Lakewold Gardens Wedding: Hannah & Blake

I was thrilled to find out that Carats and Cake wanted to feature this wedding on their blog! Hannah and Blake’s Lakewold Gardens wedding was a beautiful wedding to capture.

There’s something incredibly special about a Lakewold Gardens wedding that feels completely true to the couple—and that’s exactly what Hannah and Blake’s beautiful day at Lakewold Gardens was all about. From the emotional first look to the elegant ceremony and heartfelt celebration, every part of their Lakewold Gardens wedding was filled with joy, intention, and timeless charm.

As a Seattle wedding photographer, I’ve seen a lot of incredible celebrations over the years, but this Lakewold Gardens wedding stood out for its effortless beauty, classic details, and the deep love shared between these two. It was an honor to capture every laugh, tear, and in-between moment. This really was a timeless Lakewold Gardens wedding.

The Setting: Classic Seattle Vibes with a Romantic Twist

Seattle has so much to offer when it comes to weddings—lush gardens, elegant venues, moody skies, and golden light that peeks through just when you need it. Hannah and Blake’s wedding day embraced all of that. Their venue offered a mix of indoor refinement and outdoor beauty, giving us the perfect variety of backdrops for portraits and candid moments.

Thus is the perfect venue for a Lakewold Gardens wedding, offering stunning backdrops for every part of the celebration.

From the moment I arrived, I could feel the excitement and love in the air. Friends and family were buzzing with energy, and Hannah was a vision of calm and happiness as she got ready surrounded by her closest people.

The First Look: A Moment Just for Them

The anticipation of a Lakewold Gardens wedding is palpable, and Hannah and Blake embraced that energy beautifully. One of the most emotional parts of the day was Hannah and Blake’s first look. Tucked away in a quiet spot filled with greenery, they saw each other for the first time and instantly melted into laughter and tears. These quiet, intimate moments are some of my favorite to capture as a photographer.

A first look doesn’t just make for beautiful photos—it’s a chance to breathe, connect, and be fully present with the person you’re about to marry. And for Hannah and Blake, it set the perfect tone for the rest of their day.

The Ceremony: Filled with Love and Light

Their ceremony was not only elegant but a true testament to what a Lakewold Gardens wedding embodies: love, light and elegance. Their ceremony was elegant, personal, and filled with emotion. Surrounded by loved ones, they exchanged heartfelt vows beneath soft floral arrangements in a space that was simple yet stunning. The overcast Seattle skies actually made for the most romantic, even light—a photographer’s dream.

One of the moments that stuck with me was the way they looked at each other as they said “I do.” Pure love and excitement radiated from both of them. It’s those looks—the ones that speak volumes without words—that I live for.

Portraits in the City and Nature

After the ceremony, we took advantage of the incredible surroundings for their portraits. Lakewold Gardens feels like you are in an English secret garden. From soft gardens and tree-lined paths to architectural lines and modern textures, we moved through a few favorite spots to give their gallery both variety and cohesion. I love the details inside the house as well, especially the grand staircase and beautifully elegant wallpaper in the entryway.

Every Lakewold Gardens wedding benefits from the beautiful settings available for portraits, and this was no exception. Hannah’s dress moved beautifully and fit perfectly in this English garden themed wedding. Blake couldn’t stop smiling every time he looked at her and it was the sweetest thing. They were effortless together—playful, affectionate, and completely in sync.

Reception Vibes: Cozy, Classy, and Full of Joy

Their reception was a celebration of everything they love—good food, great music, and being surrounded by their people. Long tables were adorned with candles, lush florals, and elegant details that reflected their classic style. The speeches brought tears and laughter, the first dance was filled with emotion, and once the dance floor opened, it stayed full all night long. At their reception, the joy of a Lakewold Gardens wedding continued as guests celebrated their love.

These are the moments that matter—the spontaneous hugs, the way the light hits just right during a toast, the uninhibited laughter during a favorite song. Hannah and Blake’s reception reminded me just how powerful it is to be surrounded by love.

Hannah and Blake’s Seattle wedding was everything I love about photographing weddings: genuine connection, thoughtful details, and timeless beauty. It was elegant but never stiff, planned yet full of heartfelt surprises, and filled with the kind of love that radiates from every image.

Hannah and Blake’s Lakewold Gardens wedding was everything I love about photographing weddings: genuine connection, thoughtful details, and timeless beauty.

If you’re planning a wedding in Seattle or the Pacific Northwest, I’d love to help you capture your day in a way that feels honest, effortless, and full of heart. Every couple’s story is different—and I can’t wait to tell yours next.

A Little About Lakewold Gardens in Lakewood, Washington

If you’re considering a Lakewold Gardens wedding, I highly recommend this venue for its charm and beauty.

There are venues that photograph beautifully and venues that feel genuinely special the moment you walk through the gate, and Lakewold Gardens is both. Located on the shores of Gravelly Lake in Lakewood, Washington — about 45 minutes south of SeaTac and just minutes from downtown Tacoma — this 10-acre historic estate sits behind wrought iron gates and delivers one of the most distinctly European garden experiences available anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. The moment you step onto the grounds, the surrounding city disappears entirely. What replaces it is a world of century-old trees, formal garden beds, winding natural pathways, ponds, and the kind of quiet, unhurried beauty that makes guests stop walking and simply look.

I have photographed at venues across Washington State for seventeen years, and Lakewold is consistently one of the properties I recommend most enthusiastically to couples who want their wedding to feel like it transported everyone somewhere extraordinary.

The estate has a history that gives it genuine depth. Lakewold — the name comes from a Middle English term meaning lake-woods — was purchased in 1938 by George Corydon and Eulalie Wagner, who shaped the gardens over decades into the remarkable horticultural collection they are today. In 1987, Eulalie Wagner donated the entire estate to the nonprofit Friends of Lakewold with the stipulation that an endowment be raised to ensure the gardens’ continuing care.

It opened to the public in 1989, and today it operates as both a public garden and one of the South Sound’s most sought-after wedding venues. That nonprofit stewardship matters in a way couples feel — the grounds are maintained with the care and attention of people who genuinely love this place, and it shows in every detail.

The Georgian-style Wagner House mansion is the architectural heart of the property, with a spiral staircase, intimate rooms, and a wisteria-covered verandah that functions beautifully for receptions, champagne toasts, and bridal preparation. The gardens themselves offer a remarkable variety of ceremony and portrait locations within a single property: the historic brick walkway, the stunning gazebo, the distinctive quatrefoil pool, natural pathways winding between mature plantings, ponds, and views across Gravelly Lake that appear when you least expect them.

As a photographer, the sheer number of visually distinct environments available within these ten acres means I am never repeating myself across an entire wedding day. Every turn produces something new — a different quality of light, a different texture of foliage, a different relationship between the architecture and the garden.

Lakewold hosts ceremonies and receptions for up to 150 guests. Because the estate operates as a public garden during daytime hours, weddings take place on Saturday and Sunday evenings, with the estate becoming completely private after 4:00 PM. The venue fee is a flat rate of $7,000, which includes tables and chairs, Bluetooth speakers, and exclusive use of the estate from 3:00 PM through 11:00 PM, with one hour available for a dress rehearsal. Catering is handled through a preferred caterer list — the venue does accommodate outside vendors at an additional fee, so discuss this with the team early if you have a specific catering vision.

For elopements and micro weddings of 30 guests or fewer, Lakewold is currently booking 2025 and 2026 dates. Larger weddings are fully booked through 2026 and accepting inquiries for 2027, so if a full-scale Lakewold wedding is on your radar, starting that conversation now is genuinely important.

The best time to get married at Lakewold Gardens is May, with late April and early June running very close behind. This is when the wisteria covering the verandah is in its full purple bloom — cascading, fragrant, and so thoroughly beautiful that I have seen brides completely change their ceremony location on sight of it in bloom, wanting it as their backdrop rather than anywhere else on the property. The rhododendrons and azaleas are also at their peak in May, the lawns are a vivid Pacific Northwest green, and the light in the Pacific Northwest in late spring — long evenings, soft and directional well past 8:00 PM — creates portrait conditions that are genuinely exceptional.

Summer weddings in July and August are wonderful as well, with reliable dry weather and the long golden evenings that the Pacific Northwest does better than almost anywhere, and the gardens are lush and full even after the spring bloom has passed.

September is a beautiful and underrated month at Lakewold — the summer foliage has matured, the light begins its autumn shift toward the warm amber quality that photographers seek, and the venue’s schedule is typically less competitive than peak summer. One practical note that applies to any season here: the Pacific Northwest is the Pacific Northwest, and a light rain plan is always wise regardless of the forecast. The garden photographs just as beautifully in soft rain as in sunshine — sometimes more so — and couples who come prepared with clear umbrellas and a flexible attitude tend to end up with some of the most atmospheric images of anyone I have photographed here.

This Pacific Northwest wedding venue is a fantastic choice for couples looking to create their dream Lakewold Gardens wedding in a picturesque garden setting.