After our portraits, we headed over to Canlis. From the start of planning our wedding, we knew we wanted two things: a small guest list (around 40 people) and great food. Having our wedding and reception at a restaurant was the perfect answer. And, bonus, Canlis has an amazing view of Lake Union.
Reasons why we had a cocktail hour before the ceremony: it allowed our friends and family to mingle, it was an excuse for hors d'oeuvres, it created a buffer for anyone running late, and it gave us enough time to take family portraits outside without making anyone wait around.
Mmm. Aren't these the cutest mini quiches? I could eat a hundred of them.
Here's a little peek at the bar sign that I designed, and stir sticks that I ordered from here.
And here's one of the family portraits taken outside, with my grandmother.
During cocktail hour, besides eating and mingling, our friends and family also signed our photo guestbook. We had a table set up with childhood photos of Stefan and myself, a Fujifilm INSTAX 210, extra film, an instruction card, and a beautifully handmade album by Linda of One Fine Dae. Guests signed the book with silver Sharpie pens and slipped their instant photos into the photo corners that I had pre-placed on the pages.
If you're wondering if that's a photo of me crying hysterically and my family laughing at me, well, it is.
All these photos, of course, were taken by the ladies of JL Photografia. Coming up tomorrow: the ceremony!
