Our ceremony was set overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The villa where we were married has a beautiful fountain, which we covered in sturdy plexiglass to turn into a raised aisle. With our family and friends surrounding us, we said “I Do.” Having God be at the center of our ceremony was deeply important for us, and we were fortunate enough to have my childhood pastor (Episcopalian), officiate. We also had two friends speak during our ceremony. The first read the ever-loved passage from 1 Corinthians 13, our second speaker wrote a poem.

We wanted a minimalist ceremony that elevated the surrounding marble areas. This was mostly to make the space feel like we were on a cloud (especially with THAT VIEW!), but also served as a great way to save money. We used champagne chiavari chairs, though we were also presented with the option of the very trendy clear plastic chairs. Honestly the clear chairs simply felt too modern, we believed in honoring the tone of the space. For florals, we had very simple aisle bouquets placed, which we then repurposed during our reception. Our floral arch combined modern and rustic with overgrown greenery and pops of white roses. We opted for a rectangular floral arch to create the illusion of being “framed.” A picture perfect moment, on a budget.

The ceremony was the moment I was most nervous about. The moment where two become one. Waiting to walk down the aisle, lucky enough to have my dad’s sturdy arm holding me up, my heart was racing out of my chest. Not with doubt, but with a nervousness of knowing that this was it –marriage has always been held with the utmost reverence for me, a respect for the life-long union two people embark upon, held witness by those they consider their nearest and dearest. The party afterwards is simply that, a spectacular party. Yet, as soon as I began walking down the aisle and locked eyes with Gabriel, the nerves began to subside. Trust overtook, and excitement flooded (though of course the nerves of “don’t trip don’t trip” and “WHY is my bouquet so heavy” rang through).

Our ceremony was, hands down, my favorite part of our entire day. It was the first time when we were able to take a moment and soak in every person in attendance, all seated together in a silently agreed upon and communal energy. The overwhelming and palpable love and support surrounding us is still with me, and always will be. The intake of breath as we said “I do.” The unparalleled wash of joy as we were pronounced “man and wife.” The dip halfway back as we walked towards our exit afterwards … it was all a beautiful dream turned reality.

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