I met Vanessa at dance class about 5-6 years ago. She always had a ready smile, was kind, and was welcoming to a massive introvert like myself. It was impossible not to like her. Plus she’s a great dancer! It was an honor when she asked me to photograph her upcoming rustic wedding. I would LOVE to!
The wedding was held at Two Sisters Farms in Temecula. A sweet little farm not too far off the main road. With lovely light and fun details to photograph, Vanessa & Brians wedding was the perfect mix of rustic-casual and fun! Catering by Mastiff Sausage food truck, florals (ordered & picked up) by Native Poppy, coordination by Blue Stocking Events.
Brian and I met on eHarmony! I had resisted online dating for years, thinking that as long as I just kept up my active social life I would eventually meet someone. I can’t remember what finally changed my mind, but in March 2013 I signed up for a 6 month membership. Turns out committing to that timeframe from the start was a good move because after a few months I was OVER IT. I had gone on a good amount of dates and while most guys just hadn’t held my interest, a few had been borderline certifiable! When the 6 months was up, I was going to be done with online dating. However, since I was already paying for it, I decided to continue going on dates if only to get more comfortable with meeting new people.
By the time Brian and I made our first date, I was majorly phoning it in. If I’m being honest, I was dreading going! We were originally going to go bike riding, but anyone who knows me, knows that I don’t have a ton of bike riding experience. I don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to bike riding, but when I unlocked my storage unit that morning and saw how sad and deflated my bike tires were (the poor thing probably hadn’t been ridden in 5 years) I texted to change our plans and we agreed on drinks at PB Alehouse. I told myself I would go for one drink & then I could go home and relax. We immediately hit it off and before I knew it the waitress was coming over yet again to see if we wanted another drink and I remember telling Brian I’d love to, but I needed to be able drive myself home! We decided to go get frozen yogurt instead. A few weeks later & we both shut down our profiles and were happily on our way to where we are today.
2. Brian proposed to me while we were on vacation in New Zealand. We rented a camper van and spent two weeks exploring the country. His original plan to pop the question on top of Franz Josef Glacier during a helicopter tour was scrapped as soon as he realized that the glacier would be crawling with other tourists! We both prefer experiencing new places in a more low-key way (hence the camper van!) so instead he proposed to me when we were all alone at a campsite. We had just pulled in to where we thought we’d spend the night, and was about to unpack when another camper van parked within ten feet of us. We decided to go a few miles down the road to a smaller campsite that was completely empty. We parked and he did a little exploring while I started unpacking. A few minutes later, he came back and said I had to come with him. We walked down a little path through a meadow toward some trees. As we cleared the trees, the whole landscape opened up and we were next to a roaring creek at the base of a mountain (with the sun setting behind it!). That was where he asked me to marry him!
3. We got engaged in November and married in March. I always wondered why people would want a long engagement and now I know it’s because planning a wedding takes TIME. Especially when you have a baby while you’re engaged! Grace wasn’t entirely planned, but she was entirely welcome.
4. We knew that we didn’t want to have a stuffy, formal wedding. We wanted everyone to feel comfortable, eat good food, and throw a kick ass party! We were committed to finding a rustic dog-friendly venue, since Seabass is our first child – even if he is a dog!
5. The most memorable moments from the day… I don’t think I will ever forget how I felt as my dad pulled the car into the ceremony site. My heart was pounding out of my chest and to see so many loved ones looking back at me (and Brian at the end of the aisle!) was unforgettable. The toasts were all so amazing. When Dave + Sue (Brian’s dad and stepmom) pulled out my mandolin & sang for us was so touching. How each family member who stood up and spoke welcomed each of us to our respective families. How two of my best friends and countless family members helped to keep Grace occupied so Brian and I could really soak in each moment. Driving home from the venue, just Brian, Grace and I in my little Subaru, re-hashing how wonderful the entire day was. I didn’t want to get out of my dress, or take my hair down, at the end of the night!
6. Honeymoon: We don’t have one planned, but are talking about Hawaii to visit with my brother and sister-in-law later this year and our eye on visiting Europe. We’d love to drive around Norway/Sweden/Finland!
See everyone else tagged in their wedding on Instagram HERE
