For their wedding, Cassidy, known by friends as “C-Bass,” and Ian, a.k.a. “America” to his friends, didn’t have a theme in mind. Fortunately, their part country, part outdoorsy and part glam wedding was everything the duo hoped for during their 11-month engagement.
Cassidy and Ian met in college, though they lost touch after graduation. As fate would have it, their shared passion for country music brought them back together after unexpectedly running into each other at a concert, and they started dating immediately after that night. This time, they didn’t lose contact, and the two became engaged after Ian proposed to Cassidy in Kauai, Hawaii. Cassidy was surprised enough to hear somewhat shy Ian suggest they take a selfie together on the beach, and even more surprised when he pulled out a ring and popped the question.
The two knew that they wanted a creative wedding, since they were mixing several themes and ideas as well as plenty of DIY projects. They were frustrated with trying to find a venue until they visited The Maples, which gave them plenty of flexibility in planning their celebration. “No two weddings at The Maples are the same,” says Cassidy. “And every inch of the property is absolutely stunning.” They decided to blend rustic, natural and outdoorsy elements, which blended into the high-end but authentically “C-Bass and America” themed wedding they imagined.
The duo invited 230 guests, and nearly all of them showed up for the mid-summer wedding. Fortunately, Cassidy had plenty of assistance from Ian’s aunts and mother for the many DIY projects she took on to support the large celebration, including the grape leaf wreaths on every table: a nod to Ian’s profession as a grape-grower. Cassidy’s welder brother chipped in, too, creating the arch adorned with flowers under which they married.
Despite the stresses of wedding planning, both Cassidy and Ian felt a similar sensation when they arrived at the altar to say their vows—but it wasn’t butterflies “There were a lot of feelings but the one that stood out to me was a sense of calm because I knew I was making the right decision,” says Ian. The feeling was almost exactly the same for Cassidy. “I felt a sense of peace knowing that Ian would love and care for me for the rest of my life,” she says.
The couple find it hard to pick out just one moment that meant the most to them, though Cassidy recalls how much she enjoyed the pre-wedding pampering and Champagne bottle-popping with her bridesmaids. But the couple both recall one particular moment in which they knew their guests were getting into the country spirit. “When the DJ announced the last song,” says Cassidy, “everyone formed this massive circle, dancing and singing along. Everyone had American flag bandanas handy and started waving them over their heads. Definitely a memory for the books!”
—Suzie Dundas
First Dance Song
“Have I Told You Lately” by Van Morrrison
Mother/Son Dance Song
“Love You Like Jesus Does” by Eric Church
Cake Cutting Song
“How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) “by Marvin Gaye
Last Dance Song
“Thong Song” by Sisqo. We chose this song because it’s an inside joke between us and all of our friends.
Details about the cake
A three tier cake: red velvet, fruit basket, and lemon. We had extra sheet cakes in the back to accommodate all the guests.
Details about the flowers
Silk flowers from Hobby Lobby. We went and picked out ones that I liked and fit the color scheme; no particular type of flower.
Details about the favors
It was quite warm the day of our wedding, as expected for July. We found these beautiful wood folding fans with detailed cut outs at the Galt flea market, and Ian’s mom printed our names and wedding date on the handle. We also found American Flag handkerchiefs on Amazon that were handed out.
Anything else you’d like to share about your wedding?
Ian isn’t a huge fan of cake like I am but he does have a favorite dessert: his grandmother’s famous jello pretzel salad. I pre-arranged a little surprise so that right after we cut the cake, the DJ would hand me the mic and I surprised Ian with his own personal jello pretzel salad for the evening. His face was priceless!
In particular our DJ, photographer, videographer, wedding coordinator and The Maples staff were outstanding I would highly recommend each and every one of these vendors. At no point did we feel like “just another couple” while working with them. Our day was perfect because of the hard work these people put in. They truly care about creating the best day possible for their clients.
DJ: Joe is professional, experienced and incredibly talented. He gave us the opportunity to hand select all of our songs and then he created the most seamless playlist. The music was on point with timing, sound and high quality acoustics. He is also extremely talented with lighting design!
Photographer: Angelee is the sweetest person. She is so genuine and puts her bride and groom first. She captured all of our special moments and went the extra mile to do so. She is great with creating the perfect shot and getting the bride and groom into creative poses. Her equipment is top of the line and she came prepared. She is also super speedy with editing. We received almost all of our photos within four weeks!
Videographer: The absolute kindest, most down to earth power couple. The owners, who are also the onsite videographers, are a husband and wife team. They did such an amazing job of capturing every aspect of our wedding. The video quality is excellent and they picked music for the video that fit perfectly! Highly recommend!
Wedding Coordinator: Where do I begin? Events by Rebecca is outstanding. Rebecca knows the business and knows how things work. Her constant support, communication, thoughtful insight and dedication to our wedding was incredible. I can honestly say that my wedding day itself was one of the most stress free days of my life thanks to Rebecca. She handled everything and did so with such poise.
The Maples staff: These folks are just as beautiful as their venue. I worked closely with staff throughout my year of wedding planning. They were responsive, flexible and welcoming. The onsite staffers present on the big day were hard working, professional and simply wonderful. Working with them was a pleasure.
Any tips you’d give brides and grooms planning their wedding today?
First, get the videographer. It’s worth it, I promise. And secondly, all the stress and planning is worth it in the end.
What would you have done differently if you had the chance?
Nothing. I genuinely loved every inch of our wedding. It was beautiful and more than I had ever imagined.
Vendors
Ceremony Site:
The Maples Officiant:
Charles Carlson, Couple's Friend Ceremony Music:
DeBorba Events Photographer:
Angelee Arceo Photography Videographer:
Reel to Real Video Wedding Planner:
Events by Rebecca Wedding Designer:
Events by Rebecca Reception Site:
The Maples Bridal Hair:
All Dolled Up Hair & Makeup Artistry Bridal Hair:
Art of Beauty (Bridesmaids' Hair) Bridal Make-up:
All Dolled Up Hair & Makeup Artistry Bridal Make-up:
Art of Beauty (Bridesmaids' Hair) Bridal Attire:
Miosa Bride Bridal Attire:
David's Bridal Bridal Veil:
Wine Country Bride Boutique Bridal Shoes:
Nordstrom Bridesmaids' Attire:
David's Bridal Groom’s Attire:
Men's Wearhouse Groomsmen's Attire:
Men's Wearhouse Bride's Rings Jeweler:
Brilliant Earth Groom's Rings Jeweler:
Stonebrook Jewelry Save the Date Cards:
DIY by the Bride Invitations:
Minted Menu Cards:
Etsy Thank You Cards:
DIY by the Bride Wedding Party Flowers:
DIY by Groom's Aunts and Bride Ceremony Flowers:
DIY by Groom's Aunts and Bride Reception Flowers:
DIY by Groom's Aunts and Bride Caterer:
Anderson Family Catering & BBQ Bar Service:
Primo Bar Cake:
Ettore's Bakery & Cafe DJ/Entertainment:
DeBorba Events Lighting:
DeBorba Events Favors:
DIY Decor Rentals:
Tin Roof Farmhouse Decor Signage:
DIY Chair Rentals:
Tin Roof Farmhouse Linens:
La Tavola Fine Linen Rental Rentals:
Firehouse Rentals Rentals:
Tin Roof Farmhouse Additional Resources:
Morgan’s on Main Additional Resources:
(Rehearsal Dinner)