Melissa & Joshua

Real Weddings

Melissa & Joshua

Sept. 26, 2010 at Georgetown Studios in Seattle

By:

Rebecca Garland

photography by:

Nice guys finish last. Or so the saying goes. So when nice guy Joshua Fant, owner of North Pacific Properties, spotted Melissa Hogenson on MySpace, he had to do something to attract her attention. According to Melissa, he took a few “quick jabs” at her and teased, which she likens to a boy pulling a girl’s ponytail. She thought his bad boy put-on was cute. When Joshua, 40, proposed four years later, nice guy got his girl.

When it came to the big day, Melissa, catering sales manager for the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Seattle, wanted to create a fun atmosphere reflecting who they are as a couple: foodies who love to travel and are drawn to vintage décor. Creating that experience started with a theme, and Melissa drew inspiration from the romance of Paris, a place she first visited when she was 16. She brought out Parisian details through vintage French wooden wine boxes and food picks decorated with Paris maps.

In addition to the décor, which also included vintage French wire and iron pieces and a banner on the cake table with the same inscription as the interior of Joshua’s ring, l’amour de ma vie, Melissa, 41, wanted her dress to have a European feel. She found a picture of an Ian Stuart dress online and, though she bought it sight unseen from England, the gamble paid off. “It made me feel utterly beautiful,” she says of the Italian dupioni silk dress with hand-rolled, sewn rosettes and Swarovski crystals.

The ceremony and reception took place in The Engine Room at Georgetown Studios; the couple’s friends sang Jeff Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah” as Melissa walked down the aisle, and the couple read personalized vows before a presentation of necklaces to Melissa’s two daughters. DJ Leslie of Seattle Parties played “White Dress” by Joshua’s rock band, Post Stardom Depression, as the couple receded the aisle.

Once a pastry chef at Bouley in New York City and Le Chantilly in San Francisco, Melissa wanted their guests “eat and drink themselves silly,” beginning with French wine, champagne and a French ’75 signature cocktail. The menu featured items from local food purveyors, such as Cape Cleare salmon, Olsen Farms potatoes and Beecher’s mac and cheese. In addition to wedding cake from New Renaissance Cakes, tarts from Whole Foods and Trophy Cupcakes, they offered a candy bar especially for Melissa’s daughters. And, in a nod to Joshua’s years of playing in bands and eating hot dogs after shows, the night concluded with a late-night snack from Dante’s Inferno Dogs.

Melissa and Joshua considered it a great compliment when a guest approached them, saying, “This wedding is just so … you.” At home in Green Lake, the couple is now planning a honeymoon to Tuscany and, of course, Paris.

Bridal attire: Dress, Ian Stuart; jewelry, J.Crew; Lingerie, Agent Provocateur | Bridesmaid dresses: I Do Bridal | Caterer: Bon Appétit | Candy bar: Stephanie Solomon of Solomon Event Planning | Dessert: Bakery Nouveau, New Renaissance Cakes, Trophy Cupcakes and Whole Foods | Late-night snack: Dante’s Inferno Dogs | Chairs: Pedersen’s Event Rentals | Decor: Bistro globe lights, Blue Danube Productions; vases, Anthropologie; plates, Totally Tabletops | DJ: DJ Leslie of Seattle Parties | Flowers: Willow & Bloom | Groom and groomsmen attire: Suit, Paul Smith; styling, Rebecca Luke of Les Egoistes | Hair and makeup: Erin Skipley | Invitations: Paper Delights | Linens: Choice Linens | Rings: Groom, E.E. Robbins; bride, Stein Diamonds