If you are looking to incorporate the tranquility of an elopement in nature and the excitement of inviting all your loved ones to a larger wedding, this intimate backyard wedding in Spokane, Washington will give you the perfect inspiration! 

How the day went down

First look in the woods

P & G wanted to have their first look at the Spokane River, over at Post Falls, Idaho, a location that was special to them for the kayaking and river floating. This spot was absolutely gorgeous for photos but we did have to be mindful of the frisbee golf course set up throughout the location. 

After their first look we took photos by the water and in the woods, allowing them to capture the beauty of nature in their wedding day while still celebrating with family. It’s so important to carve out time for you and your partner where you can enjoy a quiet and special moment together before the frantic excitement of the wedding day. 

Getting Ready 

P & G had already done the majority of their getting ready before photography coverage started, but they still wanted to recreate the getting ready photos with their parents and capture that moment together. After the first look down by the river we drove to the bride’s parents’ house where the wedding was happening. P got to recreate the moment her mom helped her into her dress for photos, presenting her mom with a small gift for the day and sharing a tender moment together.

 The groom also had his own special moment with his parents, with his father helping him adjust his bowtie, and his mom getting to pin his boutonniere on him. 

The bride also wanted to have a special first look with her father outside, and I love that they were able to have these special moments with each of their parents on their wedding day. 

Ceremony 

This backyard wedding was decorated beautifully, with white chairs set up for the occasion and twinkling string lights in the trees. 

They had a large backyard which was perfect to host both the ceremony as well as the reception tables, and even had a spot for dancing and a buffet table for the dinner, catered by Skewers Food truck.  

After exchanging their vows and sharing their first kiss, guests popped confetti cannons for the newlyweds as they made their walk back down the aisle! 

Portraits 

The couple opted to have their portrait photos done immediately following their first look by the Spokane River, allowing them to spend the rest of the time after the ceremony with their guests. 

I love that they were able to incorporate the beauty of nature and the forest in their couples portraits while still being able to celebrate with their family and friends after the ceremony at the backyard reception.

Reception 

After signing the license and taking family photos the couple enjoyed their delicious Mediterranean dinner, and were able to stop by each and every table to chat with their guests and snap some photos with them. 

Next up it was time for the dancing; the bride and groom enjoyed their first dance as a couple and then a dance with their parents. They even swapped partners and it was so cute and fun to see the bride dancing with her new mother in law, while the groom and his new father in law had a fun time dancing together too!

Once the first dances were finished it was time for dessert and the cake cutting; the couple opted to go with a smaller cake they could cut and enjoy with each other, and had a scrumptious dessert table for their guests! They had cookies, brownies, and baklava that was quickly enjoyed. I love it when couples have a dessert table with several small bite sized desserts for their guests as you can have several desserts at once, and if you’re budget conscious you won’t need to worry about ordering an elaborately decorated cake large enough to feed everyone. 

Timeline 

The couple chose to have 5 ½ hours of coverage, customizing their package to fit the day so they could have that extra half hour of wiggle room. 

We started the day at 2pm at their first look location where we were able to spend an hour for their first look and couples portraits, and from there it took us about 20 minutes to get to their ceremony location. 

They decided they wanted an hour before the ceremony started to be able to do their “getting ready” photos and first looks with their parents. I always say to give yourself 20 minutes of unplanned time before the ceremony to just relax, or if things are running a bit behind to have that extra wiggle room. 

The ceremony itself lasted about 20 minutes, and once the ceremony was finished the guests were able to sit down at the reception table while the bride and groom signed the marriage license and took family photos for about half an hour. 

We set aside an hour of time for dinner from 5:30-6:30pm so the couple had time to enjoy their food, listen to the lovely speeches given, and then greet their guests at each table and take photos with them.

The cake cutting was at 6:30pm, followed by the first dance, with the dance floor open to everyone after they had danced with their parents. 

We set aside 1 hour to capture everyone dancing and celebrating at the reception, which ended up being the perfect amount of time, with the sun starting to dip right around 7:30pm. 

Details 

The tables were decorated with blush rose table runners, perfectly matching the soft pink of the roses in both the bride’s bouquet and on the tables. Each guest was also able to take home a small pot of honey as a party favor, as well as a gift bag which were set out at every table.

There was even a special cocktail in honor of their dog Annie who was present at the ceremony! 

Permits, passes, & legalities

To take photos by the Spokane River in Post Falls we didn’t need any permits or passes, but keep in mind that parking does quickly fill up on weekend summer days. If you’re planning to have your own backyard wedding make sure you check with the city you’re in on what the noise ordinance is, and let your caterer know so they can set up in the space accordingly. 

You can choose to either buy and supply your own alcohol, or hire a bartending service. If the wedding is a private event you likely won’t need a liquor license but it’s important to check and see what your city may require regarding alcohol and event hosting. 

You’ll also want to make sure that there are plenty of spots for your guests to park, and maybe even give some of your neighbors a heads up as they might offer a few parking spaces to you like some of P + G’s neighbors did for their backyard wedding! 

Vendors: 

Florist: Rose and Blossom

Cake: Sweet Evie’s Bakery

Hair: Creations By Tay

Catering: Skewers Food Truck Middle Eastern Street Food (it was so so good!) 

Backyard Wedding Spokane Photographer 

I’m always down to travel for weddings or elopements, and though I am located in Portland, there’s no distance I won’t go for my couples! Packages do not have travel fees included in them; travel fees are instead curated to your desired location and the pricing of nearby lodging if an overnight stay is necessary. 

If this backyard wedding in Spokane, Washington seems like it had the perfect timeline, you may be interested in my 6 hour package at $3,750. 

I love to capture candid, emotional moments with true to life colors, and if I sound like the perfect photographer for you I would love to chat!

You can fill out my inquiry form and connect with me here

For more intimate weddings and elopement inspiration check out my blog