The Couple: Nicole and Justin Hill
Wedding Date: September 20, 2009
Photography by Jacqueline Photography
Tell us a little about you and your beloved: From Nicole: Justin has so many different sides to his personality. He can be a big kid, he can be a protector when he feels someone as wronged me, he can be gentle and caring and give me that look that makes me melt.. but above all, I trust him with everything – my heart, my soul, he is my Superman.
I always know that no matter what obstacles come our way we will handle them and we will get through them together. In every relationship, I always felt like I had to be the strong one that had to hold it up no matter what, I couldn’t talk about my doubts or my fears because those relationships didn’t instill that innate feeling of trust and stability that you have to have in a partner in order to reveal those things about yourself. But Justin makes me feel safe, safe enough to feel vulnerable and to love him with my whole heart and for that I feel truly blessed.
From Justin: Nicole is everything that is good in me. Without hesitation, she takes care of everyone but herself, she has the most perfect smile, laugh, touch. She is, for all intents and purposes, perfect. She can always calm me down if I get upset, and she always has a cool, level head. With all the challenges we face everyday, I just know with one look or one touch, that everything is going to be alright.
What was the most amazing part of your day? Becoming husband and wife. There is something magical and deeply spiritual about standing up in front of friends and family and declaring your love and your life intentions toward another person. We were very traditional in the fact that we didn’t see each other after the rehearsal which was 2 days before the wedding, so the build-up to that moment was pretty intense.
We wrote our own vows which neither one of us heard from the other until the wedding and it was absolutely amazing that we said many of the same things and that our last words in them to one another were almost identical. It was one of those things that made us know even more that we were really meant to be together.
What else would you like to share about your big day? One of the things that made the day so wonderful was that it was a very personal day for us right from the moment we got engaged. Our theme was God Bless the Broken Road and our wedding coordinators developed a custom symbol for us, 2 individual paths intertwining into one, that weaved itself throughout our entire ceremony.
This symbol was on our save the dates, invitations and on the floor in rose petals as the path we each walked to get to one another to say our vows. It was used in so many different ways and just served to help reiterate that we were two people coming together as one.
Ceremony Site: The Citizen Hotel
Reception Venue: The Citizen Hotel
Photographer: Jacqueline Photography
Videographer: Pinnacle Studios
Wedding Planner: A Joyous Occasion
Caterer: The Grange
Cake: Ettore’s Bakery
Flowers: Blooms By Martha Andrews
Favors: California Caramel Company
Wedding Dress: Keepsakes Bridal
Bridesmaid Dresses: White House, Black Market
Hair: Shirnel McNealy
Makeup: Nicole Hill
Invitations: Bridgeford Designs
DJ/Entertainment/Band: Steven Katz (DJ) and Jimmy Spero (Live music during the cocktail hour)
Photo Booth: Profinish Design
Honeymoon location: Ventana Inn in Big Sur, CA
Any other of your wedding vendor(s) you’d like to call out? Sacramento Theatrical Lighting, Mimi & Company, Cloth Connection, Celebrations Party Rentals
First Dance Song: God Bless The Broken Road by Rascal Flatts
Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now? Remember to enjoy the process of the entire engagement and wedding experience, but remember the weddding is just the beginning of your journey together and that the whole purpose is to join your life with this other person’s.
Planning a wedding can have some stressful moments, especially when you start getting closer and things start to get hectic, it’s important to slow down, take some time with one another and remember why you’re doing it.
Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance? I think we would have started the wedding a little earlier so we had more time with our friends and family. The whole day felt like it went by so quickly. We always joke that everything was so perfect that we wish we could do it again.
Photos courtesy of Jacqueline Photography
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