A few years back, a woman named Piper caught a glimpse of the cover photo in a Seattle Brides Magazine. In the photo, a bride and groom stood on opposite floats of a float plane in full wedding attire, bobbing up and down in a remote lake in the North Cascades.

That’s it, she thought, that’s how I’m getting married. 

Fast-forward a few years, and Piper found him–the partner who was her perfect complement. She and Greg felt a connection almost immediately. They sent novel-length texts back and forth to each other, were completely enamored from day 1, and even felt like they shared the same brain. 

When Greg proposed to Piper in Peru in 2022, it was the easiest yes. The next easiest yes came when they started planning their wedding day. Piper remembered that cover photo from all those years ago. They quickly realized planning a larger, more traditional wedding didn’t bring them the same joy, excitement, and alignment that a wedding in that photo would. 

That’s the background on how Piper, Greg, and I got in touch. But here’s the plot twist. 

When Piper and Greg set up a call to meet with me, they came ready with that seaplane in the PNW photo as inspiration for the feeling they were chasing. 

What they didn’t know? I was the photographer who captured that image. 

The intimate wedding day they were chasing was already starting to align and unfold. 

What’s more, a full-circle moment was already beginning to form.  

A year later, their PNW seaplane wedding was featured in the same magazine (now called Washington Wedding Day) that Piper had seen all those years ago. 

Pictured: An Orcas Island Elopement in a seaplane.

Planning a Small Wedding on Orcas Island: Seaplanes, Seascapes, & All 

Planning a wedding, no matter what type of wedding you choose, is a series of choices–all in the name of deciding what matters most to both of you. 

• How do you want the day to look and feel? 
• Who do you want to join you? 
• What experiences are most important to you? 
• Which elements are non-negotiables for the day you’re envisioning? 
• Should you include creative wedding vendors to elevate your day? 

Both Piper and Greg wanted an intimate wedding day because they were seeking something specific. 

They were after epic views and a feeling of wonder, of course, but over the course of an easy, seamless day. 

Most of all, they wanted to strike a balance between stress-free adventure and luxury. 

They wanted the views and feelings only an adventure can bring, but for it all to unfold like a long, refreshing breath–something they could savor and embrace as it happened. 

For them, a slow and sweet morning looking out over Puget Sound, a seaplane adventure, and a small wedding reception surrounded by the people they loved most was their version of alignment. 

Pictured: A couple enjoying a wedding seaplane flight over the San Juan Islands.

A Slow Morning & a PNW Seaplane Wedding Adventure 

Their wedding morning began gently, all of their loved ones milling around in the large house they rented on Orcas Island. From the porch, distant views of the other San Juan Islands dotted the backdrop.  

Piper got ready in the house with her mother and sister, slipping into a silk wedding dress. Pearls adorned her entire wedding look–pearl earrings, pearl-dotted veil, pearls on her shoes. These little callouts to their wedding day by the sea made an appearance in almost every part of her ensemble (even in her sneakers she’d change into later in the day). 

While she was getting ready, Greg did the same in another room in the house. Her friends and family got dressed and arranged on the porch, soaking in the views and cutting hair–finalizing all the little details of their own looks. 

Piper had a first-look moment with her dad and stepdad, and then she and Greg shared their own first look. 

After a few happy tears, they set off together for the harbor, where they boarded the seaplane Piper had dreamed about for years. 

Their Kenmore Air pilot was the best we could have hoped for. They’d planned a scenic flight but didn’t have a spontaneous landing in the cards. When their pilot dipped down and gracefully landed on the water, they hopped out to explore a private beach on a tiny island in the Sound. 

A seaplane ride isn’t something that can be explained properly unless you’ve experienced it. Looking out the window of a plane and seeing water, then landing gently in it, floating in the waves as you take it all in–there’s something completely otherworldly about it. 

That feeling? That’s what Piper and Greg had been so keen on chasing–freedom that catches your breath in your throat and experiencing that level of wonder on their wedding day. 

Pictured: Details from a seaplane elopement in the San Juan Islands, Washington.

Piper & Greg’s Small Wedding Reception on Orcas Island 

When we arrived back on Orcas Island, Piper and Greg took a moment to wander through a state park together–exploring the lush green ferns and staring in wonder at the enormous trees that dot the PNW island. 

They met up with the rest of their loved ones at the top of Moran State Park for a mountain-top ceremony officiated by their dearest friend. They read private vows, surrounded by everyone they loved, with a perfect view of Puget Sound as their backdrop. 

Their family blew bubbles as a send-off– a cute little alternative to throwing flowers or rice. Back at the rental house, their friends had laid out a beautiful tablescape on the outdoor porch, dotted with touches of blue, white, and gold.  

A multi-course dinner was being prepared, a tiered cake waited to be cut into and served, and Pisco Sours were mixed up – each little touch a perfect nod to Piper and Greg’s experiences together as a couple and among friends. 

They wanted a balance of vendor involvement, personal touches, and intimate moments with their loved ones. Piper and Greg truly created a day that felt elevated, elegant, and aligned with everything that mattered to them–and that’s what a truly beautiful wedding is all about.

Pictured: A small wedding ceremony on Orcas Island followed by a small wedding reception at an Airbnb.

Capturing Every Luxurious Small Wedding Moment 

No matter how you choose to get married–a luxurious destination elopement in a new-to-you spot or a micro-wedding in your favorite place with your 50 favorite people by your side–every moment matters. 

Weddings go by so fast–no matter how they unfold. Holding on to those memories–and feelings– is so important. It’s my greatest hope that you treat every moment of your wedding day like it matters, capturing how everything, even the smallest seconds, felt. 

If you’re ready to talk about what that looks and feels like, I’m here for you. Reach out to inquire about coverage, view my past work, and remember to pause, breathe, and soak it all in on the day you get married.