The Couple: Marianne & Delon
Wedding Date: September 22, 2012
Photography by Andrea’s Images Photography
Tell us a little about you and your beloved: Delon and I have known each other since grade school and have many fond memories of each other growing up. But it wasn’t until our paths crossed again in the summer of 2000, after I moved home from college, that we were reunited.
Its been 12 years since our first date and we have been together ever since. We’re a good team. After more than a decade together, we’ve weathered some storms and have always come out the other side stronger. We are best friends. We knew we wanted to journey forward together as partners in a shared life.
So when Delon asked me to marry him while we were out for a run along the beautiful Sonoma Coast, I was thrilled! And two years later, on a beautiful, warm September evening, we made a commitment to each other in front of all of our friends and family that we hold so dear. That evening at Taber Ranch was truly enchanting and one we will never forget.
What was the most amazing part of your day? The ceremony. With the help of our dear friend Angella (who was also our officiant) we wrote it ourselves. It was heartfelt and funny and true to us.
What else would you like to share about your big day? We are so blessed to have such an incredible community of family and friends. Our love and appreciation for all of them was a big part in what our special day was about. Not only did we want to embark on the journey of marriage amidst the love and laughter of the people we cherish the most, but we also wanted to spoil everyone a bit as a way of saying thanks for all the years of love and support. We did that by hiring great venders who went to great lengths to ensure everything was perfect and just as we had asked.
Ceremony and Reception Site: Taber Ranch
Officiant: A Personal Friend
Photographer: Andrea’s Images Photography
Videographer: XSiGHT Photography & Video
Wedding Coordinator: Kim Chevalier, Day of Coordinator, at Taber Ranch.
Caterer: The Buckhorn Steakhouse
Cake: Let Them Eat Cake
Flowers: Lilygrass Fresh Flower Design
Favors: Lagunitas Pint Glasses with Personalized Name Tags by River Road Rustics.
Bridal Attire: Bridal Galleria
Bridesmaids’ Attire: Wine Country Brides
Hair: Lisa Augustus
Make-up: I Make Beautiful/Makeup by Jenifer Haupt
Invitations: The Blue Envelope
Signage: Ron Blair Signs
DJ/Entertainment/Band: Extreme Productions Entertainment
Lighting: My Father (with help from Taber Ranch)
Furniture and Décor Rentals: Taber Ranch
Linen Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Honeymoon Location: Maui, HI
First Dance Song: “Marry Me” by Train
Any other of your wedding vendor(s) you’d like to call out? In planning for our wedding we knew that of all the vendors, the photographer was going to be the most important to us. I am so thankful we chose Andrea’s Images Photography to capture our special day. It truly was one of the best gifts we could have given ourselves and one of the best decisions we made throughout the process.
Andrea was such a pleasure to work with. She was able to capture all the wonderful moments- from the wedding aesthetics to the emotion, spirit and the humor of the day. Not only were the portrait pictures beautiful, creative and fun, but the candid shots were simply charming. She is such an incredibly sweet and special person who is devoted to giving you exactly what you ask for.
We would also like to give a big shout out to Taber Ranch for providing such a beautiful venue and to all of the staff who were so helpful in making it such as special day. It is such a magical place. It is the perfect venue for a very detailed bride because there are special details throughout the entire property. From the garden paths, to the rustic barn and the beautiful views, there really isn’t much extra to be done.
With that being said, we would wholeheartedly recommend any and all of the vendors listed. They were each professional and easy to work with and each one contributed something truly special.
Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now? Stop thinking about the “perfect” event. It is so easy to get lost in the minutiae and the expectations and the fairytales. Don’t lose the day. Make a list of everything that needs to be seen to, decided on and worried about between now and your big day. Then decide on the things that matter the most to you and do them right. Delegate or decide on the other stuff and refuse to worry about it. One thing that I learned is that it is impossible to flawlessly orchestrate an entire event by yourself. Rely on your family and friends and your wonderful venders to do their jobs and let the rest go.
Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance? No. I wouldn’t change a thing. Even those things that didn’t go quite as planned are some of my most treasured memories.
Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Social Media Maven, Aimee Carroll.
Photos courtesy of and copyright Andrea’s Images Photography.
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