Wedding Rewritten: Cozy Non-Traditional Nuptials with Lively Karaoke Reception

Eliza Smith and Sheldon Costa met during their MFA graduate program for writing, so it was only natural that their wedding was a creative endeavor. They envisioned a small, non-traditional affair with a plethora of personal touches at Shafer Baillie Mansion. A day before the ceremony, the couple ventured to Pike Place Market to collect their wedding décor: dried flowers from the Lee Family Farm stand. On the big day, Eliza and Sheldon ditched the traditional timeline and began with a cozy cocktail hour, where they mingled with their guests, setting a relaxed yet joyous tone. The couple walked together, hand in hand, into the ceremony, officiated by a grad-school friend who had everyone laughing and crying in turn. Dinner was served on the mansion’s terrace, with library cards doubling as place cards, a clever nod to their love of literature. The evening flowed seamlessly into a lively karaoke reception at The Lab at Ada’s Technical Books & Cafe, where guests’ voices filled the night with laughter and song. Sheldon’s handcrafted popcorn figurine was a whimsical touch, contributing to the night’s charm. As the evening wound down, the newlyweds looked back on a day that felt truly, authentically theirs.