A Black and White Wedding in Chehalis with Candlelight and Dippin’ Dots
Marilyn (she/her) and Shasta (she/her) planned a black and white wedding in Chehalis, Washington that felt classic, timeless, and deeply personal from beginning to end. What started with an unexpected meeting at work grew into a love story filled with concerts, travel, a shared home, and their dachshund Winston – eventually leading them to a wedding day surrounded by the people who showed up wholeheartedly for them.
Their path to the altar wasn’t without challenges. After losing their original venue in a fire and navigating difficult moments with family, they rebuilt their plans around what mattered most. At The Loft in Chehalis, they created a celebration full of white roses, candlelight, custom details, a packed dance floor, and even a Dippin’ Dots cart for dessert.
So… how did you two meet?
Marilyn: I love telling this story.
We actually met at work. I started at the company in December 2020, and Shasta had already been there for a few years. On my first day, I was hanging out with the front desk girls, thinking I was just making new coworker friends. Little did I know, they had already texted Shasta saying, “We have no idea if the new HR Assistant is gay or not, but you have to come meet her. She is totally your type.”
A couple of days later, Shasta showed up at the office, ran past my office saying, “Hi, I’m Shasta,” and disappeared in a blink. I immediately asked my boss who that was because I was very intrigued. She was stunning.
At that point, I had never dated women. I grew up in a small town where being gay wasn’t widely accepted, so it wasn’t something I had ever really considered possible for myself. But the second I saw her, something clicked. I felt feelings I had never felt before.
After that, we started grabbing lunch together, and she even worked with my boss to schedule a fake training just so we could spend a couple of hours together. I had no idea any of this had been set up behind the scenes, but we instantly hit it off. She helped me find myself in a way I didn’t even know I needed, and from there we became inseparable.
We started dating in March 2021, got our wiener dog Winston later that year, bought our first home together in June 2023, and got married in August 2023.
We’re hoping to start the baby process soon, but for now we’re soaking up newlywed life and spending as much time traveling as we can whenever we aren’t working.
Did you face any challenges while planning your wedding?
Wow, did we ever.
Our original wedding venue, the one we had already booked and paid for, unfortunately burnt down in a fire. And not just a small fire, it was a total loss. So suddenly we were starting over, and with our August date, most of the other venues we liked were already booked.
Then, while we were venue hunting, one place actually turned us away after finding out we were a same-sex couple.
And as if that wasn’t enough, some family members who had always been supportive decided they didn’t want to be anymore. Honestly, that was the hardest part because we truly thought they were some of our closest family.
In the end, though, we just kept reminding ourselves how lucky we are to have the support that we do. All the right people were there with us on our wedding day, and that’s what really mattered.
What drew you to The Loft in Chehalis?
We actually went to a friend’s wedding at The Loft in Chehalis the October before, and as soon as we walked in, we both looked at each other and said, “Oh my gosh, this is the one.” By the end of the night, I was literally in the back kitchen talking with the owner, and by the next day we had already put a deposit down.
What’s funny is that we had zero intention of even considering it at first because it was an indoor-only venue and a totally different vibe from what we had originally booked. Our first venue, the one that burnt down, was outdoors with trees and mountains in the background.
The Loft in Chehalis was the complete opposite, but somehow it just felt perfect for us the second we stepped inside.
Were there any parts of the budget you knew you wanted to prioritise?
Marilyn tracked everything on an Excel spreadsheet, which was a lifesaver. We didn’t want to break the bank, but we also wanted to find a happy medium where we could have the things that really mattered to us because wedding costs can get out of hand so fast.
One thing we did that was super helpful was sitting down together at the beginning of the process and each picking our top two things we weren’t willing to budge on. Marilyn’s were the DJ with DJ Casey Kay and the photos with Katelyn Servedio, and Shasta’s were hair and makeup with West Coast Make Up and Hair and photos.
So basically, those became the three areas we were willing to spend a little extra on since they were the most important to us. After that, everything else just kind of fell into place around them.
Did you always know how big you wanted the wedding to be?
Our guest list was actually one of the easiest parts. Because of cost, we wanted to keep it on the “smaller” side while still including the people we love.
We ended up having 115 guests, and it felt like the perfect amount. We felt like we had included just about everyone we wanted there.
I will say, after the wedding was over and everything settled, there were a couple of people we wished we had invited once we had more time to think about it. But overall, we were really happy with the size of the wedding and the people who were there to celebrate with us.
What mattered most when choosing who would capture your wedding day?
We found our photographer, Katelyn Servedio, and our videographer, YZ Visuals, through TikTok and Instagram.
It was really important to us that we chose a photographer who had worked with lesbian couples before. We felt it was important to have someone who was used to posing two women together in photos.
Katelyn Servedio absolutely crushed that for us, and we love our photos. They’re so moody and dramatic, and she captured our day and so many moments perfectly.
You had a black and white wedding. Tell us about it.
We wanted something classic and timeless, and what’s more timeless than black and white?
Once we decided on black, the vision just came to life. We went with clear plates, black utensils, and custom cups with our dachshund’s face on them. Our flowers by Kiss Me Kate Custom Floral were all white garden roses, and we filled the tables with clear votives and white candles.
For the signage, the dance floor, and even the dress code, we stayed with the theme. Our entire bridal party and all of our guests wore black, leaving us as the only ones in a different color: white.
It was magical.
What personal touches did you create for the wedding day?
Shasta custom made all of our signage on Canva, put together the timeline, and handled all of the decorations and setup.
Marilyn chose to make our photobooth backdrop. Neither of us are DIY people by any means, but Marilyn really wanted to make it herself. She used two foam boards from Home Depot, and we printed 256 4×6 black and white photos from throughout our relationship to glue onto the boards.
It turned out to be such a fun and personal detail from the day.
How did you each find what you wanted to wear?
Shasta went with her best friend and found her dress at True Society in Portland, Oregon. She had a great experience, and it ended up being the seventh dress she tried on.
Marilyn had a bit of a tougher time because she didn’t want to wear a dress, but she also didn’t want to wear a suit. She was pretty set on wearing a jumpsuit, but had a heck of a time trying to find one. She ended up finding one at David’s Bridal, actually.
She also had a really fun experience shopping with her girls, her granny, and her mom.
Talk us through your wedding day!
We started bright and early with hair and makeup by West Coast Make Up and Hair, as there were a LOT of women getting dolled up for the day. There was coffee, loud music, dancing, and champagne before our first look.
Our first look was so special and made the rest of the day even better. We had really missed one another, and having that moment together before everything began meant so much.
From there, it felt like rapid fire. The day truly goes by so fast. Photos with Katelyn Servedio, our ceremony at The Loft in Chehalis, drinks, dinner, dancing to DJ Casey Kay, and video with YZ Visuals.
Just the most incredible day.
Looking back, what parts of the day felt especially meaningful?
Shasta: One of the biggest highlights for me was something Marilyn surprised me with. My dad passed away in 2018, so he couldn’t be there to walk me down the aisle. Marilyn had a note he once wrote me embroidered into the inside of my dress without me knowing. Seeing that for the first time was such an emotional moment.
Our first look was also incredibly special, just the two of us taking each other in before everything started. I loved hearing the speeches, and honestly, the dance party at the end of the night was everything. Everyone just let loose and had the best time.
Marilyn: I loved getting ready with my girls and my mom. It was such a fun, calm way to start the day, especially because I was a nervous wreck.
Our first look was one of my favorite moments too, and so was our first dance. I felt so proud reading my vows to Shasta.
And I have to mention our dessert. We’re not big cake people, so we brought in a Dippin’ Dots cart, and I was ridiculously excited about that. It felt so fun and different, and seeing everyone surprised and loving it made me so happy.
And of course, the dancing and drinking at the end of the night led to such a fun party and so many memories.
What was it like working with your wedding vendors?
Honestly, all of our vendors were amazing. If we did the whole day over again, I honestly don’t think there would be a single vendor we would change.
Everyone was so nice and easy to work with. DJ Casey Kay kept the dance floor going all night, and our photos by Katelyn Servedio and video by YZ Visuals turned out absolutely amazing.
And beyond that, our family and friends really stepped it up for us. They helped our vision and Pinterest boards come to life in such a big way, and we’re so grateful for that.
Captured by Katelyn Servedio
Catering The Loft in Chehalis
Ceremony Venue The Loft in Chehalis
Content Creator Keepsakes by K+M
Dessert Dippin’ Dots
DJ DJ Casey Kay
Dress David’s Bridal & True Society
Florist Kiss Me Kate Custom Floral
Hair & Makeup West Coast Make Up and Hair
Rings Keyzar
Videography YZ Visuals
