Stephanie + Howard’s Wedding | The Realm Tacoma

Stephanie + Howard’s Wedding at the Realm was truly a gift this year for us. We got the joy of working with some of the most amazing vendors at an incredible venue so close to home. Stephanie + Howard were such a joy to work with. You can tell by looking at them they’d found the love of their lives.

The day started with everyone getting ready at the venue. We were able to arrive and start photographing right away. Parking at The Realm is a little scarce, but luckily, we arrived at a time when there were spots right outside the front door. The venue decor was coming together beautifully, and I was excited to see how everything would turn out.

The venue, though it seemed really dark from photos I found online, was quite light and airy during the day. You see, we rarely have a chance to tour venues during wedding season, so a lot of the time we don’t see your venue until the day of your wedding. It’s lead us to focus on our creative instincts, and really trust our visions when we pick out locations on your wedding day. I tend to research venues online before we arrive, to get a feel for what we’re walking into.

I loved the cozy vibe of the bridal suite upstairs and found it very fitting for Stephanie’s group of friends and family. The man cave vibe of the groom’s room, perfectly suited Howard and his posse. Both spaces worked together beautifully in their gallery, while contrasting each other to create a unique feel for their day.

They opted to do a first look down the aisle, one of many we’d do this way in 2023. (I’m convinced it’s making a comeback). What truly made their ceremony stand out though, was the signing of the marriage license during the ceremony. I was surprised at the time because I’d never seen it done this way, but I love the way they tied it in like it was an everyday thing. It made for a beautiful sealing of their ceremonial vows.

After the ceremony we whisked them away for some portraits, while their vendor team flipped the ceremony space into a reception hall. Cherelle’s team at Floral and Stripe did a great job of creating the table centerpieces, while Tricia of Weddings Realized orchestrated the whole thing. Walking back into the reception space after the flip was truly magical.

Stephanie + Howard spent the remainder of their wedding day partying it up with their favorite people. There was dancing, karaoke, and a whole lot of toasting the new couple before they made their quick getaway.