I still smile when I think about Helen and Logan’s wedding at Semiahmoo Resort. If you’ve ever been to this little corner of Washington, you know how special it feels to be right on the water with soft light, salty air, and that relaxed coastal calm. Their day was intimate, emotional, and full of little moments that made it completely their own. From a ceremony officiated by Helen’s brother, to Logan absolutely owning the dance floor just days after Achilles surgery, it was one of those weddings that reminded me why I love what I do. Today I’m sharing a peek into their seaside celebration, along with some of the vendors who helped bring it all together.

Wedding at Semiahmoo Resort: Helen and Logan’s Coastal Celebration

Ceremony

Helen and Logan chose to get married at Semiahmoo Resort, a gorgeous waterfront venue in Blaine, Washington, with views that stretch out along the Salish Sea. If you’re looking for a seaside location in the Pacific Northwest, Semiahmoo really is such a beautiful spot for a wedding day. You can check out more about their weddings here: https://www.semiahmoo.com

Their ceremony overlooked the water, with soft natural light and just enough breeze to make everything feel alive and moving. My favorite part was that Helen’s brother officiated. Having a sibling lead the ceremony brought this extra layer of tenderness and familiarity to the whole thing. You could hear it in his voice and see it in the way Helen and Logan looked at him as he spoke. There was laughter, there were tears, and there were so many sweet little glances between the two of them that said, “I can’t believe we’re really here.”

Reception

The reception also took place at Semiahmoo Resort, and their team handled all the catering. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner that felt relaxed but elevated, exactly the vibe you want at a coastal resort wedding. Semiahmoo is known for pairing beautiful views with great food, which is such a win on a wedding day. Semiahmoo+1

Just a few days before the wedding, Logan had surgery on his Achilles. Most people would have taken that as a sign to stay seated all night, but not Logan. Even though he couldn’t move the way he normally would, he still made it onto the dance floor and had so much fun. With the help of their guests, a lot of laughter, and some very creative dance moves, he celebrated right alongside everyone else. It added this really beautiful layer of resilience and joy to the evening.

Design and Styling

Helen and Logan really let the natural beauty of Semiahmoo lead the design of their day. With the shoreline, open sky, and soft neutral tones already there, they didn’t need to overdo anything. The look of the wedding felt coastal, classic, and effortless—more about enhancing the scenery than competing with it.

The surrounding driftwood, beach grass, and water all worked as a built-in backdrop for their portraits. We took advantage of the paths and shoreline for photos, and the combination of Helen’s gown, the breeze, and the setting created such timeless, romantic images. The overall design leaned into that “refined but relaxed” feeling that fits a seaside resort so perfectly.

Dress and Beauty

Helen wore a stunning gown from Brides for a Cause, and it fit her and the setting so well. Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit bridal store that collects and resells donated wedding dresses to raise funds for charity, with locations in cities like Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Sacramento, San Diego, and Phoenix. bridesforacause.com+1 You can learn more about them and their mission at https://bridesforacause.com.

Her dress had a romantic simplicity that moved beautifully in the coastal breeze and caught the light in all the best ways. I love photographing Brides for a Cause gowns because they have so much heart behind them—there’s a story in the dress before it ever even reaches the bride. Helen’s look was timeless, elegant, and still completely relaxed and true to her.

Videography

To help capture their day on video, Helen and Logan used WeddingMix, a service that lets friends and family record moments, then gathers everything together into a wedding video. It’s a really fun, interactive way to document the celebration from multiple perspectives. WeddingMix offers user-friendly tools and professional editing to help couples turn those clips into a highlight film. You can read more about how it works here: https://www.storymixmedia.com/weddingmix. storymixmedia.com+1

It fit their day so well—laid back, personal, and focused on real moments with the people they love.

Desserts and Catering

Semiahmoo Resort took care of the catering for the day, and their team did such a great job. Guests enjoyed a delicious meal that fit the coastal setting, and everything felt warm and welcoming. From cocktails to dinner, it all flowed seamlessly into the rest of the evening.

Dessert was kept simple and sweet, centered around flavors the couple loved and treats that encouraged guests to gather, mingle, and enjoy those last few hours together by the water. There’s something about sharing dessert as the sun starts to set over the water that makes everything feel a little extra magical.

Special Moments

One of my favorite parts of the day was stepping away with Helen and Logan for sunset portraits. The sky softened into these lovely pastel tones over the water, the breeze picked up just enough to give us beautiful movement in Helen’s dress, and for a few minutes it felt like time slowed down. They wrapped into each other, talked quietly between frames, and you could feel how present they were in that moment. Those are always some of my favorite photos to deliver.

Later that evening, watching Logan on the dance floor—Achilles surgery and all—was another highlight. Their friends circled around him, cheering him on, and it was such a perfect example of how community and joy can carry a couple through unexpected challenges. Those images tell such a strong story of support, determination, and celebration.

Vendor Team

This day came together with the help of a wonderful team of vendors:
Coordinator: Kristen Feeney
Caterer and Venue: Semiahmoo Resort – https://www.semiahmoo.com/weddings
Officiant: The bride’s brother
DJ: Girl Meets Boy – http://www.girlmeetsboymusic.com WeddingWire+1
Videographer: WeddingMix – https://www.storymixmedia.com/weddingmix storymixmedia.com+1
Wedding Dress: Brides for a Cause – https://bridesforacause.com bridesforacause.com+1

If you’re dreaming of a relaxed, coastal wedding in Washington, a wedding at Semiahmoo Resort might be the perfect fit for you. And if you’re looking for a photographer who loves capturing heartfelt, natural, joy-filled moments by the water, I’d love to be there for your day. You can reach out and learn more about my work at https://courtneybowlden.com so we can start planning your Semiahmoo wedding or another beautiful Pacific Northwest celebration together.