An IslandWood Wedding With a Summer Camp Vibe

January 7, 2024

A nostalgic summer camp feel, a magical ceremony in the woods, and a sun-drenched cocktail hour? Count me in. From the stunning florals to the Moonrise Kingdom—inspired letterpress invitations, I loved everything about this IslandWood Wedding on Bainbridge Island!

An Overnight Summer Camp Experience

The Wedding Day Atmosphere

When I asked M&M about the atmosphere they were hoping to create for their IslandWood wedding, here’s what they said:
“We’re hoping to bring the vibes of summer camp: warm nights under the stars, delicious fresh fruits, games and laughs on the lawn and some wondrous hiking through the woods! It’s maybe a bit corny, but for us being at camp sort of feels like falling in love: you’re too excited to sleep, you feel like you’re in a magical bubble from the rest of the world, and every day feels drenched in sunlight!”
I LOVE THIS.

Why IslandWood?

After being isolated from family and friends due to the pandemic, it was important to the couple to give everyone a chance to reconnect with loved ones! They wanted to create a celebration where everyone could spend the maximum amount of time together. Having all of their guests spend the night at IslandWood gave everyone two days together and allowed for lots of memorable experiences beyond just the ceremony and reception.
Since IslandWood is also an environmental education nonprofit, it was also the perfect fit for their interests in nature and sustainability.

IslandWood Wedding Photographer

My Approach to Documenting the Wedding

Before the wedding, I talked with M&M about their hopes and dreams for their wedding photography. It was super important to them to have opportunities to really take in the moment, so we made sure to add buffer time in the photography schedule so they could slow down, take a breath, and savor their day.

They also wanted to prioritize candid photos as well as more posed portraits, so I brought along one of my awesome second photographers to make sure their day was documented as thoroughly as possible.

The summer before their wedding, I met up with M&M at Discovery Park for their engagement session. We made some truly sweet and romantic images, and they asked for the same of their wedding photos – portraits that feel graceful and swoony!

One other thing they mentioned was that they wanted lots of pictures of the florals – and I will never say no to photographing the flowers, especially ones as jaw-dropping as these!

IslandWood Wedding Photography

I’m so honored to be on IslandWood’s list of recommended vendors. It’s one of my absolute favorite wedding venues! Having photographed at IslandWood many times, I know all of the best spots for portraits, what time is best to start your ceremony based on the angle of the sun throughout the year, and exactly how much buffer time you should build into your timeline (because the campus is huge!). I would love to help you plan for beautiful wedding photography and a stress-free day where you can slow down and savor every moment. Reach out to me here to talk more about how I can help!

And be sure to check out these other weddings I’ve photographed at IslandWood:
A Two-Day Multicultural Wedding at IslandWood
A Chic Indian Wedding at IslandWood
A Beautiful Community-Centered IslandWood Wedding

Kind Words From the Couple

“We can’t wait to relive the day through your beautiful images, we truly can’t begin to tell you how special it was to us to have you capture our day. It was everything we hoped it would be, and the energy you brought was so infectious! All of our guests raved about how fun you made it to be in front of the camera!”

An All-Star Vendor Team

Building A Solid Vendor Team

With a large multi-day event with lots of moving parts, it’s so important to hire experienced wedding vendors. The couple assembled an amazing group of vendors who all brought a wealth of expertise, reliability, and creativity to the table. It was such a joy to work alongside these wonderful people!