This wedding was years in the making, another couple’s wedding affected by Covid and all the restrictions/shutdowns that came with it. We did a venue walk-thru, something I love doing with all my couples, and it was a good thing we did as we got to scope out all the photo locations necessary for their big day. The Bell Harbor International Center is a stunning venue to get married at… the ceremony on the open rooftop overlooking the sound, with the cityscape behind, pier below, and on a clear day Mount Rainier can be seen in all her glory. Ana + Clint were getting ready across the street in separate hotels, and we walked across the street into Bell Harbor to start the rest of the day.

We did their first look on the rooftop and the wind kicked up just in time to catch Ana’s veil for an epic shot. Clint’s mom surprised the couple and made it out to the wedding, which brought them both to tears. Little did I know, capturing this moment would be such an important moment… Clint’s mom sadly passed not long after the wedding and they told me these images are absolutely cherished by the family. I still tear up thinking about her surprising them and their reactions.

The rest of the day was an amazing celebration of love and family — the whole wedding guest list got vaccinated so they could party and enjoy the day maskless. It was remarkable. One of the hardest things in capturing weddings during Covid is everyone’s faces covered and not being able to see the emotions… smiles, laughs, happy tears, singing… so at the time, this was quite a thing to witness.

Clint proposed to Ana a little over two years into dating, and they actually share the same birthday! So the day before their birthdays, Clint took Ana to Barnes & Noble to get “a gift”. They headed up to the second floor and Clint pointed out one of Ana’s favorite poetry books by Rupi Kaur. He asked her to open it and it was already bookmarked to the most beautiful poem with a ribbon and a ring tied to it. Ana said she then blacked out sobbing, lol, so she didn’t remember what Clint had said, but he had gotten down on one knee. The backstory to the proposal at Barnes & Noble is that she used to go there almost every weekend with her dad and brother, spending hours reading books and listening to music. It was some of the best memories for her and Clint made it all the more special by proposing there as well.

• “I love his eyes and great jawline! I also love how kind, caring, and loving he is. He makes me feel safe and loved even on the bad days and always finds a way to make me laugh even when I’m mad or having a bad day.” – Ana

• “What I love most about Ana is how kind spirited she is. She’s a beautiful person that makes me better in every way.” – Clint