Ari + Rachel did what very few couples do. They personally announced their engagement to a small number of people, and had a private beach wedding in Seattle’s Discovery Park. Many didn’t find out that their wedding plans were progressing until after the wedding day had already passed. This gesture struck me as particularly romantic because it’s a reminder that sometimes it’s okay for our most intimate moments to remain intimate. So often we use social media as a permanent extension of who we are—to the point that if it we didn’t post about an event, then it didn’t happen. The internet should never serve as your final stamp of approval. There’s a real world out there, with real people that matter far more than any amount of likes, comments, shares, and followers.

I know, it’s a bit backwards for me make these kinds of statements through the very medium that I’m criticizing. People are weird, messy, and full of contradictions. I’m no exception. C’est la vie.

A+ R, you two are amazing together. It was such a beautiful day, and I’m so honored to have been there to capture it for you.