Ceramic Luminaries, Fall Rain, and a Sparkler Tunnel Wedding in Snohomish
Cara and Maren’s fall wedding at Lord Hill Farms in Snohomish, Washington, was filled with meaningful details and family-centered moments. They exchanged letters before walking down the aisle with their kids, said their vows surrounded by music from loved ones, and celebrated with ceramic luminaries, honey jar favors, and root beer floats in honor of Maren’s dad. Every part of the day reflected their values, their community, and the life they’re building together.
Why did you choose Lord Hill Farms?
We both bring big families and big lives into our relationship, so we knew we needed a venue that could hold all of it. Lord Hill Farms felt right immediately. They handled the florals and catering and made everything easy from day one. It was also the first place Maren ever officiated a wedding, so it had extra meaning for us.
Did you run into any challenges while planning?
Yes, more than we expected. One of the first photographers we spoke with backed out after learning our wedding was queer. That was hard to navigate, especially living in Seattle in 2024. But Maren’s niece stepped in, did a full deep dive on local photographers, and found Kimberly from Into Dust Photography. From our engagement shoot to the sparkler exit, she was absolutely the right choice.
What was the ceremony like?
The day started with heavy rain and ended with sunshine breaking through just as guests arrived. We exchanged letters and small gifts before the ceremony instead of doing a first look. Then we each walked down the aisle with our kids, which was so important to us. Our friend Aaron officiated, and Maren’s cousin and his son played guitar. Our nieces walked down the aisle with bubble guns and later sang “Crowded Table” during the ceremony. We wrote our own vows, which had way more overlap than we expected. And yes, Maren did promise not to bring back the mullet.
What personal touches were most meaningful?
The luminaries Cara made were really central, lighting the stairs and our tables. Every guest got a honey jar at their place setting that said “We bee-long together,” a nod to Cara’s beekeeping childhood and how we met on Bumble. The honey came from Bryant Honey, a small company connected to Maren’s childhood summers in Wyoming. During dinner, we handed out thank-you notes from Minted with a QR code for guests to upload their photos, and we had a video toast station for people to share blessings and memories.
What did you wear?
Cara’s dress was inspired by Hannah Waddingham. She flew to London to find it at Suzanne Neville. For the reception, she changed into a black “to-go” outfit and sparkly Converse. Maren wore a custom white suit from Sew Generously with burgundy accents. We both wore rings from Lolide Seattle, which we picked out with intention and a lot of love.
What was the vibe at the reception?
We made our entrance down the grand staircase to “One Way or Another,” with our luminaries lining the steps. Our first dance was to “We Belong” by Pat Benatar, a song that became ours after we danced to it at a concert. After about a minute and a half, we invited everyone to join us. Then the kids took over with a choreographed group dance to Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” lighting up the floor with glow sticks that said “Best Day Ever.” The party didn’t slow down all night, thanks to our incredible DJ from Black Magic DJ. And when Maren’s anthem “Livin’ on a Prayer” came on, it felt like the entire room erupted.
How did the night end?
Our guests lined up outside with sparklers and gold pom-poms while Katy Perry’s “Firework” played. Cara had changed into her black exit outfit, and we walked through the tunnel to a vintage Bentley from British Motor Coach. It was the perfect way to close out a day that felt so full of love, family, and celebration.
Photography by Into Dust Photography
Cake Maker Seatown Sweets
Caterer Lord Hill Farms
DJ Black Magic DJ
Dress Suzanne Neville
Florist Lord Hill Farms
Pants Sew Generously
Rental & Decor Off the Block Games
Rings Lolide Seattle
Stationery Minted
Suit Designer Sew Generously
Transport British Motor Coach
Venue Lord Hill Farms
Wedding Planner Pink Blossom Events
