Even though Jane Emma Kelly and James Edward Milligan Jr. officially met in math class at the University of Washington, he had his eye on her long before the two first spoke. “Technically, we met in math class, but really I had seen Jane around the campus and had developed a crush on her,” James admits. “Her sorority and my fraternity had a lot of social gatherings together, so I asked her out to my fraternity’s sweetheart dance and the rest was history.”
James always knew he would propose at Jane’s family beach house in Newport Beach, California. “Whenever we’re in town, we take cocktails to the beach and watch the sunset with our pup, Willie, so Jane was not surprised when I suggested we head out for the sunset,” James remembers. “I proposed right next to the L Street lifeguard tower, where she spent her childhood summers, all while our families were waiting at the house for us with Champagne and oysters!”
Sweeping views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains at The Seattle Golf Club set the scene on the autumn wedding day. “Our planning and design team, Valley & Co., helped us create the Pacific Northwest-meets-California cozy romantic weekend of our dreams!” Jane gushes. Mekala Tinnin of Tie That Binds’s bold burnt orange stationery and Italian coast-inspired accents added to the ambiance of it all. O’Malley Photographers was behind the lens, while Weiss Photo & Film videoed.
When the bride-to-be slipped on Anne Barge’s Nantucket dress at Nyanza Bridal, she knew it was the dress. “I felt confident, classy, and sexy, but something was missing,” she recalls. “I loved the Mikado fabric, but the bright white was too harsh for my skin tone. Nyanza’s owner suggested the dress in a pearl Mikado color, and it all clicked. We quickly started calling the color French butter because it was so rich and soft.”
With the wedding dress decided, Jane turned to Over The Moon Styling to complete her weekend wardrobe. Styling Director Kelly Russell Potts pulled sparkling pearl drop earrings by AGMES Jewelry for the day-of and a Sachin & Babi rehearsal dinner dress. Bridesmaids complemented beautifully in subtle blues, greens, and yellows, also styled by Over The Moon. K. Marina applied Jane’s glowing bridal beauty look.
On September 9, 2023, Jane and James wed surrounded by loved ones in a sun-drenched ceremony on the water. “Our wedding ceremony was like something out of a dream,” she shares. “It was the kind of setting that just oozes romance.” The couple shared handwritten vows as a dear friend sang Rodriguez’s “I Think of You.” “All in all, our wedding day was laid-back but with touches of elegance and classic bits. It was all about celebrating our love story in the midst of nature’s beauty. It was a day filled with heartfelt vows, sweet melodies, and lots of love from our closest friends and family.”
Following the ceremony, guests found themselves on the lawn for cocktail hour—Aperol Spritzes and flavorful appetizers in hand—before everyone met inside for the reception. Subtle nods to the newlyweds lived in every detail of the space. “I think the best thing of all was how many people came up to James and me and told us how much they could feel us through every detail of the wedding,” Jane says. “Ferry boats played homage to my grandparents and our love of the Pacific Northwest. Mekala and Aleah worked together to design a big interactive escort display with ferry boat tickets and wooden ferries for guest keepsakes. Our big orange-patterned dance floor motif represented Riverside California, where I grew up.”
After dinner and sentimental toasts, the revelry began. Jane and James graced the dance floor as Willie Nelson’s “Unchained Melody” played in the background. The newlyweds cut their wedding cake by Ruth Anne Ford, and, afterward, Side One Band had everyone up—all night—singing along to the couple’s favorite songs. “After the dance party of our lives, we went back to the beautiful Edgewater Hotel in Seattle and rented out the bar to continue the celebrations for those not ready to retire yet!”
