“I loved everything about my wedding,” says Brianne “Everything turned out exactly how I dreamed it would.”

The couple, who met online, dated five years before getting engaged on a stormy day at Bodega Head in Bodega Bay. A year and a half later, they said “I Do” surrounded by 120 guests at Taber Ranch. “The location is a working winery and farm with a barn and is absolutely stunning and gorgeous,” says Brianne, gushing about the hilltop ceremony’s 360 degree views of the rolling hills of Capay Valley.

She remembers how handsome Bryan looked and “how I knew my life was about to change forever.”

Here’s how Bryan felt when he first saw Brianne: “It was like heaven’s gates opening up and the angels singing. I’m a lucky man.”

The “short and sweet” ceremony was officiated by the groom’s favorite judge from work.

To pay tribute to their families, the couple displayed old wedding photos of their grandparents at the wedding. Brianne honored her deceased father by having a heart-shaped piece of one of her father’s old work shirts sewn inside of her gown. “I wanted something of his, close to my heart with me,” she says.

The mother of the bride made Brianne a lace garter featuring a blue brooch that belonged to the bride’s grandmother.

A hunting theme played a role in the wedding too since Bryan is an avid hunter. The invitations had a deer design and the centerpieces and cake topper featured antlers. The florist created custom boutonnieres made out of shotgun shells with succulents in them for the groom and groomsmen.

Bryan also loves fishing so the lining on his custom suit featured fish in the ocean. His groomsmen’s vests coordinated as well.

The hearty menu featured tri-tip and barbecue pulled pork, followed by cake and heart-shaped apple and pumpkin hand pies.

The bride’s favorite details were: her dress, the venue and the nearby spots for photos. She raves about riding with her stepfather to the ceremony in the venue’s vintage red Cadillac.

The Cadillac was a source of laughter, too—it broke down on the way up to the hilltop ceremony! “I thought she was going to run,” jokes Bryan.

He loved seeing Brianne’s smile, seeing all of his friends and family in attendance and having his grandfather present.

The couple loves road trips so they celebrated their honeymoon with a trip to their favorite place: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. 

— Kristen Castillo