A Rad Whidbey Island Wedding Venue For Your Day

Whidbey Island is known for its rugged Western beauty. Think steep hills leading to quiet beaches and dark fir trees shading sleek cabins. Captain Whidbey was a dope Whidbey Island wedding venue for Nancy and Sebastian’s simple and deeply meaningful celebration. If you’re looking for Whidbey Island wedding venues, Coupeville wedding venues, or Camano Island wedding venues, you’ll want to read further.

A bride and groom hold hands and walk along a beach on Whidbey Island.

Captain Whidbey: A Rad Whidbey Island Wedding Venue

Captain Whidbey is a hotel tucked into the fir forest overlooking the water at Whidbey Island. Modern cabins sit under the trees. Shiplap walls, warm natural wood, and gingham curtains make the interiors inviting. This seaside hotel feels like the Pacific Northwest with its mix of dark colors and unbelievable views. Captain Whidbey even ties in a artisanal food experience with food grown in their garden.

A groom sits to write his vows before his Captain Whidbey wedding.
A sailboat is docked at the end of a pier beside a forest-lined coast in Washington.
A groom fastens a bride's dress in the doorway of a Captain Whidbey cabin.
In a Whidbey Island wedding venue, a groom kisses a bride's hand.

As a Whidbey Island wedding venue, Captain Whidbey can host anything from elopements to celebrations of 120 guests. Packages in peak season start at $6000. If you want to get ready and take portraits at Captain Whidbey without holding your ceremony there, you can exchange vows at Ebey’s Landing or one of the other incredible parks on the island. Captain Whidbey is Ebey’s Landing’s unofficial lodge, and it’s easy to enjoy the reserve’s rugged beauty while staying at the hotel.

A guest book sits next to a buoy and vintage novel at a Captain Whidbey wedding.
A bride and groom walk through a garden towards their Captain Whidbey wedding.
A bride and groom hold hands and talk under a fir tree on Whidbey island.
A bride and groom dance on a peer before their wedding at Captain Whidbey, a Whidbey Island wedding venue.

Whidbey Island is the perfect setting for a wedding with a mix of intimacy and adventure. You don’t have to do strenuous hikes to enjoy the sense of wilderness. It's a romantic and exciting place, one that feels unfiltered and real. You can drive to Whidbey Island, but if you really want to get the full experience, try taking the Clinton Ferry or Coupeville Ferry from the mainland. 

Nancy and Sebastian stand on a wooden staircase outside a Captain Whidbey cabin.
A groom puts his arms around a bride's waist in the garden of a Whidbey Island wedding venue.
A groom sits on a green couch beside a bride in the lobby of Captain Whidbey before their wedding ceremony.

Simplicity and Flow for a Meaningful Celebration

Nancy and Sebastian express their deep, mushy gushy love in simple but moving ways. When they got engaged, they quietly exchanged rings at a Brooklyn park. Nancy called it “one of the more meaningful things I’ve experienced.” Each small moment held meaning for them. They wanted their wedding to have the same feeling but with a handful of friends and family to bear witness.

A bride and groom cuddle on a couch in a Whidbey Island wedding photo.
A couple wearing wedding attire walks into a forest near Seattle.
A bride and groom hold hands on the beach at Ebey's Landing in front of a pile of driftwood.

If I had to pick two words to describe Nancy and Sebastian’s celebration at their Whidbey Island wedding venue, it would be simplicity and flow. They pared down the details to the things that really mattered. Then they got their planning done early so they could sit back and enjoy the raw emotions of the moment. Everything flowed with uncomplicated beauty.

Sebastian and Nancy walk down a hill towards the beach at Ebey Landing for their wedding ceremony.
A Seattle bride and groom run down the beach outside a Whidbey Island wedding venue.
A groom leans down to kiss a dog wearing a floral collar.
Family members gather around a bride and groom for a Whidbey Island wedding on the beach.

On the morning of their wedding, Nancy and Sebastian got ready together in their cabin at Captain Whidbey. They took some time just the two of them on the beach to explore and soak up the moment. The images from this part of the day give you the sense that their whole life together will be full of quiet, meaningful mornings. 

Family members bow their heads with their eyes closed.
A bride and groom stand with their wedding guests behind them while their officiant speaks.
A small group of wedding guests watches a ceremony on the beach at Ebey's Landing.

Afterward, Sebastian and Nancy met up with family members on the beach near Captain Whidbey for their ceremony. Sebastian’s father traveled from Colombia to co-officiate the ceremony with Nancy’s sister. The ceremony was exactly what Nancy envisioned in their inquiry: modern, intimate, rooted in their closest relationships.

An officiant reads from a piece of paper at a beach wedding in Washington.
A bride and groom hold hands over a dog sleeping on the beach of Whidbey island.
Nancy and Sebastian kiss while guests clap.
Nancy and Sebastian smile and embrace.

Captain Whidbey was the perfect Whidbey Island wedding venue for this celebration. It was the right combination of cozy and elegant with easy access to quiet stretches of beach. I feel so lucky that Sebastian and Nancy chose me to document their tender, authentic day.

Nancy signs the marriage license propped on a piece of driftwood on a Whidbey Island beach.
Wedding guests pose with a bride and groom for a Polaroid wedding photo.
A bride and groom stand with family members and three dogs on the beach of a Whidbey Island wedding venue.

Would you like me to photograph your wedding? I’m a Seattle wedding photographer specializing in candid film images and Super 8 video. Let’s connect!

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