Fall Seattle Wedding at UW Horticulture Center + Metropolitan Grill

Wedding

So much love & so few words for this day – Emily and Matt, your Seattle wedding at the UW Horticulture Center + the Metropolitan Grill blew me away. Your beauty, love, and kindness radiated so clearly to everyone around you, just as the Seattle sunshine did for your special day last fall. I have been absolutely obsessed with everything about this intimate celebration ever since the day wrapped and cannot wait to finally share more about it with you all!

bride and groom kissing UW horticulture center

bride and groom holding each other with drinks

A Rare, Sunny Day for a Fall Wedding in Seattle

Before we dive into the glamorous details of this day, I must point out the stunning little sunshine performance that Seattle put on for Emily + Matt’s big day – because damn. Sunny days are hard to come by once fall hits Seattle (well, really, 75% of the year), so you bet we took full advantage of the shining sun rays that poured down on Emily + Matt’s beautiful day! If you’re a big fall person, you are going to LOVE the way that this weather brought out such gorgeous autumn colors in Seattle and truly made their celebration ✨ sparkle ✨ from start to finish.

An intimate celebration with close friends and family

Emily and Matt are a lovely example of how you can (and should!) absolutely, 100% celebrate your wedding how YOU would like to – and in whatever way makes the most sense for you + the people you love. They planned this beautiful, smaller wedding in Seattle so that they could celebrate with their closest friends & family before having a larger celebration in Wisconsin. I adore the way they planned their special day(s) with the focus entirely on them, and what would be the most meaningful: in their case, it was most meaningful to host two separate celebrations so that they could see as many of their guests as possible. Plus, who doesn’t want an excuse to have TWO parties?!

Getting ready for the big day in style

I believe that the getting ready portion of your wedding day is so underrated – it’s often skipped over in the timeline without much attention paid. Yet every single wedding I show up to, these are the moments when couples get to spend quality time with their closest loved ones, taking in the emotions & anticipation of the big day. This time is oh-so-special and deserves to be captured JUST as much as the rest of your wedding does. So a little PSA: don’t skip out on the photography coverage the morning of your wedding!

I spent a little while photographing the charming details of this day before documenting Emily + Matt putting on their wedding attire, and whew was everything stylish as all hell. From Emily’s satin gloves, to her chic bottle of perfume, to her pearl-encrusted handbag, this queen knew what she was doing when it came to her accessories! Seeing her friends help her put on her dress before heading to her first look with Matt was so special.

A charming wedding ceremony inside the UW Horticulture Center

After the soon-to-be spouses met each other beneath the trees for a private first look + vow exchange, they made their way into the Merrill Commons portion of the UW Horticulture Center for the most beautiful ceremony. Watching Emily and Matt say their vows under this glass-enclosed atrium, surrounded by a courtyard glistening with sunshine & vibrant autumn colors was an utterly breathtaking experience.

bride and groom in UW horticulture center

Hugs, smiles, and happy tears with their loved ones

One of my favorite aspects of Emily and Matt’s wedding was getting to see them mingle with their closest friends and family who came to celebrate their new marriage. There were happy tears, hugs, smiles, and toasts everywhere I looked immediately following the ceremony, everyone feeling the love that was so obviously present. There’s nothing like being in the same room as all of your favorite people, simply enjoying the stunning setting you’re in and popping bottles of bubbly to commemorate an incredibly special occasion! 🥂

bride and groom with wedding party UW horticulture center

A breathtaking bride (featuring an outfit + hair change!)

Let’s talk about the bride real quick, because my god did she blow everyone away on her big day!

For the first half of the wedding, Emily stunned in a pure white gown, featuring a deep V-neck cut, thin straps, and a gorge open back wrapped up with an oversized bow. Paired with her chunky bejeweled headband, multi-layered pearl necklace, pearl-studded veil, and simple pearl stud earrings, this woman sure knew how to knock the socks off of everyone around her. You know I ADORE me some good, glam pearl jewelry and oversized accessories to give your gown just a little extra boost!

And as if that weren’t already enough to leave every guest’s jaw on the floor, Emily snuck out for a few minutes after the ceremony to do an outfit and hair change 🤯She actually kept her dress on, but gave it a completely new look by throwing on the most stunning bridal top I may have ever seen. This sheer, long-sleeve top was covered from top to bottom on pearls & jewels of different sizes and the most gorgeous patterns, and a mock-neck entirely made up of layers of pearls that blew me away. She turned her glam curls into an elegant updo with small pearl hairclips and whew was this new look absolutely perfect for the classy night they were heading into!

For more stylish bridal inspiration with plenty of pearls & another gorge gown with an oversized bow, check out Heaven & George’s Luxury City Elopement in Seattle!

A dazzling downtown wedding reception at the Metropolitan Grill

For the evening portion of their wedding, Emily and Matt took all of their guests to the Metropolitan Grill in downtown Seattle, and let me just say that if you were obsessed with this day so far, you’re only about to fall in love MORE. They ate dinner at a long table under the dim lights of the grill, the table featuring gorgeous emerald green & deep orange tones, beautiful greenery and florals, and elegant menus. This night was full of champagne toasts, moments snuck away for some Vogue-style flash portraits of the couple in a dark corner, and laughter all around – truly one of the most special (and ravishing) receptions I’ve seen yet.

bride and groom in seattle metropolitan grill

Being a part of this intimate fall wedding at the UW Horticulture Center + the Metropolitan Grill, on a random, sunny Saturday in November, was a true honor – cheers to the bride and groom for throwing an absolutely marvelous celebration!