The Couple: Jasmine & Michael
Wedding Date: September 16, 2016
Photography by White Daisy Photography
Tell us a little about you and your beloved: Michael and I met online. We literally would have never met otherwise. I was in graduate school at San Jose State University and he was at vocational school working towards becoming a machinist and welder at Laney College in Oakland.
I reached out to him first. We chatted for a little while before planning our first date the day after Christmas 2012. We had dinner on December 26th and wound up having another 2 dates over the next 5 days. Our third date was New Year’s Eve at Jack London Square in Oakland. Three years later, he proposed on New Year’s Eve in Jack London Square.
We knew we wanted a really small wedding, more like a fancy elopement. Since we were only inviting 40 guests (that includes two toddlers) we opted for a fairly short engagement of 9 months and planned the whole thing without a wedding coordinator. It was somewhat of a destination wedding, Tahoe is 3 hours north of the Bay Area. We also got married in a State Park where I was coordinating with a Park Ranger for most of the planning who definitely cared more about the health of the forest rather than my little wedding. All in all our wedding was perfect and everything we wanted.
What was the most amazing part of your day? I have three:
1) Walking down the long aisle towards Michael on a perfect mid seventies evening on Lake Tahoe was my favorite. It was such a surreal “it’s happening moment” I’ll never forget.
2) Eating our delicious Boston cream wedding cake was definitely a highlight of the evening.
3) Everyone singing and dancing to N’Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye”.
What else would you like to share about your big day? Our family and bridal party (we just had a best man and matron of honor) walked down the aisle to an acoustic version of “Storybook Love” the song from one of my favortist movies “The Princess Bride”. I had our guitarist play and sing Adam Sandler’s “Grow Old with You” as our recessional song.
Also, September 16, 2016 was a Harvest Moon. The evening sky was filled with a huge full orange moon reflecting off the lake.
Ceremony and Reception Site: Ehrman Mansion at Sugar Pine Point State Park
Ceremony Musicians: Joshua Ortiz with My Acoustic Heart
Officiant: The Bride’s Brother-in-Law
Photographer: White Daisy Photography
Videographer: Matt Nelson Design
Caterer, Rentals and Lighting: As You Wish Catering
Cake/Desserts: Sugar Pine Bakery
Flowers: DIY. Flowers purchased at Safeway Floral
Favors: DIY. Materials purchased on Ebay and Target
Bridal Attire: Flare’s Bridal
Bridesmaids’ Attire: Macy’s
Hair: DIY
Make-up: Katherine Aschenbrener with Imbued Beaty
Invitations: DIY
DJ/Entertainment/Band and Signage: Do Well Events
Transportation: Tahoe Sierra Transportation LLC
Honeymoon Location: Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC
First Dance Song: “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” by Ingrid Michaelson
Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now? Do what you want and what you can afford! We did not want to, even if we could, spend a house down payment on our wedding. We did a lot of DIY and thankfully Lake Tahoe is gorgeous and did not need much to jazz it up for a wedding. Don’t let people talk you out of doing what you want to do, that includes having a small intimate wedding or having a large wedding, having a destination wedding or staying local. I think we loved our wedding day so much because it was exactly how we wanted it (N’Sync throwbacks and all).
Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance? I probably would have hired a day of coordinator. Everything went fantastic day of, but having a day of person would have taken some pressure off my amazing sister/matron of honor.
Photos courtesy of White Daisy Photography.
Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Social Media Maven, Aimee Carroll.
Subscribe to the Real Weddings Magazine Blog! Click here:
