Susanne and Scott. 2010

It’s sometime in the early 90’s and I’m handed a cassette tape of Gruntruck’s Push album. It soon becomes my summer soundtrack. It’s one of my favorite albums of that time period. I was living in an artist collective loft above the Rendezvous Bar in Belltown, Washington. Pearljam was rehearsing in the basement below and Stone Gossard was dating my roommate Louise. My bathtub was located directly above the Rendezvous stage and one of my greatest memories was taking a bath as Mudhoney performed below me. Static fuzzy guitar and distorted rumbling drums shook waves into my bath water. It was an amazing time period. So much great music. I couldn’t get enough of that Gruntruck cassette.

It was at this time that I met my friend Allison Maryatt. We used to jam together and write songs. I took some pictures at her wedding last year and posted them to the blog. Shortly after I started getting requests to shoot other people’s weddings. I always declined. That is until I got an email from a woman named Susanne who I had sat next to at Allison’s reception. She was sitting with her boyfriend Scott who was the drummer for Allison’s band at the time called Slippage. They were so obviously in love and telling me the story of how they met at a Town Hall meeting. Susanne was there as an Urban Design and City Planner. Scott was there as a concerned golfer. She said there was this cute musician guy making eyes at her all night. Both being artists, Susanne is also a painter, they hit it off immediately. It was pretty obvious by the way they were looking at each other at Allison’s wedding that their day was going to be just around the corner. So… I get this email explaining that she and Scott are getting married and she was wondering if I was available as a wedding photographer.

That email was a catalyst for so much change in my life. These last nine months I’ve started booking weddings and have also been second shooting for my friend Rebecca. I love being a wedding photographer! In fact this last couple of months I’ve had so many shoots and so much processing to do that I haven’t been able to post to the blog as much as I would like. Also since January I’ve had a chance to get to know Susanne and Scott more. I’m so honored to have been asked to capture their wedding. They are both so incredibly talented and creative. Recently Scott asked if I could do some promo shots for his new band Paths Of Glory (on the blog here and here). It was then when I was talking to their band manager Michelle that I found out he was the drummer for Gruntruck. I felt kind of silly not knowing that already. It’s amazing how life sometimes takes you full circle.

As you can imagine music played a feature role in the event. Seattle record producer Martin Feveyear who runs Jupiter Studio’s in Wallingford toured with Scott back in the day and recorded one of Scott’s early records. He also happens be an ordained minister. He served as the officiant for the ceremony. As guests got settled into the courtyard of the Georgetown Ballroom, the opening base line of John Coltrane’s “Love Supreme” could be heard gaining momentum over the conversations. When the wedding march faded in, it was to the slow melody of “Heaven Adores You” by Earlimart, and the processional song was “It’s So Easy” by Eagles Of Death Metal. There were two first dance songs, both of them soulful and straight to the heart, “No Ones Gonna Love You (More Than I Do)” by Band Of Horses and Ray LaMontagne’s “You Are The Best Thing.” Then there was an evening full of live bands and dancing with Rat City Brass, The Bird Watchers, and Allison came up to sing as well.

Martin’s wife Melissa who ownes Bella Terra Flowers in Greenwood provided the flower arrangements. Scott bought Susanne her first wrist corsage since high school at Bella Terra just before going out on one of their first “Art” dates. The end of the night was particular momentous as Scott and Susanne sped off, being chauffeured by the Georgetown Ballroom’s owner/operator Jerry Chin in Jerry’s own fully restored vintage cadillac convertible. You’d think this would have been the end of it, but even as Mary and I were leaving and the ballroom was closing it’s doors, some of the band members had started an impromptu acoustic set outside. There were a few guests still dancing and partying as the rest were heading home.

Thanks Susanne and Scott for an amazing day. You guys rock!

vendors:

photographer: Jonas Seaman

venue: Georgetown Ballroom

officiant: Martin Feveyear

flower arrangment: Melissa @ Bella Terra Flowers

dress: designed by Monique Lhuillier / Marcella’s Boutique on 4th Ave

groom’s suit: Hugo Boss

hair stylist: Larry Meadows

catering: Jack Miller @ Husky Deli – provided home made pistachio ice cream,

Ben Hodgetts @ Azafron – the most amazing paella in town!!

& Edwardo w/Lucinda’s Taco Truck served the chicken mole tamales (they can be found at the 9-pound Hammer after 8:00 pm).

bands: Rat City Brass, The Bird Watchers

guest’s hotel: the Inn at Queen Anne

Bride and groom’s hotel: Hotel 1000