"We wanted our wedding to be like the beach. We wanted the beach atmosphere and we wanted the ambiance to be relaxing, fun, and memorable. We chose our venue because it was located in Laguna Beach. Laguna was our first trip out of town together while we were dating. So it held a special place in our hearts. I wanted to DIY most of the decorations because I wanted to make our wedding our own. Our colors were more on the beach vibe palette, which included the light blues, the creams, the light greys and our florals included pops of blush. I would consider our wedding style to be a mixture of garden/boho/rustic/vintage and romantic. I I think we totally knocked out wedding out of the park and we couldn’t be any happier with how everything tied together." -Bride & Groom
How did you meet?
Kole and I met in college through a mutual friend. We actually met in a required criminal justice class even though we were both going into the medical profession. Kole tried selling me food sale tickets even though we were in the same club selling the same tickets. That’s how he got my number. He’ll say differently but I definitely made the first move by asking to meet me at the ice skating rink on Friday night. He showed up and he was sooo off balance on ice skates. I reached out my hand and asked if he was ready to fall. Little did I know, that became the beginning of our love story.
What is your proposal story?
I had never been to a museum before and Kole promised to take me to a museum. We were spending a weekend in Santa Monica just to spend some time together before he left for physical therapy school. We spent the day at the Getty Gardens in Malibu. There’s a special section of a beach in Malibu that is always really quiet that Kole used to go to when he was a kiddo. He introduced me to that beach when we were first dating. So we always went to that beach whenever we were around. So like usual, we made our way down the rocks and sat on the beach. After some pictures and playing in the water, we were ready to go to our hotel room to get dressed for a nice dinner. I got up first and Kole was taking awhile to get up, which I didn’t think anything of because he moves like a turtle when it’s time to leave the beach. I looked down and there he was...down on one knee. He then pulled out this little gray box and was so nervous that he couldn’t open it. I was like “WHAT ARE YOU DOING” and immediately started laughing and crying while he asked me if I would spend my forever with him. I immediately said yes and kissed him for dear life. We then took more pictures because what girl could ask for more than a beach proposal?
What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?
Kole and I most importantly wanted to have a fun wedding with our friends and family. For us, there wasn't any one factor that we "splurged" on. We wanted every single thing that was a part of our wedding to have some type of meaning. We chose Surf and Sand Resort for our venue because Laguna Beach was our first get-away trip as a couple. Our colors symbolized our love for the beach and the ocean, along with my obsession with Cinderella. Our ceremony was probably the most special to us as a couple. We included a rose exchange. Our roses were purchased by our godparents, who have been together for 25+ years. Roses also symbolized both of our mothers. My mom passed away before meeting Kole, so we wanted to include her memory in our marriage. She, along with Kole's mother, loved roses. So something as small as 2 flowers was the most important part of our ceremony other than saying our I do's and exchanging our written vows.
What were your favorite parts of the day? The whole day was spectacular and was so dreamy. I loved seeing Kole's reaction when I was walking down the aisle and our songs started playing. He had the BIGGEST smile on his face. Holding his hand throughout the whole day was my favorite. Knowing that he was all mine for the rest of our lives and sharing those special moments with him in front of our most beloved friends and family. Another special moment for me was when my best friend/maid of honor and my cousins surprised me with my bridal gifts. My MOH had my mom's handwriting/my tattoo screen printed on the inside of my wedding dress inside of Disney castle in my absolute fave color. My cousin gave me my mom's wedding ring. Long story short, I was an emotional bride for that period because it was so important that my mom was apart of this wedding with the smallest of details. Kole's fave part was seeing me in my wedding dress for the first time walking down the aisle. He also loved dancing the night away <3
Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?
Enjoy your time with your significant other. Make everything special. Don't focus on "Pinterest" weddings. Just make it your own and know that you'll enjoy the smallest of things on your special day with your loved ones.
SoCal Bride Recommends:
Photography: XO AND FETTI PHOTOGRAPHY | Ceremony Venue: THE SURF AND SAND RESORT | Reception Venue: THE SURF AND SAND RESORT | Event Planning: The Bride | Floral: TINA PEREZ (FAMILY FRIEND) | Stationery: DIY by the Bride | Wedding Cake: SWEET TRADERS | Hair: THE FACE OF BEAUTY | Makeup: MAKEUPARTISTBMK | Wedding Dress: Essence of Australia | Groom's Attire: Men's Warehouse | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaid Dresses: SHOP REVELRY | Veil: PREMIER BRIDAL IN FRESNO | Bridal Salon: PREMIER BRIDAL IN FRESNO | Bride's Shoes: Keds for Kate Spade | DJ: VICTOR GUISEPPI | Submitted via: Matchology