Real Weddings Wednesday: Lisa + Jesse's Romantic Dark Forest Wedding

It’s Wednesday, so you know the drill. It’s Real Weddings Wednesdays! Today, we’re taking you a whimsical journey through the moody forest of Grand Sierra Pointe, where Lisa and Jesse had their romantic and unique wedding ceremony! We can’t wait for you to see all of these fun touches – think axes, crows, and tons of black and white! Keep scrolling to read all about the couple, and to see more amazing photos from AshtonImagery!

Tell us a little about you and your beloved.

Jesse and I met at a mutual friend’s wedding reception. Jesse was invited to meet my twin sister, but was sat next to me instead and we hit it off right away and spent the entire evening talking. Jesse proposed to me at a family Christmas party by hiding the ring inside one of the gifts used in a game like Simon Says. He let me win, then when I opened the gift, he got down on one knee and proposed. Some of the family wasn’t able to be there due to COVID so my sister made sure to have everyone on Zoom. As far as the planning of the wedding, Forest House Lodge made it very easy, as it is almost all-inclusive. They hosted a vendor fair, which made choosing vendors simple. I had just started the nursing program and Forest House Lodge made the planning much less stressful.

What was the best part of your day?

The most amazing part of the day for me was having all of our friends and family there to celebrate with us… and the food! The most amazing part of the day for Jesse was the fact that the mutual friend that introduced us was our officiant.

What else would you like to share about your big day?

While some of the celebration was a blur, everything was seamless and smooth. Our wedding coordinator was fantastic and everyone tells us that it was the most fun and unique wedding they have ever been to. Forest House Lodge has an incredible game room downstairs for the after party that was a huge hit.

Advice from the couple:

Stay organized! We had a binder with tabs for each of our vendors, food choices, transportation, lodging, etc… The other main piece of advice I would give is to remember that you can’t please everyone. Do what you and your significant other want. You don’t have to go along with other’s expectations.

Anything you would have done differently?

One thing we wish we would have done is created our own shot list. After the wedding, we realized that there were photos we wish we would’ve taken at the venue. The last piece of advice we have, just remember that through all the stress, it’s your big day and have fun!