Welcome & Key Information

Our medieval-themed wedding ceremony and feast will be held in the afternoon on Saturday 6/23/18 at the Wellspring Spa in Ashford, WA.

Important information about attire, lodging, and other topics will be provided below. Important links (venue, Honeyfund registry, etc.) are in the right-hand sidebar (viewable on a desktop).

We are so excited to share this next step in our lives with you!

- Lauren and Mark



ATTIRE

We welcome and encourage all guests to join in on our medieval theme by wearing medieval "garb" (attire).

The "setting" of our wedding is late 1400s England - if you would like to dress for the time period, there is detailed information about the fashions of that time below. However, we also welcome a freer interpretation of "medieval" to include renaissance and fantasy elements. :) Resources for buying or making medieval garb are below.

Please note the venue is lovely but very rustic - think summer camp! This is a wooded venue with dirt paths which may be muddy if it rains (unlikely in late June, but always possible in Seattle!) - please plan to wear comfortable shoes. Ladies will be most comfortable in low heels or flats. This is also a PNW wedding, so we recommend bringing a light jacket or sweater as the night will cool off a bit. The average weather for the day is a high of 67 and low of 48.

SCHEDULE

Please plan to arrive in Ashford by noon on Saturday. The ceremony will begin promptly at 1:00pm. Wedding festivities will conclude by noon on Sunday.

Saturday June 23, 2018 (Midsummer’s Eve)

Ë 1:00 PM (Sanctuary): Wedding Ceremony

Ë 2:00 PM (Feast Tent): Feast!

*       2:00 PM: Welcome Toasts from Bride’s Parents

*       2:30 PM: Activity Break – Axe Throwing Contest

*       3:15 PM: First Remove; Maid of Honor & Best Man Toasts

*       3:45 PM: Activity Break – Nine Pins

*       4:30 PM: Second Remove

*       5:00 PM: Activity Break – Medieval Dance Instruction

*       5:45 PM: Third Remove; Toasts from Groom’s Parents

*       6:15 PM: Fourth Remove; Toasts from Siblings

*       6:45 PM: Open Toasting

During Activity Breaks, those who would like to participate, please adjourn to the Upper Field. All others are invited to remain eating, drinking, and making merry in the Feast Tent.

Ë 7:00 PM (Feast Tent): Revelry!

*       7:15 PM: Cake Cutting; “Fanciest Spoon” Prize

*       7:45 PM: First Dance

*       10:00 PM: Goodnight

Sunday June 24, 2018 (Midsummer)

Ë 9:30 - 11:30 AM (Tatoosh Lodge): Drop-In Breakfast; Farewell!

Venue Information

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Wellspring Spa

(54922 Kernahan Rd E, Ashford WA, 98304)

Driving from Seattle: (86 miles – usually about two hours with no traffic)

• Take I-5 south about 12.5 miles and exit for I-405 north toward Renton.
• Stay on I-405 north for 2 miles until the exit for Highway 167 to Auburn.
• Stay on 167 south for 20 miles.
• Exit Hwy 167 toward Puyallup on Highway 512, head west.
• Travel 2.5 miles on 512, take the Highway 161 exit toward Eatonville / South Hill. (Turn left at 31st Ave SW.)
• Continue on South Meridian / Hwy 161 for 23 miles to the town of Eatonville.
• At the blinking red light in the center of Eatonville, turn left and continue out of town for 5 miles.
• When you come to Hwy 7, turn left and travel 10 miles to Elbe.
• Continue through Elbe, where Hwy 7 will become 706. 706 will take you through the town of Ashford.
• Turn left at Kernahan Road, 2.3 miles past Ashford and 10.2 miles past Elbe.
• Follow signs as you make your way up the driveway. You’ll find a parking area to the left of the information booth, and additional parking is available on the street.

Carpooling is recommended, as parking at the venue is limited.

VENUE FAQ

There are a few important things that are specific to our venue that we want to make sure to share with you, so that we can all celebrate at ease. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Is there cell phone or internet coverage at Wellspring?

One of the reasons we love this venue is because there is no cell phone or internet access! Cell phone coverage can sometimes be picked up, about 2.5 miles away, in Ashford, or Elbe. The closest wifi can be found at the Copper Creek Inn & Restaurant. Please plan accordingly. There is a single emergency phone on site for use (rings only to answering service, which can place a call on your behalf).

Where should I park?

There is a parking lot at the entrance of Wellsprings Spa for all overnight guests (see map for details). Day guests, and guests staying off-site can park along the dirt road just outside the entrance. We do recommend carpooling, when possible. Please park on the right side of the dirt road as you approach Wellspring. Also please do not park on the road past the main entrance as the road is very narrow and would block other vehicles.

Do you take mobility challenges into consideration?

Yes, there is a secret driveway on a gravel road that leads up to the wedding ceremony site. Please let us know if you would like to take advantage of this option, and we will help with the arrangements.

Can I take photos?

Yes! We will have a professional photographer taking photos of the wedding, but if you would like to take your own photos or video to share on social media, we ask that you please help us keep all our memories together with the hashtag #Bedsonbury. Thank you!

Can I bring my child?

We love your children, and welcome them! That said, their safety is our biggest concern. For that reason, we ask that they be supervised at all times. Please be aware that Wellspring isn't a "kid friendly" locale. There are water features, slippery rocks, ladders, hazardous wildlife, open wilderness, and alcohol that will be present. We ask that you use your best judgement in this decision.

How about my pets?

Pets are not allowed. Sorry, Fido!

Are there restrooms?

Yes, restrooms are located near the Gazebo.

Can I smoke?

Yes, but only in the parking lot. Smoking in or near other accommodations will result in a $200 fine. Thank you!

Lodging & Accommodations

We are thrilled that you are visiting for our wedding! The wedding venue, Wellspring Spa (link in right-hand side bar), is located in Ashford, WA, about an hour and a half drive from Seattle. The venue itself is a beautiful, rustic site at the base of Mount Rainier, but there are places to eat, shop, and stay nearby.

WHERE TO STAY:

• Reserved Lodging:
  Our wedding party and our immediate family will be staying with us on-site at Wellspring.
  
  We have reserved two full facilities near the venue for our wedding guests:
  
  ***Alexander's Lodge (~5 min past venue) - (12/20/17 was deadline to book before rooms are released to the public - call to see if rooms are still available: 360-569-2300)
  - 17 rooms, $169-$199 per night
  - Yurt in woods, $140 per night
  
  ***Nisqually Lodge (4 min away) - (4/24/18 was deadline to book before rooms are released to the public - call to see if rooms are still available: 360-569-8804)
  - 23 rooms 

Single Queen Bed $189.99 + Tax  (1 Handicap and 8 rooms available for a total of 9)

Double Queen Beds $199.99 + Tax (11 rooms available)

King Bed $209.99 + Tax (2 rooms available)

Junior Suite - 4 Queen Beds $309.99 + Tax (1 room available)

         Breakfast is included at both hotels.

• Overflow Lodging:
  Beyond the two full facilities we have reserved for our wedding guests (above), there are a few other non-reserved options in the Ashford area, available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis:
  
  - Whittaker Bunkhouse (Ashford, WA)
  - VRBO has many options, sleeping up to 8 (Ashford, WA)
  - National Park Inn (Mt Rainier National Park) has 25 cozy guestrooms, and is a lovely spot in the national park. It is about 10 miles or 20 min away.
  - Paradise Inn (Mt Rainier National Park) has 121 guestrooms, and has been designated one of the "great lodges of the West." However, it is farther from the venue (about 22 miles or 45 min away).
  
  Please contact Lauren if you have questions or need assistance with lodging. 

NEARBY FOOD & AMENITIES

As you drive towards Wellspring you will pass a couple towns:

Elbe (~7 miles or 15 min from venue)

• Convenience store on state route 7 at 54011 (cross street 541 st E) with basic amenities and alcohol
• Elbe Bar and Grill
• Pizza Express (pizza in a train car; train rides)
• Scale Burgers (roadside burger joint)

Ashford (~5 min away, the closest town to the venue)

• Base Camp Grill (burgers, pizza, sandwiches)
• Rainier Valley Restaurant & Inn (American food)
• Highlander (bar)
• Ashford Valley Grocery (convenience store)
• Whittaker Mountaineering (outdoor gear and expedition store) 
• Suver's General Store
• Art gallery
• Copper Creek Inn (~5 min past venue) is a homey, comfort-food restaurant where Mark and I have eaten 

SEATTLE ADVENTURES

If you are able to spend any time in Seattle during your visit, I highly recommend it! There are so many great things to eat, drink, see, and do here! I have put together a Google Map listing some of my favorites here.

Medieval Wedding Garb - Fashions of the 1400s

15th-Century Fashion


Burgundian court costume significantly influenced 15th-century fashion.

There was an immense variety of styles in vogue during the late 15th-century (c. 1450-1490). Distinctive fashions for men and women are discussed below, but for both sexes, fashions were elaborate, and were characterized by:

• exaggeration (very broad padded shoulders, very long pointed shoes, very high hats, etc.)
• stiffness of fabric arrangements and lines
• rich colors (main: gold, black, deep blue, green, red, russet; accent: white, grey) 
• wool fabrics with bold prints - pomegranates and artichoke motifs were popular
• fur linings and trimmings
• gathering and pleating, especially the use of cartridge pleats
• slashing (a decorative technique that involved making small cuts on the outer fabric of a garment in order to reveal the inner garment or lining)

Ladies' Fashion

The essential garb for women of the late 15th century consisted of modest dresses with immensely long and full skirts which trailed on the ground both in front and in back. The silhouette of these dresses (shown above) was quite uniform: they were seamed at the waist, with the skirt gathered onto the bodice, had tight sleeves with fur cuffs, V-shaped or heart-shaped necklines filled with a small stomacher or inset chemisette, turn-over collars, and wide belts.

Popular artichoke motif.

The diversity of women's fashion largely consisted in the variety of headdresses that were worn:

• butterfly head-dress, consisting of a veil covering a truncated steeple. The "butterfly" effect was achieved by using stiffened fabric supported by wires.

           

• forked head-dress, a development of the earlier heart-shaped head-dress in which the points of the padded roll are drawn closer together at the top

           

• steeple head-dress (or hennin) with veils of varying lengths, sometimes worn with frontlets (caps made of wire netting which passed over the head and allowed a small loop to show on the forehead), as shown in two left-hand figures below.

         

         
         Truncated steeple hennin with rich embroidery.

• horned head-dress

         

In England and France, women hid their hair under these head-dresses (even scraping it off the forehead and neck!) until the end of the century, when it became popular to wear hair loosely down the back, or in a jeweled net, styles that had been in vogue earlier in Italy. More information about hairstyles is available here.


Florentine noblewoman with loosely flowing hair in first half of 15th century.

Women of this period accessorized with elaborate and heavy necklaces.

Lords' Fashion




Essential garb for men in the late 15th century included:

• jaunty hats, which appeared in an "infinite variety of shapes" (Houston, 1939), including turbans
• the paltock (or pourpoint): an exceptionally short tunic, often reaching no more than a few inches below the waist, with extremely broad padded shoulders and a slim waist. The pomegranate pattern (shown at right, above) was characteristic of the period, as was the high collar with broad opening.

  

• long coats and tunics, worn by all ages, but especially popular among middle-aged and older men

         
          
          Two men in paltocks greet a distinguished man in a long tunic; Bold colors and designs in paltocks and tunics.

• very short circular cloaks fastened on one shoulder
• hose (or chausses): what we would call "a pair of tights"
• crakows (or poulaines, poleyns): very long and pointed shoes

Men sported waved hair, and commonly wore a dagger (or anelace) hanging from their belt.


Details from metal ornaments.

References

• Houston, Mary G. 1939. Medieval costume in England & France, the 13th, and 14th and 15th centuries. Relevant chapter

Medieval Wedding Garb - Resources for Buying and Making

There are many options for dressing the part of a medieval lord or lady! Check out my Pinterest Garb page for inspiration. We have assembled some resources here, which you may find helpful.


GENERAL RESOURCES

• Where to Buy:
• Dornbluth - garments, accessories (we are ordering the bridesmaids dresses from this company!)
• Armstreet - garments, accessories, armor
• Etsy.com has a lot of great items for sale - I've added some specific items to a list here
• Medieval Design - garments, accessories, decor, etc.
• Medieval dress by Holly
• Morganas Collection - some nice Viking tunics, among other items
• NP Historical Shoes - handmade historical shoes
• Cloaked and Daggered - handmade in Cheshire, England

• Making your Own:
• Unisex Patterns 
• Butterick B5233 Historical Footwear, All Sizes
• Reconstructing History
• Pattern guide for making your own boots here
• Fabric
• Sartor - historical textiles and brocades (bought the fabric for my wedding dress here!)
• Watts & Co
• Books and References 
• The Medieval Tailor's Assistant, 2nd Edition: Common Garments 1100-1480
• Online guide to fabrics for historical costumes
• Interesting blog with fun pictures, about creating historical clothing

LADIES

• Patterns: 
• Butterick B4827 Misses' Medieval Dress and Belt
• Butterick 6751 - Renaissance Misses Costume
• Simplicity Pattern 1045 Misses' Fantasy Costume
• Simplicity 1487 Women's Medieval Renaissance Costume
• Simplicity 8725 Medieval Costume Pattern
• Pattern guides and instructions for houpelandes and burgundian gowns here

• Advice and Background
• Undergarments
• Chemises

LORDS

• Patterns:
• McCalls 2665 Mens Tunic Hat Leggings 
• McCalls 3286 Mens Medieval Renaissance Tudor Costume Patterns
• Simplicity 3519 Misses', Men's & Teen's Costumes
• Guide and patterns for making a Viking Norse tunic here
• Guide and patterns for making a Skjoldehamn tunic here