Laura & Steve

It is always a pleasure to be a part of such an important event as a wedding.  Laura & Steve were married August 6, 2006 at Willows Lodge in Woodinville.  What a great couple!  Photographs by Cory Parris 

Steve and I met through a friend when I was visiting one weekend and she invited Steve to drop by. The three of us went to dinner and had a nice visit. At the end of the meal whilst our friend was using the ladies room I distinctly remember Steve helping me into my jacket. I was pleasantly surprised and filed the event away in the back of my mind.

A couple months went by and then one evening I received a call from Steve. We had a really nice conversation and I found myself enjoying his company. I was also surprised that he was still intrigued about me despite the time that had gone by. At the time, I was living east of the mountains, and we saw each other on the weekends. I knew before long that I would need to find employment in the Seattle area. It took awhile, but I eventually found a job and moved over.

To set the scene, one must realize Steve is from England and his family still lives there. He has been in the US for 20+ years, but travels home regularly to see friends and family. One weekend he suggested we visit Paris on our next trip to England. Well … what could I say to that . . . WOW, I can’t wait!

Paris in August is warm, sunny, and beautiful!! Of course, the first day we were there we had to visit the Eiffel Tower. I remember looking at the queue of people at the Tower and Steve said “well, we can do this now, or maybe later in the day, or maybe tomorrow, what do you think”? And before I could respond, he said “no, we’re doing it now”. That sounded great to me.

The queue moved pretty fast and before long we were climbing the 600 plus steps to the mid-level where we took an elevator to the top of the Tower. From the top you can see all of Paris and the beautiful white stone architecture. As we gazed over the city Steve says to me “hey, I’ve got a question for you”. He said it in a way that I thought he would ask any question. He turns me around, and mind you there are people all around us, gets down on one knee, and proposes. In an excited and shocked expression, I said “are you serious”? To which he responded, “just say yes”, and of course I happily did. He had carried the ring in his pocket and was petrified that he would accidentally pull it out and drop it, and was greatly relieved to place the ring on my finger.

Skip ahead one year to our wedding day at the Willows Lodge in Woodinville, on a beautiful and warm sunny August day. The setting was stunning with a fragrant herb garden and vibrant flowers all around. Queen Anne Metropolitan Market beautifully arranged the bouquets, and New Renaissance Cakes artfully decorated the cake, which was scrumptious. The Barking Frog prepared an elaborate and delicious buffet, and Cory Parris, our photographer, captured every wonderful moment. Each piece came together flawlessly and created the perfect day.