Seventies-Inspired Elopement: Anh Thu + Hoan
The sun filtered through the evergreens. The birds were hidden at the tops, but we could hear their songs floating above us throughout the air. Anh Thu Le, our bridal model, stepped out into the field and we instantly smiled. This was her: our modern bride, inspired by fashion of decades past but updating it to her style, her body, her passions, and her ideals. Hoan, our groom model and Anh Thu Le’s husband, walked out from behind her and took her hand. They shared a look and joined us on the set.
THE SEVENTIES SHOOT DOWNLOAD.
This shoot was inspired by the seventies retro trend happening in fashion and style. We are embracing fall tones, structured pants, and big sleeves in the world around us. We love it! But in most of the imagery and advertisements we see, the models are white, as if the history before us were only experienced by one race. We know this is not true. We loved the idea of bringing in a couple of color and their love story into this space. What resulted was a lovely day with Anh Thu Le and Hoan Do with soft lighting filtering through the trees and gorgeous golden tones.
OUR MODERN PNW COUPLE.
Anh Thu Le and Hoan met four years ago at a conference Anh Thu Le was coordinating in Texas. Hoan, a motivational speaker, was teaching a workshop, and when he arrived, Anh Thu Le happened to be there to greet him. She had had a hectic morning, but seeing Hoan, she was “totally caught off guard.” They were instantly charmed by each other and stayed in touch. After their first date, they both claim that they knew they had found the one. Three years after the first day they met, Hoan decided to propose to Anh Thu Le. He wanted to recreate one of their favorite dates when they tried to visit a “Before I die…” wall and decided to create their own. He involved their friends and family, contacted the Before I Die organization, and created a beautiful and touching video of their proposal. Their love for projects, working hard at their passions, and experiencing joy in the everyday keeps them grounded in their developing marriage. Anh Thu and Hoan are examples of a relationship built on respect for individual endeavors, mutual support of dreams, and putting in the work to share the adventure together. To us, they are revolutionaries of this time in the realm of equitable and supportive marriages, forging a unique path to happiness and setting an example of what is possible in a partnership.
HOW THE VENDORS RAN THE DAY.
At the shoot, the couple’s can-do attitude and ease with each other was obvious. Anh Thu Le is a lifestyle blogger. Consequently, she was rocking her angles in her dress. Hoan brought his vibrant smile and ability to be present into every shot. The two began the shoot by getting ready around noon onsite at Fern Acres. Ashleigh of Ashleigh Victoria Artistry worked on the couple’s hair and make up, giving Anh Thu Le some much-deserved pampering. While the couple was getting camera-ready, Kate and Kaska of Tapestry Event Co were onsite doing the table design and arranging all the details. Ashley of Beginning and End Photo took photos of the rings, bouquet, and set up while the couple changed into their outfits and got familiar with the set.
The flowers we used for this 70s-inspired shoot were from Angelene of Villanelle Floral Co. The golds, rusty reds, and deep greens, evoked a down-to-earth atmosphere against the backdrop of Anh Thu Le’s eye-catching gown. One of their traditions as a married couple is to read a devotional to each other every night before bed. They brought their book with them and, as part of the ceremony, read their favorite excerpts to one another.
They shared a delicious snack curated by Grate Boards where Ashley took some gorgeous shots in the midday sun. They wandered into the forest for a few portraits, and then the couple and vendor team headed on the journey back home.
THE UPDATED SEVENTIES AESTHETIC.
After taking pictures at the ceremony arch Angelene designed, the couple shared a picnic with a tablescape made of a bright turquoise blue, coral, and earth tones that complemented the burgundies in the floral arrangements. The bright tones were specifically chosen to offset the deep grounded fall colors. The rug and furniture came from Tapestry Event Co.’s rental inventory, but the delicate linens you see running through the flatlays and cutlery came from Izzy + Ollie, a design company that hand dyes unbleached cotton cheesecloth runners on Etsy.
Kendra from Crimson Calligraphy did THE MOST bringing the vibes to this shoot. She put together a set of vow notebooks and beautiful cowhide leather tapestry with a quote from Maya Angelou. Her work throughout the 70s and beyond remains influential and impactful as she shares her experience being a Black woman through her art. We wanted to honor her work as an incredible poet by celebrating her words:
“In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine.”
We brought together the leather accents by coordinating with Marca Leather, who designed and created Hoan’s tie. The details were completed with a vow notebook set in a simple brown also created by Crimson Calligraphy and the couple’s own rings. The use of the couple’s rings elevated the modern twist we wanted to give our 70s vibe.
All of these details were set against the backdrop of Fern Acres, our favorite place to play in Forks. Not only is the venue space the most thoughtful space on the Olympic Peninsula, Tena, the owner, is always improving the property and adding amenities. We love recommending this space for any type of event, whether a 200 person blow out or an only-the-couple elopement with Runaway With Me. There are so many unique and beautiful spaces throughout the property to host a celebration.
Photos courtesy of Beginning and End Photo.
Thank you to all the vendors who helped bring this shoot to life. We especially want to thank Anh Thu Le and Hoan for letting us feature them and their beautiful smiles in this feature.
— Kelleen, Tapestry Content Manager
THE VENDOR TEAM.
Designer + Planner: Kate + Kaska // Tapestry Event Co. // @tapestryeventco // tapestryeventco.com // Seattle, WA + Beyond
Photographer: Ashley // Beginning & End Photography // @beginningandendphoto // beginningandendphoto.com // WA + Beyond
Florist: Angelene // Villanelle Floral // @villanellefloral // villanellefloral.com // Seattle, WA
Hair + Makeup Artist: Ashleigh // Ashleigh Victoria Artistry // @ashleighvictoriaartistry // Olympic Peninsula, WA
Caterer: Dimitria // Grate Boards // @grateboards // grateboards.com // Seattle, WA
Linen Designer: Izzy + Ollie // etsy.com/shop/ShopIzzyOllie // Nashville, TN
Dress Supplier: Opal + June // @opalandjune // opalandjuneshop.com // Worldwide
Tie Designer: Marca Leather // @marcaleather // etsy.com/shop/MarcaLeather // Turkey
Couple: Anh Thu Le + Hoan Do // @anh_thule