San Juan Island Wedding at Lakedale Resort

A Summer-Retreat Family Reunion Inspired Wedding on San Juan Island

Lakedale Resort is 82-acres of Pacific Northwest magic with forests to explore, meadows to meander, and 40-acres of lakes to float. It’s a tranquil little slice of paradise that feels a world away. And yet, it’s just a 3-hour ferry ride away from the hustle and bustle of Seattle.

A San Juan Island wedding makes the perfect destination for couples wanting to get away from it all, immerse in nature, and soak in that chill small town island vibe.

That’s exactly what Carissa and Andy were looking for, and they couldn’t have possibly found a more perfect venue for their celebration. They wanted a place where they could gather family traveling in from Oregon and the midwest, and show them a true Washington experience. And, it doesn’t get more quintessential Washington than San Juan Island. Their wedding was a 3-day summer camp-style family reunion with camp games, paddle boating on the lake, late nights around the campfire, and of course, a wedding!

Some of my favorite memories from Carissa and Andy’s San Juan Island Wedding:

– Carissa and Andy kicked off the day with a toast beside the lake surrounded by 20 of their closest friends and family. They sipped Champagne and listened to stories. They laughed and cried and soaked in all the love. The day had barely begun.

– I’m pretty sure that at least 10 dogs attended this wedding! As a documentary photographer, I’m always looking for little micro-stories playing out within the larger wedding story. These sweet, goofy dogs sprinkled throughout all the photos tell such a fun light-hearted story of this summer camp wedding and friends, family and fur-family alike, all gathered together on a warm summer eve.

– The post-ceremony rowboat send-off! After saying, ‘I do’ Carissa and Andy boarded their own little rowboat. Their parents lovingly supplied them with glassware and a bottle of champagne and pushed them out on the lake. As they rowed away, everyone stood from their chairs and gathered around the shore to cheer them on. While everyone made their way by foot and golf cart to cocktail hour, they savored their first few minutes married on the lake with one another.

– All the dance floor and party shenanigans. As dusk set, the string lights came aglow and this little clearing in the middle of the woods came to life. All ages were out. Kids were playing and dancing around. There was poker playing and marshmallows roasting. Everyone was dancing – old friends, lovers, grandma and grandpa, parents with their kiddos and dog parents with there fur-children. As the night grew long, a giant circle formed in the middle of the big clearing with everyone arm-in-arm belting out the words to the closing song of the night. The overwhelming love and joy was palpable and just hung in the air.

Without further ado, here’s some highlights from Carissa and Andy’s San Juan Island Wedding photo-story.

Enjoy – Jess