Celeste and Charles Say “I Do” at the Prado in Balboa Park
They say the best relationships start out as friendships, and if you were to spend a few minutes talking to Celeste and Charles about how they came to find each other, and how happy they are today, you would certainly know that to be true!
This couple met at Cal Poly in a class called “Wines, Beers and Spirits.” Obviously, this wasn’t one going toward either of their degrees – but it was certainly a great elective! They were in the same group in the class and did a lot of wine tasting and pairing together. The perfect setup for romance, right? Well… not exactly. These two didn’t fall in love at first sight, but they did go on to become friends during the class. It was a friendship that lasted for several years, before it advanced to something more.
A slow burn, if you will!
When it came to the proposal, Charles (Chuck) had big plans. They were visiting Seattle and he had hoped for a sunset proposal walking along the beach near the pairs’ former home, followed by dinner at a favorite restaurant. Unfortunately, it was raining (par for the course for Seattle), lunch wound up being later than initially expected, and it being March in the Pacific Northwest – the sun also set sooner than planned. So, the pair wound up at dinner around dusk, and still no question had been popped.
It was during dinner that Chuck asked Celeste if she still wanted to go for a walk on the beach. Because it was dark out, she was hesitant, but he insisted – so the two found themselves down by the water shortly after. The rain had stopped, so they walked along the beach and talked for a while. Eventually, Celeste mentioned wanting to turn back and head toward their hotel, but Chuck kept walking. Finally, he looked at her and said, “Will you please just stop talking?” before launching into his speech, where Celeste recalls him saying some very sweet and very serious things. Then, he got down on one knee on the wet boardwalk and asked her to marry him.
She shut up and said “yes.”
For their wedding day, this couple didn’t want much – just good food, good music, friends having fun, and great photos to prove it all happened. Chuck had no big visions for the day, beyond just wanting it to take place somewhere other than the courthouse, and Celeste’s only big “must” was a dessert bar. She credits her mother with having the ideas that brought the rest of the day together!
In terms of their three most memorable moments, Chuck’s were:
- First seeing Celeste walking down the aisle.
- Having a heartfelt conversation with his new mother-in-law.
- Carrying Celeste “over the threshold” of their bus.
For Celeste, it was:
- Getting the dress hanger stuck in her hair upon arrival.
- Walking down the aisle and seeing Chuck in his tux, as well as everyone else there to support and celebrate with them.
- Spending a few minutes along with her new husband, watching their guests enjoy themselves.
As the photographer, I couldn’t help but be captivated by the beauty of their venue – The Prado – as well as all the guests truly supporting this couple and having a great time doing it!
The pair jetted off to Bora Bora for their honeymoon, where they stayed in a bungalow over the water and enjoyed scuba diving and relaxing as man and wife. Now that they are home, and have had the chance to look through all their photos, they are planning on sharing their favorite images with loved ones, putting a few on the wall, and keeping an album handy to look through on those nights when they get nostalgic and open up a bottle of wine!