The Couple: Erin & Blake
Wedding Date: October 26, 2013
Photography by Ponce’s Portraits
Tell us a little about you and your beloved: We met and became friends in junior high, and went on to attend the same high school and college.
Erin can take credit for their first “date” as she asked Blake to accompany her to the Sadie Hawkins dance during their Freshman year of High School.
A few years after college, Erin found herself in need of a date for a wedding across the country. Remembering Blake’s sweet dance moves, she decided to pick up the phone and asked Blake (once again) to join her. It was during that trip that we realized our long friendship had effortlessly grown into something more.
After nearly two years of dating, Blake surprised Erin during her “Golden Birthday” trip to San Diego. He dropped to one knee on the patio of their beachfront villa at the Hotel del Coronado, and Erin said, “YES!” It was about time that Blake did the asking.
What was the most amazing part of your day? Our vows to each other. We wrote them ourselves, and saying them in front of our friends and family felt so very personal and meaningful. We re-read them to each other after returning from our Honeymoon, and they are promises we will always treasure.
What else would you like to share about your big day? We made sure to stop and take the time to appreciate how all the details came together on our wedding day. All the time put into planning was worth it, and all the DIY touches felt like “us.”
Ceremony and Reception Site, and Caterer: The Citizen Hotel
Ceremony Musicians: Peter August on Tenor Saxophone and Reggie Graham on Keyboard
Officiant: Andy Imada, a long-time family friend
Photographer: Ponce’s Portraits
Cake/Desserts: Freeport Bakery
Flowers: Ambience Floral Design
Favors: Designed by the bride and groom. Photo strip frames with insert addressed to the guests, to be replaced by their photobooth pictures at the end of the night.
Bridal Attire: La Soie Bridal
Bridesmaids’ Attire: Alfred Angelo
Hair: Tina Romo
Make-up: Shana Beals Makeup Artistry and Studio
Invitations: Etsy
Signage: DIY
DJ/Entertainment/Band and Lighting: Music & More Entertainment
Photo Booth: Rocket Booths
Décor Rentals: Celebrations! Party Rentals & Tents
Honeymoon Location: Tahiti and Moorea, French Polynesia. We stayed in a fabulous and romantic hut over the water.
Any other of your wedding vendor(s) you’d like to call out that we missed in the above questions? Tuxedo Fashions for groomsmen attire (the ONLY vendor in NorCal with non-beachy tan tuxes!).
First Dance Song: “God Gave Me You” by Blake Shelton.
Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now? Make sure to utilize time each week to check things off your list – don’t wait until the final months because they fly by, and you want to enjoy the process!
Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance? We asked ourselves this question after our wedding, and we agreed that we would not have changed a thing.
Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Social Media Maven, Aimee Carroll.
Photos courtesy of and copyright Ponce’s Portraits.
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