Frankie & Maude is a small wedding dress studio in Bellingham, WA, run by mother/daughter team Kathleen and Meghann. Together, they design and create their own beautiful collections of dresses, as well as custom orders. So many decisions go into planning a wedding, and there's something really special and reassuring about knowing exactly who's making your wedding dress. If you're engaged and live in the Bellingham area, I highly recommend making an appointment, bringing a few friends, and talking with Kathleen and Meghann about your dress. (If you have time, tea and scones at Abbey Tea Garden is a must!) I visited their studio to select a wedding dress for myself, and fell in love with three of their designs. We combined elements of each, selected fabrics and ribbon, and they had me pop back in for a couple quick fittings to make sure it was just right. Kathleen and Meghann made the entire process special, lighthearted, fun, and easy, and it's clear they're both really passionate about what they do. If you're looking for a high quality custom wedding dress, made by two talented local women, I highly recommend Frankie & Maude!

When I began searching for a florist for our own wedding, the process felt a bit overwhelming.  There are so many talented and beautiful farms and florists in the Bellingham area, and I'm so glad I stumbled upon Free Range Flowers.  I emailed with Celeste and told her about the colors and feeling I hoped for, and I knew right away she would be the perfect fit for our wedding!  Celeste and I worked together to come up with a mood board and a good estimate of how many flowers my bridesmaids and I would need for our DIY bouquets and table decor.  When we arrived to pick them up the day before our wedding, I couldn't believe how many flowers and stems of greenery she had lovingly tucked into the buckets.  Celeste pours her heart into her flower fields, and she's an absolute joy to work with.  I couldn't recommend her more!

I also had the pleasure of visiting her farm throughout the seasons, to photograph the ever-changing colors and varieties she offers.  I'm so excited to finally share these with you all!

I started following Gathered Confections a while back because of her commitment to using local, seasonal, and organic ingredients whenever possible. Though our professions are different, I know how difficult it can be financially to choose local suppliers over cheaper options online. When I told Sarah I loved this about her business and wanted to feature her on my blog, her first instinct was to include a favorite local farm and show where the desserts come from!

Hoping to find new places to meet with friends and clients, I decided to search for the best coffee shops in Bellingham.  It was a great excuse to spend time with friends and other small business owners, and I'm hoping that it helps build community, too!  Though I love my lattes, I'm no coffee expert, so I encourage you to try each of these shops on your own. Comment below to let me know which ones you like best!

Last week, Elizabeth and Erika featured me as a "Boss Lady" on their Streets of Gold blog!  Each month they feature one female small business owner, and I was thrilled when Elizabeth asked me!  We met at Taylor and Allison's wedding in 2015, and when I asked her to send me some business cards, she went all out.  If she put that much thought into something for me, I could only imagine that she must give her clients an incredible experience, too.  And I was right!  Keep scrolling for a little behind the scenes, photos courtesy of my incredible second shooter and partner, Vinny.