Alyssa met Jordan during their first year of college at UC Santa Cruz. “We started dating our second year of college after going on a spontaneous trip to Coachella Music Festival together in 2010,” shares Alyssa. The two would make things even more official seven years later with a proposal during a morning hike in Lake Tahoe.
When planning their wedding, Alyssa and Jordan knew having their closest friends and family would the most important part of the big day. “A lot of our family and friends live far away now, so seeing everyone together meant the world to us,” she shares.
The couple kept the process very simple so they could enjoy more time together. One of their favorite moments was finding their venue and doing the food tasting. Thankfully, their venue included most of the needed services, amenities and even a coordinator to help them along.
Alyssa describes their ceremony as magical. “The sun shone through the clouds after many weeks of rain and winter weather,” she remembers of the moment. “The view was incredible.”
Following the ceremony, guests moved on to an indoor reception at the Forest House Lodge. “It was warm, cozy and so much fun,” shares the bride. “Our DJ kept us laughing during speeches and dancing throughout night. The food was fantastic.”
To top off the experience, they ordered a three-tiered cake of raspberry Chantilly, marble and Funfetti. The cake was iced with buttercream, decorated with a beautiful watercolor effect and topped with a “Love You to the Moon and Back” wood sign.
Both the bride and groom share their favorite moments of the day. According to Jordan, “Turning to see Alyssa during our first look made it all real. It was perfect.” And for her, “Taking a quiet moment together looking over the valley from the ceremony site. Everything felt surreal.”
—Darren Elms
