1. Real Weddings

Sara & Richard: An Outdoor Wedding in Eastsound, WA

Richard McDerby and Sara Foster fell in love while trekking in the Annapurna Mountains of Nepal. The two adventurous travelers first met in the lobby

Richard McDerby and Sara Foster fell in love while trekking in the Annapurna Mountains of Nepal. The two adventurous travelers first met in the lobby of the Mandala Hotel in Tibet, and, on a whim, Sara, who had planned to return to Seattle shortly, changed her plans to accompany Richard to Nepal. The Bride Sara Foster The Groom Richard McDerby The Date September 22 They had what she describes as an amazing two weeks together, and returned to the West coast -- she to Seattle (where she is now studying pottery), he to Vancouver to practice law -- both of them knowing that they had each found something special. From the very beginning, marriage seemed inevitable. We shared values, dreams, and a sense of humor about it all, says Sara. One Saturday afternoon, during a walk along the pier near Pike Place Market, Richard presented Sara with a tiny box and asked, Will you?

The couple chose a seven-piece jazz band to play at the festivities. We took three or four dance lessons before our wedding, says Sara, but managed to forget everything and choked on the dance floor during our first dance. No matter: The crowd of well wishers joined the bride and groom on the dance floor, and the mood only got more festive as the evening wore on.
The wedding ceremony began at 5 p.m., when guests arrived to find seats among the 100 chairs, each of which held a packet of wildflower seeds from Richard's mom's garden. The minister was positioned beneath two trees heavy with red apples and balls of flowers created by the florist; a string quartet was set up beneath another tree. The highlight of the spiritual service was a reading of the journal entries that the couple had written while they were in Nepal, trekking and falling in love.
The Bridal Bouquet
The reception was a short walk through a mown path to two tents decorated with large urns of fall-colored blooms, candle-burning chandeliers trimmed with flowers, and five long tables. Guests sampled hors d'oeuvres and then enjoyed a family-style meal.
Sara put the wedding together in just six months. The couple chose Orcas Island, not only for the stunning scenery but also because the bride and her siblings had grown up attending summer camp on the island. On a visit to Orcas, the two discovered Green Dolphin Farm, a private property available for only a few weddings each year. They both fell in love with the expansive field dotted with apple trees and overlooking the West Sound.
The Location
Sara wore an A-line gown by Christos gown with a square neckline and cap sleeves.