NAMES Gloria Cropper and Brendon Smyth LIVE IN West Seattle OCCUPATIONS She owns and operates a dog training and walking service; he’s a marketing manager for Grist.org, and co-founder of Fusionradio.net HOW THEY MET Online; she listed Kruder & Dorfmeister as one of her favorite DJs, so he figured they’d have good road-trip harmony CULTURAL TRADITIONS Gloria is half-Mexican and her father is Cajun, so they had Mexican paper flowers, table signs based on Mexican lottery cards, a live Latin band, and a Spanish wedding gown SIGNATURE DETAILS Lighting was an important element; it reflected off the water via hundreds of candles hanging on metal tree centerpieces and around the windows CEREMONY MUSIC The cellist and upright bassist worked some heavy metal classics into their classical repertoire WEDDING CAKE Intentionally giant slices of red velvet cake to honor her father’s Louisiana roots RECEPTION MENU Enchiladas, bean and cabbage sopes, spicy jicama and tangerine salad, empanadas, ceviche, grilled mojito prawn skewers, and Spanish sofrito rice with a salsa bar FAVORS FOR GUESTS Mexican wedding cookies from the Salvadorean Bakery in White Center WHAT THEY WISHED THEY HAD KNOWN AHEAD OF TIME How long it would take to install the decorations; she would have gotten up much earlier HOW THE DAY WAS DIFFERENT THAN THEY EXPECTED Everyone told them it would fly by and they wouldn’t remember it, but she can recall it all; they savored every moment
Photographs by Amber French Photography
CEREMONY And reception Point Defiance Park (Tacoma)
CATERING Herban Feast
WEDDING DAY COORDINATOR Your Everything Solution
PHOTOGRAPHER Amber French Photography
FLOWERS Florarama Modern Design
CAKE Kingfish Cafe
REHEARSAL DINNER Anthony’s at Point Defiance (Tacoma)
INVITATIONS Jacob McMurray
ACCESSORIES Princess Bride (Bothell)
BRIDESMAID DRESSES Moms, Maids, and More (Bellevue)
HAIR Gene Juarez Salon and Spa (Tacoma)
MAKEUP JJ Cariaso-Hughes
RINGS Green Lake Jewelry Works
CEREMONY MUSIC Bottom Line Duo, Jon Markel, and Paul Fischer
RECEPTION MUSIC Mangoson
TRANSPORTATION British Motor Coach
