This Carnation Farms wedding was a beautiful blend of Western and Nigerian wedding traditions, honoring the bride and groom’s union through ancestral lineage and modern customs.
Carnation Farms Wedding Venue
Set along over 800 acres, Carnation Farms wedding venue in Seattle provides an immersive, retreat-like experience for couples planning a wedding on its grounds.
The sprawling property embraces the beauty of Snoqualmie Valley and offers overnight accommodations for you and your guests. There are dedicated spaces at Carnation Farms for each of your wedding day events, and the venue gives couples the flexibility to plan a wedding day that suits their vision.
However, as a Seattle wedding photographer, one of the most exquisite features of hosting a wedding at Carnation Farms is the scenery stretched along the backdrop of the venue.
The acreage is nestled between forested fields and gardens, with views of the Cascade Mountain range off in the distance. All in all, giving you and your guests direct access to the natural beauty the area is known for, to host an unforgettable wedding day celebration.
An Outdoor Garden Wedding Ceremony
Emi and Joe’s Carnation Farms wedding ceremony was held in the venue’s lower garden, and when the moment arrived, it was like a scene from the Garden of Live Flowers in Alice in Wonderland.
Filled with larger-than-life blooms, sculptural topiaries, and a feeling of enchantment, Emi and Joe were set to exchange their wedding vows, with a close friend officiating over their ceremony.
Perhaps one of the most dramatic moments of their wedding ceremony was Emi’s grand entrance. The lush, stone-lined pathway to the garden altar has an abundance of low-profile grass plants on either side, forming a makeshift retaining wall that separates guest seating.
Guests stood as Emi walked up the aisle; an ethereal moment that gave way to her elegance. Her cathedral-length, pearl-encrusted veil gently swept over the length of her silk gown as she made her way toward Joe.
The emotion was palpable, with joy-filled tears, smiles, and laughter shared between Emi, Joe, and the people they love the most. As they were pronounced married, they turned to their guests, with hands grasped, raised in the air, for a resounding cheer felt by everyone in attendance.
Once a couple has been pronounced married after their ceremony, we continue to document the moments immediately following. Emotions are at an all-time high, and the feelings are visceral, coursing through the air, adding to the excitement. For Emi and Joe, the moment immediately following their ceremony moved into the signing of their marriage license.
Every aspect of their Carnation Farms wedding was planned with intention, and the signing of their marriage contract was no different. They moved to Forest Court, the backwoods area of the venue where an esteemed judge whom Emi studied under as a law student presided over the signing.
Blending Western Wedding Traditions with the Rich Heritage of a Kalabari Nigerian Celebration
When the splendor of their Carnation Farms wedding ceremony settled, there was a bite of enthusiasm among the guests for the upcoming celebration. Before kicking off their wedding reception festivities, Emi and Joe hosted their guests for a leisurely cocktail hour.
Capitalizing on their breathtaking wedding venue, I worked with Emi and Joe on editorial-style wedding photos in the gardens of the venue. The sun was slowly dipping over the horizon, and the landscape of Carnation Farms was tranquil, bathed in golden light. It was a moment for Emi and Joe to relax in each other’s company before making their way to the dance floor as a newly married couple.
Opening the Dance Floor with Western Wedding Traditions
The kickoff to Emi and Joe’s Caranation Farms wedding reception was a first dance shared by the bride and groom, before an emotion-filled first dance between Emi and her father. The excitement and enchantment felt during their wedding ceremony shifted, transforming into a new energy that would later fill the event space.
Savoring the Culture of a Kalabari Nigerian Wedding
As a Seattle wedding photographer, my team and I have worked with a number of couples planning a wedding day celebrations with blended cultures and traditions.
We’ve photographed Persian, Hindu, Kenyan, Nigerian, and Eritrean weddings, and if there’s anything we’ve learned over time, it’s that cultural weddings have their own rhythm and are meant to be savored and enjoyed.
They often forgo the traditional timeline of a Western wedding in favor of a pace that leaves room for tradition, with every member of the couple’s family and community coming together to embrace them with love.
For Emi, and many Nigerian brides, their circle is known as their Aso Ebi girls, a group of women who have embraced you as you’ve walked through life, and most importantly, on your wedding day.
Head wraps, Wedding Day Attire, and Traditional Dances
After the first dances, Emi was swept away by her Aso Ebi girls for a wardrobe change. Once back in the getting ready room, everyone in Emi’s community was wrapped in a traditional headdress.
Often known as a Gele among the Yoruba, the wedding day head wrap is also called an Akwa-isi or Ichafu, with the correct terminology varying across a wide range of Nigerian ethnic groups.
During this time, Emi also changed into her vibrant, richly tailored, Nigerian wedding-day attire in a hue of bluish purple, which was selected to match Joe, who was being dressed by Emi’s father in his respective getting-ready suite.
What came next was a beautiful wedding day procession. Steeped in custom, the Nigerian wedding day procession honors the couple’s ancestors while narrating the story they are building together.
Rhythmic in nature, Emi was escorted by her Aso Ebi girls into the venue through a vocal chant that featured swaying handkerchiefs and the marching of the bride directly to the groom for the money dance.
The beauty and candor of this moment filled the room, with emotion and sentiment on the faces of every guest who surrounded Emi and Joe.
Sunset Photos, Ice Cream, and Dance Floor Moments
Concluding the evening of their Carnation Farms wedding, Emi and Joe changed into their dance floor attire, ready to spend the night rocking the dance floor.
Emi’s third wedding day look included an elegant pantsuit that mimicked the pearl beading in her wedding ceremony look.
Emi and Joe treated their guests to tasty ice cream cones in place of cake, for a cool treat on the dance floor.
Before the night was through, for one final moment, Emi and Joe stepped outside for a quick sunset photoshoot. The moon was out and the night was alive, giving their Carnation Farms wedding a feeling of hopefulness and anticipation for the future set out ahead of them.
Seattle Photography Centered on Your Cultural Wedding Day Celebration
If you’re planning a culturally blended wedding in Seattle, Tacoma, or the PNW and searching for a local photographer who can honor your ancestral traditions, I would love to connect with you.
Captured by Candace Wedding Photography offers a photo and video experience centered on joy, legacy, and tradition, preserving the unforgettable moments of your union.
You can find more details on working with us, view our experience, and see estimated investment at this link.
