hELLO!
We are a husband & wife team. Based in the mountains of Montana & Washington State, we’ve been photographing and filming couples since the start of 2021.
Welcome to our blog where you’ll discover elopement planning resources, as well as beautiful galleries from real weddings!
We're Hannah & Adam of Venture to Elope
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Small Weddings
This micro wedding in Seattle was incredible. But let’s start the day before! On Friday, the bride and groom’s family met to host a traditional marriage proposal known as Iku Aka, or The Knock. This ceremony is done before the wedding, and it’s a way for the families to be formally introduced. In the Igbo culture, this proposal is usually about a week long, but the couple chose to do the entire proposal in one day.
So, the day started with introductions and then went into the groom asking for the bride’s hand in marriage, the families each presenting the bride and groom (aka they talked about who Laura and David are as individuals), the presentation of gifts, and the wine-carrying ceremony. It was a beautiful ceremony, and one that I (Hannah) will never forget. There was lots of dancing, gift-giving, and sharing stories about Laura and David. It was amazing to see and experience how different cultures celebrate marriage.
The following day was the micro wedding ceremony, which took place at AXIS Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle. I really love how not only was the entire celebration centered around the couple (obviously), but they found ways to incorporate their family, too. The bride chose their ceremony date because it was also her grandparent’s wedding anniversary! So, everyone was able to celebrate her grandparent’s marriage as well. Plus, both the bride’s brother and the groom’s brother read passages during their wedding ceremony. And both families wore traditional Igbo wedding attire. The groom’s mother made everyone’s outfits, which was extremely special! The couple had a beautiful ceremony, great food, a fun Nigerian money dance, and an awesome start to their marriage! I feel so honored to have been able to document this for them.
Vendor Team
Photographer: Hannah Falk
HMUA: Rose Prado at VAIN salon in Seattle
Bride’s Lashes: Gianna at Dulce Lash Lounge in Seattle
Bride’s Nails: Sen Salon
Venue: AXIS Pioneer Square
Cake: Deep Sea Sugar & Salt (and the chess pieces were made by the bride’s brother!)
Catering: Ravishing Radish Catering
Design & Graphics: The beautiful bride, Laura Melisse!
