Taylor + Andrew by Claire Hadler - Together Journal

A lush garden setting yet elevated to reflect the intimacy of a dinner party.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

Our story began just a few streets apart in a small town north of Seattle—where Taylor spent her whole life, and Andrew settled after growing up overseas in a missionary family. We both grew up there, practically on the same street. After a few years in Phoenix, Arizona for school, as newlyweds, we now live in Oahu, Hawai’i and are loving every moment of it. Andrew is a mechanical engineer, and Taylor is a wedding photographer; the two careers couldn’t be more different. But similar hobbies we enjoy include hiking, baking, pickleball, and time with family and friends. We love the Lord and have a heart for sharing the Gospel.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met in high school as fourteen-year-olds, part of the same friend group, but it wasn’t until halfway through that we started dating. We were both active members of YoungLife, a Christian youth group, and our shared faith created an immediate connection. After spending hours together casually watching the sunset in their small town, it became clear to us both that this was something lasting.

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

Over the years, we’ve truly grown up together in every way possible. Our first impression of each other was one of friendship, which lasted for nearly two years, creating a strong foundation for our relationship to grow. We went on to attend college together and, not long after, tied the knot!

Taylor: Once we started dating, I never saw a version of life that didn’t have him in it. Even though we were young, the love that started strong evolved and matured as we did. He embodies patience, kindness, and a man of God. Loving him was the easiest thing I ever have done, so picturing a future with him came naturally.

Andrew: We had a bench where we would sit and watch the sunset more nights than not. One night, only a month into dating, we were holding hands, and I got a mental picture of us holding our kid’s hands. I have never forgotten that image and knew the rest would be history. Probably a month into dating, we were sitting on a bench watching the sunset, as per usual. I simply pictured us holding our kid’s hands, too, and I’ve never forgotten that image. I knew it was forever then.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).

The vision for our wedding was to create something that grew organically from the earth itself, a lush garden setting yet elevated to reflect the intimacy of a dinner party shared with our closest friends and family. I wanted the day to feel like a seamless blend of wild and refined, where nature was the backdrop and every detail felt thoughtfully curated. Elements that went into this were a small guest count and a conversational layout that encouraged connection, creating a space for relations and joy. It was about crafting something outwardly simple yet intricately layered in its intentionality. One of my favourite components of our wedding was that each guest got their own favourite pint of Ben and Jerry’s Ice cream. We bought a freezer months before, sent out a questionnaire, and slowly started to collect ice cream pints one by one. We aren’t cake people, but are known for our love for ice cream, so it only felt right to invite each guest into that for one night. We also wrote out personal love letters for each guest and handed them out during cocktail hour. This was to remind each person that they are intentionally chosen to be here and be a part of our lives, a token of our love for them. Making sure each guest felt appreciated and treasured for being there set the mood for our wedding.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

We chose our venue almost blindly—me in O’ahu, him in Phoenix during our long distance stretch—guided only by our deep-rooted love for the PNW. We knew we wanted the raw, scenic beauty of North Bend, Washington, and somehow, we stumbled upon the most breathtaking field nestled beneath Mount Si. It was exactly what we had envisioned: wild, untouched, and surrounded by towering evergreens. I wanted our wedding to reflect the PNW in its essence—organic and deeply tied to the place we both grew up. But turning a few acres of open land (scattered with elk poop, no less) into a refined, intimate setting took some creativity and over one hundred feet of extension cords. With no existing structure to work with, every design element had to be intentional. Pinterest became my best friend in helping me visualize the space—long tables to create a sense of community, warm candlelight for an intimate glow, and thoughtful details that softened the ruggedness of the landscape. After a few too many trips to Home Depot, we created installations that could fit in a rented U-Haul that our wonderful friends and family set up the day of. Ultimately, the contrast between the untamed beauty of the land and the intentionality of our styling made it all come together—the feeling of a beautifully set table in the middle of the wild. It was exactly what we had hoped for.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

As a wedding photographer myself and someone who knew she’d marry this boy since high school, this day has been thought of in quite some depth. Elements like a woodfire pizza truck, a string quartet, and choreographing our first dance were just the tip of the iceberg of my favourite components. What I enjoyed most about the planning process was knowing that this was a day I would eventually get to live in and see the fruits of all the labour. No matter what size wedding you have, it is going to be a daunting task to plan. Something I didn’t expect to feel was the full weight of people travelling, rearranging their lives, and sacrificing just to be there. Each guest arrived carrying so much love that it was overwhelming in the most beautiful way. Knowing this was the single time in my life when we got to have all of our favourite people in one spot at one time shaped how I wanted to prioritize my own time that day. My tip for couples starting their wedding journey is, if you genuinely want an un-rushed, intentional day, you have to plan for one. If you want to be absolutely present and able to soak in faces and conversations, it has to be prioritized when thinking about your timeline and order of events. Give yourself the appropriate amount of time to actually live on your own wedding day, and not just let it happen to you. Presence doesn’t just happen—it’s something you have to carve out space for. For me, this meant waking up at 6 am to have tea with my mom and having friends do my hair and makeup. It meant praying with my mentor before I walked down the aisle and driving to my wedding ceremony with my dad. It meant sitting by people who weren’t in my bridal party, so I could have intentional conversations with people who travelled. It meant personally handing out dessert to our guests, and at the end of the night, we got to hug and say goodbye to every single guest, a rarity at most weddings but something that mattered deeply to us. The day itself is one day, but the people there who got to witness it and share it with you are forever, so having moments with them was at the forefront of our minds when planning our wedding. An additional tip that shaped our day was the fact that our photographer, Claire (@byclairehadler), and our content creator, Ellie (@crossfilms), were not just vendors but two of my sweetest friends. Having them by our side the whole day added a whole other level of love to each moment. The fact that we didn’t hire strangers but people that we felt 100% comfortable with changed everything— I highly recommend becoming besties with your vendors if you aren’t already.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?

I went wedding dress shopping with just my mom—just the two of us, no audience. I’ve never been one to dress up, and truthfully, I’m someone who doesn’t like to be in front of people. I wanted the experience to be intimate, quiet, just between us. We went to I Do Bridal in Seattle because they were having a sale, but it didn’t take long for me to realise that the kind of dress I had envisioned wouldn’t be found on the sale rack. Blame Pinterest for that one. I knew I wanted something vintage—a dress with Bridgerton-like quirks but still modern, something movable, and most importantly, wildly unique. The stylist brought out the dress that would become the one, and when I slipped it on, I knew it checked all the boxes: a sweetheart neckline, a drop waist, and a skirt that cascaded in tiers of heavy satin down to the floor. Still, it was only the fifth wedding dress I’d ever tried on, and I had to decide right then—talk about pressure! I never had that “moment” some brides talk about where they just know. In a panic, I rushed to make same-day appointments at other shops to compare, but no other dress quite captured what I was looking for. After a few spontaneous last-minute stops, I felt a deep sense of rightness about committing to the original one. As for Andrew’s suit, we ran into a bit of a struggle. Brown just wasn’t in for 2024 summer weddings, and finding a suit that matched the colour palette of our wedding proved to be harder than expected. We went to all the usual spots, but nothing seemed quite right. That is until we walked into Indochino and found the perfect camel-toned cloth. It was understated yet rich, and we knew instantly it would complement the natural beauty of our wedding day. We ordered it that week, and when he put it on, it felt just as us as the entire day we were creating.

What was one, or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

I knew from the very beginning that florals would be the heartbeat of our wedding—not just in how it looked, but in how it felt. I envisioned an overgrown, almost enchanted garden where the blooms felt wild yet intentional as if nature itself had arranged them. To bring that dream to life, investing in florals was an easy yes. Krista Joy, our florist, had me hooked from the start—she didn’t just understand my vision; she was just as excited about it as I was. I trusted her completely, and she exceeded every expectation. Looking back, I can’t believe I even considered doing my own florals—that would have been an absolute joke. Every guest was in awe of the lush arrangements, which we were able to repurpose seamlessly—from the ceremony to the reception tables to the most magical first dance setting. Since the majority of our budget went into the ceremony space, every design detail had to be intentional. Claire, our photographer, and I spent hours scouring the internet for the perfect wood-bend brown chairs, and with only fifty guests, splurging on them felt like the final touch that sealed the entire look. Every little detail, from the flowers to the seating all in front of Mount Si, worked together to create the feeling we wanted—something organic, immersive, and that had every single guest wrapped in the magic of it. Florals set the tone for our entire day.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

I had been obsessively watching the weather ever since we chose our date, knowing that Washington’s weather can be unpredictable. September is usually a “second summer,” so I felt pretty confident the odds would be in our favour. The forecast called for a mix of sun, clouds, and rain, and true to form, we got all of it. The rain first made its appearance during toasts, and by that point, I was already feeling the weight of it all. Our entire evening was meant to be outside, and I could see the guests starting to feel the chill. When the rain picked up, I felt an overwhelming sense of anxiety. Though there was an indoor area at the venue, I hadn’t planned on using it, but at that moment, I knew we had to transition inside. Surprisingly, the rain held off long enough for our first dance, which felt like a small miracle. When it was time to move inside, I worried about what people would think. I didn’t want anyone to feel inconvenienced, and I feared how the night would recover mood-wise. But, in the end, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. People grabbed chairs, settled in, and enjoyed their ice cream in the warmth of the inside. The unexpected shift allowed for a more intimate atmosphere—everyone was cozy, and the space felt like it opened up for real connection. Our friends led us in worship and prayer, and we had the chance to have meaningful conversations with each guest, the sounds of laughter filling the farmhouse. What felt overwhelming at the moment ended up becoming one of my favourite memories. It was unpredicted, but looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.