"It rained the day before the wedding and we had some nerves about what the weather would be like the next day. We ordered a tent to be safe but the weather was still on my mind. We woke up on our wedding day to clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70s. It was the kind of weather that begged you to be outside. On top of that, there were butterflies everywhere! It made an incredibly special day feel downright magical.
Something else I was really nervous about was our first dance (both mine with John and mine with my Dad). I didn't like the idea of everyone staring at us and worried I would feel uncomfortable. It couldn't have been more opposite. I felt so connected to who I was dancing with and the guests all faded away. It was a small moment in the evening where John and I felt like it was just the two of us and could sing and be close. My dad surprised me with our first dance song ("Forever Young") and it still brings tears to my eyes. I didn't know he was such a good dancer!"
The proposal: "It had been a busy week at work for both of us so we decided to have Friday date night. We had recently gotten new bikes so we thought it would be fun to ride our bikes to dinner somewhere in the neighborhood. We took the scenic route and rode along Palisades Park which overlooks the ocean, where John runs in the morning. In the middle of our ride, John wanted to stop at his favorite part of the park, so we did. I started making small talk with someone who was walking their puppy and John abruptly ended our conversation. I was a little confused but then he held me close and told me how much he loved me. My heart started racing and then he stepped back, got down on one knee and proposed! I couldn't say yes fast enough! After a few pictures with the photographer he hired, who was hiding in the grass, we continued our bike ride to dinner where we celebrated with champagne. We rode home and called our parents to share the wonderful news. It was the perfect night."
What was your favorite part of wedding planning? "What was the most stressful part of wedding planning? I loved designing the tablescape and working with our florist! I thought I was going to have so many conflicting ideas, but when it came down to making decisions it all fell into place so easily. The most stressful part was getting the final guest count and making tweaks to the seating arrangement due to last-minute additions and cancellations. We made it happen though!"
Any words of wisdom you'd like to share for brides currently planning their wedding? Is there anything you would have done differently? "Don't sweat the small stuff! Remember to look at things through the eyes of the guests now and then to put things into perspective. Have you ever been at a wedding and been disappointed in the fabric of the napkin? I didn't think so! Something I wish I had done differently would be that I wish I would have spoken up more about the alterations on my dress. There were a few small things that weren't perfect but I brushed off at my final fitting. I should have pushed back harder on those things but didn't because I didn't think there was enough time or I didn't want to hurt the gal's feelings when she had done so much. They were still bothering me the day of but to be honest, by the time the ceremony started that was forgotten."
Tell us about your honeymoon! Where did you go? Would you recommend it to other couples? "We went to France! We spent a week in Paris and another week in the South of France along to coast. We can't recommend it enough! It was so romantic and felt like the perfect balance. We had a week of city living, walking everywhere, seeing sights, eating at incredible restaurants, and exploring followed by a more relaxing week of lunches on the beach, sunset cocktails, driving through the countryside, and wine tasting the local rose. We were planning our next trip to France before we even left."
Photographer: Carmen Santorelli Photography | Venue: Triunfo Creek Vineyards | Wedding Planner: All You Need Is Love Events | Floral: Siren Floral Co. | Rentals: Town & Country | Cake: Susie's Cakes | Beauty: Fiore Beauty