make her way to him and got photos as things happened.  Brenda looked amazing, and Zack was obviously very happy when he was given the OK to turn and see her.

Next the wedding party joined us so we could get shots of the group.  Brenda’s bridesmaids were Linda, Lisa, Ha, Derby and Lenaha, and Charlotte was the flower girl.  Joe was a minimalist, with just his Best Man Joe.  We played around taking photos on the bridge over the creek that gave the manor its name, and then it was time to get Brenda into hiding before the guests arrived.

The Wedding Ceremony

While Brenda and the ladies hid in the manor (in a nice air conditioned room) the guests arrived and took their seats on the lawn behind the manor.  The wedding party then met up to the side of the building to organize the processional, and once everyone was in the correct order the processional began.  Best Man Joe and the officiant led the way, followed by the bridesmaids, then the flower girl, and finally Brenda and her father made their way down the aisle and the ceremony began.

Kent Buttars of A Heavenly Ceremony officiated the wedding ceremony; I have worked with Kent many times and he always does a great job.  This ceremony was no exception, and everything went perfectly.  A short time later Kent pronounced Zack and Brenda to be husband and wife, and we had a brand-new married couple!

The Wedding Reception

It had been a bit toasty out in the sun during the ceremony, and everyone moved back into the manor and outdoor covered area for appetizers and drinks while we got Brenda and Zack’s families together for their formal photos.  Due to the heat, it was decided to take the photos indoor where the AC kept things considerably cooler.  Photos went quickly, and Zack and Brenda were soon ready to join their family and friends for the party end of cocktail hour.

The buffet line opened shortly after, with the food provided by Blue Ribbon Cooking, who also baked the wedding cake.  While I was not able to sample all of the food (too busy taking photos), everything that I was able to  try was excellent!  Toasts and cake cutting followed once everyone had finished with their dinner.

By this time the outdoor temperature had dropped considerably, and it was now very pleasant outside.  Most of the guests moved onto the deck and lawn, and a game of Giant Jenga began with a Groom’s Team and Bride’s Team competing to see who could grow the tower without having the whole thing collapse.  Regular Jenga is tricky enough, but when you are playing with Jenga pieces made out of 2x4s it adds a whole new level to the difficulty!

Enough of me talking, now you can look at some photos from the day.  I hope that you like them!  Click on any picture to see a larger version.