Their love story has been a long time in the making, and I’m quite proud to be able to say that I was there when it all started…on the courts of Gym A at the University of Washington IMA, Darius’ flashy dunks and even flashier smile caught Jasmine’s eye, and Darius couldn’t help but notice this lovely petite girl wearing Jordans and shooting around with her friend. They started dating their freshman year of college, and since then, rarely has Darius been in the gym without his biggest fan watching or playing 1-on-1 with him.
I met both Darius and Jasmine right before they started dating, and although we don’t get to spend a lot of time together since we all left the UW, they’ve always been special friends to me. Darius, aka Nike dAIRius, as I like to call him, is one of my favorite people to play basketball with, not only because he is ridiculously good, but also because he never catches an attitude and, on a personal note, he respects me as a basketball player. I always tried to get Jasmine to play on one of my intramural teams and finally 😉 she agreed to join my women’s team one season, in which we won a championship together. I am over-the-moon happy for them to officially be husband and wife, and photographing their wedding day made everything feel like it came full circle. Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Alo! Love you guys. <3
Their April wedding day was typical Seattle-area weather…rainy, sunny, cloudy, all of the above, wash, rinse, repeat. I was nervous as the day began because I knew how important photos after the ceremony would be at the University of Washington. But in Federal Way, as Jasmine and Darius prepared for their day, things seemed to be going well. Jasmine was busy getting dolled up by the uber-amazing Arianna Scott.
Jasmine had set out mementos of her and Darius’ relationship…it was sweet to look back on over ten years of their special moments together!
Jasmine is jusssst a smidge shorter than Darius 😉 so her lovely Nine West heels would definitely come in handy.
Jasmine stayed pretty cool, calm and collected while her mother helped her get ready. 🙂 Completely elegant.
I am crazy for Jasmine’s sleek bun. <3 Arianna is soooo good.
Meanwhile, over with the fellas, Darius was getting ready with the help of his mom, stepmom, and brother.
Oh, brothers…Dwayne is pursuing his music career in LA so he doesn’t get to chide Darius in person too often. 🙂
Darius and Jasmine had their ceremony at their church, Christ the King Bible Fellowship, in Federal Way, WA. The sanctuary decor and floral design was a true family effort, handmade by Darius’ aunts, stepmom, and cousins. As a Husky, I have to approve of the color choices. 😉
Jasmine’s brother is also a musician, and played for his sister as she walked down the aisle.
Jasmine and Darius chose not to see each other prior to their ceremony, and the look of pride and love on Darius’ face is evident as he saw his soon-to-be bride for the first time.
Their wedding day was intimate, with just their immediate family, and they shared special vows with each other.
Hooray, it’s official!!
It started pouring rain right after the ceremony. BUT – this handsome Rolls Royce from British Motor Coach was awaiting the newlyweds.
And, isn’t it good luck if it rains on your wedding day? Well, in that case, it must be even better luck to have a rainbow!
Jasmine and Darius have a view of downtown Seattle from their rooftop so we headed there for some photos of just the two of them. We got really lucky with the rain stopping as we got into Seattle.
And this guy…say hello to Mr. Eko, J+D’s bulldog. Any time there is a dog with a bowtie at a wedding, count me in.
Not wanting to push our luck with the weather, we hustled over to the University of Washington for family formals and portraits. UW is probably my favorite location in Seattle, for photos and in general 😉 and this was actually my first time photographing a bride and groom here. I was so excited! And it didn’t rain. I have no idea how we were so fortunate but thank goodness, because I love the images we captured there, starting with Suzzallo Library.
#albumcover
After family photos we sent everyone to dinner so I could have some time with just Jasmine and Darius. Jasmine’s lovely bouquet from Darius’ aunt, Seane, along with her handmade veil from Darius’ stepmom, Andrea, completed her classic look.
One of my favorite things about the University of Washington campus is that you don’t have to go very far to have completely different backgrounds for your images (a saving grace for a bride in heels!). We wandered over to the Quad for some portraits of just J+D.
And then Kane Hall. Which, if you simply glanced at, you’d probably think it was pretty unattractive. 😉 But it’s all about the angles, and from the right perspective you can make some pretty beautiful art! This is one of my favorite captures from the day.
Finally, we headed to the place where it alllllll began…the IMA. A quick pose with the Rolls Royce before heading inside.
I worked at the IMA in college and do photography for them now, so when Jasmine mentioned to me that they wanted to take photos in the gym, I checked with my former boss and got the okay. (Thanks, Gary!) They changed into Jordans and got ready for some fun.
Jasmine and Darius wanted to commemorate how they met and how Jasmine would sit on a bench in the gym and watch Darius play nearly every day.
And Darius was itching to fly!
I call him Nike dAIRius for a reason.
The entire day was such a blast, but being in the gym was probably my favorite part because we were all in our elements and so happy to be there. It was hard to leave without playing a game of HORSE, at least!
Everyone was waiting for the newlyweds in a private dining room at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Seattle, where they finished the night with heartfelt toasts from everyone and a delicious meal. There’s a lot of love for Jasmine and Darius in this room. <3
And, of course, some dessert.
Their scrumptious cake was designed by Veronica’s Cake Arts in Burien.
Jasmine had a special request for an image that resembled their cake topper. Next to the private dining room at Ruth’s Chris was a space that was just perfect…the reflections in the glass of the wine cellar was a bonus!
I had sososo much fun with you, J+D – THANK YOU for including me on your wedding day. It means so much to be able to photograph people that I care about and have known for so long. Go Dawgs!
Be sure to check out more photos from their day in this slideshow.
Thanks to the wonderful family and vendors who helped make this day come together!
Venues: Christ the King Bible Fellowship, University of Washington, University of Washington IMA, Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Seattle
Catering: Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Seattle
Cake: Veronica’s Cake Arts
Hair + makeup: Arianna Scott
Eyelash extensions: Elane Jones
Bridal bouquet: Seane Boe
Wedding decor, floral design, ceremony setup: Seane Boe, Andrea Alo, Simone Liljar, Janiene Darang and Jonelle Held Burris
Ti leaf leis: Sent with aloha from Flo Alo from Hawaii
Floral centerpiece: Ravenna Bloom
Videographer: BH Films
Music: Elvin Bucu
Veil: Handmade by Andrea Alo
Transportation: British Motor Coach
Photography: Seattle wedding photographer Tara Brown
(Special thanks to my pal Sean Brown, no relation, for assisting me with reflectors and lighting while at UW! :D)
