The Couple: Nicole & Mychal
Wedding Date: Since Mychal is a U.S Marine stationed in Hawaii, I flew over after he proposed and we got married on the beach just us two on May 10, 2014. We both decided to have the big wedding for family and friends a year later in California on June 13, 2015.
Photography by Angelee Arceo Photography
Tell us a little about you and your beloved: Mychal is from Lake Tahoe and I am from Rio Vista. I’m currently in school on my way to become a RN and Mychal serves in the U.S Military and a Marine. Mychal and I knew each other for couple of years before he proposed. Mychal and I would face time for hours and hours while he was in his schooling days in the Military from Florida, to North Carolina, to Hawaii. We would face time all night and we would call it our cross country sleep over because we would end up falling asleep while face timing.
How he proposed was so cute. I flew over to Hawaii to visit him just for the weekend. We had just gotten done eating dinner downtown in Waikiki. We were walking on the beach in Waikiki as the sun was setting. That was when he had gotten down on one knee and asked me. I said, “Yes!”
Later on, I flew back we had gotten married in Hawaii on May 10, 2014. July 1, 2014 we had gotten our first place, which was on the Military base in Hawaii and that was when we both decided we both wanted to do a big wedding for family and friends back home. The date was June 13th 2015. We planned a wedding a state away. It turned out to be such an amazing day. Thanks to everyone that was involved with everything.
What was the most amazing part of your day? The end of the day when everything was all said and done. I was just happy that our family and friends enjoyed it. It was for them. It made Mychal and I happy to see everyone having a great time.
What else would you like to share about your big day? I would like to thank both families for everything they did for us that day. They showed us what family was all about. bringing everyone together and having a great time. Especially when Mychal and I live far away from them. Due to him being in the Military, it was just nice to get away from the Island and see family.
Ceremony and Reception Site: Private Home
Officiant: Annette Cooper (A great family friend who did such an amazing job. We couldn’t thank her enough.)
Photographer: Angelee Arceo Photography (She took our engagement photos and did an amazing job on our wedding day.)
Caterer: Lira’s Supermarket
Cake/Desserts: Johanna, a family friend
Flowers: Judy Lukins. Mychal’s grandmother planted and had grown the flowers herself. She worked very hard on on putting the flowers and everything together.
Favors: Since it was a hot summer day, Mychal and I ordered fans for guests. The fans were red, I also had placed bubbles on the table for all the guest to have.
Bridal Attire: Sophia Tolli
Bridesmaids’ Attire: David’s Bridal
Hair: Melissa McWillams
Make-up: Elizabeth Adgate
Invitations: Maid of Honor, Danielle DeFlores, designed them.
Furniture and Linen Rentals: Giuffra’s Party Rental
Transportation: V.I.P Limo
Honeymoon Location: We live where most people honeymoon, so we didn’t get a chance to have a honeymoon. He only had a certain amount of leave days and I had to get back to work. We made the best of it. We missed family and that was all that mattered.
Any other of your wedding vendor(s) you’d like to call out that we missed in the above questions? The hotel we stayed at after the wedding, Wine & Roses Hotel, Restaurant and Spa, was amazing. They set up wine for us and had chocolate cover strawberries for us when we arrived. I would highly recommend them to anyone.
First Dance Song: “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now? Make sure the bride is happy! If you are planning a wedding a state away make sure you have one person you can trust and can follow through plans in the state that your wedding will be at. I was very thankful for all my bridesmaids, Mother-in-law, and Mom who all made sure everything was great on the day of the wedding.
Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance? I would have done a lot of things differently. I am just happy all of that stress is over with now and I am just happy the wedding turned out great for all of my friends and family.
Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Social Media Maven, Aimee Carroll.
Photos courtesy of and copyright Angelee Arceo Photography.
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